Revisiting the J-Shape: Human Development and Fertility in the United States.

Economic and social development are closely linked with fertility. Several studies have shown that the relationship follows an inverse J-shape: the association is negative at low and intermediate levels of development and reverses to become positive at high development levels. However, more recent research building on subnational and U.

Three-dimensional digital imaging analysis of the palatal bone thickness for orthodontic mini-implant insertion - determination of the safe zone and angulation.

Background: In order to successfully perform orthodontic mini-implant procedures successfully for the subsequent anchoring of orthodontic appliances, it is crucial to know the palatal bone thickness. This is usually assessed using two-dimensional radiographs. The purpose of this study was to use a three-dimensional digital imaging measurement method to provide information on palatal bone volume and bone thickness and to make recommendations on the optimal and safe insertion site and angle for palatal mini-implants.

Terphenyl-Ge as μ-Ge-bis(hexahapto-Trip) Bridging Ligand to Form a New Transition Metal-Only Chelating Lewis Base.

Terphenylgermanium Ar*Ge [Ar*=CH(2,6-Trip), Trip=2,4,6-CHiPr] was found to act as a novel μ-Ge-bis(hexahapto-Trip) bridging ligand. Deprotonated terphenyl germanium trihydride [Li(thf)][Ar*GeH] (1) undergoes reductive elimination and transfer of hydrogen in reaction with dimeric [(COD)RhCl] to yield the dinuclear complex [Ar*GeRh(COE)RhCl(COD)] (2). Subsequent chloride abstraction from compound 2 using Na[BAr ] or Li[Al(OBu)] results in the cationic complexes [Ar*GeRh(COE)Rh(COD)][WCA] (3) {WCA: [BAr ] (Ar=CH-3,5-(CF)), [Al(OBu)]}.

Formally Zerovalent Bis(arene) Germylene Complexes of Zirconium and Hafnium.

Tetrachlorides of zirconium and hafnium form adducts (2, 3) with an intramolecular germylene phosphine Lewis pair. Two electron reduction treating the adducts with [NacnacMg] gives the low-valent metal complexes (4, 5) featuring η-Trip coordination at the Zr(II) and Hf(II) metal atom. Reduction of the M(II)-complexes gives the zerovalent metal complexes of zirconium (6) and hafnium (7), which have been structurally characterized.

Mutations that prevent phosphorylation of the BMP4 prodomain impair proteolytic maturation of homodimers leading to early lethality in mice.

Bone morphogenetic protein4 (BMP4) plays numerous roles during embryogenesis and can signal either as a homodimer, or as a more active BMP4/7 heterodimer. BMPs are generated as inactive precursor proteins that dimerize and are cleaved to generate the bioactive ligand and inactive prodomain fragments. In humans, heterozygous mutations within the prodomain of BMP4 are associated with birth defects.

Visualization of the Cdc48 AAA+ ATPase protein unfolding pathway.

The Cdc48 AAA+ ATPase is an abundant and essential enzyme that unfolds substrates in multiple protein quality control pathways. The enzyme includes two conserved AAA+ ATPase motor domains, D1 and D2, that assemble as hexameric rings with D1 stacked above D2. Here, we report an ensemble of native structures of Cdc48 affinity purified from budding yeast lysate in complex with the adaptor Shp1 in the act of unfolding substrate.

Germaborene reactivity study - addition of carbon nucleophiles, cycloaddition reactions, coordination chemistry.

NHC substituted germaborenium cation 2 was synthesized directly in reaction of bromo-substituted germaborene 1b with NHC. The adamantyl isonitrile substituted germaborenium cation 4 was obtained stepwise: substitution of the chloride atom against adamantyl isonitrile at the B-Cl unit in 1a, simultaneous migration of the chloride to the germanium atom followed by chloride abstraction using Na[BAr ] gives the germaborenium cation 4. Substitution of the bromide atom in 1b against carbon monoxide followed by bromide abstraction using Ag[Al(OBu)] leads to compound 6 exhibiting a B[double bond, length as m-dash]C double bond substituted at the boron atom by a germylium cation.

Visualization of the Cdc48 AAA+ ATPase protein unfolding pathway.

The Cdc48 AAA+ ATPase is an abundant and essential enzyme that unfolds substrates in multiple protein quality control pathways. The enzyme includes two conserved AAA+ ATPase cassettes, D1 and D2, that assemble as hexameric rings with D1 stacked above D2. Here, we report an ensemble of structures of Cdc48 affinity purified from lysate in complex with the adaptor Shp1 in the act of unfolding substrate.

From sink to source: Dynamic of greenhouse gases emissions from beach wrack accumulations in a temperate coastal bay.

Coastal ecosystems such as salt marshes, seagrass meadows, and kelp forests contribute to climate regulation as carbon sinks. However, coastal ecosystems may act as carbon sources as beach wrack accumulations may release greenhouse gases (GHG) during decomposition. The magnitude of GHG emissions of beach wrack accumulations under natural conditions are poorly understood, hampering accurate blue carbon accountings.

Photosynthetic response of Chara braunii towards different bicarbonate concentrations.

A variety of inorganic carbon acquisition modes have been proposed in Characean algae, however, a broadly applicable inorganic carbon uptake mechanism is unknown for the genus Chara. In the present study, we analyzed if C. braunii can efficiently use HCO as a carbon source for photosynthesis.

Wide ecological niches ensure frequent harmful dinoflagellate blooms.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) and their consequences cause multiple devastating effects in various freshwater, brackish and marine ecosystems. However, HAB species at moderate population densities have positive ecological roles as primary producers of organic matter and food for zooplankton and fish. They also enhance benthic-pelagic coupling and participate in the biogeochemical cycles.

The impact of salt stress on the physiology and the transcriptome of the model streptophyte green alga Chara braunii.

Chara braunii is a model for early land plant evolution and terrestrialization. Salt stress has a profound effect on water and ion transport activities, thereby interacting with many other processes, including inorganic carbon acquisition for photosynthesis. In this study, we analyzed the impact of salt stress (5 practical salt units, PSU) on the physiology and gene expression in C.

The Role of Serine/Threonine-Specific Protein Kinases in Cyanobacteria - SpkB Is Involved in Acclimation to Fluctuating Conditions in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.

Protein phosphorylation via serine/threonine protein kinases (Spk) is a widespread mechanism to adjust cellular processes toward changing environmental conditions. To study their role(s) in cyanobacteria, we investigated a collection of 11 completely segregated spk mutants among the 12 annotated Spks in the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.

The cell walls of different Chara species are characterized by branched galactans rich in 3-O-methylgalactose and absence of AGPs.

Streptophyte algae are the closest relatives to land plants; their latest common ancestor performed the most drastic adaptation in plant evolution around 500 million years ago: the conquest of land. Besides other adaptations, this step required changes in cell wall composition. Current knowledge on the cell walls of streptophyte algae and especially on the presence of arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs), important signalling molecules in all land plants, is limited.

Synthesis of Cobalt-Tin and -Lead Tetrylidynes-Reactivity Study of the Triple Bond.

Tetrylidynes [TbbSn≡Co(PMe ) ] (1 a) and [TbbPb≡Co(PMe ) ] (2) (Tbb=2,6-[CH(SiMe ) ] -4-(t-Bu)C H ) are accessed for the first time via a substitution reaction between [Na(OEt )][Co(PMe ) ] and [Li(thf) ][TbbEBr ] (E=Sn, Pb). Following an alternative procedure the stannylidyne [Ar*Sn≡Co(PMe ) ] (1 b) was synthesized by hydrogen atom abstraction using AIBN from the paramagnetic hydride complex [Ar*SnH=Co(PMe ) ] (4) (AIBN=azobis(isobutyronitrile)). The stannylidyne 1 a adds two equivalents of water to yield the dihydroxide [TbbSn(OH) CoH (PMe ) ] (5).

BMP-2 (and partially GDF-5) coating significantly accelerates and augments bone formation close to hydroxyapatite/tricalcium-phosphate/brushite implant cylinders for tibial bone defects in senile, osteopenic sheep.

Bilateral defects (diameter 8 mm) in the medial tibial head of senile, osteopenic female sheep (n = 48; 9.63 ± 0.10 years; mean ± SEM) were treated with hydroxyapatite (HA)/beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP)/dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD; brushite) cylinders coated with BMP-2 (25 or 250 micrograms) or growth differentiation factor (GDF)-5 (125 or 1250 micrograms; left side); cylinders without BMP served as controls (right side).

The high-light-induced protein SliP4 binds to NDH1 and photosystems facilitating cyclic electron transport and state transition in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.

An increasing number of small proteins has been identified in the genomes of well-annotated organisms, including the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. We describe a newly assigned protein comprising 37 amino acids that is encoded upstream of the superoxide dismutase SodB encoding gene.

Authentic Sn═B-Double Bonds in Polar Stannaborene Derivatives.

We report on the synthesis of an authentic Sn═B-moiety realized in a stannaborenyl anion and stannaborenium cation. Starting with an oxidative addition of boron tribromide to a stannylene-phosphine Lewis pair [-CH(Ar*BrSn-BBr-PPh)] () [Ar* = CH(2,6-Trip), Trip = 2,4,6-CHPr] was synthesized. Reduction of with magnesium yields the Grignard-type stannaborene [-CH(Ar*Sn═B{PPh}MgBr{thf})] () featuring a Sn═B double bond and a B-Mg interaction.

Stiba-, Arsa- and Phosphastannenes: Syntheses and Reactivities.

A facile synthesis for unprecedented stibastannene (10) featuring a Sn=Sb-double bond together with the homologous arsa- (9) and phosphastannenes (8) is presented. Chloride abstraction from respective stannyl pnictinidenes [E=P (5), As (6), Sb (7)], which were made accessible by reduction of ECl addition products at an intramolecular phosphine-stabilized stannylene, gave the pnictastannenes in moderate yields. The pnictastannenes coordinate Pd(PPh ) fragments (12-14) and the phosphastannene forms also a nickel coordination compound with the Ni(PPh ) -fragment (11).

Plastid DNA sequences and oospore characters of some European taxa of section (Characeae) identify five clusters, including one new cryptic taxon from Sardinia, but they do not coincide with current morphological descriptions.

In Europe, the genus (Characeae) comprises four to eight taxa in sections and that have been distinguished by vegetative morphology and gametangial characters such as antheridial size and oospore wall ornamentation. However, morphological differentiation is difficult in some cases due to overlapping and variable vegetative features, which in many cases are difficult to observe clearly. To clarify the taxonomic status of the five European taxa of in section , sequence data of the plastid genes B, L and C for (Desv.

Protein-metabolite interactomics of carbohydrate metabolism reveal regulation of lactate dehydrogenase.

Metabolic networks are interconnected and influence diverse cellular processes. The protein-metabolite interactions that mediate these networks are frequently low affinity and challenging to systematically discover. We developed mass spectrometry integrated with equilibrium dialysis for the discovery of allostery systematically (MIDAS) to identify such interactions.

HIV-1 Gag Binds the Multi-Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetase Complex via the EPRS Subunit.

Host factor tRNAs facilitate the replication of retroviruses such as human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). HIV-1 uses human tRNA as the primer for reverse transcription, and the assembly of HIV-1 structural protein Gag at the plasma membrane (PM) is regulated by matrix (MA) domain-tRNA interactions. A large, dynamic multi-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase complex (MSC) exists in the cytosol and consists of eight aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) and three other cellular proteins.