Nitrous oxide metabolism in nitrate-reducing bacteria: Physiology and regulatory mechanisms

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an important greenhouse gas (GHG) with substantial global warming potential and also contributes to ozone depletion through photochemical nit- ric oxide (NO) production in the stratosphere. The negative effects of N2O on climate and stratospheric ozone make N2O mitigation an international challenge. More than 60% of global N2O emissions are emitted from agricultural soils mainly due to the appli- cation of synthetic nitrogen-containing fertilizers. Thus, mitigation strategies must be developed which increase (or at least do not negatively impact) on agricultural effi- ciency whilst decrease the levels of N2O released. This aim is particularly important in the context of the ever expanding population and subsequent increased burden on the food chain. More than two-thirds of N2O emissions from soils can be attributed to bacterial and fungal denitrification and nitrification processes. In ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, N2O is formed through the oxidation of hydroxylamine to nitrite. In denitrifiers, nitrate is reduced to N2 via nitrite, NO and N2O production. In addition to denitrification, respiratory nitrate ammonification (also termed dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium) is another important nitrate-reducing mechanism in soil, responsible for the loss of nitrate and production of N2O from reduction of NO that is formed as a by-product of the reduction process. This review will synthesize our current understand- ing of the environmental, regulatory and biochemical control of N2O emissions by nitrate-reducing bacteria and point to new solutions for agricultural GHG mitigation

Diageo Strategic Audit: A Deep Dive into the Management Strategies of Diageo

Diageo is a multinational premium drink producer and supplier with over 200 brands and sales in over 180 countries. A conglomerate since its founding, Diageo controls and operates some of the world’s well-known and loved drinks, like Guinness, Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Bailey’s, Captain Morgan, and Crown Royal. The firm is an industry leader in consumer insight, innovation and creativity, and sustainability efforts. Diageo believes pursuing sustainability, efficiency, and positive drinking allows them to compete, now and in the future. This audit analyzes the history, leadership, business model, mission, external environment, internal environment, core competencies, recent performance, competitive dynamics, business level strategies, corporate level strategies, merger/acquisition strategies, corporate governance, and organizational controls of Diageo. The combination of ethical, innovative, and sustainable management strategies across all of these areas paints a vivid picture that explains the decades of success Diageo has had and continues to have in a fast-paced and ever-changing industry

Quality and risk of bias appraisals of systematic reviews are inconsistent across reviewers and centers

© 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the inter-rater and intercenter reliability, usability, and utility of A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews (AMSTAR), AMSTAR 2, and Risk Of Bias In Systematic reviews (ROBIS). Study design and setting: This is a prospective evaluation using 30 systematic reviews of randomized trials, undertaken at three international centers. Results: Reviewers completed AMSTAR, AMSTAR 2, and ROBIS in median (interquartile range) 15.7 (11.3), 19.7 (12.1), and 28.7 (17.4) minutes and reached consensus in 2.6 (3.2), 4.6 (5.3), and 10.9 (10.8) minutes, respectively. Across all centers, inter-rater reliability was substantial to almost perfect for 8/11 AMSTAR, 9/16 AMSTAR 2, and 12/24 ROBIS items. Intercenter reliability was substantial to almost perfect for 6/11 AMSTAR, 12/16 AMSTAR 2, and 7/24 ROBIS items. Intercenter reliability for confidence in the results of the review or overall risk of bias was moderate (Gwet's first-order agreement coefficient (AC1) 0.58, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.30 to 0.85) to substantial (AC1 0.74, 95% CI: 0.30 to 0.85) for AMSTAR 2 and poor (AC1 -0.21, 95% CI: -0.55 to 0.13) to moderate (AC1 0.56, 95% CI: 0.30 to 0.83) for ROBIS. It is not clear whether using the appraisals of any tool as an inclusion criterion would alter an overview's findings. Conclusions: Improved guidance may be needed to facilitate the consistent interpretation and application of the newer tools (especially ROBIS).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Agonist mediated internalization of M(2 )mAChR is β-arrestin-dependent

BACKGROUND: Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) undergo agonist-promoted internalization, but evidence suggesting that the mechanism of internalization is β-arrestin dependent has been contradictory and unclear. Previous studies using heterologous over-expression of wild type or dominant-negative forms of β-arrestins have reported that agonist-promoted internalization of M(2 )mAChRs is a β-arrestin- and clathrin-independent phenomenon. In order to circumvent the complications associated with the presence of endogenous β-arrestin that may have existed in these earlier studies, we examined agonist-promoted internalization of the M(2 )mAChR in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from β-arrestin knockout mice that lack expression of either one or both isoforms of β-arrestin (β-arrestin 1 and 2). RESULTS: In wild type MEF cells transiently expressing M(2 )mAChRs, 40% of surface M(2 )mAChRs underwent internalization and sorted into intracellular compartments following agonist stimulation. In contrast, M(2 )mAChRs failed to undergo internalization and sorting into intracellular compartments in MEF β-arrestin double knockout cells following agonist stimulation. In double knockout cells, expression of either β-arrestin 1 or 2 isoforms resulted in rescue of agonist-promoted internalization. Stimulation of M(2 )mAChRs led to a stable co-localization with GFP-tagged β-arrestin within endocytic structures in multiple cell lines; the compartment to which β-arrestin localized was determined to be the early endosome. Agonist-promoted internalization of M(2 )mAChRs was moderately rescued in MEF β-arrestin 1 and 2 double knockout cells expressing exogenous arrestin mutants that were selectively defective in interactions with clathrin (β-arrestin 2 ΔLIELD), AP-2 (β-arrestin 2-F391A), or both clathrin/AP-2. Expression of a truncated carboxy-terminal region of β-arrestin 1 (319–418) completely abrogated agonist-promoted internalization of M(2 )mAChRs in wild type MEF cells. CONCLUSION: In summary, this study demonstrates that agonist-promoted internalization of M(2 )mAChRs is β-arrestin- and clathrin-dependent, and that the receptor stably co-localizes with β-arrestin in early endosomal vesicles

DESAIN RUANG MUSIK CERDAS UNTUK FASILITAS PENDIDIKAN MUSIK INKLUSIF DISABILITAS NETRA

Anak dengan disabilitas netra mengalami keterbatasan indera penglihatannya tetapi sebaliknya memiliki kelebihan pada aspek lainnya di antaranya ialah kemampuan bermusik. Kemampuan music terbangun karena karena kuatnya daya ingat, intuisi, dan kepekaannya. Berbagai artis seperti Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Andrea Bocelli, dan Yoo Ye Eun merupakan pemusik yang terkenal dengan disabilitas netra. Sebuah ruangan music yang dirancang konsep desain inklusi akan memiliki dampak yang luar biasa bagi pengembangan kemampuan musik para disabilitas netra. Ruangan musik berbentuk persegi dengan tatanan tempat duduk berbentuk setengah lingkaran telah didesain untuk membantu para anak – anak dengan disabilitas netra dan anak – anak umum lainnya. Ruangan ini didesain secara inklusif dengan mengambil kurikulum dari Yamaha Music School dan Yayasan Pendidikan Anak-Anak Buta (YPAB). Teknologi juga ditambahkan pada desain ruang musik yang inklusif dengan penerapan Wiimote dan laptop di tengah ruangan untuk mendukung latihan anak-anak.Sementara itu warna interior juga didesain dengan warna dasar merah karena warna tersebut paling cepat ditangkap mata dan dikenali oleh anak-anak. Selain itu warna merah mampu memberikan energi, membangkitkan selera, kegairahan, emosi, semangat yang membara. Desain ruang ini juga didesain dengan prinsip kesetaraan dengan tidak ada perbedaan elevasi pada ruangan dan lebar koridor yang cukup lebar. Selain itu juga disediakan signage dengan huruf braile dan huruf biasa, hand rail dan guiding path sederhana dan intuitif untuk membantuk orientasi anak. Desain ruangan ini juga menggunakan material gypsum dan accourette board, material lantai yang tidak licin seperti kayu dan karpet yang mengurangi gangguan akustik dan meningkatkan keamanan

“A Pesar de las Fronteras”/“In Spite of the Boundaries” : Exploring Solidarity in the Context of International Service Immersion

The move to “internationalize” United States universities has contrib-uted to increased interest in global service-learning. This article presents qualitative data collected by a team of faculty and students during a ser-vice immersion in Nicaragua. The solidarity model of service-learning attempts to address shortcomings of earlier approaches and deserves fur-ther examination. This study illuminated the dynamics of solidarity from a largely unexplored perspective: host families and community leaders. The analysis revealed that difference and inequality are salient themes and shape the relationships and possibilities for joint action between U.S. students and their hosts. A typology is suggested that includes symbolic, instrumental, and pragmatic performances of solidarity. By highlighting the perspective of Nicaraguan hosts, this study fills an important gap in the literature on service-learning. It also contributes to the conceptual elaboration of an often heard but rarely defined concept: solidarity

Displaying the Heterogeneity of the SN 2002cx-like Subclass of Type Ia Supernovae with Observations of the Pan-STARRS-1 Discovered SN2009ku

SN2009ku, discovered by Pan-STARRS-1, is a Type Ia supernova (SNIa), and a member of the distinct SN2002cx-like class of SNeIa. Its light curves are similar to the prototypical SN2002cx, but are slightly broader and have a later rise to maximum in g. SN2009ku is brighter (~0.6 mag) than other SN2002cx-like objects, peaking at M_V = -18.4 mag - which is still significantly fainter than typical SNeIa. SN2009ku, which had an ejecta velocity of ~2000 kms^-1 at 18 days after maximum brightness is spectroscopically most similar to SN2008ha, which also had extremely low-velocity ejecta. However, SN2008ha had an exceedingly low luminosity, peaking at M_V = -14.2 mag, ~4 mag fainter than SN2009ku. The contrast of high luminosity and low ejecta velocity for SN2009ku is contrary to an emerging trend seen for the SN2002cx class. SN2009ku is a counter-example of a previously held belief that the class was more homogeneous than typical SNeIa, indicating that the class has a diverse progenitor population and/or complicated explosion physics. As the first example of a member of this class of objects from the new generation of transient surveys, SN2009ku is an indication of the potential for these surveys to find rare and interesting objects.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure

nosX is essential for whole cell N2O reduction in Paracoccus denitrificans but not for assembly of copper centres of nitrous oxide reductase

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas that is produced naturally as an intermediate during the process of denitrification carried out by some soil bacteria. It is consumed by nitrous oxide reductase (N2OR), the terminal enzyme of the denitrification pathway, which catalyses a reduction reaction to generate dinitrogen. N2OR contains two important copper cofactors (CuA and CuZ centres) that are essential for activity, and in copper-limited environments, N2OR fails to function, contributing to rising levels of atmospheric N2O and a major environmental challenge. Here we report studies of nosX, one of eight genes in the nos cluster of the soil dwelling α-proteobaterium Paraccocus denitrificans. A P. denitrificans ΔnosX deletion mutant failed to reduce N2O under both copper-sufficient and copper-limited conditions, demonstrating that NosX plays an essential role in N2OR activity. N2OR isolated from nosX-deficient cells was found to be unaffected in terms of the assembly of its copper cofactors, and to be active in in vitro assays, indicating that NosX is not required for the maturation of the enzyme; in particular, it plays no part in the assembly of either of the CuA and CuZ centres. Furthermore, quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) studies showed that NosX does not significantly affect the expression of the N2OR-encoding nosZ gene. NosX is a homologue of the FAD-binding protein ApbE from Pseudomonas stutzeri, which functions in the flavinylation of another N2OR accessory protein, NosR. Thus, it is likely that NosX is a system-specific maturation factor of NosR, and so is indirectly involved in maintaining the reaction cycle of N2OR and cellular N2O reduction

The Initial Response to the Boston Marathon Bombing

We discuss the strengths of the medical response to the Boston Marathon bombings that led to the excellent outcomes. Potential shortcomings were recognized, and lessons learned will provide a foundation for further improvements applicable to all institutions