THE ORGANIZATION OF THE NERVOUS-SYSTEM IN PLATHELMINTHES - THE NEUROPEPTIDE F-IMMUNOREACTIVE PATTERN IN CATENULIDA, MACROSTOMIDA, PROSERIATA

The organization of the nervous system of Archilopsis unipunctata Promonotus schultzei and Paramonotus hamatus (Monocelididae, Proseriata) and Stenostomum leucops (Catenulida) and Microstomum lineare (Macrostomida) was studied by immunocytochemistry, using antibodies to the authentic flatworm neuropeptide F (NPF) (Moniezia expansa). The organization of the nervous system of the Monocelididae was compared to that of the nervous system of Bothriomolus balticus (Otoplanidae), a previously studied species of another family of the Proseriata. The results show that the main nerve cords (MCs), independent of lateral or ventral position in the Monocelididae and the Otoplanidae, correspond to each other. The study also confirms the status of the lateral cords as main cords (MCs) in S. leucops and M. lineare. Common for MCs in the members of the investigated taxa are the following features: MCs consist of many fibres, originate from the brain and are adjoined to 5-HT-positive neurons. In Monocelididae and Otoplanidae, the MCs additionally have the same type of contact to the pharyngeal nervous system. Also common for both proseriate families is the organization of the two lateral nerve cords, with weaker connections to the brain, and the pair of dorsal cords running above the brain. The organization of the minor cords differs. The Monocelididae have a pair of thin ventral cords forming a mirror image of the dorsal pair. Furthermore, an unpaired ventral medial cord connecting medial commissural cells was observed in P. schultzei. Marginal nerve cords, observed in Otoplanidae, are absent in Monocelididae. All minor nerve cords are closely connected to the peripheral nerve plexus. The postulated trends of condensation of plexal fibres to cords and/or the flexibility of the peripheral nerve plexus are discussed. In addition, the immunoreactivity (IR) pattern of NPF was compared to the IR patterns of the neuropeptide RFamide and the indoleamine, 5-HT (serotonin). Significant differences between the distribution of IR to NPF and to 5-HT occur. 5-HT-IR dominates in the submuscular and subepidermal plexuses. In the stomatogastric plexus of M. lineare, only peptidergic IR is observed in the intestinal nerve net. The distribution of NPF-IR in fibres and cells of the intestinal wall in M. lineare indicates a regulatory function for this peptide in the gut, while a relationship with ciliary and muscular locomotion is suggested for the 5-HT-IR occurring in the subepidermal and submuscular nerve plexuses. In M. lineare, the study revealed an NPF- and RFamide-positive cell pair, marking the finished development of new zooids. This finding indicates that constancy of these cells is maintained in this asexually reproducing and regenerating species.

The effect of construction pattern and unit interlock on the structural behaviour of block pavements

The maintenance or even replacement of cracked pavements requires considerable financial resources and puts a large burden on the budgets of local councils. In addition to these costs, local councils also face liability claims arising from uneven or cracked pedestrian pavements. These currently cost the Manchester City Council and Preston City Council around £6 million a year each. Design procedures are empirical. A better understanding of the interaction between paving blocks, bedding sand and subbase was necessary in order to determine the mode of failure of pavements under load. Increasing applied stress was found to mobilise ‘‘rotational interlock’’, providing increased pavement stiffness and thus increased load dissipation resulting in lower transmitted stress on the subgrade. The indications from the literature
review were that pavements are designed to fail by excessive deformation and that paving blocks remained uncracked at failure. This was confirmed with experimental data which was obtained from tests on segments of pavements that were laid/constructed in a purpose built test frame in the laboratory.

Intrinsic subtypes of gastric cancer, based on gene expression pattern, predict survival and respond differently to chemotherapy

BACKGROUND & AIMS:
Gastric cancer (GC) is a heterogeneous disease comprising multiple subtypes that have distinct biological properties and effects in patients. We sought to identify new, intrinsic subtypes of GC by gene expression analysis of a large panel of GC cell lines. We tested if these subtypes might be associated with differences in patient survival times and responses to various standard-of-care cytotoxic drugs.
METHODS:
We analyzed gene expression profiles for 37 GC cell lines to identify intrinsic GC subtypes. These subtypes were validated in primary tumors from 521 patients in 4 independent cohorts, where the subtypes were determined by either expression profiling or subtype-specific immunohistochemical markers (LGALS4, CDH17). In vitro sensitivity to 3 chemotherapy drugs (5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, oxaliplatin) was also assessed.
RESULTS:
Unsupervised cell line analysis identified 2 major intrinsic genomic subtypes (G-INT and G-DIF) that had distinct patterns of gene expression. The intrinsic subtypes, but not subtypes based on Lauren's histopathologic classification, were prognostic of survival, based on univariate and multivariate analysis in multiple patient cohorts. The G-INT cell lines were significantly more sensitive to 5-fluorouracil and oxaliplatin, but more resistant to cisplatin, than the G-DIF cell lines. In patients, intrinsic subtypes were associated with survival time following adjuvant, 5-fluorouracil-based therapy.
CONCLUSIONS:
Intrinsic subtypes of GC, based on distinct patterns of expression, are associated with patient survival and response to chemotherapy. Classification of GC based on intrinsic subtypes might be used to determine prognosis and customize therapy.

Distribution and pattern of moraines in Far NE Russia reveal former glacial extent

Here we present a series of six maps illustrating the distribution of end moraines in Far NE Russia. The maps are the first to systematically document the distribution of moraines across this region from the Verkhoyansk Mountains at the westernmost limit of our study area to the Chukchi Peninsula in the NE and to Kamchatka in the south, covering almost 4 million km2. Moraines were identified and mapped from analysis of satellite images and digital elevation model data. A total of 2173 moraines are identified, and we highlight some 197 more speculative features (perhaps moraines) that require further investigation. The distribution of moraines indicates that much of the region, now largely ice-free, was formerly occupied by glaciers centred upon the region’s uplands and that glacier outlets were typically < 200 km in length. The maps demonstrate the usefulness of remote sensing to derive an improved understanding of the glacial history of this vast and isolated region, and we present them to stimulate further work and act as a systematic framework for targeted geochronometric dating.

Confidence factor determination for performance evaluation of lighting pattern

In this paper the authors propose a new technique for determining a confidence factor applied to the performance prediction of individual luminaires within an overall pattern of luminaires. This work has relevance to any application where it is necessary to determine the performance of a lighting pattern e.g. street lighting, signal lighting etc. In this paper we apply our technique to a transportation application, namely, an airport landing lighting pattern. In the aviation industry it is imperative that the landing lighting pattern at individual airports performs according to standards. We have developed an automated technique which can be used to access the performance of luminaires within this pattern. We extend this work to also derive a confidence factor related to this prediction based on the quality of the data being utilised. ©2010 IEEE.

The changing pattern of adult primary glomerular disease

Published biopsy series have shown geographical and temporal variations in the patterns of primary glomerulonephritis (GN). IgA nephropathy is the most common type of GN in most European studies, but there is evidence suggesting that focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is increasingly common in the USA in all ethnic groups. We report the analysis of 30 years of native renal biopsies and the temporal pattern of primary glomerular disease in a single United Kingdom (UK) region.

Resource utilisation, length of hospital stay, and pattern of investigation during acute medical hospital admission

To describe the patient demographic characteristics and organisational factors that influence length of stay (LOS) among emergency medical admissions. Also, to describe differences in investigation practice among consultant physicians and to examine the impact of these on LOS.

The impact of antibiotic use on the incidence and resistance pattern of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing bacteria in primary and secondary healthcare settings

Aims: The objective of the present study was to study the relationship between hospital antibiotic use, community antibiotic use and the incidence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria in hospitals, while assessing the impact of a fluoroquinolone restriction policy on ESBL-producing bacteria incidence rates. METHODS: The study was retrospective and ecological in design. A multivariate autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was built to relate antibiotic use to ESB-producing bacteria incidence rates and resistance patterns over a 5 year period (January 2005-December 2009). Results: Analysis showed that the hospital incidence of ESBLs had a positive relationship with the use of fluoroquinolones in the hospital (coefficient = 0.174, P= 0.02), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid in the community (coefficient = 1.03, P= 0.03) and mean co-morbidity scores for hospitalized patients (coefficient = 2.15, P= 0.03) with various time lags. The fluoroquinolone restriction policy was implemented successfully with the mean use of fluoroquinolones (mainly ciprofloxacin) being reduced from 133 to 17 defined daily doses (DDDs)/1000 bed days (P <0.001) and from 0.65 to 0.54 DDDs/1000 inhabitants/day (P= 0.0007), in both the hospital and its surrounding community, respectively. This was associated with an improved ciprofloxacin susceptibility in both settings [ciprofloxacin susceptibility being improved from 16% to 28% in the community (P <0.001)] and with a statistically significant reduction in ESBL-producing bacteria incidence rates. Discussion: This study supports the value of restricting the use of certain antimicrobial classes to control ESBL, and demonstrates the feasibility of reversing resistance patterns post successful antibiotic restriction. The study also highlights the potential value of the time-series analysis in designing efficient antibiotic stewardship. © 2011 The Authors. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology © 2011 The British Pharmacological Society.

Pattern stability and error correction during in-phase and antiphase four-ball juggling

The authors studied pattern stability and error correction during in-phase and antiphase 4-ball fountain juggling. To obtain ball trajectories, they made and digitized high-speed film recordings of 4 highly skilled participants juggling at 3 different heights (and thus different frequencies). From those ball trajectories, the authors determined and analyzed critical events (i.e., toss, zenith, catch, and toss onset) in terms of variability of point estimates of relative phase and temporal correlations. Contrary to common findings on basic instances of rhythmic interlimb coordination, in-phase and antiphase patterns were equally variable (i.e., stable). Consistent with previous findings, however, pattern stability decreased with increasing frequency. In contrast to previous results for 3-ball cascade juggling, negative lag-one correlations for catch-catch intervals were absent, but the authors obtained evidence for error corrections between catches and toss onsets. That finding may have reflected participants' high skill level, which yielded smaller errors that allowed for corrections later in the hand cycle.

Double split ring slot FSS reflectarray for difference pattern generation

A report is presented on a split ring slot frequency selective surface (FSS) reflector whose element design and distribution allows generation of far-field difference patterns. The reflector operates by converting linearly polarised plane wave fronts into two orthogonal polarisations each with a deep null in the centre of the radiation pattern. The far-field measurement presented is in good agreement with the simulation and demonstrates a null depth of ?20dB in the centre of the radiation pattern.

Complex pattern of genetic structuring in the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) of the River Foyle system in northwest Ireland: disentangling the evolutionary signal from population stochasticity

Little is known about the microevolutionary processes shaping within river population genetic structure of aquatic organisms characterized by high levels of homing and spawning site fidelity. Using a microsatellite panel, we observed complex and highly significant levels of intrariver population genetic substructure and Isolation-by-Distance, in the Atlantic salmon stock of a large river system. Two evolutionary models have been considered explaining mechanisms promoting genetic substructuring in Atlantic salmon, the member-vagrant and metapopulation models. We show that both models can be simultaneously used to explain patterns and levels of population structuring within the Foyle system. We show that anthropogenic factors have had a large influence on contemporary population structure observed. In an analytical development, we found that the frequently used estimator of genetic differentiation, F-ST, routinely underestimated genetic differentiation by a factor three to four compared to the equivalent statistic Jost's D-est (Jost 2008). These statistics also showed a near-perfect correlation. Despite ongoing discussions regarding the usefulness of "adjusted" F-ST statistics, we argue that these could be useful to identify and quantify qualitative differences between populations, which are important from management and conservation perspectives as an indicator of existence of biologically significant variation among tributary populations or a warning of critical environmental damage.

Pattern of learning disabilities in children with extremely low birth weight and broadly average intelligence

To examine the prevalence and pattern of specific areas of learning disability (LD) in neurologically normal children with extremely low birth weight (ELBW) (<or = 800 g) who have broadly average intelligence compared with full-term children with normal birth weight of comparable sociodemographic background, and to explore concurrent cognitive correlates of the specific LDs.

Deciphering the Acylation Pattern of Yersinia enterocolitica Lipid A

Pathogenic bacteria may modify their surface to evade the host innate immune response. Yersinia enterocolitica modulates its lipopolysaccharide (LPS) lipid A structure, and the key regulatory signal is temperature. At 21°C, lipid A is hexa-acylated and may be modified with aminoarabinose or palmitate. At 37°C, Y. enterocolitica expresses a tetra-acylated lipid A consistent with the 3'-O-deacylation of the molecule. In this work, by combining genetic and mass spectrometric analysis, we establish that Y. enterocolitica encodes a lipid A deacylase, LpxR, responsible for the lipid A structure observed at 37°C. Western blot analyses indicate that LpxR exhibits latency at 21°C, deacylation of lipid A is not observed despite the expression of LpxR in the membrane. Aminoarabinose-modified lipid A is involved in the latency. 3-D modelling, docking and site-directed mutagenesis experiments showed that LpxR D31 reduces the active site cavity volume so that aminoarabinose containing Kdo(2)-lipid A cannot be accommodated and, therefore, not deacylated. Our data revealed that the expression of lpxR is negatively controlled by RovA and PhoPQ which are necessary for the lipid A modification with aminoarabinose. Next, we investigated the role of lipid A structural plasticity conferred by LpxR on the expression/function of Y. enterocolitica virulence factors. We present evidence that motility and invasion of eukaryotic cells were reduced in the lpxR mutant grown at 21°C. Mechanistically, our data revealed that the expressions of flhDC and rovA, regulators controlling the flagellar regulon and invasin respectively, were down-regulated in the mutant. In contrast, the levels of the virulence plasmid (pYV)-encoded virulence factors Yops and YadA were not affected in the lpxR mutant. Finally, we establish that the low inflammatory response associated to Y. enterocolitica infections is the sum of the anti-inflammatory action exerted by pYV-encoded YopP and the reduced activation of the LPS receptor by a LpxR-dependent deacylated LPS.

Nontypable Haemophilus influenzae displays a prevalent surface structure molecular pattern in clinical isolates

Non-typable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is a gram negative pathogen that causes acute respiratory infections and is associated with the progression of chronic respiratory diseases. Previous studies have established the existence of a remarkable genetic variability among NTHi strains. In this study we show that, in spite of a high level of genetic heterogeneity, NTHi clinical isolates display a prevalent molecular feature, which could confer fitness during infectious processes. A total of 111 non-isogenic NTHi strains from an identical number of patients, isolated in two distinct geographical locations in the same period of time, were used to analyse nine genes encoding bacterial surface molecules, and revealed the existence of one highly prevalent molecular pattern (lgtF+, lic2A+, lic1D+, lic3A+, lic3B+, siaA-, lic2C+, ompP5+, oapA+) displayed by 94.6% of isolates. Such a genetic profile was associated with a higher bacterial resistance to serum mediated killing and enhanced adherence to human respiratory epithelial cells.