Analysis of 1,000+ Type-Strain Genomes Substantially Improves Taxonomic Classification of Alphaproteobacteria.

The class Alphaproteobacteria is comprised of a diverse assemblage of Gram-negative bacteria that includes organisms of varying morphologies, physiologies and habitat preferences many of which are of clinical and ecological importance. Alphaproteobacteria classification has proved to be difficult, not least when taxonomic decisions rested heavily on a limited number of phenotypic features and interpretation of poorly resolved 16S rRNA gene trees. Despite progress in recent years regarding the classification of bacteria assigned to the class, there remains a need to further clarify taxonomic relationships. Here, draft genome sequences of a collection of genomes of more than 1000 Alphaproteobacteria and outgroup type strains were used to infer phylogenetic trees from genome-scale data using the principles drawn from phylogenetic systematics. The majority of taxa were found to be monophyletic but several orders, families and genera, including taxa recognized as problematic long ago but also quite recent taxa, as well as a few species were shown to be in need of revision. According proposals are made for the recognition of new orders, families and genera, as well as the transfer of a variety of species to other genera and of a variety of genera to other families. In addition, emended descriptions are given for many species mainly involving information on DNA G+C content and (approximate) genome size, both of which are confirmed as valuable taxonomic markers. Similarly, analysis of the gene content was shown to provide valuable taxonomic insights in the class. Significant incongruities between 16S rRNA gene and whole genome trees were not found in the class. The incongruities that became obvious when comparing the results of the present study with existing classifications appeared to be caused mainly by insufficiently resolved 16S rRNA gene trees or incomplete taxon sampling. Another probable cause of misclassifications in the past is the partially low overall fit of phenotypic characters to the sequence-based tree. Even though a significant degree of phylogenetic conservation was detected in all characters investigated, the overall fit to the tree varied considerably

Nucleosynthesis imprints from different Type Ia Supernova explosion scenarios and implications for galactic chemical evolution

We analyze the nucleosynthesis yields of various Type Ia supernova explosion simulations including pure detonations in sub- Chandrasekhar mass white dwarfs, double detonations and pure helium detonations of sub-Chandrasekhar mass white dwarfs with an accreted helium envelope, a violent merger model of two white dwarfs and deflagrations as well as delayed detonations in Chandrasekhar mass white dwarfs. We focus on the iron peak elements Mn, Zn and Cu. To this end, we also briefly review the different burning regimes and production sites of these elements as well as the results of abundance measurements and several galactic chemical evolution studies. We find that super-solar values of [Mn/Fe] are not restricted to Chandrasekhar mass explosion models. Scenarios including a helium detonation can significantly contribute to the production of Mn, in particular the models proposed for calcium-rich transients. Although Type Ia supernovae are often not accounted for as production sites of Zn and Cu, our models involving helium shell detonations can produce these elements in super-solar ratios relative to Fe. Our results suggest a re-consideration of Type Ia supernova yields in galactic chemical evolution models. A detailed comparison with observations can provide new insight into the progenitor and explosion channels of these events.Comment: 15 paged, 8 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Enter Culture, Exit Arts? The Transformation of Cultural Hierarchies in European Newspaper Culture Sections, 1960–2010

Peer reviewe

Helium as a signature of the double detonation in Type Ia supernovae

The double detonation is a widely discussed mechanism to explain Type Ia supernovae from explosions of sub-Chandrasekhar mass white dwarfs. In this scenario, a helium detonation is ignited in a surface helium shell on a carbon/oxygen white dwarf, which leads to a secondary carbon detonation. Explosion simulations predict high abundances of unburnt helium in the ejecta, however, radiative transfer simulations have not been able to fully address whether helium spectral features would form. This is because helium can not be sufficiently excited to form spectral features by thermal processes, but can be excited by collisions with non-thermal electrons, which most studies have neglected. We carry out a full non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) radiative transfer simulation for an instance of a double detonation explosion model, and include a non-thermal treatment of fast electrons. We find a clear He I {\lambda} 10830 feature which is strongest in the first few days after explosion and becomes weaker with time. Initially this feature is blended with the Mg II {\lambda} 10927 feature but over time separates to form a secondary feature to the blue wing of the Mg II {\lambda} 10927 feature. We compare our simulation to observations of iPTF13ebh, which showed a similar feature to the blue wing of the Mg II {\lambda} 10927 feature, previously identified as C I. Our simulation shows a good match to the evolution of this feature and we identify it as high velocity He I {\lambda} 10830. This suggests that He I {\lambda} 10830 could be a signature of the double detonation scenario.Comment: 7 pages, accepted by MNRA

Vaspin Is an Adipokine Ameliorating ER Stress in Obesity as a Ligand for Cell-Surface GRP78/MTJ-1 Complex

It is unknown whether adipokines derived from adipose tissues modulate endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induced in obesity. Here, we show that visceral adipose tissue-derived serine protease inhibitor (vaspin) binds to cell-surface 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78), which is recruited from ER to plasma membrane under ER stress. Vaspin transgenic mice were protected from diet-induced obesity, glucose intolerance, and hepatic steatosis, while vaspin-deficient mice developed glucose intolerance associated with upregulation of ER stress markers. With tandem affinity tag purification using HepG2 cells, we identified GRP78 as an interacting molecule. The complex formation of vaspin, GRP78, and murine tumor cell DnaJ-like protein 1 (MTJ-1) (DnaJ homolog, subfamily C, member 1) on plasma membrane was confirmed by cell-surface labeling with biotin and immunoprecipitation in liver tissues and H-4-II-E-C3 cells. The addition of recombinant human vaspin in the cultured H-4-II-E-C3 cells also increased the phosphorylation of Akt and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in a dose-dependent manner, and anti-GRP78 antibodies completely abrogated the vaspin-induced upregulation of pAkt and pAMPK Vaspin is a novel ligand for cell-surface GRP78/MTJ-1 complex, and its subsequent signals exert beneficial effects on ER stress-induced metabolic dysfunctions. Diabetes 61:2823-2832, 201

What is consumption, where has it been going, and does it still matter?

This article considers the relationships between consumption, the environment, and wider sociological endeavour. The current vogue for applying theories of practice to the policy domain of ‘sustainable consumption’ has been generative of conceptual renewal, however the field now sits closer to the applied environmental social sciences than to the sociology of consumption. The analysis proceeds via a close reading of the intellectual currents that have given rise to this situation, and it identifies a number of interrelated issues concerning conceptual slippage and the exclusion of core disciplinary concerns. Accordingly a more suitable definition of consumption is offered, an agenda for re-engaging with foundational approaches to consumer culture is established, and a renewal and reorientation of critique is proposed. Working through and building on the contributions of practice theoretical repertoires, this article suggests that consumption scholarship offers a distinctive set of resources to discussions of current ecological crises and uncertain social futures. These are briefly described and the conclusion argues that consumption still matters

Performing the high-school prom in the UK: Locating authenticity through practice

The purpose of this study was threefold: to develop an understanding of the appropriation of the US High School Prom in the UK and more importantly to generate an insight into the producers and consumers of such an event; to establish if the performance of the prom is hyper-real or if there is an awareness of the authentic or inauthentic elements of this ritual and finally to ascertain local interpretation of authenticity and glocal practice. The method used here was a qualitative approach employing 24 in-depth interviews with young adults (18-20 years) who had attended a prom in the UK in the last three years. The findings illustrated that the role and the social network of the individual was key to engagement with the High School Prom and also indicated a possible symbiosis of the strands of theory associated with authenticity. Diverse localised meanings of the prom performance were also identified. As the school prom is a growth market in the UK businesses should be aware of adolescents’ desire for ownership of this event and should tailor their marketing accordingly

Analysis of 1,000 Type-Strain Genomes Improves Taxonomic Classification of Bacteroidetes.

Although considerable progress has been made in recent years regarding the classification of bacteria assigned to the phylum Bacteroidetes, there remains a need to further clarify taxonomic relationships within a diverse assemblage that includes organisms of clinical, piscicultural, and ecological importance. Bacteroidetes classification has proved to be difficult, not least when taxonomic decisions rested heavily on interpretation of poorly resolved 16S rRNA gene trees and a limited number of phenotypic features. Here, draft genome sequences of a greatly enlarged collection of genomes of more than 1,000 Bacteroidetes and outgroup type strains were used to infer phylogenetic trees from genome-scale data using the principles drawn from phylogenetic systematics. The majority of taxa were found to be monophyletic but several orders, families and genera, including taxa proposed long ago such as Bacteroides, Cytophaga, and Flavobacterium but also quite recent taxa, as well as a few species were shown to be in need of revision. According proposals are made for the recognition of new orders, families and genera, as well as the transfer of a variety of species to other genera. In addition, emended descriptions are given for many species mainly involving information on DNA G+C content and (approximate) genome size, both of which can be considered valuable taxonomic markers. We detected many incongruities when comparing the results of the present study with existing classifications, which appear to be caused by insufficiently resolved 16S rRNA gene trees or incomplete taxon sampling. The few significant incongruities found between 16S rRNA gene and whole genome trees underline the pitfalls inherent in phylogenies based upon single gene sequences and the impediment in using ordinary bootstrapping in phylogenomic studies, particularly when combined with too narrow gene selections. While a significant degree of phylogenetic conservation was detected in all phenotypic characters investigated, the overall fit to the tree varied considerably, which is one of the probable causes of misclassifications in the past, much like the use of plesiomorphic character states as diagnostic features

The rise of inconspicuous consumption

Ever since Veblen and Simmel, luxury has been synonymous with conspicuous consumption. In this conceptual paper we demonstrate the rise of inconspicuous consumption via a wide-ranging synthesis of the literature. We attribute this rise to the signalling ability of traditional luxury goods being diluted, a preference for not standing out as ostentatious during times of economic hardship, and an increased desire for sophistication and subtlety in design in order to further distinguish oneself for a narrow group of peers. We decouple the constructs of luxury and conspicuousness, which allows us to reconceptualise the signalling quality of brands and the construct of luxury. This also has implications for understanding consumer behaviour practices such as counterfeiting and suggests that consumption trends in emerging markets may take a different path from the past