Alteration of lymphocyte trafficking by sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor agonists

Blood lymphocyte numbers, essential for the development of efficient immune responses, are maintained by recirculation through secondary lymphoid organs. We show that lymphocyte trafficking is altered by the lysophospholipid sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and by a phosphoryl metabolite of the immunosuppressive agent FTY720. Both species were high-affinity agonists of at least four of the five S1P receptors. These agonists produce lymphopenia in blood and thoracic duct lymph by sequestration of lymphocytes in lymph nodes, but not spleen. S1P receptor agonists induced emptying of lymphoid sinuses by retention of lymphocytes on the abluminal side of sinus-lining endothelium and inhibition of egress into lymph. Inhibition of lymphocyte recirculation by activation of S1P receptors may result in therapeutically useful immunosuppression.     

Descriptive apportionment of lead in housedust by automated sem

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution - Quantifying sources of aerosol derived materials is an important task in environmental pollution research. Receptor modeling using automated scanning electron...     

Characterizing the availability of metals in contaminated soils. I. The solid phase: sequential extraction and isotopic dilution

Abstract. The two approaches most commonly applied to characterizing the chemical form and 'reactivity' of metals in the soil solid phase are sequential extraction procedures (SEPs) and isotopic dilution (ID). The development and limitations of both approaches are described and their application to contaminated soils discussed. It may be argued that ID offers a better means of discriminating between 'reactive' and 'inert' forms of metal. However, the literature on SEPs is considerably larger, providing greater scope for comparative analysis of new data. Although ID methods are subject to operational constraints, the procedural dependency of SEPs is probably much greater. Thus greater effort has been expended to standardize and verify methodologies for SEPs. However, despite achieving a level of 'political ratification' at the procedural level, the use of SEPs within risk assessments for planning or development purposes is currently almost absent. The future for ID methods in this context may lie in site-specific risk assessments that include improved methods for the prediction of metal solubility and bioavailability.     

Acid Sensitivity of Three Large Nepalese Catchments: Case Study of Bhote Kosi, Everest and Langtang

One hundred and fifty-eight stream sites were selected on the basis of their catchment characteristics (i.e. bedrock and land use) in the Bhote Kosi, Everest and Langtang catchments of Nepal. Spot samples of these streams were collected during two post-monsoon periods in 1998 and 1999 and analysed for alkalinity and major ion chemistry. A reconnaissance study (Nov–Dec 1998) sampled a subset of thirty-six streams, and a subsequent survey (Sept–Oct 1999) sampled all one hundred and fifty-eight streams. Of these, two (5%) streams were found to be sensitive to acidification on the basis of their alkalinity in 1998, compared with 31 streams (20%) in 1999.     

"养鸡生产中沙门氏菌病的预防与控制策略"专栏(四)沙门氏杆菌和弯曲杆菌在家禽群体中的动态变化特征

难道我们不想掌控自身命运吗?虽然这是-个很广博的问题,但如果你在考虑幼龄肉鸡群沙门氏菌感染这个特定话题以及考虑它与人食源性疾病可能的关系时,这个问题就具有特殊的意义.出席美国国家家禽改良计划(the National Poultry Improvement Plan,NPIP)第40届年会(两年一次)的大多数代表,在投票是否采用美国肉鸡扩繁群肠炎沙门氏菌监测方案时,对该特殊问题给出了肯定回答.     

The influence of landscape,patch, and within-patch factors on species presence and abundance: a review of focal patch studies

Understanding the influence of large and small-scale heterogeneity on species distribution and abundance is one of the major foci of landscape ecology research in fragmented environments. Although a large number of studies have addressed this issue individually, little effort has been made to synthesize the vast amount of literature published in the last decade. We reviewed 122 focal patch studies on 954 species published between 1998 and 2009 to determine the probability of species responding significantly to landscape, patch, and within-patch variables. We assessed the influence of taxonomic, life history, and methodological variables on probability of response to these 3 levels. Species in diverse taxa responded at high rates to factors at all three levels, suggesting that a multi-level approach is often necessary for understanding species response in patchy systems. Mammals responded at particularly high rates to landscape variables and therefore may benefit more than other taxa from landscape-level conservation efforts in fragmented environments. The probability of detecting a species response to landscape context, patch, and within-patch factors was influenced by a variety of methodological aspects of the studies such as type of landscape metric used, type of response variable, and sample size. Study design issues rarely are discussed by authors as reasons why a particular study did not find an effect of a variable, but should be given more consideration in future studies.     

An information system for the control of Puccinia hordei: II—Implementation

A method of implementing a computer-based management information system is outlined. The procedure involves the derivation of tables containing recommendations to spray or to refrain from applying spray against leaf rust on barley for various combinations of conditions. The tables contain recommendations for three broad categories of farmer attitude to risk. The value of the information contained in the tables is estimated. It is concluded that such tables should be of use in situations where access to computing facilities is undersirable or non-existent, and where user input is to be minimised.