400 research outputs found
The Food of Pond Fish in Northern Utah
A series of ponds in northern Utah supplied mainly by artesian water was poisoned with rotenone during 1949-1950
Rethinking the Freshwater Eel: Salt Marsh Trophic Support of the American Eel, Anguilla rostrata
Despite the fact that Anguilla rostrata (American eel) are frequently captured in salt marshes, their role in salt marsh food webs and the influence of human impacts, such as tidal restrictions, on this role remains unclear. To better understand salt marsh trophic support of A. rostrata, eels were collected from tidally restricted and unrestricted salt marsh creeks within three New England estuaries. Gut contents were examined, and eel muscle tissue was analyzed for carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values and entered into MixSir mixing models to understand if salt marsh food sources are important contributors to eel diet. Data suggest that eel prey rely heavily on salt marsh organic matter and eels utilize salt marsh secondary production as an energetic resource over time, and thus can be considered salt marsh residents. Gut contents indicate that A. rostrata function as top predators, feeding primarily on secondary consumers including other fish species, crustaceans, and polychaetes. Higher A. rostrata trophic position measured upstream of reference creeks suggests that severe tidal restrictions may result in altered food webs, but it is not clear how this impacts the overall fitness of A. rostrata populations in New England salt marshes.University of New Hampshire. Sea Grant ProgramUniversity of New Hampshire. Marine Program (William R. Spaulding Endowment
Two Pfam protein families characterized by a crystal structure of protein lpg2210 from Legionella pneumophila.
BackgroundEvery genome contains a large number of uncharacterized proteins that may encode entirely novel biological systems. Many of these uncharacterized proteins fall into related sequence families. By applying sequence and structural analysis we hope to provide insight into novel biology.ResultsWe analyze a previously uncharacterized Pfam protein family called DUF4424 [Pfam:PF14415]. The recently solved three-dimensional structure of the protein lpg2210 from Legionella pneumophila provides the first structural information pertaining to this family. This protein additionally includes the first representative structure of another Pfam family called the YARHG domain [Pfam:PF13308]. The Pfam family DUF4424 adopts a 19-stranded beta-sandwich fold that shows similarity to the N-terminal domain of leukotriene A-4 hydrolase. The YARHG domain forms an all-helical domain at the C-terminus. Structure analysis allows us to recognize distant similarities between the DUF4424 domain and individual domains of M1 aminopeptidases and tricorn proteases, which form massive proteasome-like capsids in both archaea and bacteria.ConclusionsBased on our analyses we hypothesize that the DUF4424 domain may have a role in forming large, multi-component enzyme complexes. We suggest that the YARGH domain may play a role in binding a moiety in proximity with peptidoglycan, such as a hydrophobic outer membrane lipid or lipopolysaccharide
Peer Supportersā Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing needs:Key Factors and Opportunities for Co-Produced Training
Abstract Introduction Peer supporters are a valuable asset to mental health and support services, but their own mental health needs are often overlooked in research and practice. This study explored peer supporters'Ā perceived challenges of maintaining their mental health and emotional wellbeing and coāproduced training needs. Methods A qualitative approach was used to explore factors affecting peer supporters' mental health and emotional wellbeing. Semiāstructured interviews and focus groups were conducted online with 11 peer supporters across North East England. Results A thematic analysis identified: āLack of training and supportā, āRole ambiguityāĀ and āEmotional labourā as challenges experienced by peer supporters in relation to maintaining their mental health and emotional wellbeing. Peer supporters' own lived experiences had the potential to act as a barrier towards providing support to others. Conflict with peer āsupporteesā sometimes negatively impacted on the peer supporter experience. Participant responses emphasised a need for personācentred, coāproduced training. Conclusion This work highlights the need for targeted training for peer supporters, including both roleāspecific education and strategies to support their mental health and emotional wellbeing. Patient or Public Contribution Participants were contacted and asked to provide feedback on finalised themes to ensure the analysis was congruent with their experiences, further enabling the future development of an emotional wellbeing training programme for peer supporters
Presolar Grains from Novae: Evidence from Neon and Helium Isotopes in Comet Dust Collections
Presolar grains in meteorites and interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) carry
non-solar isotopic signatures pointing to origins in supernovae, giant stars,
and possibly other stellar sources. There have been suggestions that some of
these grains condensed in the ejecta of classical nova outbursts, but the
evidence is ambiguous. We report neon and helium compositions in particles
captured on stratospheric collectors flown to sample materials from comets
26P/Grigg-Skjellerup and 55P/Tempel-Tuttle that point to condensation of their
gas carriers in the ejecta of a neon (ONe) nova. The absence of detectable 3He
in these particles indicates space exposure to solar wind (SW) irradiation of a
few decades at most, consistent with origins in cometary dust streams. Measured
4He/20Ne, 20Ne/22Ne, 21Ne/22Ne and 20Ne/21Ne isotope ratios, and a low upper
limit on 3He/4He, are in accord with calculations of nucleosynthesis in neon
nova outbursts. Of these, the uniquely low 4He/20Ne and high 20Ne/22Ne ratios
are the most diagnostic, reflecting the large predicted 20Ne abundances in the
ejecta of such novae. The correspondence of measured Ne and He compositions in
cometary matter with theoretical predictions is evidence for the presence of
presolar grains from novae in the early solar system.Comment: As appeared in the Astrophysical Journa
Positioning Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Councils to be ready for a future Health Determinants Research Collaboration bid: Final Report
Positioning Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Councils to be ready for a future Health Determinants Research Collaboration bid: Final Report
Large-scale generation and analysis of filamentous fungal DNA barcodes boosts coverage for kingdom fungi and reveals thresholds for fungal species and higher taxon delimitation
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Batteries and fuel cells working group report
Electrochemical energy systems are dominated by interfacial phenomena. Catalysis, corrosion, electrical and ionic contact, and wetting behavior are critical to the performance of fuel cells and batteries. Accordingly, development of processing techniques to control these surface properties is important to successful commercialization of advanced batteries and fuel cells. Many of the surface processing issues are specific to a particular electrochemical system. Therefore, the working group focused on systems that are of specific interest to DOE/Conservation and Renewable Energy. These systems addressed were: Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells, Direct Methanol Oxidation (DMO) Fuel Cells, and Lithium/Polymer Batteries. The approach used by the working group for each of these systems was to follow the current path through the system and to identify the principal interfaces. The function of each interface was specified together with its desired properties. The degree to which surface properties limit performance in present systems was rated. Finally, the surface processing needs associated with the performance limiting interfaces were identified. This report summarizes this information
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