New mutations at the imprinted Gnas cluster show gene dosage effects of Gsα in postnatal growth and implicate XLαs in bone and fat metabolism, but not in suckling

The imprinted Gnas cluster is involved in obesity, energy metabolism, feeding behavior, and viability. Relative contribution of paternally expressed proteins XLαs, XLN1, and ALEX or a double dose of maternally expressed Gsα to phenotype has not been established. In this study, we have generated two new mutants (Ex1A-T-CON and Ex1A-T) at the Gnas cluster. Paternal inheritance of Ex1A-T-CON leads to loss of imprinting of Gsα, resulting in preweaning growth retardation followed by catch-up growth. Paternal inheritance of Ex1A-T leads to loss of imprinting of Gsα and loss of expression of XLαs and XLN1. These mice have severe preweaning growth retardation and incomplete catch-up growth. They are fully viable probably because suckling is unimpaired, unlike mutants in which the expression of all the known paternally expressed Gnasxl proteins (XLαs, XLN1 and ALEX) is compromised. We suggest that loss of ALEX is most likely responsible for the suckling defects previously observed. In adults, paternal inheritance of Ex1A-T results in an increased metabolic rate and reductions in fat mass, leptin, and bone mineral density attributable to loss of XLαs. This is, to our knowledge, the first report describing a role for XLαs in bone metabolism. We propose that XLαs is involved in the regulation of bone and adipocyte metabolism

Marine yeast isolation and industrial application

Over the last century, terrestrial yeasts have been widely used in various industries, such as baking, brewing, wine, bioethanol and pharmaceutical protein production. However, only little attention has been given to marine yeasts. Recent research showed that marine yeasts have several unique and promising features over the terrestrial yeasts, for example higher osmosis tolerance, higher special chemical productivity and production of industrial enzymes. These indicate that marine yeasts have great potential to be applied in various industries. This review gathers the most recent techniques used for marine yeast isolation as well as the latest applications of marine yeast in bioethanol, pharmaceutical and enzyme production fields. Keyword

Linking Pathological Oscillations With Altered Temporal Processing in Parkinsons Disease: Neurophysiological Mechanisms and Implications for Neuromodulation.

Emerging evidence suggests that Parkinson's disease (PD) results from disrupted oscillatory activity in cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical (CBGTC) and cerebellar networks which can be partially corrected by applying deep brain stimulation (DBS). The inherent dynamic nature of such oscillatory activity might implicate that is represents temporal aspects of motor control. While the timing of muscle activities in CBGTC networks constitute the temporal dimensions of distinct motor acts, these very networks are also involved in somatosensory processing. In this respect, a temporal aspect of somatosensory processing in motor control concerns matching predicted (feedforward) and actual (feedback) sensory consequences of movement which implies a distinct contribution to demarcating the temporal order of events. Emerging evidence shows that such somatosensory processing is altered in movement disorders. This raises the question how disrupted oscillatory activity is related to impaired temporal processing and how/whether DBS can functionally restore this. In this perspective article, the neural underpinnings of temporal processing will be reviewed and translated to the specific alternated oscillatory neural activity specifically found in Parkinson's disease. These findings will be integrated in a neurophysiological framework linking somatosensory and motor processing. Finally, future implications for neuromodulation will be discussed with potential implications for strategy across a range of movement disorders

Silver Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube Carpets: Influence of Surface Functionalization

The effectiveness of nanoparticle-based functional devices depends strongly on the surface morphology and area of the support. An emerging powerful approach of increasing the available surface area without decreasing strength or increasing bulk is to attach arrays of suitable nanotubes on the surface, and to attach the necessary nanoparticles to them. Earlier publications by this team have shown that carpet-like arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be successfully grown on a variety of larger carbon substrates such as graphite, foams and fabric, which offer hierarchical multiscale supporting architecture suitable for the attachment of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). A limiting factor of pure CNT arrays in fluid-based applications is their hydrophobicity, which can reduce the percolation of an aqueous medium through individual nanotubes. Previous studies have demonstrated that the treatment of CNT carpets with dry (oxygen) plasma can induce reversible wettability, and treatment with wet (sol–gel) coating can impart permanent wettability. In this paper, we report the influence of such treatments on the attachment of AgNPs, and their effectiveness in water disinfection treatments. Both types of hydrophilic surface treatment show an increase in silver loading on the CNT carpets. Oxygen-plasma treated surfaces (O-CNT) show fine and densely packed AgNPs, whereas silica-coated nanotubes (silica-CNT) show uneven clusters of AgNPs. However, O-CNT surfaces lose their hydrophilicity during AgNP deposition, whereas silica-CNT surfaces remain hydrophilic. This difference significantly impacts the antibacterial effectiveness of these materials, as tested in simulated water containing Gram negative Escherichia coli (E. coli, JM109). AgNPs on silica-coated CNT substrates showed significantly higher reduction rates of E. coli compared to AgNPs on plasma-treated CNT substrates, despite the finer and better dispersed AgNP distribution in the latter. These results provide important insights into different aspects of surface modification approaches that can control the wettability of CNT carpets, and their applicability in water treatment applications

Current progress on removal of recalcitrance coloured particles from anaerobically treated effluent using coagulation–flocculation

The palm oil industry is the most important agro industries in Malaysia and most of the mills adopt anaerobic digestion as their primary treatment for palm oil mill effluent (POME). Due to the public concern, decolourisation of anaerobically treated POME (AnPOME) is becoming a great concern. Presence of recalcitrant-coloured particles hinders biological processes and coagulation–flocculation may able to remove these coloured particles. Several types of inorganic and polymers-based coagulant/flocculant aids for coagulation–flocculation of AnPOME have been reviewed. Researchers are currently interested in using natural coagulant and flocculant aids. Modification of the properties of natural coagulant and flocculant aids enhanced coagulation–flocculation performance. Modelling and optimization of the coagulation–flocculation process have also been reviewed. Chemical sludge has the potential for plant growth that can be evaluated through pot trials and phytotoxicity test

ENHANCEMENT OF MODE I FRACTURE TOUGHNESS OF ADHESIVELY BONDED SECONDARY JOINTS USING LAYUP PATTERNING OF CFRP

This work aims to analyse the influence of the CFRP layup patterning on the crack path of composite bonded joints and evaluate its effect on the mode I fracture toughness. An experimental program has been performed using Double Cantilever Beam tests with three different CFRP layup patterning and two adhesives. In addition, a finite element analysis was also implemented to further identify different damage mechanisms during the tests. The outcome shows that different substrate CFRP layup patterning results in distinct crack onsets and propagation paths during the tests, also influenced by the type of adhesive used. Furthermore, an enhancement of around 25% in the joint's onset fracture toughness was observed with the layup patterning compared to a reference joint (with unidirectional layup). Thus, the substrate's patterning morphology seems to be a promising method to increase the mode I fracture toughness of the studied secondary joints

Resting state activity and connectivity of the nucleus basalis of Meynert and globus pallidus in Lewy body dementia and Parkinson's disease dementia

Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are two related diseases which can be difficult to distinguish. There is no objective biomarker which can reliably differentiate between them. The synergistic combination of electrophysiological and neuroimaging approaches is a powerful method for interrogation of functional brain networks in vivo. We recorded bilateral local field potentials (LFPs) from the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) and the internal globus pallidus (GPi) with simultaneous cortical magnetoencephalography (MEG) in six PDD and five DLB patients undergoing surgery for deep brain stimulation (DBS) to look for differences in underlying resting-state network pathophysiology. In both patient groups we observed spectral peaks in the theta (2–8 Hz) band in both the NBM and the GPi. Furthermore, both the NBM and the GPi exhibited similar spatial and spectral patterns of coupling with the cortex in the two disease states. Specifically, we report two distinct coherent networks between the NBM/GPi and cortical regions: (1) a theta band (2–8 Hz) network linking the NBM/GPi to temporal cortical regions, and (2) a beta band (13–22 Hz) network coupling the NBM/GPi to sensorimotor areas. We also found differences between the two disease groups: oscillatory power in the low beta (13–22Hz) band was significantly higher in the globus pallidus in PDD patients compared to DLB, and coherence in the high beta (22–35Hz) band between the globus pallidus and lateral sensorimotor cortex was significantly higher in DLB patients compared to PDD. Overall, our findings reveal coherent networks of the NBM/GPi region that are common to both DLB and PDD. Although the neurophysiological differences between the two conditions in this study are confounded by systematic differences in DBS lead trajectories and motor symptom severity, they lend support to the hypothesis that DLB and PDD, though closely related, are distinguishable from a neurophysiological perspective

Clinical applications of magnetic resonance imaging based functional and structural connectivity

Advances in computational neuroimaging techniques have expanded the armamentarium of imaging tools available for clinical applications in clinical neuroscience. Non-invasive, in vivo brain MRI structural and functional network mapping has been used to identify therapeutic targets, define eloquent brain regions to preserve, and gain insight into pathological processes and treatments as well as prognostic biomarkers. These tools have the real potential to inform patient-specific treatment strategies. Nevertheless, a realistic appraisal of clinical utility is needed that balances the growing excitement and interest in the field with important limitations associated with these techniques. Quality of the raw data, minutiae of the processing methodology, and the statistical models applied can all impact on the results and their interpretation. A lack of standardization in data acquisition and processing has also resulted in issues with reproducibility. This limitation has had a direct impact on the reliability of these tools and ultimately, confidence in their clinical use. Advances in MRI technology and computational power as well as automation and standardization of processing methods, including machine learning approaches, may help address some of these issues and make these tools more reliable in clinical use. In this review, we will highlight the current clinical uses of MRI connectomics in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders; balancing emerging applications and technologies with limitations of connectivity analytic approaches to present an encompassing and appropriate perspective