Biogeographic Analysis Suggests Two Types of Planktonic Prokaryote Communities in the Barents Sea.

The Barents Sea is one of the most rapidly changing Arctic regions, with an unprecedented sea ice decline and increase in water temperature and salinity. We have studied the diversity of prokaryotic communities using 16S metabarcoding in the western and northeastern parts of the Barents Sea along the Kola Section and the section from Novaya Zemlya to Franz Joseph Land. The hypothesis-independent clustering method revealed the existence of two distinct types of communities. The most common prokaryotic taxa were shared between two types of communities, but their relative abundance was different. It was found that the geographic location of the sampling sites explained more than 30% of the difference between communities, while no statistically significant correlation between environmental parameters and community composition was found. The representatives of the Psychrobacter, Sulfitobacter and Polaribacter genera were dominant in samples from both types of communities. The first type of community was also dominated by members of Halomonas, Pseudoalteromonas, Planococcaceae and an unclassified representative of the Alteromonadaceae family. The second type of community also had a significant proportion of Nitrincolaceae, SAR92, SAR11 Clade I, NS9, Cryomorphaceae and SUP05 representatives. The origin of these communities can be explained by the influence of environmental factors or by the different origins of water masses. This research highlights the importance of studying biogeographic patterns in the Barents Sea in comparison with those in the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean prokaryote communities.

AlgalTextile - a new biohybrid material for wastewater treatment.

Efficient nutrient extraction from wastewater and reuse as bio-fertilizer is an important task for reducing anthropogenic load toward circular economy. Inspired by microbial mats and biofilms, we developed a new material AlgalTextile (AT) that effectively absorbs nutrients from a medium. AT consists of three fully organic components: microalgae, alginate and textile. AT sequestered up to 99% of phosphorus (P-PO4) and 76% of total bound nitrogen from a medium. The uptake rate of phosphorus and nitrogen by AT was highest among all methods using photosynthetic microorganisms, but lower than EBPR and physicochemical methods for phosphorus removal, and anammox and denitrifying bacteria for nitrogen removal. Advantages of AT are its easy production, possibility of seasonal use and utilization as fertilizer. AT as biofertilizer for cress resulted in 35% greater length compared to the control. This outlines a promising technique for seasonal wastewater treatment, improving soil fertility and treatment of polluted surface runoff.

Leaf Epidermis: The Ambiguous Symplastic Domain.

The ability to develop secondary (post-cytokinetic) plasmodesmata (PD) is an important evolutionary advantage that helps in creating symplastic domains within the plant body. Developmental regulation of secondary PD formation is not completely understood. In flowering plants, secondary PD occur exclusively between cells from different lineages, e.g., at the L1/L2 interface within shoot apices, or between leaf epidermis (L1-derivative), and mesophyll (L2-derivative). However, the highest numbers of secondary PD occur in the minor veins of leaf between bundle sheath cells and phloem companion cells in a group of plant species designated "symplastic" phloem loaders, as opposed to "apoplastic" loaders. This poses a question of whether secondary PD formation is upregulated in general in symplastic loaders. Distribution of PD in leaves and in shoot apices of two symplastic phloem loaders, Alonsoa meridionalis and Asarina barclaiana, was compared with that in two apoplastic loaders, Solanum tuberosum (potato) and Hordeum vulgare (barley), using immunolabeling of the PD-specific proteins and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. Single-cell sampling was performed to correlate sugar allocation between leaf epidermis and mesophyll to PD abundance. Although the distribution of PD in the leaf lamina (except within the vascular tissues) and in the meristem layers was similar in all species examined, far fewer PD were found at the epidermis/epidermis and mesophyll/epidermis boundaries in apoplastic loaders compared to symplastic loaders. In the latter, the leaf epidermis accumulated sugar, suggesting sugar import from the mesophyll via PD. Thus, leaf epidermis and mesophyll might represent a single symplastic domain in Alonsoa meridionalis and Asarina barclaiana.

Minigene splicing assessment of 20 novel synonymous and intronic glucokinase gene variants identified in patients with maturity-onset diabetes of the young.

The next-generation sequencing (NGS) has become a routine method for diagnostics of inherited disorders. However, assessment of the discovered variants may be challenging, especially when they are not predicted to change the protein sequence. Here we performed a functional analysis of 20 novel or rare intronic and synonymous glucokinase (GCK) gene variants identified by targeted NGS in 1,130 patients with maturity-onset diabetes of the young. Human Splicing Finder, ver 3.1 and a precomputed index of splicing variants (SPIDEX) were used for in silico prediction. In vitro effects of GCK gene variants on splicing were tested using a minigene expression approach. In vitro effect on splicing was shown for 9 of 20 variants, including two synonymous substitutions. In silico and in vitro results matched in about 50% of cases. The results demonstrate that novel or rare apparently benign GCK gene variants should be regarded as potential splicing mutations.

Basic Color Terms (BCTs) and Categories (BCCs) in Three Dialects of the Spanish Language: Interaction Between Cultural and Universal Factors.

Two experiments were performed to identify and compare the Basic Color Terms (BCTs) and the Basic Color Categories (BCCs) included in three dialects (Castilian, Mexican, and Uruguayan) of the Spanish language. Monolexemic Elicited lists were used in the first experiment to identify the BCTs of each dialect. Eleven BCTs appeared for the Spanish and the Mexican, and twelve did so for the Uruguayan. The six primary BCTs (rojo "red," verde "green," amarillo "yellow," azul "blue," negro "black," and blanco "white") appeared in the three dialects. This occurred for only three derived BCTs (gris "gray," naranja "orange," and rosa "pink") but not for the other five derived BCTs (celeste "sky blue," marrón "brown," café "brown," morado "purple," and violeta "purple"). Color transitions were used in the second experiment for two different tasks. Extremes naming task was used to determine the relation between two different dialects' BCTs: equality, equivalence or difference. The results provided the first evidence for marrón "brown" and café "brown" being equivalent terms for the same BCC (brown in English) as is the case of morado "purple" and violeta "purple." Uruguayan celeste "sky blue" had no equivalent BCT in the other two dialects. Boundary delimitation task required the selection of the color in the boundary between two categories. The task was used to reasonably estimate the volume occupied by each BCC in the color space considering its chromatic area and lightness range. Excluding sky blue (celeste "sky blue") and blue (azul "blue"), the other BCCs color volumes were similar across the three dialects. Uruguayan sky blue and blue volumes conjointly occupied the portion of the color space corresponding to the Castilian and Mexican blue BCC. The fact that the BCT celeste "sky blue" only appeared in Uruguayan very probably derived from specific cultural factors (the use of the color in the flags and the arrival of an important number of Italian immigrants). Nevertheless, these cultural factors seem to nurture from a perceptive structuring of the color space, which nature is universal, as the boundaries of this category can be delimited from the responses of Spanish and Mexican participants.

Do dichromats see colours in this way? Assesing simulation tools without colorimetric measurements / ¿Son estos los colores que ven los dicrómatas? Evaluando herramientas de simulación sin mediciones colorimétricas

BACKGROUND: Simulcheck evaluates Colour Simulation Tools (CSTs, they transform colours to mimic those seen by colour vision deficients). Two CSTs (Variantor and Coblis) were used to know if the standard Simulcheck version (direct measurement based, DMB) can be substituted by another (RGB values based) not requiring sophisticated measurement instruments. METHOD: Ten normal trichromats performed the two psychophysical tasks included in the Simulcheck method. The Pseudoachromatic Stimuli Identification task provided the huv (hue angle) values of the pseudoachromatic stimuli: colours seen as red or green by normal trichromats but as grey by colour deficient people. The Minimum Achromatic Contrast task was used to compute the LR (relative luminance) values of the pseudoachromatic stimuli. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Simulcheck DMB version showed that Variantor was accurate to simulate protanopia but neither Variantor nor Coblis were accurate to simulate deuteranopia. Simulcheck RGB version provided accurate huv values, so this variable can be adequately estimated when lacking a colorimeter -an expensive and unusual apparatus-. Contrary, the inaccuracy of the LR estimations provided by Simulcheck RGB version makes it advisable to compute this variable from the measurements performed with a photometer, a cheap and easy to find apparatus

ANTECEDENTES: Simulcheck evalúa Herramientas de Simulación del Color (HSCs, transforman los colores para imitar lo que ven las personas con deficiencias en la visión cromática). Se utilizaron dos HSCs (Variantor y Coblis) para evaluar si la versión estándar de Simulcheck (basada en mediciones directas, BMD) puede sustituirse por otra que no requiere instrumentos de medición sofisticados (basada en valores RGB). MÉTODO: diez tricrómatas realizaron las tareas psicofísicas incluidas en el método Simulcheck. La de Identificación de Estímulos Pseudoacromáticos proporcionó el ángulo cromático (huv) de los estímulos que los observadores comunes ven rojos o verdes, pero grises las personas con deficiencias en la visión cromática. La de Mínimo Contraste Acromático proporcionó los valores LR (luminancia relativa) de los estímulos pseudoacromáticos. RESULTADOS Y CONCLUSIONES: la versión BMD mostró que Variantor simuló adecuadamente la protanopia, pero que ni Variantor ni Coblis fueron adecuados para la deuteranopia. La Versión RGB del método Simulcheck proporcionó valores huv adecuados, consecuentemente se concluyó que esta variable puede estimarse adecuadamente sin un colorímetro -aparato caro e inusual-. Por el contrario, la inadecuación de las estimaciones de LR proporcionadas por la versión RGB recomienda computar esta variable usando mediciones realizadas con un fotómetro, un aparato barato y fácil de encontrar

Do dichromats see colours in this way? Assessing simulation tools without colorimetric measurements.

BACKGROUND: Simulcheck evaluates Colour Simulation Tools (CSTs, they transform colours to mimic those seen by colour vision deficients). Two CSTs (Variantor and Coblis) were used to know if the standard Simulcheck version (direct measurement based, DMB) can be substituted by another (RGB values based) not requiring sophisticated measurement instruments. METHOD: Ten normal trichromats performed the two psychophysical tasks included in the Simulcheck method. The Pseudoachromatic Stimuli Identification task provided the h uv (hue angle) values of the pseudoachromatic stimuli: colours seen as red or green by normal trichromats but as grey by colour deficient people. The Minimum Achromatic Contrast task was used to compute the L R (relative luminance) values of the pseudoachromatic stimuli. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Simulcheck DMB version showed that Variantor was accurate to simulate protanopia but neither Variantor nor Coblis were accurate to simulate deuteranopia. Simulcheck RGB version provided accurate h uv values, so this variable can be adequately estimated when lacking a colorimeter —an expensive and unusual apparatus—. Contrary, the inaccuracy of the L R estimations provided by Simulcheck RGB version makes it advisable to compute this variable from the measurements performed with a photometer, a cheap and easy to find apparatus.

Indirect Measurement of Sexual Orientation: Comparison of the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure, Viewing Time, and Choice Reaction Time Tasks.

The present study was conducted to validate an adaptation of the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) as an indirect latency-based measure of sexual orientation. Furthermore, reliability and criterion validity of the IRAP were compared to two established indirect measures of sexual orientation: a Choice Reaction Time task (CRT) and a Viewing Time (VT) task. A sample of 87 heterosexual and 35 gay men completed all three indirect measures in an online study. The IRAP and the VT predicted sexual orientation nearly perfectly. Both measures also showed a considerable amount of convergent validity. Reliabilities (internal consistencies) reached satisfactory levels. In contrast, the CRT did not tap into sexual orientation in the present study. In sum, the VT measure performed best, with the IRAP showing only slightly lower reliability and criterion validity, whereas the CRT did not yield any evidence of reliability or criterion validity in the present research. The results were discussed in the light of specific task properties of the indirect latency-based measures (task-relevance vs. task-irrelevance).

Two novel disaccharides, rutinose and methylrutinose, are involved in carbon metabolism in Datisca glomerata.

Datisca glomerata forms nitrogen-fixing root nodules in symbiosis with soil actinomycetes from the genus Frankia. Analysis of sugars in roots, nodules and leaves of D. glomerata revealed the presence of two novel compounds that were identified as alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside-(1 --> 6)-D-glucose (rutinose) and alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside-(1 --> 6)-1-O-beta-D-methylglucose (methylrutinose). Rutinose has been found previously as a/the glycoside part of several flavonoid glycosides, e.g. rutin, also of datiscin, the main flavonoid of Datisca cannabina, but had not been reported as free sugar. Time course analyses suggest that both rutinose and methylrutinose might play a role in transient carbon storage in sink organs and, to a lesser extent, in source leaves. Their concentrations show that they can accumulate in the vacuole. Rutinose, but not methylrutinose, was accepted as a substrate by the tonoplast disaccharide transporter SUT4 from Arabidopsis. In vivo (14)C-labeling and the study of uptake of exogenous sucrose and rutinose from the leaf apoplast showed that neither rutinose nor methylrutinose appreciably participate in phloem translocation of carbon from source to sink organs, despite rutinose being found in the apoplast at significant levels. A model for sugar metabolism in D. glomerata is presented.