Weed problems in various tillage systems in the Nordic countries

There is an increasing use of various forms of reduced tillage or no-tillage in the Nordic countries. This will favour the growth of grass weed species and perennial species. Perennial creeping weeds like Elymus repens, Cirsium arvense, and Sonchus arvensis are important in all Nordic countries. Stationary weeds such as Taraxacum spp., Artemisia vulgaris and volunteer grassland species increase in areas with reduced tillage and especially no-tillage systems. Winter annual and biennial species such as Matricaria perforata, Poa annua, Alopecurus geniculatus and Stellaria media are frequently occuring weeds in reduced tillage systems in all countries, while Alopecurus myosuroides and Apera spica-venti are problems in Denmark and Southern parts of Sweden and Finland

Allelic loss at chromosome 13q12-q13 is associated with poor prognosis in familial and sporadic breast cancer.

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) was analysed in 84 primary tumours from sporadic, familial and hereditary breast cancer using five microsatellite markers spanning the chromosomal region 13q12-q13 which harbours the BRCA2 breast cancer susceptibility gene, and using one other marker located within the RBI tumour-suppressor gene at 13q14. LOH at the BRCA2 region was found in 34% and at RBI in 27% of the tumours. Selective LOH at BRCA2 occurred in 7% of the tumours, whereas selective LOH at RBI was observed in another 7%. Moreover, a few tumours demonstrated a restricted deletion pattern, suggesting the presence of additional tumour-suppressor genes both proximal and distal of BRCA2. LOH at BRCA2 was significantly correlated to high S-phase values, low oestrogen and progesterone receptor content and DNA non-diploidy. LOH at BRCA2 was also associated, albeit non-significantly, with large tumour size and the ductal and medullar histological types. No correlation was found with lymph node status, patient age or a family history of breast cancer. A highly significant and independent correlation existed between LOH at BRCA2 and early recurrence and death. LOH at RBI was not associated with the above mentioned factors or prognosis. The present study does not provide conclusive evidence that BRCA2 is the sole target for deletions at 13q12-q13 in breast tumours. However, the results suggest that inactivation of one or several tumour-suppressor genes in the 13q12-q13 region confer a strong tumour growth potential and poor prognosis in both familial and sporadic breast cancer

Literature syntheses to inform marine ecosystem management: lessons learned from stakeholder participation

Systematic literature syntheses are a key element in the scientific realm, considering the steadily growing amount of available knowledge. Involving stakeholders in the research process brings a wide range of advantages, like broadening the perspectives on the problem in question, increasing the relevance of results for policy- and decision-making, the public and other end-users and thus enhancing the impact and acceptance of research. While participatory approaches are on the rise, reflections on stakeholder involvement in systematic syntheses on environmental management are scarce. We reflect on the process of involving stakeholders with expertise also from outside academia during three literature syntheses with different foci of marine and coastal ecosystem services in the Baltic Sea. Our analysis is based on notes, e-mails, minutes and recordings of internal project meetings, interviews and workshops involving both researchers and stakeholders. We discuss the challenges the participatory approach introduced and develop lessons learned to support the planning of stakeholder engagement for future literature syntheses. We conclude that stakeholder identification, communication, collaboration and knowledge translation are highly time- and resource-intensive processes. Furthermore, appropriate training and experience are necessary for the design, execution and evaluation of participatory methods tailored to each project stage. Therefore, we underline the importance of adequate consideration of the required resources during project planning and implementation. To encourage and support valuable stakeholder engagement and knowledge exchange between the research community and actors of policy and practice, more appreciation of such efforts by funding institutions and within the wider scientific community is needed

On the biological relevance of MHC class II and B7 expression by tumour cells in melanoma metastases

A large number of studies have indicated that specific immune reactivity plays a crucial role in the control of malignant melanoma. In this context, expression of MHC I, MHC II and B7 molecules by melanoma cells is seen as relevant for the immune response against the tumour. For a better understanding of the biological relevance of MHC II and B7 expression by tumour cells in metastatic melanoma, we studied the expression of these molecules in melanoma metastases in relation to the inflammatory response, regression of the tumour and survival from 27 patients treated with biochemotherapy (30 mg m−2 Cisplatin and 250 mg m−2 decarbazine (dimethyl-triazene-imidazole-carboxamide, DTIC) on days 1–3 i.v., and 107 IU IFN-α2b 3 days a week s.c., q. 28d). In 19 out of 27 lesions studied, we found expression of MHC II by the tumour cells, while only in one out of 11 tumour biopsies obtained from untreated metastatic melanoma patients, MHC II expression was detected. Expression of B7.1 and B7.2 by tumour cells was found in nine out of 24 and 19 out of 24 lesions, respectively. In all cases where B7.1 expression was found, expression of B7.2 by the tumour cells was also seen. In general, no or only few inflammatory cells positive for B7 were found. Expression of MHC II by tumour cells was positively correlated with the presence of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes, regression of the lesion, and with time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) of the patient. However, no significant correlation between B7.1 or B7.2 expression and regression of the tumour, TTP or OS was found. In light of other recent findings, these data altogether do support a role as biomarker for MHC II expression by tumour cells; however, its exact immunological pathomechanism(s) remain to be established

Розвиток творчої активності студентів-гітаристів через імпровізацію під час роботи над музичним твором

(uk) У статті розглядається питання розвитку творчої активності студентів-гітарістів. Надається обґрунтування того, що одним з ефективних засобів розвитку творчої активності студентів-гітарістів є високий рівень засвоєння прийомів імпровізації на заняттях з основного музичного інструменту. Наголошується, що розвиток творчого потенціалу в процесі музично-творчої діяльності студентів буде ефективним за умов здійснення педагогічного керівництва.(ru) В статье рассматривается вопрос развития творческой активности студентов-гитаристов. Предоставляется обоснование того, что одним из эффективных средств развития творческой активности студентов-гитаристов является высокий уровень усвоения приемов импровизации на занятиях основного музыкального инструмента. Отмечается, что развитие творческого потенциала в процессе музыкально-творческой деятельности студентов будет эффективным в условиях осуществления педагогического руководства.(en) This article deals with the development of the creative activity of students guitarists. The ground of being one of the most effective means of creative activity of students guitarists is a high level of mastering techniques of improvisation in the classroom with the main musical instrument. It is noted that the development of creativity in the process of musical and creative activities students will be effective on condition that educational leadership. ndependent work on a musical composition is a productive form of developing students creative musical thinking. In the work plan of the students must be enabled as works of high complexity and fragments or themes from the works that are very difficult to implement fully. The basic weight school repertoire is designed for self-study students

Dark Matter Constraints from a Joint Analysis of Dwarf Spheroidal Galaxy Observations with VERITAS

We present constraints on the annihilation cross section of WIMP dark matter based on the joint statistical analysis of four dwarf galaxies with VERITAS. These results are derived from an optimized photon weighting statistical technique that improves on standard imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope (IACT) analyses by utilizing the spectral and spatial properties of individual photon events. We report on the results of $\sim$230 hours of observations of five dwarf galaxies and the joint statistical analysis of four of the dwarf galaxies. We find no evidence of gamma-ray emission from any individual dwarf nor in the joint analysis. The derived upper limit on the dark matter annihilation cross section from the joint analysis is $1.35\times 10^{-23} {\mathrm{ cm^3s^{-1}}}$ at 1 TeV for the bottom quark ($b\bar{b}$) final state, $2.85\times 10^{-24}{\mathrm{ cm^3s^{-1}}}$ at 1 TeV for the tau lepton ($\tau^{+}\tau^{-}$) final state and $1.32\times 10^{-25}{\mathrm{ cm^3s^{-1}}}$ at 1 TeV for the gauge boson ($\gamma\gamma$) final state.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures, published in PRD, Ascii tables containing annihilation cross sections limits are available for download as ancillary files with readme.txt file description of limit

Calmodulin-like proteins localized to the conoid regulate motility and cell invasion by Toxoplasma gondii

Toxoplasma gondii contains an expanded number of calmodulin (CaM)-like proteins whose functions are poorly understood. Using a combination of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing and a plant-like auxin-induced degron (AID) system, we examined the roles of three apically localized CaMs. CaM1 and CaM2 were individually dispensable, but loss of both resulted in a synthetic lethal phenotype. CaM3 was refractory to deletion, suggesting it is essential. Consistent with this prediction auxin-induced degradation of CaM3 blocked growth. Phenotypic analysis revealed that all three CaMs contribute to parasite motility, invasion, and egress from host cells, and that they act downstream of microneme and rhoptry secretion. Super-resolution microscopy localized all three CaMs to the conoid where they overlap with myosin H (MyoH), a motor protein that is required for invasion. Biotinylation using BirA fusions with the CaMs labeled a number of apical proteins including MyoH and its light chain MLC7, suggesting they may interact. Consistent with this hypothesis, disruption of MyoH led to degradation of CaM3, or redistribution of CaM1 and CaM2. Collectively, our findings suggest these CaMs may interact with MyoH to control motility and cell invasion