Mosquito species richness, composition, and abundance along habitat-climate-elevation gradients in the northern Colorado Front Range

We exploited elevation gradients (1,500-2,400 m) ranging from plains to montane areas along the Poudre River and Big Thompson River in the northern Colorado Front Range to determine how mosquito species richness, composition, and abundance change along natural habitat-climate-elevation gradients. Mosquito collections in 26 sites in 2006 by using CO2-baited CDC light traps yielded a total of 7,136 identifiable mosquitoes of 27 species. Commonly collected species included Aedes vexans (Meigen) (n = 4,722), Culex tarsalis Coquillett (n = 825), Ochlerotatus increpitus (Dyar) (n = 546), Ochlerotatus trivittatus (Coquillett) (n = 303), Aedes cinereus Meigen (n = 280), Ochlerotatus melanimon (Dyar) (n = 146), Ochlerotatus dorsalis (Meigen) (n = 67), Culiseta inornata (Williston) (n = 52), Ochlerotatus pullatus (Coquillett) (n = 38), Ochlerotatus spencerii idahoensis (Theobald) (n = 37), and Culex pipiens L. (n = 29). Species richness was highest in plains habitats at elevations below 1,600 m. Numerous species were found exclusively or predominantly at low elevations below 1,700 m [Anopheles earlei Vargas, Anophelesfreeborni Aitken, Coquilletidia perturbans (Walker), Culex erythrothorax (Dyar), Cx. pipiens, Culex territans Walker, Oc. dorsalis, Ochlerotatus hendersoni (Cockerell), Oc. melanimon, and Oc. trivittatus], whereas others occurred predominantly at high elevations above 2,300 m [Ae. cinereus, Culiseta incidens (Thomson), Culiseta morsitans (Theoblad), Ochlerotatus cataphylla (Dyar), Ochlerotatus intrudens (Dyar), Oc. pullatus, and Ochlerotatus punctor (Kirby)]. Ae. vexans and Cx. tarsalis were abundant in the plains (< 1,600 m; mean June-August temperature > 19.5 degrees C), occurred at low abundances in foothills and low montane areas (1,610-1,730 m; 18.0-19.5 degrees C), and they were collected only sporadically in montane areas above 1,750 m (mean June-August temperature < 17.5 degrees C). These findings suggest that future climate warming may lead to shifts in distribution patterns of West Nile virus vectors (e.g., Cx. tarsalis) toward higher elevations in Colorado.     

Cardio-metabolic risk in 5-year-old children prenatally exposed to maternal psychosocial stress: the ABCD study

Background  

Recent evidence, both animal and human, suggests that modifiable factors during fetal and infant development predispose for cardiovascular disease in adult life and that they may become possible future targets for prevention. One of these factors is maternal psychosocial stress, but so far, few prospective studies have been able to investigate the longer-term effects of stress in detail, i.e. effects in childhood. Therefore, our general aim is to study whether prenatal maternal psychosocial stress is associated with an adverse cardio-metabolic risk profile in the child at age five.     

Trypanosome variable surface glycoproteins: composite genes and order of expression

Combinatorial processes increase the diversity of variable surface glycoproteins (VSGs) expressed by Trypanosoma equiperdum. We show here that a single telomeric pseudogene provides the 3' portion of three distinct T. equiperdum VSG genes by recombination with different 5' donor pseudogenes. Regions of sequence homology among the pseudogenes determine the sites of recombination in the formation of the expressed copies. This suggests that the recombination between any given basic copy (BC) and the expression-linked copy (ELC) depends on their sharing homology. We present evidence that this is the case and propose that such rules account for the order of expression of the VSGs. These results demonstrate how homologous recombination can generate an ordered sequence of gene expression.     

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes recognize a reconstituted class I histocompatibility antigen (HLA-A2) as an allogeneic target molecule

Recent findings suggest that peptide fragments of newly synthesized proteins may associate intracellularly with nascent chains of class I histocompatibility antigens (termed MHC-I proteins because they are encoded by genes of the major histocompatibility complex) and that these peptide adducts may be required for the folding or stability and perhaps even the transport of these proteins to the cell surface. To determine whether these proteins can be reconstituted from their separated subunits into ostensibly native molecules in the absence of added peptides, we denatured a purified human MHC-I protein (HLA-A2) with 4 M NaSCN, separated its heavy (alpha) and light (beta 2-microglobulin) chains by gel filtration, and then mixed them in the presence of a 3-fold molar excess of beta 2-microglobulin and absence of added peptides. The reconstituted protein, recovered in 10% yield, was indistinguishable from native A2 in its reactivity with a monoclonal antibody (BB7.7) and its ability to specifically activate A2-specific CD8+ T cells. Inasmuch as the reconstituted A2 contained no detectable peptide adducts (we estimate less than 1 per 100 on a molar basis, assuming peptides of 2-5 kDa), the results suggest that peptide-free A2 can be recognized by CD8+ T cells and that peptide adducts are not essential for the MHC-I protein to maintain an ostensibly native structure.     

The effect of prescribed daily dose frequency on patient medication compliance

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between prescribed daily dose frequency and patient medication compliance. The medication compliance of 105 patients receiving antihypertensive medications was monitored by analyzing data obtained from special pill containers that electronically record the date and time of medication removal. Inaccurate compliance estimates derived using the simple pill count method were thereby avoided. Compliance was defined as the percent of days during which the prescribed number of doses were removed. Compliance improved from 59.0% on a three-time daily regimen to 83.6% on a once-daily regimen. Thus, compliance improves dramatically as prescribed dose frequency decreases. Probably the single most important action that health care providers can take to improve compliance is to select medications that permit the lowest daily prescribed dose frequency.     

Neurosecretory activity as related to feeding and oogenesis in the fowl-tick Argas persicus (Oken)

Both feeding and mating initiate an increase in the number of the active neurosecretory cells (NSC) in certain regions of the tick's brain. NS activity was apparent already within 1 hr after a blood meal. Highest number of active cells was observed 24 hr after the meal. This was followed by a decline in number of active NSC during 10–14 days. In virgin females, a second, somewhat lower peak in NS activity appeared a fortnight after a blood meal. This second peak is possibly related to cycles in oogenesis of the virgin ticks.     

Identification of a third type of lambda light chain in mouse immunoglobulins.

A third type of mouse lambda chain was identified in the course of examining light chains from four myeloma proteins and two monoclonal antibodies. On the basis of their antigenic properties and a characteristic COOH-terminal tryptic peptide, the light chains from these immunoglobulins had previously been provisionally identified as lambda 2 chains. However, four of these chains, designated now as lambda 3 (or lambda III), were found to share constant region features that clearly distinguish them from the other types of mouse lambda chains (lambda 1 and lambda 2). The amino acid sequence of more than 90% of the lambda 3 constant region (from position 120 to the COOH-terminus) was determined. In this region the lambda 3 sequence differs from the lambda 2 constant region at 5 positions and from the lambda 1 constant region at about 30 positions.     

Organization of four mouse lambda light chain immunoglobulin genes.

We have cloned four lambda light chain constant region (C) genes from mouse embryo DNA. Each carries its own joining (J) segment approximately 1.3 kilobases to its 5' side. The four C genes occur in two clusters, 5' J3C3J1C13' and 5' J2C2J4C43', with C4 being a new C lambda gene. We have also shown that V lambda 1 is joined productively with C lambda 3 in a lambda 3-producing myeloma, and it is most likely that V lambda 1 and V lambda 2 are the only V lambda genes. Based on the analysis of the germ line and rearranged variable region (V) lambda genes in myelomas we argue that the V lambda 1 and V lambda 2 genes are at the 5' side of the C3C1 and C2C4 clusters, respectively. We propose that the two clusters arose by duplication. We also speculate on the role of J-associated DNA sequences in regulation of expression of the lambda subtypes.