COG7 deficiency in Drosophila generates multifaceted developmental, behavioral and protein glycosylation phenotypes

Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) comprise a family of human multisystemic diseases caused by recessive mutations in genes required for protein N-glycosylation. More than 100 distinct forms of CDGs have been identified and most of them cause severe neurological impairment. The Conserved Oligomeric Golgi (COG) complexmediates tethering of vesicles carrying glycosylation enzymes across the Golgi cisternae. Mutations affecting human COG1, COG2 and COG4-COG8 cause monogenic forms of inherited, autosomal recessive CDGs.We have generated a Drosophila COG7-CDG model that closely parallels the pathological characteristics of COG7-CDG patients, including pronounced neuromotor defects associated with altered N-glycome profiles. Consistent with these alterations, larval neuromuscular junctions of Cog7 mutants exhibit a significant reduction in bouton numbers. We demonstrate that the COG complex cooperates with Rab1 and Golgi phosphoprotein 3 to regulate Golgi trafficking and that overexpression of Rab1 can rescue the cytokinesis and locomotor defects associated with loss of Cog7. Our results suggest that the Drosophila COG7-CDG model can be used to test novel potential therapeutic strategies by modulating trafficking pathways

Wie beeinflussen Torfart, Sandeinmischung und Bodenfeuchte die Mineralisierung der organischen Bodensubstanz in anthropogen gestörten organischen Böden?

Entwässerte Moore sind Hotspots für Kohlendioxid (CO2)-Emissionen. Sowohl aufgrund von entwässerungsbedingter Mineralisierung als auch durch anthropogene Sandeinmischung liegt der Bodenkohlenstoffgehalt vieler ehemaliger Moore unter landwirtschaftlicher Nutzung an der Grenze zwischen mineralischen und organischen Böden. Studien zur Kohlenstoffdynamik solcher vergleichsweise kohlenstoffarmen organischen Böden sind selten. Allerdings weisen erste Studien auf eine steigende Variabilität der CO2-Emissionen bei stärkerer Störung hin. Auch wenn grundsätzliche Prozesse bekannt sind, fehlt bisher eine systematische Bewertung der hydrologischen und biogeochemischen Einflussfaktoren auf die CO2-Emissionen stark anthropogen gestörter Torfe. Ziel des vorgestellten Inkubationsversuches ist das bessere Verständnis der hohen Variabilität der CO2-Emissionen solcher Böden. Dafür werden systematisch stark degradierte Torfe aus unterschiedlichen Ausgangssubstraten mit und ohne Sandeinmischung unter verschiedenen Feuchtigkeitsbedingungen verglichen. An sechs Niedermoor- (Radizellen-, Schilf- und Holztorf) und vier Hochmoorstandorten (Sphagnumtorf) unter Grünlandnutzung wurden jeweils Triplikate ungestörter Bodensäulen aus Ober- und Unterboden entnommen. Alle Standorte haben einen intakten ständig wassergesättigten Unterbodenhorizont und einen stark gestörten Oberbodenhorizont. Der Oberboden von drei Niedermoor- und zwei Hochmoorstandorten ist durch Sandeinmischung verändert. Zusätzlich wurden Proben zur Bestimmung der bodenhydraulischen Eigenschaften genommen. Alle 64 Bodensäulen (inkl. vier Referenzproben) wurden in einer Mikrokosmenanlage unter konstanten Temperaturbedingungen (10° C) installiert. Die anfangs wassergesättigten Bodensäulen wurden über Saugplatten durch schrittweise Erhöhung des Unterdrucks entwässert. Der Headspace der Säulen wird permanent mit angefeuchteter synthetischer Luft gespült und CO2-Konzentrationen werden alle 8 h per Gaschromatographie gemessen

High soil solution carbon and nitrogen concentrations in a drained Atlantic bog are reduced to natural levels by 10 years of rewetting

Anthropogenic drainage of peatlands releases additional greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, and dissolved carbon (C) and nutrients to downstream ecosystems. Rewetting drained peatlands offers a possibility to reduce nitrogen (N) and C losses. In this study, we investigate the impact of drainage and rewetting on the cycling of dissolved C and N as well as on dissolved gases, over a period of 1 year and a period of 4 months. We chose four sites within one Atlantic bog complex: a near-natural site, two drained grasslands with different mean groundwater levels and a former peat cutting area rewetted 10 years ago. Our results clearly indicate that long-term drainage has increased the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), ammonium, nitrate and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) compared to the near-natural site. DON and ammonium contributed the most to the total dissolved nitrogen. Nitrate concentrations below the mean groundwater table were negligible. The concentrations of DOC and N species increased with drainage depth. In the deeply-drained grassland, with a mean annual water table of 45 cm below surface, DOC concentrations were twice as high as in the partially rewetted grassland with a mean annual water table of 28 cm below surface. The deeply drained grassland had some of the highest-ever observed DOC concentrations of 195.8 ± 77.3 mg L−1 with maximum values of >400 mg L−1. In general, dissolved organic matter (DOM) at the drained sites was enriched in aromatic moieties and showed a higher degradation status (lower DOC to DON ratio) compared to the near-natural site. At the drained sites, the C to N ratios of the uppermost peat layer were the same as of DOM in the peat profile. This suggests that the uppermost degraded peat layer is the main source of DOM. Nearly constant DOM quality through the profile furthermore indicated that DOM moving downwards through the drained sites remained largely biogeochemically unchanged. Unlike DOM concentration, DOM quality and dissolved N species distribution were similar in the two grasslands and thus unaffected by the drainage depth. Methane production during the winter months at the drained sites was limited to the subsoil, which was quasi-permanently water saturated. The recovery of the water table in the winter months led to the production of nitrous oxide around mean water table depth at the drained sites. The rewetted and the near-natural site had comparable DOM quantity and quality (DOC to DON ratio and aromaticity). 10 years after rewetting quasi-pristine biogeochemical conditions have been re-established under continuously water logged conditions in the former peat cut area. Only the elevated dissolved methane and ammonium concentrations reflected the former disturbance by drainage and peat extraction. Rewetting via polder technique seems to be an appropriate way to revitalize peatlands on longer timescales and to improve the water quality of downstream water bodies

Auswirkungen der Landwirtschaft auf physikalische und chemische Funktionen Europäischer Torfböden

Torfböden bieten zahlreiche Funktionen: sie bilden den weltweit größten terrestrischen Kohlenstoffspeicher, stellen wichtige Nährstofffilter dar und erhöhen hydrologische Pufferkapazitäten. Torfböden sind in Mittel- und Nordeuropa zum überwiegenden Teil landwirtschaftlich genutzt. Kultivierung führt zu extremen Mineralisierungsraten der organischen Substanz und hohen THG-Emissionen. Die Anfälligigkeit für Bodensackung, Boden- und Wasserqualitätsverschlechterung und folglich Ernteausfall steigt. Das Ziel dieser Studie ist es, Auswirkungen des Agrarmanagements auf Funktionen von Torfböden in Europa zu analysieren. In Deutschland, den Niederlanden, Dänemark, Estland, Finnland und Schweden wurden standardisierte Bodenkartierungen, bodenphysikalische und -chemische Analysen, Grundwassermonitoring und Betriebsdatenerhebungen durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse belegen einen starken Einfluss der bisherigen Bewirtschaftung auf die Funktionen von Torfböden in Europa. Torfböden unter intensiver Ackernutzung bieten im Vergleich zu extensiver und intensiver Grünlandnutzung die niedrigste Tragfähigkeit in den oberen 10 cm, welche eine erfolgreiche landwirtschaftliche Praxis auf Torfböden stark einschränkt. Der Unterschied lässt sich allein durch Wurzelstabilisierung erklären, da die Bodenverdichtung in den oberen 25cm unter Ackernutzung am höchsten ist. Hieraus folgt eine starke Verringerung der nutzbaren Feldkapazität und der gesättigten hydraulischen Leitfähigkeit, wodurch sich hydrologische Probleme wie Staunässe und Trockenstress, die häufig auf kultivierten Torfböden vorkommen, weiter intensivieren. Bodenkohlenstoffvorräte sinken deutlich mit steigender Nutzungsintensität und sind im Vergleich auf extensivem Grünland am höchsten. Dies wird bestätigt durch den Zersetzungsgrad, der hier am niedrigsten ist. Die Ergebnisse deuten auf eine starke Auswirkung des Managements auf Bodenkohlenstoffverluste und Torfkonservierung auf europäischer Ebene hin

Pseuduscalar Heavy Quarkonium Decays With Both Relativistic and QCD Radiative Corrections

We estimate the decay rates of $\eta_c\rightarrow 2\gamma$, $\eta_c'\rightarrow 2\gamma$, and $J/\psi\rightarrow e^+ e^-$, $\psi^\prime\rightarrow e^+e^-$, by taking into account both relativistic and QCD radiative corrections. The decay amplitudes are derived in the Bethe-Salpeter formalism. The Bethe-Salpeter equation with a QCD-inspired interquark potential are used to calculate the wave functions and decay widths for these $c\bar{c}$ states. We find that the relativistic correction to the ratio $R\equiv \Gamma (\eta_c \rightarrow 2\gamma)/ \Gamma (J/ \psi \rightarrow e^+ e^-)$ is negative and tends to compensate the positive contribution from the QCD radiative correction. Our estimate gives $\Gamma(\eta_c \rightarrow 2\gamma)=(6-7) ~keV$ and $\Gamma(\eta_c^\prime \rightarrow 2\gamma)=2 ~keV$, which are smaller than their nonrelativistic values. The hadronic widths $\Gamma(\eta_c \rightarrow 2g)=(17-23) ~MeV$ and $\Gamma(\eta_c^\prime \rightarrow 2g)=(5-7)~MeV$ are then indicated accordingly to the first order QCD radiative correction, if $\alpha_s(m_c)=0.26-0.29$. The decay widths for $b\bar b$ states are also estimated. We show that when making the assmption that the quarks are on their mass shells our expressions for the decay widths will become identical with that in the NRQCD theory to the next to leading order of $v^2$ and $\alpha_s$.Comment: 14 pages LaTex (2 figures included

The minimum information required for a glycomics experiment (MIRAGE) project: improving the standards for reporting glycan microarray-based data

MIRAGE (Minimum Information Required for A Glycomics Experiment) is an initiative that was created by experts in the fields of glycobiology, glycoanalytics and glycoinformatics to produce guidelines for reporting results from the diverse types of experiments and analyses used in structural and functional studies of glycans in the scientific literature. As a sequel to the guidelines for sample preparation (Struwe et al. 2016, Glycobiology, 26:907–910) and mass spectrometry  data (Kolarich et al. 2013, Mol. Cell Proteomics, 12:991–995), here we present the first version of guidelines intended to improve the standards for reporting data from glycan microarray analyses. For each of eight areas in the workflow of a glycan microarray experiment, we provide guidelines for the minimal information that should be provided in reporting results. We hope that the MIRAGE glycan microarray guidelines proposed here will gain broad acceptance by the community, and will facilitate interpretation and reproducibility of the glycan microarray results with implications in comparison of data from different laboratories and eventual deposition of glycan microarray data in international databases

PEAT-CLSM : A Specific Treatment of Peatland Hydrology in the NASA Catchment Land Surface Model

Peatlands are poorly represented in global Earth system modeling frameworks. Here we add a peatland-specific land surface hydrology module (PEAT-CLSM) to the Catchment Land Surface Model (CLSM) of the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) framework. The amended TOPMODEL approach of the original CLSM that uses topography characteristics to model catchment processes is discarded, and a peatland-specific model concept is realized in its place. To facilitate its utilization in operational GEOS efforts, PEAT-CLSM uses the basic structure of CLSM and the same global input data. Parameters used in PEAT-CLSM are based on literature data. A suite of CLSM and PEAT-CLSM simulations for peatland areas between 40 degrees N and 75 degrees N is presented and evaluated against a newly compiled data set of groundwater table depth and eddy covariance observations of latent and sensible heat fluxes in natural and seminatural peatlands. CLSM's simulated groundwater tables are too deep and variable, whereas PEAT-CLSM simulates a mean groundwater table depth of -0.20 m (snow-free unfrozen period) with moderate temporal fluctuations (standard deviation of 0.10 m), in significantly better agreement with in situ observations. Relative to an operational CLSM version that simply includes peat as a soil class, the temporal correlation coefficient is increased on average by 0.16 and reaches 0.64 for bogs and 0.66 for fens when driven with global atmospheric forcing data. In PEAT-CLSM, runoff is increased on average by 38% and evapotranspiration is reduced by 19%. The evapotranspiration reduction constitutes a significant improvement relative to eddy covariance measurements.Peer reviewe

The Minimum Information Required for a Glycomics Experiment (MIRAGE) project: improving the standards for reporting glycan microarray-based data

MIRAGE (Minimum Information Required for A Glycomics Experiment) is an initiative that was created by experts in the fields of glycobiology, glycoanalytics, and glycoinformatics to produce guidelines for reporting results from the diverse types of experiments and analyses used in structural and functional studies of glycans in the scientific literature. As a sequel to the guidelines for sample preparation (Struwe et al. 2016, Glycobiology, 26, 907-910) and mass spectrometry (MS) data (Kolarich et al. 2013, Mol. Cell Proteomics. 12, 991-995), here we present the first version of guidelines intended to improve the standards for reporting data from glycan microarray analyses. For each of eight areas in the workflow of a glycan microarray experiment, we provide guidelines for the minimal information that should be provided in reporting results. We hope that the MIRAGE glycan microarray guidelines proposed here will gain broad acceptance by the community, and will facilitate interpretation and reproducibility of the glycan microarray results with implications in comparison of data from different laboratories and eventual deposition of glycan microarray data in international databases

Estimation of physician supply by specialty and the distribution impact of increasing female physicians in Japan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Japan has experienced two large changes which affect the supply and distribution of physicians. They are increases in medical school enrollment capacity and in the proportion of female physicians. The purpose of this study is to estimate the future supply of physicians by specialty and to predict the associated impact of increased female physicians, as well as to discuss the possible policy implications.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Based on data from the 2004 and 2006 National Survey of Physicians, Dentists and Pharmacists, we estimated the future supply of physicians by specialty, using multistate life tables. Based on possible scenarios of the future increase in female physicians, we also estimated the supply of physicians by specialty.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Even if Japan's current medical school enrollment capacity is maintained in subsequent years, the number of physicians per 1000 population is expected to increase from 2.2 in 2006 to 3.2 in 2036, which is a 46% increase from the current level. The numbers of obstetrician/gynecologists (OB/GYNs) and surgeons are expected to temporarily decline from their current level, whereas the number of OB/GYNs per 1000 births will still increase because of the declining number of births. The number of surgeons per 1000 population, even with the decreasing population, will decline temporarily over the next few years. If the percentage of female physicians continues to increase, the overall number of physicians will not be significantly affected, but in specialties with current very low female physician participation rates, such as surgery, the total number of physicians is expected to decline significantly.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>At the current medical school enrollment capacity, the number of physicians per population is expected to continue to increase because of the skewed age distribution of physicians and the declining population in Japan. However, with changes in young physicians' choices of medical specialties and as the percentage of female physicians increases, patterns of physician supply will vary between specialties. Specialties less often chosen by young physicians and where males have dominated will face a decline in physician supply. These results highlight the necessity for developing a work environment that attracts female physicians to these types of specialties. This will also lead to improved gender equality in the workforce and more effective use of human resources.</p