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Intimate swabs taken for examination in sexual assault cases typically yield mixtures of sperm and epithelial cell types. While powerful, differential extraction protocols to overcome such cell type mixtures by separate lysis of epithelial cells and spermatozoa can still prove ineffective, in particular if only few sperm cells are present or if swabs contain sperm from more than one individual leading to complex low level DNA mixtures. A means to avoid such mixtures consists in the analysis of single micromanipulated sperm cells. However, the quantity of DNA from single sperm cells is not sufficient for conventional STR analysis. Here, we describe a simple method for micromanipulating individual sperm cells from intimate swabs and show that whole genome amplification can generate sufficient amounts of DNA from single cells for subsequent DNA profiling. We recovered over 80% of alleles of haploid autosomal STR profiles from the majority of individual sperm cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that in mixtures of sperm from two contributors, Y-STR and X-STR profiles of individual sperm cells can be used to sort the haploid autosomal profiles to develop the diploid consensus STR profiles of the individual donors. Finally, by analysing single sperm cells from mock sexual assault swabs with one or two sperm donors, we showed that our protocols enabled the identification of the unknown male contributors.
Soil nutrient depletion threatens global food security and has been seriously underestimated for potassium (K) and several micronutrients. This is particularly the case for highly weathered soils in tropical countries, where classical soluble fertilizers are often not affordable or not accessible. One way to replenish macro- and micronutrients are ground silicate rock powders (SRPs). Rock forming silicate minerals contain most nutrients essential for higher plants, yet slow and inconsistent weathering rates have restricted their use in the past. Recent findings, however, challenge past agronomic objections which insufficiently addressed the factorial complexity of the weathering process. This review therefore first presents a framework with the most relevant factors for the weathering of SRPs through which several outcomes of prior studies can be explained. A subsequent analysis of 48 crop trials reveals the potential as alternative K source and multi-nutrient soil amendment for tropical soils, whereas the benefits for temperate soils are currently inconclusive. Beneficial results prevail for mafic and ultramafic rocks like basalts and rocks containing nepheline or glauconite. Several rock modifications are highly efficient in increasing the agronomic effectiveness of SRPs. Enhanced weathering of SRPs could additionally sequester substantial amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere and silicon (Si) supply can induce a broad spectrum of plant biotic and abiotic stress resistance. Recycling massive amounts of rock residues from domestic mining industries could furthermore resolve serious disposal challenges and improve fertilizer self-sufficiency. In conclusion, under the right circumstances, SRPs could not only advance low-cost and regional soil sustaining crop production but contribute to various sustainable development goals.
Different analyses and feasibility studies have been conducted on the plant extracts of thyme (Thymus vulgaris), European horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana), and snowdrop (Galanthus elwesii) to evaluate bio‐based alternatives to common petrol‐based stabilisers. For this purpose, in this study, plant extracts were incorporated into poly‐lactic acid films (PLA) at different concentrations. The films’ UV absorbance and migration into packed food was analysed via photometric assays (ABTS radical cation scavenging capacity assay, β‐carotene assay) and GC–MS analysis. Furthermore, the synergistic antioxidant effects of various combinations of extracts and isolated active compounds were determined. This way, antioxidant effects can be increased, allowing for a highly effective use of resources. All extracts were successfully incorporated into PLA films and showed notable photoabsorbing effects, while no migration risk was observed. Depending on extract combinations, high synergistic effects of up to 726% can be utilised to improve the effectiveness of bio‐based extracts. This applies particularly to tomato paste and Aesculus hippocastanum extracts, which overall show high synergistic and antioxidant effects in combination with each other and with isolated active compounds. The study shows that it is possible to create safe bio‐based antioxidant films which show even improved properties when using highlighted target combinations.
The ability to discriminate between different ionic species, termed ion selectivity, is a key feature of ion channels and forms the basis for their physiological function. Members of the degenerin/epithelial sodium channel (DEG/ENaC) superfamily of trimeric ion channels are typically sodium selective, but to a surprisingly variable degree. While acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are weakly sodium selective (sodium:potassium ratio ∼10:1), ENaCs show a remarkably high preference for sodium over potassium (>500:1). This discrepancy may be expected to originate from differences in the pore-lining second transmembrane segment (M2). However, these show a relatively high degree of sequence conservation between ASICs and ENaCs, and previous functional and structural studies could not unequivocally establish that differences in M2 alone can account for the disparate degrees of ion selectivity. By contrast, surprisingly little is known about the contributions of the first transmembrane segment (M1) and the preceding pre-M1 region. In this study, we used conventional and noncanonical amino acid-based mutagenesis in combination with a variety of electrophysiological approaches to show that the pre-M1 and M1 regions of mASIC1a channels are major determinants of ion selectivity. Mutational investigations of the corresponding regions in hENaC show that these regions contribute less to ion selectivity, despite affecting ion conductance. In conclusion, our work suggests that the remarkably different degrees of sodium selectivity in ASICs and ENaCs are achieved through different mechanisms. These results further highlight how M1 and pre-M1 are likely to differentially affect pore structure in these related channels.
Anhand detaillierter Netzanalysen für ein reales Mittelspannungsnetzgebiet konnte gezeigt werden, dass sowohl die Einbindung von Prognosedaten auf Basis von Satelliten und Wetterdaten, als auch die Verbesserung von Folgetagsprognosen auf der Basis numerischer Wettermodelle einen deutlichen Mehrwert für ein prognosebasiertes Engpassmanagement bzw. Redispatch und Blindleistungsmanagement im Verteilnetz aufweisen. Auch Kurzfristprognosen auf der Basis von Satellitendaten haben einen positiven Effekt. Ein weiterer wichtiger Mehrwert des Projektes ist auch die Rückmeldung der kritischen Prognosesituationen aus Sicht der Anwendungsfälle, so dass wie bereits im Projekt gezeigt und darüber hinaus, Prognosen zielgerichteter auf die Anwendung im Verteilnetzbetrieb ausgelegt und optimiert werden können.
Weiterhin konnten Prognoseverbesserungen für das Vorhersagemodell des Deutschen Wetterdienstes durch die Assimilation von sichtbaren Satellitenbildern erreicht werden. Darüber hinaus wurden Wolken- und Strahlungsprodukte aus Satelliten verbessert und somit die Datenbasis für die Kurzfristprognose als auch für die Assimilation.
Darüber hinaus wurden verschiedene Methoden entwickelt, die zukünftig zu einer weiteren Prognoseverbesserung, insbesondere für Wettersituationen mit hohen Prognosefehlern, führen könnten. Solche Situationen wurden aus Sicht des Netzbetriebs und mithilfe von satellitenbasierten Analysen der Gesamtwetterlage für die Perioden der MetPVNet Messkampagnen identifiziert. Hierbei handelte es sich insbesondere um Situationen mit starker oder stark wechselhafter Bewölkung.
Für die MetPVNet Messkampagnen wurde auf der Basis eines Trainingsdatensatzes und in Abhängigkeit der Variabilitätsklasse die Abweichung der bodennahen Einstrahlung von Satellitendaten oder von Strahlungsprognosen quantifiziert. Diese Art der Informationen bietet zukünftig die Möglichkeit zur Bewertung der Prognosegüte.
Risk-based authentication (RBA) aims to strengthen password-based authentication rather than replacing it. RBA does this by monitoring and recording additional features during the login process. If feature values at login time differ significantly from those observed before, RBA requests an additional proof of identification. Although RBA is recommended in the NIST digital identity guidelines, it has so far been used almost exclusively by major online services. This is partly due to a lack of open knowledge and implementations that would allow any service provider to roll out RBA protection to its users. To close this gap, we provide a first in-depth analysis of RBA characteristics in a practical deployment. We observed N=780 users with 247 unique features on a real-world online service for over 1.8 years. Based on our collected data set, we provide (i) a behavior analysis of two RBA implementations that were apparently used by major online services in the wild, (ii) a benchmark of the features to extract a subset that is most suitable for RBA use, (iii) a new feature that has not been used in RBA before, and (iv) factors which have a significant effect on RBA performance. Our results show that RBA needs to be carefully tailored to each online service, as even small configuration adjustments can greatly impact RBA's security and usability properties. We provide insights on the selection of features, their weightings, and the risk classification in order to benefit from RBA after a minimum number of login attempts.
Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells are an ex vivo expanded heterogeneous cell population with an enriched NK-T phenotype (CD3+CD56+). Due to the convenient and relatively inexpensive expansion capability, together with low incidence of graft versus host disease (GVHD) in allogeneic cancer patients, CIK cells are a promising candidate for immunotherapy. It is well known that natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) plays an important role in CIK cell-mediated antitumor activity; however, it remains unclear whether its engagement alone is sufficient or if it requires additional co-stimulatory signals to activate the CIK cells. Likewise, the role of 2B4 has not yet been identified in CIK cells. Herein, we investigated the individual and cumulative contribution of NKG2D and 2B4 in the activation of CIK cells. Our analysis suggests that (a) NKG2D (not 2B4) is implicated in CIK cell (especially CD3+CD56+ subset)-mediated cytotoxicity, IFN-γ secretion, E/T conjugate formation, and degranulation; (b) NKG2D alone is adequate enough to induce degranulation, IFN-γ secretion, and LFA-1 activation in CIK cells, while 2B4 only provides limited synergy with NKG2D (e.g., in LFA-1 activation); and (c) NKG2D was unable to costimulate CD3. Collectively, we conclude that NKG2D engagement alone suffices to activate CIK cells, thereby strengthening the idea that targeting the NKG2D axis is a promising approach to improve CIK cell therapy for cancer patients. Furthermore, CIK cells exhibit similarities to classical invariant natural killer (iNKT) cells with deficiencies in 2B4 stimulation and in the costimulation of CD3 with NKG2D. In addition, based on the current data, the divergence in receptor function between CIK cells and NK (or T) cells can be assumed, pointing to the possibility that molecular modifications (e.g., using chimeric antigen receptor technology) on CIK cells may need to be customized and optimized to maximize their functional potential.
The clear-sky radiative effect of aerosol–radiation interactions is of relevance for our understanding of the climate system. The influence of aerosol on the surface energy budget is of high interest for the renewable energy sector. In this study, the radiative effect is investigated in particular with respect to seasonal and regional variations for the region of Germany and the year 2015 at the surface and top of atmosphere using two complementary approaches.
First, an ensemble of clear-sky models which explicitly consider aerosols is utilized to retrieve the aerosol optical depth and the surface direct radiative effect of aerosols by means of a clear-sky fitting technique. For this, short-wave broadband irradiance measurements in the absence of clouds are used as a basis. A clear-sky detection algorithm is used to identify cloud-free observations. Considered are measurements of the short-wave broadband global and diffuse horizontal irradiance with shaded and unshaded pyranometers at 25 stations across Germany within the observational network of the German Weather Service (DWD). The clear-sky models used are the Modified MAC model (MMAC), the Meteorological Radiation Model (MRM) v6.1, the Meteorological–Statistical solar radiation model (METSTAT), the European Solar Radiation Atlas (ESRA), Heliosat-1, the Center for Environment and Man solar radiation model (CEM), and the simplified Solis model. The definition of aerosol and atmospheric characteristics of the models are examined in detail for their suitability for this approach.
Second, the radiative effect is estimated using explicit radiative transfer simulations with inputs on the meteorological state of the atmosphere, trace gases and aerosol from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) reanalysis. The aerosol optical properties (aerosol optical depth, Ångström exponent, single scattering albedo and asymmetry parameter) are first evaluated with AERONET direct sun and inversion products. The largest inconsistency is found for the aerosol absorption, which is overestimated by about 0.03 or about 30 % by the CAMS reanalysis. Compared to the DWD observational network, the simulated global, direct and diffuse irradiances show reasonable agreement within the measurement uncertainty. The radiative kernel method is used to estimate the resulting uncertainty and bias of the simulated direct radiative effect. The uncertainty is estimated to −1.5 ± 7.7 and 0.6 ± 3.5 W m−2 at the surface and top of atmosphere, respectively, while the annual-mean biases at the surface, top of atmosphere and total atmosphere are −10.6, −6.5 and 4.1 W m−2, respectively.
The retrieval of the aerosol radiative effect with the clear-sky models shows a high level of agreement with the radiative transfer simulations, with an RMSE of 5.8 W m−2 and a correlation of 0.75. The annual mean of the REari at the surface for the 25 DWD stations shows a value of −12.8 ± 5 W m−2 as the average over the clear-sky models, compared to −11 W m−2 from the radiative transfer simulations. Since all models assume a fixed aerosol characterization, the annual cycle of the aerosol radiation effect cannot be reproduced. Out of this set of clear-sky models, the largest level of agreement is shown by the ESRA and MRM v6.1 models.
Low-Cost In-Hand Slippage Detection and Avoidance for Robust Robotic Grasping with Compliant Fingers
(2021)
Mebendazole Mediates Proteasomal Degradation of GLI Transcription Factors in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
(2021)
The prognosis of elderly AML patients is still poor due to chemotherapy resistance. The Hedgehog (HH) pathway is important for leukemic transformation because of aberrant activation of GLI transcription factors. MBZ is a well-tolerated anthelmintic that exhibits strong antitumor effects. Herein, we show that MBZ induced strong, dose-dependent anti-leukemic effects on AML cells, including the sensitization of AML cells to chemotherapy with cytarabine. MBZ strongly reduced intracellular protein levels of GLI1/GLI2 transcription factors. Consequently, MBZ reduced the GLI promoter activity as observed in luciferase-based reporter assays in AML cell lines. Further analysis revealed that MBZ mediates its anti-leukemic effects by promoting the proteasomal degradation of GLI transcription factors via inhibition of HSP70/90 chaperone activity. Extensive molecular dynamics simulations were performed on the MBZ-HSP90 complex, showing a stable binding interaction at the ATP binding site. Importantly, two patients with refractory AML were treated with MBZ in an off-label setting and MBZ effectively reduced the GLI signaling activity in a modified plasma inhibitory assay, resulting in a decrease in peripheral blood blast counts in one patient. Our data prove that MBZ is an effective GLI inhibitor that should be evaluated in combination to conventional chemotherapy in the clinical setting.
This article analyzes how humanitarian and/or development organizations acting as intermediaries between scientists and vulnerable populations aim to make environmental changes visible while trying to meet local needs and demands for sustainable livelihoods. Based on an in-depth organizational case study in Southern Thailand, the research analyses the use of visualization tools to foster environmental knowledge and literacy while supporting both policymaking as well as citizen engagement. Drawing on insights from sociology of organizations, the study discusses the organizational reasons for the use of visualization tools, outlining the underlying coercive, mimetic and normative pressures that facilitate their proliferation in the context of environmental communication. The results show that both the participatory approach as well as the use of audiovisual and digital tools to communicate project goals and results have become indispensable and institutionalized tools in the organizational field of humanitarian and development aid. In this context, organizations have become intermediaries and translators between ‘climate risk’ scientists and ‘at risk’ people, thus, facilitating environmental communication. The results show that questions of trust and ownership of ideas play an important role in the context of livelihood related projects linked to climate change adaptation. In this context, not only does the style and content of communication, but also the relationship between the parties who communicate, have an impact upon the success or failure of managing options in climate change adaptation.
Only since the turn of the 21st century have humanitarian organisations developed specific strategies that address climate change impacts as a humanitarian challenge. Taking the International Red Cross / Red Crescent Movement, being the largest humanitarian network, as an empirical case study, the article discusses the Movement’s changes in the areas 1) agenda setting, 2) organisational restructuring, 3) networking, 4) programming, and 5) advocacy. Based on the case study and a theoretical framework of organisational sociology, the article provides conclusions on internal and external factors that can explain why the Movement has been successful in being one of the first actors within the organisational field of humanitarian organisations to focus systematically on the humanitarian implications of climatic changes.
