| 1. |
- Aad, G., et al.
(author)
-
- 2016
-
In: Journal of High Energy Physics. - : Springer. - 1029-8479 .- 1126-6708. ; :1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)
|
|
| 2. |
- Aad, G., et al.
(author)
-
- 2016
-
In: Physical Review D. Particles and fields. - : American Physical Society. - 0556-2821 .- 1089-4918. ; 93:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)
|
|
| 3. |
- Aad, G., et al.
(author)
-
- 2015
-
In: Journal of High Energy Physics. - : Springer. - 1029-8479 .- 1126-6708. ; :12
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)
|
|
| 4. |
- Bouyoucef, S E, et al.
(author)
-
Poster Session 2 : Monday 4 May 2015, 08
- 2015
-
In: European Heart Journal Cardiovascular Imaging. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 2047-2404 .- 2047-2412. ; 16 Suppl 1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)
|
|
| 5. |
- Feroci, M., et al.
(author)
-
The large observatory for x-ray timing
- 2014
-
In: Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering. - : SPIE. - 9780819496126
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Large Observatory For x-ray Timing (LOFT) was studied within ESA M3 Cosmic Vision framework and participated in the final downselection for a launch slot in 2022-2024. Thanks to the unprecedented combination of effective area and spectral resolution of its main instrument, LOFT will study the behaviour of matter under extreme conditions, such as the strong gravitational field in the innermost regions of accretion flows close to black holes and neutron stars, and the supranuclear densities in the interior of neutron stars. The science payload is based on a Large Area Detector (LAD, 10 m2 effective area, 2-30 keV, 240 eV spectral resolution, 1° collimated field of view) and a Wide Field Monitor (WFM, 2-50 keV, 4 steradian field of view, 1 arcmin source location accuracy, 300 eV spectral resolution). The WFM is equipped with an on-board system for bright events (e.g. GRB) localization. The trigger time and position of these events are broadcast to the ground within 30 s from discovery. In this paper we present the status of the mission at the end of its Phase A study.
|
|
| 6. |
- Munk, P., et al.
(author)
-
Genomic analysis of sewage from 101 countries reveals global landscape of antimicrobial resistance
- 2022
-
In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 13:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major threat to global health. Understanding the emergence, evolution, and transmission of individual antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is essential to develop sustainable strategies combatting this threat. Here, we use metagenomic sequencing to analyse ARGs in 757 sewage samples from 243 cities in 101 countries, collected from 2016 to 2019. We find regional patterns in resistomes, and these differ between subsets corresponding to drug classes and are partly driven by taxonomic variation. The genetic environments of 49 common ARGs are highly diverse, with most common ARGs carried by multiple distinct genomic contexts globally and sometimes on plasmids. Analysis of flanking sequence revealed ARG-specific patterns of dispersal limitation and global transmission. Our data furthermore suggest certain geographies are more prone to transmission events and should receive additional attention.
|
|
| 7. |
- Hudson, Lawrence N, et al.
(author)
-
The database of the PREDICTS (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems) project
- 2017
-
In: Ecology and Evolution. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2045-7758. ; 7:1, s. 145-188
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The PREDICTS project-Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems (www.predicts.org.uk)-has collated from published studies a large, reasonably representative database of comparable samples of biodiversity from multiple sites that differ in the nature or intensity of human impacts relating to land use. We have used this evidence base to develop global and regional statistical models of how local biodiversity responds to these measures. We describe and make freely available this 2016 release of the database, containing more than 3.2 million records sampled at over 26,000 locations and representing over 47,000 species. We outline how the database can help in answering a range of questions in ecology and conservation biology. To our knowledge, this is the largest and most geographically and taxonomically representative database of spatial comparisons of biodiversity that has been collated to date; it will be useful to researchers and international efforts wishing to model and understand the global status of biodiversity.
|
|
| 8. |
- Wang, Haidong, et al.
(author)
-
Global, regional, and national life expectancy, all-cause mortality, and cause-specific mortality for 249 causes of death, 1980-2015 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015
- 2016
-
In: The Lancet. - 0140-6736 .- 1474-547X. ; 388:10053, s. 1459-1544
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Improving survival and extending the longevity of life for all populations requires timely, robust evidence on local mortality levels and trends. The Global Burden of Disease 2015 Study (GBD 2015) provides a comprehensive assessment of all-cause and cause-specific mortality for 249 causes in 195 countries and territories from 1980 to 2015. These results informed an in-depth investigation of observed and expected mortality patterns based on sociodemographic measures.METHODS: We estimated all-cause mortality by age, sex, geography, and year using an improved analytical approach originally developed for GBD 2013 and GBD 2010. Improvements included refinements to the estimation of child and adult mortality and corresponding uncertainty, parameter selection for under-5 mortality synthesis by spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression, and sibling history data processing. We also expanded the database of vital registration, survey, and census data to 14 294 geography-year datapoints. For GBD 2015, eight causes, including Ebola virus disease, were added to the previous GBD cause list for mortality. We used six modelling approaches to assess cause-specific mortality, with the Cause of Death Ensemble Model (CODEm) generating estimates for most causes. We used a series of novel analyses to systematically quantify the drivers of trends in mortality across geographies. First, we assessed observed and expected levels and trends of cause-specific mortality as they relate to the Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a summary indicator derived from measures of income per capita, educational attainment, and fertility. Second, we examined factors affecting total mortality patterns through a series of counterfactual scenarios, testing the magnitude by which population growth, population age structures, and epidemiological changes contributed to shifts in mortality. Finally, we attributed changes in life expectancy to changes in cause of death. We documented each step of the GBD 2015 estimation processes, as well as data sources, in accordance with Guidelines for Accurate and Transparent Health Estimates Reporting (GATHER).FINDINGS: Globally, life expectancy from birth increased from 61·7 years (95% uncertainty interval 61·4-61·9) in 1980 to 71·8 years (71·5-72·2) in 2015. Several countries in sub-Saharan Africa had very large gains in life expectancy from 2005 to 2015, rebounding from an era of exceedingly high loss of life due to HIV/AIDS. At the same time, many geographies saw life expectancy stagnate or decline, particularly for men and in countries with rising mortality from war or interpersonal violence. From 2005 to 2015, male life expectancy in Syria dropped by 11·3 years (3·7-17·4), to 62·6 years (56·5-70·2). Total deaths increased by 4·1% (2·6-5·6) from 2005 to 2015, rising to 55·8 million (54·9 million to 56·6 million) in 2015, but age-standardised death rates fell by 17·0% (15·8-18·1) during this time, underscoring changes in population growth and shifts in global age structures. The result was similar for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with total deaths from these causes increasing by 14·1% (12·6-16·0) to 39·8 million (39·2 million to 40·5 million) in 2015, whereas age-standardised rates decreased by 13·1% (11·9-14·3). Globally, this mortality pattern emerged for several NCDs, including several types of cancer, ischaemic heart disease, cirrhosis, and Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. By contrast, both total deaths and age-standardised death rates due to communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional conditions significantly declined from 2005 to 2015, gains largely attributable to decreases in mortality rates due to HIV/AIDS (42·1%, 39·1-44·6), malaria (43·1%, 34·7-51·8), neonatal preterm birth complications (29·8%, 24·8-34·9), and maternal disorders (29·1%, 19·3-37·1). Progress was slower for several causes, such as lower respiratory infections and nutritional deficiencies, whereas deaths increased for others, including dengue and drug use disorders. Age-standardised death rates due to injuries significantly declined from 2005 to 2015, yet interpersonal violence and war claimed increasingly more lives in some regions, particularly in the Middle East. In 2015, rotaviral enteritis (rotavirus) was the leading cause of under-5 deaths due to diarrhoea (146 000 deaths, 118 000-183 000) and pneumococcal pneumonia was the leading cause of under-5 deaths due to lower respiratory infections (393 000 deaths, 228 000-532 000), although pathogen-specific mortality varied by region. Globally, the effects of population growth, ageing, and changes in age-standardised death rates substantially differed by cause. Our analyses on the expected associations between cause-specific mortality and SDI show the regular shifts in cause of death composition and population age structure with rising SDI. Country patterns of premature mortality (measured as years of life lost [YLLs]) and how they differ from the level expected on the basis of SDI alone revealed distinct but highly heterogeneous patterns by region and country or territory. Ischaemic heart disease, stroke, and diabetes were among the leading causes of YLLs in most regions, but in many cases, intraregional results sharply diverged for ratios of observed and expected YLLs based on SDI. Communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases caused the most YLLs throughout sub-Saharan Africa, with observed YLLs far exceeding expected YLLs for countries in which malaria or HIV/AIDS remained the leading causes of early death.INTERPRETATION: At the global scale, age-specific mortality has steadily improved over the past 35 years; this pattern of general progress continued in the past decade. Progress has been faster in most countries than expected on the basis of development measured by the SDI. Against this background of progress, some countries have seen falls in life expectancy, and age-standardised death rates for some causes are increasing. Despite progress in reducing age-standardised death rates, population growth and ageing mean that the number of deaths from most non-communicable causes are increasing in most countries, putting increased demands on health systems.
|
|
| 9. |
- Hudson, Lawrence N., et al.
(author)
-
The PREDICTS database : a global database of how local terrestrial biodiversity responds to human impacts
- 2014
-
In: Ecology and Evolution. - : Wiley. - 2045-7758. ; 4:24, s. 4701-4735
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Biodiversity continues to decline in the face of increasing anthropogenic pressures such as habitat destruction, exploitation, pollution and introduction of alien species. Existing global databases of species' threat status or population time series are dominated by charismatic species. The collation of datasets with broad taxonomic and biogeographic extents, and that support computation of a range of biodiversity indicators, is necessary to enable better understanding of historical declines and to project - and avert - future declines. We describe and assess a new database of more than 1.6 million samples from 78 countries representing over 28,000 species, collated from existing spatial comparisons of local-scale biodiversity exposed to different intensities and types of anthropogenic pressures, from terrestrial sites around the world. The database contains measurements taken in 208 (of 814) ecoregions, 13 (of 14) biomes, 25 (of 35) biodiversity hotspots and 16 (of 17) megadiverse countries. The database contains more than 1% of the total number of all species described, and more than 1% of the described species within many taxonomic groups - including flowering plants, gymnosperms, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, beetles, lepidopterans and hymenopterans. The dataset, which is still being added to, is therefore already considerably larger and more representative than those used by previous quantitative models of biodiversity trends and responses. The database is being assembled as part of the PREDICTS project (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems - ). We make site-level summary data available alongside this article. The full database will be publicly available in 2015.
|
|
| 10. |
|
|
| 11. |
|
|
| 12. |
- Panneman, Daan M., et al.
(author)
-
Cost-effective sequence analysis of 113 genes in 1,192 probands with retinitis pigmentosa and Leber congenital amaurosis
- 2023
-
In: Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-634X. ; 11
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) are two groups of inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) where the rod photoreceptors degenerate followed by the cone photoreceptors of the retina. A genetic diagnosis for IRDs is challenging since >280 genes are associated with these conditions. While whole exome sequencing (WES) is commonly used by diagnostic facilities, the costs and required infrastructure prevent its global applicability. Previous studies have shown the cost-effectiveness of sequence analysis using single molecule Molecular Inversion Probes (smMIPs) in a cohort of patients diagnosed with Stargardt disease and other maculopathies. Methods: Here, we introduce a smMIPs panel that targets the exons and splice sites of all currently known genes associated with RP and LCA, the entire RPE65 gene, known causative deep-intronic variants leading to pseudo-exons, and part of the RP17 region associated with autosomal dominant RP, by using a total of 16,812 smMIPs. The RP-LCA smMIPs panel was used to screen 1,192 probands from an international cohort of predominantly RP and LCA cases. Results and discussion: After genetic analysis, a diagnostic yield of 56% was obtained which is on par with results from WES analysis. The effectiveness and the reduced costs compared to WES renders the RP-LCA smMIPs panel a competitive approach to provide IRD patients with a genetic diagnosis, especially in countries with restricted access to genetic testing.
|
|
| 13. |
|
|
| 14. |
|
|
| 15. |
- Barregård, Lars, 1948, et al.
(author)
-
Human and Methodological Sources of Variability in the Measurement of Urinary 8-Oxo-7,8-dihydro-2 '-deoxyguanosine
- 2013
-
In: Antioxidants and Redox Signaling. - : Mary Ann Liebert Inc. - 1523-0864 .- 1557-7716. ; 18:18, s. 2377-2391
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims: Urinary 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) is a widely used biomarker of oxidative stress. However, variability between chromatographic and ELISA methods hampers interpretation of data, and this variability may increase should urine composition differ between individuals, leading to assay interference. Furthermore, optimal urine sampling conditions are not well defined. We performed inter-laboratory comparisons of 8-oxodG measurement between mass spectrometric-, electrochemical- and ELISA-based methods, using common within-technique calibrants to analyze 8-oxodG-spiked phosphate-buffered saline and urine samples. We also investigated human subject- and sample collection-related variables, as potential sources of variability. Results: Chromatographic assays showed high agreement across urines from different subjects, whereas ELISAs showed far more inter-laboratory variation and generally overestimated levels, compared to the chromatographic assays. Excretion rates in timed 'spot' samples showed strong correlations with 24 h excretion (the 'gold' standard) of urinary 8-oxodG (r(p) 0.67-0.90), although the associations were weaker for 8-oxodG adjusted for creatinine or specific gravity (SG). The within-individual excretion of 8-oxodG varied only moderately between days (CV 17% for 24 h excretion and 20% for first void, creatinine-corrected samples). Innovation: This is the first comprehensive study of both human and methodological factors influencing 8-oxodG measurement, providing key information for future studies with this important biomarker. Conclusion: ELISA variability is greater than chromatographic assay variability, and cannot determine absolute levels of 8-oxodG. Use of standardized calibrants greatly improves intra-technique agreement and, for the chromatographic assays, importantly allows integration of results for pooled analyses. If 24 h samples are not feasible, creatinine- or SG-adjusted first morning samples are recommended.
|
|
| 16. |
- Wingbrant, Helena, et al.
(author)
-
MISiCFET chemical sensors for applications in exhaust gases and flue gases
- 2002
-
In: Materials Science Forum. - 0255-5476 .- 1662-9752. ; 433-4, s. 953-956
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A chemical gas sensor based on a silicon carbide field effect transistor with a catalytic gate metal has been under development for a number of years. The choice of silicon carbide as the semiconductor material allows the sensor to operate at high temperatures, for more than 6 months in flue gases at 300degreesC and for at least three days at 700degreesC. The chemical inertness of silicon carbide and a buried gate design makes it a suitable sensor technology for applications in corrosive environments such as exhaust gases and flue gases from boilers. The selectivity of the sensor devices is established through the choice of type and structure of the gate metal as well as the operation temperature. In this way NH3 sensors with low cross sensitivity to NOx have been demonstrated as potential sensors for control of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx by urea injection into diesel exhausts. Here we show that sensors with a porous platinum or iridium gate show different temperature ranges for NH3 detection. The hardness of the silicon carbide makes it for example more resistant to water splash at cold start of a petrol engine than existing technologies, and a sensor which can control the air to fuel ratio, before the exhaust gases are heated, has been demonstrated. Silicon carbide sensors are also tested in flue gases from boilers. Efficient regulation of the combustion in a boiler will decrease fuel consumption and reduce emissions.
|
|
| 17. |
|
|
| 18. |
- Barack, Leor, et al.
(author)
-
Black holes, gravitational waves and fundamental physics : a roadmap
- 2019
-
In: Classical and quantum gravity. - : IOP Publishing. - 0264-9381 .- 1361-6382. ; 36:14
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The grand challenges of contemporary fundamental physics dark matter, dark energy, vacuum energy, inflation and early universe cosmology, singularities and the hierarchy problem all involve gravity as a key component. And of all gravitational phenomena, black holes stand out in their elegant simplicity, while harbouring some of the most remarkable predictions of General Relativity: event horizons, singularities and ergoregions. The hitherto invisible landscape of the gravitational Universe is being unveiled before our eyes: the historical direct detection of gravitational waves by the LIGO-Virgo collaboration marks the dawn of a new era of scientific exploration. Gravitational-wave astronomy will allow us to test models of black hole formation, growth and evolution, as well as models of gravitational-wave generation and propagation. It will provide evidence for event horizons and ergoregions, test the theory of General Relativity itself, and may reveal the existence of new fundamental fields. The synthesis of these results has the potential to radically reshape our understanding of the cosmos and of the laws of Nature. The purpose of this work is to present a concise, yet comprehensive overview of the state of the art in the relevant fields of research, summarize important open problems, and lay out a roadmap for future progress. This write-up is an initiative taken within the framework of the European Action on 'Black holes, Gravitational waves and Fundamental Physics'.
|
|
| 19. |
- Tatarkhanov, M., et al.
(author)
-
The structure of mixed H2O-OH monolayer films on Ru(0001)
- 2008
-
In: Journal of Chemical Physics. - : AIP Publishing. - 0021-9606 .- 1089-7690. ; 129:15, s. 154109-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) have been used to study the structures produced by water on Ru(0001) at temperatures above 140 K. It was found that while undissociated water layers are metastable below 140 K, heating above this temperature produces drastic transformations, whereby a fraction of the water molecules partially dissociate and form mixed H2O-OH structures. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and XAS revealed the presence of hydroxyl groups with their O-H bond essentially parallel to the surface. STM images show that the mixed H2O-OH structures consist of long narrow stripes aligned with the three crystallographic directions perpendicular to the close-packed atomic rows of the Ru(0001) substrate. The internal structure of the stripes is a honeycomb network of H-bonded water and hydroxyl species. We found that the metastable low temperature molecular phase can also be converted to a mixed H2O-OH phase through excitation by the tunneling electrons when their energy is 0.5 eV or higher above the Fermi level. Structural models based on the STM images were used for density functional theory optimizations of the stripe geometry. The optimized geometry was then utilized to calculate STM images for comparison with the experiment.
|
|
| 20. |
- Rüetschi, Ulla, 1962, et al.
(author)
-
Mutations in the 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase gene (HPD) in patients with tyrosinemia type III.
- 2000
-
In: Human genetics. - 0340-6717. ; 106:6, s. 654-62
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Tyrosinemia type III (OMIM 276710) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by the deficiency of 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPD), the second enzyme in the tyrosine catabolic pathway. The enzyme deficiency results in an accumulation and increased excretion of tyrosine and phenolic metabolites. Only a few cases with the disorder have been described, and the clinical spectrum of the disorder is unknown. Reported patients have presented with mental retardation or neurological symptoms or have been picked up by neonatal screening. We have identified four presumed pathogenic mutations (two missense and two nonsense mutations) in the HPD gene in three unrelated families encompassing four homozygous individuals and one compound heterozygous individual with tyrosinemia type III. Furthermore, a number of polymorphic mutations have been identified in the HPD gene. No correlation of the severity of the mutation and enzyme deficiency and mental function has been found; neither do the recorded tyrosine levels correlate with the clinical phenotype.
|
|
| 21. |
- Sanhueza, J. P., et al.
(author)
-
Effect of Boron in the Coarsening Rate of Chromium-Rich Carbides in 9%–12% Chromium Martensitic Creep-Resistant Steel : Experiment and Modeling at 650 °C
- 2020
-
In: Metals and Materials International. - : Korean Institute of Metals and Materials. - 1598-9623 .- 2005-4149.
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Abstract: In this study, three martensitic creep-resistant steels with 100, 90, and 70 ppm of boron were investigated. The experimental data obtained from isothermal aging and creep test at 650 °C were compared with the results of simulation conducted using TC-PRISMA software. Tungsten was found to be the rate-controlling element in the coarsening of (Cr, Fe, W)23C6 carbides; however, this result differed in terms of boron-containing steel. Several studies indicate that the low solubility of boron in ferrite promotes boron enrichment in (Cr, Fe, W)23C6 carbide, thereby reducing its coarsening rate. However, this mechanism is not universally agreed upon. In the present study, a comparison between experimental and theoretical results revealed that in boron-containing steels, the coarsening of (Cr, Fe, W)23C6 carbide is controlled probably by boron volume diffusion or by trans-interface diffusion. Graphic Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].
|
|
| 22. |
|
|
| 23. |
|
|
| 24. |
|
|
| 25. |
|
|
| 26. |
|
|
| 27. |
|
|
| 28. |
|
|
| 29. |
- Clarac, Francois, et al.
(author)
-
The evolution of dermal shield vascularization in Testudinata and Pseudosuchia : phylogenetic constraints versus ecophysiological adaptations
- 2020
-
In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences. - : ROYAL SOC. - 0962-8436 .- 1471-2970. ; 375:1793
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Studies on living turtles have demonstrated that shells are involved in the resistance to hypoxia during apnea via bone acidosis buffering; a process which is complemented with cutaneous respiration, transpharyngeal and cloacal gas exchanges in the soft-shell turtles. Bone acidosis buffering during apnea has also been identified in crocodylian osteoderms, which are also known to employ heat transfer when basking. Although diverse, many of these functions rely on one common trait: the vascularization of the dermal shield. Here, we test whether the above ecophysiological functions played an adaptive role in the evolutionary transitions between land and aquatic environments in both Pseudosuchia and Testudinata. To do so, we measured the bone porosity as a proxy for vascular density in a set of dermal plates before performing phylogenetic comparative analyses. For both lineages, the dermal plate porosity obviously varies depending on the animal lifestyle, but these variations prove to be highly driven by phylogenetic relationships. We argue that the complexity of multi-functional roles of the post-cranial dermal skeleton in both Pseudosuchia and Testudinata probably is the reason for a lack of obvious physiological signal, and we discuss the role of the dermal shield vascularization in the evolution of these groups. This article is part of the theme issue 'Vertebrate palaeophysiology'.
|
|
| 30. |
- Clark, M., et al.
(author)
-
Revealing the secrets of dormancy and of survival during desiccation
- 2007
-
In: Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology a-Molecular & Integrative Physiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1095-6433 .- 1531-4332. ; 146:4
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Dormancy is a strategy used by many organisms to survive adverse conditions. We aim at enhancing our knowledge of dormancy so as to assess the feasibility of inducing cells or organisms into reversible dormant stages or survival during desiccating conditions. Genomic, proteomic and metabolomic tools used in the course of our studies aim at identifying the molecular and cellular processes that enable five model organisms to tolerate adverse conditions. These are: Cyanobacteria that have specialized dormant cells (akinetes) that tolerate unfavourable environmental conditions Baker's yeast that can survive long periods in a spore phase, that are characterized by desiccation and high levels of trehalose Rotifers that produce eggs (resting eggs) containing developmental-arrested embryos after sexual (but not asexual) reproduction Arctic springtails that reduce their body water content to avoid freezing while producing trehalose and becoming metabolically inactive Killifish embryos in eggs that show resistance to environmental desiccation conditions Our studies aim at revealing the mechanisms that establish dormancy and resistance to desiccation, those that allow the revival from dormant stages and the properties that make dormant stages stress-tolerant. The search for common denominators will assist in leading potentially useful strategies for artificial induction of dormancy and of cell preservation.
|
|
| 31. |
- Delsing, Per, 1959, et al.
(author)
-
The 2019 surface acoustic waves roadmap
- 2019
-
In: Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics. - : IOP Publishing. - 1361-6463 .- 0022-3727. ; 52:35
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Today, surface acoustic waves (SAWs) and bulk acoustic waves are already two of the very few phononic technologies of industrial relevance and can been found in a myriad of devices employing these nanoscale earthquakes on a chip. Acoustic radio frequency filters, for instance, are integral parts of wireless devices. SAWs in particular find applications in life sciences and microfluidics for sensing and mixing of tiny amounts of liquids. In addition to this continuously growing number of applications, SAWs are ideally suited to probe and control elementary excitations in condensed matter at the limit of single quantum excitations. Even collective excitations, classical or quantum are nowadays coherently interfaced by SAWs. This wide, highly diverse, interdisciplinary and continuously expanding spectrum literally unites advanced sensing and manipulation applications. Remarkably, SAW technology is inherently multiscale and spans from single atomic or nanoscopic units up even to the millimeter scale. The aim of this Roadmap is to present a snapshot of the present state of surface acoustic wave science and technology in 2019 and provide an opinion on the challenges and opportunities that the future holds from a group of renown experts, covering the interdisciplinary key areas, ranging from fundamental quantum effects to practical applications of acoustic devices in life science.
|
|
| 32. |
- Fernanda Troncoso, M., et al.
(author)
-
A novel trypsin inhibitor from Peltophorum dubium seeds, with lectin-like properties, triggers rat lymphoma cell apoptosis
- 2003
-
In: Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics. - 0003-9861 .- 1096-0384. ; 411:1, s. 93-104
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A trypsin inhibitor (PDTI) was isolated from Peltophorum dubium seeds by affinity chromatography on a thyroglobulin-agarose or a trypsin-agarose column. In both cases, SDS-PAGE showed two bands of M(r) 20,000 and 22,000, which could not be resolved. Their amino-terminal sequences were identical and similar to that of Kunitz-type soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI). Mass spectrometry analysis of tryptic digests of both bands showed 16 coincident peaks, suggesting that they are closely related proteins. The K(i)s for trypsin and chymotrypsin inhibitory activity of PDTI were 1.6 x 10(-7) and 1.3 x 10(-5)M, respectively. Lectin-like activity of PDTI and SBTI, detected by hemagglutination of rabbit erythrocytes, was inhibited by sialic acid-containing compounds. PDTI and SBTI caused apoptosis of Nb2 rat lymphoma cells, demonstrated by decrease of viability, DNA hypodiploidy, DNA fragmentation, and caspase-3-like activity. They had no effect on normal mouse splenocytes or lymphocytes, whereas they caused apoptosis of concanavalin A-stimulated mouse lymphocytes.
|
|
| 33. |
- Fernandez-Anez, Nieves, et al.
(author)
-
Current Wildland Fire Patterns and Challenges in Europe : A Synthesis of National Perspectives
- 2021
-
In: Air, Soil and Water Research. - : SAGE Publications. - 1178-6221. ; 14, s. 1-19
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Changes in climate, land use, and land management impact the occurrence and severity of wildland fires in many parts of the world. This is particularly evident in Europe, where ongoing changes in land use have strongly modified fire patterns over the last decades. Although satellite data by the European Forest Fire Information System provide large-scale wildland fire statistics across European countries, there is still a crucial need to collect and summarize in-depth local analysis and understanding of the wildland fire condition and associated challenges across Europe. This article aims to provide a general overview of the current wildland fire patterns and challenges as perceived by national representatives, supplemented by national fire statistics (2009–2018) across Europe. For each of the 31 countries included, we present a perspective authored by scientists or practitioners from each respective country, representing a wide range of disciplines and cultural backgrounds. The authors were selected from members of the COST Action “Fire and the Earth System: Science & Society” funded by the European Commission with the aim to share knowledge and improve communication about wildland fire. Where relevant, a brief overview of key studies, particular wildland fire challenges a country is facing, and an overview of notable recent fire events are also presented. Key perceived challenges included (1) the lack of consistent and detailed records for wildland fire events, within and across countries, (2) an increase in wildland fires that pose a risk to properties and human life due to high population densities and sprawl into forested regions, and (3) the view that, irrespective of changes in management, climate change is likely to increase the frequency and impact of wildland fires in the coming decades. Addressing challenge (1) will not only be valuable in advancing national and pan-European wildland fire management strategies, but also in evaluating perceptions (2) and (3) against more robust quantitative evidence.
|
|
| 34. |
- Godino-Gimeno, Alejandra, et al.
(author)
-
Obesity Impairs Cognitive Function with No Effects on Anxiety-like Behaviour in Zebrafish
- 2023
-
In: International Journal of Molecular Sciences. - : MDPI. - 1661-6596 .- 1422-0067. ; 24:15
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Over the last decade, the zebrafish has emerged as an important model organism for behavioural studies and neurological disorders, as well as for the study of metabolic diseases. This makes zebrafish an alternative model for studying the effects of energy disruption and nutritional quality on a wide range of behavioural aspects. Here, we used the zebrafish model to study how obesity induced by overfeeding regulates emotional and cognitive processes. Two groups of fish (n = 24 per group) were fed at 2% (CTRL) and 8% (overfeeding-induced obesity, OIO) for 8 weeks and tested for anxiety-like behaviour using the novel tank diving test (NTDT). Fish were first tested using a short-term memory test (STM) and then trained for four days for a long-term memory test (LTM). At the end of the experiment, fish were euthanised for biometric sampling, total lipid content, and triglyceride analysis. In addition, brains (eight per treatment) were dissected for HPLC determination of monoamines. Overfeeding induced faster growth and obesity, as indicated by increased total lipid content. OIO had no effect on anxiety-like behaviour. Animals were then tested for cognitive function (learning and memory) using the aversive learning test in Zantiks AD units. Results show that both OIO and CTRL animals were able to associate the aversive stimulus with the conditioned stimulus (conditioned learning), but OIO impaired STM regardless of fish sex, revealing the effects of obesity on cognitive processes in zebrafish. Obese fish did not show a deficiency in monoaminergic transmission, as revealed by quantification of total brain levels of dopamine and serotonin and their metabolites. This provides a reliable protocol for assessing the effect of metabolic disease on cognitive and behavioural function, supporting zebrafish as a model for behavioural and cognitive neuroscience.
|
|
| 35. |
- Hendriksen, Rene S., et al.
(author)
-
Global monitoring of antimicrobial resistance based on metagenomics analyses of urban sewage
- 2019
-
In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 10:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- © 2019, The Author(s). Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious threat to global public health, but obtaining representative data on AMR for healthy human populations is difficult. Here, we use metagenomic analysis of untreated sewage to characterize the bacterial resistome from 79 sites in 60 countries. We find systematic differences in abundance and diversity of AMR genes between Europe/North-America/Oceania and Africa/Asia/South-America. Antimicrobial use data and bacterial taxonomy only explains a minor part of the AMR variation that we observe. We find no evidence for cross-selection between antimicrobial classes, or for effect of air travel between sites. However, AMR gene abundance strongly correlates with socio-economic, health and environmental factors, which we use to predict AMR gene abundances in all countries in the world. Our findings suggest that global AMR gene diversity and abundance vary by region, and that improving sanitation and health could potentially limit the global burden of AMR. We propose metagenomic analysis of sewage as an ethically acceptable and economically feasible approach for continuous global surveillance and prediction of AMR.
|
|
| 36. |
- Jalabert, A, et al.
(author)
-
Profiling of ob/ob mice skeletal muscle exosome-like vesicles demonstrates combined action of miRNAs, proteins and lipids to modulate lipid homeostasis in recipient cells
- 2021
-
In: Scientific reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 11:1, s. 21626-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We have determined the lipid, protein and miRNA composition of skeletal muscle (SkM)-released extracellular vesicles (ELVs) from Ob/ob (OB) vs wild-type (WT) mice. The results showed that atrophic insulin-resistant OB-SkM released less ELVs than WT-SkM, highlighted by a RAB35 decrease and an increase in intramuscular cholesterol content. Proteomic analyses of OB-ELVs revealed a group of 37 proteins functionally connected, involved in lipid oxidation and with catalytic activities. OB-ELVs had modified contents for phosphatidylcholine (PC 34-4, PC 40-3 and PC 34-0), sphingomyelin (Sm d18:1/18:1) and ceramides (Cer d18:1/18:0) and were enriched in cholesterol, likely to alleviated intracellular accumulation. Surprisingly many ELV miRNAs had a nuclear addressing sequence, and targeted genes encoding proteins with nuclear activities. Interestingly, SkM-ELV miRNA did not target mitochondria. The most significant function targeted by the 7 miRNAs altered in OB-ELVs was lipid metabolism. In agreement, OB-ELVs induced lipid storage in recipient adipocytes and increased lipid up-take and fatty acid oxidation in recipient muscle cells. In addition, OB-ELVs altered insulin-sensitivity and induced atrophy in muscle cells, reproducing the phenotype of the releasing OB muscles. These data suggest for the first time, a cross-talk between muscle cells and adipocytes, through the SkM-ELV route, in favor of adipose tissue expansion.
|
|
| 37. |
- Mahmud, A. K. M. Firoj, 1980-
(author)
-
Molecular mechanisms of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis for adaptation and establishment of infection in host tissue
- 2021
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Bacterial pathogens can evade the host’s immune defence to adapt and establish an infection within the host. Some even slip into a quiescent state to establish themselves without acutely harming the host. Phylogenetically unrelated bacteria can share similar strategies for the establishment of infection and for persistence. Our lab previously showed that Yersinia pseudotuberculosis underwent a dramatic reprogramming from a virulent phenotype expressing virulence genes, including T3SS and Yop effectors during early infection, to an adapted phenotype capable of persisting in tissue. The overall aim of my PhD study was to dissect the mechanisms behind bacterial adaptation and maintenance of infection within host tissue using Y. pseudotuberculosis as a model pathogen. The ultimate goal is to identify key players of critical importance for the ability of the bacterium to maintain and establish infection in host tissue. In my studies, I mainly focused on bacterial biofilm and the role of the alternative sigma factor RpoN. Much of my studies involve RNA-Seq analyses, encouraging me to develop a convenient, time-efficient, and all-purpose RNA-Seq data analysis package especially designed for prokaryotic organisms. The package is available online as a free tool and can be used by any biologist with minimal computational knowledge. We systematically examined biofilm formation of Y. pseudotuberculosis under different stress conditions and found that biofilm development involved a series of adaptive responses against various stressors, including bile, pH, amino acid deprivation, and temperature and oxygen-level changes. Analyses of transcription profiles of bacteria forming biofilm in different conditions revealed a set of core genes that were similarly regulated in biofilm bacteria independently of induced environment. The transcriptional regulator RpoN, commonly known as sigma 54, was found to be important for biofilm formation, and a ∆rpoN mutant strain was severely attenuated in virulence. To understand the regulatory mechanisms involved, we investigated gene expressions in wild-type (WT) and the isogenic ∆rpoN mutant strain and also chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing. We have identified RpoN binding sites in the Y. pseudotuberculosis genome and revealed a complex regulation by RpoN involving both activation and repression effects. We also investigated the role of RpoN in regulation of the Type III secretion system (T3SS) and found that RpoN was required for a functional T3SS, which is essential for bacterial virulence properties in host tissue. Our work indicates that Yersinia modulates itself in multiple ways to create niches favourable to growth and survival in the host environment. We have identified some key regulators and genes that will be explored further for their potential as novel targets for the development of new antibiotics.
|
|
| 38. |
- Nieuwenhuijse, David F., et al.
(author)
-
Setting a baseline for global urban virome surveillance in sewage
- 2020
-
In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- © 2020, The Author(s). The rapid development of megacities, and their growing connectedness across the world is becoming a distinct driver for emerging disease outbreaks. Early detection of unusual disease emergence and spread should therefore include such cities as part of risk-based surveillance. A catch-all metagenomic sequencing approach of urban sewage could potentially provide an unbiased insight into the dynamics of viral pathogens circulating in a community irrespective of access to care, a potential which already has been proven for the surveillance of poliovirus. Here, we present a detailed characterization of sewage viromes from a snapshot of 81 high density urban areas across the globe, including in-depth assessment of potential biases, as a proof of concept for catch-all viral pathogen surveillance. We show the ability to detect a wide range of viruses and geographical and seasonal differences for specific viral groups. Our findings offer a cross-sectional baseline for further research in viral surveillance from urban sewage samples and place previous studies in a global perspective.
|
|
| 39. |
- Pease, J. B., et al.
(author)
-
Layered evolution of gene expression in "superfast" muscles for courtship
- 2022
-
In: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424. ; 119:14
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Identifying the molecular process of complex trait evolution is a core goal of biology. However, pinpointing the specific context and timing of trait-associated changes within the molecular evolutionary history of an organism remains an elusive goal. We study this topic by exploring the molecular basis of elaborate courtship evolution, which represents an extraordinary example of trait innovation. Within the behaviorally diverse radiation of Central and South American manakin birds, species from two separate lineages beat their wings together using specialized "superfast" muscles to generate a "snap" that helps attract mates. Here, we develop an empirical approach to analyze phylogenetic lineage-specific shifts in gene expression in the key snap-performing muscle and then integrate these findings with comparative transcriptomic sequence analysis. We find that rapid wing displays are associated with changes to a wide range of molecular processes that underlie extreme muscle performance, including changes to calcium trafficking, myocyte homeostasis and metabolism, and hormone action. We furthermore show that these changes occur gradually in a layered manner across the species history, wherein which ancestral genetic changes to many of these molecular systems are built upon by later species-specific shifts that likely finalized the process of display performance adaptation. Our study demonstrates the potential for combining phylogenetic modeling of tissue-specific gene expression shifts with phylogenetic analysis of lineage-specific sequence changes to reveal holistic evolutionary histories of complex traits.
|
|
| 40. |
- Salinas Froemel, Vicente Horacio, 1996, et al.
(author)
-
Constraining the duration of ram pressure stripping features in the optical from the direction of jellyfish galaxy tails
- 2024
-
In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 533:1, s. 341-359
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ram pressure stripping is perhaps the most efficient mechanism for removing gas and quenching galaxies in dense environments, as they move through the intergalactic medium. Extreme examples of on-going ram pressure stripping are known as jellyfish galaxies, characterized by a tail of stripped material that can be directly observed in multiple wavelengths. Using the largest homogeneous broad-band optical jellyfish candidate sample in local clusters known to date, we measure the angle between the direction of the tails visible in the galaxies, and the direction towards the host cluster centre. We find that 33 per cent of the galaxy tails point away from the cluster centre, 18 per cent point towards the cluster centre, and 49 per cent point elsewhere. Moreover, we find stronger signatures of ram pressure stripping happening on galaxies with a tail pointing away and towards the cluster centre, and larger velocity dispersion profiles for galaxies with tails pointing away. These results are consistent with a scenario where ram pressure stripping has a stronger effect for galaxies following radial orbits on first infall. The results also suggest that in many cases, radially infalling galaxies are able to retain their tails after pericenter and continue to experience significant on-going ram pressure stripping. We further constrain the lifespan of the optical tails from the moment they first appear to the moment they disappear, by comparing the observed tail directions with matched N-body simulations through Bayesian parameter estimation. We obtain that galaxy tails appear for the first time at ∼ 1.16R200 and disappear ∼ 660 Myr after pericenter.
|
|
| 41. |
- Schiöth, Helgi B, et al.
(author)
-
Evolutionary conservation of the structural, pharmacological, and genomic characteristics of the melanocortin receptor subtypes
- 2005
-
In: Peptides. - : Elsevier BV. - 0196-9781 .- 1873-5169. ; 26:10, s. 1886-1900
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We have cloned melanocortin receptors (MCRs) from several species of fish. The MC4R and MC5R subtypes arose early in vertebrate evolution and their primary structure is remarkably conserved. Expression and pharmacological characterization of the MCRs in fish has revealed that they bind and respond to melanocortin peptides with high potency. Detailed characterization of the binding properties of the different subtypes suggests that MCRs in early vertebrates had preference for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) peptides, while the high sensitivity for the shorter proopiomelanocortin (POMC) products, such as the α-, β-, and γ-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), has appeared later, perhaps as the MCR subtypes gained more specialized functions. The MCR repertoire shows in general high similarities in their primary structures, while they are however not similar in terms of functional roles. The MCRs serve therefore as an interesting model family to understand the molecular mechanisms of how functions of the genes can diverge during evolution. In this review, we provide an overview of our recent studies on the cloning, expression, pharmacology, 3D modeling, and genomic studies of the MCRs in non-mammalian species.
|
|
| 42. |
|
|
