Oblique Mean-Target-rotation

Oblique target rotation in the context of exploratory factor analysis is a relevant method for the investigation of the oblique independent clusters model. It was argued that minimizing single cross-loadings by means of target rotation may lead to effects of sampling error of the inter-correlations of the target rotated factors. It was therefore proposed to compute the mean cross-loadings for each block of salient loadings in the independent clusters model and to perform target rotation in order to minimize the block-wise mean cross-loadings. A simulation study based on correlated independent factor models revealed that mean oblique target rotation resulted in a smaller negative bias of the factor inter-correlations than conventional target rotation. Therefore, this method can be recommended when target rotation is performed in the context of oblique independent factor models. An R-script and an SPSS-script for this form of target rotation are provided in the Appendix

Energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy of biological samples on highly transparent carbon nanomembranes

Ultrathin carbon nanomembranes (CNM) comprising crosslinked biphenyl precursors have been tested as support films for energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) of biological specimens. Due to their high transparency CNM are ideal substrates for electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and electron spectroscopic imaging (ESI) of stained and unstained biological samples. Virtually background-free elemental maps of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and ferritin have been obtained from samples supported by ~ 1 nm thin CNM. Furthermore, we have tested conductive carbon nanomembranes (cCNM) comprising nanocrystalline graphene, obtained by thermal treatment of CNM, as supports for cryoEM of ice-embedded biological samples. We imaged ice-embedded TMV on cCNM and compared the results with images of ice-embedded TMV on conventional carbon film (CC), thus analyzing the gain in contrast for TMV on cCNM in a quantitative manner. In addition we have developed a method for the preparation of vitrified specimens, suspended over the holes of a conventional holey carbon film, while backed by ultrathin cCNM

A ribosome-bound tRNA half stimulates mitochondrial translation during stress recovery in Trypanosoma brucei.

The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei and its disease-causing relatives are among the few organisms that barely regulate the transcription of protein-coding genes. Yet, alterations in its gene expression are essential to survive in different host environments. Recently, tRNA-derived RNAs have been implicated as regulators of many cellular processes within and beyond translation. Previously, we identified the tRNAThr-3'-half (AGU) as a ribosome-associated non-coding RNA able to enhance global translation. Here we report that the tRNAThr-3'-half is generated upon starvation inside the mitochondria. The tRNAThr-3'-half associates with mitochondrial ribosomes and stimulates translation during stress recovery, positively affecting mitochondrial activity and, consequently, cellular energy production capacity. Our results describe an organelle ribosome-associated ncRNA involved in translation regulation to boost the central hub of energy metabolism as an immediate stress recovery response