Prospects for gulf of Mexico environmental recovery and restoration

Previous oil spills provide clear evidence that ecosystem restoration efforts are challenging, and recovery can take decades. Similar to the Ixtoc 1 well blowout in 1979, the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill was enormous both in volume of oil spilled and duration, resulting in environmental impacts from the deep ocean to the Gulf of Mexico coastline. Data collected during the National Resource Damage Assessment showed significant damage to coastal areas (especially marshes), marine organisms, and deep-sea habitat. Previous spills have shown that disparate regions recover at different rates, with especially long-term effects in salt marshes and deepsea habitat. Environmental recovery and restoration in the northern Gulf of Mexico are dependent upon fundamental knowledge of ecosystem processes in the region. PostDWH research data provide a starting point for better understanding baselines and ecosystem processes. It is imperative to use the best science available to fully understand DWH environmental impacts and determine the appropriate means to ameliorate those impacts through restoration. Filling data gaps will be necessary to make better restoration decisions, and establishing new baselines will require long-term studies. Future research, especially via NOAA’s RESTORE Science Program and the state-based Centers of Excellence, should provide a path to understanding the potential for restoration and recovery of this vital marine ecosystem

Conserved Odorant-Binding Proteins from Aphids and Eavesdropping Predators

Background: The sesquiterpene (E)-ß-farnesene is the main component of the alarm pheromone system of various aphid species studied to date, including the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae. Aphid natural enemies, such as the marmalade hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus and the multicolored Asian lady beetle Harmonia axyridis, eavesdrop on aphid chemical communication and utilize (E)-ß-farnesene as a kairomone to localize their immediate or offspring preys. These aphidpredator systems are important models to study how the olfactory systems of distant insect taxa process the same chemical signal. We postulated that odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), which are highly expressed in insect olfactory tissues and involved in the first step of odorant reception, have conserved regions involved in binding (E)-ß-farnesene. Methodology: We cloned OBP genes from the English grain aphid and two major predators of this aphid species. We then expressed these proteins and compare their binding affinities to the alarm pheromone/kairomone. By using a fluorescence reporter, we tested binding of (E)-ß-farnesene and other electrophysiologically and behaviorally active compounds, including a green leaf volatile attractant. Conclusion: We found that OBPs from disparate taxa of aphids and their predators are highly conserved proteins, with apparently no orthologue genes in other insect species. Properly folded, recombinant proteins from the English grain aphid, SaveOBP3, and the marmalade hoverfly, EbalOBP3, specifically bind (E)-ß-farnesene with apparent high affinity. For the firs

Neutrophils in cancer: neutral no more

Neutrophils are indispensable antagonists of microbial infection and facilitators of wound healing. In the cancer setting, a newfound appreciation for neutrophils has come into view. The traditionally held belief that neutrophils are inert bystanders is being challenged by the recent literature. Emerging evidence indicates that tumours manipulate neutrophils, sometimes early in their differentiation process, to create diverse phenotypic and functional polarization states able to alter tumour behaviour. In this Review, we discuss the involvement of neutrophils in cancer initiation and progression, and their potential as clinical biomarkers and therapeutic targets

Characterization of an IncFII Plasmid Encoding NDM-1 from Escherichia coli ST131

Background: The current spread of the gene encoding the metallo-ß-lactamase NDM-1 in Enterobacteriaceae is linked to a variety of surrounding genetic structures and plasmid scaffolds. Methodology: The whole sequence of plasmid pGUE-NDM carrying the bla NDM-1 gene was determined by high-density pyrosequencing and a genomic comparative analysis with other blaNDM-1-negative IncFII was performed. Principal Findings: Plasmid pGUE-NDM replicating in Escherichia coli confers resistance to many antibiotic molecules including b-lactams, aminoglycosides, trimethoprim, and sulfonamides. It is 87,022 bp in-size and carries the two b-lactamase genes bla NDM-1 and bla OXA-1, together with three aminoglycoside resistance genes aacA4, aadA2, and aacC2. Comparative analysis of the multidrug resistance locus contained a module encompassing the blaNDM-1 gene that is actually conserved among different structures identified in other enterobacterial isolates. This module was constituted by the blaNDM-1 gene, a fragment of insertion sequence ISAba125 and a bleomycin resistance encoding gene. Significance: This is the first characterized bla NDM-1-carrying IncFII-type plasmid. Such association between the bla NDM-1 gene and an IncFII-type plasmid backbone is extremely worrisome considering that this plasmid type is known to sprea

Optimization of facade design based on the impact of interior obstructions to daylighting

Overcrowding in the perimeter zone is an inevitable issue in residential rooms with limited space. Obstructions, such as furniture and household items, may block the existing windows, and therefore affect interior daylight conditions. A facade design approach is needed that simultaneously takes into account daylighting and the volume of usable space for obstructions in the perimeter zone of such rooms. This study simulates daylight distributions in a typical small residential room with obstructions in front of windows. The simulation consists of two parts. First, the effects on horizontal illuminances caused by different positions and shapes of obstructions are examined under an overcast sky. Second, the maximum usable space volumes for obstructions of 51 optimized facade configurations are calculated in terms of four window-to-wall ratios (WWRs). The results of this study show that optimizing the forms of facade design can increase the usable interior space volume and meet the daylighting requirements of Chinese standards for small residential rooms. Additionally, by using the optimized facade forms, a facade with a WWR value of 50% provides the maximum usable space for obstructions. Based on the above results, this paper presents two matrices that can help architects in selecting the appropriate fenestration methods and confirming the size of usable space and allocation for residents