Accelerating Tropicalization and the Transformation of Temperate Seagrass Meadows

Climate-driven changes are altering production and functioning of biotic assemblages in terrestrial and aquatic environments. In temperate coastal waters, rising sea temperatures, warm water anomalies and poleward shifts in the distribution of tropical herbivores have had a detrimental effect on algal forests. We develop generalized scenarios of this form of tropicalization and its potential effects on the structure and functioning of globally significant and threatened seagrass ecosystems, through poleward shifts in tropical seagrasses and herbivores. Initially, we expect tropical herbivorous fishes to establish in temperate seagrass meadows, followed later by megafauna. Tropical seagrasses are likely to establish later, delayed by more limited dispersal abilities. Ultimately, food webs are likely to shift from primarily seagrass-detritus to more direct-consumption-based systems, thereby affecting a range of important ecosystem services that seagrasses provide, including their nursery habitat role for fishery species, carbon sequestration, and the provision of organic matter to other ecosystems in temperate regions

Towards intelligent geo-database support for earth system observation: Improving the preparation and analysis of big spatio-temporal raster data

The European COPERNICUS program provides an unprecedented breakthrough in the broad use and application of satellite remote sensing data. Maintained on a sustainable basis, the COPERNICUS system is operated on a free-and-open data policy. Its guaranteed availability in the long term attracts a broader community to remote sensing applications. In general, the increasing amount of satellite remote sensing data opens the door to the diverse and advanced analysis of this data for earth system science. However, the preparation of the data for dedicated processing is still inefficient as it requires time-consuming operator interaction based on advanced technical skills. Thus, the involved scientists have to spend significant parts of the available project budget rather on data preparation than on science. In addition, the analysis of the rich content of the remote sensing data requires new concepts for better extraction of promising structures and signals as an effective basis for further analysis. In this paper we propose approaches to improve the preparation of satellite remote sensing data by a geo-database. Thus the time needed and the errors possibly introduced by human interaction are minimized. In addition, it is recommended to improve data quality and the analysis of the data by incorporating Artificial Intelligence methods. A use case for data preparation and analysis is presented for earth surface deformation analysis in the Upper Rhine Valley, Germany, based on Persistent Scatterer Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar data. Finally, we give an outlook on our future research

High probability of comorbidities in bronchial asthma in Germany

Clinical experience has shown that allergic and non-allergic respiratory, metabolic, mental, and cardiovascular disorders sometimes coexist with bronchial asthma. However, no study has been carried out that calculates the chance of manifestation of these disorders with bronchial asthma in Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Using ICD10 diagnoses from health care institutions, the present study systematically analyzed the co-prevalence and odds ratios of comorbidities in the asthma population in Germany. The odds ratios were adjusted for age and sex for all comorbidities for patients with asthma vs. without asthma. Bronchial asthma was strongly associated with allergic and with a lesser extent to non-allergic comorbidities: OR 7.02 (95% CI:6.83–7.22) for allergic rhinitis; OR 4.98 (95%CI:4.67–5.32) allergic conjunctivitis; OR 2.41 (95%CI:2.33–2.52) atopic dermatitis; OR 2.47 (95%CI:2.16–2.82) food allergy, and OR 1.69 (95%CI:1.61–1.78) drug allergy. Interestingly, increased ORs were found for respiratory diseases: 2.06 (95%CI:1.64–2.58) vocal dysfunction; 1.83 (95%CI:1.74–1.92) pneumonia; 1.78 (95%CI:1.73–1.84) sinusitis; 1.71 (95%CI:1.65–1.78) rhinopharyngitis; 2.55 (95%CI:2.03–3.19) obstructive sleep apnea; 1.42 (95%CI:1.25–1.61) pulmonary embolism, and 3.75 (95%CI:1.64–8.53) bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Asthmatics also suffer from psychiatric, metabolic, cardiac or other comorbidities. Myocardial infarction (OR 0.86, 95%CI:0.79–0.94) did not coexist with asthma. Based on the calculated chances of manifestation for these comorbidities, especially allergic and respiratory, to a lesser extent also metabolic, cardiovascular, and mental disorders should be taken into consideration in the diagnostic and treatment strategy of bronchial asthma

Hydrodynamic considerations on optimal design of a three-phase airlift bioreactor with high solids loading

The hydrodynamic study of a three-phase airlift (TPAL) bioreactor with an enlarged gas–liquid dual separator was carried out. Different lengths and diameters of the draft tube were tested to show how the design of the separator zone affects the hydrodynamic performance of the TPAL reactor. Ca-alginate beads with entrapped yeast biomass at different loadings (0, 7, 14 and 21% v/v) were used in order to mimic the solid phase of conventional high cell density systems, such as those with cells immobilized on carriers or flocculating cells. Important information on multiphase flow and distribution of gas and solid phases in the internal-loop airlift reactor (ALR) with high solids loading was obtained, which can be used for suggesting optimal hydrodynamic conditions in a TPAL bioreactor with high solids loading. It is finally suggested that the ALR with a dual separator and a downcomer to riser cross-sectional area ratio (AD/AR) ranging from 1.2 to 2.0 can be successfully applied to batch/continuous high cell density systems, where the uniform distribution of solid phase, its efficient separation of particles from the liquid phase, and an improved residence time of air bubbles inside the reactor are desirable.European Community - ‘Improving Human Research Potential’ - Marie Curie Fellowship - contract number HPMF-CT-2002-01643

The Red Sea under the Caliphal Dynasties, c. 639–1171

Students of world history will be familiar with the Red Sea as a strategic communications corridor linking the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean. This paper examines the Red Sea region between the seventh and twelfth centuries, when it was ruled by a succession of Islamic caliphal dynasties, namely, the Umayyads, ʿAbbāsids, and Fāṭimids. It first sets out a sketch of the political history of the Red Sea and its constituent hinterland polities, including particularly Egypt, Sudan, al‐Ḥijāz, and Yemen, drawing attention to episodes and processes in which the Red Sea was significant. A section on Africa and Arabia explores the Red Sea as a zone of economic and social interaction; another section deals with the historic shift of Indian Ocean trade from the ʿAbbāsid Persian Gulf to the Fāṭimid Red Sea. Finally, the impact of the Red Sea on its constituent hinterland polities and the wider sweep of Islamic history is considered

Structural basis for CRISPR RNA-guided DNA recognition by Cascade

The CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) immune system in prokaryotes uses small guide RNAs to neutralize invading viruses and plasmids. In Escherichia coli, immunity depends on a ribonucleoprotein complex called Cascade. Here we present the composition and low-resolution structure of Cascade and show how it recognizes double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) targets in a sequence-specific manner. Cascade is a 405-kDa complex comprising five functionally essential CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins (CasA1B2C6D1E1) and a 61-nucleotide CRISPR RNA (crRNA) with 5′-hydroxyl and 2′,3′-cyclic phosphate termini. The crRNA guides Cascade to dsDNA target sequences by forming base pairs with the complementary DNA strand while displacing the noncomplementary strand to form an R-loop. Cascade recognizes target DNA without consuming ATP, which suggests that continuous invader DNA surveillance takes place without energy investment. The structure of Cascade shows an unusual seahorse shape that undergoes conformational changes when it binds target DNA.

Influence of Moderate Hyperbilirubinemia on Cardiorespiratory Control in Preterm Lambs

Hyperbilirubinemia (HB) is responsible for neonatal jaundice in 60% of term newborns and 90% of preterm infants. Neonatal HB can induce neurological damage (acute HB encephalopathy) and has been associated with persistent apneas. The objective of the present study was to investigate the immediate and delayed effects of moderate, clinically-relevant HB on cardiorespiratory control in preterm lambs. Two groups of five preterm lambs, namely control and HB, were studied. At day five of life, moderate HB (150–250 μmol/L) was induced and maintained during 17 h in the HB group while control lambs received a placebo solution. Six hours after HB onset, 7-h polysomnographic recordings with electrocardiogram (ECG) and respiratory (RESP) signals were performed to assess the immediate effects of HB on heart rate variability (HRV), respiratory rate variability (RRV), and cardiorespiratory interrelations. Identical recordings were repeated 72 h after HB induction to examine the delayed effects of HB on HRV, RRV and cardiorespiratory interrelations. Our results demonstrate a higher HRV and vagal activity immediately after induction of moderate HB. Meanwhile, a decrease in respiratory rate with an increase in both long- and short-term RRV was also noted, as well as a higher amplitude of the respiratory sinus arrhythmia and cardiorespiratory coupling. Seventy-two hours later, the alterations in HRV, RRV, and cardiorespiratory interrelations were attenuated, although a number of them were still present, suggesting a lasting influence of HB on the basal control of the cardiorespiratory system. Our results pave the way for studies in human preterms to assess the relevance of monitoring HRV, RRV, and cardiorespiratory interrelations to detect the acute neurological effects of HB and consequently adapt the treatment of neonatal jaundice

Mcidas mutant mice reveal a two-step process for the specification and differentiation of multiciliated cells in mammals

Motile cilia on multiciliated cells (MCCs) function in fluid clearance over epithelia. Studies with Xenopus embryos and individuals with the congenital respiratory disorder reduced generation of multiple motile cilia (RGMC), have implicated the nuclear protein MCIDAS (MCI), in the transcriptional regulation of MCC specification and differentiation. Recently, a paralogous protein, geminin coiled-coil domain containing (GMNC), was also shown to be required for MCC formation. Surprisingly, in contrast to the presently held view, we find that Mci mutant mice can specify MCC precursors. However, these precursors cannot produce multiple basal bodies, and mature into single ciliated cells. We identify an essential role for MCI in inducing deuterosome pathway components for the production of multiple basal bodies. Moreover, GMNC and MCI associate differentially with the cell-cycle regulators E2F4 and E2F5, which enables them to activate distinct sets of target genes (ciliary transcription factor genes versus basal body amplification genes). Our data establish a previously unrecognized two-step model for MCC development: GMNC functions in the initial step for MCC precursor specification. GMNC induces Mci expression that drives the second step of basal body production for multiciliation

TOG–tubulin binding specificity promotes microtubule dynamics and mitotic spindle formation

XMAP215, CLASP, and Crescerin use arrayed tubulin-binding tumor overexpressed gene (TOG) domains to modulate microtubule dynamics. We hypothesized that TOGs have distinct architectures and tubulin-binding properties that underlie each family’s ability to promote microtubule polymerization or pause. As a model, we investigated the pentameric TOG array of a Drosophila melanogaster XMAP215 member, Msps. We found that Msps TOGs have distinct architectures that bind either free or polymerized tubulin, and that a polarized array drives microtubule polymerization. An engineered TOG1-2-5 array fully supported Msps-dependent microtubule polymerase activity. Requisite for this activity was a TOG5-specific N-terminal HEAT repeat that engaged microtubule lattice-incorporated tubulin. TOG5–microtubule binding maintained mitotic spindle formation as deleting or mutating TOG5 compromised spindle architecture and increased the mitotic index. Mad2 knockdown released the spindle assembly checkpoint triggered when TOG5–microtubule binding was compromised, indicating that TOG5 is essential for spindle function. Our results reveal a TOG5-specific role in mitotic fidelity and support our hypothesis that architecturally distinct TOGs arranged in a sequence-specific order underlie TOG array microtubule regulator activity