Incorporating spatial distribution into the nematode functional guild concept

Functional guilds defined by nematode feeding types (bacteria-feeding, fungal-feeding, omnivore, predatory and plant-feeding) are further refined by colonizer-persister class (i.e. r- and K-strategists) which reflects life-history strategy. We compared spatial organization of nematode genera belonging to the same functional guild or colonizer-persister class to determine intraguild spatial distribution behavior. A total of 360 soil samples from turfgrass lawns were collected from three locations in each of the three Ohio cities, Wooster, Massillon and Canton, in July and October, 2007. The index of aggregation, ‘b’ of Taylor’s power law, was used to compare the spatial distributions of 21 nematode genera, six different functional guilds, five colonizer-persister classes, and total nematodes. The index of aggregation for the total nematodes was 2.0, which is the value of ‘b’ averaged over all the examined vertebrate and invertebrate taxa. The individual genera, the functional guilds and colonizer-persister classes had indices of aggregation that differed from 2.0. Functional guild as a group had higher ‘b’ value than individual genera, suggesting higher degree of aggregation at functional guild level. We found that ‘b’ value and colonizer-persister class is related. We conclude that the examination of spatial organization of nematodes may lead to further improvements in the practical value of nematodes as soil bioindicators.Urban landscape ecology program (ULEP

The structure of gauge-invariant ideals of labelled graph C∗C^*-algebras

In this paper, we consider the gauge-invariant ideal structure of a $C^*$-algebra $C^*(E,\mathcal{L},\mathcal{B})$ associated to a set-finite, receiver set-finite and weakly left-resolving labelled space $(E,\mathcal{L},\mathcal{B})$, where $\mathcal{L}$ is a labelling map assigning an alphabet to each edge of the directed graph $E$ with no sinks. Under the assumption that an accommodating set $\mathcal{B}$ is closed under taking relative complement, it is obtained that there is a one to one correspondence between the set of all hereditary saturated subsets of $\mathcal{B}$ and the gauge-invariant ideals of $C^*(E,\mathcal{L},\mathcal{B})$. For this, we introduce a quotient labelled space $(E,\mathcal{L},[\mathcal{B}]_R)$ arising from an equivalence relation $\sim_R$ on $\mathcal{B}$ and show the existence of the $C^*$-algebra $C^*(E,\mathcal{L},[\mathcal{B}]_R)$ generated by a universal representation of $(E,\mathcal{L},[\mathcal{B}]_R)$. Also the gauge-invariant uniqueness theorem for $C^*(E,\mathcal{L},[\mathcal{B}]_R)$ is obtained. For simple labelled graph $C^*$-algebras $C^*(E,\mathcal{L},\bar{\mathcal{E}})$, where $\bar{\mathcal{E}}$ is the smallest accommodating set containing all the generalized vertices, it is observed that if for each vertex $v$ of $E$, a generalized vertex $[v]_l$ is finite for some $l$, then $C^*(E,\mathcal{L},\bar{\mathcal{E}})$ is simple if and only if $(E,\mathcal{L},\bar{\mathcal{E}})$ is strongly cofinal and disagreeable. This is done by examining the merged labelled graph $(F,\mathcal{L}_F)$ of $(E,\mathcal{L})$ and the common properties that $C^*(E,\mathcal{L},\bar{\mathcal{E}})$ and $C^*(F,\mathcal{L},\bar{\mathcal{F}})$ share

Crystal structure of Cmr5 from Pyrococcus furiosus and its functional implications

AbstractThe bacterial acquired immune system consists of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) and CRIPSR-associated (Cas) genes, which include Cas-module repeat-associated mysterious proteins (Cmr). The six Cmr proteins of Pyrococcus furiosus (pfCmr1–pfCmr6) form a Cmr effector complex that functions against exogenous nucleic acid. Among the Cmr proteins, the role of pfCmr5 and its involvement in the complex’s cleavage activity have been obscure. The elucidated pfCmr5 structure has two inserted α-helices compared with the other trimeric Cmr5 structure. However, pfCmr5 exists as a monomeric protein both in the crystalline state and in solution. In vitro assays indicate that pfCmr5 interacts with pfCmr4. These structural and biophysical data might help in understanding the complicated and ill-characterized Cmr effector complex.Structured summary of protein interactionspfCmr4 and pfCmr5 bind by molecular sieving (View interaction)pfCmr4 and pfCmr4 bind by molecular sieving (View interaction)pfCmr5 and pfCmr4 bind by ion exchange chromatography (View interaction

in the field of infrastructure from the development cooperation standpoint

Thesis(Master) --KDI School:Master of Public Policy,2015While much has been written about Asian approaches of development cooperation to Africa, studies on Asian approaches to Algeria remain unknown. Asian approaches.based on perspectives different from those of Europe.would be valuable for Algeria to make it possible to apply Asian successful economic growth models to Algeria. This research attempted to find out whether infrastructure development is linked to economic growth in Algeria and whether Northeast Asian countries’ roles are different for the infrastructure development from the development cooperation standpoint. As methodology, the main data were collected through on-line interviews and archives from ODA-related international organizations. As Algeria is located at the aid-exit stage thanks to the oil and gas export revenue, this research focuses more on infrastructure development which is the foundation for future economic growth by including private sector cooperation in the development cooperation, as well as development cooperation through aid agencies. Northeast Asian countries’ approaches to Algeria are concerned with their own strengths which has led successful economic growth. China has been leading “Construction Boom” in Algeria on the basis of low cost, rapid progress and capital strength. Japan has been focusing on energy sector and road construction sector in Algeria on the basis of high quality, cutting-edge and economic technology. And South Korea has been engaging in diverse infrastructure sectors in Algeria on the basis of good quality in terms of cost-effectiveness. On the other hand, their weaknesses in the Algerian local business environment are left in abeyance for the sustained and enhanced cooperation between China-Japan-South Korea and Algeria. China has weaknesses such as weak transparency and low quality. Japan has weak spots such as high price and lack of flexibility. South Korea has weakness such as relatively weak price comparativeness comparing to China or India. In order to switch from an oil-dependent country to an oil-based growing country, further researches on relations between these Northeast Asian countries and Algeria with regards to the industrial diversification will be needed to overcome two main barriers in Algeria: oil dependency and youth unemployment. This study on cooperation between China-Japan- South Korea and Algeria in the infrastructure sector would be the basis for the future cooperation between them in the future diverse industries.masterpublishedJeong-Sun PARK

Doubly responsive polymersomes towards monosaccharides and temperature under physiologically relevant conditions

Organoboronic acid-containing polymers and block copolymers have recently attracted attention because of their ability to recognize important natural diol compounds such as saccharides and nucleotides under physiologically relevant conditions at neutral pH. In particular, polymers and block copolymers that are responsive toward multiple stimuli can be utilized to create smart delivery vehicles for use in applications in a complex environment. Here we report the monosaccharide-responsive polymers and block copolymers comprising styreneboroxole and oligo(ethylene glycol)-functionalized styrenes (OEG-STs) as repeating units. We have shown that homopolymers and copolymers of OEG-STs are thermally responsive by demonstrating that they possess the characteristic of tunable lower critical solution temperature (LCST) in water. When copolymerized with OEG-STs, styreneboroxole units function as a switch to change the solubility of the resulting polymers in aqueous solution by recognizing mono-saccharides via the formation of boronate ester. By introducing the minimum number of monosaccharide-responsive styreneboroxole units onto the thermally responsive OEG-ST backbone, we demonstrated the monosaccharide-responsive behavior of the resulting copolymers and their amphiphilic block copolymers in aqueous solution at physiologically relevant pH and temperature. A strategy based on doubly responsive block copolymers reported here could be utilized as new delivery vehicles for cargo molecules such as insulin, due to their ability to function in an in vivo environmentopen