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Introduction: The temporary trauma teams in trauma alerts consist of a diverse group of unique professionals requiring interprofessional collaboration and coordination to achieve efficient, high-quality care. The uncertain situation and complex care environment impose high demands on team dynamics such as individual attitudes and team behaviours. Within interprofessional teams, interaction and coordination reflect the collective success of collaboration and the achievement of goals. Interactions with radiographers have increased in trauma teams given computed tomography's prominent role in providing crucial knowledge for decision-making in trauma care. This study aimed to explore radiographers' experiences of interprofessional collaboration during trauma alerts. Method: The study was designed with focus group methodology, including 17 radiographers participating in five focus groups, analysed with an inductive focus group analysis. Results: An overarching theme, “On the edge of decision-making”, emerged along with three sub-themes: “Feeling included requires acknowledgement”, “Exclusion precludes shared knowledge”, and “Experience and mutual awareness facilitate team interaction”. Conclusions: Interprofessional collaboration from the radiographer's perspective within trauma teams requires a sense of inclusion and the ability to interact with the team. Exclusion from vital decision-making obstructs radiographers' comprehension of situations and thereby the interdependence in interprofessional collaboration. Implications for practice: Common platforms are needed for knowledge sharing and team practices, including radiographers’ areas of responsibility and relational coordination to foster interprofessional relationships. Through these means interdependence through awareness and shared knowledge can be facilitated on trauma teams., Validerad;2023;Nivå 2;2023-10-31 (hanlid);Licens full text: CC BY

Introduction: The temporary trauma teams in trauma alerts consist of a diverse group of unique professionals requiring interprofessional collaboration and coordination to achieve efficient, high-quality care. The uncertain situation and complex care environment impose high demands on team dynamics such as individual attitudes and team behaviours. Within interprofessional teams, interaction and coordination reflect the collective success of collaboration and the achievement of goals. Interactions with radiographers have increased in trauma teams given computed tomography's prominent role in providing crucial knowledge for decision-making in trauma care. This study aimed to explore radiographers' experiences of interprofessional collaboration during trauma alerts. Method: The study was designed with focus group methodology, including 17 radiographers participating in five focus groups, analysed with an inductive focus group analysis. Results: An overarching theme, “On the edge of decision-making”, emerged along with three sub-themes: “Feeling included requires acknowledgement”, “Exclusion precludes shared knowledge”, and “Experience and mutual awareness facilitate team interaction”. Conclusions: Interprofessional collaboration from the radiographer's perspective within trauma teams requires a sense of inclusion and the ability to interact with the team. Exclusion from vital decision-making obstructs radiographers' comprehension of situations and thereby the interdependence in interprofessional collaboration. Implications for practice: Common platforms are needed for knowledge sharing and team practices, including radiographers’ areas of responsibility and relational coordination to foster interprofessional relationships. Through these means interdependence through awareness and shared knowledge can be facilitated on trauma teams., Validerad;2023;Nivå 2;2023-10-31 (hanlid);Licens full text: CC BY

Introduction: The temporary trauma teams in trauma alerts consist of a diverse group of unique professionals requiring interprofessional collaboration and coordination to achieve efficient, high-quality care. The uncertain situation and complex care environment impose high demands on team dynamics such as individual attitudes and team behaviours. Within interprofessional teams, interaction and coordination reflect the collective success of collaboration and the achievement of goals. Interactions with radiographers have increased in trauma teams given computed tomography's prominent role in providing crucial knowledge for decision-making in trauma care. This study aimed to explore radiographers' experiences of interprofessional collaboration during trauma alerts. Method: The study was designed with focus group methodology, including 17 radiographers participating in five focus groups, analysed with an inductive focus group analysis. Results: An overarching theme, "On the edge of decision-making", emerged along with three subthemes: "Feeling included requires acknowledgement", "Exclusion precludes shared knowledge", and "Experience and mutual awareness facilitate team interaction". Conclusions: Interprofessional collaboration from the radiographer's perspective within trauma teams requires a sense of inclusion and the ability to interact with the team. Exclusion from vital decisionmaking obstructs radiographers' comprehension of situations and thereby the interdependence in interprofessional collaboration. Implications for practice: Common platforms are needed for knowledge sharing and team practices, including radiographers' areas of responsibility and relational coordination to foster interprofessional relationships. Through these means interdependence through awareness and shared knowledge can be facilitated on trauma teams. (c) 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The College of Radiographers. This is an open access article under the CC BY lice, Funding Agencies|Lulea University of Technology

Public acceptance of environmental compensation (offsetting) as a mechanism to address negative human impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services is critical. Given that "in-kind/on-site" compensation is rarely possible, proposals must address trade-offs with respect to design. We measure Swedish citizens' support for compensation and analyze preferences for design attributes based on a choice experiment in which respondents choose between various compensation alternatives to address the hypothetical loss of green space due to urban development. We find citizens' support for compensation is high, but the activity causing the damage affects acceptance. Our model suggests that several design attributes affect choice but size of the compensation area was valued highest, both in relative and absolute terms. Further, our results suggest that compensation should be primarily focused on creating or improving biodiversity and nature values in order to be in line with public preferences. Additionally, choice depends on interactions between attributes: a larger compensation site matters more when it is relatively further away; and the importance of size and distance from damage depends on whether compensation type focuses on nature or recreational values. Observable characteristics such as a respondent's age, income and education affect compensation design preferences, but perceptions and previous experiences have the largest effect on choice. Our findings suggest that public preferences are consistent with many of the general recommendations found in guidance documents, but local context may argue for alternative priorities with respect to certain species, habitats, and/or the wellbeing of certain groups. To engender broad support, compensatory offsets will need to balance scientific rigor with transparent involvement of the public., QC 20220613

Environmental compensation (EC) aims at addressing environmental losses due to development projects and involves a need to compare development losses with compensation gains using relevant metrics. A conceptual procedure for computing no net loss is formulated and used as a point of departure for a comparative analysis of metrics used by five Swedish municipalities as a part of their EC implementation in the spatial planning context of detailed development plans. While Swedish law does not require EC in this context, these municipalities have still decided to introduce EC requirements for development projects that occur on municipality-owned land and to promote voluntary EC among private actors in development projects on private land. There is substantial variation across the municipalities studied with respect to both metrics and attributes subject to measurement, but there are also similarities: The attributes considered when assessing the need for EC in conjunction with development are not only about nature per se, but also about recreational opportunities and other types ecosystem services; semi-quantitative metrics such as scores are common while quantitative or monetary metrics are rare; and metrics are rarely applied to assess compensatory gains, focusing instead on losses from development. Streamlining across municipalities might be warranted for increasing predictability and transparency for developers and citizens, but it also introduces considerable challenges such as a need for developing consistent guidelines for semi-quantitative metrics, and to handle substitutability issues if metrics are not only applied on individual attributes but also on groups of attributes. The broad scope of attributes used by the municipalities is in line with an international tendency to broaden EC to include not only biodiversity aspects but also ecosystem services. Moreover, the EC systems applied by the municipalities are of particular importance for highlighting the cruc, QC 20211112

Discussion is presented of the identification of the optimal draw control strategy for a sublevel caving (SLC) operation at Malmberget iron ore mine in Sweden. Two mathematical models (a probability model and an economic model) were created using five datasets: bucket weights, bucket grades, extraction ratio, mine economics parameters and production constraints. The probability model was used to generate a set of simulated bucket weights and corresponding bucket grades which acts as a virtual mine environment. The economic model assesses the economic impact of loading at the draw point. Two approaches to draw control were tested using the virtual mine created by the probability model. A new decision box approach to draw control is proposed based on the economic model. This was found to be better for controlling the loading at the draw point as it is sensitive to mine economics. It is recommended that this approach should be tested at the mine using heuristically selected initial parameter values for the decision box. The model proposed provides a method to estimate the profitability and sinking rate for different draw control strategies., Discussion is presented of the identification of the optimal draw control strategy for a sublevel caving (SLC) operation at Malmberget iron ore mine in Sweden. Two mathematical models (a probability model and an economic model) were created using five datasets: bucket weights, bucket grades, extraction ratio, mine economics parameters and production constraints. The probability model was used to generate a set of simulated bucket weights and corresponding bucket grades which acts as a virtual mine environment. The economic model assesses the economic impact of loading at the draw point. Two approaches to draw control were tested using the virtual mine created by the probability model. A new decision box approach to draw control is proposed based on the economic model. This was found to be better for controlling the loading at the draw point as it is sensitive to mine economics. It is recommended that this approach should be tested at the mine using heuristically selected initial parameter values for the decision box. The model proposed provides a method to estimate the profitability and sinking rate for different draw control strategies.

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2018. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. Introduction Prenatal and neonatal environmental factors, such as nutrition, microbes and toxicants, may affect health throughout life. Many diseases, such as allergy and impaired child development, may be programmed already in utero or during early infancy. Birth cohorts are important tools to study associations between early life exposure and disease risk. Here, we describe the study protocol of the prospective birth cohort, 'Nutritional impact on Immunological maturation during Childhood in relation to the Environment' (NICE). The primary aim of the NICE cohort is to clarify the effect of key environmental exposures - diet, microbes and environmental toxicants - during pregnancy and early childhood, on the maturation of the infant's immune system, including initiation of sensitisation and allergy as well as some secondary outcomes: Infant growth, obesity, neurological development and oral health. Methods and analysis The NICE cohort will recruit about 650 families during mid-pregnancy. The principal inclusion criterion will be planned birth at the Sunderby Hospital in the north of Sweden, during 2015-2018. Questionnaires data and biological samples will be collected at 10 time-points, from pregnancy until the children reach 4 years of age. Samples will be collected primarily from mothers and children, and from fathers. Biological samples include blood, urine, placenta, breast milk, meconium, faeces, saliva and hair. Information regarding allergic heredity, diet, socioeconomic status, lifestyle including smoking, siblings, pet ownership, etc will be collected using questionnaires. Sensitisation to common allergens will be assessed by skin prick testing and allergic disease will be diagnosed by a paediatrician at 1 and 4 years of age. At 4 years of age, the children will also be examined regarding growth, neurobehavioural and

The aim of this study was to analyze tolerance to heavy ions in desiccated animals of the eutardigrade Richtersius coronifer and the bdelloid rotifer Mniobia russeola within the STARLIFE project. Both species were exposed to iron (Fe) and helium (He) ions at the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC) in Chiba, Japan, and to X-rays at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Cologne, Germany. Results show no effect of Fe and He on viability up to 7 days post-rehydration in both R. coronifer and M. russeola, while X-rays tended to reduce viability in R. coronifer at the highest doses. Mean egg production rate tended to decline with higher doses in R. coronifer for all radiation types, but the pattern was not statistically confirmed. In M. russeola, there was no such tendency for a dose response in egg production rate. These results confirm the previously reported high tolerance to high linear energy transfer (LET) radiation in tardigrades and show for the first time that bdelloid rotifers are also very tolerant to high-LET radiation. These animal phyla represent the most desiccation-and radiation-tolerant animals on Earth and provide excellent eukaryotic models for astrobiological research.

A project is described aimed at investigating the effect of fragmentation on the overall process flow in an underground sublevel cave mine, using the Malmberget magnetite mine in Sweden as a case study. Optimising the entire process rather than individual unit operations can increase productivity, reduce interruptions and lower energy costs. The results indicate that the accuracy of the drilling procedure is critical for fragmentation, and increased attention should be paid to the alignment and drilling of production holes. Recorded drill data are an important source of information for predicting drilling problems and identifying structural zones affecting blasting and fragmentation. Boulders have a significant effect on productivity at Malmberget, with 35% of all disturbances to LHDs being related to boulders. There is also probably a correlation between coarser fragmentation and performance indicators such as cycle time and bucket load. Ore pass disturbances have been identified as the most critical bottleneck in the production chain, and boulders and badly fragmented rock are the main reasons for hang ups. No major disturbances to the transportation system occurred as a result of fragmentation. The crushers exhibit some disturbances related to larger size rock, but overall boulders are not a significant problem., A project is described aimed at investigating the effect of fragmentation on the overall process flow in an underground sublevel cave mine, using the Malmberget magnetite mine in Sweden as a case study. Optimising the entire process rather than individual unit operations can increase productivity, reduce interruptions and lower energy costs. The results indicate that the accuracy of the drilling procedure is critical for fragmentation, and increased attention should be paid to the alignment and drilling of production holes. Recorded drill data are an important source of information for predicting drilling problems and identifying structural zones affecting blasting and fragmentation. Boulders have a significant effect on productivity at Malmberget, with 35% of all disturbances to LHDs being related to boulders. There is also probably a correlation between coarser fragmentation and performance indicators such as cycle time and bucket load. Ore pass disturbances have been identified as the most critical bottleneck in the production chain, and boulders and badly fragmented rock are the main reasons for hang ups. No major disturbances to the transportation system occurred as a result of fragmentation. The crushers exhibit some disturbances related to larger size rock, but overall boulders are not a significant problem.

The development or rehabilitation of an ore pass after a major failure is time-consuming and expensive. Alternative transport strategies were investigated at the Malmberget sublevel cave iron ore mine in Sweden in relation to the risk of long-term ore pass loss. Discrete event simulation was used to analyse the transportation system for the two main haulage levels and the production levels in the Dennewitz orebody. The LHDs and 35 t capacity trucks were scheduled for 16.25 h/d from Monday to Friday and 13 h/day on Saturdays and Sundays. The input data included the mine layout, machine settings such as speed, acceleration and deceleration when loaded and empty, and shifts and delays the LHD encounters during operation. The results showed that production rates of 9 118 t/day could not be achieved when trucking from production areas, as one LHD was not able to serve more than three trucks at the production levels located closer to the main haulage levels. Before increasing the number of trucks to more than three, the number of LHDs has to be increased. For a production rate of 5 916 t/day, the production rate can be maintained when the ore pass is lost using two or three trucks, with three trucks required when extracting at levels located further away from a main haulage level., The development or rehabilitation of an ore pass after a major failure is time-consuming and expensive. Alternative transport strategies were investigated at the Malmberget sublevel cave iron ore mine in Sweden in relation to the risk of long-term ore pass loss. Discrete event simulation was used to analyse the transportation system for the two main haulage levels and the production levels in the Dennewitz orebody. The LHDs and 35 t capacity trucks were scheduled for 16.25 h/d from Monday to Friday and 13 h/day on Saturdays and Sundays. The input data included the mine layout, machine settings such as speed, acceleration and deceleration when loaded and empty, and shifts and delays the LHD encounters during operation. The results showed that production rates of 9 118 t/day could not be achieved when trucking from production areas, as one LHD was not able to serve more than three trucks at the production levels located closer to the main haulage levels. Before increasing the number of trucks to more than three, the number of LHDs has to be increased. For a production rate of 5 916 t/day, the production rate can be maintained when the ore pass is lost using two or three trucks, with three trucks required when extracting at levels located further away from a main haulage level.

Tardigrades are highly tolerant to desiccation and ionizing radiation but the mechanisms of this tolerance are not well understood. In this paper, we report studies on dose responses of adults and eggs of the tardigrade Hypsibius dujardini exposed to gamma radiation. In adults the LD50/48h for survival was estimated at similar to 4200 Gy, and doses higher than 100 Gy reduced both fertility and hatchability of laid eggs drastically. We also evaluated the effect of radiation (doses 50 Gy, 200 Gy, 500 Gy) on eggs in the early and late embryonic stage of development, and observed a reduced hatchability in the early stage, while no effect was found in the late stage of development. Survival of juveniles from irradiated eggs was highly affected by a 500 Gy dose, both in the early and the late stage. Juveniles hatched from eggs irradiated at 50 Gy and 200 Gy developed into adults and produced offspring, but their fertility was reduced compared to the controls. Finally we measured the effect of low temperature during irradiation at 4000 Gy and 4500 Gy on survival in adult tardigrades, and observed a slight delay in the expressed mortality when tardigrades were irradiated on ice. Since H. dujardini is a freshwater tardigrade with lower tolerance to desiccation compared to limno-terrestrial tardigrades, the high radiation tolerance in adults, similar to limno-terrestrial tardigrades, is unexpected and seems to challenge the idea that desiccation and radiation tolerance rely on the same molecular mechanisms. We suggest that the higher radiation tolerance in adults and late stage embryos of H. dujardini (and in other studied tardigrades) compared to early stage embryos may partly be due to limited mitotic activity, since tardigrades have a low degree of somatic cell division (eutely), and dividing cells are known to be more sensitive to radiation.

To better determine the history of modern birds, we performed a genome-scale phylogenetic analysis of 48 species representing all orders of Neoaves using phylogenomic methods created to handle genome-scale data. We recovered a highly resolved tree that confirms previously controversial sister or close relationships. We identified the first divergence in Neoaves, two groups we named Passerea and Columbea, representing independent lineages of diverse and convergently evolved land and water bird species. Among Passerea, we infer the common ancestor of core landbirds to have been an apex predator and confirm independent gains of vocal learning. Among Columbea, we identify pigeons and flamingoes as belonging to sister clades. Even with whole genomes, some of the earliest branches in Neoaves proved challenging to resolve, which was best explained by massive protein-coding sequence convergence and high levels of incomplete lineage sorting that occurred during a rapid radiation after the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction event about 66 million years ago.

Glycan structural information is a prerequisite for elucidation of carbohydrate function in biological systems. To this end we employ a tripod approach for investigation of carbo hydrate 3D structure and dynamics based on organic synthesis; different experimental spectroscopy techniques, NMR being of prime importance; and molecular simulations using, in particular, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The synthesis of oligosaccharides in the form of glucosyl fluorides is described, and their use as substrates for the Lam16A E115S glucosyl synthase is exemplified as well as a conformational analysis of a cyclic beta-(1 -> 3)-heptaglucan based on molecular simulations. The flexibility of the N-acetyl group of aminosugars is by MD simulations indicated to function as a gatekeeper for transitions of glycosidic torsion angles to other regions of conformational space. A novel approach to visualize glycoprotein (GP) structures is presented in which the protein is shown by, for example, ribbons, but instead of stick or space-filling models for the carbohydrate portion it is visualized by the colored geometrical figures known as CFG representation in a 3D way, which we denote 3D-CFG, thereby effectively highlighting the sugar residues of the glycan part of the GP and the position(s) on the protein., AuthorCount:3

Glycan structural information is a prerequisite for elucidation of carbohydrate function in biological systems. To this end we employ a tripod approach for investigation of carbo hydrate 3D structure and dynamics based on organic synthesis; different experimental spectroscopy techniques, NMR being of prime importance; and molecular simulations using, in particular, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The synthesis of oligosaccharides in the form of glucosyl fluorides is described, and their use as substrates for the Lam16A E115S glucosyl synthase is exemplified as well as a conformational analysis of a cyclic beta-(1 -> 3)-heptaglucan based on molecular simulations. The flexibility of the N-acetyl group of aminosugars is by MD simulations indicated to function as a gatekeeper for transitions of glycosidic torsion angles to other regions of conformational space. A novel approach to visualize glycoprotein (GP) structures is presented in which the protein is shown by, for example, ribbons, but instead of stick or space-filling models for the carbohydrate portion it is visualized by the colored geometrical figures known as CFG representation in a 3D way, which we denote 3D-CFG, thereby effectively highlighting the sugar residues of the glycan part of the GP and the position(s) on the protein., AuthorCount:3

Tardigrades represent one of the most desiccation and radiation tolerant animals on Earth, and several studies have documented their tolerance in the adult stage. Studies on tolerance during embryological stages are rare, but differential effects of desiccation and freezing on different developmental stages have been reported, as well as dose-dependent effect of gamma irradiation on tardigrade embryos. Here, we report a study evaluating the tolerance of eggs from the eutardigrade Milnesium cf. tardigradum to three doses of gamma radiation (50, 200 and 500 Gy) at the early, middle, and late stage of development. We found that embryos of the middle and late developmental stages were tolerant to all doses, while eggs in the early developmental stage were tolerant only to a dose of 50 Gy, and showed a declining survival with higher dose. We also observed a delay in development of irradiated eggs, suggesting that periods of DNA repair might have taken place after irradiation induced damage. The delay was independent of dose for eggs irradiated in the middle and late stage, possibly indicating a fixed developmental schedule for repair after induced damage. These results show that the tolerance to radiation in tardigrade eggs changes in the course of their development. The mechanisms behind this pattern are unknown, but may relate to changes in mitotic activities over the embryogenesis and/or to activation of response mechanisms to damaged DNA in the course of development., AuthorCount:7

Glycan structural information is a prerequisite for elucidation of carbohydrate function in biological systems. To this end we employ a tripod approach for investigation of carbo hydrate 3D structure and dynamics based on organic synthesis; different experimental spectroscopy techniques, NMR being of prime importance; and molecular simulations using, in particular, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The synthesis of oligosaccharides in the form of glucosyl fluorides is described, and their use as substrates for the Lam16A E115S glucosyl synthase is exemplified as well as a conformational analysis of a cyclic beta-(1 -> 3)-heptaglucan based on molecular simulations. The flexibility of the N-acetyl group of aminosugars is by MD simulations indicated to function as a gatekeeper for transitions of glycosidic torsion angles to other regions of conformational space. A novel approach to visualize glycoprotein (GP) structures is presented in which the protein is shown by, for example, ribbons, but instead of stick or space-filling models for the carbohydrate portion it is visualized by the colored geometrical figures known as CFG representation in a 3D way, which we denote 3D-CFG, thereby effectively highlighting the sugar residues of the glycan part of the GP and the position(s) on the protein., AuthorCount:3

Translating policies about sustainable development as a social process and sustainability outcomes into the real world of social-ecological systems involves several challenges. Hence, research policies advocate improved innovative problem-solving capacity. One approach is transdisciplinary research that integrates research disciplines, as well as researchers and practitioners. Drawing upon 14 experiences of problem-solving, we used group modeling to map perceived barriers and bridges for researchers' and practitioners' joint knowledge production and learning towards transdisciplinary research. The analysis indicated that the transdisciplinary research process is influenced by (1) the amount of traditional disciplinary formal and informal control, (2) adaptation of project applications to fill the transdisciplinary research agenda, (3) stakeholder participation, and (4) functional team building/development based on self-reflection and experienced leadership. Focusing on implementation of green infrastructure policy as a common denominator for the delivery of ecosystem services and human well-being, we discuss how to diagnose social-ecological systems, and use knowledge production and collaborative learning as treatments., AuthorCount:13

Glycan structural information is a prerequisite for elucidation of carbohydrate function in biological systems. To this end we employ a tripod approach for investigation of carbo hydrate 3D structure and dynamics based on organic synthesis; different experimental spectroscopy techniques, NMR being of prime importance; and molecular simulations using, in particular, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The synthesis of oligosaccharides in the form of glucosyl fluorides is described, and their use as substrates for the Lam16A E115S glucosyl synthase is exemplified as well as a conformational analysis of a cyclic beta-(1 -> 3)-heptaglucan based on molecular simulations. The flexibility of the N-acetyl group of aminosugars is by MD simulations indicated to function as a gatekeeper for transitions of glycosidic torsion angles to other regions of conformational space. A novel approach to visualize glycoprotein (GP) structures is presented in which the protein is shown by, for example, ribbons, but instead of stick or space-filling models for the carbohydrate portion it is visualized by the colored geometrical figures known as CFG representation in a 3D way, which we denote 3D-CFG, thereby effectively highlighting the sugar residues of the glycan part of the GP and the position(s) on the protein., AuthorCount:3

Glycan structural information is a prerequisite for elucidation of carbohydrate function in biological systems. To this end we employ a tripod approach for investigation of carbo hydrate 3D structure and dynamics based on organic synthesis; different experimental spectroscopy techniques, NMR being of prime importance; and molecular simulations using, in particular, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The synthesis of oligosaccharides in the form of glucosyl fluorides is described, and their use as substrates for the Lam16A E115S glucosyl synthase is exemplified as well as a conformational analysis of a cyclic beta-(1 -> 3)-heptaglucan based on molecular simulations. The flexibility of the N-acetyl group of aminosugars is by MD simulations indicated to function as a gatekeeper for transitions of glycosidic torsion angles to other regions of conformational space. A novel approach to visualize glycoprotein (GP) structures is presented in which the protein is shown by, for example, ribbons, but instead of stick or space-filling models for the carbohydrate portion it is visualized by the colored geometrical figures known as CFG representation in a 3D way, which we denote 3D-CFG, thereby effectively highlighting the sugar residues of the glycan part of the GP and the position(s) on the protein., AuthorCount:3

Glycan structural information is a prerequisite for elucidation of carbohydrate function in biological systems. To this end we employ a tripod approach for investigation of carbo hydrate 3D structure and dynamics based on organic synthesis; different experimental spectroscopy techniques, NMR being of prime importance; and molecular simulations using, in particular, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The synthesis of oligosaccharides in the form of glucosyl fluorides is described, and their use as substrates for the Lam16A E115S glucosyl synthase is exemplified as well as a conformational analysis of a cyclic beta-(1 -> 3)-heptaglucan based on molecular simulations. The flexibility of the N-acetyl group of aminosugars is by MD simulations indicated to function as a gatekeeper for transitions of glycosidic torsion angles to other regions of conformational space. A novel approach to visualize glycoprotein (GP) structures is presented in which the protein is shown by, for example, ribbons, but instead of stick or space-filling models for the carbohydrate portion it is visualized by the colored geometrical figures known as CFG representation in a 3D way, which we denote 3D-CFG, thereby effectively highlighting the sugar residues of the glycan part of the GP and the position(s) on the protein., AuthorCount:3

Environmental variation connected with seasonality is likely to affect the evolution of life-history strategies in ectotherms, but there is no consensus as to how important life-history traits like body size are influenced by environmental variation along seasonal gradients. We compared adult body size, skeletal growth, mean age, age at first reproduction and longevity among 11 common frog (Rana temporaria) populations sampled along a 1,600-km-long latitudinal gradient across Scandinavia. Mean age, age at first reproduction and longevity increased linearly with decreasing growth season length. Lifetime activity (i.e. the estimated number of active days during life-time) was highest at mid-latitudes and females had on average more active days throughout their lives than males. Variation in body size was due to differences in lifetime activity among populations-individuals (especially females) were largest where they had the longest cumulative activity period-as well as to differences between populations in skeletal growth rate as determined by skeletochronological analyses. Especially, males grew faster at intermediate latitudes. While life-history trait variation was strongly associated with latitude, the direction and shape of these relationships were sex- and trait-specific. These context-dependent relationships may be the result of life-history trade-offs enforced by differences in future reproductive opportunities and time constraints among the populations. Thus, seasonality appears to be an important environmental factor shaping life-history trait variation in common frogs.

We investigated 60 patients (89 feet) with a mean age of 64 years (61 to 67) treated for congenital clubfoot deformity, using standardised weight-bearing radiographs of both feet and ankles together with a functional evaluation. Talocalcaneal and talonavicular relationships were measured and the degree of osteo-arthritic change in the ankle and talonavicular joints was assessed. The functional results were evaluated using a modified Laaveg-Ponseti score. The talocalcaneal (TC) angles in the clubfeet were significantly lower in both anteroposterior (AP) and lateral projections than in the unaffected feet (p < 0.001 for both views). There was significant medial subluxation of the navicular in the clubfeet compared with the unaffected feet (p < 0.001). Severe osteoarthritis in the ankle joint was seen in seven feet (8%) and in the talonavicular joint in 11 feet (12%). The functional result was excellent or good (≥ 80 points) in 29 patients (48%), and fair or poor (< 80 points) in 31 patients (52%). Patients who had undergone few (0 to 1) surgical procedures had better functional outcomes than those who had undergone two or more procedures (p < 0.001). There was a significant correlation between the functional result and the degree of medial subluxation of the navicular (p < 0.001, r2 = 0.164), the talocalcaneal angle on AP projection (p < 0.02, r2 = 0.025) and extent of osteoarthritis in the ankle joint (p < 0.001). We conclude that poor functional outcome in patients with congenital clubfoot occurs more frequently in those with medial displacement of the navicular, osteoarthritis of the talonavicular and ankle joints, and a low talocalcaneal angle on the AP projection, and in patients who have undergone two or more surgical procedures. However, the ankle joint in these patients appeared relatively resistant to the development of osteoarthritis.

Bacterial polysaccharides are comprised of a variety of monosaccharides, L-rhamnose (6-deoxy-L-mannose) being one of them. This sugar is often part of alpha-(1 -> 2)- and/or alpha-(1 -> 3)-linkages and we have therefore studied the disaccharide alpha-L-Rhap-(1 -> 2)-alpha-L-Rhap-OMe to obtain information on conformational preferences at this glycosidic linkage. The target disaccharide was synthesized with C-13 site-specific labeling at C1' and at C2', i.e., in the terminal group. 2D H-1, C-13-HSQC-HECADE and H-1, C-13-J-HMBC NMR experiments, 1D C-13 and H-1 NMR spectra together with total line-shape analysis were used to extract conformationally dependent hetero- and homonuclear spin-spin coupling constants. This resulted in the determination of (2)JC(2',H1'), (3)J(C1',C1), (3)J(C1',C3), (3)J(C2',C2), (2)J(C1',C2), (1)JC(1',C2'), and (1)J(C1',H1'). These data together with previously determined J(CH) and H-1, H-1 NOEs result in fourteen conformationally dependent NMR parameters that are available for analysis of glycosidic linkage flexibility and conformational preferences. A 100 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of the disaccharide with explicit water molecules as solvent showed a major conformational state at phi(H) approximate to 40 degrees and psi(H) approximate to -35 degrees, consistent with experimental NMR data. In addition, MD simulations were carried out also for alpha-L-Rhap-(1 -> 3)-alpha-L-Rhap-OMe and a rhamnan hexasaccharide. The gathered information on the oligosaccharides was used to address conformational preferences for a larger structure, a 2- and 3-linked nonasaccharide, with implications for the 3D structure of rhamnan polysaccharides, which should be regarded as flexible polymers., 3

Aim The objective was to find direct genetic evidence supporting introgressive hybridization between tetraploid tree birch (Betula pubescens) and diploid dwarf birch (B. nana), via triploid hybrids, and to investigate an association between the introgression and phylogeographical distribution of Icelandic birch. Location Samples were collected from 463 trees in 12 woodlands in Iceland and eight locations in Norway, Sweden, Scotland and Greenland. Methods Ploidy status of individual trees was determined by chromosome counting. Variation in the chloroplast genome was assessed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The geographical distribution of the haplotypes was mapped. The haplotype variation and introgression ratios (IG) were analysed statistically. Results Thirteen haplotypes were identified among Icelandic samples. The most common haplotype (T, 49% occurrence) was present in all ploidy groups and in all woodlands. All common haplotypes were shared between the triploid group and the parental species, indicating introgressive hybridization. This was supported by the statistical analysis of IG indices and the variation components. Considerable differences existed among samples, shaped by isolation by distance and local introgression. An east-west phylogeographical distribution in Iceland was observed. Main conclusions Despite extensive introgression across species and ploidy levels, a biogeographical pattern has been observed, and this may indicate different population histories or multiple origins of Icelandic birch. The chloroplast haplotype diversity found in Iceland resembles that found in birch populations from northern Scandinavia.

Glycosynthases are precise molecular instruments for making specifically linked oligosaccharides. X-ray crystallography screening of ligands bound to the 1,3(4)-beta-D-glucanase nucleophile mutant E115S of Phanerochaete chrysosporium Laminarinase 16A (Lam16A) showed that laminariheptaose (L7) bound in an arch with the reducing and nonreducing ends occupying either side of the catalytic cleft of the enzyme. The X-ray structure of Lam16A E115S in complex with alpha-laminariheptaosyl fluoride (alphaL7F) revealed how alphaL7F could make a nucleophilic attack upon itself. Indeed, when Lam16A E115S was allowed to react with alphaL7F the major product was a cyclic beta-1,3-heptaglucan, as shown by mass spectrometry. NMR confirmed uniquely beta-1,3-linkages and no reducing end. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the cyclic laminariheptaose molecule is not completely planar and that torsion angles at the glycosidic linkages fluctuate between two energy minima. This is the first report of a glycosynthase that joins the reducing and nonreducing ends of a single oligosaccharide and the first reported synthesis of cyclic beta-glucan.

Materials and methods: Dehydrated tardigrades of the species R. coronifer were irradiated with 2.55 MeV (megaelectronvolts) protons at doses ranging from 500 gray (Gy) to 15,000 Gy, to investigate the dose-viability relationship. In addition, a focused proton microbeam was utilised to determine the areal mass distribution, using the ion beam analytical technique STIM (Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy). Results: The experiment suggests that R. coronifer is unaffected by doses of proton irradiation up to 10,000 Gy, but shows very little viability at higher doses. The STIM analysis revealed that the thickness of the dehydrated tardigrades exceeds 150 mu m, and that a fraction of the protons may not be fully absorbed. Conclusion: Our results are in line with previous studies of exposure to high-LET radiation in tardigrades, indicating that these animals are equally or even more tolerant to high-LET compared to low-LET gamma radiation. The physiological background to this remarkable result is currently unknown, but deserves investigation., authorCount :3

High temperature annealing in air has been applied as an effective ex-situ surface treatment for the alpha-Al2O3(0001) substrates used in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth of III-nitrides. The method is based on the criterion that atomically smooth surface of terrace-and-step like structure, which is considered to be crucial in obtaining a high quality epilayer, could be produced upon high temperature annealing. The annealed surface was mostly studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging. In this work, the effects of high temperature annealing on the surface morphology, crystalline quality, optical quality and surface reconstruction behaviour of alpha-Al2O3(0001) substrates were fully studied using AFM, triple-axis high resolution X-ray diffraction (THRXRD), spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) and insitu reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED). A new strategy, H-2 thermal cleaning at 1100 degrees C followed by O-2 annealing at 1300 degrees C was proposed as an efficient surface treatment for alpha-Al2O3 (0001) substrates for MBE growth., QC 20101006

Ad-hoc wireless peer-to-peer methods are an important and viable alternative to the more traditional infrastructure based ones for distributing contents among a population of users. The PodNet project is a ongoing effort to create a broadcasting system for delay-tolerant content, in which peer nodes exchange contents opportunistically when within range, and their mobility acts as a complementary mechanism for the dissemination. This paper introduces the design of a Pod-Net node. In particular, the special case of a gateway, which bridges the infrastructure world of the Internet and the adhoc domain, is considered., QC 20110708

The title compound, C17H22O6, having an ester group at O4 of the hexopyranosyl sugar residue shows for the exo-cyclic C=O bond a conformation that is eclipsed to the C4-H4 bond. The two related torsion angles are denoted by syn and cis conformations. The q1 torsion angle (H4-C4-O4-C10) is indicated to have a similar conformation in solution as analyzed by NMR spectroscopy and a Karplus-type relationship.

This paper analyzes the transport of sorbing solutes by extending the advective storage path model developed for longitudinal transport of inert solutes in streams coupled with flow-induced uptake in the hyporheic zone. Independent observations of a conservative (H-3) and a reactive (Cr-51) tracer in both the stream water and the hyporheic zone were used to differentiate between hydraulic and sorption processes. The method of temporal moments was found to be inadequate for parameter determination, whereas fitting versus the entire tracer breakthrough curves with special emphasis on the tail indicates that the proposed model could be used to represent both conservative and reactive transport. Information on the tracer inventory of the conservative tracer in the hyporheic zone was found to be of vital importance to the evaluation of the hydraulic exchange. A model evaluation based on stream water data alone can yield predictions of a wash-out in the hyporheic zone that deviates markedly from the observed wash-out. This prohibits long-term predictions of the wash-out from the hyporheic zone as well as the evaluation of sorption properties. The sorption in the hyporheic zone was found to follow a two-step model, where the first step is instantaneous and the second kinetic. A model with a single-step sorption process could not reproduce the observed breakthrough curves. An evaluation of the relative importance of including sorption kinetics in solute stream transport models is elucidated by means of the analytical expressions for the temporal moments. The omission of the kinetics in the second sorption step in the hyporheic zone will result in relative errors in the moments of second order or higher. The error will increase with decreasing residence time in the hyporheic zone. Especially, long-term predictions of the wash-out from the hyporheic zone require consideration of the rate-limited sorption., QC 20100525

Helicobacter pylori binds a number of host cell proteins, including the plasma protein plasminogen, which is the proenzyme of the serine protease plasmin. Two H. pylori plasminogen-binding proteins have been described, however, no genes were identified. Here we report the use of a phage display library to clone two genes from the H. pylori CCUG 17874 genome that mediate binding to plasminogen. DNA sequence analysis of one of these genes revealed 96.6% homology with H. pylori 26695 HP0508. A subsequent database search revealed that the amino acid sequence of a lysine-rich C-terminal segment of HP0508 is identical to the C terminus of HP0863. Recombinant proteins expressed from HP0508 and HP0863 bound plasminogen specifically and in a lysine-dependent manner. We designate these genes pgbA and pgbB, respectively. These proteins are expressed by a variety of H. pylori strains, have surface-exposed domains, and do not inhibit plasminogen activation. These results indicate that pgbA and pgbB may allow H. pylori to coat its exterior with plasminogen, which subsequently can be activated to plasmin. The surface acquisition of protease activity may enhance the virulence of H. pylori.

A transient storage model is evaluated using results from a tracer experiment, where a conservative and a reactive tracer (H-3 and Cr-51(III)) were injected simultaneously and monitored in stream water and bed sediment. About 76% of the chromium was lost from the stream water on the reach 30 km downstream of the injection point directly after the passage of the pulse in the flowing water. The bed sediment hosted the main part of the retained chromium. The time to washout 75% of the maximum solute uptake in the sediment was similar to 85 times longer for chromium than for tritium (i.e. similar to 45 days). It was possible to describe the sediment-water exchange with a diffusive flux formulation that could be evaluated using tritium breakthrough curves in the stream water or the tritium inventory breakthrough curves in the sediment. This experiment revealed further that observations of chromium concentrations in the sediment were essential for the quantifying of sorption properties, as it was not possible to catch accurately the time scale of sorption within the duration of the breakthrough curves in the stream water. There was a clear need for a rate-limited description of the sorption of chromium in the sediment. We found that a first-order kinetic description of the sorption process could acceptably describe the breakthrough curves in both the stream water and the bed sediment., QC 20100525

The aim of this study was to establish guidelines for US assessment of the talo-crural, the talo-navicular and the calcaneo-cuboid joints during the first year of life, which could serve as a reference while studying foot deformities. The feet of 54 healthy children were examined at birth and at the age of 4, 7 and 12 months by using three easily defined and reproducible US projections. With a medial projection the relation of the navicular in relation to the medial malleolus and the head of the talus was studied. A lateral projection revealed the calcaneo-cuboid relationship and a dorsal projection the talo-navicular alignment in the sagittal plane. Normal values for measurements of these cartilaginous relationships were established for the different age groups. Intra- and inter-observer reliability was assessed and found to be acceptable ( r=0.53-0.90, Pearson correlation coefficient). With US it is possible to obtain reproducible planes of investigation that give reliable information about the talo-crural, the talo-navicular and the calcaneo-cuboid relationships during the first year of life.

[1] Temporary storage of solutes in streams is often controlled by flow-induced uptake in hyporheic zones. This phenomenon accounts for the tails that are generally observed following the passage of a solute pulse, and such exchange is particularly important for the transport of reactive substances that can be subject to various biogeochemical processes in the subsurface. Advective pumping, induced by streamflow over an irregular permeable bed, leads to a distribution of pore water flow paths in the streambed and a corresponding distribution of subsurface solute residence times. This paper describes a modeling framework that couples longitudinal solute transport in streams with solute advection along a continuous distribution of hyporheic flow paths. Moment methods are used to calculate the shape of solute breakthrough curves in the stream based on various representations of hypotheic exchange, including both advective pumping and several idealized formulations. Basic hydrodynamic principles are used to derive the distribution of solute residence times due to pumping. The model provides an accurate representation of the breakthrough curves of tritium along a 30 km reach of Sava Brook in Uppland County in Sweden. Both hydrodynamic theory for pumping exchange and pore water samples obtained from the bed during the tracer experiment suggest that the residence time for solutes in the hyporheic zone is characterized by a log normal probability density function. Closed-form solutions of the central temporal moments of solute breakthrough curves in the stream reveal a significant similarity between this new model and existing models of hyporheic exchange, including the Transient Storage Model. The new model is advantageous because its fundamentally derived exchange parameters can be expressed as functions of basic hydrodynamic quantities, which allows the model results to be generalized to conditions beyond those directly observed during tracer experiments. The utility of, QC 20100525

We compared the use of Norian SRS, an injectable calcium phosphate bone cement, with functional treatment of redisplaced distal radial fractures in a prospective randomized study of 20 patients. The redisplaced fractures were either rereduced and stabilized by Norian SRS, or the displaced position was accepted and was not rereduced. All wrists were immobilized in a short-arm dorsal splint for 1 week, followed by a removable splint for another 3 weeks. The chosen primary effect variable was grip strength at 7 weeks, and this did not differ between the two treatment groups. The clinical results at 6 months in both groups were similar. We conclude that aggressive treatment of redisplaced fractures of the distal radius may be unnecessary in most women aged 50 years or more.

A previously healthy man with no family history of fractures presented with muscle pain, back pain and height loss. Investigations revealed hypophosphataemia, phosphaturia, undetectable serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and severe osteomalacia on bone biopsy, suggestive of a diagnosis of oncogenic osteomalacia. Thorough physical examination did not locate a tumour. Support for the diagnosis was obtained by detection of phosphate uptake inhibitory activity in a blinded sample of the patient's serum using a renal cell bioassay. On the basis of detection of this bioactivity, a total body magnetic resonance (MR) examination was performed. A small tumour was located in the right leg. Removal of the tumour resulted in the rapid reversal of symptoms and the abnormal biochemistry typical of oncogenic osteomalacia. Inhibitory activity was also demonstrated using the bioassay in serum from two other patients with confirmed or presumptive oncogenic osteomalacia, but not in serum from two patients with hypophosphataemia of other origin. This is the first case to be reported in which the diagnosis of oncogenic osteomalacia was assisted by demonstration of inhibitory activity of the patient's serum in a renal cell phosphate bioassay that provided an impetus for total body MR imaging.

To provide an appropriate description of the transport of a reactive substance in a stream, it is important to include a kinetic description of sorption in a transport model. In this study, first-order sorption kinetics was taken into account in both the transient storage zone and the stream water, and analytical expressions for relative error in statistical moments of the residence time PDF, resulting from disregarding sorption kinetics, were derived. The sorption rate coefficient in the water was found to influence the error in the expected value, and the error was found to approach infinity as the travel distance or sorption rate coefficient approaches zero. The sorption rate coefficient in the storage zone influences only higher-order moments. For sufficiently long distances, the error in the variance was found to be more pronounced when sorption kinetics in the storage zone was disregarded, than when sorption kinetics in the stream water was disregarded. Parameter values from a tracer experiment with Cr-51 revealed that the relative error in the variance could be more than 100%, if sorption kinetics in the storage zone is disregarded., QC 20100525

The effective transport velocity of solutes in rivers and streams is governed by transient storage in hyporheic zones in which the longitudinal advection velocity is small relative to the main stream flow velocity. Results from a simultaneous tracer experiment using a non-reactive (tritium, (H2O)-H-3) and a sorptive tracer [chromium, Cr-51(III)] have formed the basis of a more accurate interpretation of the retention characteristics of solutes in streams than previously has been possible. By using a simultaneous injection of these two tracers, it was possible to distinguish between their different behaviours. Based on estimations of fluxes, the retained mass of chromium in the storage zones along the 30-km-long study-reach was 76% after 150 h. Independent observations in the bed sediment indicated that the loss of chromium observed in the water was mainly a result of uptake into the bed sediment. To describe the transport in the stream, a model concept including solute sorption kinetics in the bed sediment was proposed. Evaluation of parameters in the model, indicated that the uptake of chromium in the bed sediment is controlled by sorption kinetics., QC 20100525