GlxA is a new structural member of the radical copper oxidase family and is required for glycan deposition at hyphal tips and morphogenesis of <i>Streptomyces lividans</i>

Streptomyces lividans displays a distinct dependence on copper to fully initiate morphological development. Evidence has accumulated to implicate the participation of an extracytoplasmic cuproenzyme in morphogenesis. In the present study, we show that GlxA fulfils all criteria to be that cuproenzyme. GlxA is membrane associated and has an active site consisting of a mononuclear copper and a cross-linked Y-C cofactor. The domain organization of the tertiary structure defines GlxA as a new structural member of the mono-copper oxidase family, with copper co-ordination geometry similar to, but spectroscopically distinct from fungal galactose oxidase (Gox). EPR spectroscopy reveals that the oxidation of cupric GlxA generates a protein radical residing on the Y-C cross-link. A variety of canonical Gox substrates (including D-galactose) were tested but none were readily turned over by GlxA. A glxA null-mutant leads to loss of glycan accumulation at hyphal tips and consequently a drastically changed morphology both on solid substrates and in liquid-grown environments, a scenario similarly observed in the absence of the neighbouring glycan synthase CslA (cellulase synthase-like protein). In addition the glxA mutant has lost the stimulation of development by copper, supporting a model whereby the enzymatic action of GlxA on the glycan is required for development and morphology. From a biotechnology perspective, the open mycelium morphology observed with the glxA mutant in submerged culture has implications for use as an enzyme production host.</jats:p

Seasonal acclimatization to temperature in cardueline finches

1. Seasonal variation in body constituents and utilization of lipid, protein, and carbohydrate during cold stress in American goldfinches were studied to determine relations of these functions to the pronounced seasonal shift in thermogenic capacity documented in a previous study (Dawson and Carey, 1976).Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47119/1/360_2004_Article_BF00686746.pd

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

The eleventh and twelfth data releases of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey : final data from SDSS-III

The third generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-III) took data from 2008 to 2014 using the original SDSS wide-field imager, the original and an upgraded multi-object fiber-fed optical spectrograph, a new nearinfrared high-resolution spectrograph, and a novel optical interferometer. All of the data from SDSS-III are now made public. In particular, this paper describes Data Release 11 (DR11) including all data acquired through 2013 July, and Data Release 12 (DR12) adding data acquired through 2014 July (including all data included in previous data releases), marking the end of SDSS-III observing. Relative to our previous public release (DR10), DR12 adds one million new spectra of galaxies and quasars from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) over an additional 3000 deg2 of sky, more than triples the number of H-band spectra of stars as part of the Apache Point Observatory (APO) Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE), and includes repeated accurate radial velocity measurements of 5500 stars from the Multi-object APO Radial Velocity Exoplanet Large-area Survey (MARVELS). The APOGEE outputs now include the measured abundances of 15 different elements for each star. In total, SDSS-III added 5200 deg2 of ugriz imaging; 155,520 spectra of 138,099 stars as part of the Sloan Exploration of Galactic Understanding and Evolution 2 (SEGUE-2) survey; 2,497,484 BOSS spectra of 1,372,737 galaxies, 294,512 quasars, and 247,216 stars over 9376 deg2; 618,080 APOGEE spectra of 156,593 stars; and 197,040 MARVELS spectra of 5513 stars. Since its first light in 1998, SDSS has imaged over 1/3 of the Celestial sphere in five bands and obtained over five million astronomical spectra

Enfermidades digitais em vacas de aptidão leiteira: associação com mastite clínica, metrites e aspectos epidemiológicos Foot diseases in dairy cows: association with clinical mastitis, metrites and predisposed factors

Utilizaram-se nesse estudo 5300 vacas de aptidão leiteira, provenientes de 80 propriedades rurais, que adotavam manejo intensivo ou semi-extensivo, com o objetivo de averiguar a existência de possível associação entre enfermidades digitais, mastite clínica e/ou metrite e identificar possíveis fatores de risco das enfermidades digitais. Em 325 (6,13%) vacas foram diagnosticados apenas enfermidades digitais, em 35 (0,66%) enfermidades digitais e mastite clínica, em 52 (0,98%) enfermidades digitais e metrite, em 28 (0,53%) enfermidades digitais, mastite clínica e metrite, em 128 (2,42%) apenas metrite, em 165 (3,11%) somente mastite clínica, e em 89 (1,68%) vacas metrite e mastite clínica. As mudanças bruscas na alimentação, o excesso de sujidades nas instalações, os pisos irregulares e abrasivos, a não utilização ou uso incorreto de pedilúvio, a falta de casqueamento preventivo, a ausência de quarentena, e a aquisição de animais sem a preocupação com o aspecto sanitário foram considerados os fatores de risco de maior ocorrência. Foi constatada diferença significativa entre a ocorrência de enfermidades digitais, mastite clínica e metrite, além de associação fraca entre tais enfermidades, concluindo-se que não houve relação expressiva entre enfermidades podais, mastite clínica e metrite em vacas lactantes.<br>With the objective to investigate a possible association between foot diseases, clinical mastitis and/or metritis and predisposing factors for foot diseases, 5300 dairy cows from 80 intensive and semi-intensive farms were used. In 325 (6.13%) cows only foot disease was diagnosed, in 35 (0.66%) foot disease and clinical mastitis, in 52 (0.98%) foot disease and metritis, in 28 (0.53%) foot disease, clinical mastitis and metritis, in 128 (2.42%) only metritis, in 165 (3.11%) only clinical mastitis, and in 89 (1.68%) cows metritis and clinical mastitis. Rapid changes in the diet, high exposure time of hoof horn to slurry and wet conditions, concrete floors, use of footbaths, low frequency of claw trimming, irregular quarantine, and no attention to health aspects during acquisition of the animals were considered as major risk factors for the occurrence of those diseases. The McNemar test for dependent samples showed significant statistical differences between the occurrence of foot disease, clinical mastitis and metritis, in spite of the poor association between those diseases. It was concluded that there was no expressive relationship between foot diseases, clinical mastitis and metritis in lactent cows