Conserved redox-dependent DNA binding of ROXY glutaredoxins with TGA transcription factors.

The CC-type glutaredoxin (GRX) ROXY1 and the bZIP TGA transcription factor (TF) PERIANTHIA (PAN) interact in the nucleus and together regulate petal development. The CC-type GRXs exist exclusively in land plants, and in contrast to the ubiquitously occurring CPYC and CGFS GRX classes, only the CC-type GRXs expanded strongly during land plant evolution. Phylogenetic analyses show that TGA TFs evolved before the CC-type GRXs in charophycean algae.

A ferroelectric liquid crystal confined in cylindrical nanopores: reversible smectic layer buckling, enhanced light rotation and extremely fast electro-optically active Goldstone excitations.

The orientational and translational order of a thermotropic ferroelectric liquid crystal (2MBOCBC) imbibed in self-organized, parallel, cylindrical pores with radii of 10, 15, or 20 nm in anodic aluminium oxide monoliths (AAO) are explored by high-resolution linear and circular optical birefringence as well as neutron diffraction texture analysis. The results are compared to experiments on the bulk system. The native oxidic pore walls do not provide a stable smectogen wall anchoring.

Metabolic adaptation of intracellular bacteria and fungi to macrophages.

The mature phagosome of macrophages is a hostile environment for the vast majority of phagocytosed microbes. In addition to active destruction of the engulfed microbes by antimicrobial compounds, restriction of essential nutrients in the phagosomal compartment contributes to microbial growth inhibition and killing. However, some pathogenic microorganisms have not only developed various strategies to efficiently withstand or counteract antimicrobial activities, but also to acquire nutrients within macrophages for intracellular replication.

The role of the two-component systems Cpx and Arc in protein alterations upon gentamicin treatment in Escherichia coli.

Background: The aminoglycoside antibiotic gentamicin was supposed to induce a crosstalk between the Cpx- and the Arc-two-component systems (TCS). Here, we investigated the physical interaction of the respective TCS components and compared the results with their respective gene expression and protein abundance. The findings were interpreted in relation to the global proteome profile upon gentamicin treatment.

Nanoscale x-ray investigation of magnetic metallofullerene peapods.

Endohedral lanthanide ions packed inside carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a one-dimensional assembly have been studied with a combination of high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), scanning transmission x-ray microscopy (STXM), and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). By correlating HRTEM and STXM images we show that structures down to 30 nm are resolved with chemical contrast and record x-ray absorption spectra from endohedral lanthanide ions embedded in individual nanoscale CNT bundles. XMCD measurements of an ErN@C bulk sample and a macroscopic assembly of filled CNTs indicate that the magnetic properties of the endohedral Er ions are unchanged when encapsulated in CNTs.

IT Decision Making in German Hospitals - Do CEOs Open the Black Box?

Health IT and communication systems are indispensable in German hospitals for clinical as well as administrative process support. However, IT is often regarded as a "black box" for hospital CEOs. Thus, the question arises how can CEOs decide if they do not know what is in the box? In order to answer this question, half-structured interviews with 14 German hospital CEOs were conducted.

Implementing a Data Management Platform for Longitudinal Health Research.

Health IT adoption research is rooted in Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation theory, which is based on longitudinal analyses. However, many studies in this field use cross-sectional designs. The aim of this study therefore was to design and implement a system to (i) consolidate survey data sets originating from different years (ii) integrate additional secondary data and (iii) query and statistically analyse these longitudinal data.

Heuristics for precise supramolecular control of soft matter structure and properties - 2,3,4-tris(dodecyloxy)benzenesulfonates with alkaline and organic cations.

Comprehensive analysis of the structure and phase behavior for a number of 2,3,4-tris(dodecyloxy)benzenesulfonates with alkali metal and organic focal groups revealed that the shape of the mesogenic group plays a decisive role in phase behavior of the material. Cubic and layered types of packing prevail when the size of the cation is small and, thus, the shape of the mesogenic molecule is close to conic one. With increasing cation size, the shape becomes more tapered, and columnar mesophases appear to be more stable.

Elucidating biochemical features and biological roles of Streptomyces proteins recognizing crystalline chitin- and cellulose-types and their soluble derivatives.

Pioneering biochemical, immunological, physiological and microscopic studies in combination with gene cloning allowed uncovering previously unknown genes encoding proteins of streptomycetes to target crystalline chitin and cellulose as well as their soluble degradation-compounds via binding protein dependent transporters. Complementary analyses provoked an understanding of novel regulators governing transcription of selected genes. These discoveries induced detecting close and distant homologues of former orphan proteins encoded by genes from different bacteria.

Numerical evaluation of bioaccumulation and depuration kinetics of PAHs in Mytilus galloprovincialis.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are important organic pollutants in the aquatic environment due to their persistence and bioaccumulation potential both in organisms and in sediments. Benzo(a)anthracene (BaA) and phenanthrene (PHE), which are in the priority pollutant list of the U.S.

Molecular and proteome analyses highlight the importance of the Cpx envelope stress system for acid stress and cell wall stability in Escherichia coli.

Two-component systems (TCS) play a pivotal role for bacteria in stress regulation and adaptation. However, it is not well understood how these systems are modulated to meet bacterial demands. Especially, for those TCS using an accessory protein to integrate additional signals, no data concerning the role of the accessory proteins within the coordination of the response is available.

Laser therapies for onychomycosis - critical evaluation of methods and effectiveness.

The number of medical devices designed specifically to treat onychomycosis has recently increased, although their mechanism of action is not clear. We evaluated available laser therapies for onychomycosis by reviewing the existing literature. Twenty-two reports, published in peer-reviewed journals and as white papers out of 926 initial search results conveyed enough details to be included in this study.

Sulfurtransferase and thioredoxin specifically interact as demonstrated by bimolecular fluorescence complementation analysis and biochemical tests.

Sulfurtransferases (Strs) and thioredoxins (Trxs) are members of large protein families. Trxs are disulfide reductases and play an important role in redox-related cellular processes. They interact with a broad range of proteins.

Tunnel junction based memristors as artificial synapses.

We prepared magnesia, tantalum oxide, and barium titanate based tunnel junction structures and investigated their memristive properties. The low amplitudes of the resistance change in these types of junctions are the major obstacle for their use. Here, we increased the amplitude of the resistance change from 10% up to 100%.

Extracellular Streptomyces lividans vesicles: composition, biogenesis and antimicrobial activity.

We selected Streptomyces lividans to elucidate firstly the biogenesis and antimicrobial activities of extracellular vesicles that a filamentous and highly differentiated Gram-positive bacterium produces. Vesicle types range in diameter from 110 to 230 nm and 20 to 60 nm, respectively; they assemble to clusters, and contain lipids and phospholipids allowing their in situ imaging by specific fluorescent dyes. The presence of the identified secondary metabolite undecylprodigiosin provokes red fluorescence of a portion of the heterogeneous vesicle populations facilitating in vivo monitoring.

A closer look at the apparent correlation of structural and functional connectivity in excitable neural networks.

The relationship between the structural connectivity (SC) and functional connectivity (FC) of neural systems is a central focus in brain network science. It is an open question, however, how strongly the SC-FC relationship depends on specific topological features of brain networks or the models used for describing excitable dynamics. Using a basic model of discrete excitable units that follow a susceptible - excited - refractory dynamic cycle (SER model), we here analyze how functional connectivity is shaped by the topological features of a neural network, in particular its modularity.

Tickle me, I think I might be dreaming! Sensory attenuation, self-other distinction, and predictive processing in lucid dreams.

The contrast between self- and other-produced tickles, as a special case of sensory attenuation for self-produced actions, has long been a target of empirical research. While in standard wake states it is nearly impossible to tickle oneself, there are interesting exceptions. Notably, participants awakened from REM (rapid eye movement-) sleep dreams are able to tickle themselves.

Predictions in the light of your own action repertoire as a general computational principle.

We argue that brains generate predictions only within the constraints of the action repertoire. This makes the computational complexity tractable and fosters a step-by-step parallel development of sensory and motor systems. Hence, it is more of a benefit than a literal constraint and may serve as a universal normative principle to understand sensorimotor coupling and interactions with the world.

Site-directed spin labeling of DNA reveals mismatch-induced nanometer distance changes between flanking nucleotides.

Multiple forms of DNA damages such as base modifications, double-strand breaks, and mispairings are related to inheritable diseases, cancer, and aging. Here, the structural changes of duplex DNA upon incorporation of mismatched base pairs are examined by EPR spectroscopy. Two ethynyl-7-deaza-2'-deoxyadenosine residues separated by two nucleotides were incorporated in DNA and functionalized with 4-azido-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidine-1-oxyl (4-azido TEMPO) by the click reaction.

Sensory augmentation for the blind.

Common navigational aids used by blind travelers during large-scale navigation divert attention away from important cues of the immediate environment (i.e., approaching vehicles).

Analysis and Design of Stimulus Response Curves of E. coli.

Metabolism and signalling are tightly coupled in bacteria. Combining several theoretical approaches, a core model is presented that describes transcriptional and allosteric control of glycolysis in Escherichia coli. Experimental data based on microarrays, signalling components and extracellular metabolites are used to estimate kinetic parameters.

Natural scene evoked population dynamics across cat primary visual cortex captured with voltage-sensitive dye imaging.

Neurons in primary visual cortex have been characterized by their selectivity to orientation, spatiotemporal frequencies, and motion direction, among others all essential parameters to decompose complex image structure. However, their concerted functioning upon real-world visual dynamics remained unobserved since most studies tested these parameters in isolation rather than in rich mixture. We used voltage-sensitive dye imaging to characterize population responses to natural scene movies, and for comparison, to well-established moving gratings.