The Conserved Dcw Gene Cluster of R. sphaeroides Is Preceded by an Uncommonly Extended 5’ Leader Featuring the sRNA UpsM

Cell division and cell wall synthesis mechanisms are similarly conserved among bacteria. Consequently some bacterial species have comparable sets of genes organized in the dcw (division and cell wall) gene cluster. Dcw genes, their regulation and their relative order within the cluster are outstandingly conserved among rod shaped and gram negative bacteria to ensure an efficient coordination of growth and division. A well studied representative is the dcw gene cluster of E. coli. The first promoter of the gene cluster (mraZ1p) gives rise to polycistronic transcripts containing a 38 nt long 5’ UTR followed by the first gene mraZ. Despite reported conservation we present evidence for a much longer 5’ UTR in the gram negative and rod shaped bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides and in the family of Rhodobacteraceae. This extended 268 nt long 5’ UTR comprises a Rho independent terminator, which in case of termination gives rise to a non-coding RNA (UpsM). This sRNA is conditionally cleaved by RNase E under stress conditions in an Hfq- and very likely target mRNA-dependent manner, implying its function in trans. These results raise the question for the regulatory function of this extended 5’ UTR. It might represent the rarely described case of a trans acting sRNA derived from a riboswitch with exclusive presence in the family of Rhodobacteraceae

Response-based methods to measure road surface irregularity: a state-of-the-art review

"jats:sec" "jats:title"Purpose"/jats:title" "jats:p"With the development of smart technologies, Internet of Things and inexpensive onboard sensors, many response-based methods to evaluate road surface conditions have emerged in the recent decade. Various techniques and systems have been developed to measure road profiles and detect road anomalies for multiple purposes such as expedient maintenance of pavements and adaptive control of vehicle dynamics to improve ride comfort and ride handling. A holistic review of studies into modern response-based techniques for road pavement applications is found to be lacking. Herein, the focus of this article is threefold: to provide an overview of the state-of-the-art response-based methods, to highlight key differences between methods and thereby to propose key focus areas for future research."/jats:p" "/jats:sec" "jats:sec" "jats:title"Methods"/jats:title" "jats:p"Available articles regarding response-based methods to measure road surface condition were collected mainly from “Scopus” database and partially from “Google Scholar”. The search period is limited to the recent 15 years. Among the 130 reviewed documents, 37% are for road profile reconstruction, 39% for pothole detection and the remaining 24% for roughness index estimation."/jats:p" "/jats:sec" "jats:sec" "jats:title"Results"/jats:title" "jats:p"The results show that machine-learning techniques/data-driven methods have been used intensively with promising results but the disadvantages on data dependence have limited its application in some instances as compared to analytical/data processing methods. Recent algorithms to reconstruct/estimate road profiles are based mainly on passive suspension and quarter-vehicle-model, utilise fewer key parameters, being independent on speed variation and less computation for real-time/online applications. On the other hand, algorithms for pothole detection and road roughness index estimation are increasingly focusing on GPS accuracy, data aggregation and crowdsourcing platform for large-scale application. However, a novel and comprehensive system that is comparable to existing International Roughness Index and conventional Pavement Management System is still lacking."/jats:p" "/jats:sec Document type: Articl

Dikvarkovi kao efektivne čestice u tvrdom ekskluzivnom raspršenju

In the context of hard hadronic reactions, diquarks are a useful phenomenological device to model non-perturbative effects still observable in the kinematic range accessible by present-day experiments. In the following, we present diquark-model predictions for γγ → p¯p and ΛΛ. We also sketch how the (pure quark) hard-scattering formalism for exclusive reactions involving baryons can be reformulated in terms of quarks and diquarks. As an application of these considerations, we analyze the magnetic proton form factor with regard to its quark-diquark content.Dikvarkovi su pogodna fenomenološka zamisao u razmatranju tvrdih hadronskih reakcija za modeliranje neperturbativnih efekata koji se opažaju u današnjim mjerenjima dostupnom kinematičkom području. Prikazuju se predviđanja dikvarkovskog modela za γγ → pp¯ i ΛΛ. Opisuje se kako se formalizam (čisto kvarkovskog) tvrdog raspršenja koja uključuju barione može prikazati pomoću kvarkova i dikvarkova. U primjeni tih razmatranja analizira se magnetski faktor oblika protona za sadržaj kvarkova i dikvarkova u protonu

Dikvarkovi kao efektivne čestice u tvrdom ekskluzivnom raspršenju

In the context of hard hadronic reactions, diquarks are a useful phenomenological device to model non-perturbative effects still observable in the kinematic range accessible by present-day experiments. In the following, we present diquark-model predictions for γγ → p¯p and ΛΛ. We also sketch how the (pure quark) hard-scattering formalism for exclusive reactions involving baryons can be reformulated in terms of quarks and diquarks. As an application of these considerations, we analyze the magnetic proton form factor with regard to its quark-diquark content.Dikvarkovi su pogodna fenomenološka zamisao u razmatranju tvrdih hadronskih reakcija za modeliranje neperturbativnih efekata koji se opažaju u današnjim mjerenjima dostupnom kinematičkom području. Prikazuju se predviđanja dikvarkovskog modela za γγ → pp¯ i ΛΛ. Opisuje se kako se formalizam (čisto kvarkovskog) tvrdog raspršenja koja uključuju barione može prikazati pomoću kvarkova i dikvarkova. U primjeni tih razmatranja analizira se magnetski faktor oblika protona za sadržaj kvarkova i dikvarkova u protonu

Cross regulation of intercellular gap junction communication and paracrine signaling pathways during organogenesis in Drosophila

AbstractThe spatial and temporal coordination of patterning and morphogenesis is often achieved by paracrine morphogen signals or by the direct coupling of cells via gap junctions. How paracrine signals and gap junction communication cooperate to control the coordinated behavior of cells and tissues is mostly unknown. We found that hedgehog signaling is required for the expression of wingless and of Delta/Notch target genes in a single row of boundary cells in the foregut-associated proventriculus organ of the Drosophila embryo. These cells coordinate the movement and folding of proventricular cells to generate a multilayered organ. hedgehog and wingless regulate gap junction communication by transcriptionally activating the innexin2 gene, which encodes a member of the innexin family of gap junction proteins. In innexin2 mutants, gap junction-mediated cell-to-cell communication is strongly reduced and the proventricular cell layers fail to fold and invaginate, similarly as in hedgehog or wingless mutants. We further found that innexin2 is required in a feedback loop for the transcriptional activation of the hedgehog and wingless morphogens and of Delta in the proventriculus primordium. We propose that the transcriptional cross regulation of paracrine and gap junction-mediated signaling is essential for organogenesis in Drosophila

Trans-fatty acid blood levels of industrial but not natural origin are associated with cardiovascular risk factors in patients with HFpEF: a secondary analysis of the Aldo-DHF trial

BACKGROUND Industrially processed trans-fatty acids (IP-TFA) have been linked to altered lipoprotein metabolism, inflammation and increased NT-proBNP. In patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), associations of TFA blood levels with patient characteristics are unknown. METHODS This is a secondary analysis of the Aldo-DHF-RCT. From 422 patients, individual blood TFA were analyzed at baseline in n = 404 using the HS-Omega-3-Index$^{®}$ methodology. Patient characteristics were: 67 ± 8 years, 53% female, NYHA II/III (87/13%), ejection fraction ≥ 50%, E/e' 7.1 ± 1.5; NT-proBNP 158 ng/L (IQR 82-298). A principal component analysis was conducted but not used for further analysis as cumulative variance for the first two PCs was low. Spearman's correlation coefficients as well as linear regression analyses, using sex and age as covariates, were used to describe associations of whole blood TFA with metabolic phenotype, functional capacity, echocardiographic markers for LVDF and neurohumoral activation at baseline and after 12 months. RESULTS Blood levels of the naturally occurring TFA C16:1n-7t were inversely associated with dyslipidemia, body mass index/truncal adiposity, surrogate markers for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and inflammation at baseline/12 months. Conversely, IP-TFA C18:1n9t, C18:2n6tt and C18:2n6tc were positively associated with dyslipidemia and isomer C18:2n6ct with dysglycemia. C18:2n6tt and C18:2n6ct were inversely associated with submaximal aerobic capacity at baseline/12 months. No significant association was found between TFA and cardiac function. CONCLUSIONS In HFpEF patients, higher blood levels of IP-TFA, but not naturally occurring TFA, were associated with dyslipidemia, dysglycemia and lower functional capacity. Blood TFAs, in particular C16:1n-7t, warrant further investigation as prognostic markers in HFpEF. Higher blood levels of industrially processed TFA, but not of the naturally occurring TFA C16:1n-7t, are associated with a higher risk cardiometabolic phenotype and prognostic of lower aerobic capacity in patients with HFpEF

Lebensbedingungen und Lebensstile von Auszubildenden: Ergebnisse der Leipziger Berufsschulbefragung 2000

"Der Bericht stellt Ergebnisse der Leipziger BerufsschülerInnenbefragung 2000 dar. Insgesamt 677 SchülerInnen im Berufsvorbereitungsjahr, in schulischer oder insbesondere in dualer Ausbildung wurden Ende 2000 in schriftlichen Klassenzimmerinterviews befragt. Hinsichtlich der einzelnen Lehrberufe fällt eine ausgeprägte klassische Geschlechterverteilung in vielen Berufsgruppen auf. In der dualen und schulischen Ausbildung stehen KandidatInnen mit einer relativ hohen schulischen Vorbildung - insbesondere der AbiturientInnenanteil ist beachtlich. Bei der Ausbildungswahl konnten die Befragten weitgehend ihre Interessen umsetzen - mit deutlicher Ausnahme der BVJ-TeilnehmerInnen. Letztere zeigen neben einem geringen Selbstwert auch geringere Zufriedenheitswerte in Bezug auf die Ausbildung auf. Insgesamt gesehen sind die Befragten mit der schulischen Seite ihrer Ausbildung recht zufrieden. Allenfalls an der Didaktik der Lehrkräfte manifestiert sich Kritik. Die berufliche Seite ihrer Ausbildung ruft bei den SchülerInnen unterschiedliche Reaktionen hervor. So gibt es Lob für die betriebliche Tätigkeit, etwas mehr Zurückhaltung bei den Zukunftschancen und doch etwas Kritik bei der Bezahlung. Die Zukunftserwartungen sorgen bei der Mehrzahl der Befragten ohnehin für gemischte Gefühle. Wer allerdings bei der Ausbildungswahl eher seine Interessen umsetzen konnte blickt auch optimistischer in die Zukunft. Die Demokratie als Staatsform wird fast uneingeschränkt akzeptiert, doch das politische Interesse der BerufsschülerInnen hält sich in Grenzen, und die politischen Repräsentanten werden kritisch gesehen. Als vordringliche politische Aufgaben werden insbesondere die Schaffung von Arbeits- und Ausbildungsplätzen sowie die Rentensicherung betont. Hinsichtlich der persönlichen Lebensgestaltung nehmen Freunde, Eltern und Geschwister weiterhin eine Vorrangstellung ein. Bei den Freizeitaktivitäten stehen Musikhören, Faulenzen, Parties, Kino, Disco und Fernsehen ganz oben. Klassische kulturelle Aktivitäten sind kaum gefragt. Bei der Freizeitgestaltung offenbaren sich abermals deutliche Geschlechtsunterschiede klassischen Musters. Geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede zeigen sich auch beim Suchtmittelkonsum. Rauchen, Alkohol und Haschisch spielt für zahlreiche Befragte eine nicht zu unterschätzende Rolle. Im Vergleich zu einer in Nürnberg durchgeführten Befragung zeigen sich zahlreiche Übereinstimmungen, aber auch einige Unterschiede. So sind die Leipziger Befragten tendenziell motivierter, zufriedener mit ihrer Ausbildung, zuversichtlicher hinsichtlich ihrer Zukunftserwartungen. Das politische Interesse fällt allerdings geringer und die Beurteilung der Demokratie nüchterner aus als bei den Nürnberger BerufsschülerInnen." (Textauszug

Influence of Canopy Disturbances on Runoff and Landslide Disposition after Heavy Rainfall Events

As protective forests have a major control function on runoff and erosion, they directly affect the risk from hydrogeomorphic processes such as sediment transport processes or debris flows. In this context, future scenarios of climate-related canopy disturbances and their influence on the protective effect remain, however, an unsolved problem. With the individual-based forest landscape and disturbance model iLand, an ensemble of forest landscape simulations was carried out and the effects of future changes in natural disturbance regimes were evaluated. To determine peak runoff, hydrological simulations have been conducted, using the conceptual hydrological model ZEMOKOST as well as the deterministic model GEOtop. Effects of forest disturbances on hillslope stability were investigated, based on a modified Coulomb landslide model. Our results suggest no influence of the disturbance regime on the runoff. The climate-related increase in the frequency of disturbances is not reflected in increased runoff during the period under consideration. Contrary, slope stability analyses indicate that the availability of shallow landslides in steep forested torrent catchments might be decreased by the occurrence of disturbances – especially for a warm and dry climate projection. Canopy disturbances seem to accelerate the adaptation of tree species to future climate conditions, which is likely to be accompanied by a change in root systems away from flat roots that currently predominate in torrential catchments. In terms of managing the protective effect of forests against shallow landslides, such natural disturbances can thus be considered as positive interventions in the existing forest ecosystem by promoting natural succession