SMART APPLIANCE SYSTEM

The invention describes a smart appliance system. The system receives instructions from a user over a network to control an appliance. The system then transmits these instructions to the appliance to control the appliance. The system causes the appliance to operate according to the transmitted instructions

A comparative epigenome analysis of gammaherpesviruses suggests cis-acting sequence features as critical mediators of rapid polycomb recruitment.

Latent Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) genomes rapidly acquire distinct patterns of the activating histone modification H3K4-me3 as well as repressive H3K27-me3 marks, a modification linked to transcriptional silencing by polycomb repressive complexes (PRC). Interestingly, PRCs have recently been reported to restrict viral gene expression in a number of other viral systems, suggesting they may play a broader role in controlling viral chromatin. If so, it is an intriguing possibility that latency establishment may result from viral subversion of polycomb-mediated host responses to exogenous DNA. To investigate such scenarios we sought to establish whether rapid repression by PRC constitutes a general hallmark of herpesvirus latency. For this purpose, we performed a comparative epigenome analysis of KSHV and the related murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV-68). We demonstrate that, while latently replicating MHV-68 genomes readily acquire distinct patterns of activation-associated histone modifications upon de novo infection, they fundamentally differ in their ability to efficiently attract H3K27-me3 marks. Statistical analyses of ChIP-seq data from in vitro infected cells as well as in vivo latency reservoirs furthermore suggest that, whereas KSHV rapidly attracts PRCs in a genome-wide manner, H3K27-me3 acquisition by MHV-68 genomes may require spreading from initial seed sites to which PRC are recruited as the result of an inefficient or stochastic recruitment, and that immune pressure may be needed to select for latency pools harboring PRC-silenced episomes in vivo. Using co-infection experiments and recombinant viruses, we also show that KSHV's ability to rapidly and efficiently acquire H3K27-me3 marks does not depend on the host cell environment or unique properties of the KSHV-encoded LANA protein, but rather requires specific cis-acting sequence features. We show that the non-canonical PRC1.1 component KDM2B, a factor which binds to unmethylated CpG motifs, is efficiently recruited to KSHV genomes, indicating that CpG island characteristics may constitute these features. In accord with the fact that, compared to MHV-68, KSHV genomes exhibit a fundamentally higher density of CpG motifs, we furthermore demonstrate efficient acquisition of H2AK119-ub by KSHV and H3K36-me2 by MHV-68 (but not vice versa), furthermore supporting the notion that KSHV genomes rapidly attract PRC1.1 complexes in a genome-wide fashion. Collectively, our results suggest that rapid PRC silencing is not a universal feature of viral latency, but that some viruses may rather have adopted distinct genomic features to specifically exploit default host pathways that repress epigenetically naive, CpG-rich DNA

Environmental Impact of Construction Products on Aquatic Systems—Principles of an Integrated Source–Path–Target Concept

Buildings exposed to water can release undesirable substances which, once transported to environmental compartments, may cause unwanted effects. These exposure pathways need to be investigated and included in risk assessments to safeguard water quality and promote the sustainability of construction materials. The applied materials, exposure conditions, distribution routes and resilience of receiving compartments vary considerably. This demonstrates the need for a consistent concept that integrates knowledge of emission sources, leaching processes, transport pathways, and effects on targets. Such a consistent concept can serve as the basis for environmental risk assessment for several scenarios using experimentally determined emissions. Typically, a source–path–target concept integrates data from standardized leaching tests and models to describe leaching processes, the distribution of substances in the environment and the occurrence of substances at different points of compliance. This article presents an integrated concept for assessing the environmental impact of construction products on aquatic systems and unravels currently existing gaps and necessary actions. This manuscript outlines a source–path–target concept applicable to a large variety of construction products. It is intended to highlight key elements of a holistic evaluation concept that could assist authorities in developing procedures for environmental risk assessments and mitigation measures and identifying knowledge gaps

Mineral composition of hydrothermal chimneys sampled with ROV during Pourquoi Pas ? cruise INDEX2016

Hydrothermal chimneys were collected by a ROV in 2016 from the Kairei and Pelagia vent fields along the Indian Ridge. Major element compositions of the chimney samples were determined by a combination of ICP emission and mass spectrometry. For semi-quantitative analysis of sulfide mineral distribution polished sections of the chimneys were investigated by optical and scanning electron microscopy and electron microprobe analyses. The abundance of bacterial and archaeal taxa was determined by sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene by Illumina MiSeq

Hydrothermal chimneys host habitat-specific microbial communities: analogues for studying the possible impact of mining seafloor massive sulfide deposits

To assess the risk that mining of seafloor massive sulfides (SMS) from extinct hydrothermal vent environments has for changing the ecosystem irreversibly, we sampled SMS analogous habitats from the Kairei and the Pelagia vent fields along the Indian Ridge. In total 19.8 million 16S rRNA tags from 14 different sites were analyzed and the microbial communities were compared with each other and with publicly available data sets from other marine environments. The chimneys appear to provide habitats for microorganisms that are not found or only detectable in very low numbers in other marine habitats. The chimneys also host rare organisms and may function as a vital part of the ocean’s seed bank. Many of the reads from active and inactive chimney samples were clustered into OTUs, with low or no resemblance to known species. Since we are unaware of the chemical reactions catalyzed by these unknown organisms, the impact of this diversity loss and bio-geo-coupling is hard to predict. Given that chimney structures can be considered SMS analogues, removal of sulfide deposits from the seafloor in the Kairei and Pelagia fields will most likely alter microbial compositions and affect element cycling in the benthic regions and probably beyond

Insights into Microalga and Bacteria Interactions of Selected Phycosphere Biofilms Using Metagenomic, Transcriptomic, and Proteomic Approaches

Microalga are of high relevance for the global carbon cycling and it is well-known that they are associated with a microbiota. However, it remains unclear, if the associated microbiota, often found in phycosphere biofilms, is specific for the microalga strains and which role individual bacterial taxa play. Here we provide experimental evidence that Chlorella saccharophila, Scenedesmus quadricauda, and Micrasterias crux-melitensis, maintained in strain collections, are associated with unique and specific microbial populations. Deep metagenome sequencing, binning approaches, secretome analyses in combination with RNA-Seq data implied fundamental differences in the gene expression profiles of the microbiota associated with the different microalga. Our metatranscriptome analyses indicates that the transcriptionally most active bacteria with respect to key genes commonly involved in plant–microbe interactions in the Chlorella (Trebouxiophyceae) and Scenedesmus (Chlorophyceae) strains belong to the phylum of the α-Proteobacteria. In contrast, in the Micrasterias (Zygnematophyceae) phycosphere biofilm bacteria affiliated with the phylum of the Bacteroidetes showed the highest gene expression rates. We furthermore show that effector molecules known from plant–microbe interactions as inducers for the innate immunity are already of relevance at this evolutionary early plant-microbiome level

FISH analysis in ESCC patients.

<p>Green signals represent the <i>FGFR1</i> gene while red signals correspond to the centromere of chromosome 8. (A) high-level amplification of <i>FGFR1</i> showing 10–20 gene signals and 2–4 centromere signals with a ratio of 6.16. (B) Heterogeneous amplification of <i>FGFR1</i> as indicated by presence of two distinct cancer areas with FGFR1 amplification and without FGFR1 amplification. These two areas are separated by the dotted line. (C) Normal <i>FGFR1</i> gene and centromere 8 signals.</p

<i>FGFR1</i> Amplification Is Often Homogeneous and Strongly Linked to the Squamous Cell Carcinoma Subtype in Esophageal Carcinoma

<div><p>Background and Aims</p><p>Amplification of the <i>fibroblast growth factor receptor 1</i> (<i>FGFR1</i>) is believed to predict response to multi-kinase inhibitors targeting <i>FGFR1</i>. Esophageal cancer is an aggressive disease, for which novel targeted therapies are highly warranted.</p><p>Methods</p><p>This study was designed to investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of <i>FGFR1</i> amplification in a tissue microarray containing 346 adenocarcinomas and 254 squamous cell carcinomas of the esophagus, using dual-labeling fluorescence <i>in situ</i> hybridization (FISH) analysis.</p><p>Results</p><p><i>FGFR1</i> amplification, defined as a ratio of <i>FGFR1</i>:centromere 8 copy numbers ≥ 2.0, was more frequently seen in squamous cell carcinoma (8.9% of 202 interpretable cases) than in adenocarcinoma (1.6% of 308; p<0.0001). There was no association between <i>FGFR1</i> amplification and tumor phenotype or clinical outcome. To study potential heterogeneity of <i>FGFR1</i> amplification, all available tumor blocks from 23 <i>FGFR1</i> amplified tumors were analyzed on conventional large sections. This analysis revealed complete homogeneity of <i>FGFR1</i> amplification in 20 (86.9%) primary tumors and in all available lymph node metastases. Remarkably, <i>FGFR1</i> amplification was also seen in dysplasia adjacent to tumor in 6 of 9 patients with <i>FGFR1</i> amplified primary cancers.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>In conclusion, <i>FGFR1</i> amplification occurs in a relevant subgroup of carcinomas of the esophagus and may play a particular role for development of squamous cell cancers. The high homogeneity of <i>FGFR1</i> amplification suggests that patients with <i>FGFR1</i> amplified esophageal cancers may particularly benefit from anti-<i>FGFR1</i> therapies and prompt for clinical studies in this tumor type.</p></div

FGFR1 expression.

<p>FGFR1 expression.</p