Granulin Knock Out Zebrafish Lack Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration and Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis Pathology

Loss of function mutations in granulin (GRN) are linked to two distinct neurological disorders, frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL). It is so far unknown how a complete loss of GRN in NCL and partial loss of GRN in FTLD can result in such distinct diseases. In zebrafish, there are two GRN homologues, Granulin A (Grna) and Granulin B (Grnb). We have generated stable Grna and Grnb loss of function zebrafish mutants by zinc finger nuclease mediated genome editing. Surprisingly, the grna and grnb single and double mutants display neither spinal motor neuron axonopathies nor a reduced number of myogenic progenitor cells as previously reported for Grna and Grnb knock down embryos. Additionally, grna-/-;grnb-/- double mutants have no obvious FTLD- and NCL-related biochemical and neuropathological phenotypes. Taken together, the Grna and Grnb single and double knock out zebrafish lack any obvious morphological, pathological and biochemical phenotypes. Loss of zebrafish Grna and Grnb might therefore either be fully compensated or only become symptomatic upon additional challenge

OGO-3 observations of ELF noise in the magnetosphere - Part 1 - Spatial extent and frequency of occurrence

OGO-3 spectrum analyzer measurements of magnetic noise in magnetospher

Global analysis of gene expression reveals mRNA superinduction is required for the inducible immune response to a bacterial pathogen.

The inducible innate immune response to infection requires a concerted process of gene expression that is regulated at multiple levels. Most global analyses of the innate immune response have focused on transcription induced by defined immunostimulatory ligands, such as lipopolysaccharide. However, the response to pathogens involves additional complexity, as pathogens interfere with virtually every step of gene expression. How cells respond to pathogen-mediated disruption of gene expression to nevertheless initiate protective responses remains unclear. We previously discovered that a pathogen-mediated blockade of host protein synthesis provokes the production of specific pro-inflammatory cytokines. It remains unclear how these cytokines are produced despite the global pathogen-induced block of translation. We addressed this question by using parallel RNAseq and ribosome profiling to characterize the response of macrophages to infection with the intracellular bacterial pathogen Legionella pneumophila. Our results reveal that mRNA superinduction is required for the inducible immune response to a bacterial pathogen

Arthropod diversity in peas with normal or reduced waxy bloom

Crop traits can alter economically important interactions between plants, pests, and biological control agents. For example, a reduced waxy bloom on the surface of pea plants alters interactions between pea aphids and their natural enemies. In this study, we assess whether the effect of wax reduction extends beyond the 2 or 3 arthropod species closely associated with the plants and into the structure of the broader arthropod community of over 200 taxa at our site. We sampled arthropods on lines of peas with normal and reduced wax in Latah Co., Idaho using pitfall traps within randomly assigned pairs of 5 × 5 meter plots. During the 1998 and 1999 growing seasons, we collected 12,113 individual arthropods from 221 unambiguously identified morphospecies. The number of individuals collected from each morphospecies responded idiosyncratically to the reduced wax peas. To test whether arthropod community structure differed between the collections from plots having peas with normal or reduced wax, we performed a randomization test. The collection from peas with reduced wax had higher species evenness and thus higher community diversity despite having lower species richness. Our results demonstrate the potential of a single plant trait, epicuticular wax, to affect a community of arthropods. Two pests of peas had opposite responses to peas with reduced wax. The number of pea aphids collected was greater from peas with normal wax peas than those with reduced wax. In contrast, the number of pea leaf weevils collected was greater from peas with reduced wax

Finite element analysis of gradient coil deformation and vibration in NMR microscopy

Resolution degradation due to gradient coil deformation and vibration in NMR microscopy is investigated using finite element analysis. From the analysis, deformations due to the Lorentz force can be as large as 1-10 μm depending on the gradient strength and coil frame material. Thus, these deformations can be one of the major resolution limiting factors in NMR microscopy. Coil vibration, which depends on the input current waveform and resolution degradation due to time-variant deformation and time-invariant deformation are investigated by numerical simulations

Effects of low energy proton, electron, and simultaneously combined proton and electron environments in silicon and GaAs solar cells

Degradation of silicon and GaAs solar cells due to exposures to low energy proton and electron environments and annealing data for these cells are discussed. Degradation of silicon cells in simultaneously combined electron and low energy proton environments and previous experimental work is summarized and evaluated. The deficiencies in current solar array damage prediction techniques indicated by these data and the relevance of these deficiencies to specific missions such as intermediate altitude orbits and orbital transfer vehicles using solar electric propulsion systems are considered

The average magnetic field draping and consistent plasma properties of the Venus magnetotail

A new technique has been developed to determine the average structure of the Venus magnetotail (in the range from −8 Rv to −12 Rv) from the Pioneer Venus magnetometer observations. The spacecraft position with respect to the cross-tail current sheet is determined from an observed relationship between the field-draping angle and the magnitude of the field referenced to its value in the nearby magnetosheath. This allows us statistically to remove the effects of tail flapping and variability of draping for the first time and thus to map the average field configuration in the Venus tail. From this average configuration we calculate the cross-tail current density distribution and J × B forces. Continuity of the tangential electric field is utilized to determine the average variations of the X-directed velocity which is shown to vary from −250 km/s at −8 Rv to −470 km/s at −12 Rv. From the calculated J × B forces, plasma velocity, and MHD momentum equation the approximate plasma acceleration, density, and temperature in the Venus tail are determined. The derived ion density is approximately ∼0.07 p+/cm³ (0.005 O+/cm³) in the lobes and ∼0.9 p+/cm³ (0.06 O+/cm³) in the current sheet, while the derived approximate average plasma temperature for the tail is ∼6×106 K for a hydrogen plasma or ∼9×107 K for an oxygen plasma

Inside the Bondi radius of M87

Chandra X-ray observations of the nearby brightest cluster galaxy M87 resolve the hot gas structure across the Bondi accretion radius of the central supermassive black hole, a measurement possible in only a handful of systems but complicated by the bright nucleus and jet emission. By stacking only short frame-time observations to limit pileup, and after subtracting the nuclear PSF, we analysed the X-ray gas properties within the Bondi radius at 0.12-0.22 kpc (1.5-2.8 arcsec), depending on the black hole mass. Within 2 kpc radius, we detect two significant temperature components, which are consistent with constant values of 2 keV and 0.9 keV down to 0.15 kpc radius. No evidence was found for the expected temperature increase within ~0.25 kpc due to the influence of the SMBH. Within the Bondi radius, the density profile is consistent with $\rho\propto r^{-1}$. The lack of a temperature increase inside the Bondi radius suggests that the hot gas structure is not dictated by the SMBH's potential and, together with the shallow density profile, shows that the classical Bondi rate may not reflect the accretion rate onto the SMBH. If this density profile extends in towards the SMBH, the mass accretion rate onto the SMBH could be at least two orders of magnitude less than the Bondi rate, which agrees with Faraday rotation measurements for M87. We discuss the evidence for outflow from the hot gas and the cold gas disk and for cold feedback, where gas cooling rapidly from the hot atmosphere could feed the cirumnuclear disk and fuel the SMBH. At 0.2 kpc radius, the cooler X-ray temperature component represents ~20% of the total X-ray gas mass and, by losing angular momentum to the hot gas component, could provide a fuel source of cold clouds within the Bondi radius.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, accepted by MNRA

Indonesian Host Country Nationals: Feeling Respected Yet Not Respected

Having completed research on the expatriate experience in Indonesia (Russell, 2006; Russell & Dickie, 2007; Russell & Aquino-Russell, 2010, 2011) we wondered what it might be like for Indonesian host country nationals (HCNs) to work with western organizations in Indonesia since there is a significant lack of literature based on the perspective of HCNs (Templar, 2010). Although not from the HCN perspective, we found literature about HCNs in relation to knowledge management (Vance, Vaiman, & Andersen, 2009; Massingham, 2010), empowerment and team participation (Zhang & Begley, 2011), remuneration policies (Mahajan, 2011), career development and promotability (Vo, 2009; Herrmann & Werbel, 2007), and relationship building (Varma, Pichler, & Budhwar, 2011). These realities spurred on our current phenomenological research which focused on describing the lived experience of Indonesian HCNs using their own words and meanings. Data descriptions were collected and analyzed using Giorgi’s (2009; Giorgi & Giorgi, 2003) descriptive phenomenological method. One of the important findings pointed to HCNs living the paradox of feeling respected-not respected while working in western organizations located at home in Indonesia