Development and Implementation of a National Center of Excellence in Dairy Production Medicine Education for Veterinary Students: Description of the Effort and Lessons Learned.

The need for consortial programs to provide advanced education in food animal veterinary production medicine has been recognized and lauded for nearly three decades. This article describes one effort to create a dairy production medicine curriculum funded by a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Higher Education Challenge Grant. This National Center of Excellence in Dairy Production Medicine Education for Veterinarians is housed at the Dairy Education Center of the University of Minnesota and the project was a collaboration of the University of Minnesota, the University of Illinois, the University of Georgia, and Kansas State University. The article reviews the need for innovative ways to educate students who will optimally serve the dairy industry, provides a broad overview of the process of developing and delivering the eight-week dairy production medicine curriculum, and describes the challenges faced and lessons learned as a result of offering such a program.

STM-Induced Desorption and Lithographic Patterning of Cl-Si(100)-(2 × 1).

A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) was used to investigate tip-induced chlorine desorption and lithographic patterning of Cl-terminated Si(100)-(2 × 1) surfaces from 4 to 600 K in ultrahigh vacuum. Until now, STM lithography has exclusively focused on hydrogen-based chemistry for donor device fabrication. As the initial step in developing halogen-based chemistries for STM fabrication of acceptor-based devices, we substituted the hydrogen resist with chlorine. We found that chlorine can be selectively desorbed by the STM tip using both electron and hole injection. Observations show that targeted chlorine was not driven into the surface but desorbed completely as both individual and pairs of atoms. Chlorine depassivation lithography is demonstrated using both field-emission patterning to desorb chlorine from large areas with high efficiency (0.83(1)) and atomic-precision patterning to desorb one to two dimer rows at a time, resulting in 1.5 nm wide lines. Further, varying the experimental parameters for lithography revealed a positive correlation between pattern line widths and both positive sample bias voltage (1.7(2) nm/V) and total electron dose (0.15(2) nm/(mC/cm)), demonstrating that the energy and total number of electrons play a role in desorption from multiple sites.

Label-free multimodal coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering analysis of microparticles in unconstrained microfluidics.

Fast, label-free optical identification and quantification of biomolecules and other relevant biological materials in microfluidic devices and the vascular system will play a major role in liquid biopsy and related diagnoses. An optical microscope probing simultaneously non-linear coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) and linear scattering (LS) was used to probe microparticles in aqueous solutions flowed unconstrained in microfluidic channels. Despite the optical complexity of these systems, where out-of-focus microparticles randomly impede CARS and LS, and where water CARS generates a substantial background, we demonstrate that in-focus microparticles can be individually and unambiguously detected when CARS and LS are co-analyzed. The ability to chemically discriminate microscale features in optically realistic flows supports the relevance of multimodal CARS platforms for liquid biopsy.

CD39 overexpression does not attenuate renal fibrosis in the unilateral ureteric obstructive model of chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease has multiple etiologies, but its single, hallmark lesion is renal fibrosis. CD39 is a key purinergic enzyme in the hydrolysis of ATP and increased CD39 activity on regulatory T cells (Treg) is protective in adriamycin-induced renal fibrosis. We examined the effect of overexpression of human CD39 on the development of renal fibrosis in the unilateral ureteric obstructive (UUO) model, a model widely used to study the molecular and cellular factors involved in renal fibrosis. Mice overexpressing human CD39 (CD39Tg) and their wild-type (WT) littermates were subjected to UUO; renal histology and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of adenosine receptors and markers of renal fibrosis were examined up to 14 days after UUO. There were no differences between CD39Tg mice and WT mice in the development of renal fibrosis at days 3, 7, and 14 of UUO. Relative mRNA expression of the adenosine A2A receptor and endothelin-1 were higher in CD39Tg than WT mice at day 7 post UUO, but there were no differences in markers of fibrosis. We conclude that human CD39 overexpression does not attenuate the development of renal fibrosis in the UUO model. The lack of protection by CD39 overexpression in the UUO model is multifactorial due to the different effects of adenosinergic receptors on the development of renal fibrosis.

Pressure ulcer healing with an intensive nutrition intervention in an acute setting: a pilot randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of recruitment, retention, intervention delivery and outcome measurement in a nutritional intervention to promote pressure ulcer healing in an acute setting. METHOD: Some 50 tertiary hospital patients with stage II or greater pressure ulcer were randomised to receive either individualised nutritional care by a dietitian, including prescription of wound healing supplements; or standard nutritional care. Relevant nutritional and pressure ulcer (PU) parameters were collected at day 5, 10, 15, 22 and then weekly or until discharge. RESULTS: The median length of hospital stay was 14 days (1-70) with 29 patients discharged by day 15. There were 24 patients discharged before their PU fully healed. Per cent change in valid PU area and score measures from baseline to day 15 were chosen for outcome data analysis to account for varying initial size and severity of the wound and length of stay. There was a larger percentage reduction in PU measures in the intervention group, but this was not statistically significant. Little difference was found in nutritional intake between the control and intervention groups indicating a requirement to focus on effective delivery of the intervention in future studies. Future studies in the acute setting need to account for length of stay and ideally follow patients until full healing. CONCLUSION: Results indicate a positive association with nutrition intervention and PU healing and that a rigorously designed and adequately powered study is feasible. DECLARATION OF INTEREST: This research was supported by a grant from the Queensland Health, Health Practitioner Research Scheme. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

A quantitative review of MHC-based mating preference: the role of diversity and dissimilarity.

Sexual selection hypotheses stipulate that the major histocompatibility complex genes (MHC) constitute a key molecular underpinning for mate choice in vertebrates. The last four decades saw growing empirical literature on the role of MHC diversity and dissimilarity in mate choice for a wide range of vertebrate animals, but with mixed support for its significance in natural populations. Using formal phylogenetic meta-analysis and meta-regression techniques, we quantitatively review the existing literature on MHC-dependent mating preferences in nonhuman vertebrates with a focus on the role of MHC diversity and dissimilarity. Overall, we found small, statistically nonsignificant, average effect sizes for both diversity- and dissimilarity-based mate choice (r = 0.113 and 0.064, respectively). Importantly, however, meta-regression models revealed statistically significant support regarding female choice for diversity, and choice for dissimilarity (regardless of choosy sex) only when dissimilarity is characterized across multiple loci. Little difference was found among vertebrate taxa; however, the lack of statistical power meant statistically significant effects were limited to some taxa. We found little sign of publication bias; thus, our results are likely to be robust. In light of our quantitative assessment, methodological improvements and fruitful future avenues of research are highlighted.

Antioxidant network expression abrogates oxidative posttranslational modifications in mice.

Antioxidant enzymatic pathways form a critical network that detoxifies ROS in response to myocardial stress or injury. Genetic alteration of the expression levels of individual enzymes has yielded mixed results with regard to attenuating in vivo myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, an extreme oxidative stress. We hypothesized that overexpression of an antioxidant network (AON) composed of SOD1, SOD3, and glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx)-1 would reduce myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by limiting ROS-mediated lipid peroxidation and oxidative posttranslational modification (OPTM) of proteins. Both ex vivo and in vivo myocardial ischemia models were used to evaluate the effect of AON expression. After ischemia-reperfusion injury, infarct size was significantly reduced both ex vivo and in vivo, ROS formation, measured by dihydroethidium staining, was markedly decreased, ROS-mediated lipid peroxidation, measured by malondialdehyde production, was significantly limited, and OPTM of total myocardial proteins, including fatty acid-binding protein and sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(²+)-ATPase (SERCA)2a, was markedly reduced in AON mice, which overexpress SOD1, SOD3, and GSHPx-1, compared with wild-type mice. These data demonstrate that concomitant SOD1, SOD3, and GSHPX-1 expression confers marked protection against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury, reducing ROS, ROS-mediated lipid peroxidation, and OPTM of critical cardiac proteins, including cardiac fatty acid-binding protein and SERCA2a.

The stability of Cl-, Br-, and I-passivated Si(100)-(2 × 1) in ambient environments for atomically-precise pattern preservation.

Atomic precision advanced manufacturing (APAM) leverages the highly reactive nature of Si dangling bonds relative to H- or Cl-passivated Si to selectively adsorb precursor molecules into lithographically defined areas with sub-nanometer resolution. Due to the high reactivity of dangling bonds, this process is confined to ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environments, which currently limits its commercialization and broad-based appeal. In this work, we explore the use of halogen adatoms to preserve APAM-derived lithographic patterns outside of UHV to enable facile transfer into real-world commercial processes. Specifically, we examine the stability of H-, Cl-, Br-, and I-passivated Si(100) in inert N2and ambient environments. Characterization with scanning tunneling microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed that each of the fully passivated surfaces were resistant to oxidation in 1 atm of N2for up to 44 h. Varying levels of surface degradation and contamination were observed upon exposure to the laboratory ambient environment. Characterization byex situXPS after ambient exposures ranging from 15 min to 8 h indicated the Br- and I-passivated Si surfaces were highly resistant to degradation, while Cl-passivated Si showed signs of oxidation within minutes of ambient exposure. As a proof-of-principle demonstration of pattern preservation, a H-passivated Si sample patterned and passivated with independent Cl, Br, I, and bare Si regions was shown to maintain its integrity in all but the bare Si region post-exposure to an N2environment. The successful demonstration of the preservation of APAM patterns outside of UHV environments opens new possibilities for transporting atomically-precise devices outside of UHV for integrating with non-UHV processes, such as other chemistries and commercial semiconductor device processes.

Transgenic overexpression of CD39 protects against renal ischemia-reperfusion and transplant vascular injury.

The vascular ectonucleotidases CD39[ENTPD1 (ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-1), EC 3.6.1.5] and CD73[EC 3.1.3.5] generate adenosine from extracellular nucleotides. CD39 activity is critical in determining the response to ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), and CD39 null mice exhibit heightened sensitivity to renal IRI. Adenosine has multiple mechanisms of action in the vasculature including direct endothelial protection, antiinflammatory and antithrombotic effects and is protective in several models of IRI. Mice transgenic for human CD39 (hCD39) have increased capacity to generate adenosine. We therefore hypothesized that hCD39 transgenic mice would be protected from renal IRI. The overexpression of hCD39 conferred protection in a model of warm renal IRI, with reduced histological injury, less apoptosis and preserved serum creatinine and urea levels. Benefit was abrogated by pretreatment with an adenosine A2A receptor antagonist. Adoptive transfer experiments showed that expression of hCD39 on either the vasculature or circulating cells mitigated IRI. Furthermore, hCD39 transgenic kidneys transplanted into syngeneic recipients after prolonged cold storage performed significantly better and exhibited less histological injury than wild-type control grafts. Thus, systemic or local strategies to promote adenosine generation and signaling may have beneficial effects on warm and cold renal IRI, with implications for therapeutic application in clinical renal transplantation.

Expression of CD39 by human peripheral blood CD4+ CD25+ T cells denotes a regulatory memory phenotype.

We have shown that CD39 and CD73 are coexpressed on the surface of murine CD4+ Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) and generate extracellular adenosine, contributing to Treg immunosuppressive activity. We now describe that CD39, independently of CD73, is expressed by a subset of blood-derived human CD4+ CD25+ CD127lo Treg, defined by robust expression of Foxp3. A further distinct population of CD4+ CD39+ T lymphocytes can be identified, which do not express CD25 and FoxP3 and exhibit the memory effector cellular phenotype. Differential expression of CD25 and CD39 on circulating CD4+ T cells distinguishes between Treg and pathogenic cellular populations that secrete proinflammatory cytokines such as IFNγ and IL-17. These latter cell populations are increased, with a concomitant decrease in the CD4+ CD25+ CD39+ Tregs, in the peripheral blood of patients with renal allograft rejection. We conclude that the ectonucleotidase CD39 is a useful and dynamic lymphocytes surface marker that can be used to identify different peripheral blood T cell-populations to allow tracking of these in health and disease, as in renal allograft rejection.

Anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant effects of transgenic expression of human thrombomodulin in mice.

Thrombomodulin (TBM) is an important vascular anticoagulant that has species specific effects. When expressed as a transgene in pigs, human (h)TBM might abrogate thrombotic manifestations of acute vascular rejection (AVR) that occur when GalT-KO and/or complement regulator transgenic pig organs are transplanted to primates. hTBM transgenic mice were generated and characterized to determine whether this approach might show benefit without the development of deleterious hemorrhagic phenotypes. hTBM mice are viable and are not subject to spontaneous hemorrhage, although they have a prolonged bleeding time. They are resistant to intravenous collagen-induced pulmonary thromboembolism, stasis-induced venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Cardiac grafts from hTBM mice to rats treated with cyclosporine in a model of AVR have prolonged survival compared to controls. hTBM reduced the inflammatory reaction in the vein wall in the stasis-induced thrombosis and mouse-to-rat xenograft models and reduced HMGB1 levels in LPS-treated mice. These results indicate that transgenic expression of hTBM has anticoagulant and antiinflammatory effects that are graft-protective in murine models.

Does surgical approach influence component positioning with Birmingham Hip Resurfacing?

The aim of this study was to compare the component positioning of Birmingham Hip Resurfacings implanted through a posterolateral approach with those inserted via a direct lateral approach. Sixty-four hip resurfacings for osteoarthritis were carried out by a single surgeon: 23 through a direct lateral approach and 41 through a posterolateral approach. No significant differences in implant survival, Oxford Hip Scores or complications were found. The mean abduction angle for the acetabular component was lower (p < 0.007) with a posterior approach (mean: 37.5 degrees ; range 26-50 degrees ) than the lateral approach (mean: 43 degrees ; range 30-56 degrees ). There was no significant difference in stem orientation, either in flexion/extension or varus/valgus, between the two groups. This study demonstrates that components can be implanted in an acceptable orientation through either approach but that the posterior approach results in greater closure of the acetabular component.

Adenosine A2A receptor antagonists: blockade of adenosinergic effects and T regulatory cells.

The intensity and duration of host responses are determined by protective mechanisms that control tissue injury by dampening down inflammation. Adenosine generation and consequent effects, mediated via A2A adenosine receptors (A2AR) on effector cells, play a critical role in the pathophysiological modulation of these responses in vivo. Adenosine is both released by hypoxic cells/tissues and is also generated from extracellular nucleotides by ecto-enzymes e.g. CD39 (ENTPD1) and CD73 that are expressed by the vasculature and immune cells, in particular by T regulatory cell. In general, these adenosinergic mechanisms minimize the extent of collateral damage to host tissues during the course of inflammatory reactions. However, induction of suppressive pathways might also cause escape of pathogens and permit dissemination. In addition, adenosinergic responses may inhibit immune responses while enhancing vascular angiogenic responses to malignant cells that promote tumor growth. Novel drugs that block A2AR-adenosinergic effects and/or adenosine generation have the potential to boost pathogen destruction and to selectively destroy malignant tissues. In the latter instance, future treatment modalities might include novel 'anti-adenosinergic' approaches that augment immune clearance of malignant cells and block permissive angiogenesis. This review addresses several possible pharmacological modalities to block adenosinergic pathways and speculates on their future application together with impacts on human disease.

Sensing of water dissolved in solvents using a 5.629 microm multimode quantum cascade laser.

We report herein the detection of liquid water dissolved in a variety of solvents using a thermoelectrically cooled, pulsed, Fabry-Perot quantum cascade laser, operating at 5.629 microm at room temperature. The prototype sensor system consisted of the laser, a series of off-axis parabolic mirrors, and two mercury cadmium telluride detectors. When applied to the detection of water in tetrahydrofurane, a limit of detection of 0.85 parts per million was achieved. It is envisaged that such a sensor would be well suited to process control applications within the pharmaceuticals industry.

Competition for BLyS-mediated signaling through Bcmd/BR3 regulates peripheral B lymphocyte numbers.

Striking cell losses occur during late B lymphocyte maturation, reflecting BcR-mediated selection coupled with requisites for viability promoting signals. How selection and survival cues are integrated remains unclear, but a key role for B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS(TM); trademark of Human Genome Sciences, Inc.) is suggested by its marked effects on B cell numbers and autoantibody formation as well as the B lineage-specific expression of BLyS receptors. Our analyses of the B cell-deficient A/WySnJ mouse have established Bcmd as a gene controlling follicular B cell life span, and recent reports show Bcmd encodes a novel BLyS receptor. Here we show that A/WySnJ B cells are unresponsive to BLyS, affording interrogation of how Bcmd influences B cell homeostasis. Mixed marrow chimeras indicate A/WySnJ peripheral B cells compete poorly for peripheral survival. Moreover, in vivo BrdU labeling shows that (A/WySnJ x BALB/c)F(1) B cells have an intermediate but uniform life span, indicating viability requires continuous signaling via this pathway. Together, these findings establish the BLyS/Bcmd pathway as a dominant mediator of B cell survival, suggesting competition for BLyS/Bcmd signals regulates follicular B cell numbers.

Brassica S-Proteins Accumulate in the Intercellular Matrix along the Path of Pollen Tubes in Transgenic Tobacco Pistils.

A tobacco plant transformed with a Brassica oleracea SLG-22 gene was analyzed by immunocytochemical methods to determine the localization of the transgene-encoded protein product. Immunolabeling was observed in the pistil along the path followed by pollen tubes after pollination. S-antigen accumulated in the intercellular matrix of the transmitting tissue of the style and its continuation in the basal portion of the stigma and outside a few special cells of the placental epidermis of the ovary. This pattern of S-antigen distribution closely resembles that described for the S-associated glycoproteins of self-incompatible Nicotiana alata and differs from its distribution in B. oleracea.

Temperature dependent 29Si incorporation during deposition of highly enriched 28Si films.

In this study, we examine the mechanisms leading to 29Si incorporation into highly enriched 28Si films deposited by hyperthermal ion beams at elevated temperatures in the dilute presence of natural abundance silane (SiH4) gas. Enriched 28Si is a critical material in the development of quantum information devices because 28Si is free of nuclear spins that cause decoherence in a quantum system. We deposit epitaxial thin films of 28Si enriched in situ beyond 99.99998 % 28Si onto Si(100) using an ion beam deposition system and seek to develop the ability to systematically vary the enrichment and measure the impact on quantum coherence. We use secondary ion mass spectrometry to measure the residual 29Si isotope fraction in enriched samples deposited from ≈ 250 °C up to 800 °C. The 29Si isotope fraction is found to increase from < 1 × 10-6 at the lower temperatures, up to > 4 × 10-6 at around 800 °C. From these data, we estimate the temperature dependence of the incorporation fraction, s, of SiH4, which increases sharply from about 2.9 × 10-4 at 500 °C to 2.3 × 10-2 at 800 °C. We determine an activation energy of 1.00(8) eV associated with the abrupt increase in incorporation and conclude that below 500 °C, a temperature independent mechanism such as activation from ion collisions with adsorbed SiH4 molecules is the primary incorporation mechanism. Direct incorporation from the adsorbed state is found to be minimal.

A1 beta-casein milk protein and other environmental pre-disposing factors for type 1 diabetes.

Globally type 1 diabetes incidence is increasing. It is widely accepted that the pathophysiology of type 1 diabetes is influenced by environmental factors in people with specific human leukocyte antigen haplotypes. We propose that a complex interplay between dietary triggers, permissive gut factors and potentially other influencing factors underpins disease progression. We present evidence that A1 ß-casein cows' milk protein is a primary causal trigger of type 1 diabetes in individuals with genetic risk factors. Permissive gut factors (for example, aberrant mucosal immunity), intervene by impacting the gut's environment and the mucosal barrier. Various influencing factors (for example, breastfeeding duration, exposure to other dietary triggers and vitamin D) modify the impact of triggers and permissive gut factors on disease. The power of the dominant trigger and permissive gut factors on disease is influenced by timing, magnitude and/or duration of exposure. Within this framework, removal of a dominant dietary trigger may profoundly affect type 1 diabetes incidence. We present epidemiological, animal-based, in vitro and theoretical evidence for A1 ß-casein and its ß-casomorphin-7 derivative as dominant causal triggers of type 1 diabetes. The effects of ordinary milk containing A1 and A2 ß-casein and milk containing only the A2 ß-casein warrant comparison in prospective trials.

PR1 peptide vaccine induces specific immunity with clinical responses in myeloid malignancies.

PR1, an HLA-A2-restricted peptide derived from both proteinase 3 and neutrophil elastase, is recognized on myeloid leukemia cells by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) that preferentially kill leukemia and contribute to cytogenetic remission. To evaluate safety, immunogenicity and clinical activity of PR1 vaccination, a phase I/II trial was conducted. Sixty-six HLA-A2+ patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML: 42), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML: 13) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS: 11) received three to six PR1 peptide vaccinations, administered subcutaneously every 3 weeks at dose levels of 0.25, 0.5 or 1.0 mg. Patients were randomized to the three dose levels after establishing the safety of the highest dose level. Primary end points were safety and immune response, assessed by doubling of PR1/HLA-A2 tetramer-specific CTL, and the secondary end point was clinical response. Immune responses were noted in 35 of 66 (53%) patients. Of the 53 evaluable patients with active disease, 12 (24%) had objective clinical responses (complete: 8; partial: 1 and hematological improvement: 3). PR1-specific immune response was seen in 9 of 25 clinical responders versus 3 of 28 clinical non-responders (P=0.03). In conclusion, PR1 peptide vaccine induces specific immunity that correlates with clinical responses, including molecular remission, in AML, CML and MDS patients.