267 research outputs found
Site-specific incorporation of phosphotyrosine using an expanded genetic code.
Access to phosphoproteins with stoichiometric and site-specific phosphorylation status is key to understanding the role of protein phosphorylation. Here we report an efficient method to generate pure, active phosphotyrosine-containing proteins by genetically encoding a stable phosphotyrosine analog that is convertible to native phosphotyrosine. We demonstrate its general compatibility with proteins of various sizes, phosphotyrosine sites and functions, and reveal a possible role of tyrosine phosphorylation in negative regulation of ubiquitination
Biogeochemical and ecological variability during the late summer–early autumn transition at an ice‐floe drift station in the Central Arctic Ocean
As the annual expanse of Arctic summer ice‐cover steadily decreases, concomitant biogeochemical and ecological changes in this region are likely to occur. Because the Central Arctic Ocean is often nutrient and light limited, it is essential to understand how environmental changes will affect productivity, phytoplankton species composition, and ensuing changes in biogeochemistry in the region. During the transition from late summer to early autumn, water column sampling of various biogeochemical parameters was conducted along an ice‐floe drift station near the North Pole. Our results show that as the upper water column stratification weakened during the late summer–early autumn transition, nutrient concentrations, particulate dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSPp) levels, photosynthetic efficiency, and biological productivity, as estimated by ΔO2/Ar ratios, all decreased. Chemotaxonomic (CHEMTAX) analysis of phytoplankton pigments revealed a taxonomically diverse picoautotrophic community, with chlorophyll (Chl) c3‐containing flagellates and the prasinophyte, Pyramimonas spp., as the most abundant groups, comprising ~ 30% and 20% of the total Chl a (TChl a) biomass, respectively. In contrast to previous studies, the picoprasinophyte, Micromonas spp., represented only 5% to 10% of the TChl a biomass. Of the nine taxonomic groups identified, DMSPp was most closely associated with Pyramimonas spp., a Chl b‐containing species not usually considered a high DMSP producer. As the extent and duration of open, ice‐free waters in the Central Arctic Ocean progressively increases, we suggest that enhanced light transmission could potentially expand the ecological niche of Pyramimonas spp. in the region
Cumulative Load of Depressive Symptoms Is Associated With Cortisol Awakening Response in Very Old Age.
This study examined links of cumulative and present depressive symptoms with present cortisol diurnal profiles in oldest-old adults. Five waves of data from 50 older adults (M age = 89.05 years; 64% women) who participated in the Australian Longitudinal Study of Ageing were used to combine 15 years of longitudinal data with seven cortisol samples per day over a one-week period. Findings revealed that individuals with more past depressive symptoms showed a lower cortisol awakening response (CAR). Interestingly, present depressive symptoms were not associated with the CAR. These findings inform our understanding of distal health factors in very old age
Changes in the annual sea ice freeze–thaw cycle in the Arctic Ocean from 2001 to 2018
The annual sea ice freeze–thaw cycle plays a crucial role in the
Arctic atmosphere—ice–ocean system, regulating the seasonal energy balance
of sea ice and the underlying upper-ocean. Previous studies of the sea ice
freeze–thaw cycle were often based on limited accessible in situ or easily
available remotely sensed observations of the surface. To better understand
the responses of the sea ice to climate change and its coupling to the upper
ocean, we combine measurements of the ice surface and bottom using
multisource data to investigate the temporal and spatial variations in the
freeze–thaw cycle of Arctic sea ice. Observations by 69 sea ice mass balance
buoys (IMBs) collected from 2001 to 2018 revealed that the average ice basal
melt onset in the Beaufort Gyre occurred on 23 May (±6 d),
approximately 17 d earlier than the surface melt onset. The average ice
basal melt onset in the central Arctic Ocean occurred on 17 June (±9 d), which was comparable with the surface melt onset. This difference was
mainly attributed to the distinct seasonal variations of oceanic heat
available to sea ice melt between the two regions. The overall average onset
of basal ice growth of the pan Arctic Ocean occurred on 14 November (±21 d), lagging approximately 3 months behind the surface freeze
onset. This temporal delay was caused by a combination of cooling the sea
ice, the ocean mixed layer, and the ocean subsurface layer, as well as the
thermal buffering of snow atop the ice. In the Beaufort Gyre region, both
(Lagrangian) IMB observations (2001–2018) and (Eulerian) moored upward-looking sonar (ULS) observations (2003–2018) revealed a trend towards
earlier basal melt onset, mainly linked to the earlier warming of the
surface ocean. A trend towards earlier onset of basal ice growth was also
identified from the IMB observations (multiyear ice), which we attributed to
the overall reduction of ice thickness. In contrast, a trend towards delayed
onset of basal ice growth was identified from the ULS observations, which
was explained by the fact that the ice cover melted almost entirely by the
end of summer in recent years.</p
An Introduction to Gas Accretion onto Galaxies
Evidence for gas accretion onto galaxies can be found throughout the
universe. In this chapter, I summarize the direct and indirect signatures of
this process and discuss the primary sources. The evidence for gas accretion
includes the star formation rates and metallicities of galaxies, the evolution
of the cold gas content of the universe with time, numerous indirect indicators
for individual galaxies, and a few direct detections of inflow. The primary
sources of gas accretion are the intergalactic medium, satellite gas and
feedback material. There is support for each of these sources from observations
and simulations, but the methods with which the fuel ultimately settles in to
form stars remain murky.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, Invited review to appear in Gas Accretion onto
Galaxies, Astrophysics and Space Science Library, eds. A. J. Fox & R. Dav\'e,
to be published by Springe
An integrated ultrasound curriculum (iUSC) for medical students: 4-year experience
A review of the development and implementation of a 4-year medical student integrated ultrasound curriculum is presented. Multiple teaching and assessment modalities are discussed as well as results from testing and student surveys. Lessons learned while establishing the curriculum are summarized. It is concluded that ultrasound is a well received, valuable teaching tool across all 4 years of medical school, and students learn ultrasound well, and they feel their ultrasound experience enhances their medical education
Transcriptional dysregulation of Interferome in experimental and human Multiple Sclerosis
Recent evidence indicates that single multiple sclerosis (MS) susceptibility genes involved in interferon (IFN) signaling display altered transcript levels in peripheral blood of untreated MS subjects, suggesting that responsiveness to endogenous IFN is dysregulated during neuroinflammation. To prove this hypothesis we exploited the systematic collection of IFN regulated genes (IRG) provided by the Interferome database and mapped Interferome changes in experimental and human MS. Indeed, central nervous system tissue and encephalitogenic CD4 T cells during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis were characterized by massive changes in Interferome transcription. Further, the analysis of almost 500 human blood transcriptomes showed that (i) several IRG changed expression at distinct MS stages with a core of 21 transcripts concordantly dysregulated in all MS forms compared with healthy subjects; (ii) 100 differentially expressed IRG were validated in independent case-control cohorts; and (iii) 53 out of 100 dysregulated IRG were targeted by IFN-beta treatment in vivo. Finally, ex vivo and in vitro experiments established that IFN-beta administration modulated expression of two IRG, ARRB1 and CHP1, in immune cells. Our study confirms the impairment of Interferome in experimental and human MS, and describes IRG signatures at distinct disease stages which can represent novel therapeutic targets in MS
The outlook of building information modeling for sustainable development
As human needs evolve, information technologies and natural environments require a wider perspective of sustainable development, especially when examining the built environment that impacts the central of social-ecological systems. The objectives of the paper are (a) to review the status and development of building information modeling (BIM) in regards to the sustainable development in the built environment, and (b) to develop a future outlook framework that promotes BIM in sustainable development. Seven areas of sustainability were classified to analyze forty-four BIM guidelines and standards. This review examines the use of BIM in sustainable development, focusing primarily on certain areas of sustainability, such as project development, design, and construction. The developed framework describes the need for collaboration with the multiple disciplines for the future adoption and use of BIM for the sustainable development. It also considers the integration between “BIM and green assessment criteria”; and “BIM and renewable energy” to address the shortcomings of the standards and guidelines
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