The genome and transcriptome of Trichormus sp NMC-1: insights into adaptation to extreme environments on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) has the highest biodiversity for an extreme environment worldwide, and provides an ideal natural laboratory to study adaptive evolution. In this study, we generated a draft genome sequence of cyanobacteria Trichormus sp. NMC-1 in the QTP and performed whole transcriptome sequencing under low temperature to investigate the genetic mechanism by which T. sp. NMC-1 adapted to the specific environment. Its genome sequence was 5.9 Mb with a G+C content of 39.2% and encompassed a total of 5362 CDS. A phylogenomic tree indicated that this strain belongs to the Trichormus and Anabaena cluster. Genome comparison between T. sp. NMC-1 and six relatives showed that functionally unknown genes occupied a much higher proportion (28.12%) of the T. sp. NMC-1 genome. In addition, functions of specific, significant positively selected, expanded orthogroups, and differentially expressed genes involved in signal transduction, cell wall/membrane biogenesis, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and energy production and conversion were analyzed to elucidate specific adaptation traits. Further analyses showed that the CheY-like genes, extracellular polysaccharide and mycosporine-like amino acids might play major roles in adaptation to harsh environments. Our findings indicate that sophisticated genetic mechanisms are involved in cyanobacterial adaptation to the extreme environment of the QTP

(q) as a sociolinguistic variable in the Arabic of Gaza City

This study examines the effect of dialect contact between the indigenous residents of Gaza City and refugees originally from the city of Jaffa. The study offers a quantitative sociolinguistic investigation of the variable (q) in the speech of 22 residents of Gaza City. The sample is divided along the lines of dialect background and gender, and it is separated into three age groups. Analysis of the data has revealed that for (q) a significant correlation exists with dialect background and gender, with female speakers and speakers of a Jaffa dialect background showing the highest tendencies to favor the glottal [ʔ] realization for (q). Male speakers in the sample, regardless of their dialect background, showed a tendency to favor the localized [g] realization of (q)

Social integration and dialect divergence in coastal Palestine

The history of Palestine has caused communities to be displaced and relocated, entailing that speech communities have been dismantled and created anew. The coastal cities of Jaffa and Gaza exemplify this reality. This study analyzes speakers from Jaffa, some of whom remained there and others residing in Gaza as refugees. Through an examination of three variables, (ʕ), (AH), and (Q), we shed light on the effects of dialect contact while highlighting the link between dialect contact and identity formation and maintenance. All three variables are found to be in varied states of change as a result of contact with other varieties of Arabic, as well as with Modern Hebrew. We conclude that (Q), through its high social salience, works to create and maintain a sense of community identity for Jaffan refugees in Gaza at a time when the speech of the larger Jaffa community is undergoing substantial linguistic change

Background Light in Potential Sites for the ANTARES Undersea Neutrino Telescope

The ANTARES collaboration has performed a series of {\em in situ} measurements to study the background light for a planned undersea neutrino telescope. Such background can be caused by $^{40}$K decays or by biological activity. We report on measurements at two sites in the Mediterranean Sea at depths of 2400~m and 2700~m, respectively. Three photomultiplier tubes were used to measure single counting rates and coincidence rates for pairs of tubes at various distances. The background rate is seen to consist of three components: a constant rate due to $^{40}$K decays, a continuum rate that varies on a time scale of several hours simultaneously over distances up to at least 40~m, and random bursts a few seconds long that are only correlated in time over distances of the order of a meter. A trigger requiring coincidences between nearby photomultiplier tubes should reduce the trigger rate for a neutrino telescope to a manageable level with only a small loss in efficiency.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in Astroparticle Physic

Iron deficiency and red cell indices in patients with heart failure

Aims To investigate the prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) in heart failure (HF) patients with normal vs. abnormal red cell indices (RCI), the associations between iron parameters and RCI, and prognostic consequences of ID independently of RCI. Methods and results We analysed clinical data of 1821 patients with HF [mean age 66 13 years; 71% men; New York Heart Association class I/II/III/IV (11%/39%/44%/6%); left ventricular ejection fraction >45%: 19%]. Iron deficiency (ferritin Conclusions Patients with HF should be routinely screened for ID irrespective of the presence of anaemia or abnormal RCI. The detrimental impact of ID on long-term survival in HF is partially independent of RCI

The enerMENA Meteorological Network – Solar Radiation Measurements in the MENA Region

International audienceFor solar resource assessment of solar power plants and adjustment of satellite data, high accuracy measurement data of irradiance and ancillary meteorological data is needed. For the MENA region (Middle East and Northern Africa), which is of high importance for concentrating solar power applications, so far merely 2 publicly available ground measurement stations existed (BSRN network). This gap has been filled by ten stations in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan. In this publication the data quality is analyzed by evaluating data completeness and the cleanliness of irradiance sensors in comparison for all of the stations. The pyrheliometers have an average cleanliness of 99.2 % for week-daily cleaning. This is a 5 times higher effort than for Rotating Shadowband Irradiometer (RSI) stations which even have a slightly higher average cleanliness of 99.3 % for weekly cleaning. Furthermore, RSI stations show a data completeness of 99.4 % compared to 93.6 % at the stations equipped with thermal sensors. The results of this analysis are used to derive conclusions concerning instrument choice and are hence also applicable to other solar radiation measurements outside the enerMENA network. It turns out that RSIs are the more reliable and robust choice in cases of high soiling, rare station visits for cleaning and maintenance, as usual in desert sites. Furthermore, annual direct normal and global horizontal irradiation as well as average meteorological parameters are calculated for all of the stations

Study of the Decays B0 --> D(*)+D(*)-

The decays B0 --> D*+D*-, B0 --> D*+D- and B0 --> D+D- are studied in 9.7 million Y(4S) --> BBbar decays accumulated with the CLEO detector. We determine Br(B0 --> D*+D*-) = (9.9+4.2-3.3+-1.2)e-4 and limit Br(B0 --> D*+D-) < 6.3e-4 and Br(B0 --> D+D-) < 9.4e-4 at 90% confidence level (CL). We also perform the first angular analysis of the B0 --> D*+D*- decay and determine that the CP-even fraction of the final state is greater than 0.11 at 90% CL. Future measurements of the time dependence of these decays may be useful for the investigation of CP violation in neutral B meson decays.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Measurement of B(/\c->pKpi)

The /\c->pKpi yield has been measured in a sample of two-jet continuum events containing a both an anticharm tag (Dbar) as well as an antiproton (e+e- -> Dbar pbar X), with the antiproton in the hemisphere opposite the Dbar. Under the hypothesis that such selection criteria tag e+e- -> Dbar pbar (/\c) X events, the /\c->pkpi branching fraction can be determined by measuring the pkpi yield in the same hemisphere as the antiprotons in our Dbar pbar X sample. Combining our results from three independent types of anticharm tags, we obtain B(/\c->pKpi)=(5.0+/-0.5+/-1.2)

Prevalence of occupational burnout in Swiss workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: Occupational burnout (OB) has been associated with job dissatisfaction, lower productivity, intentions to leave the job, increased turnover and health-care costs, as well as other socioeconomic issues. Despite such negative consequences, the prevalence of burnout among Swiss workers remains unknown. Material and Methods: We interrogated international databases such as Medline (Pubmed), EMBASE, and PsycINFO, and 15 Swiss universities’ databases from 2010 up to July 6, 2021 to identify studies reporting the prevalence of OB and/or emotional exhaustion (EE) - the core OB dimension- in Swiss workers. Data were summarized descriptively and quantitatively using random effects meta-analysis. Results: We identified 23 studies that used different outcome assessment methods: hetero-assessment by physicians and self-reported, using a specific question or one burnout inventory scale (frequently used: Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI)). We estimated the prevalence of clinical/severe burnout, overall burnout and emotional exhaustion (EE)] at 4%, 18% and 18%, respectively, with considerable heterogeneity (I-square &gt;90%, p&lt; 0.00). Conclusions: Despite between-study heterogeneity, our overall estimate of OB in Swiss workers is high enough to reinforce the current efforts to detect it better and earlier and reduce its negative consequences at individual and societal levels

Observation of the Ωc0\Omega_{c}^{0} Charmed Baryon at CLEO

The CLEO experiment at the CESR collider has used 13.7 fb$^{-1}$ of data to search for the production of the $\Omega_c^0$ (css-ground state) in $e^{+}e^{-}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} \simeq 10.6$ {\rm GeV}. The modes used to study the $\Omega_c^0$ are $\Omega^- \pi^+$, $\Omega^- \pi^+ \pi^0$, $\Xi^- K^- pi^+ \pi^+$, $\Xi^0 K^- pi^+$, and $\Omega^- \pi^+ \pi^- \pi^+$. We observe a signal of 40.4$\pm$9.0(stat) events at a mass of 2694.6$\pm$2.6(stat)$\pm$1.9(syst) {\rm MeV/$c^2$}, for all modes combined.Comment: 10 pages postscript, also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN