Symmetric arrangement of mitochondria:plasma membrane contacts between adjacent photoreceptor cells regulated by Opa1

Mitochondria are known to play an essential role in photoreceptor function and survival that enables normal vision. Within photoreceptors, mitochondria are elongated and extend most of the inner-segment length, where they supply energy for protein synthesis and the phototransduction machinery in the outer segment, as well as acting as a calcium store. Here, we examined the arrangement of the mitochondria within the inner segment in detail using three-dimensional (3D) electron microscopy techniques and show they are tethered to the plasma membrane in a highly specialized arrangement. Remarkably, mitochondria and their cristae openings align with those of neighboring inner segments. The pathway by which photoreceptors meet their high energy demands is not fully understood. We propose this to be a mechanism to share metabolites and assist in maintaining homeostasis across the photoreceptor cell layer. In the extracellular space between photoreceptors, Müller glial processes were identified. Due to the often close proximity to the inner-segment mitochondria, they may, too, play a role in the inner-segment mitochondrial arrangement as well as metabolite shuttling. OPA1 is an important factor in mitochondrial homeostasis, including cristae remodeling; therefore, we examined the photoreceptors of a heterozygous Opa1 knockout mouse model. The cristae structure in the Opa1+/− photoreceptors was not greatly affected, but the mitochondria were enlarged and had reduced alignment to neighboring inner-segment mitochondria. This indicates the importance of key regulators in maintaining this specialized photoreceptor mitochondrial arrangement

A Survey on Transit Map Layout – from Design, Machine, and Human Perspectives

Transit maps are designed to present information for using public transportation systems, such as urban railways. Creating a transit map is a time‐consuming process, which requires iterative information selection, layout design, and usability validation, and thus maps cannot easily be customised or updated frequently. To improve this, scientists investigate fully‐ or semi‐automatic techniques in order to produce high quality transit maps using computers and further examine their corresponding usability. Nonetheless, the quality gap between manually‐drawn maps and machine‐generated maps is still large. To elaborate the current research status, this state‐of‐the‐art report provides an overview of the transit map generation process, primarily from Design, Machine, and Human perspectives. A systematic categorisation is introduced to describe the design pipeline, and an extensive analysis of perspectives is conducted to support the proposed taxonomy. We conclude this survey with a discussion on the current research status, open challenges, and future directions

Improving reintroduction success in large carnivores through individual-based modelling: How to reintroduce Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) to Scotland

Globally, large carnivores have been heavily affected by habitat loss, fragmentation and persecution, sometimes resulting in local extinctions. With increasing recognition of top-down trophic cascades and complex predator- prey dynamics, reintroductions are of growing interest for restoration of ecosystem functioning. Many re- introductions have however failed, in part due to poor planning and inability to model complex eco-evolutionary processes to give reliable predictions. Using the case study of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), a large predator being considered for reintroduction to Scotland, we demonstrate how an individual-based model that integrates demography with three distinct phases of dispersal (emigration, transfer and settlement) can be used to explore the relative suitability of three geographically-distant potential reintroduction sites, multi-site reintroductions and two founding population sizes. For a single-site reintroduction of 10 lynx, our simulation results show a clear hierarchy of suitability across all metrics. Reintroduction in the Kintyre Peninsula (west coast) consistently performed best, with a probability of population persistence at year 100 of 83%, and the Scottish component of Kielder Forest (southern Scotland) worst, with only a 21% chance of population persistence to year 100. Simultaneous two-site reintroduction in the Kintyre Peninsula and in Aberdeenshire (near the east coast) of 32 lynx gave a 96% persistence at 100 years. Our model was highly sensitive to survival, particularly of adults, highlighting this parameter's importance for reintroduction success. The results strongly indicate the potential viability of Eurasian lynx reintroduction to Scotland given the current cover of suitable woodland habitat. More generally, our work demonstrates how emerging modelling approaches incorporating increased realism in re- presenting species' demography, ecology and dispersal can have high value for quick, inexpensive assessment of likely reintroduction success and for selection between alternative strategies.REF Compliant by Deposit in Stirling's Repositor

Ten years on: Geophysical survey on the ‘Heart of Neolithic Orkney’ World Heritage Area

2009 marks an important landmark in the use of geophysical survey on Orkney, as it is now 10 years since the first work was undertaken on the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Area.  This work began with a gradiometer survey of a few fields around the Stones of Stenness in 1999, which evolved into the WHA Inner Buffer Zone project in 2002.  By 2009 the area investigated has expanded to cover almost 300ha of detailed gradiometer survey. Data has been collected at 1 m by 0.25 m intervals..

Population structure and connectivity of tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) across the Indo-Pacific Ocean basin

Population genetic structure using nine polymorphic nuclear microsatellite loci was assessed for the tiger shark () at seven locations across the Indo-Pacific, and one location in the southern Atlantic. Genetic analyses revealed considerable genetic structuring ( > 0.14,

Moai, quarries and roads. Experiences and results of geophysical survey on Rapa Nui (Easter Island)

Rapa Nui or Easter Island is home to some of the most recognisable archaeological monuments in the world, the iconic monolithic moai statues. The island is situated in the Eastern Pacific, approximately 3 000 km west of the coast of Chile and 2 500 km from Tahiti. The isolated location of the island is due in part to its formation by a series of volcanic eruptions. The differing stone types formed as a result of this volcanic activity are a key element in the monumental structures such as the..

Parametric instabilities in magnetized multicomponent plasmas

This paper investigates the excitation of various natural modes in a magnetized bi-ion or dusty plasma. The excitation is provided by parametrically pumping the magnetic field. Here two ion-like species are allowed to be fully mobile. This generalizes our previous work where the second heavy species was taken to be stationary. Their collection of charge from the background neutral plasma modifies the dispersion properties of the pump and excited waves. The introduction of an extra mobile species adds extra modes to both these types of waves. We firstly investigate the pump wave in detail, in the case where the background magnetic field is perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the pump wave. Then we derive the dispersion equation relating the pump to the excited wave for modes propagating parallel to the background magnetic field. It is found that there are a total of twelve resonant interactions allowed, whose various growth rates are calculated and discussed.Comment: Published in May 2004; this is a late submission to the archive. 14 pages, 8 figure

Simulating meteorological profiles to study noise propagation from freeways

Forecasts of noise pollution from a highway line segment noise source are obtained from a sound propagation model utilizing effective sound speed profiles derived from a Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) limited area forecast with 1 km horizontal resolution and near-ground vertical resolution finer than 20 m. Methods for temporal along with horizontal and vertical spatial nesting are demonstrated within the NWP model for maintaining forecast feasibility. It is shown that vertical nesting can improve the prediction of finer structures in near-ground temperature and velocity profiles, such as morning temperature inversions and low level jet-like features. Accurate representation of these features is shown to be important for modeling sound refraction phenomena and for enabling accurate noise assessment. Comparisons are made using the parabolic equation model for predictions with profiles derived from NWP simulations and from field experiment observations during mornings on November 7 and 8, 2006 in Phoenix, Arizona. The challenges faced in simulating accurate meteorological profiles at high resolution for sound propagation applications are highlighted and areas for possible improvement are discussed

A case of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma associated with hypercalcemia.

A patient with a diffuse, small cleaved cell, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma associated with marked hypecalcemia was described. Antibody to the adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma virus was absent. Although bone marrow was infiltrated by lymphoma cells, destructive or lytic bone lesions could not be detected. The serum level of immunoreactive parathyroid hormone C-terminal (PTH-C) was normal. The serum level of 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D was lower than normal. This case suggests that other humoral substances produced by lymphoma cells may be responsible for hypercalcemia.&#60;/P&#62;</p