Ecological comparison of native (Apis mellifera mellifera) and hybrid (Buckfast) honeybee drones in southwestern Sweden indicates local adaptation.

Honeybee drones' only known task is to mate with a virgin queen. Apart from their mating behaviour, their ecology has been little studied, especially in comparison to honeybee females. Previous knowledge is primarily based on short-term direct observations at single experimental hives, rarely, if ever, addressing the effect of drones' genetic origin.

Tumor-specific migration routes of xenotransplanted human glioblastoma cells in mouse brain.

The migration of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) to their final destination during development follows well-defined pathways, such as along blood vessels. Cells originating from the highly malignant tumor glioblastoma (GBM) seem to exploit similar routes for infiltrating the brain parenchyma. In this report, we have examined the migration of GBM cells using three-dimensional high-resolution confocal microscopy in brain tumors derived from eight different human GBM cell lines xenografted into immunodeficient mice.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the mobile tongue in young adults: A Swedish head & neck cancer register (SweHNCR) population-based analysis of prognosis in relation to age and stage.

Increased incidence of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue has been reported in young adults (YA) in several countries since the 1980s and confirmed in later studies. The etiology is unclear, the prognosis has been debated, and conflicting results have been published. Some studies show better survival in young adults than in older patients, some worse, and others no difference.

Pioneer tree species accelerate restoration of tree-related microhabitats in 50-year-old reserves of Białowieża Forest, Poland.

Retention of structural elements such as deadwood and habitat trees at the level of forest stands has been promoted to integrate biodiversity conservation into multiple-use forest management. The conservation value of habitat trees is largely determined by the presence, richness, and abundance of tree-related microhabitats (TreMs). Since TreMs are often lacking in intensively managed forests, an important question of forest conservation is how the abundance and richness of TreMs may be effectively restored.

Modeling glioblastoma heterogeneity as a dynamic network of cell states.

Tumor cell heterogeneity is a crucial characteristic of malignant brain tumors and underpins phenomena such as therapy resistance and tumor recurrence. Advances in single-cell analysis have enabled the delineation of distinct cellular states of brain tumor cells, but the time-dependent changes in such states remain poorly understood. Here, we construct quantitative models of the time-dependent transcriptional variation of patient-derived glioblastoma (GBM) cells.

Growth-Inhibitory Activity of Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 in Human Glioblastoma Cell Lines Is Heterogeneous and Dependent on Reduced SOX2 Expression.

Glioblastoma multiforme continues to have a dismal prognosis. Even though detailed information on the genetic aberrations in cell signaling and cell-cycle checkpoint control is available, no effective targeted treatment has been developed. Despite the advanced molecular defects, glioblastoma cells may have remnants of normal growth-inhibitory pathways, such as the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathway.

Mesophication in temperate Europe: A dendrochronological reconstruction of tree succession and fires in a mixed deciduous stand in Białowieża Forest.

The shift from shade-intolerant species to shade-tolerant mesophytic species in deciduous and mixed forests of the temperate zone is well described in studies from North America. This process has been termed and it has been linked to changes in fire regime. Fire suppression results in the cessation of establishment of heliophytic, fire-dependent tree species such as oak () and pine ().

Improved Wellbeing for Both Caretakers and Users from A Zoo-Related Nature Based Intervention-A Study at Nordens Ark Zoo, Sweden.

Nature-based interventions have been proposed to promote physical and mental health and give stress reduction. Little attention has been given to the potential of zoos for human health and wellbeing. A disadvantaged group in Sweden regarding access to nature are individuals with disabilities who consequently do not have the same access to these health benefits as other groups.

Mesenchymal transition and increased therapy resistance of glioblastoma cells is related to astrocyte reactivity.

Grade IV astrocytoma/glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is essentially incurable, partly due to its heterogenous nature, demonstrated even within the glioma-initiating cell (GIC) population. Increased therapy resistance of GICs is coupled to transition into a mesenchymal (MES) cell state. The GBM MES molecular signature displays a pronounced inflammatory character and its expression vary within and between tumors.

COMBImage2: a parallel computational framework for higher-order drug combination analysis that includes automated plate design, matched filter based object counting and temporal data mining.

Background: Pharmacological treatment of complex diseases using more than two drugs is commonplace in the clinic due to better efficacy, decreased toxicity and reduced risk for developing resistance. However, many of these higher-order treatments have not undergone any detailed preceding in vitro evaluation that could support their therapeutic potential and reveal disease related insights. Despite the increased medical need for discovery and development of higher-order drug combinations, very few reports from systematic large-scale studies along this direction exist.

Developmental Coordination Disorder: The Importance of Grounded Assessments and Interventions.

This focused review is based on earlier studies which have shown that both children and adults diagnosed as having developmental coordination disorder (DCD), benefited from sensorimotor therapy according to the method Retraining for Balance (RB). Different approaches and assessments for children and adults in regard to DCD are scrutinized and discussed in comparison to RB which mainly includes (a) vestibular assessment and stimulation (b) assessment and integration of aberrant primary reflexes and (c) assessment and stimulation of auditory and visual perception. Earlier results indicate that the process of Sensorimotor therapy using RB techniques could be described according to a conceptual Kinesthetic-Vestibular Developmental Model (KVDM) whereby the training elicited temporary physical and psychological regressions followed by transformations i.

COMBImage: a modular parallel processing framework for pairwise drug combination analysis that quantifies temporal changes in label-free video microscopy movies.

Background: Large-scale pairwise drug combination analysis has lately gained momentum in drug discovery and development projects, mainly due to the employment of advanced experimental-computational pipelines. This is fortunate as drug combinations are often required for successful treatment of complex diseases. Furthermore, most new drugs cannot totally replace the current standard-of-care medication, but rather have to enter clinical use as add-on treatment.

Comprehensive analysis of NMR data using advanced line shape fitting.

NMR spectroscopy is uniquely suited for atomic resolution studies of biomolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids and metabolites, since detailed information on structure and dynamics are encoded in positions and line shapes of peaks in NMR spectra. Unfortunately, accurate determination of these parameters is often complicated and time consuming, in part due to the need for different software at the various analysis steps and for validating the results. Here, we present an integrated, cross-platform and open-source software that is significantly more versatile than the typical line shape fitting application.

Catching-up: Children with developmental coordination disorder compared to healthy children before and after sensorimotor therapy.

The aims of the present study were to (a) compare healthy children in terms of sensorimotor maturity to untreated children diagnosed with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and (b) compare healthy children to diagnosed children following completed treatment with sensorimotor therapy. Participants were 298 children, 196 boys and 102 girls, distributed into a Norm group of healthy children (n = 99) and a group of children diagnosed with DCD (n = 199) with a total mean age of 8.77 years (SD = 2.

Biophysical characterization of the calmodulin-like domain of Plasmodium falciparum calcium dependent protein kinase 3.

Calcium dependent protein kinases are unique to plants and certain parasites and comprise an N-terminal segment and a kinase domain that is regulated by a C-terminal calcium binding domain. Since the proteins are not found in man they are potential drug targets. We have characterized the calcium binding lobes of the regulatory domain of calcium dependent protein kinase 3 from the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.

Membrane-Depolarizing Channel Blockers Induce Selective Glioma Cell Death by Impairing Nutrient Transport and Unfolded Protein/Amino Acid Responses.

Glioma-initiating cells (GIC) are considered the underlying cause of recurrences of aggressive glioblastomas, replenishing the tumor population and undermining the efficacy of conventional chemotherapy. Here we report the discovery that inhibiting T-type voltage-gated Ca and K channels can effectively induce selective cell death of GIC and increase host survival in an orthotopic mouse model of human glioma. At present, the precise cellular pathways affected by the drugs affecting these channels are unknown.

Clonal Variation in Drug and Radiation Response among Glioma-Initiating Cells Is Linked to Proneural-Mesenchymal Transition.

Intratumoral heterogeneity is a hallmark of glioblastoma multiforme and thought to negatively affect treatment efficacy. Here, we establish libraries of glioma-initiating cell (GIC) clones from patient samples and find extensive molecular and phenotypic variability among clones, including a range of responses to radiation and drugs. This widespread variability was observed as a continuum of multitherapy resistance phenotypes linked to a proneural-mesenchymal shift in the transcriptome.

Atlantic SSTs control regime shifts in forest fire activity of Northern Scandinavia.

Understanding the drivers of the boreal forest fire activity is challenging due to the complexity of the interactions driving fire regimes. We analyzed drivers of forest fire activity in Northern Scandinavia (above 60 N) by combining modern and proxy data over the Holocene. The results suggest that the cold climate in northern Scandinavia was generally characterized by dry conditions favourable to periods of regionally increased fire activity.

Simultaneous Multiplexed Measurement of RNA and Proteins in Single Cells.

Significant advances have been made in methods to analyze genomes and transcriptomes of single cells, but to fully define cell states, proteins must also be accessed as central actors defining a cell's phenotype. Methods currently used to analyze endogenous protein expression in single cells are limited in specificity, throughput, or multiplex capability. Here, we present an approach to simultaneously and specifically interrogate large sets of protein and RNA targets in lysates from individual cells, enabling investigations of cell functions and responses.

Replacing monocultures with mixed-species stands: Ecosystem service implications of two production forest alternatives in Sweden.

Whereas there is evidence that mixed-species approaches to production forestry in general can provide positive outcomes relative to monocultures, it is less clear to what extent multiple benefits can be derived from specific mixed-species alternatives. To provide such insights requires evaluations of an encompassing suite of ecosystem services, biodiversity, and forest management considerations provided by specific mixtures and monocultures within a region. Here, we conduct such an assessment in Sweden by contrasting even-aged Norway spruce (Picea abies)-dominated stands, with mixed-species stands of spruce and birch (Betula pendula or B.

The Human Glioblastoma Cell Culture Resource: Validated Cell Models Representing All Molecular Subtypes.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most frequent and malignant form of primary brain tumor. GBM is essentially incurable and its resistance to therapy is attributed to a subpopulation of cells called glioma stem cells (GSCs). To meet the present shortage of relevant GBM cell (GC) lines we developed a library of annotated and validated cell lines derived from surgical samples of GBM patients, maintained under conditions to preserve GSC characteristics.

Robust and convenient analysis of protein thermal and chemical stability.

We present the software CDpal that is used to analyze thermal and chemical denaturation data to obtain information on protein stability. The software uses standard assumptions and equations applied to two-state and various types of three-state denaturation models in order to determine thermodynamic parameters. It can analyze denaturation monitored by both circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy and is extremely flexible in terms of input format.

Adults with sensorimotor disorders: enhanced physiological and psychological development following specific sensorimotor training.

The aim of the study was to investigate, for the first time, if it is possible to integrate primary reflexes in adults with sensorimotor disorders through sensorimotor therapy (SMT). Participants consisted of 14 adults, one man and 13 women, with an average age of 35 years who completed a SMT program over 3 years. They were compared with a reference group of 100 youngsters spanning from 11 to 17 years.