The Integrated Science Investigation of the Sun (ISIS) is a complete science investigation on the Solar Probe Plus (SPP) mission, which flies to within nine solar radii of the Sun’s surface. ISIS ...comprises a two-instrument suite to measure energetic particles over a very broad energy range, as well as coordinated management, science operations, data processing, and scientific analysis. Together, ISIS observations allow us to explore the mechanisms of energetic particles dynamics, including their: (1) Origins—defining the seed populations and physical conditions necessary for energetic particle acceleration; (2) Acceleration—determining the roles of shocks, reconnection, waves, and turbulence in accelerating energetic particles; and (3) Transport—revealing how energetic particles propagate from the corona out into the heliosphere. The two ISIS Energetic Particle Instruments measure lower (EPI-Lo) and higher (EPI-Hi) energy particles. EPI-Lo measures ions and ion composition from ∼20 keV/nucleon–15 MeV total energy and electrons from ∼25–1000 keV. EPI-Hi measures ions from ∼1–200 MeV/nucleon and electrons from ∼0.5–6 MeV. EPI-Lo comprises 80 tiny apertures with fields-of-view (FOVs) that sample over nearly a complete hemisphere, while EPI-Hi combines three telescopes that together provide five large-FOV apertures. ISIS observes continuously inside of 0.25 AU with a high data collection rate and burst data (EPI-Lo) coordinated with the rest of the SPP payload; outside of 0.25 AU, ISIS runs in low-rate science mode whenever feasible to capture as complete a record as possible of the solar energetic particle environment and provide calibration and continuity for measurements closer in to the Sun. The ISIS Science Operations Center plans and executes commanding, receives and analyzes all ISIS data, and coordinates science observations and analyses with the rest of the SPP science investigations. Together, ISIS’ unique observations on SPP will enable the discovery, untangling, and understanding of the important physical processes that govern energetic particles in the innermost regions of our heliosphere, for the first time. This paper summarizes the ISIS investigation at the time of the SPP mission Preliminary Design Review in January 2014.
Bifidobacteria are frequently proposed to be associated with good intestinal health primarily because of their overriding dominance in the feces of breast fed infants. However, clinical feeding ...studies with exogenous bifidobacteria show they don't remain in the intestine, suggesting they may lose competitive fitness when grown outside the gut.
To further the understanding of genetic attenuation that may be occurring in bifidobacteria cultures, we obtained the complete genome sequence of an intestinal isolate, Bifidobacterium longum DJO10A that was minimally cultured in the laboratory, and compared it to that of a culture collection strain, B. longum NCC2705. This comparison revealed colinear genomes that exhibited high sequence identity, except for the presence of 17 unique DNA regions in strain DJO10A and six in strain NCC2705. While the majority of these unique regions encoded proteins of diverse function, eight from the DJO10A genome and one from NCC2705, encoded gene clusters predicted to be involved in diverse traits pertinent to the human intestinal environment, specifically oligosaccharide and polyol utilization, arsenic resistance and lantibiotic production. Seven of these unique regions were suggested by a base deviation index analysis to have been precisely deleted from strain NCC2705 and this is substantiated by a DNA remnant from within one of the regions still remaining in the genome of NCC2705 at the same locus. This targeted loss of genomic regions was experimentally validated when growth of the intestinal B. longum in the laboratory for 1,000 generations resulted in two large deletions, one in a lantibiotic encoding region, analogous to a predicted deletion event for NCC2705. A simulated fecal growth study showed a significant reduced competitive ability of this deletion strain against Clostridium difficile and E. coli. The deleted region was between two IS30 elements which were experimentally demonstrated to be hyperactive within the genome. The other deleted region bordered a novel class of mobile elements, termed mobile integrase cassettes (MIC) substantiating the likely role of these elements in genome deletion events.
Deletion of genomic regions, often facilitated by mobile elements, allows bifidobacteria to adapt to fermentation environments in a very rapid manner (2 genome deletions per 1,000 generations) and the concomitant loss of possible competitive abilities in the gut.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The landforms of northern Gale crater on Mars expose thick sequences of sedimentary rocks. Based on images obtained by the Curiosity rover, we interpret these outcrops as evidence for past fluvial, ...deltaic, and lacustrine environments. Degradation of the crater wall and rim probably supplied these sediments, which advanced inward from the wall, infilling both the crater and an internal lake basin to a thickness of at least 75 meters. This intracrater lake system probably existed intermittently for thousands to millions of years, implying a relatively wet climate that supplied moisture to the crater rim and transported sediment via streams into the lake basin. The deposits in Gale crater were then exhumed, probably by wind-driven erosion, creating Aeolis Mons (Mount Sharp).
Plasma cell leukemia (PCL) is an aggressive and rare hematological malignancy that originates either as primary disease (pPCL) or as a secondary leukemic transformation (sPCL) of multiple myeloma ...(MM). We report here the genetic aberrations and survival of 80 patients with pPCL or sPCL and make comparisons with 439 cases of MM. pPCL presents a decade earlier than sPCL (54.7 vs 65.3 years) and is associated with longer median overall survival (11.1 vs 1.3 months; P<0.001). 14q32 (IgH) translocations are highly prevalent in both sPCL and pPCL (82-87%); in pPCL IgH translocations almost exclusively involve 11q13 (CCND1), supporting a central etiological role, while in sPCL multiple partner oncogenes are involved, including 11q13, 4p16 (FGFR3/MMSET) and 16q23 (MAF), recapitulating MM. Both show ubiquitous inactivation of TP53 (pPCL 56%; sPCL 83%) by coding mutation or 17p13 deletion; complemented by p14ARF epigenetic silencing in sPCL (29%). Both show frequent N-RAS or K-RAS mutation. Poor survival in pPCL was predicted by MYC translocation (P=0.006). Survival in sPCL was consistently short. Overall pPCL and sPCL are different disorders with distinct natural histories, genetics and survival.
To investigate the relationships between history of falls and cholinergic vs dopaminergic denervation in patients with Parkinson disease (PD).
There is a need to explore nondopaminergic mechanisms of ...gait control as the majority of motor impairments associated with falls in PD are resistant to dopaminergic treatment. Alterations in cholinergic neurotransmission in PD may be implicated because of evidence that gait control depends on cholinergic system-mediated higher-level cortical and subcortical processing, including pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) function.
In this cross-sectional study, 44 patients with PD (Hoehn & Yahr stages I-III) without dementia and 15 control subjects underwent a clinical assessment and (11)Cmethyl-4-piperidinyl propionate (PMP) acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and (11)Cdihydrotetrabenazine (DTBZ) vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 (VMAT2) brain PET imaging.
Seventeen patients (38.6%) reported a history of falls and 27 patients had no falls. Analysis of covariance of the cortical AChE hydrolysis rates demonstrated reduced cortical AChE in the PD fallers group (-12.3%) followed by the PD nonfallers (-6.6%) compared to control subjects (F = 7.22, p = 0.0004). Thalamic AChE activity was lower only in the PD fallers group (-11.8%; F = 4.36, p = 0.008). There was no significant difference in nigrostriatal dopaminergic activity between PD fallers and nonfallers.
Unlike nigrostriatal dopaminergic denervation, cholinergic hypofunction is associated with fall status in Parkinson disease (PD). Thalamic AChE activity in part represents cholinergic output of the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN), a key node for gait control. Our results are consistent with other data indicating that PPN degeneration is a major factor leading to impaired postural control and gait dysfunction in PD.
The deleterious effect of heat stress (HS) on competence of oocytes from antral follicles is well recognized, but there is a lack of data regarding its impact on the viability and growth of preantral ...follicles. In this study, we used in vitro preantral follicle cultures to investigate the effects of HS on the following parameters: survival and development of primordial follicles after in vitro culture of ovarian fragments (experiment I); growth and antrum formation of isolated advanced secondary follicles (experiment II); and maturation rates after in vitro maturation (IVM) of cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) from antral follicles (>2–6 mm) grown in vivo (experiment III). Furthermore, the following end points were evaluated in all experiments: follicle/oocyte survival, reactive oxygen species (ROS), estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) production, as well as mRNA expression for select genes related to stress (HSP70) and apoptosis (MCL1 and BAX). In all experiments, HS consisted of exposing the structures (ovarian fragments, isolated preantral follicles and COCs) to 41 °C for 12 hours and then to 38.5 °C until the end of the culture (7 days for experiments I and II and 24 hours for experiment III). The temperature for the control group was held at 38.5 °C for the entire culture period. Heat stress increased (P < 0.05) the percentage of developing follicles (intermediate, primary, and secondary follicles) at 12 hours and increased levels of ROS at all evaluated time points (12, 24 hours, and D7), when compared to the control (experiment I). Heat stress did not affect (P > 0.05) any identified end points when preantral follicles were cultured in their isolated form (experiment II). However, in experiment III, HS decreased (P < 0.05) both the rates of metaphase II after 24 hours and E2 production at 12 hours of IVM. Moreover, HS increased (P < 0.0001) levels of P4 after IVM and ROS production at every evaluated time point, compared with the control (12 and 24 hours). In conclusion, HS caused: (1) early activation of primordial follicles; (2) an increase in ROS production by early preantral follicles enclosed in ovarian tissue and by COCs; (3) a short-term reduction of E2 production by COCs; and (4) an increase in P4 secretion from COCs. However, HS did not affect in vitro culture of advanced isolated secondary follicles. Experimental evidence indicates that preantral follicles are less sensitive to HS than COC.
In this multicenter, randomized trial, neonates with moderate or severe hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy randomly assigned to whole-body hypothermia had a significantly reduced risk of death or ...moderate or severe disability at 18 to 22 months of age. This study suggests that whole-body hypothermia may improve substantially the outcomes for infants with hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy.
Neonates with moderate or severe hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy randomly assigned to whole-body hypothermia had a significantly reduced risk of death or moderate or severe disability at 18 to 22 months of age.
Among term infants, hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy due to acute perinatal asphyxia remains an important cause of neurodevelopmental deficits in childhood. Infants with moderate encephalopathy have a 10 percent risk of death, and those who survive have a 30 percent risk of disabilities. Sixty percent of infants with severe encephalopathy die, and many, if not all, survivors are handicapped.
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Treatment is currently limited to supportive intensive care.
Reductions in brain temperature by 2°C to 5°C provide neuroprotection in newborn and adult animal models of brain ischemia.
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Brain cooling has a favorable effect on multiple pathways contributing to brain injury, including . . .
Emissions of SO2 in the United States have declined since the early 1990s, resulting in a decrease in aerosol sulfate mass in the Southeastern U.S. of −4.5(±0.9)% yr−1 between 1992 and 2013. Organic ...aerosol mass, the other major aerosol component in the Southeastern U.S., has decreased more slowly despite concurrent emission reductions in anthropogenic precursors. Summertime measurements in rural Alabama quantify the change in aerosol light extinction as a function of aerosol composition and relative humidity. Application of this relationship to composition data from 2001 to 2013 shows that a −1.1(±0.7)% yr−1 decrease in extinction can be attributed to decreasing aerosol water mass caused by the change in aerosol sulfate/organic ratio. Calculated reductions in extinction agree with regional trends in ground‐based and satellite‐derived aerosol optical depth. The diurnally averaged summertime surface radiative effect has changed by 8.0 W m−2, with 19% attributed to the decrease in aerosol water.
Key Points
Aerosol sulfate mass has decreased faster than organic mass in the SE U.S.Aerosol water mass has decreased due to decreasing sulfate/organic ratioAerosol extinction and radiative forcing have changed due to composition changes
Aims
Investigate the capability of Aspergillus brasiliensis ATCC 16404 to mycosynthesize Co3O4‐NPs.
Methods and Results
Mycelial cell‐free filtrate of A. brasiliensis ATCC 16404 was applied for ...mycosynthesis of Co3O4‐NPs. The preliminary indication for the formation of Co3O4‐NPs was the change in colour from yellow to reddish‐brown. One‐factor‐at a time‐optimization technique was applied to determine the optimum physicochemical conditions required for the mycosynthesis of Co3O4‐NPs and they were found to be: 72 h for reaction time, pH 11, 30°C, 100 rev min−1 for shaking speed in the darkness using 4 mmol l−1 of CoSO4.7H2O and 5·5% of A. brasiliensis dry weight mycelium (w/v). The mycosynthesized Co3O4‐NPs were characterized using various techniques: spectroscopy including UV/Vis spectrophotometry, dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential measurement, energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction; and vibrating sample magnetometry and microscopy including field emission scanning electron microscopy and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy. Spectroscopic techniques confirmed the formation of Co3O4‐NPs and the microscopic ones confirmed the shape and size of the mycosynthesized Co3O4‐NPs as quasi‐spherical shaped, monodispersed nanoparticles with a nano size range of 20–27 nm. The mycosynthesized Co3O4‐NPs have excellent magnetic properties and exhibited a good antimicrobial activity against some pathogenic micro‐organisms.
Conclusion
Ferromagnetic Co3O4‐NPs with considerable antimicrobial activity were for the first time mycosynthesized.
Significance and Impact of the Study
The use of fungi as potential bionanofactories for mycosynthesis of nanoparticles is relatively a recent field of research with considerable prospects.
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