Several years of research into the small circular DNA molecules called SPHINX and BMMF (SPHINX/BMMF) have provided information on several areas of research, medicine, microbiology and nutritional ...science. But there are still open questions that have not yet been addressed. Due to the unclear classification, evolution and sources of SPHINX/BMMF, a risk assessment is currently not possible. However, risk assessment is necessary as SPHINX/BMMF are suspected to be involved in the development of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. In order to obtain an overview of the current state of research and to identify research gaps, a review of all the publications on this topic to date was carried out. The focus was primarily on the SPHINX/BMMF group 1 and 2 members, which is the topic of most of the research. It was discovered that the SPHINX/BMMF molecules could be integral components of mammalian cells, and are also inherited. However, their involvement in neurodegenerative and carcinogenic diseases is still unclear. Furthermore, they are probably ubiquitous in food and they resemble bacterial plasmids in parts of their DNA and protein (Rep) sequence. In addition, a connection with bacterial viruses is also suspected. Ultimately, it is still unclear whether SPHINX/BMMF have an infectious capacity and what their host or target is.
The dilute acid (0.05 M H2SO4) hydrolysis at 175 °C of samples comprised of varying fractions of crystalline (α-form) and amorphous cellulose was studied. The amorphous content, based on XRD and ...CP/MAS NMR, and the product (glucose) yield, based on HPLC, increased by as much as a factor of 3 upon ball milling. These results are interpreted in terms of a model involving mechanical disruption of crystallinity by breaking hydrogen bonds in α-cellulose, opening up the structure, and making more β-1,4 glycosidic bonds readily accessible to the dilute acid. However, in parallel with hydrolysis to form liquid-phase products, there are reactions of amorphous cellulose that form solid degradation products.
The primary focus of this article is to review intramembranous bone development, that is, ossification that takes place directly. Comparisons with endochondral ossification (ossification with a ...cartilage precursor) will be made in order to illustrate the differences between these two modes of ossification and to highlight the comparatively sparse information that is available about intramembranous ossification. Despite decades of research into understanding skeletal development, there is still much to learn. Most of the research in this area has focused on the development of the calvariae (or skull bones) as typical intramembranous bones and the development of the limb bones as a typical endochondral bones. Few studies investigate other skeletal elements or compare these processes in a systematic manner. In this review, I focus primarily on condensation formation and skeletal patterning with specific examples from different organisms.
Bone and cartilage staining has provided anatomists with the ability to generate detailed descriptions of the adult and developing skeleton. Typically, Alizarin red S and Alcian blue are used for the ...staining of bone and cartilage, respectively. The binding of Alizarin red S and calcium is most stable at basic conditions, however, Alcian blue exhibits specific binding to polyanionic substances such as mucopolysaccharides under acidic conditions. Typical bone and cartilage staining protocols are conducted under acidic conditions. Because of this discrepancy in optimal pH, issues can arise in the staining of small specimens such as larval fish. Specifically, staining embryonic or larval specimens under acidic conditions can cause decalcification of small bones. Decalcification can completely inhibit the uptake of Alizarin red S in small bones. In order to mitigate this issue, researchers have developed an acid‐free staining protocol that utilizes the concept of critical electrolyte concentration. While many researchers have adopted acid‐free bone and cartilage staining, some researchers continue to stain these small specimens with acidic staining protocols. To ensure the reliability and validity of our skeletal descriptions, we urge scientists to utilize acid‐free staining protocols when analyzing the skeletons of larval or embryonic specimens.
Concentrations of the phytoplankton pigment chlorophyll-a (
C
a) provide indicators of nutrient over-enrichment that has negatively affected Chesapeake Bay, U.S.A.
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a time-series from the National ...Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer aboard the Aqua spacecraft (MODIS-Aqua) provide observations on temporal and spatial scales that far exceed current field and aircraft sampling strategies. These sensors provide consistent, frequent, and high density data to potentially complement ongoing Bay monitoring activities. We used the
in situ Water Quality Monitoring Data set of the Chesapeake Bay Program to evaluate decade-long time-series of SeaWiFS and MODIS-Aqua
C
a retrievals in the Bay. The accuracy of the retrievals generally degraded with increasing latitude as the optical complexity increases northward.
C
a derived using empirical (“band ratio”) algorithms overestimated
in situ measurements by 10–50 and 40–100% for SeaWiFS and MODIS-Aqua, respectively, but with limited variability.
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a derived using spectral-matching algorithms showed less bias for both sensors, but with significant variability and sensitivity to radiometric errors. Regionally-tuned empirical algorithms performed best throughout the Bay, offering a combination of reasonable accuracy and high spatial coverage. The radiometric spectral resolution used as input to the algorithms strongly influenced the quality of
C
a retrievals from both sensors. These results establish a baseline quantification of algorithm and sensor performance in a variable and stressed ecosystem against which novel approaches might be compared.
Filamentous bacteriophages are lysogenic and pseudo-lysogenic viruses that do not lyse their host but are often continuously secreted from the infected cell. They belong to the order Tubulavirales, ...which encompasses three families, with the Inoviridae being the largest. While the number of identified inoviral sequences has greatly increased in recent years due to metagenomic studies, morphological and physiological characterisation is still restricted to only a few members of the filamentous phages. Here, we describe the novel filamentous phage PMBT54, which infects the spoilage-relevant Pseudomonas species P. carnis and P. lactis. Its genome is 7320 bp in size, has a mol% GC content of 48.37, and codes for 13 open-reading frames, two of which are located on the (−) strand. The virion exhibits a typical filamentous morphology and is secreted from the host cell at various lengths. The phage was shown to promote biofilm formation in both host strains and, therefore, has potential implications for milk spoilage, as biofilms are a major concern in the dairy industry.
The papillae in the chicken embryonic eye, described as scleral papillae in the well‐known Hamburger and Hamilton (1951) staging table, are one of the key anatomical features used to stage reptilian ...(including bird) embryos from HH30‐36. These papillae are epithelial thickenings of the conjunctiva and are situated above the mesenchymal sclera. Here, we present evidence that the conjunctival papillae, which are required for the induction and patterning of the underlying scleral ossicles, require epithelial pre‐patterning and have a placodal stage similar to other placode systems. We also suggest modifications to the Hamburger Hamilton staging criteria that incorporate this change in terminology (from “scleral” to “conjunctival” papillae) and provide a more detailed description of this anatomical feature that includes its placode stage. This enables a more complete and accurate description of chick embryo staging. The acknowledgment of a placode phase, which shares molecular and morphological features with other cutaneous placodes, will direct future research into the early inductive events leading to scleral ossicle formation.
Key Findings
Renaming the scleral papillae, with the more anatomically correct term, conjunctival papillae.
These conjunctival papillae arise from placodes.
Revised staging table description for these structures for Hamburger and Hamilton stages 30–37
We investigated whether perception of hand movement via mirror reflection evokes activation in the motor cortex (M1) contralateral to the non-moving hand (the M1 ipsilateral to the moving hand). ...Continuous electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded from 14 participants while they performed unimanual extension–flexion hand movements in direct view and mirror view conditions. We measured the lateralized readiness potential (LRP) as a marker of M1 activation in both conditions. Both the direct and mirror view conditions produced LRPs, with the mirror view conditions revealing clear activation in M1 contralateral to the non-moving hand (ipsilateral to the moving hand) during both flexion and extension phases. This unambiguous demonstration of M1 activation in association with a non-moving hand (which is visually-perceived as moving), suggests that perception of movement can directly lead to M1 activation.
We make use of own geological mapping, interpretations of seismic reflection profiles and deep geophysical data to build a lithospheric-scale cross-section across the European Western Southern Alps ...(Varese area) and to model a progressive restoration from the end of Mesozoic rifting to present-day. Early phases of Alpine orogeny were characterized by Europe-directed thrusting, whereas post-Oligocene shortening led to basement-involving crustal accretion accompanied by backfolding, and consistent with the kinematics of the adjoining Ivrea Zone. Wedging was favored by a significant component of reactivation of the inherited Adriatic rifted margin. Our results also suggest that, during the collisional and post-collisional tectonics, lithosphere dynamics drove diachronically the onset of tectonic phases (i.e., wedging and slab retreat), from east to west, across the Western Southern Alps.
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