Quantitative Analysis of the Publishing Landscape in High-Energy Physics

World-wide collaboration in high-energy physics (HEP) is a tradition which dates back several decades, with scientific publications mostly coauthored by scientists from different countries. This coauthorship phenomenon makes it difficult to identify precisely the ``share'' of each country in HEP scientific production. One year's worth of HEP scientific articles published in peer-reviewed journals is analysed and their authors are uniquely assigned to countries. This method allows the first correct estimation on a ``pro rata'' basis of the share of HEP scientific publishing among several countries and institutions. The results provide an interesting insight into the geographical collaborative patterns of the HEP community. The HEP publishing landscape is further analysed to provide information on the journals favoured by the HEP community and on the geographical variation of their author bases. These results provide quantitative input to the ongoing debate on the possible transition of HEP publishing to an Open Access model.Comment: For a better on-screen viewing experience this paper can also be obtained at: http://doc.cern.ch/archive/electronic/cern/preprints/open/open-2006-065.pd

A microalgal-based preparation with synergistic cellulolytic and detoxifying action towards chemical-treated lignocellulose

High-temperature bioconversion of lignocellulose into fermentable sugars has drawn attention for efficient production of renewable chemicals and biofuels, because competing microbial activities are inhibited at elevated temperatures and thermostable cell wall degrading enzymes are superior to mesophilic enzymes. Here, we report on the development of a platform to produce four different thermostable cell wall degrading enzymes in the chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The enzyme blend was composed of the cellobiohydrolase CBM3GH5 from C. saccharolyticus, the β-glucosidase celB from P. furiosus, the endoglucanase B and the endoxylanase XynA from T. neapolitana. In addition, transplastomic microalgae were engineered for the expression of phosphite dehydrogenase D from Pseudomonas stutzeri, allowing for growth in non-axenic media by selective phosphite nutrition. The cellulolytic blend composed of the glycoside hydrolase (GH) domain GH12/GH5/GH1 allowed the conversion of alkaline-treated lignocellulose into glucose with efficiencies ranging from 14% to 17% upon 48h of reaction and an enzyme loading of 0.05% (w/w). Hydrolysates from treated cellulosic materials with extracts of transgenic microalgae boosted both the biogas production by methanogenic bacteria and the mixotrophic growth of the oleaginous microalga Chlorella vulgaris. Notably, microalgal treatment suppressed the detrimental effect of inhibitory by-products released from the alkaline treatment of biomass, thus allowing for efficient assimilation of lignocellulose-derived sugars by C. vulgaris under mixotrophic growth

Cardiac performance, biomarkers and gene expression studies in previously sedentary men participating in half-marathon training

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms through which exercise reduces cardiovascular disease are not fully understood. We used echocardiograms, cardiac biomarkers and gene expression to investigate cardiovascular effects associated with exercise training. METHODS: Nineteen sedentary men (22-37 years) completed a 17-week half-marathon training program. Serial measurements of resting heart rate, blood pressure, maximum oxygen consumption, lipids, C-reactive protein, cardiac troponin T, echocardiograms and blood for gene expression were obtained from baseline to peak training. Controls included 22 sedentary men who did not exercise. RESULTS: Among the training group, VO2 max increased from 37.1 to 42.0 ml/kg/min (p \u3c 0.001). Significant changes were seen in left ventricular wall thickness and mass, stroke volume, resting heart rate and blood pressure (p \u3c 0.001). The control group demonstrated no significant changes. Expression profiling in the training group identified 10 significantly over-expressed and 53 significantly under-expressed loci involved in inflammatory pathways. Dividing the training group into high and low responders based on percent change in VO2 max identified loci that differentiated these two groups at baseline and after training. CONCLUSION: Intensive exercise training leads to significant increase in cardiac and hemodynamic performance, and significant changes in expression of genes involved in immune and inflammatory response.

A polymorphism of a platelet glycoprotein receptor as an inherited risk factor for coronary thrombosis.

BACKGROUND: Platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa is a membrane receptor for fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor, and it has an important role in platelet aggregation. It is known to be involved in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndromes. Previously, we found a high frequency of a particular polymorphism, PlA2, of the gene encoding glycoprotein IIIa in kindreds with a high prevalence of premature myocardial infarction. METHODS: To investigate the relation between the PlA2 polymorphism and acute coronary syndromes, we conducted a case-control study of 71 case patients with myocardial infarction or unstable angina and 68 inpatient controls without known heart disease. The groups were matched for age, race, and sex. We used two methods to determine the PlA genotype: reverse dot blot hybridization and allele-specific restriction digestion. RESULTS: The prevalence of PlA2 was 2.1 times higher among the case patients than among the controls (39.4 percent vs. 19.1 percent, P=0.01). In a subgroup of patients whose disease began before the age of 60 years, the prevalence of PlA2 was 50 percent, a value that was 3.6 times that among control subjects under 60 years of age (13.9 percent, P=0.002). Among subjects with the PlA2 polymorphism, the odds ratio for having a coronary event was 2.8 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.2 to 6.4). In the patients less than 60 years of age at the onset of disease, the odds ratio was 6.2 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.8 to 22.4). CONCLUSIONS: We observed a strong association between the PlA2 polymorphism of the glycoprotein IIIa gene and acute coronary thrombosis, and this association was strongest in patients who had had coronary events before the age of 60 years

Messenger RNA degradation is initiated at the 5′ end and follows sequence- and condition-dependent modes in chloroplasts

Using reporter gene constructs, consisting of the bacterial uidA (GUS) coding region flanked by the 5′ and 3′ regions of the Chlamydomonas rbcL and psaB genes, respectively, we studied the degradation of mRNAs in the chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in vivo. Extending the 5′ terminus of transcripts of the reporter gene by more than 6 nucleotides triggered rapid degradation. Placing a poly(G) tract, known to pause exoribonucleases, in various positions downstream of the 5′ terminus blocked rapid degradation of the transcripts. In all these cases the 5′ ends of the accumulating GUS transcripts were found to be trimmed to the 5′ end of the poly(G) tracts indicating that a 5′→3′ exoribonuclease is involved in the degradation process. Several unstable variants of the GUS transcript could not be rescued from rapid degradation by a poly(G) tract showing that sequence/structure-dependent modes of mRNA breakdown exist in the Chlamydomonas chloroplast. Furthermore, degradation of poly(G)-stabilized transcripts that accumulated in cells maintained in the dark could be augmented by illuminating the cells, implying a photo-activated mode of mRNA degradation that is not blocked by a poly(G) tract. These results suggest sequence- and condition-dependent 5′→3′ mRNA-degrading pathways in the chloroplast of C. reinhardtii

Antitumorigenesis of antioxidants in a transgenic Rac1 model of Kaposi's sarcoma

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is the major AIDS-associated malignancy. It is characterized by the proliferation of spindle cells, inflammatory infiltrate, and aberrant angiogenesis caused by Kaposi's sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) infection. Small GTPase Rac1, an inflammatory signaling mediator triggering reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by NADPH-oxidases, is implicated in carcinogenesis and tumor angiogenesis. Here, we show that expression of a constitutively active Rac1 (RacCA) driven by the α-smooth muscle actin promoter in transgenic mice is sufficient to cause KS-like tumors through mechanisms involving ROS-driven proliferation, up-regulation of AKT signaling, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α–related angiogenesis. RacCA-induced tumors expressed KS phenotypic markers; displayed remarkable transcriptome overlap with KS lesions; and were, like KS, associated with male gender. The ROS scavenging agent N-acetyl-cysteine inhibited angiogenesis and completely abrogated transgenic RacCA tumor formation, indicating a causal role of ROS in tumorigenesis. Consistent with a pathogenic role in KS, immunohistochemical analysis revealed that Rac1 is overexpressed in KSHV+ spindle cells of AIDS-KS biopsies. Our results demonstrate the direct oncogenicity of Rac1 and ROS and their contribution to a KS-like malignant phenotype, further underscoring the carcinogenic potential of oxidative stress in the context of chronic infection and inflammation. They define the RacCA transgenic mouse as a model suitable for studying the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis and therapy of KS, with relevance to other inflammation-related malignancies. Our findings suggest host and viral genes triggering Rac1 or ROS production as key determinants of KS onset and potential KS chemopreventive or therapeutic targets

Stable Expression of Antibiotic-Resistant Gene ble from Streptoalloteichus hindustanus in the Mitochondria of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The mitochondrial expression of exogenous antibiotic resistance genes has not been demonstrated successfully to date, which has limited the development of antibiotic resistance genes as selectable markers for mitochondrial site-directed transformation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. In this work, the plasmid pBSLPNCB was constructed by inserting the gene ble of Streptoalloteichus hindustanus (Sh ble), encoding a small (14-kilodalton) protective protein into the site between TERMINVREP-Left repeats and the cob gene in a fragment of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of C. reinhardtii. The fusion DNA-construct, which contained TERMINVREP-Left, Sh ble, cob, and partial nd4 sequence, were introduced into the mitochondria of the respiratory deficient dum-1 mutant CC-2654 of C. reinhardtii by biolistic particle delivery system. A large number of transformants were obtained after eight weeks in the dark. Subsequent subculture of the transformants on the selection TAP media containing 3 ìg/mL Zeomycin for 12 months resulted in genetically modified transgenic algae MT-Bs. Sequencing and Southern analyses on the mitochondrial genome of the different MT-B lines revealed that Sh ble gene had been integrated into the mitochondrial genome of C. reinhardtii. Both Western blot, using the anti-BLE monoclonal antibody, and Zeomycin tolerance analysis confirmed the presence of BLE protein in the transgenic algal cells. It indicates that the Sh ble gene can be stably expressed in the mitochondria of C. reinhardtii

Ten commandments for the future of ageing research in the UK: a vision for action

Increases in longevity resulting from improvements in health care and living conditions together with a decrease in fertility rates have contributed to a shift towards an aged population profile. For the first time the UK has more people over age 60 than below 16 years of age. The increase in longevity has not been accompanied by an increase in disease-free life expectancy and research into ageing is required to improve the health and quality of life of older people. However, as the House of Lords reported, ageing research in the UK is not adequately structured and a clear vision and plan are urgently required. Hence, with the aim of setting a common vision for action in ageing research in the UK, a 'Spark Workshop' was organised. International experts from different disciplines related to ageing research gathered to share their perspectives and to evaluate the present status of ageing research in the UK. A detailed assessment of potential improvements was conducted and the prospective secondary gains were considered, which were subsequently distilled into a list of 'ten commandments'. We believe that these commandments, if followed, will help to bring about the necessary implementation of an action plan for ageing research in the UK, commensurate with the scale of the challenge, which is to transform the manifold opportunities of increased longevity into actual delivery of a society living not only for longer, but also healthier, wealthier and happier

Fetal Demise and Failed Antibody Therapy During Zika Virus Infection of Pregnant Macaques

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection of pregnant women is associated with pathologic complications of fetal development. Here, we infect pregnant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) with a minimally passaged ZIKV isolate from Rio de Janeiro, where a high rate of fetal development complications was observed. The infection of pregnant macaques with this virus results in maternal viremia, virus crossing into the amniotic fluid (AF), and in utero fetal deaths. We also treated three additional ZIKV-infected pregnant macaques with a cocktail of ZIKV-neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies (nmAbs) at peak viremia. While the nmAbs can be effective in clearing the virus from the maternal sera of treated monkeys, it is not sufficient to clear ZIKV from AF. Our report suggests that ZIKV from Brazil causes fetal demise in non-human primates (NHPs) without additional mutations or confounding co-factors. Treatment with a neutralizing anti-ZIKV nmAb cocktail is insufficient to fully stop vertical transmission