Diatoms of temporary and permanent watercourses in Southern Europe (Portugal)

The potential importance of benthic diatoms in Mediterranean watercourses has received limited academic attention historically. This study sought to provide baseline information for this poorly studied group. Temporary and permanent watercourses in Portugal differ in catchment characteristics, climatic variables and water chemistry. The benthic diatom communities were characterized in terms of ecological preferences and conservation status for taxa with relative abundance above 1% in at least one site covering 39 temporary sites (109 taxa) and 53 permanent sites (130 taxa). The low-profile guild dominated both temporary and permanent watercourses, followed by the high-profile and motile guilds. Indicator value analysis indicated that Amphora copulata, Cocconeis placentula, Diploneis separanda, Encyonopsis subminuta, Fragilaria radians, Gomphonema olivaceum, Gomphonema truncatum, Halamphora veneta, Navicula radiosa, Navicula veneta, Sellaphora seminulum and Ulnaria acus were indicators of temporary watercourses, whereas Encyonema minutum, Eunotia minor, Fragilaria rumpens, Fragilaria cf. socia and Navicula rhynchocephala were characteristic of permanent watercourses. Ecological preferences of indicator taxa were inferred on the basis of environmental variables that differed significantly between temporary and permanent watercourses. The importance of temporary watercourses for the maintenance of diatom biodiversity is discussed and explored

Multicriteria-based methodology for the design of rural electrification systems. A case study in Nigeria

Electrification with micro-grids is receiving increasing attention to electrify rural areas in developing countries. However, determining the best local supply solution is a complex problem that requires considering different generation technologies (i.e. solar PV, wind or diesel) and different system configurations (off-grid or on-grid). Most existing decision aid tools to assess this design only consider economical and technical issues in a single optimization process. However, social and environmental considerations have been proven key issues to ensure long-term sustainability of the projects. In this context, the objective of this work is to develop a multicriteria procedure to allow comparing electrification designs with on-grid or isolated micro-grids and different tech-nologies considering multiple aspects. This multicriteria procedure is integrated in a two-phased methodology to assist the design of the system to electrification promoters in a structured process. First, different electrification alternatives are generated with an open-source techno-economic optimization model; next, these alternatives are evaluated and ranked with the multicriteria procedure, which considers 12 criteria representing economic, technical, socio-institutional and environmental aspects. The whole design methodology is validated with a real case study of 26 population settlements in Plateau State, Nigeria. Experts in rural electrification within the Nigerian context have been consulted to weight the criteria and particularize their evaluation for the specific case study. Results show that solar PV technology based systems are the most suitable electrification designs for communities in Nigeria, while grid connection feasibility depends on the size of the community and the distance to the closest national grid consumption point.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

The primary cilium influences interleukin-1 beta-induced NF kappa B signalling by regulating IKK activity

AbstractThe primary cilium is an organelle acting as a master regulator of cellular signalling. We have previously shown that disruption of primary cilia assembly, through targeting intraflagellar transport, is associated with muted nitric oxide and prostaglandin responses to the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Here, we show that loss of the primary cilium disrupts specific molecular signalling events in cytosolic NFκB signalling. The induction of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) and inducible nitrous oxide synthase (iNOS) protein is abolished. Cells unable to assemble cilia exhibit unaffected activation of IκB kinase (IKK), but delayed and reduced degradation of IκB, due to diminished phosphorylation of inhibitor of kappa B (IκB) by IKK. This results in both delayed and reduced NFκB p65 nuclear translocation and nuclear transcript binding. We also demonstrate that heat shock protein 27 (hsp27), an established regulator of IKK, is localized to the ciliary axoneme and cellular levels are dramatically disrupted with loss of the primary cilium. These results suggest that the primary cilia compartment exerts influence over NFκB signalling. We propose that the cilium is a locality for regulation of the molecular events defining NFκB signalling events, tuning signalling as appropriate

Shared Genetic Etiology Between Alcohol Dependence and Major Depressive Disorder

The clinical comorbidity of alcohol dependence (AD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) is well established, whereas genetic factors influencing co-occurrence remain unclear. A recent study using polygenic risk scores (PRS) calculated based on the first-wave Psychiatric Genomics Consortium MDD meta-analysis (PGC-MDD1) suggests a modest shared genetic contribution to MDD and AD. Using a (∼10 fold) larger discovery sample, we calculated PRS based on the second wave (PGC-MDD2) of results, in a severe AD case–control target sample. We found significant associations between AD disease status and MDD-PRS derived from both PGC-MDD2 (most informative P-threshold=1.0, P=0.00063, R2=0.533%) and PGCMDD1 (P-threshold=0.2, P=0.00014, R2=0.663%) metaanalyses; the larger discovery sample did not yield additional predictive power. In contrast, calculating PRS in a MDD target sample yielded increased power when using PGC-MDD2 (P-threshold=1.0, P=0.000038, R2=1.34%) versus PGC-MDD1 (P-threshold=1.0, P=0.0013, R2=0.81%). Furthermore, when calculating PGC-MDD2 PRS in a subsample of patients with AD recruited explicitly excluding comorbid MDD, significant associations were still found (n=331; P-threshold=1.0, P=0.042, R2=0.398%). Meanwhile, in the subset of patients in which MDD was not the explicit exclusion criteria, PRS predicted more variance (n=999; P-threshold=1.0, P=0.0003, R2=0.693%). Our findings replicate the reported genetic overlap between AD and MDD and also suggest the need for improved, rigorous phenotyping to identify true shared cross-disorder genetic factors. Larger target samples are needed to reduce noise and take advantage of increasing discovery sample size

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) inactivate innate immune responses prior to compromising epithelial barrier function

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) infection of the human small intestine induces severe watery diarrhoea linked to a rather weak inflammatory response despite EPEC's in vivo capacity to disrupt epithelial barrier function. Here, we demonstrate that EPEC flagellin triggers the secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin (IL)-8, from small (Caco-2) and large (T84) intestinal epithelia model systems. Interestingly, IL-8 secretion required basolateral infection of T84 cells implying that flagellin must penetrate the epithelial barrier. In contrast, apical infection of Caco-2 cells induced IL-8 secretion but less potently than basolateral infections. Importantly, infection of Caco-2, but not T84 cells rapidly inhibited IL-8 secretion by a mechanism dependent on the delivery of effectors through a translocation system encoded on the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE). Moreover, EPEC prevents the phosphorylation-associated activation of multiple kinase pathways regulating IL-8 gene transcription by a mechanism apparently independent of LEE-encoded effectors and four non-LEE-encoded effectors. Crucially, our studies reveal that EPEC inhibits the capacity of the cells to secrete IL-8 in response to bacterial antigens and inflammatory cytokines prior to disrupting barrier function by a distinct mechanism. Thus, these findings also lend themselves to a plausible mechanism to explain the absence of a strong inflammatory response in EPEC-infected humans

Magnetic frustration in a metallic fcc lattice

Magnetic frustration in metals is scarce and hard to pinpoint, but exciting due to the possibility of the emergence of fascinating novel phases. The cubic intermetallic compound HoInCu$_4$ with all holmium atoms on an fcc lattice, exhibits partial magnetic frustration, yielding a ground state where half of the Ho moments remain without long-range order, as evidenced by our neutron scattering experiments. The substitution of In with Cd results in HoCdCu$_4$ in a full breakdown of magnetic frustration. Consequently we found a fully ordered magnetic structure in our neutron diffraction experiments. These findings are in agreement with the local energy scales and crystal electric field excitations, which we determined from specific heat and inelastic neutron scattering data. The electronic density of states for the itinerant bands acts as tuning parameter for the ratio between nearest-neighbor and next-nearest-neighbor interactions and thus for magnetic frustration

Early radiologic and metabolic tumour response assessment during combined chemo-radiotherapy for locally advanced NSCLC

Background: The role of early treatment response for patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) treated with concurrent chemo-radiotherapy (cCRT) is unclear. The study aims to investigate the predictive value of response to induction chemotherapy (iCX) and the correlation with pattern of failure (PoF). Materials and methods: Patients with LA-NSCLC treated with cCRT were included for analyses (n = 276). Target delineations were registered from radiotherapy planning PET/CT to diagnostic PET/CT, in between which patients received iCX. Volume, sphericity, and SUVpeak were extracted from each scan. First site of failure was categorised as loco-regional (LR), distant (DM), or simultaneous LR+M (LR+M). Fine and Gray models for PoF were performed: a baseline model (including performance status (PS), stage, and histology), an image model for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and an image model for non-SCC. Parameters included PS, volume (VOL) of tumour, VOL of lymph nodes, ΔVOL, sphericity, SUVpeak, ΔSUVpeak, and oligometastatic disease. Results: Median follow-up was 7.6 years. SCC had higher sub-distribution hazard ratio (sHR) for LRF (sHR = 2.771 [1.577:4.87], p < 0.01) and decreased sHR for DM (sHR = 0.247 [0.125:0.485], p < 0.01). For both image models, high diagnostic SUVpeak increased risk of LRF (sHR = 1.059 [1.05:1.106], p < 0.01 for SCC, sHR = 1.12 [1.03:1.21], p < 0.01 for non-SCC). Patients with SCC and less decrease in VOL had higher sHR for DM (sHR = 1.025[1.001:1.048] pr. % increase, p = 0.038). Conclusion: Poor response in disease volume was correlated with higher sHR of DM for SCC, no other clear correlation of response and PoF was observed. Histology significantly correlated with PoF with SCC prone to LRF and non-SCC prone to DM as first site of failure. High SUVpeak at diagnosis increased the risk of LRF for both histologies

Association between genetic variants of the cholinergic system and postoperative delirium and cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients

BACKGROUND: Postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) are frequent and serious complications after surgery. We aim to investigate the association between genetic variants in cholinergic candidate genes according to the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes - pathway: cholinergic neurotransmission with the development of POD or POCD in elderly patients. METHODS: This analysis is part of the European BioCog project ( www.biocog.eu ), a prospective multicenter observational study with elderly surgical patients. Patients with a Mini-Mental-State-Examination score ≤ 23 points were excluded. POD was assessed up to seven days after surgery using the Nursing Delirium Screening Scale, Confusion Assessment Method and a patient chart review. POCD was assessed three months after surgery with a neuropsychological test battery. Genotyping was performed on the Illumina Infinium Global Screening Array. Associations with POD and POCD were analyzed using logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age, comorbidities and duration of anesthesia (for POCD analysis additionally for education). Odds ratios (OR) refer to minor allele counts (0, 1, 2). RESULTS: 745 patients could be included in the POD analysis, and 452 in the POCD analysis. The rate of POD within this group was 20.8% (155 patients), and the rate of POCD was 10.2% (46 patients). In a candidate gene approach three genetic variants of the cholinergic genes CHRM2 and CHRM4 were associated with POD (OR [95% confidence interval], rs8191992: 0.61[0.46; 0.80]; rs8191992: 1.60[1.22; 2.09]; rs2067482: 1.64[1.10; 2.44]). No associations were found for POCD. CONCLUSIONS: We found an association between genetic variants of CHRM2 and CHRM4 and POD. Further studies are needed to investigate whether disturbances in acetylcholine release and synaptic plasticity are involved in the development of POD

Single Spin Asymmetry ANA_N in Polarized Proton-Proton Elastic Scattering at s=200\sqrt{s}=200 GeV

We report a high precision measurement of the transverse single spin asymmetry $A_N$ at the center of mass energy $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV in elastic proton-proton scattering by the STAR experiment at RHIC. The $A_N$ was measured in the four-momentum transfer squared $t$ range $0.003 \leqslant |t| \leqslant 0.035$ \GeVcSq, the region of a significant interference between the electromagnetic and hadronic scattering amplitudes. The measured values of $A_N$ and its $t$-dependence are consistent with a vanishing hadronic spin-flip amplitude, thus providing strong constraints on the ratio of the single spin-flip to the non-flip amplitudes. Since the hadronic amplitude is dominated by the Pomeron amplitude at this $\sqrt{s}$, we conclude that this measurement addresses the question about the presence of a hadronic spin flip due to the Pomeron exchange in polarized proton-proton elastic scattering.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figure

Longitudinal double-spin asymmetry and cross section for inclusive neutral pion production at midrapidity in polarized proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 200 GeV

We report a measurement of the longitudinal double-spin asymmetry A_LL and the differential cross section for inclusive Pi0 production at midrapidity in polarized proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 200 GeV. The cross section was measured over a transverse momentum range of 1 < p_T < 17 GeV/c and found to be in good agreement with a next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculation. The longitudinal double-spin asymmetry was measured in the range of 3.7 < p_T < 11 GeV/c and excludes a maximal positive gluon polarization in the proton. The mean transverse momentum fraction of Pi0's in their parent jets was found to be around 0.7 for electromagnetically triggered events.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. D (RC