Rain increases the energy cost of bat flight

Similar to insects, birds and pterosaurs, bats have evolved powered flight. But in contrast to other flying taxa, only bats are furry. Here, we asked whether flight is impaired when bat pelage and wing membranes get wet. We studied the metabolism of short flights in Carollia sowelli, a bat that is exposed to heavy and frequent rainfall in neotropical rainforests. We expected bats to encounter higher thermoregulatory costs, or to suffer from lowered aerodynamic properties when pelage and wing membranes catch moisture. Therefore, we predicted that wet bats face higher flight costs than dry ones. We quantified the flight metabolism in three treatments: dry bats, wet bats and no rain, wet bats and rain. Dry bats showed metabolic rates predicted by allometry. However, flight metabolism increased twofold when bats were wet, or when they were additionally exposed to rain. We conclude that bats may not avoid rain only because of sensory constraints imposed by raindrops on echolocation, but also because of energetic constraints

Study of the Nature and Location of Silver in Ag-Exchanged Mordenite Catalysts. Characterization by Spectroscopic Techniques

 Catalysts based on Na-mordenite (symbolized as M) exchanged with 5, 10, and 15 wt % of Ag were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), extended X-ray absorption fine line structure (EXAFS), X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) to investigate the effect of different treatments on the chemical state and surface concentration of the silver species. The AgxM catalysts were analyzed in oxidizing (O2) or reducing (H2/Ar) atmospheres and also after being used in the selective catalytic reduction of NOx or in successive cycles of toluene adsorption/desorption. In calcined samples, EXAFS profiles showed two types of AgO spheres of coordination, one due to a dispersed phase of silver oxide and the other due to Ag+ ions in interaction with the oxygen of the zeolite framework. The UV-vis DRS spectra showed the coexistence of isolated Ag+, Agn(delta)+ (n < 10) cationic clusters and AgxO particles. In addition, through the modified Auger parameter (alpha), calculated from XPS measurements, it was possible to identify Ag+ ions at exchange sites (alpha = 722 eV) and AgxO ( alpha = 725 eV) highly dispersed on the surface. Both species constitute stable active centers for the selective catalytic reduction of NOx under severe reaction conditions. However, during the adsorption-desorption of toluene, the reduction of silver oxides produces Ag(0) due to thermal hydrocarbon decomposition.   Fil: Aspromonte, Soledad Guadalupe. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Santa Fe. Instituto de Investigaciones En Catálisis y Petroquímica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Mizrahi, Martin Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico la Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Schneeberger, Florencia A.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Santa Fe. Instituto de Investigaciones En Catálisis y Petroquímica; ArgentinaFil: Ramallo Lopez, Jose Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico la Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Boix, Alicia Viviana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Santa Fe. Instituto de Investigaciones En Catálisis y Petroquímica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Litoral; Argentin

Patient Selection for Downstaging of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Prior to Liver Transplantation Adjusting the Odds?: Adjusting the Odds?

Background and Aims: Morphometric features such as the Milan criteria serve as standard criteria for liver transplantation (LT) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Since it has been recognized that these criteria are too restrictive and do not adequately display the tumor biology, additional selection parameters are emerging. Methods: Concise review of the current literature on patient selection for downstaging and LT for HCC outside the Milan criteria. Results: The major task in patients outside the Milan criteria is the need for higher granularity with patient selection, since the benefit through LT is not uniform. The recent literature clearly shows that beneath tumor size and number, additional selection parameters are useful in the process of patient selection for and during downstaging. For initial patient selection, the alpha fetoprotein (AFP) level adds additional information to the size and number of HCC nodules concerning the chance of successful downstaging and LT. This effect is quantifiable using newer selection tools like the WE (West-Eastern) downstaging criteria or the Metroticket 2.0 criteria. Also an initial PET-scan and/or tumor biopsy can be helpful, especially in the high risk group of patients outside the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) criteria. After this entry selection, the clinical course during downstaging procedures concerning the tumor and the AFP response is of paramount importance and serves as an additional final selection tool Conclusion: Selection criteria for liver transplantation in HCC patients are becoming more and more sophisticated, but are still imperfect. The implementation of molecular knowledge will hopefully support a more specific risk prediction for HCC patients in the future, but do not provide a profound basis for clinical decision-making at present

Systemic sclerosis without antinuclear antibodies or Raynaud's phenomenon: a multicentre study in the prospective EULAR Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR) database

Objective. To assess patients with SSc who present without circulating ANAs or RP. Methods. Five thousand three hundred and ninety patients who fulfilled the ACR criteria for SSc and were enrolled in the EULAR Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR) database were screened for the absence of both RP and circulating ANA. To differentiate SSc from its mimics, additional information was gathered using a standardized questionnaire. Results. Five thousand three hundred and seventy-eight (99.8%) of the 5390 SSc patients in the EUSTAR database had either detectable ANA or a history of RP. Twelve (0.2%) patients lacked both circulating ANA and RP. Details of the medical history could be obtained for seven patients. Three cases were compatible with ANA-negative and RP-negative SSc and were not typical of any known SSc mimic. Four patients had a malignancy: two had breast cancer, one had multiple myeloma with possible scleromyxoedema and one had bladder carcinoma. There was no temporal relationship between the onset of skin fibrosis and that of the tumour. Although no patient with confirmed nephrogenic systemic fibrosis was identified among the cases of ANA-negative and RP-negative SSc, the presentation of one patient could be compatible with that of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis other than for the absence of chronic kidney disease or of known prior gadolinium exposure. Conclusion. We have identified a very small subgroup of SSc patients who lack both circulating ANA and RP, none of whom fulfils the diagnostic criteria for any known SSc mimic. Prospective studies are needed to elucidate the clinical presentation, evolution and outcome of such patient

Correlation of Different Serum Biomarkers with Prediction of Early Pancreatic Graft Dysfunction Following Simultaneous Pancreas and Kidney Transplantation

Background: Despite recent advances and refinements in perioperative management of simultaneous pancreas–kidney transplantation (SPKT) early pancreatic graft dysfunction (ePGD) remains a critical problem with serious impairment of early and long-term graft function and outcome. Hence, we evaluated a panel of classical blood serum markers for their value in predicting early graft dysfunction in patients undergoing SPKT. Methods: From a prospectively collected database medical data of 105 patients undergoing SPKT between 1998 and 2018 at our center were retrospectively analyzed. The primary study outcome was the detection of occurrence of early pancreatic graft dysfunction (ePGD), the secondary study outcome was early renal graft dysfunction (eRGD) as well as all other outcome parameters associated with the graft function. In this context, ePGD was defined as pancreas graft-related complications including graft pancreatitis, pancreatic abscess/peritonitis, delayed graft function, graft thrombosis, bleeding, rejection and the consecutive need for re-laparotomy due to graft-related complications within 3 months. With regard to analyzing ePGD, serum levels of white blood cell count (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), pancreatic lipase as well as neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were measured preoperatively and at postoperative days (POD) 1, 2, 3 and 5. Further, peak serum levels of CRP and lipase during the first 72 h were evaluated. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were performed to assess their predictive value for ePGD and eRGD. Cut-off levels were calculated with the Youden index. Significant diagnostic biochemical cut-offs as well as other prognostic clinical factors were tested in a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: Of the 105 patients included, 43 patients (41%) and 28 patients (27%) developed ePGD and eRGD following SPKT, respectively. The mean WBC, PCT, NLR, PLR, CRP and lipase levels were significantly higher on most PODs in the ePGD group compared to the non-ePGD group. ROC analysis indicated that peak lipase (AUC: 0.82) and peak CRP levels (AUC: 0.89) were highly predictive for ePGD after SPKT. The combination of both achieved the highest AUC (0.92; p 150 IU/L (OR 2.9 (95% CI: 1.2–7.13), p = 0.021) and CRP levels of ≥ 180 ng/mL on POD 2 (OR 3.6 (95% CI: 1.54–8.34), p 150 ng/mL on POD 3 (OR 4.5 (95% CI: 1.7–11.4), p < 0.01) were revealed as independent biochemical predictive variables for ePGD after transplantation. Conclusions: In the current study, the combination of peak lipase and CRP levels were highly effective in predicting early pancreatic graft dysfunction development following SPKT. In contrast, for early renal graft dysfunction the predictive value of this parameter was less sensitive. Intensified monitoring of these parameters may be helpful for identifying patients at a higher risk of pancreatic ischemia reperfusion injury and various IRI- associated postoperative complications leading to ePGD and thus deteriorated outcome

LOCAS – A Low Coverage Assembly Tool for Resequencing Projects

Motivation: Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) is a frequently applied approach to detect sequence variations between highly related genomes. Recent large-scale re-sequencing studies as the Human 1000 Genomes Project utilize NGS data of low coverage to afford sequencing of hundreds of individuals. Here, SNPs and micro-indels can be detected by applying an alignment-consensus approach. However, computational methods capable of discovering other variations such as novel insertions or highly diverged sequence from low coverage NGS data are still lacking. Results: We present LOCAS, a new NGS assembler particularly designed for low coverage assembly of eukaryotic genomes using a mismatch sensitive overlap-layout-consensus approach. LOCAS assembles homologous regions in a homologyguided manner while it performs de novo assemblies of insertions and highly polymorphic target regions subsequently to an alignment-consensus approach. LOCAS has been evaluated in homology-guided assembly scenarios with low sequence coverage of Arabidopsis thaliana strains sequenced as part of the Arabidopsis 1001 Genomes Project. While assembling the same amount of long insertions as state-of-the-art NGS assemblers, LOCAS showed best results regarding contig size, error rate and runtime. Conclusion: LOCAS produces excellent results for homology-guided assembly of eukaryotic genomes with short reads and low sequencing depth, and therefore appears to be the assembly tool of choice for the detection of novel sequenc

A collection of INDEL markers for map-based cloning in seven Arabidopsis accessions

The availability of a comprehensive set of resources including an entire annotated reference genome, sequenced alternative accessions, and a multitude of marker systems makes Arabidopsis thaliana an ideal platform for genetic mapping. PCR markers based on INsertions/DELetions (INDELs) are currently the most frequently used polymorphisms. For the most commonly used mapping combination, Columbia×Landsberg erecta (Col-0×Ler-0), the Cereon polymorphism database is a valuable resource for the generation of polymorphic markers. However, because the number of markers available in public databases for accessions other than Col-0 and Ler-0 is extremely low, mapping using other accessions is far from straightforward. This issue arose while cloning mutations in the Wassilewskija (Ws-4) background. In this work, approaches are described for marker generation in Ws-4 x Col-0. Complementary strategies were employed to generate 229 INDEL markers. Firstly, existing Col-0/Ler-0 Cereon predicted polymorphisms were mined for transferability to Ws-4. Secondly, Ws-0 ecotype Illumina sequence data were analyzed to identify INDELs that could be used for the development of PCR-based markers for Col-0 and Ws-4. Finally, shotgun sequencing allowed the identification of INDELs directly between Col-0 and Ws-4. The polymorphism of the 229 markers was assessed in seven widely used Arabidopsis accessions, and PCR markers that allow a clear distinction between the diverged Ws-0 and Ws-4 accessions are detailed. The utility of the markers was demonstrated by mapping more than 35 mutations in a Col-0×Ws-4 combination, an example of which is presented here. The potential contribution of next generation sequencing technologies to more traditional map-based cloning is discussed

Neuroprotective tissue adaptation induced by IL-12 attenuates CNS inflammation

IL-12 is a well-established driver of type 1 immune responses. Paradoxically, in several autoimmune conditions including neuroinflammation, IL-12 reduces pathology and exhibits regulatory properties. Yet, the mechanism and the involved cellular players behind this immune regulation remain elusive. To identify the IL-12-responsive elements which prevent immunopathology, we generated mouse models lacking a functional IL-12 receptor either in all cells or in specific populations within the immune or central nervous system (CNS) compartments, and induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), which models human Multiple Sclerosis (MS). This revealed that the CNS tissue-protective features of IL-12 are mediated by cells of the neuroectoderm, and not immune cells. Importantly, sections of brain from patients with MS show comparable patterns of expression, indicating parallel mechanisms in humans. By combining spectral flow cytometry, bulk and single-nucleus RNA sequencing, we uncovered an IL-12-induced neuroprotective adaption of the neuroectoderm critically involved in maintaining CNS tissue integrity during inflammation

ELBARA II, an L-Band Radiometer System for Soil Moisture Research

L-band (1–2 GHz) microwave radiometry is a remote sensing technique that can be used to monitor soil moisture, and is deployed in the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) Mission of the European Space Agency (ESA). Performing ground-based radiometer campaigns before launch, during the commissioning phase and during the operative SMOS mission is important for validating the satellite data and for the further improvement of the radiative transfer models used in the soil-moisture retrieval algorithms. To address these needs, three identical L-band radiometer systems were ordered by ESA. They rely on the proven architecture of the ETH L-Band radiometer for soil moisture research (ELBARA) with major improvements in the microwave electronics, the internal calibration sources, the data acquisition, the user interface, and the mechanics. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design of the instruments and the main characteristics that are relevant for the user