Metals, non-metals and minerals: The complexity of bacterial selenate respiration

Metalloproteins and enzymes are an essential part of all respiratory electron-transfer chains and provide a pathway for electron transfer to terminal electron acceptors. Since bacteria can utilize a wide range of respiratory substrates, this variety of potential electron acceptors has facilitated the need for many different respiratory metalloproteins. Bacterial selenate respiration requires the sequential reduction of the selenium oxyanions selenate and selenite resulting in the precipitation of elemental selenium. The initial bioenergetic processes of selenate respiration are driven by metalloproteins utilizing cofactors containing iron and molybdenum. However, the assembly of the elemental selenium into selenium nanosphere crystals has shed light on a new family of proteins involved in selenium biomineralization. This article highlights some of the recent advances in our understanding of selenate respiration in the bacterium Thauera selenatis, with particular focus on the metalloproteins involved in selenate reduction and the novel proteins that function to deal with these insoluble selenium deposits. “As mineralogy constitutes a part of chemistry, it is clear that this arrangement of minerals must derive its principles from chemistry” Jöns Jacob Berzelius 1814

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Sentence-Based Experience Logging in New Hearing Aid Users

American Journal of Audiology ◽

10.1044/2020_aja-19-00077 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (3S) ◽

pp. 631-637

Author(s):

Katja Lund ◽

Rodrigo Ordoñez ◽

Jens Bo Nielsen ◽

Dorte Hammershøi

Keyword(s):

Hearing Aid ◽

Patient Experiences ◽

Online Tool ◽

Rehabilitation Process ◽

Hearing Rehabilitation ◽

Clinical Observations ◽

Hearing Aid Use ◽

Wide Range ◽

Insight Into ◽

Shed Light

Purpose The aim of this study was to develop a tool to gain insight into the daily experiences of new hearing aid users and to shed light on aspects of aided performance that may not be unveiled through standard questionnaires. Method The tool is developed based on clinical observations, patient experiences, expert involvement, and existing validated hearing rehabilitation questionnaires. Results An online tool for collecting data related to hearing aid use was developed. The tool is based on 453 prefabricated sentences representing experiences within 13 categories related to hearing aid use. Conclusions The tool has the potential to reflect a wide range of individual experiences with hearing aid use, including auditory and nonauditory aspects. These experiences may hold important knowledge for both the patient and the professional in the hearing rehabilitation process.

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Reading Beyond the Code

10.1093/oso/9780198794776.001.0001 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Keyword(s):

Relevance Theory ◽

Literary Studies ◽

The Novel ◽

Human Communication ◽

Communicative Acts ◽

Face To Face ◽

Code Model ◽

Wide Range ◽

Central Claim

This book explores the value for literary studies of relevance theory, an inferential approach to communication in which the expression and recognition of intentions plays a major role. Drawing on a wide range of examples from lyric poetry and the novel, nine of the ten chapters are written by literary specialists and use relevance theory both as an overall framework and as a resource for detailed analysis. The final chapter, written by the co-founder of relevance theory, reviews the issues addressed by the volume and explores their implications for cognitive theories of how communicative acts are interpreted in context. Originally designed to explain how people understand each other in everyday face-to-face exchanges, relevance theory—described in an early review by a literary scholar as ‘the makings of a radically new theory of communication, the first since Aristotle’s’—sheds light on the whole spectrum of human modes of communication, including literature in the broadest sense. Reading Beyond the Code is unique in using relevance theory as a prime resource for literary study, and is also the first to apply the model to a range of phenomena widely seen as supporting an ‘embodied’ conception of cognition and language where sensorimotor processes play a key role. This broadened perspective serves to enhance the value for literary studies of the central claim of relevance theory: that the ‘code model’ is fundamentally inadequate to account for human communication, and in particular for the modes of communication that are proper to literature.

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Modelling spreading of an infection using time series by a novel family of models; fitting the time series of the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in China

Epidemiologic Methods ◽

10.1515/em-2020-0013 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (s1) ◽

Author(s):

Babak Jamshidi ◽

Shahriar Jamshidi Zargaran ◽

Mansour Rezaei

Keyword(s):

Infectious Disease ◽

Time Series ◽

Communicable Disease ◽

Time Series Models ◽

Cumulative Number ◽

The Novel ◽

New Family ◽

Two Samples ◽

Almost All ◽

Number Of Individuals

AbstractIntroductionTime series models are one of the frequently used methods to describe the pattern of spreading an epidemic.MethodsWe presented a new family of time series models able to represent the cumulative number of individuals that contracted an infectious disease from the start to the end of the first wave of spreading. This family is flexible enough to model the propagation of almost all infectious diseases. After a general discussion on competent time series to model the outbreak of a communicable disease, we introduced the new family through one of its examples.ResultsWe estimated the parameters of two samples of the novel family to model the spreading of COVID-19 in China.DiscussionOur model does not work well when the decreasing trend of the rate of growth is absent because it is the main presumption of the model. In addition, since the information on the initial days is of the utmost importance for this model, one of the challenges about this model is modifying it to get qualified to model datasets that lack the information on the first days.

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Recent Advances in Enzymatic and Non-Enzymatic Electrochemical Glucose Sensing

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21144672 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (14) ◽

pp. 4672

Author(s):

Mohamed H. Hassan ◽

Cian Vyas ◽

Bruce Grieve ◽

Paulo Bartolo

Keyword(s):

Noble Metals ◽

Direct Electrochemistry ◽

Glucose Sensing ◽

Glucose Sensors ◽

Diabetic Patients ◽

Past Century ◽

Industrial Sectors ◽

Recent Advances ◽

Wide Range ◽

Sensitivity And Selectivity

The detection of glucose is crucial in the management of diabetes and other medical conditions but also crucial in a wide range of industries such as food and beverages. The development of glucose sensors in the past century has allowed diabetic patients to effectively manage their disease and has saved lives. First-generation glucose sensors have considerable limitations in sensitivity and selectivity which has spurred the development of more advanced approaches for both the medical and industrial sectors. The wide range of application areas has resulted in a range of materials and fabrication techniques to produce novel glucose sensors that have higher sensitivity and selectivity, lower cost, and are simpler to use. A major focus has been on the development of enzymatic electrochemical sensors, typically using glucose oxidase. However, non-enzymatic approaches using direct electrochemistry of glucose on noble metals are now a viable approach in glucose biosensor design. This review discusses the mechanisms of electrochemical glucose sensing with a focus on the different generations of enzymatic-based sensors, their recent advances, and provides an overview of the next generation of non-enzymatic sensors. Advancements in manufacturing techniques and materials are key in propelling the field of glucose sensing, however, significant limitations remain which are highlighted in this review and requires addressing to obtain a more stable, sensitive, selective, cost efficient, and real-time glucose sensor.

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Proteomics and Metabolomics Studies on the Biotic Stress Responses of Rice: an Update

Rice ◽

10.1186/s12284-021-00461-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kieu Thi Xuan Vo ◽

Md Mizanor Rahman ◽

Md Mustafizur Rahman ◽

Kieu Thi Thuy Trinh ◽

Sun Tae Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stress Responses ◽

Biotic Stress ◽

Defense Mechanisms ◽

Defense Responses ◽

Global Changes ◽

Biotic Stresses ◽

Novel Proteins ◽

Stress Agent ◽

Global Food ◽

Shed Light

AbstractBiotic stresses represent a serious threat to rice production to meet global food demand and thus pose a major challenge for scientists, who need to understand the intricate defense mechanisms. Proteomics and metabolomics studies have found global changes in proteins and metabolites during defense responses of rice exposed to biotic stressors, and also reported the production of specific secondary metabolites (SMs) in some cultivars that may vary depending on the type of biotic stress and the time at which the stress is imposed. The most common changes were seen in photosynthesis which is modified differently by rice plants to conserve energy, disrupt food supply for biotic stress agent, and initiate defense mechanisms or by biotic stressors to facilitate invasion and acquire nutrients, depending on their feeding style. Studies also provide evidence for the correlation between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and photorespiration and photosynthesis which can broaden our understanding on the balance of ROS production and scavenging in rice-pathogen interaction. Variation in the generation of phytohormones is also a key response exploited by rice and pathogens for their own benefit. Proteomics and metabolomics studies in resistant and susceptible rice cultivars upon pathogen attack have helped to identify the proteins and metabolites related to specific defense mechanisms, where choosing of an appropriate method to identify characterized or novel proteins and metabolites is essential, considering the outcomes of host-pathogen interactions. Despites the limitation in identifying the whole repertoire of responsive metabolites, some studies have shed light on functions of resistant-specific SMs. Lastly, we illustrate the potent metabolites responsible for resistance to different biotic stressors to provide valuable targets for further investigation and application.

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Beyond cultural and geographical proximity: delving into the factors that influence the dynamics of academic relationships between students in higher education

Higher Education ◽

10.1007/s10734-021-00734-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

José-Vicente Tomás-Miquel ◽

Jordi Capó-Vicedo

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Academic Research ◽

Past Research ◽

Academic Networks ◽

Level Data ◽

Wide Range ◽

Specific Stage ◽

The University ◽

Proximity Dimensions ◽

Shed Light

AbstractScholars have widely recognised the importance of academic relationships between students at the university. While much of the past research has focused on studying their influence on different aspects such as the students’ academic performance or their emotional stability, less is known about their dynamics and the factors that influence the formation and dissolution of linkages between university students in academic networks. In this paper, we try to shed light on this issue by exploring through stochastic actor-oriented models and student-level data the influence that a set of proximity factors may have on formation of these relationships over the entire period in which students are enrolled at the university. Our findings confirm that the establishment of academic relationships is derived, in part, from a wide range of proximity dimensions of a social, personal, geographical, cultural and academic nature. Furthermore, and unlike previous studies, this research also empirically confirms that the specific stage in which the student is at the university determines the influence of these proximity factors on the dynamics of academic relationships. In this regard, beyond cultural and geographic proximities that only influence the first years at the university, students shape their relationships as they progress in their studies from similarities in more strategic aspects such as academic and personal closeness. These results may have significant implications for both academic research and university policies.

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Becoming a Crorepati: From Glocal TV Game to Grobal Fiction

Asiatische Studien – Études Asiatiques ◽

10.1515/asia-2019-0053 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 73 (3) ◽

pp. 497-520

Author(s):

Nicola Pozza

Keyword(s):

Effective Means ◽

The Novel ◽

Cultural Products ◽

Slumdog Millionaire ◽

Interactive Nature ◽

Tv Show ◽

Shed Light ◽

The Way

AbstractNumerous studies have dealt with the process of globalization and its various cultural products. Three such cultural products illustrate this process: Vikas Swarup’s novel Q and A (2005), the TV quiz show Kaun banega crorepati? (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?), and Danny Boyle’s film Slumdog Millionaire (2008). The novel, the TV show and the film have so far been studied separately. Juxtaposing and comparing Q and A, Kaun banega crorepati, and Slumdog Millionaire provides an effective means to shed light on the dialogic and interactive nature of the process of globalization. It is argued through this case study that an analysis of their place of production, language and content, helps clarify the derivative concepts of “glocalization” and “grobalization” with regard to the way(s) contemporary cultural products respond to globalization.

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Novel Protein-Repellent and Antibacterial Resins and Cements to Inhibit Lesions and Protect Teeth

International Journal of Polymer Science ◽

10.1155/2019/5602904 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2019 ◽

pp. 1-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Li Cao ◽

Junling Wu ◽

Qiang Zhang ◽

Bashayer Baras ◽

Ghalia Bhadila ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Orthodontic Treatment ◽

The Novel ◽

Dental Resin ◽

Biofilm Growth ◽

New Class ◽

Dental Resins ◽

Wide Range ◽

Oral Biofilms ◽

One Year

Orthodontic treatment is increasingly popular as people worldwide seek esthetics and better quality of life. In orthodontic treatment, complex appliances and retainers are placed in the patients’ mouths for at least one year, which often lead to biofilm plaque accumulation. This in turn increases the caries-inducing bacteria, decreases the pH of the retained plaque on an enamel surface, and causes white spot lesions (WSLs) in enamel. This article reviews the cutting-edge research on a new class of bioactive and therapeutic dental resins, cements, and adhesives that can inhibit biofilms and protect tooth structures. The novel approaches include the use of protein-repellent and anticaries polymeric dental cements containing 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and dimethylaminododecyl methacrylate (DMAHDM); multifunctional resins that can inhibit enamel demineralization; protein-repellent and self-etching adhesives to greatly reduce oral biofilm growth; and novel polymethyl methacrylate resins to suppress oral biofilms and acid production. These new materials could reduce biofilm attachment, raise local biofilm pH, and facilitate the remineralization to protect the teeth. This novel class of dental resin with dual benefits of antibacterial and protein-repellent capabilities has the potential for a wide range of dental and biomedical applications to inhibit bacterial infection and protect the tissues.

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Messianism, rationalism and inter-Asian connections: The Majalis-i Jahangiri (1608–11) and the socio-intellectual history of the Mughal ‘ulama

The Indian Economic & Social History Review ◽

10.1177/0019464617710744 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 54 (3) ◽

pp. 317-338 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Corinne Lefèvre

Keyword(s):

Central Asia ◽

Intellectual History ◽

State Building ◽

Specific Role ◽

Wide Range ◽

History Of ◽

Muslim Intellectuals ◽

Shed Light

Relying on the Majalis-i Jahangiri (1608–11) by ʿAbd al-Sattar b. Qasim Lahauri, this essay explores some of the discussions the Mughal Emperor Jahangir (r. 1605–27) conducted with a wide range of scholars, from Brahmans and ʿulama to Jesuit padres and Jewish savants. By far the most numerous, the debates bearing on Islam and involving Muslim intellectuals are especially significant on several accounts. First, because they illuminate how, following in the steps of his father Akbar (r. 1556–605), Jahangir was able to conciliate his messianic claims with a strong engagement with reason and to turn this combination into a formidable instrument for confession and state building. These conversations also provide promising avenues to think afresh the socio-intellectual history of the Mughal ʿulama inasmuch as they capture the challenges and adjustments attendant on imperial patronage, depict the jockeying for influence and positions among intellectuals (particularly between Indo-Muslim and Iranian lettrés), and shed light on relatively little known figures or on unexplored facets of more prominent individuals. In addition, the specific role played by scholars hailing from Iran—and, to a lesser extent, from Central Asia—in the juridical-religious disputes of the Indian court shows how crucial inter-Asian connections and networks were in the fashioning of Mughal ideology but also the ways in which the ongoing flow of émigré ʿulama was disciplined before being incorporated into the empire.

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