Global tree-ring response and inferred climate variation following the mid-thirteenth century Samalas eruption

The largest explosive volcanic eruption of the Common Era in terms of estimated sulphur yield to the stratosphere was identified in glaciochemical records 40 years ago, and dates to the mid-thirteenth century. Despite eventual attribution to the Samalas (Rinjani) volcano in Indonesia, the eruption date remains uncertain, and the climate response only partially understood. Seeking a more global perspective on summer surface temperature and hydroclimate change following the eruption, we present an analysis of 249 tree-ring chronologies spanning the thirteenth century and representing all continents except Antarctica. Of the 170 predominantly temperature sensitive high-frequency chronologies, the earliest hints of boreal summer cooling are the growth depressions found at sites in the western US and Canada in 1257 CE. If this response is a result of Samalas, it would be consistent with an eruption window of circa May–July 1257 CE. More widespread summer cooling across the mid-latitudes of North America and Eurasia is pronounced in 1258, while records from Scandinavia and Siberia reveal peak cooling in 1259. In contrast to the marked post-Samalas temperature response at high-elevation sites in the Northern Hemisphere, no strong hydroclimatic anomalies emerge from the 79 precipitation-sensitive chronologies. Although our findings remain spatially biased towards the western US and central Europe, and growth-climate response patterns are not always dominated by a single meteorological factor, this study offers a global proxy framework for the evaluation of paleoclimate model simulations.

Bifidobacterium -Escherichia coli Shuttle Vector Series pKO403, with Temperature-Sensitive Replication Origin for Gene Knockout in Bifidobacterium

A series of Bifidobacterium - Escherichia coli shuttle vectors (pKO403- lacZ′ -Cm, pKO403- lacZ′ -Sp, pKO403- lacZ′ -p15A) were constructed based on the pKO403 backbone, which carries a temperature-sensitive replication origin. These vectors carry the lacZ′ α fragment, overhung by two facing type IIS restriction sites, for blue-white selection and seamless gene cloning.

Structural basis of Nrd1–Nab3 heterodimerization

Heterodimerization of RNA binding proteins Nrd1 and Nab3 is essential to communicate the RNA recognition in the nascent transcript with the Nrd1 recognition of the Ser5-phosphorylated Rbp1 C-terminal domain in RNA polymerase II. The structure of a Nrd1–Nab3 chimera reveals the basis of heterodimerization, filling a missing gap in knowledge of this system. The free form of the Nrd1 interaction domain of Nab3 (NRID) forms a multi-state three-helix bundle that is clamped in a single conformation upon complex formation with the Nab3 interaction domain of Nrd1 (NAID). The latter domain forms two long helices that wrap around NRID, resulting in an extensive protein–protein interface that would explain the highly favorable free energy of heterodimerization. Mutagenesis of some conserved hydrophobic residues involved in the heterodimerization leads to temperature-sensitive phenotypes, revealing the importance of this interaction in yeast cell fitness. The Nrd1–Nab3 structure resembles the previously reported Rna14/Rna15 heterodimer structure, which is part of the poly(A)-dependent termination pathway, suggesting that both machineries use similar structural solutions despite they share little sequence homology and are potentially evolutionary divergent.

A low power-integrated temperature sensor interface circuit

This paper constructs and simulates the interface circuit of a temperature sensor based on SMIC 0.18 [Formula: see text]m CMOS. The simulation results show that when the power supply voltage is 1.8 V, the chopper op-amp gain is 89.44 dB, the low-frequency noise is 71.83 nV/Hz,[Formula: see text] and the temperature coefficient of the core temperature sensitive circuit is 1.7808 mV/[Formula: see text]C. The sampling rate of 10-bit SAR ADC was 10 kS/s, effective bit was 9.0119, SNR was 59.3256 dB, SFDR was 68.7091 dB, and THD was −62.5859 dB. The measurement range of temperature sensor interface circuit is −50[Formula: see text]C[Formula: see text]C, the relative temperature measurement error is ±0.47[Formula: see text]C, the resolution is 0.2[Formula: see text]C/LSB, and the overall average power consumption is 434.9 [Formula: see text]W.

A single amino acid substitution in PB1 of pandemic H1N1 with A/Ann Arbor/6/60 master donor virus mutations as a novel live-attenuated influenza virus vaccine

Influenza A viruses (IAV) remain emerging threats to human public health. Live-attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV) are one of the most effective prophylactic options to prevent disease caused by influenza infections. However, licensed LAIV remain restricted for use in 2- to 49-year old healthy and non-pregnant people. Therefore, development of LAIV with increased safety, immunogenicity, and protective efficacy is highly desired. The United States (U.S.) licensed LAIV is based on the master donor virus (MDV) A/Ann Arbor/6/60 H2N2 backbone, which was generated by adaptation of the virus to growth at low temperatures. Introducing the genetic signature of the U.S. MDV into the backbone of other IAV strains resulted in varying levels of attenuation. While the U.S. MDV mutations conferred an attenuated phenotype to other IAV strains, the same amino acid changes did not significantly attenuate the pandemic A/California/04/09 H1N1 (pH1N1) strain. To attenuate pH1N1, we replaced the conserved leucine at position 319 with glutamine (L319Q) in PB1 and analyzed the in vitro and in vivo properties of pH1N1 viruses containing either PB1 L319Q alone or in combination with the U.S. MDV mutations using two animal models of influenza infection and transmission, ferrets and guinea pigs. Our results demonstrated that L319Q substitution in the pH1N1 PB1 alone or in combination with the mutations of the U.S. MDV resulted in reduced pathogenicity (ferrets) and transmission (guinea pigs), and an enhanced temperature sensitive phenotype. These results demonstrate the feasibility of generating an attenuated MDV based on the backbone of a contemporary pH1N1 IAV strain.

Effect of astrocyte on synchronization of thermosensitive neuron-astrocyte minimum system

Astrocytes have a regulatory function on the central nervous system (CNS), especially in the temperature sensitive hippocampal region. In order to explore the thermosensitive dynamic mechanism of astrocytes in CNS, we establish a neuron-astrocyte minimum system to analyze the synchronization change characteristics based on Hodgkin-Huxley model, in which a pyramidal cell and an interneuron are connected by an astrocyte. Besides, the temperature range set 0°C-40°C to juggle theoretical calculation and reality of brain environment. It is represented that the synchronization of thermosensitive neurons exhibits nonlinear behavior with change of astrocyte parameters. At temperature range of 0°C-18°C, the effects of astrocyte can provide tremendous influence to neurons in synchronization. We found existence of a value for inositol triphosphate (IP3) production rate and feedback intensities of astrocyte to neurons, which can ensure the weak synchronization of two neurons. In addition, it is revealed that the regulation of astrocyte to pyramidal cell is more sensitive than that to interneuron. Finally, it is shown that the synchronization and phase transition of neurons depend on the change of Ca2+ concentration at the temperature of weak synchronization. The results in this paper would provide some enlightenment in mechanism of cognitive dysfunction and neurological disorders with astrocytes.

basicsynbio and the BASIC SEVA collection: Software and vectors for an established DNA assembly method

Standardized DNA assembly methods utilizing modular components provide a powerful framework to explore design spaces and iterate through Design-Build-Test-Learn cycles. Biopart Assembly Standard for Idempotent Cloning (BASIC) DNA assembly uses modular parts and linkers, is highly accurate, easy to automate, free for academic and commercial use, while enabling simple hierarchical assemblies through an idempotent format. These attributes facilitate various applications including pathway engineering, ribosome binding site tuning, fusion protein synthesis and multiplex gRNA expression. In this work we present basicsynbio, an open-source software encompassing a Web App (https://basicsynbio.web.app/) and Python Package (https://github.com/LondonBiofoundry/basicsynbio). With basicsynbio, users can access commonly used BASIC parts and linkers while robustly designing new parts and assemblies with exception handling for common design errors. Furthermore, users can export sequence data and create build instructions for manual or automated workflows. The generation of build instructions relies on the BasicBuild Open Standard which is easily parsed for bespoke workflows and is serialised in Java Script Object Notation for transfer and storage. We demonstrate basicsynbio by assembling a collection of 30 BASIC-compatible vectors using various sequences including modules from the Standard European Vector Architecture (SEVA). The BASIC SEVA collection encompasses plasmids containing six antibiotic resistance markers and five origins of replication from different compatibility groups, including a temperature-sensitive variant. We deposit the collection on Addgene under an OpenMTA agreement, making them available. Furthermore, these sequences are accessible from within the basicsynbio application programming interface along with other collections of parts and linkers, providing an ideal environment to design BASIC DNA assemblies for bioengineering applications.

Temperature-sensitive hydrogel loaded with DNase I alleviates epidural fibrosis in a mouse model of laminectomy

Excessive epidural fibrosis attached to the dura mater is the major cause of recurrent failed back surgery syndrome after spine surgery. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) promote epidural fibrosis, raising the possibility that the DNA backbone of NETs may be a potential target in the therapy of epidural fibrosis. Human body temperature-sensitive hydroxypropyl chitin hydrogel solutions were prepared to encapsulate DNase I, which gradually decomposed in vivo. DNase I, which was released from temperature-sensitive hydrogels, destroyed the DNA backbone of NETs and dispersed the clustering of myeloperoxidase (MPO) in NETs. Evidence from MRI, H&E and Masson staining supported that hydroxypropyl chitin hydrogels loaded with DNase I were nontoxic and reduced epidural fibrosis. As expected, fibronectin in the wound was significantly abridged in the mice treated with hydrogels loaded with DNase I. Compared with the gelatin sponge absorbing DNase I, temperature-sensitive hydroxypropyl chitin hydrogels loaded with DNase I were more powerful in the therapy of epidural fibrosis. These results indicate that temperature-sensitive hydroxypropyl chitin hydrogels were effective in DNase I encapsulation and alleviation of epidural fibrosis in a mouse model of laminectomy.