Visualization of coral host--pathogen interactions using a stable GFP-labeled Vibrio coralliilyticus strain

The bacterium Vibrio coralliilyticus has been implicated as the causative agent of coral tissue loss diseases (collectively known as white syndromes) at sites across the Indo-Pacific and represents an emerging model pathogen for understanding the mechanisms linking bacterial infection and coral disease. In this study, we used a mini-Tn7 transposon delivery system to chromosomally label a strain of V. coralliilyticus isolated from a white syndrome disease lesion with a green fluorescent protein gene (GFP). We then tested the utility of this modified strain as a research tool for studies of coral host–pathogen interactions. A suite of biochemical assays and experimental infection trials in a range of model organisms confirmed that insertion of the GFP gene did not interfere with the labeled strain’s virulence. Using epifluorescence video microscopy, the GFP-labeled strain could be reliably distinguished from non-labeled bacteria present in the coral holobiont, and the pathogen’s interactions with the coral host could be visualized in real time. This study demonstrates that chromosomal GFP labeling is a useful technique for visualization and tracking of coral pathogens and provides a novel tool to investigate the role of V. coralliilyticus in coral disease pathogenesis.Human Frontier Science Program (Strasbourg, France) (No. RGY0089RS

A search for edge-on galaxy lenses in the CFHT Legacy Survey

[ABRIDGED] The new generation of wide field optical imaging like the Canada France Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey (CFHTLS) enables discoveries of all types of gravitational lenses present in the sky. The Strong Lensing Legacy Survey (SL2S) project has started an inventory, respectively for clusters or groups of galaxies lenses, and for Einstein rings around distant massive ellipticals. Here we attempt to extend this inventory by finding lensing events produced by massive edge-on disk galaxies which remains a poorly documented class of lenses. We implement and test an automated search procedure of edge-on galaxy lenses in the CFHTLS Wide fields with magnitude 18Comment: several major edits, 8 pages, A&A accepte

The mass distribution of a moderate redshift galaxy group and brightest group galaxy from gravitational lensing and kinematics

The gravitational lens system CLASS B2108+213 has two radio-loud lensed images separated by 4.56 arcsec. The relatively large image separation implies that the lensing is caused by a group of galaxies. In this paper, new optical imaging and spectroscopic data for the lensing galaxies of B2108+213 and the surrounding field galaxies are presented. These data are used to investigate the mass and composition of the lensing structure. The redshift and stellar velocity dispersion of the main lensing galaxy (G1) are found to be z = 0.3648 +/- 0.0002 and sigma_v = 325 +/- 25 km/s, respectively. The optical spectrum of the lensed quasar shows no obvious emission or absorption features and is consistent with a BL Lac type radio source. However, the tentative detection of the G-band and Mg-b absorption lines, and a break in the spectrum of the host galaxy of the lensed quasar gives a likely source redshift of z = 0.67. Spectroscopy of the field around B2108+213 finds 51 galaxies at a similar redshift to G1, thus confirming that there is a much larger structure at z ~ 0.365 associated with this system. The width of the group velocity distribution is 694 +/- 93 km/s, but is non-Gaussian, implying that the structure is not yet viralized. The main lensing galaxy is also the brightest group member and has a surface brightness profile consistent with a typical cD galaxy. A lensing and dynamics analysis of the mass distribution, which also includes the newly found group members, finds that the logarithmic slope of the mass density profile is on average isothermal inside the Einstein radius, but steeper at the location of the Einstein radius. This apparent change in slope can be accounted for if an external convergence gradient, representing the underlying parent halo of the galaxy group, is included in the mass model.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures, 5 tables, accepted for publication in MNRA

Search for Kaluza-Klein Graviton Emission in ppˉp\bar{p} Collisions at s=1.8\sqrt{s}=1.8 TeV using the Missing Energy Signature

We report on a search for direct Kaluza-Klein graviton production in a data sample of 84 ${pb}^{-1}$ of \ppb collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 1.8 TeV, recorded by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. We investigate the final state of large missing transverse energy and one or two high energy jets. We compare the data with the predictions from a $3+1+n$-dimensional Kaluza-Klein scenario in which gravity becomes strong at the TeV scale. At 95% confidence level (C.L.) for $n$=2, 4, and 6 we exclude an effective Planck scale below 1.0, 0.77, and 0.71 TeV, respectively.Comment: Submitted to PRL, 7 pages 4 figures/Revision includes 5 figure

Measurement of the average time-integrated mixing probability of b-flavored hadrons produced at the Tevatron

We have measured the number of like-sign (LS) and opposite-sign (OS) lepton pairs arising from double semileptonic decays of $b$ and $\bar{b}$-hadrons, pair-produced at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. The data samples were collected with the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) during the 1992-1995 collider run by triggering on the existence of $\mu \mu$ and $e \mu$ candidates in an event. The observed ratio of LS to OS dileptons leads to a measurement of the average time-integrated mixing probability of all produced $b$-flavored hadrons which decay weakly, $\bar{\chi} = 0.152 \pm 0.007$ (stat.) $\pm 0.011$ (syst.), that is significantly larger than the world average $\bar{\chi} = 0.118 \pm 0.005$.Comment: 47 pages, 10 figures, 15 tables Submitted to Phys. Rev.

On the vegetation of Mosor

Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird ein Überblick über die Vegetation des Mosor-Gebirges, die sämtlich zu der mediterranen Region gehört, gegeben. Dies hängt von den klimatischen Verhältnissen bzw. von der geographischen Lage des Mosor-Gebirges, das gänzlich im Hintergrund des zentralen Teiles des mittleren immergrünen Gebietes Kroatiens verläuft, ab. Gewisse Pflanzengesellschaften und einige Pflanzenarten befinden sich hier auf der Nordwest- bzw. Südgrenze ihres Verbreitungsgebietes.Mosor se s obzirom na svoj fitogeografski položaj odlikuje nekim specifičnostima u biljnom pokrovu. Iako ima visinu od 1340 m/nm, vegetacija na Mosoru pripada u cijelosti mediteranskoj regiji. Šumska zajednica Carpinetum orientalis adriaticum zauzima ondje položaje od 400 do 900 m/nm, a zajednica Seslerio-Ostryetum od 900 m/nm naviše. Na obroncima Mosora zajednica Andropogoni-Diplachnetum serotinae dosiže, koliko je dosad poznato, najjužniju granicu svoje raširenosti. S druge strane, zajednica Erico-Cistetum cretici i Brachypodio-Trifolietum stellati imaju, prema dosadašnjim istraživanjima, na području Mosora i široj okolici Splita svoju sjevernu granicu raširenosti. Isto tako, po podacima iz literature, zajednica Campanulo-Moltkietum petraeae ima na Mosoru (uz Kozjak i Dinaru) svoju sjeverozapadnu granicu. Inače biljni pokrov Mosora, iako jako utjecajan, odlikuje se gotovo svim najznačajnijim tipovima vegetacije mediteranske regije.The papeir gives a short survey of the vegetational cover of Mosor, starting from climatozonal vegetation to the various stages of its degradation. In respect to its phytogeographic position, the mountain of Mosor has certain specific features in its vegetational cover. Although the mountain is 1340 m high, the vegetation of Mosor belongs entirely to the Mediterranean region. The forest community Carpinetum orientalis adriaticum is situated here at places between 400 to 900 m above sea, and the community Seslerio-Ostryetum from 900 m upwards. On the slopes of Mosor, the community Andropogoni-Diplachnetum reaches, as far as it is known today, the southernmost border of its distribution. On the other hand, the communities Erico-Cistetum cretici and Brachypodio-Trijolietum stellati reach, according to current investigations, their northern border in the area of Mosor and the wider surroundings of Split. Also, according to the literature, the community Campanulo-Moltkietum petraeae has its north-western border at Mosor (together with Kozjak and Dinara mts). Otherwise the vegetational cover of Mosor, although of great influence, is characterized by all the most significant types of the vegetation of the Mediterranean region

Imagined gait modulates neuronal network dynamics in the human pedunculopontine nucleus

The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is a part of the mesencephalic locomotor region and is thought to be important for the initiation and maintenance of gait. Lesions of the PPN induce gait deficits, and the PPN has therefore emerged as a target for deep brain stimulation for the control of gait and postural disability. However, the role of the PPN in gait control is not understood. Using extracellular single-unit recordings in awake patients, we found that neurons in the PPN discharged as synchronous functional networks whose activity was phase locked to alpha oscillations. Neurons in the PPN responded to limb movement and imagined gait by dynamically changing network activity and decreasing alpha phase locking. Our results indicate that different synchronous networks are activated during initial motor planning and actual motion, and suggest that changes in gait initiation in Parkinson's disease may result from disrupted network activity in the PPN

Penilaian Kinerja Keuangan Koperasi di Kabupaten Pelalawan

This paper describe development and financial performance of cooperative in District Pelalawan among 2007 - 2008. Studies on primary and secondary cooperative in 12 sub-districts. Method in this stady use performance measuring of productivity, efficiency, growth, liquidity, and solvability of cooperative. Productivity of cooperative in Pelalawan was highly but efficiency still low. Profit and income were highly, even liquidity of cooperative very high, and solvability was good