Antibiotic-producing symbionts dynamically transition between plant pathogenicity and insect-defensive mutualism

Pathogenic and mutualistic bacteria associated with eukaryotic hosts often lack distinctive genomic features, suggesting regular transitions between these lifestyles. Here we present evidence supporting a dynamic transition from plant pathogenicity to insect-defensive mutualism in symbiotic Burkholderia gladioli bacteria. In a group of herbivorous beetles, these symbionts protect the vulnerable egg stage against detrimental microbes. The production of a blend of antibiotics by B. gladioli, including toxoflavin, caryoynencin and two new antimicrobial compounds, the macrolide lagriene and the isothiocyanate sinapigladioside, likely mediate this defensive role. In addition to vertical transmission, these insect symbionts can be exchanged via the host plant and retain the ability to initiate systemic plant infection at the expense of the plant’s fitness. Our findings provide a paradigm for the transition between pathogenic and mutualistic lifestyles and shed light on the evolution and chemical ecology of this defensive mutualism

Разработка технологии и проектирование участка сборки-сварки траверсы задней крепи механизированной МКЮ4У.56

Актуальность работы: в данной выпускной квалификационной работе производится проектирование участка сборки-сварки траверсы задней крепи механизированной МКЮ4У.56. Объектом исследования является процесс изготовления траверсы. Цели и задачи исследования (работы). В результате данной работы следует получить производство с наибольшей степенью механизации и автоматизации повышающей производительность труда. Работа представлена введением, пятью разделами (главами) и заключением, приведен список использованных источников.Relevance of the work: in the final qualifying work is done tooling design and site assembly welding traverses back lining mechanized MKY 4U.56. The object of research is the process of making the traverse. The aims and objectives of the study (work). As a result of this work should be obtained from producing the greatest degree of mechanization and automation increases productivity. The work provides an introduction, five sections (chapters) and conclusion, a list of sources used

Stereochemistry of phase-1 metabolites of mephedrone determines their effectiveness as releasers at the serotonin transporter

Mephedrone (4-methyl-N-methylcathinone) is a psychostimulant that promotes release of monoamines via the high affinity transporters for dopamine (DAT), norepinephrine (NET) and serotonin (SERT). Metabolic breakdown of mephedrone results in bioactive metabolites that act as substrate-type releasers at monoamine transporters and stereospecific metabolism of mephedrone has been reported. This study compared the effects of the enantiomers of the phase-1 metabolites nor-mephedrone, 4-hydroxytolyl-mephedrone (4-OH-mephedrone) and dihydro-mephedrone on (i) DAT, NET and SERT mediated substrate fluxes, (ii) determined their binding affinities towards a battery of monoamine receptors and (iii) examined the relative abundance of the enantiomers in human urine. Each of the enantiomers tested inhibited uptake mediated by DAT, NET and SERT. No marked differences were detected at DAT and NET. However, at SERT, the S-enantiomers of nor-mephedrone and 4-OH-mephedrone were several times more potent than the corresponding R-enantiomers. Moreover, the R-enantiomers were markedly less effective as releasers at SERT. S-nor-mephedrone displayed moderate affinities towards human alpha; 1A; , human 5-HT; 2A; and rat and mouse trace amine-associated receptor 1. These results demonstrate that stereochemistry dictates the pharmacodynamics of the phase-1 metabolites of mephedrone at SERT, but not at DAT and NET, which manifests in marked differences in their relative potencies, i.e. DAT/SERT ratios. Chiral analysis of urine samples demonstrated that nor-mephedrone predominantly exists as the S-enantiomer. Given the asymmetric abundance of the enantiomers in biological samples, these findings may add to our understanding of the subjective effects of administered mephedrone, which indicate pronounced effects on the serotonergic system

The 2020 skyrmionics roadmap

The notion of non-trivial topological winding in condensed matter systems represents a major area of present-day theoretical and experimental research. Magnetic materials offer a versatile platform that is particularly amenable for the exploration of topological spin solitons in real space such as skyrmions. First identified in non-centrosymmetric bulk materials, the rapidly growing zoology of materials systems hosting skyrmions and related topological spin solitons includes bulk compounds, surfaces, thin films, heterostructures, nano-wires and nano-dots. This underscores an exceptional potential for major breakthroughs ranging from fundamental questions to applications as driven by an interdisciplinary exchange of ideas between areas in magnetism which traditionally have been pursued rather independently. The skyrmionics Roadmap provides a review of the present state of the art and the wide range of research directions and strategies currently under way. These are, for instance, motivated by the identification of the fundamental structural properties of skyrmions and related textures, processes of nucleation and annihilation in the presence of non-trivial topological winding, an exceptionally efficient coupling to spin currents generating spin transfer torques at tiny current densities, as well as the capability to purpose-design broad-band spin dynamic and logic devices

Readout of a antiferromagnetic spintronics systems by strong exchange coupling of Mn2Au and Permalloy

In antiferromagnetic spintronics, the read-out of the staggered magnetization or Neel vector is the key obstacle to harnessing the ultra-fast dynamics and stability of antiferromagnets for novel devices. Here, we demonstrate strong exchange coupling of Mn2Au, a unique metallic antiferromagnet that exhibits Neel spin-orbit torques, with thin ferromagnetic Permalloy layers. This allows us to benefit from the well-estabished read-out methods of ferromagnets, while the essential advantages of antiferromagnetic spintronics are retained. We show one-to-one imprinting of the antiferromagnetic on the ferromagnetic domain pattern. Conversely, alignment of the Permalloy magnetization reorients the Mn2Au Neel vector, an effect, which can be restricted to large magnetic fields by tuning the ferromagnetic layer thickness. To understand the origin of the strong coupling, we carry out high resolution electron microscopy imaging and we find that our growth yields an interface with a well-defined morphology that leads to the strong exchange coupling.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

Osteoanabolic effect of alendronate and zoledronate on bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) isolated from aged female osteoporotic patients and its implications for their mode of action in the treatment of age-related bone loss

Summary: In the present study, we evaluated the potential for aminobisphosphonates to enhance the development of bone-forming osteoblasts from progenitor cells isolated from aged female osteoporotic patients. The aminobisphosphonates tested significantly enhanced osteoblast formation and thus lend further insights into their possible mode of action in the treatment of osteoporosis. Introduction: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of aminobisphosphonates on the osteogenesis of human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs) and mineralization of differentiating bone-forming cells isolated from osteoporotic patients. Methods: The influence of aminobisphosphonate treatment on hBMSC osteogenesis was assessed by the quantitative measurement of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, in addition to quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis of known osteogenic markers. Mineralized matrix formation by hBMSC-derived osteoblasts was visualized and quantified using Alizarin red staining. Results: hBMSC cultures treated with osteogenic medium supplemented with zoledronate demonstrated a significant increase in Alizarin red staining after 3weeks as compared to cells cultured in osteogenic medium alone. Similarly, cultures of differentiating hBMSCs isolated from patients receiving alendronate treatment also demonstrated an increased propensity for mineralization, even in the absence of further in vitro stimulation by zoledronate. The stimulatory effects of aminobisphosphonate treatment on hBMSC-derived osteoblast-mediated mineralization were independent of any alterations in ALP activity, although significant decreases in the expression levels of osteopontin (SPP1) were evident in hBMSCs following exposure to aminobisphosphonates. Further analysis including Western blotting and loss-of-function studies revealed osteopontin as having a negative influence on the mineralization of differentiating osteoporotic bone-forming cells. Conclusions: The results presented here demonstrate for the first time that aminobisphosphonate treatment of osteoporotic hBMSCs enhances their capacity for osteoblast formation and subsequent mineral deposition, thus supporting the concept of aminobisphosphonates as having an osteoanabolic effect in osteoporosis

Identifying Trends in Masterplanning: A Typological Classification System

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of the following article: Robert Adam, and Claire Jamieson, ‘Identifying trends in masterplanning: A typological classification system’, URBAN DESIGN International, Vol. 19 (4): 274-290, December 2014. The final publication is available at Springer via https://doi.org/10.1057/udi.2013.24.This article reports research carried out to develop a new typological method for the analysis of masterplans. This quantitative method of analysis can be used to produce comparative data that will help in the comparison of urban design typologies and their development over time. This article sets out the research to date, describing how the initial aims have developed from simple analysis to the creation of an analytical tool with wide applications. Comprising a detailed taxonomy of urban design features gathered from a wide database of recent and emerging masterplans, the system provides opportunities for further study such as trends, qualitative comparison against quantitative measurement, and comparison of aims and outcomes. This article will describe the methodology and process of research, while elaborating on the potential of the tool.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Oh Comrade, What Times those Were! History, Capital Punishment and the Urban Square.

From the perspective of traditional Western histories of the urban realm, public squares have been seen to represent a privileged site of urban containment expressive of a community's highest values of individual freedom, social inclusion and cultural refinement. But such views can be misleading. For what is omitted from the scope of these conventional historical visions and their ideal and conforming subjects of public spatial discourse, is an entire array of other and darker narratives that equally speak of personal choice, collective participation and cultural value. Capital punishment reflects such an example, a practice that once comprised an integral part of the political, social and cultural landscape of a Western city's squares and streets. Drawing from Michel Foucault's Discipline and Punish and its implications on how we might begin to re-read the history of the urban square, the following seeks to explore those practices and modes of rationality that underpinned the once public spectacle of executions and torture as a vital condition of urban life. In particular, this discussion will question the assumptions of an historical tradition that continues to reduce our understanding of the city and its open spaces of public appearance and action to an idealistic and illusory reality of the urban realm and its narrow framing of collective conduct, necessity and significance