A review on bovine besnoitiosis: a disease with economic impact in herd health management, caused by Besnoitia besnoiti (Franco and Borges, 1916).

Bovine besnoitiosis is caused by the largely unexplored apicomplexan parasite Besnoitia besnoiti. In cows, infection during pregnancy often results in abortion, and chronically infected bulls become infertile. Similar to other apicomplexans B. besnoiti has acquired a largely intracellular lifestyle, but its complete life cycle is still unknown, modes of transmission have not been entirely resolved and the definitive host has not been identified. Outbreaks of bovine besnoitiosis in cattle were described in the 1990s in Portugal and Spain, and later several cases were also detected in France. More cases have been reported recently in hitherto unaffected countries, including Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Hungary and Croatia. To date, there is still no effective pharmaceutical compound available for the treatment of besnoitiosis in cattle, and progress in the identification of novel targets for intervention through pharmacological or immunological means is hampered by the lack of molecular data on the genomic and transcriptomic level. In addition, the lack of an appropriate small animal laboratory model, and wide gaps in our knowledge on the host-parasite interplay during the life cycle of this parasite, renders vaccine and drug development a cost- and labour-intensive undertaking.

Enlargement of keratinized peri-implant mucosa at the time of second stage surgery (re-entry)

A tightly attached keratinized mucosa around endosseous dental implants is believed to be protective against peri-implant bone loss. Tension caused by buccal frena and mobile non keratinized mucosa is to avoid. This case report documents the optimization of peri-implant mucosal conditions in the upper and lower jaw. At the time of second stage surgery (re-entry) at submucosally osseointegrated dental implants an enlargement of keratinized mucosa and a thickening of soft tissue was obtained administrating a vestibuloplasty combined by a free gingival graft or a vestibuloplasty combined by an apically moved flap.

Measurement of inclusive jet charged-particle fragmentation functions in Pb+Pb collisions at √sNN = 2.76 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Measurements of charged-particle fragmentation functions of jets produced in ultra-relativistic nuclear collisions can provide insight into the modification of parton showers in the hot, dense medium created in the collisions. ATLAS has measured jets in √sNN=2.76 TeV Pb+Pb collisions at the LHC using a data set recorded in 2011 with an integrated luminosity of 0.14 nb−1. Jets were reconstructed using the anti-kt algorithm with distance parameter values R = 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4. Distributions of charged-particle transverse momentum and longitudinal momentum fraction are reported for seven bins in collision centrality for R=0.4 jets with pjetT>100 GeV. Commensurate minimum pT values are used for the other radii. Ratios of fragment distributions in each centrality bin to those measured in the most peripheral bin are presented. These ratios show a reduction of fragment yield in central collisions relative to peripheral collisions at intermediate z values, 0.04≲z≲0.2 and an enhancement in fragment yield for z≲0.04. A smaller, less significant enhancement is observed at large z and large pT in central collisions.

A steerable UV laser system for the calibration of liquid argon time projection chambers

A number of liquid argon time projection chambers (LAr TPCs) are being built or are proposed for neutrino experiments on long- and short baseline beams. For these detectors, a distortion in the drift field due to geometrical or physics reasons can affect the reconstruction of the events. Depending on the TPC geometry and electric drift field intensity, this distortion could be of the same magnitude as the drift field itself. Recently, we presented a method to calibrate the drift field and correct for these possible distortions. While straight cosmic ray muon tracks could be used for calibration, multiple coulomb scattering and momentum uncertainties allow only a limited resolution. A UV laser instead can create straight ionization tracks in liquid argon, and allows one to map the drift field along different paths in the TPC inner volume. Here we present a UV laser feed-through design with a steerable UV mirror immersed in liquid argon that can point the laser beam at many locations through the TPC. The straight ionization paths are sensitive to drift field distortions, a fit of these distortion to the linear optical path allows to extract the drift field, by using these laser tracks along the whole TPC volume one can obtain a 3D drift field map. The UV laser feed-through assembly is a prototype of the system that will be used for the MicroBooNE experiment at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL).

Crystal structure of 2,4,6-tris(cyclohexyloxy)-1,3,5-triazine

The title compound, C21H33N3O3, is a tri-substituted cyclo­hex­yloxy triazine. In the crystal, the triazine rings form (C3i-PU) Piedfort units. The inter-centroid distance of the [pi]-[pi] inter­action involving the triazine rings is 3.3914 (10) Å. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked by C-H...O hydrogen bonds, forming ribbons propagating along [1-10]. There are also weak C-H...N and C-H...O contacts present, linking inversion-related ribbons, forming a three-dimensional structure.

Interaction of sulfate assimilation with carbon and nitrogen metabolism in Lemna minor

Cysteine synthesis from sulfide andO-acetyl-L-serine (OAS) is a reaction interconnecting sulfate, nitrogen, and carbon assimilation. UsingLemna minor, we analyzed the effects of omission of CO2 from the atmosphere and simultaneous application of alternative carbon sources on adenosine 5′-phosphosulfate reductase (APR) and nitrate reductase (NR), the key enzymes of sulfate and nitrate assimilation, respectively. Incubation in air without CO2 led to severe decrease in APR and NR activities and mRNA levels, but ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase was not considerably affected. Simultaneous addition of sucrose (Suc) prevented the reduction in enzyme activities, but not in mRNA levels. OAS, a known regulator of sulfate assimilation, could also attenuate the effect of missing CO2 on APR, but did not affect NR. When the plants were subjected to normal air after a 24-h pretreatment in air without CO2, APR and NR activities and mRNA levels recovered within the next 24 h. The addition of Suc and glucose in air without CO2 also recovered both enzyme activities, with OAS again influenced only APR.35SO4 2− feeding showed that treatment in air without CO2 severely inhibited sulfate uptake and the flux through sulfate assimilation. After a resupply of normal air or the addition of Suc, incorporation of 35S into proteins and glutathione greatly increased. OAS treatment resulted in high labeling of cysteine; the incorporation of 35S in proteins and glutathione was much less increased compared with treatment with normal air or Suc. These results corroborate the tight interconnection of sulfate, nitrate, and carbon assimilation.

Tuberculosis-related mortality in people living with HIV in Europe and Latin America: an international cohort study

BACKGROUND Management of tuberculosis in patients with HIV in eastern Europe is complicated by the high prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, low rates of drug susceptibility testing, and poor access to antiretroviral therapy (ART). We report 1 year mortality estimates from a multiregional (eastern Europe, western Europe, and Latin America) prospective cohort study: the TB:HIV study. METHODS Consecutive HIV-positive patients aged 16 years or older with a diagnosis of tuberculosis between Jan 1, 2011, and Dec 31, 2013, were enrolled from 62 HIV and tuberculosis clinics in 19 countries in eastern Europe, western Europe, and Latin America. The primary endpoint was death within 12 months after starting tuberculosis treatment; all deaths were classified according to whether or not they were tuberculosis related. Follow-up was either until death, the final visit, or 12 months after baseline, whichever occurred first. Risk factors for all-cause and tuberculosis-related deaths were assessed using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox models. FINDINGS Of 1406 patients (834 in eastern Europe, 317 in western Europe, and 255 in Latin America), 264 (19%) died within 12 months. 188 (71%) of these deaths were tuberculosis related. The probability of all-cause death was 29% (95% CI 26-32) in eastern Europe, 4% (3-7) in western Europe, and 11% (8-16) in Latin America (p<0·0001) and the corresponding probabilities of tuberculosis-related death were 23% (20-26), 1% (0-3), and 4% (2-8), respectively (p<0·0001). Patients receiving care outside eastern Europe had a 77% decreased risk of death: adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0·23 (95% CI 0·16-0·31). In eastern Europe, compared with patients who started a regimen with at least three active antituberculosis drugs, those who started fewer than three active antituberculosis drugs were at a higher risk of tuberculosis-related death (aHR 3·17; 95% CI 1·83-5·49) as were those who did not have baseline drug-susceptibility tests (2·24; 1·31-3·83). Other prognostic factors for increased tuberculosis-related mortality were disseminated tuberculosis and a low CD4 cell count. 18% of patients were receiving ART at tuberculosis diagnosis in eastern Europe compared with 44% in western Europe and 39% in Latin America (p<0·0001); 12 months later the proportions were 67% in eastern Europe, 92% in western Europe, and 85% in Latin America (p<0·0001). INTERPRETATION Patients with HIV and tuberculosis in eastern Europe have a risk of death nearly four-times higher than that in patients from western Europe and Latin America. This increased mortality rate is associated with modifiable risk factors such as lack of drug susceptibility testing and suboptimal initial antituberculosis treatment in settings with a high prevalence of drug resistance. Urgent action is needed to improve tuberculosis care for patients living with HIV in eastern Europe. FUNDING EU Seventh Framework Programme.

Productivity of a Commune: The Shakers, 1850-80

How does the productivity of a commune compare with that of a conventional firm? This paper addresses this question quantitatively by focusing on the history of a religious commune called the United Society of Believers, better known as the Shakers. We utilize the information recorded in the enumeration schedules of the US Manufacturing and Agriculture Censuses, available for the period between 1850 to 1880, to estimate the productivities of Shaker shops and farms. From the same data source, we also construct random samples of other shops and farms and estimate their productivities for comparison with the Shakers. Our results provide support to the contention that communes need not always suffer from reduced productivity. Shaker farms and shops generally performed just as productively as their neighbors; when differences did exist between their productivities, there are good reasons to attribute them to factors other than organizational form.

Ms. Barth. 120 - Kanonistische Sammelhandschrift

Vorbesitzer: Bartholomaeusstift Frankfurt am Main;

Ms. Praed. 81 - Summa sermonum de dominicis et de sanctis per circulum anni

Vorbesitzer: Dominikanerkloster Frankfurt am Main

Fibulin-2 stabilizes tumor extracellular matrix and drives malignant progression of lung adenocarcinoma

The ECM of epithelial carcinomas undergoes structural remodeling during periods of uncontrolled growth, creating regional heterogeneity and torsional stress. How tumors maintain ECM integrity in the face of dynamic biophysical forces is still largely unclear. This study addresses these deficiencies using mouse models of human lung adenocarcinoma. Spontaneous lung tumors were marked by disorganized basement membranes, dense collagen networks, and increased tissue stiffness. Metastasis-prone lung adenocarcinoma cells secreted fibulin-2 (Fbln2), a matrix glycoprotein involved in ECM supra-molecular assembly. Fibulin-2 depletion in tumor cells decreased the intra-tumoral abundance of matrix metalloproteinases and reduced collagen cross-linking and tumor compressive properties resulting in inhibited tumor growth and metastasis. Fbln2 deposition within intra-tumoral fibrotic bands was a predictor of poor clinical outcome in patients. Collectively, these findings support a feed-forward model in which tumor cells secrete matrix-stabilizing factors required for the assembly of ECM that preferentially favors malignant progression. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that tumor cells directly regulate the integrity of their surrounding matrix through the secretion of matrix-stabilizing factors such as fibulin-2. These findings open a new avenue of research into matrix assembly molecules as potential therapeutic targets in cancer patients.

TURNOVER RATE OF THE NEURONAL CONNEXIN CX36 IN HELA CELLS

Electrical synapses formed of the gap junction protein Cx36 show a great deal of functional plasticity, much dependent on changes in phosphorylation state of the connexin. However, gap junction turnover may also be important for regulating cell-cell communication, and turnover rates of Cx36 have not been studied. Connexins have relatively fast turnover rates, with short half-lives measured to be 1.5 to 3.5 hours in pulse-chase analyses of connexins (Cx26 and Cx43) in tissue culture cells and whole organs. We utilized HaloTag technology to study the turnover rate of Cx36 in transiently transfected HeLa cells. The HaloTag protein forms irreversible covalent bonds with chloroalkane ligands, allowing pulse-chase experiments to be performed very specifically. The HaloTag open reading frame was inserted into an internal site in the C-terminus of Cx36 designed not to disrupt the regulatory phosphorylation sites and not to block the C-terminal PDZ interaction motif. Functional properties of Cx36-Halo were assessed by Neurobiotin tracer coupling, live cell imaging, and immunostaining. For the pulse-chase study, transiently transfected HeLa cells were pulse labeled with Oregon Green (OG) HaloTag ligand and chase labeled at various times with tetramethylrhodamine (TMR) HaloTag ligand. Cx36-Halo formed large junctional plaques at sites of contact between transfected HeLa cells and was also contained in a large number of intracellular vesicles. The Cx36-Halo transfected HeLa cells supported Neurobiotin tracer coupling that was regulated by activation and inhibition of PKA in the same manner as wild-type Cx36 transfected cells. In the pulse-chase study, junctional protein labeled with the pulse ligand (OG) was gradually replaced by newly synthesized Cx36 labeled with the chase ligand (TMR). The half-life for turnover of protein in junctional plaques was 2.8 hours. Treatment of the pulse-labeled cells with Brefeldin A (BFA) prevented the addition of new connexins to junctional plaques, suggesting that the assembly of Cx36 into gap junctions involves the traditional ER-Golgi-TGN-plasma membrane pathway. In conclusion, Cx36-Halo is functional and has a turnover rate in HeLa cells similar to that of other connexins that have been studied. This turnover rate is likely too slow to contribute substantially to short-term changes in coupling of neurons driven by transmitters such as dopamine, which take minutes to achieve. However, turnover may contribute to longer-term changes in coupling.