All Hands on Deck: The Role of Ship Burial Reentry in the Maintenance and Construction of Narrative in the Vendel and Viking Periods

Reentry of ship and boat burials was a widespread practice during the Vendel, Viking, and Medieval periods. Historically this phenomenon has been attributed to looting for economic gain, but that perception has recently been challenged. Using data from ship and boat burials from across Scandinavia, I suggest trends in reentry and the most likely motivation for reentry at each burial. I use GIS maps to display these trends and motivations across different regions and statistically analyze where there are hot spots of different practices. Using Neil Price’s (2010) model for mortuary drama in Viking Age burial practices, I explore the use of reentry in the creation and maintenance of narrative and collective memory

Novel roles of DNA damage repair enzymes in the processing of modified ribonucleotides embedded in DNA

From data in literature, it has well known that 100 million rNMPs are transiently present in mammalian DNA for several reasons. Moreover, the presence of RNA as single or more ribonucleotides into DNA results very dangerous for the cell because able to distort the double helix DNA. A specific pathway acts in order to remove this lesion called Ribonucleotide Excision Repair (RER) pathway in which RNase H2 has an important role as endonuclease, able to cleave at the 5\u2019 side of rNMP in DNA. Although in last decade, huge steps forward have been done in this field, more studies are needed for better understanding the impact of this lesion on DNA and their back-up repair mechanism when RER does not work, as happens in several pathologies including cancer and Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome. Because of the high abundance of rNMPs in DNA and the ability of several polymerases to insert and elongate oxidized rGMP during DNA replication, the hypothesis of the incorporation of modified rNMPs (including abasic and oxidized rNMPs such as 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-riboguanosine) results feasible. Moreover, these data underscore the possibility, not only regarding the presence of modified rNMPs into DNA, but also the necessity to determine how cells can target and remove oxidized or abasic rNMPs from DNA. Until now, nothing is known about the putative role of Base Excision Repair (BER) pathway in the removal of unmodified and modified rNMPs embedded in DNA. APE1 is the most important protein that works in BER pathway as endonuclease, able to cleave 5\u2032 side of deoxyabasic sites generated spontaneously or following the processing of glycosylases (including OGG1) on a damaged (including oxidized) base. Moreover, APE1 has nucleotide incision repair activity on different modified bases, which are directly repaired by APE1 bypassing the action of specific glycosylases. Finally BER, but specifically APE1, has an important involvement in RNA metabolism and RNA-decay as demonstrated by its ability to cleave abasic single-stranded RNA and for having 3\u2032-RNA phosphatase and weak 3\u2032-5\u2032 exoribonuclease activities. For this reason, there is a high likelihood that BER enzymes could be involved in the processing of rNMPs in DNA, particularly in the case of chemically modified rNMPs, such as abasic and oxidized rNMPs. Therefore, we focused our attention on enzymes belonging to RER and BER enzymes in order to investigate: If BER can be work as a back up repair mechanism when RER is inefficient; If RER is involved in the processing of abasic and oxidized rNMPs embedded in DNA; and if not, if BER is involved in the processing of abasic and oxidized rNMPs embedded in DNA. For all the experiments, we have used different DNA oligonucleotides in which an abasic or an oxidized ribonucleotide was embedded in the middle of the sequence. First, we tested recombinant and cell-free extracts RNase H2. Surprisingly, we discovered that RNase H2, although able to process normal rG embedded in DNA, is not able to cleave abasic and oxidized rNMPs embedded in DNA leaving the hypothesis that RER can not work on this lesion. After that, we moved on BER pathway, specifically on APE1 and OGG1 proteins. We discovered that APE1, as 5\u2019-endonuclease, does not cleave unmodified rNMPs embedded in DNA. So, APE1 may not work as back up when RNase H2 is inefficient as happens for different pathologies including cancer and Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome. We discovered and characterized an unknown APE1 activity on abasic ribonucleotide embedded in DNA. We then analyzed the activities of 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) and APE1 to recognize and cleave an oxidized rNMP. Our data demonstrate that OGG1, although able to bind the oxidized rG, is inefficient in the cleavage of this substrate. Surprisingly, APE1 shows a weak endoribonuclease activity on the oxidized substrate, maybe associable to a putative NIR activity of APE1. All these results show a strong impact on the DNA repair field.From data in literature, it has well known that 100 million rNMPs are transiently present in mammalian DNA for several reasons. Moreover, the presence of RNA as single or more ribonucleotides into DNA results very dangerous for the cell because able to distort the double helix DNA. A specific pathway acts in order to remove this lesion called Ribonucleotide Excision Repair (RER) pathway in which RNase H2 has an important role as endonuclease, able to cleave at the 5\u2019 side of rNMP in DNA. Although in last decade, huge steps forward have been done in this field, more studies are needed for better understanding the impact of this lesion on DNA and their back-up repair mechanism when RER does not work, as happens in several pathologies including cancer and Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome. Because of the high abundance of rNMPs in DNA and the ability of several polymerases to insert and elongate oxidized rGMP during DNA replication, the hypothesis of the incorporation of modified rNMPs (including abasic and oxidized rNMPs such as 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-riboguanosine) results feasible. Moreover, these data underscore the possibility, not only regarding the presence of modified rNMPs into DNA, but also the necessity to determine how cells can target and remove oxidized or abasic rNMPs from DNA. Until now, nothing is known about the putative role of Base Excision Repair (BER) pathway in the removal of unmodified and modified rNMPs embedded in DNA. APE1 is the most important protein that works in BER pathway as endonuclease, able to cleave 5\u2032 side of deoxyabasic sites generated spontaneously or following the processing of glycosylases (including OGG1) on a damaged (including oxidized) base. Moreover, APE1 has nucleotide incision repair activity on different modified bases, which are directly repaired by APE1 bypassing the action of specific glycosylases. Finally BER, but specifically APE1, has an important involvement in RNA metabolism and RNA-decay as demonstrated by its ability to cleave abasic single-stranded RNA and for having 3\u2032-RNA phosphatase and weak 3\u2032-5\u2032 exoribonuclease activities. For this reason, there is a high likelihood that BER enzymes could be involved in the processing of rNMPs in DNA, particularly in the case of chemically modified rNMPs, such as abasic and oxidized rNMPs. Therefore, we focused our attention on enzymes belonging to RER and BER enzymes in order to investigate: If BER can be work as a back up repair mechanism when RER is inefficient; If RER is involved in the processing of abasic and oxidized rNMPs embedded in DNA; and if not, if BER is involved in the processing of abasic and oxidized rNMPs embedded in DNA. For all the experiments, we have used different DNA oligonucleotides in which an abasic or an oxidized ribonucleotide was embedded in the middle of the sequence. First, we tested recombinant and cell-free extracts RNase H2. Surprisingly, we discovered that RNase H2, although able to process normal rG embedded in DNA, is not able to cleave abasic and oxidized rNMPs embedded in DNA leaving the hypothesis that RER can not work on this lesion. After that, we moved on BER pathway, specifically on APE1 and OGG1 proteins. We discovered that APE1, as 5\u2019-endonuclease, does not cleave unmodified rNMPs embedded in DNA. So, APE1 may not work as back up when RNase H2 is inefficient as happens for different pathologies including cancer and Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome. We discovered and characterized an unknown APE1 activity on abasic ribonucleotide embedded in DNA. We then analyzed the activities of 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) and APE1 to recognize and cleave an oxidized rNMP. Our data demonstrate that OGG1, although able to bind the oxidized rG, is inefficient in the cleavage of this substrate. Surprisingly, APE1 shows a weak endoribonuclease activity on the oxidized substrate, maybe associable to a putative NIR activity of APE1. All these results show a strong impact on the DNA repair field

From nanoscience to nanoethics: the viewpoint of a scientist

Nanotechnologies are an emerging and multidisciplinary field of research, which is re-cently knowing a growing interest because of the basic and applied scientific break-through. Despite a deep understanding of the nanoscience is far to be achieved, the de-bate about the impact of nano-objects in everyday life is gradually involving both the scientific community and civil society. Here we provide some arguments to reflect upon the so-called “nanoethics”. We will start with a brief introduction about the definition of nanotechnology and then the circularity that links the characterization techniques in comparison with the discovery of nanotechnology will be discussed. Conclusion remarks about the presence of nanotechnology in everyday life will be finally presented

Desegregation and its impact on institutional culture at a historically black university

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on Feb 15, 2010).The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file.Dissertation advisor: Dr. Barbara Townsend.Vita.Ph.D. University of Missouri--Columbia 2009.In this case study, 38 Black and White participants shared their recollections of intergroup contact during the first 15 years of desegregation (1954-1969) at a Historically Black University in a predominantly White Midwestern community. Faculty and alumnae/i candidly evoked their experiences in this unusual desegregation setting and their memories collectively provided a vivid portrayal of Lincoln University's transition from a Black university to a fully desegregated institution over the period of the study. Bracketed within the zenith of the Civil Rights Era, this study provides a rich account of the movement as it unfolded and influenced this Historically Black University. Findings of the study revealed a positive process of desegregation marked by the absence of racial hostility. A retrospective organizational analysis showed that desegregation had a profound effect on the institutional culture due mainly to the depletion of Black scholars and highly talented Black Students and a leadership crisis that engendered the rise of a powerful student government.Includes bibliographical reference

Validation of ELISA kits for determination of Inhibin-A and Estradiol-17-beta concentrations in Buffalo plasma

The aim was to evaluate the suitability of two commercial ELISA kits for human serum or plasma, to measure Inhibin-A (In-A) and Estradiol-17-beta (E2) concentrations in buffalo plasma. Blood samples were obtained by jugular venipuncture from buffalo heifers and cows, and plasma samples were stored at – 20°C until assays. Precision of the methods was evaluated by the intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation (CVs) of buffalo plasma sample replicates, at different concentrations. Accuracy was evaluated calculating the recovery rates of different proportions of the highest standard added to a buffalo plasma sample at low concentration (observed/expected values x 100). Linearity was evaluated by serially diluting one buffalo plasma sample at high concentration with the assay buffer and calculating by regression analysis the parallelism of the resulting line with the standard line. Intra-assay CVs were 11% and 15.1% for In-A and 1.8% and 3.3% for E2. Inter-assay CVs were 13.9% and 7.4% for In-A and E2, respectively. Mean recovery rate was 97.9% and 98.5% for In-A and E2, respectively. Dilution tests gave good parallelism between the lines obtained and the standard lines. It is concluded that the kits tested are suitable and reliable for buffalo plasma samples

Assembling large, complex environmental metagenomes

The large volumes of sequencing data required to sample complex environments deeply pose new challenges to sequence analysis approaches. De novo metagenomic assembly effectively reduces the total amount of data to be analyzed but requires significant computational resources. We apply two pre-assembly filtering approaches, digital normalization and partitioning, to make large metagenome assemblies more comput\ ationaly tractable. Using a human gut mock community dataset, we demonstrate that these methods result in assemblies nearly identical to assemblies from unprocessed data. We then assemble two large soil metagenomes from matched Iowa corn and native prairie soils. The predicted functional content and phylogenetic origin of the assembled contigs indicate significant taxonomic differences despite similar function. The assembly strategies presented are generic and can be extended to any metagenome; full source code is freely available under a BSD license.Comment: Includes supporting informatio