A thermophilic, aerobic, Gram-stain-positive bacterium (strain PM5(T)), which formed mycelia of irregularly branched filaments and produced multiple exospores per cell, was isolated from a ...geothermally heated biofilm. Strain PM5(T) grew at 40-65 °C and pH 4.1-8.0, with optimal growth at 55 °C and pH 6.0. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain PM5(T) belonged to the class Ktedonobacteria, and was related most closely to Thermogemmatispora onikobensis ONI-1(T) (97.7 % similarity) and Thermogemmatispora foliorum ONI-5(T) (96.1 %). Morphological features and fatty acid profiles (major fatty acids: iso-C17 : 0, iso-C19 : 0 and 12,17-dimethyl C18 : 0) supported the affiliation of strain PM5(T) to the genus Thermogemmatispora. Strain PM5(T) oxidized carbon monoxide CO; 10±1 nmol h(-1) (mg protein)(-1), but did not grow with CO as a sole carbon and energy source. Results from analyses of related strains indicated that the capacity for CO uptake occurred commonly among the members of the class Ktedonobacteria; 13 of 14 strains tested consumed CO or harboured coxL genes that potentially enabled CO oxidation. The results of DNA-DNA hybridization and physiological and biochemical tests allowed the genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of strain PM5(T) from the two recognized species of the genus Thermogemmatispora. Strain PM5(T) differed from Thermogemmatispora onikobensis ONI-1(T) in its production of orange pigment, lower temperature optimum, hydrolysis of casein and starch, inability to grow with mannitol, xylose or rhamnose as sole carbon sources, and utilization of organic acids and amino acids. Strain PM5(T) is therefore considered to represent a novel species, for which the name Thermogemmatispora carboxidivorans sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PM5(T) ( = DSM 45816(T) = ATCC BAA-2534(T)).
Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) often serve to modify genes with which they are associated. The influence of SSRs on gene regulation, transcription and protein function typically depends on the number ...of repeats, while mutations that add or subtract repeat units are both frequent and reversible. SSRs thus provide a prolific source of quantitative and qualitative variation. Over the past decade, researchers have found that this spontaneous variation has been tapped by natural and artificial selection to adjust almost every aspect of gene function. These studies support the hypothesis that SSRs, by virtue of their special mutational and functional qualities, have a major role in generating the genetic variation underlying adaptive evolution.
Inert gas washout tests, performed using the single- or multiple-breath washout technique, were first described over 60 years ago. As measures of ventilation distribution inhomogeneity, they offer ...complementary information to standard lung function tests, such as spirometry, as well as improved feasibility across wider age ranges and improved sensitivity in the detection of early lung damage. These benefits have led to a resurgence of interest in these techniques from manufacturers, clinicians and researchers, yet detailed guidelines for washout equipment specifications, test performance and analysis are lacking. This manuscript provides recommendations about these aspects, applicable to both the paediatric and adult testing environment, whilst outlining the important principles that are essential for the reader to understand. These recommendations are evidence based, where possible, but in many places represent expert opinion from a working group with a large collective experience in the techniques discussed. Finally, the important issues that remain unanswered are highlighted. By addressing these important issues and directing future research, the hope is to facilitate the incorporation of these promising tests into routine clinical practice.
The domestication of animals, plants, and microbes fundamentally transformed the lifestyle and demography of the human species 1. Although the genetic and functional underpinnings of animal and plant ...domestication are well understood, little is known about microbe domestication 2–6. Here, we systematically examined genome-wide sequence and functional variation between the domesticated fungus Aspergillus oryzae, whose saccharification abilities humans have harnessed for thousands of years to produce sake, soy sauce, and miso from starch-rich grains, and its wild relative A. flavus, a potentially toxigenic plant and animal pathogen 7. We discovered dramatic changes in the sequence variation and abundance profiles of genes and wholesale primary and secondary metabolic pathways between domesticated and wild relative isolates during growth on rice. Our data suggest that, through selection by humans, an atoxigenic lineage of A. flavus gradually evolved into a “cell factory” for enzymes and metabolites involved in the saccharification process. These results suggest that whereas animal and plant domestication was largely driven by Neolithic “genetic tinkering” of developmental pathways, microbe domestication was driven by extensive remodeling of metabolism.
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► Aspergillus oryzae was likely domesticated from an atoxigenic A. flavus ancestor ► Domestication was driven by wholesale genetic and functional changes in metabolism ► Secondary metabolic pathways were targets of selection and downregulation ► α-amylase is the most abundant A. oryzae transcript and protein during rice growth
Abstract
We have performed ground-based transmission spectroscopy of the hot Jupiter orbiting the cool dwarf WASP-80 using the ACAM instrument on the William Herschel Telescope (WHT) as part of the ...Low-Resolution Ground-Based Exoplanet Atmosphere Survey using Transmission Spectroscopy programme. This is the third paper of a ground-based transmission spectroscopy survey of hot Jupiters using low-resolution grism spectrographs. We observed two transits of the planet and have constructed transmission spectra spanning a wavelength range of 4640–8840 Å. Our transmission spectrum is inconsistent with a previously claimed detection of potassium in WASP-80b's atmosphere, and is instead most consistent with a haze. We also do not see evidence for sodium absorption at a resolution of 100 Å.
Medical image fusion techniques combine medical images from various modalities to enhance the accuracy and reliability of medical diagnoses, and they are becoming increasingly significant in a ...variety of clinical applications. A novel CNN-based MRI and PET image fusion in the NSST domain is proposed in this research. The PET image is first converted to YUV color space. Then, the MRI and the Y component of the PET are fed to CNN to produce a weight map. The obtained weight map and the MRI and Y component of PET are decomposed using NSST. The decomposed bands are then merged based on local similarity-based fusion criteria. By applying inverse NSST, the fused image is produced. The original U and V components are combined with the fused image to get the result. The objective analysis and visual quality assessment proved that the results obtained are superior to those obtained by conventional fusion algorithms.
Family‐oriented services are not as common as one would expect, given the widespread endorsement of family‐centred care, the role of parents in supporting optimal child outcomes, and legislation and ...literature indicating that parent outcomes are important in their own right. There are no published service delivery frameworks describing the scope of services that could be delivered to promote parent and family wellness. A scoping review was conducted to identify types of family‐oriented services for parents of children with physical disabilities and/or intellectual impairments. This information was then synthesized into a conceptual framework of services to inform service selection and design. A scoping review of the recent literature was performed to capture descriptions of services targeting parents/families of children with physical disabilities and/or intellectual impairments, published in a six‐year period (2009 to 2014). Six databases were searched and 557 retrieved articles were screened using inclusion and exclusion criteria. Thirty six relevant articles were identified. Based on descriptions of services in these articles, along with seminal articles describing the nature of desirable services, we propose a needs‐based and capacity‐enhancing framework outlining a continuum of family‐oriented services for parents of children with disabilities. The framework includes six types of services to meet parent/family needs, organized as a continuum from fundamental information/education services, to those supporting parents to deliver services to meet their child's needs, to a variety of services addressing parents' own needs (support groups, psychosocial services and service coordination). The framework provides pediatric rehabilitation service organizations with a way to consider different possible family‐oriented services. Implications include the particular importance of providing information resources, support groups and psychosocial services to meet parents' needs, enhance capacity and promote family wellness. There is also an opportunity to provide composite parent–child services to address the needs of both parents and children.
How systemic metabolic alterations during acute infections impact immune cell function remains poorly understood. We found that acetate accumulates in the serum within hours of systemic bacterial ...infections and that these increased acetate concentrations are required for optimal memory CD8+ T cell function in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, upon uptake by memory CD8+ T cells, stress levels of acetate expanded the cellular acetyl-coenzyme A pool via ATP citrate lyase and promoted acetylation of the enzyme GAPDH. This context-dependent post-translational modification enhanced GAPDH activity, catalyzing glycolysis and thus boosting rapid memory CD8+ T cell responses. Accordingly, in a murine Listeria monocytogenes model, transfer of acetate-augmented memory CD8+ T cells exerted superior immune control compared to control cells. Our results demonstrate that increased systemic acetate concentrations are functionally integrated by CD8+ T cells and translate into increased glycolytic and functional capacity. The immune system thus directly relates systemic metabolism with immune alertness.
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•Serum acetate levels rapidly increase following systemic bacterial infection•Memory CD8+ T cells take up acetate and expand their acetyl-CoA pool•Increased acetyl-CoA levels catalyze functional activity of GAPDH by acetylation•Augmented glycolytic flux rates boost rapid recall responses of memory CD8+ T cells
How systemic metabolic alterations during acute infections impact immune-cell function remains poorly understood. Hess and colleagues demonstrate that acetate rapidly increases during infections, which drives acetylation of GAPDH in memory CD8+ T cells and thereby catalyzes the rapid recall response.
Climate change is driving the redistribution of species at a global scale and documenting and predicting species' responses to warming is a principal focus of contemporary ecology. When interpreting ...and predicting their responses to warming, species are generally treated as single homogenous physiological units. However, local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity can result in intraspecific differences in thermal niche. Therefore, population loss may also not only occur from trailing edges. In species with low dispersal capacity this will have profound impacts for the species as a whole, as local population loss will not be offset by immigration of warm tolerant individuals. Recent evidence from terrestrial forests has shown that incorporation of intraspecific variation in thermal niche is vital to accurately predicting species responses to warming. However, marine macrophytes (i.e. seagrasses and seaweeds) that form some of the world's most productive and diverse ecosystems have not been examined in the same context. We conducted a literature review to determine how common intraspecific variation in thermal physiology is in marine macrophytes. We find that 90% of studies identified (n = 42) found clear differences in thermal niche between geographically separated populations. Therefore, non‐trailing edge populations may also be vulnerable to future warming trends and given their limited dispersal capacity, such population loss may not be offset by immigration. We also explore how next generation sequencing (NGS) is allowing unprecedented mechanistic insight into plasticity and adaptation. We conclude that in the ‘genomic era’ it may be possible to link understanding of plasticity and adaptation at the genetic level through to changes in populations providing novel insights on the redistribution of populations under future climate change.
This article examines factors associated with social movements’ abilities to disrupt corporate targets. I identify two kinds of disruption: market disruption and mediated disruption. Market ...disruption deters the ability of the corporate target to effectively accrue and use market resources, while mediated disruption occurs as a tactic communicates a movement's claims about the target through third party intermediaries, like the media, thereby disrupting the target's image and reputation. Using data on corporate boycotts in the United States from 1990 to 2005, the analyses assess the extent to which movement characteristics or target characteristics cause stock price declines of boycotted companies—i.e., market disruption—and the frequency of national media attention given to boycotts—i.e., mediated disruption. The analyses indicate that target characteristics matter more in shaping a boycott's initial market disruption; however, both movement and target characteristics affect mediated disruption. Certain movement characteristics, like social movement organization (SMO) formality, public demonstrations, and celebrity endorsements, enable mediated disruption but have no effect on market disruption. A firm's size makes it vulnerable to both market and mediated disruption, while slack resources help a firm avoid market disruption. A target's reputational ranking initially buffers it from market disruption but increases its vulnerability to mediated disruption. The results indicate that the two kinds of disruption are interrelated. Market disruption has a marginal effect on the intensity of subsequent media coverage and ongoing media attention accentuates further market disruption.
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