Detection of Copy Number Imbalance in Canine Urothelial Carcinoma With Droplet Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction.

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is the most common neoplasm of the canine urinary tract. Clinical presentation of UC is shared with several other, more common urinary tract disorders, and this often delays diagnosis of the UC. Definitive diagnosis of UC requires histopathologic examination of a biopsy specimen, but the cost and invasiveness for these diagnostic tests often result in most diagnoses being made on the basis of clinical findings, diagnostic imaging, and cytologic examination of urine sediment. Regardless of the diagnostic process used, most UCs currently are not diagnosed until they are at an advanced clinical stage and so are associated with poor prognosis. Improved methods for earlier and less invasive detection are needed. In a previous study, the authors demonstrated the presence of highly recurrent DNA copy number aberrations (CNAs) in canine UC and hypothesized that detection of these CNAs in tumor cells can be used as a molecular diagnostic for UC. In this study, a multiplexed droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) assay was detected to detect and quantify CNAs of specific regions of canine chromosomes 8, 13, 19, and 36. The assay was effective at differentiating 31 neoplastic and 25 nonneoplastic bladder tissues based on copy number, with 100% sensitivity and specificity in tissue samples. CNAs were also detected by ddPCR in 67% (12 of 18) of urine DNA specimens derived from UC patients. The findings show that ddPCR is a useful molecular technique to detect CNAs and may be used as a noninvasive molecular diagnostic test for canine UC.

A cultured approach to canine urothelial carcinoma: molecular characterization of five cell lines.

BACKGROUND: Urothelial carcinoma (UC), also known as transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), of the bladder is the most common neoplasm affecting the canine urogenital system. To facilitate study of the disease in vitro, cell line models have been established from primary tumor biopsies. Their resemblance to the primary disease, however, has not been well defined. In the present study, we evaluated five canine UC cell lines via oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization (oaCGH), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and gene expression analysis. RESULTS: Comparison of genome wide DNA copy number profiles of the cell lines with primary biopsy specimens revealed redundancies in genomic aberrations, indicating that the cell lines retain the gross genomic architecture of primary tumors. As in the primary tumors, gain of canine chromosomes 13 and 36 and loss of chromosome 19 were among the most frequent aberrations evident in the cell lines. FISH analysis revealed chromosome structural aberrations, including tandem duplications, bi-armed chromosomes, and chromosome fusions, suggesting genome instability during neoplastic transformation. Gene expression profiling highlighted numerous differentially expressed genes, including many previously shown as dysregulated in primary canine UC and human bladder cancer. Pathway enrichment analysis emphasized pathways suspected to be at the crux of UC pathogenesis, including xenobiotic and lipid compound metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: These data support valid use of the canine UC cell lines evaluated by confirming they provide an accurate and practical means to interrogate the UC at a molecular level. Moreover, the cell lines may provide a valuable model for furthering our understanding of aberrant metabolic pathways in UC development.

Canine urothelial carcinoma: genomically aberrant and comparatively relevant.

Urothelial carcinoma (UC), also referred to as transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), is the most common bladder malignancy in both human and canine populations. In human UC, numerous studies have demonstrated the prevalence of chromosomal imbalances. Although the histopathology of the disease is similar in both species, studies evaluating the genomic profile of canine UC are lacking, limiting the discovery of key comparative molecular markers associated with driving UC pathogenesis. In the present study, we evaluated 31 primary canine UC biopsies by oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization (oaCGH). Results highlighted the presence of three highly recurrent numerical aberrations: gain of dog chromosome (CFA) 13 and 36 and loss of CFA 19. Regional gains of CFA 13 and 36 were present in 97 % and 84 % of cases, respectively, and losses on CFA 19 were present in 77 % of cases. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), using targeted bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones and custom Agilent SureFISH probes, was performed to detect and quantify these regions in paraffin-embedded biopsy sections and urine-derived urothelial cells. The data indicate that these three aberrations are potentially diagnostic of UC. Comparison of our canine oaCGH data with that of 285 human cases identified a series of shared copy number aberrations. Using an informatics approach to interrogate the frequency of copy number aberrations across both species, we identified those that had the highest joint probability of association with UC. The most significant joint region contained the gene PABPC1, which should be considered further for its role in UC progression. In addition, cross-species filtering of genome-wide copy number data highlighted several genes as high-profile candidates for further analysis, including CDKN2A, S100A8/9, and LRP1B. We propose that these common aberrations are indicative of an evolutionarily conserved mechanism of pathogenesis and harbor genes key to urothelial neoplasia, warranting investigation for diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic applications.

A 5' control region of the human epsilon-globin gene is sufficient for embryonic specificity in transgenic mice.

When introduced as part of DNA constructions containing the human beta-globin locus control region (LCR), the human embryonic beta-globin gene, epsilon, is expressed in primitive but not definitive erythroid cells of recipient transgenic mice. In contrast to this pattern, the human fetal beta-globin gene, gamma, has been shown to be expressed in both primitive and definitive erythroid cells of transgenic mice when introduced in similar LCR-containing constructions. To begin to identify the minimal sequence(s) necessary for the epsilon expression pattern, we have fused a DNA fragment that contains the human epsilon-globin gene promoter region, and 13.7-kilobase (kb) of contiguous upstream flanking sequence containing super-hypersensitive (HS) sites 5'HS-2 and 5'HS-1 of the globin LCR, to the structural portion and near 3'-flanking region of the human gamma-globin gene. This construction, and one containing an intact human gamma-globin gene with the same 3'-flanking sequence and 383 base pairs of 5'-flanking sequence linked to LCR DNA from -0.86 to -13.7 kb upstream of epsilon, were each microinjected to produce transgenic mice. While the construction containing the intact gamma-globin gene is transcriptionally active in primitive and definitive erythroid cells of the transgenic mice, the fusion construction, in which the gamma-globin gene promoter and promoter proximal region is essentially replaced by that of epsilon, is not active in definitive erythroid cells and expresses with the same pattern as an intact epsilon gene. These results indicate that the promoter and near 5'-flanking region of epsilon, when linked to the LCR, is sufficient for embryonic-specific expression in transgenic mice. The level of expression of the fusion construction in primitive erythroid cells of transgenic mice is similar to that previously observed for the intact epsilon gene when identically cloned. This suggests that the epsilon 5'-region of the fusion construction also contains all the sequence necessary for the LCR-dependent activation of epsilon in transgenic mice.

Effect of 3'azidothymidine administered in drinking water or by continuous infusion on the development of MAIDS.

LP-BM5 MuLV infection of C57BL/6 mice induces a well characterized, lymphoproliferative, immunodeficiency disease (MAIDS), which is useful for evaluation of potential antiviral agents, because of the reproducibility of virological and clinical endpoints. This MAIDS retrovirus model was used to evaluate 3'azido-2,3'dideoxythymidine (AZT), using different doses, methods of administration and timing for initiation and continuation of therapy. AZT therapy 1 mg/ml in the drinking water given 30 days prior to virus challenge, and continued for 16 weeks, prevented LP-BM5 MuLV dissemination and disease in 13 of 15 treated mice. Efficacy was dose dependent for AZT concentrations of 1, 0.5, and 0.1 mg/ml in drinking water. One mg/ml AZT was most effective in preventing infection if therapy was begun within days prior to virus challenge or within the first four hours after virus inoculation. If treatment was initiated later, disease was delayed. Continuous infusion of AZT, 25 micrograms/h, was effective since virus was not detected in spleens of any mice during the 21 days of AZT treatment. However, after treatment was stopped treated mice became virus positive and disease progressed. Likewise, AZT administration at 1 mg/ml in the drinking water for only 21 days post virus inoculation (p.i.), was not sufficient to prevent virus dissemination or disease.

Uniformity in the nonsynonymous substitution rates of embryonic beta-globin genes of several vertebrate species.

The nucleotide substitution rate in structural portions of the embryonic beta-globin genes of placental mammals is lower than that for the adult beta-globin genes. This difference occurs entirely within the class of substitutions that result in nonsynonymous (replacement) differences between these genes, and therefore represents a constraint on the structure of the mammalian embryonic beta-globin proteins relative to the adult proteins (Shapiro et al. 1983; Hardison 1984). A similar effect has also been observed in marsupial mammals (Koop and Goodman 1988). In an effort to determine whether the observed rates are evidence of a uniform degree of selective constraint on the embryonic beta-globin genes, analyses were performed that compared replacement substitution rates. The analyses reveal that embryonic beta-globin genes appear to have been fixing replacement substitutions at nearly the same average rate not only in placental and marsupial mammals but in avian and amphibian species as well. In contrast, the adult beta-globin genes from these organisms appear to have a more variable rate of replacement substitution with an especially low rate for birds. In the chicken (Gallus gallus), the adult beta-globin gene replacement substitution rate appears to be lower than the embryonic replacement substitution rate.

Relative effects of feeding saturated fats and cholesterol on fluidity of rabbit lipoproteins.

1. The effects of saturated fat and cholesterol on lipoprotein fluidity were tested in New Zealand white rabbits fed diets containing corn oil (CO) or cocoa butter (CB) with and without added 0.2% cholesterol. 2. Saturated fats had little effect on fluidity in any lipoprotein fraction. 3. Cholesterol feeding dramatically reduced fluidity in VLDL and LDL, but minimal change was noted in HDL. 4. Cholesterol-fed rabbits were hypercholesteroloemic throughout the 10-month study. 5. The rabbits became adapted to cholesterol feeding as VLDL became more fluid with time.

Developmentally regulated and erythroid-specific expression of the human embryonic beta-globin gene in transgenic mice.

Transgenic mice have proven to be an effective expression system for studying developmental control of the human fetal and adult beta-globin genes. In the current work we are interested in developing the transgenic mouse system for the study of the human embryonic beta-globin gene, epsilon. An epsilon-globin gene construction (HSII,I epsilon) containing the human epsilon-globin gene with 0.2 kb of 3' flanking sequence and 13.7 kb of extended 5' flanking region including the erythroid-specific DNase I super-hypersensitive sites HSI and HSII was made. This construction was injected into fertilized mouse ova, and its expression was analyzed in peripheral blood, brain, and liver samples of 13.5 day transgenic fetuses. Fetuses carrying intact copies of the transgene expressed human epsilon-globin mRNA in their peripheral blood. Levels of expression of human epsilon-globin mRNA in these transgenic mice ranged from 2% to 26% per gene copy of the endogenous mouse embryonic epsilon y-globin mRNA level. Furthermore, the human epsilon-globin transgene was expressed specifically in peripheral blood but not in brain or in liver which is an adult erythroid tissue at this stage. Thus, the HSII,I, epsilon transgene was expressed in an erythroid-specific and embryonic stage-specific manner in the transgenic mice. A human epsilon-globin gene construction that did not contain the distal upstream flanking region which includes the HSI and HSII sites, was not expressed in the embryos of transgenic mice. These data indicate that the human epsilon-globin gene with 5' flanking region extending to include DNase I super-hypersensitive sites HSI and HSII is sufficient for the developmentally specific activation of the human epsilon-globin gene in erythroid tissue of transgenic mice.

Structure of the goat psi beta y beta-globin pseudogene. Analysis of goat pseudogene evolutionary patterns.

The 12-member beta-globin gene locus of the goat contains three beta(adult)-type pseudogenes, one in each of three four-gene subsets of the locus. We have determined the complete nucleotide sequence of psi beta y, the pseudogene present in the most downstream four-gene subset, which also contains the functional fetal gene, beta F. psi beta y contains, throughout its length, numerous incapacitating mutations in common with the previously sequenced goat psi beta x and psi beta z pseudogenes consistent with the model that all were descended from a common pseudogene ancestor which became defective prior to the expansion of the beta-globin locus in the goat lineage. Evolutionary analysis of the psi beta y sequence in comparison to psi beta x and psi beta z provides evidence that nucleotide substitutions were fixed in a random manner within these pseudogenes with respect to polarity, coding versus non-coding regions, and replacement sites versus silent sites. However, substitutions appear to have accumulated asymmetrically between different pseudogenes in a manner that provides evidence for partial gene conversion. Moreover, the presence of deletions in goat psi beta y, which are also observed in the cow pseudogene psi 2, but not in the cow psi 1 pseudogene, indicate that goat psi beta y and cow psi 2 are orthologous but cow psi 1 actually arose prior to the goat/cow divergence. The authentic goat orthologue to cow psi 1 temporarily existed in the goat lineage but was deleted, probably prior to the divergence of goats and sheep.

Influence of saturated and unsaturated fats on platelet fatty acids in cholesterol-fed rabbits.

Feeding natural fats varying in contents of palmitate (16:0), stearate (18:0), oleate (18:1), and linoleate (18:2) to rabbits resulted in modulation of platelet phospholipid fatty acyl composition. Rabbits were fed high fat semipurified diets containing 2% corn oil (CO) + 18% CO, cocoa butter (CB) or milkfat (M) for periods of up to 300 d. Platelet phospholipid linoleate contents corresponded to diet levels with 18:2 highest in CO-fed rabbits and following the sequence CO greater than CB greater than M. Stearate was highest in CB-fed rabbits, corresponding to high 18:0 levels in CB, but palmitate levels were not affected by diet. Both CB and M-fed rabbits were higher than CO-fed rabbits in oleate. Though CO is highest in 18:2, the accepted 20:4 precursor, arachidonate was highest in M-fed rabbits. Adding cholesterol (0.2%) to the diets did not affect platelet phospholipid fatty acyl composition except to elevate 20:4 in M-fed rabbits. CO-fed rabbits showed uniquely high levels of tetracosadienoate (24:2). Fatty acyl composition data were essentially constant between 200 and 300 d on diet. Phospholipid fatty acyl unsaturation was apparently homeostatically controlled as mole percent unsaturate to saturate ratios were independent of diet. The observed homeostasis resulted in minimal diet influences on platelet membrane fluidity and ADP or collagen stimulated platelet aggregation. Platelet fluidity, determined by fluorescence polarization, was a function of oleate and linoleate contents of the cells. Cholesterol feeding generally lowered platelet fluidity and altered the dependence of fluidity on fatty acyl composition.

An immunocytochemical marker for the complex granules of tick salivary glands which traces e-granule shedding to interstitial labyrinthine spaces.

An antigenic protein (12C), previously isolated from salivary glands of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, as a possible factor in host resistance to repeated tick infestation, is labeled by protein A-gold immunocytochemistry in adult feeding ticks. It is a component of the gland's complex a-, d- and e-granules and also appears within the chitinous walls of intercalated ducts. In females, between days 4 and 7 of feeding, labeled e-granules appear also within the labyrinthine spaces of acinus type III, apparently released from e-cells as the abluminal interstitial cells initiate formation of a basolateral labyrinth. Granules thus shed are fragmented by interstitial cell processes, some fragments being phagocytized, others disintegrating to single point label scattered throughout the labyrinth. The latter possibly may pass into the acinar lumen. By the eighth day the label is gone from the labyrinth.

Structural organization of the alpha and beta globin loci of the goat.

Goats switch their hemoglobins during development in a manner similar to humans and thus provide a useful model system for studying the control of hemoglobin synthesis. Initially, goats synthesize embryonic hemoglobin, zeta 2 epsilon 2, which is replaced by fetal hemoglobin, alpha 2 beta F 2, as erythropoiesis moves to the liver and bone marrow. At birth, the fetal hemoglobin is replaced by juvenile hemoglobin, alpha 2 beta C 2, which in turn is replaced by adult hemoglobin, alpha 2 beta A 2, during the first year of life. In order to understand these switches, we have cloned the alpha and beta globin loci of goats. The alpha globin locus is composed of three genes, an embryonic and two adult genes, zeta-I alpha-II alpha. The beta globin locus is composed of twelve genes arranged in the following order, epsilon I-epsilon II-psi beta X-beta C-epsilon III-epsilon IV-psi beta Z-beta A-epsilon V-epsilon VI-psi beta Y-beta F. Close inspection of the beta globin locus indicates that it has arisen from a triplication of a four-gene set, epsilon-epsilon-beta-beta. Interestingly, the fetal globin gene has originated from an adult beta globin gene rather than from a second position gene as it has in humans. The gene at the end of the first four gene set, beta C, is expressed during pre-adult life while the gene at the end of the second set is the adult beta A gene. The last gene of the third set, beta F, is expressed during fetal development. Because the beta C, beta A and beta F genes have arisen quite recently during evolution, they have very similar nucleotide sequences. It is reasonable to assume that the few differences which are seen are important in developmental control. As one approach to defining regions involved in the regulation of the beta A, beta C and beta F genes their chromatin structure at different times of development has been characterized. Both DNase I sensitivity and accessibility to restriction endonucleases have been employed. While the entire beta globin locus is more sensitive to DNase in erythroid than non-erythroid cells, specific regions such as the 5' end of the genes are more accessible in cells expressing that particular gene.

Identification of a recently evolved goat embryonic beta-globin pseudogene which retains transcriptional activity in vitro.

A clone containing the entire goat epsilon V beta-globin gene, which lies downstream from the two tandemly duplicated four-gene sets containing the beta C and beta A genes in the linkage group 5'-epsilon I-epsilon II-psi beta X-beta C-epsilon III-epsilon IV-psi beta Z-beta A-epsilon V-3', was isolated, and the sequence of the gene was determined. epsilon V is most homologous to the first gene in each of these sets, epsilon I and epsilon III, and appears to be a third duplicated copy of these genes, possibly the first gene in a third four-gene set. Homology of epsilon V to epsilon I is very high (93.2%) in coding regions, and all transcription, processing, and potential translation consensus sequence elements appear to be present, although the Hogness box of epsilon V is altered compared with that of epsilon I by the deletion of an A(AATAAAA----AATAAA). Nevertheless, epsilon V is clearly a pseudogene as a result of two deletions and one insertion (or insertion-deletion) in its coding sequence, the first of which produces an in-frame stop codon at amino acid 54. Unlike the more highly mutated goat beta-like pseudogene duplicates psi beta X and psi beta Z, epsilon V acquired its defects after the duplication event in which it was created. Its recently acquired defects have left the epsilon V promoter sufficiently conserved to retain transcriptional activity in vitro. The acquisition of defects by this gene may be related to the multiple gene duplications which have created at least five epsilon type genes in the goat beta-globin locus.

Phosphorylation and inactivation of rabbit skeletal muscle glycogen synthase: distinction between kinase Fa-, phosphorylase kinase-, and glycogen synthase (casein) kinase-1-catalyzed reactions.

Rabbit skeletal muscle glycogen synthase was phosphorylated by kinase Fa, phosphorylase kinase, and cAMP-independent synthase (casein) kinase-1 to determine the differences among these kinase-catalyzed reactions. The stoichiometry of phosphate incorporation, the extent of inactivation, and the sites of phosphorylation were compared. Synthase (casein) kinase-1 catalyzes the highest level of synthase phosphorylation (4 mol/subunit) and inactivation (reduction of the activity ratio to below 0.05). The sites, defined by characteristic tryptic peptides, phosphorylated by synthase (casein) kinase-1 are distinguishable from those by kinase Fa and phosphorylase kinase. In addition, synthase (casein) kinase-1, unlike kinase Fa, does not activate ATP X Mg2+-dependent protein phosphatase. These results demonstrate that synthase (casein) kinase-1 is a distinct glycogen synthase kinase.

Platelet membrane fluidity and aggregation of rabbit platelets.

Aggregation of rabbit platelets from citrated plasma in response to ADP was directly correlated with platelet plasma membrane fluidity as determined by fluorescence depolarization measurements with the probe diphenylhexatriene. Rabbits were maintained for periods of 200 and 400 days on potentially hyperlipidemic diets (20% fat by weight) with varying levels of saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Dietary variations were effective in modulating the mole percentage distribution patterns of the platelet phospholipid fatty acids. The major chemical control of membrane fluidity was the actual mass of unsaturated lipid in the cells and not simply the relative percentage distributions of such unsaturated fatty acids. Substantially higher phospholipid/protein ratios were observed upon analysis of platelets and platelet membranes from rabbits after 200- than after 400-day diet periods. Accordingly lipid structures were significantly more fluid in either whole platelets or membrane isolates at the end of the shorter diet period. The observations pertaining to the extent of aggregation and membrane fluidity are in consonance with the general role of membrane fluidity in controlling biological activity and support the concept that platelet aggregation is a membrane-associated phenomenon.

Duplication of a four-gene set during the evolution of the goat beta-globin locus produced genes now expressed differentially in development.

Genomic clones which link the goat preadult (beta C) and adult (beta A) beta-globin genes have been isolated. These overlapping clones contain a previously unidentified embryonic like globin gene (epsilon III) and establish the following linkage map of eight genes in the goat beta-globin locus: epsilon I-epsilon II-psi beta X-beta C-epsilon III-epsilon IV-psi beta Z-beta A. This linkage map and the nucleotide sequence of the eight genes document a relatively recent duplication of a four-gene set: epsilon-epsilon-psi beta-beta. This duplication produced two genes (beta C and beta A) which are now expressed differentially during development. An embryonic like globin gene located downstream from beta A has also been isolated. The embryonic nature of this gene as well as the adult beta-like sequence of the goat fetal globin gene (gamma) suggest that a duplication of the four-gene set also produced the globin gene now expressed during fetal development.

Sequence and linkage of the goat epsilon I and epsilon II beta-globin genes.

Overlapping clones containing beta-globin genes have been isolated from a goat genomic library which establish the linkage arrangement 5'-epsilon I-epsilon II-psi beta X-beta C-3'. The complete nucleotide sequence of the epsilon I and epsilon II genes was determined. The sequences of these two genes, along with those previously reported for psi beta X and beta C, complete the sequence of the genes of this linkage set. The first gene in the quadruplet, epsilon I, shows unexpectedly high homology with the human epsilon globin gene both in coding and non-coding regions, and encodes a globin protein that is 90% homologous to human epsilon. The only major difference between the goat epsilon I gene and the human epsilon gene is the presence of an insertion element in the second intron of epsilon I. This element is repetitive in nature and is similar to those found in the second intron of the gamma, beta C and beta A globin genes of the goat. epsilon II also shows high nucleotide homology to the human epsilon globin gene in coding regions and encodes a protein 79% homologous to human epsilon. Notably, however, epsilon II has equivalent nucleotide homology in coding regions to the gamma and epsilon genes of the human locus. The insertion element present in epsilon I is not present in epsilon II. A comparison of the goat beta globin set described here, based on linkage arrangement, nucleotide homology and divergence analysis indicates that this subset of goat beta globin genes is analogous to the entire beta globin loci of other mammalian species. These analyses further indicate that the embryonic genes in these clusters are evolving more slowly than the adult beta globin genes. Comparison of the 5' flanking sequences of epsilon I and epsilon II with those of the beta-embryonic globin genes of other mammals reveals a conserved sequence, C-A-C-C-C-C-T-G, located 28 to 29 bases upstream from the C-C-A-A-T consensus sequence, which appears at this position in the embryonic genes, but in none of the non-embryonic genes. Significantly, this sequence is selectively conserved in the human alpha embryonic globin gene, zeta, which diverged from the beta embryonic genes 500 million years ago, and it may therefore represent an embryonic recognition or signal sequence.

Organization, structure, and expression of the goat globin genes.

Several hemoglobin switches occur during the development of the goat, making this a useful animal for the study of globin gene expression. In order to help understand the basis for these switches, we have isolated the beta-globin genes of the goat by recombinant DNA technology and characterized these genes with respect to linkage, nucleotide sequence, and expression. The linkage arrangement so far established is epsilon I-epsilon II-psi beta X-beta C-epsilon III-epsilon IV-psi beta Z-beta A-epsilon V. It is proposed that epsilon V is followed by epsilon VI-psi beta-gamma, but so far this linkage has not been established. Several conclusions can be drawn from our findings to date. First, the beta- and gamma-globin genes of the goat have a very different evolutionary history from the beta- and gamma-globin genes of humans. While the beta and gamma genes of the human can be traced to a duplication of the ancestral epsilon/beta-globin gene before the mammalian radiation, the goat beta and gamma genes have arisen much later, and are probably the results of a duplication of a four-gene set, namely the epsilon-epsilon-psi beta-beta primordial linkage group. The beta C gene probably arose from a similar, even later duplication of the non-gamma quadruplet. Because the beta C, beta A, and gamma genes of the goat have diverged much more recently in evolution, they are much more homologous than the equivalent genes in other species. In fact, there are large regions of these genes that share identical sequences. This is meaningful in that regions of sequence identity define areas that cannot be involved in the developmental regulation of these genes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)