PM10- und PM2.5- Emissionspotentiale von Substraten der Tagebaue im Lausitzer Revier

Im Lausitzer Revier werden aktuell 4 Braukohlen-Tagebaue betrieben, die als Quellen für Feinstaub-Emissionen gelten und somit zur lokalen Luftbelastungen beitragen. Berechnungen von möglichen Zusatzbelastungen durch den Tagebaubetrieb ergaben jedoch große Differenzen zu Messungen der Behörden vor Ort. Die Ursachen hierfür liegen in der starren Handhabung von Emissionsfaktoren, die vor allem die durch Winderosion hervorgerufene flächenhafte Emission von PM10 und PM2.5 stark überschätzen. Die Substrate der Hauptarbeitsebenen aller Tagebaue wurden untersucht, um die Materialeigenschaften als auch die Oberflächeneigenschaften, die die Emissionen beeinflussen, zu charakterisieren. Im ersten Schritt wurde mittels Horizontal-Querstromsichtung das Emissionspotential aller Substrate im luftgetrockneten Zustand ermittelt. Hierbei wird bei einer Windgeschwindigkeit von 3 ms-1 das Probenmaterial am Anfang des Windkanals von oben zugeführt und durch die Schwerkraft und die horizontale Strömung nach Größe und aerodynamischen Eigenschaften über die 7 m lange Messstrecke sortiert. Am Ende des Windkanals erfolgte die Messung der Partikelgrößenverteilung der Staubfraktion. Einzelne Proben wurden behutsam rückbefeuchtet und ebenfalls auf diese Weise untersucht. Für Untersuchungen zum Einfluss der Winderosion auf die PM-Emissionen wurde die Messstrecke in voller Länge mit den Substraten befüllt und mit Windgeschwindigkeiten von 6, 8 und 10 ms-1 abgeblasen. Die abgetragene Sedimentmenge als auch die PM- Emissionen wurden am Ende der Messstrecke erfasst. Die Emissionspotentiale der Substrate nahmen in folgender Reihung ab: homogene Kohle > homogene Feinsande > heterogene Feinsande > heterogene Grobsande > heterogene (faserige) Kohle und lagen in den Bereichen 475 µgg-1 bis 22 µgg-1. Die Befeuchtung der sandigen Substrate auf ca. 2 M% erbrachte eine Reduzierung der PM-Emissionen um 95%, die der Kohle um 45%. Für die durch Winderosion ausgelösten PM-Emissionen ergab sich eine andere Reihenfolge der sandigen Substrate: Kohle > heterogene Feinsande > heterogene Grobsande > homogene Feinsande. Hier wurden vor allem durch den Impakt saltierender Sandkörner Staubpartikel freigesetzt. Für jede der Windgeschwindigkeiten ergab sich über die Zeit eine maximale Abtrags- und PM-Emissionsrate. Wurde diese erreicht, blieb die Oberfläche stabil und es erfolgten keine weiteren PM-Emissionen

Immunoscintigraphy

Imunoscintigrafija je nova metoda u nuklearnoj medicini, a sastoji se u primjeni monoklonskih protutijela obilježenih 131J, luIn ili 99mTc. Protutijala su specifična za antigene malignih tumora ili za tkivne bjelančevine nastale u zloćudno promijenjenim stanicama za vrijeme patoloških procesa (na primjer: antimyosin). Za rutinske svrhe koristi se 99mTc. Imunoscintigrafija zauzima sve značajnije mjesto u onkologiji za dokazivanje tumorskih recidiva ili za dijagnozu srčanog infarkta.Immunoscintigraphy is a new imaginig technique in nuclear medicine, based on monoclonal antibodies to various antigens labelled by 1311, 11\u27In or 99mTc. The antibodies may be directed against epitopes of malignant tumors (surface antigens) or tissue proteins expressed by a tissue only under pathological conditions (i. e. antimyosin). In routine immunoscintigraphy, "mTc will be the radionucleid of choice. Immunoscintigraphy seems to be of great importance in oncology for imaging tumor relapse and for diagnosing heart infarction

Proteomic plasma membrane profiling reveals an essential role for gp96 in the cell surface expression of LDLR family members, including the LDL receptor and LRP6.

The endoplasmic reticulum chaperone gp96 is required for the cell surface expression of a narrow range of proteins, including toll-like receptors (TLRs) and integrins. To identify a more comprehensive repertoire of proteins whose cell surface expression is dependent on gp96, we developed plasma membrane profiling (PMP), a technique that combines SILAC labeling with selective cell surface aminooxy-biotinylation. This approach allowed us to compare the relative abundance of plasma membrane (PM) proteins on gp96-deficient versus gp96-reconstituted murine pre-B cells. Analysis of unfractionated tryptic peptides initially identified 113 PM proteins, which extended to 706 PM proteins using peptide prefractionation. We confirmed a requirement for gp96 in the cell surface expression of certain TLRs and integrins and found a marked decrease in cell surface expression of four members of the extended LDL receptor family (LDLR, LRP6, Sorl1 and LRP8) in the absence of gp96. Other novel gp96 client proteins included CD180/Ly86, important in the B-cell response to lipopolysaccharide. We highlight common structural motifs in these client proteins that may be recognized by gp96, including the beta-propeller and leucine-rich repeat. This study therefore identifies the extended LDL receptor family as an important new family of proteins whose cell surface expression is regulated by gp96

Interleukin-10 family cytokines pathway: genetic variants and psoriasis

Background Interleukin (IL)‐10 family cytokines IL‐10, IL‐19, IL‐20 and IL‐24 have been implicated in autoimmune diseases and we have previously reported that genetic variants in the IL10 gene cluster were associated with psoriasis. Objectives To analyse the relationship between genetic polymorphisms in the IL10 gene cluster and psoriasis. This study also explores whether there are gene–gene interactions among these genetic polymorphisms. Methods A total of 377 patients with psoriasis and 403 matched healthy controls were enrolled to carry out a case–control study for 48 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the IL10 gene cluster. Genotyping for the SNPs was conducted on the Applied Biosystems 3730 DNA Analyzer using SNPlex® technology. Generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) analysis was applied to discover a likely gene–gene interaction model among the SNPs. Results The results showed that the allele distributions of IL10 gene cluster SNPs are significantly different between the case and control groups. Carriers of the IL10 T allele (rs1554286) and the IL20 T allele (rs1400986) conferred protection from psoriasis [odds ratio (OR) = 0·63, corrected P‐value (Pc) = 0·007; OR = 0·62, Pc = 0·038, respectively]. GMDR analysis displayed a significant gene–gene interaction between IL10 (rs1554286) and IL20 (rs1518108) variants. The strongest protective effect was found with the block 1 haplotype ACATA in the IL10 gene (Pc = 0·004). Conclusions This study presents a novel finding that the combination of the two SNPs, IL10 (rs1554286) and IL20 (rs1518108), is associated with a reduced risk of psoriasis. Our results indicate that genetic variants of the immunomodulatory IL10 and IL20 genes may offer a protective effect in Europeans from Russia. Independent studies are required to verify the results and find a possible functional explanation

Proanthocyanidin biosynthesis – still more questions than answers?

Article on proanthocyanidin biosynthesis

Ermittlung von RNA/Protein-Komplexen mittels Grad-seq

Complex formation between macromolecules constitutes the foundation of most cellular processes. Most known complexes are made up of two or more proteins interacting in order to build a functional entity and therefore enabling activities which the single proteins could otherwise not fulfill. With the increasing knowledge about noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) it has become evident that, similar to proteins, many of them also need to form a complex to be functional. This functionalization is usually executed by specific or global RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that are specialized binders of a certain class of ncRNAs. For instance, the enterobacterial global RBPs Hfq and ProQ together bind >80 % of the known small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs), a class of ncRNAs involved in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. However, identification of RNA-protein interactions so far was performed individually by employing low-throughput biochemical methods and thereby hindered the discovery of such interactions, especially in less studied organisms such as Gram-positive bacteria. Using gradient profiling by sequencing (Grad-seq), the present thesis aimed to establish high-throughput, global RNA/protein complexome resources for Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pneumoniae in order to provide a new way to investigate RNA-protein as well as protein-protein interactions in these two important model organisms. In E. coli, Grad-seq revealed the sedimentation profiles of 4,095 (∼85 % of total) transcripts and 2,145 (∼49 % of total) proteins and with that reproduced its major ribonucleoprotein particles. Detailed analysis of the in-gradient distribution of the RNA and protein content uncovered two functionally unknown molecules—the ncRNA RyeG and the small protein YggL—to be ribosomeassociated. Characterization of RyeG revealed it to encode for a 48 aa long, toxic protein that drastically increases lag times when overexpressed. YggL was shown to be bound by the 50S subunit of the 70S ribosome, possibly indicating involvement of YggL in ribosome biogenesis or translation of specific mRNAs. S. pneumoniae Grad-seq detected 2,240 (∼88 % of total) transcripts and 1,301 (∼62 % of total) proteins, whose gradient migration patterns were successfully reconstructed, and thereby represents the first RNA/protein complexome resource of a Gram-positive organism. The dataset readily verified many conserved major complexes for the first time in S. pneumoniae and led to the discovery of a specific interaction between the 3’!5’ exonuclease Cbf1 and the competence-regulating ciadependent sRNAs (csRNAs). Unexpectedly, trimming of the csRNAs by Cbf1 stabilized the former, thereby promoting their inhibitory function. cbf1 was further shown to be part of the late competence genes and as such to act as a negative regulator of competence.Makromoleküle, die Komplexe bilden, sind die Grundlage der meisten zellulären Prozesse. Die meisten bekannten Komplexe bestehen aus zwei oder mehr Proteinen, die interagieren, um eine funktionelle Einheit zu bilden. Diese Interaktionen ermöglichen Funktionen, die die einzelnen Proteine nicht erfüllen könnten. Wachsende wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse über nichtkodierende RNAs (ncRNAs) haben gezeigt, dass, analog zu Proteinen, auch viele ncRNAs Komplexe bilden müssen, um ihre Funktionen ausüben zu können. Diese Funktionalisierung wird normalerweise von spezifischen oder globalen RNA-bindenden Proteinen (RBPs), die auf eine bestimmte Klasse an ncRNAs spezialisiert sind, durchgeführt. So binden beispielsweise die in Enterobakterien verbreiteten globalen RBPs Hfq und ProQ zusammen >80 % der bekannten kleinen regulatorischen RNAs (sRNAs)—eine Klasse der ncRNAs, die in die posttranskriptionelle Genexpressionsregulation involviert ist. RNA-Protein-Interaktionen wurden bisher anhand einzelner Moleküle und mithilfe von biochemischen Methoden mit niedrigem Durchsatz identifiziert, was die Entdeckung solcher Interaktionen erschwert hat. Dies gilt insbesondere für Organismen, die seltener Gegenstand der Forschung sind, wie beispielsweise grampositive Bakterien. Das Ziel dieser Doktorarbeit war es, mittels gradient profiling by sequencing (Grad-seq) globale Hochdurchsatzkomplexomdatensätze der RNA-ProteinInteraktionen in Escherichia coli und Streptococcus pneumoniae zu generieren. Diese Datensätze ermöglichen es auf eine neue Art und Weise RNA-Protein- und ProteinProtein-Interaktionen in diesen wichtigen Modellorganismen zu untersuchen. Die E. coli Grad-seq-Daten beinhalten die Sedimentationsprofile von 4095 Transkripten (∼85 % des Transkriptoms) und 2145 Proteinen (∼49 % des Proteoms), mit denen die wichtigsten Ribonukleoproteine reproduziert werden konnten. Die detaillierte Analyse der Verteilung von RNAs und Proteinen im Gradienten zeigte, dass zwei Moleküle, deren Funktionen bisher unbekannt waren—die ncRNA RyeG und das kleine Protein YggL—ribosomenassoziiert sind. Durch weitere Charakterisierung konnte gezeigt werden, dass RyeG für ein toxisches Protein mit einer Länge von 48 Aminosäuren kodiert, das bei Überexpression die Latenzphase drastisch verlängert. Für YggL konnte eine Interaktion mit der 50S Untereinheit von 70S Ribosomen nachgewiesen werden, was auf eine potenzielle Funktion in der Biogenese von Ribosomen oder bei der Translation bestimmter mRNAs hindeutet. Die S. pneumoniae Grad-seq Daten beinhalten 2240 Transkripte (∼88 % des Transkriptoms) und 1301 Proteine (∼62 % des Proteoms), deren Migrationsprofile im Gradienten erfolgreich rekonstruiert werden konnten. Dieser RNA/ProteinKomplexomdatensatz eines grampositiven Organismus ermöglichte erstmalig die Verifizierung der wichtigsten konservierten Komplexe von S. pneumoniae. Weiterhin konnte eine spezifische Interaktion der 3’!5’-Exonuklease Cbf1 mit den ciadependent sRNAs (csRNAs), die an der Regulation von Kompetenz beteiligt sind, nachgewiesen werden. Überraschenderweise stabilisiert das von Cbf1 durchgeführte Kürzen der csRNAs die selbigen, was deren inhibitorische Funktion unterstützt. Darüber hinaus konnte gezeigt werden, dass cbf1 eines der späten Kompetenzgene ist und als solches als negativer Regulator der Kompetenz agiert

The effect of foliar boron sources applied at different times on yield and quali̇ty of sugar beet

Amaç: Bor (B) noksanlığı yüksek pH, yüksek kireç ve düşük organik madde içeren topraklarda sıklıkla karşılaşılan önemli bir problemdir. Çalışmada, farklı zamanlarda yapılan yapraktan bor uygulamasının şeker pancarının (Beta vulgaris L.) verim, kalite ve besin elementi içerikleri üzerine etkilerinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Materyal ve Yöntem: Bitkinin fenolojik dönemleri dikkate alınarak, 6-8 yapraklı olduğu dönem, vejetatif dönemin başı ve vejetatif dönemin ortası olacak şekilde 3 farklı zamanda 0.25 g/l B içerecek şekilde yapraktan B uygulaması yapılmıştır. Bor kaynağı olarak dört farklı materyal kullanılmıştır (Kontrol, Borik Asit, Boraks ve Sodyum Okta Borat). Bulgular: Sonuçlara göre yapraktan bor uygulamaları kontrole göre verim ve kaliteyi arttırmıştır. Farklı B kaynaklarının şeker oranı, yumru verimi, şeker verimi, bitki boyu, yumru çapı, kuru madde verimi gibi verim ve kalite özellikleri üzerine etkisi istatistiksel olarak önemli bulunmuştur. Kontrole göre BK3 (Sodyum okta borat), şeker oranını % 10, yumru verimini % 30 ve şeker verimini % 44, yumru çapını % 9, bitki boyunu % 16 ve kuru madde oranını % 4.3 oranında arttırmışdır. Sonuçta en iyi borlu yaprak gübresi materyali olduğu söylenebilir. Farklı zamanlarda uygulamaların istatistiksel açıdan bir farklılık yaratmadığı ancak seçilen ilk dönemin (6-8 yapraklı dönem) ciddi potansiyelinin var olduğu gözlenmiştir. Bor uygulamasına bağlı olarak yaprağın B, N, Na Fe ve Mn içeriği olumlu etkilenmiş ancak P, K ve Ca içeriğinde ise uygulamanın etkinliği görülmemiştir. Sonuç:Şeker pancarı yetiştiriciliğinde yapraktan bor uygulamasının faydalı olduğu, borun toprakta noksanlığı ya da kritik olduğu koşullarda şeker pancarının verimini, kalitesini ve mineral madde miktarını artırdığını söylenebilir. Daha kesin sonuçlar için çalışmaların çoğaltılması ve toprağın bor sınır değerlerinin noksanlık ve kritik eşikler bakımından güncellenmesi gerektiği düşünülmektedir.Objective: Boron (B) deficiency is an important problem usually encountered in soils containing high pH, high lime, and low organic matter. The study, it was aimed to determine the effects of foliar boron application applied at different times on the yield, quality, and nutrient content of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.). Material and Methods: Considering the phenological stages of the plant, when 3 different times were selected as 6-8 leaves, the beginning of the vegetative stage, and the middle of the vegetative stage, foliar Boron (0.25 g/l B) was applied. Four different materials were used as boron sources (Control, Boric Acid, Borax, and Sodium Octa Borate). Results: According to the results, foliar boron applications increased the yield and quality of sugar beet compared to the control. The effects of different B sources on yield and quality properties such as sugar content, tuber yield, sugar yield, plant height, tuber diameter, and dry matter yield were found to be statistically significant. Compared to the control, BK3 (Sodium octa borate) increased sugar rate by 10 %, tuber yield by 30 %, sugar yield by 44 %, tuber diameter by 9 %, plant height by 16 %, and dry matter rate by 4.3 %. As a result, it can be said that it is the best boron foliar fertilizer material. It was observed that the selected application times did not make a statistical difference, but it can be said that the first period (6-8 leaf period) has serious potential. Depending on the boron application, the B, N, Na, Fe, and Mn contents of the leaf were positively affected, but no effect was observed in the P, K, and Ca contents. Conclusion:It can be said that foliar boron application is beneficial in sugar beet growth, and it increases the yield, quality, and mineral substance amount of sugar beet under the boron deficient or critical in soil conditions. For more specific results, these studies should be replicated and it is thought that soil boron limits should be updated in terms of deficiency and critical thresholds

Global snapshots of bacterial RNA networks.

While bacteria were long thought to rely primarily on transcriptional control, it is now well established that they also use numerous small RNAs to regulate mRNA translation and stability. There has recently been a surge in studies, including one by Waters et al (2017) in this issue of The EMBO Journal, that have used clever variations of the RNA‐seq technique to comprehensively map small RNA–target networks