Pesticides in a warmer world: Effects of glyphosate and warming across insect life stages.

Glyphosate (GLY) is a broad-spectrum herbicide that is the most commonly applied pesticide in terrestrial ecosystems in the U.S. and, potentially, worldwide. However, the combined effects of warming associated with climate change and exposure to GLY and GLY-based formulations (GBFs) on terrestrial animals are poorly understood. Animals progress through several life stages (e.g., embryonic, larval, and juvenile stages) that may exhibit different sensitivities to stressors. Therefore, we factorially manipulated temperature and GLY/GBF exposure in the variable field cricket (Gryllus lineaticeps) during two life stages-nymphal development and adulthood-and examined key animal traits, such as developmental rate, body size, food consumption, reproductive investment, and lifespan. A thermal environment simulating future climate warming obligated several costs to fitness-related traits. For example, warming experienced during nymphal development reduced survival, adult body mass and size, and investment into flight capacity and reproduction. Warming experienced by adults reduced lifespan and growth rate. Alternatively, the effects of GBF exposure were more subtle, often context-dependent (e.g., effects were only detected in one sex or temperature regime), and were stronger during adult exposure relative to exposure during development. There was evidence of additive costs of warming and GBF exposure to rates of feeding and growth in adults. Yet, the negative effect of GBF exposure to adult lifespan did not occur in warming conditions, suggesting that ongoing climate change may obscure some of the costs of GBFs to non-target organisms. The effects of GLY alone (i.e., in the absence of proprietary surfactants found in commercial formulations) were non-existent. Animals will be increasingly exposed to warming and GBFs, and our results indicate that GBF exposure and warming can entail additive costs for an animal taxon (insects) that plays critical roles in terrestrial ecosystems.

Chemical constituents of essential oils from the leaves and stem barks of four Vietnamese species of Fissistigma (Annonaceae).

Chemical profiles of essential oils from four Fissistigma species: Fissistigma bracteolatum Chatt., Fissistigma villosissimum Merr., Fissistigma latifolium (Dunal) Merr. and Fissistigma glaucescens (Hance) Merr. were analysed by gas chromatography-flame ionisation detector and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Fissistigma essential oils consist mainly of sesquiterpenes (48.7-83.8%), monoterpenes (3.2-30.9%) and fatty acids (0.5-33.4%). Data on the essential oil composition of F. villosissimum, F. latifolium and F. glaucescens are reported for the first time.

Remote entanglement between a single atom and a Bose-Einstein condensate.

Entanglement between stationary systems at remote locations is a key resource for quantum networks. We report on the experimental generation of remote entanglement between a single atom inside an optical cavity and a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). To produce this, a single photon is created in the atom-cavity system, thereby generating atom-photon entanglement. The photon is transported to the BEC and converted into a collective excitation in the BEC, thus establishing matter-matter entanglement. After a variable delay, this entanglement is converted into photon-photon entanglement. The matter-matter entanglement lifetime of 100 µs exceeds the photon duration by 2 orders of magnitude. The total fidelity of all concatenated operations is 95%. This hybrid system opens up promising perspectives in the field of quantum information.

Mutant p53 initiates a feedback loop that involves Egr-1/EGF receptor/ERK in prostate cancer cells.

Early growth response-1 (Egr-1) is overexpressed in human prostate tumors and contributes to cancer progression. On the other hand, mutation of p53 is associated with advanced prostate cancer, as well as with metastasis and hormone independence. This study shows that in prostate cell lines in culture, Egr-1 overexpression correlated with an alteration of p53 activity because of the expression of SV40 large T-antigen or because of a mutation in the TP53 gene. In cells containing altered p53 activity, Egr-1 expression was abolished by pharmacological inhibition or RNAi silencing of p53. Although forced expression of wild-type p53 was not sufficient to trigger Egr-1 transcription, four different mutants of p53 were shown to induce Egr-1. Direct binding of p53 to the EGR1 promoter could not be detected. Instead, Egr-1 transcription was driven by the ERK1/2 pathway, as it was abrogated by specific inhibitors of MEK. Egr-1 increased the transcription of HB-EGF (epidermal growth factor), amphiregulin and epiregulin, resulting in autocrine activation of the EGF receptor (EGFR) and downstream MEK/ERK cascade. Thus, mutant p53 initiates a feedback loop that involves ERK1/2-mediated transactivation of Egr-1, which in turn increases the secretion of EGFR ligands and stimulates the EGFR signaling pathway. Finally, p53 may further regulate this feedback loop by altering the level of EGFR expression.

Observation of slow down of polystyrene nanogels diffusivities in contact with swollen polystyrene brushes.

The diffusion of dilute colloids in contact with swollen polymer brushes has been studied by evanescent wave dynamic light scattering. Two polystyrene nanogels with 16 nm and 42 nm radius were put into contact with three polystyrene brushes with varying grafting densities. Partial penetration of the nanogels within the brushes was revealed by the evanescent wave penetration depth-dependent scattering intensities. The experimental short-time diffusion coefficients of the penetrating particles were measured and found to strongly slow down as the nanoparticles get deeper into the brushes. The slow down is much more marked for the smaller (16 nm) nanogels, suggesting a size exclusion type of mechanism and the existence of a characteristic length scale present in the outer part of the brush.

Extending the lifetime of anticoagulant oligodeoxynucleotide aptamers in blood.

We have investigated (123)I and (125)I DNA aptamer analogs of anticoagulant DNA aptamers to thrombin exosite 1 and exosite 2 for thrombus imaging potential. Two severe problems are rapid clearance from circulating blood and blood nuclease. With aptamers (unlike antisense) the nucleotide analogs used in polymerase chain reaction-selection cycles also must be used in the radiotracer. We investigated 3'-biotin-streptavidin (SA) bioconjugates of the aptamers to alleviate these problems. Blood nuclease assays and biodistribution analysis were used in the mouse and rabbit. We found that 3'-biotin protected the aptamers significantly from blood nuclease in vitro, but it did not slow in vivo clearance. In contrast, the 3'-biotin-SA bioconjugates were resistant to blood nuclease in vitro and were also longer-lived (10-20 times) in vivo. Bioconjugate aptamers retained affinity for thrombin. Two solutions emerge: 1) In noncirculating blood (within a thrombus) 3'-biotin extends aptamer lifetime, whereas 2) in circulating blood (the transport medium), where more aggressive clearance is encountered, 3'-SA extends aptamer lifetime.

Membrane transport of neuronal nitric oxide synthase substrate L-arginine is constitutively expressed with CAT1 and 4F2hc, but not CAT2 or rBAT.

The potential induction of cationic and zwitterionic amino acid transport systems and mRNA transcripts was investigated in primary neuronal cultures from rat hypothalamus/brainstem. Cultures exposed to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plus interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) were assessed with respect to northern blot analyses, L-leucine/L-arginine cross-inhibition uptake profiles in the presence and absence of Na+, and initial rate sodium-independent L-arginine transport kinetics. L-Arginine uptake activity was constitutively expressed along with uninduced steady-state levels of CAT1 and 4F2hc transcripts. However, neither the high-affinity nor the low-affinity alternatively spliced inducible isoforms of CAT2 or CAT2a transcripts (encoding system y+ in control astrocytes, lymphocytes, or liver) nor the rBAT transcripts (encoding system b(o,+) in control intestinal epithelial cells) were detected by northern analysis of neuronal mRNA. Cross-inhibition profiles were consistent with physiologic system y+ activity, but not system b(o,+) or system y+ L. Transport kinetics gave a single component with Vmax = 113 +/- 7 pmol/min/mg of protein and Km = 47 +/- 8 microM L-arginine; these kinetic parameters were not influenced by addition of LPS/IFNgamma at concentrations that up-regulated CAT2 mRNA and system y+ activity in control astroglia from the same area of the brain. The data are consistent with L-arginine membrane uptake occurring via only system y+ encoded by constitutive CAT1, with possible physiologic contribution by constitutive 4F2hc transcripts in primary neuronal cultures.

Kinetic analysis and comparison of uptake, distribution, and excretion of 48V-labeled compounds in rats.

Vanadium has been found to be orally active in lowering plasma glucose levels; thus it provides a potential treatment for diabetes mellitus. Bis(maltolato)oxovanadium(IV) (BMOV) is a well-characterized organovanadium compound that has been shown in preliminary studies to have a potentially useful absorption profile. Tissue distributions of BMOV compared with those of vanadyl sulfate (VS) were studied in Wistar rats by using 48V as a tracer. In this study, the compounds were administered in carrier-added forms by either oral gavage or intraperitoneal injection. Data analyzed by a compartmental model, by using simulation, analysis, and modeling (i.e., SAAM II) software, showed a pattern of increased tissue uptake with use of 48V-BMOV compared with 48VS. The highest 48V concentrations at 24 h after gavage were in bone, followed by kidney and liver. Most ingested 48V was eliminated unabsorbed by fecal excretion. On average, 48V concentrations in bone, kidney, and liver 24 h after oral administration of 48V-BMOV were two to three times higher than those of 48VS, which is consistent with the increased glucose-lowering potency of BMOV in acute glucose lowering compared with VS.

Induced nitric oxide synthesis is dependent on induced alternatively spliced CAT-2 encoding L-arginine transport in brain astrocytes.

The inducible isoform II of nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) was recently cloned from brain and identified in astroglial cells. Induced nitric oxide biosynthesis occurs in brain cells only if extracellular cerebrospinal fluid contains -arginine. This study demonstrates for the first time that induced iNOS activity is strictly dependent on concomitant induction of an alternatively spliced transcript of the cat-2 gene encoding high affinity -arginine transporter System y+ in cultured rat astrocytes. Inhibition profiles of radiolabeled -arginine and -leucine uptake identified the dominance of Na+-independent transport System y+ serving cationic amino acids, with insignificant activities of Systems y+L, bo,+, or Bo,+. A reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction/sequencing/cloning strategy was used to identify a single 123-base nucleotide sequence coding the high affinity domain of alternatively spliced CAT-2 (not CAT-2a) in astrocytes activated by lipopolysaccharide/interferon-gamma. Using this sequence as a cDNA probe, it was determined that CAT-2 mRNA, iNOS mRNA, and System y+ activity were concomitantly and strongly induced in astrocytes. Constitutive CAT-1 mRNA was weakly present in neurons and astrocytes, was not inducible in either cell type, and contributed <3% to total System y+ activity. Although astroglial iNOS Km approximately 10 microM L-arginine for intracellular substrate, hyperbolic kinetics of inducible iNOS activity measured as a function of extracellular L-arginine concentration gave Km approximately 50 microM L-arginine with intact cells. The same Km approximately 50 microM was obtained for induced membrane transport System y+ activity. iNOS activity was reduced to zero in the absence of extracellular L-arginine uptake via System y+. These findings expand the current understanding of NO biosynthesis modulation and implicate a coordinated regulation of intracellular iNOS enzyme activity with membrane L-arginine transport in brain.

Evaluation of chronic renal disease in heart transplant recipients: importance of pretransplantation native kidney histologic evaluation.

Although long-term use of cyclosporine has been implicated in the pathogenesis of arteriolar hyalinosis, interstitial fibrosis, and glomerulosclerosis observed in the native kidneys of heart transplant recipients, it is not clear that these histologic abnormalities are entirely specific for a drug-induced toxic nephropathy. The purpose of this study was to determine whether long-standing congestive heart failure, particularly when complicated by disease processes such as atherosclerosis and hypertension, may independently predispose to the development of similar renal histopathology. Records and specimens were selected from autopsy files for evaluation of clinical profiles and kidney histology in 16 patients who died of end-stage cardiomyopathy of varying causes without having recourse to heart transplantation. The study cohort consisted of 12 men and four women. Cardiomyopathies were the result of coronary artery disease in six patients and nonischemic causes in the other 10 patients. The mean age at the time of death was 53 +/- 3 years (range 28 to 74 years). Thirteen (81%) of 16 patients had a history of hypertension. Nadir serum creatinine concentrations during the month before death were 1.7 +/- 0.2 mg/dl (range 1.2 to 3.5 mg/dl). Interstitial fibrosis, tubular atrophy, and glomerulosclerosis were present in 15 (94%) of 16 patients. Arteriosclerosis and arteriolosclerosis were found in 13 (81%) of 16 and 14 (88%) of 16 patients, respectively. A nodular pattern of arteriolar hyalinosis was observed in two patients with ischemic disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Different effects of breast cancer, HIV-1 infection and chemotherapy on inducible natural immunity.

Breast cancer chemotherapy and HIV-1 viral infection (AIDS) can result in respective transient or irreversible losses of up to 40-50% of circulating lymphocytes. The relationship of lymphopenia on tumor immunosurveillance and the control of opportunistic infections has yet to be established. The objective of this study was to characterize the changes in natural killer (NK) and lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cell function associated with cytotoxic drug therapy, breast cancer and HIV-1 infection. NK and LAK activities were measured at multiple effector to target ratios. Exponential regression analysis of target cell lysis determined the maximal % target kill and the lytic potential of effector cells. Flow cytometric analysis of lymphocyte subsets in seropositive populations was performed to determine the % of NK(CD56+) cells. Taken together, our findings indicate that cytotoxic NK pool sizes increased in breast cancer patients, diminish consequent to chemotherapy. The functional capacity of individual NK and LAK cells remains intact. In contrast, the diminution of NK and LAK functional responses in HIV-1 seropositive individuals is associated with reductions in cytotoxic NK and LAK pool sizes, as well as marked reductions in cytolytic function of individual cells. Zidovudine (AZT) treatment did not affect LAK activity in HIV+ subgroups. Our findings indicate that NK and activated LAK functions are affected both by chemotherapy and disease etiology.

Potential 99mTc radiopharmaceuticals for renal imaging: tris(N-substituted-3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyridinonato)technetium(IV) cations.

A series of monocationic complexes of N-substituted-3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyridinones labeled with technetium(IV)-99m have been evaluated in vivo as potential radiopharmaceuticals. The pyridinones have different substituents at the ring nitrogen atom: ethyl, i-propyl, i-butyl, benzyl, phenyl, p-methoxyphenyl, 3-butoxypropyl and cyclohexyl. Biodistribution studies of the 99mTc complexes have been carried out in rabbits and mice. High kidney uptake and retention of the radionuclide has been shown in rabbits and mice with the cationic complexes of 3-hydroxy-1-(p-methoxyphenyl)-2-methyl-4-pyridinone and 1-(cyclohexyl)-3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyridinone. These 99mTcL3+ compounds appear to be morphologic renal agents.

5-Fluorodeoxyuridine as an alternative to the synthesis of mixed hybridization probes for the detection of specific gene sequences.

Synthetic complementary oligonucleotides are useful hybridization probes for the detection of mRNAs and genes encoding proteins for which only a partial amino acid sequence is known. Usually this involves the synthesis of mixtures of oligonucleotides complementary to all possible bases in degenerate positions of codons. As an alternative we have prepared and characterized a series of unique oligonucleotides containing a pyrimidine analog, 5-fluorodeoxyuridine (F). Thermodynamic parameters and the melting temperatures of hybrid duplexes containing A.F and G.F base pairs showed that they are considerably more stable than duplexes containing A.T and G.T base pairs. The stability of a duplex decreased linearly with the number of mismatches introduced at positions at least a codon apart. A 5-fluorodeoxyuridine-substituted oligonucleotide cDNA detects rat liver pyruvate carboxylase mRNA on a RNA gel blot with a dissociation temperature only 10 degrees C below the measured melting temperature in solution. We suggest that the complexity of oligonucleotide cDNAs used for screening gene libraries can be reduced by the design of single hybridization probes containing the substituted bases--5-fluorodeoxyuridine to pair with adenosine or guanosine, guanosine to pair with cytidine or thymidine, and deoxyinosine to pair with adenosine or cytidine at positions of codon degeneracy--and still retain near-maximum stability of hybrid duplexes.

In-vivo effects of prostaglandin E1 and lysine-bradykinin on rat salivary secretions elicited by parasympathomimetic stimulation.

Intravenous injections of either prostaglandin E1 or lysine bradykinin (kallidin) modified the secretory response of the submandibular, parotid and sublingual glands of the rat to intravenous infusions of acetylcholine. The two substances caused reductions (of from 16 to 67 per cent) in salivary flow rates when administered in concentrations ranging from 10 to 50 micrograms/kg body weight. The effect lasted for 20-30 min, followed by a return to pre-injection levels and in general, depended on the concentration of the secretory stimulator and on the dose of test substance used. In the submandibular and sublingual gland, both substances generally caused a concomitant increase in the salivary Na+ concentrations. This effect depended on the concentrations of acetylcholine and of test substance and varied from 10 to 117 per cent. The effect was more marked in submandibular saliva. Absolute increases in salivary Na+ concentration were not observed in the parotid gland, but the reductions in salivary Na+ concentrations (from 2.5 to 31.7 per cent) were smaller and did not parallel the simultaneous reduction in flow rate, which was between 16.4 and 60.4 per cent. As both kinins and prostaglandins are present in the glands and may be activated as a result of secretory or metabolic activity, the results suggest that they act as modulators of the secretory response to cholinergic stimulation. The divergent effects on flow rate and on salivary Na+ concentration suggest that kinins and prostaglandins have specific and independent effects on acinar and duct cells.