Search

Tsp-1 in the tumor microenvironment is known to suppress tumor growth and progression. Here the authors show that PRSS2 represses Tsp-1 by binding to lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 and suggest targeting PRSS2 mediated Tsp-1 repression as a potential therapeutic strategy.

Abstract Background The hybridizing field crickets, Gryllus firmus and Gryllus pennsylvanicus have several barriers that prevent gene flow between species. The behavioral pre-zygotic mating barrier, where males court conspecifics more intensely than heterospecifics, is important because by acting earlier in the life cycle it has the potential to prevent a larger fraction of hybridization. The mechanism behind such male mate preference is unknown. Here we investigate if the female cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profile could be the signal behind male courtship. Results While males of the two species display nearly identical CHC profiles, females have different, albeit overlapping profiles and some females (between 15 and 45%) of both species display a male-like profile distinct from profiles of typical females. We classified CHC females profile into three categories: G. firmus-like (F; including mainly G. firmus females), G. pennsylvanicus-like (P; including mainly G. pennsylvanicus females), and male-like (ML; including females of both species). Gryllus firmus males courted ML and F females more often and faster than they courted P females (p

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) viremia continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality in kidney transplant patients with clinical complications including organ rejection and death. Whole blood gene expression dynamics in CMV viremic patients from onset of DNAemia through convalescence has not been well studied to date in humans. To evaluate how CMV infection impacts whole blood leukocyte gene expression over time, we evaluated a matched cohort of 62 kidney transplant recipients with and without CMV DNAemia using blood samples collected at multiple time points during the 12-month period after transplant. While transcriptomic differences were minimal at baseline between DNAemic and non-DNAemic patients, hundreds of genes were differentially expressed at the long-term timepoint, including genes enriching for pathways important for macrophages, interferon, and IL-8 signaling. Amongst patients with CMV DNAemia, the greatest amount of transcriptomic change occurred between baseline and 1-week post-DNAemia, with increase in pathways for interferon signaling and cytotoxic T cell function. Time-course gene set analysis of these differentially expressed genes revealed that most of the enriched pathways had a significant time-trend. While many pathways that were significantly down- or upregulated at 1 week returned to baseline-like levels, we noted that several pathways important in adaptive and innate cell function remained upregulated at the long-term timepoint after resolution of CMV DNAemia. Differential expression analysis and time-course gene set analysis revealed the dynamics of genes and pathways involved in the immune response to CMV DNAemia in kidney transplant patients. Understanding transcriptional changes caused by CMV DNAemia may identify the mechanism behind patient vulnerability to CMV reactivation and increased risk of rejection in transplant recipients and suggest protective strategies to counter the negative immunologic impact of CMV. These findings provide a framework to identify immune correlates for risk assessment and guiding need for extending antiviral prophylaxis.

This paper considers the 1934 experimental radio work In Linea by Livio Castiglioni and Renato Castellani. A sound-collage characterized by an abstract approach to combining music and noise, In Linea nevertheless offered listeners a clear metaphor for fascist political education. The play’s three sections move from a dark, noisy chaos, within which arises an anxious, belligerent crowd that can be calmed only by a clear, authoritative voice offering a new path forward. At the heart of In Linea is a fervent belief in the power of the authoritative radiophonic voice. This paper examines the nature of this voice on the radio, asking what it meant to represent the most controversial and powerful radio voice of all – the voice of Mussolini himself. The stakes of such a representation cannot be overstated, given that radio broadcasts of the Duce’s speeches were the primary way that most Italians listened to and engaged with their heroic leader. This paper argues that the persistent focus on Mussolini’s image has led scholars to disregard the symbolic power held by the dictator’s voice, a voice that was both magnified and transformed through its transmission over the radio.

Speech and language pathologists have an important role to play in the treatment of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. There exists a large body of evidence regarding the efficacy of assessment protocols and treatment approaches for individuals with ASD. There is an ever-growing need for clinicians to adopt holistic, family-centred clinical practices, and this is particularly important within ASD, where clinical presentations are often varied. This study described the assessments and intervention programs used by one SLP in the treatment of a minimally verbal seven-year-old male with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. It found that the utilisation of multiple treatment programs may be required within therapy to provide individuals on the autism spectrum with high-quality, family-centred intervention. Further research into the development of clinically standardized procedures for selecting speech pathology interventions to promote client-centred practices is recommended.