Selecting one of several mating types through gene segment joining and deletion in Tetrahymena thermophila.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcella D Cervantes

Full Text Available The unicellular eukaryote Tetrahymena thermophila has seven mating types. Cells can mate only when they recognize cells of a different mating type as non-self. As a ciliate, Tetrahymena separates its germline and soma into two nuclei. During growth the somatic nucleus is responsible for all gene transcription while the germline nucleus remains silent. During mating, a new somatic nucleus is differentiated from a germline nucleus and mating type is decided by a stochastic process. We report here that the somatic mating type locus contains a pair of genes arranged head-to-head. Each gene encodes a mating type-specific segment and a transmembrane domain that is shared by all mating types. Somatic gene knockouts showed both genes are required for efficient non-self recognition and successful mating, as assessed by pair formation and progeny production. The germline mating type locus consists of a tandem array of incomplete gene pairs representing each potential mating type. During mating, a complete new gene pair is assembled at the somatic mating type locus; the incomplete genes of one gene pair are completed by joining to gene segments at each end of germline array. All other germline gene pairs are deleted in the process. These programmed DNA rearrangements make this a fascinating system of mating type determination.

Cloning and characterization of the major histone H2A genes completes the cloning and sequencing of known histone genes of Tetrahymena thermophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, X; Gorovsky, M A

1996-01-01

A truncated cDNA clone encoding Tetrahymena thermophila histone H2A2 was isolated using synthetic degenerate oligonucleotide probes derived from H2A protein sequences of Tetrahymena pyriformis. The cDNA clone was used as a homologous probe to isolate a truncated genomic clone encoding H2A1. The remaining regions of the genes for H2A1 (HTA1) and H2A2 (HTA2) were then isolated using inverse PCR on circularized genomic DNA fragments. These partial clones were assembled into intact HTA1 and HTA2 clones. Nucleotide sequences of the two genes were highly homologous within the coding region but not in the noncoding regions. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences with protein sequences of T. pyriformis H2As showed only two and three differences respectively, in a total of 137 amino acids for H2A1, and 132 amino acids for H2A2, indicating the two genes arose before the divergence of these two species. The HTA2 gene contains a TAA triplet within the coding region, encoding a glutamine residue. In contrast with the T. thermophila HHO and HTA3 genes, no introns were identified within the two genes. The 5'- and 3'-ends of the histone H2A mRNAs; were determined by RNase protection and by PCR mapping using RACE and RLM-RACE methods. Both genes encode polyadenylated mRNAs and are highly expressed in vegetatively growing cells but only weakly expressed in starved cultures. With the inclusion of these two genes, T. thermophila is the first organism whose entire complement of known core and linker histones, including replication-dependent and basal variants, has been cloned and sequenced. PMID:8760889

Effect of salt and urban water samples on bacterivory by the ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

St Denis, C.H.; Pinheiro, M.D.O.; Power, M.E. [Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 (Canada); Bols, Niels C., E-mail: ncbols@uwaterloo.c [Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. W, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 (Canada)

2010-02-15

The effect of road salt on the eating of bacteria or bacterivory by the ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila, was followed in non-nutrient Osterhout's solution with Escherichia coli expressing green fluorescent protein. Bacterivory was impaired at between 0.025 and 0.050% w/v but the ciliates appeared to have normal morphologies and motilities, whereas at above 0.1%, bacterivory was blocked and many ciliates died. By contrast, E. coli remained viable, suggesting salt could alter predator-prey relationships in microbial communities. In nutrient medium, salt was not toxic and the ciliates grew. After growth in salt, ciliates consumed bacteria in 0.2% salt, indicating the salt acclimation of bacterivory. Bacteria and ciliates were added to urban creek samples to compare their capacity to support exogenous bacterivory. Even though samples were collected weekly for a year and be expected to have fluctuating salt levels as a result of deicing, all creek samples supported a similar level of bacterivory. - Road salt at some concentrations inhibits bacterivory by ciliates, and thus potentially could alter the microbial food web.

Effect of salt and urban water samples on bacterivory by the ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

St Denis, C.H.; Pinheiro, M.D.O.; Power, M.E.; Bols, Niels C.

2010-01-01

The effect of road salt on the eating of bacteria or bacterivory by the ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila, was followed in non-nutrient Osterhout's solution with Escherichia coli expressing green fluorescent protein. Bacterivory was impaired at between 0.025 and 0.050% w/v but the ciliates appeared to have normal morphologies and motilities, whereas at above 0.1%, bacterivory was blocked and many ciliates died. By contrast, E. coli remained viable, suggesting salt could alter predator-prey relationships in microbial communities. In nutrient medium, salt was not toxic and the ciliates grew. After growth in salt, ciliates consumed bacteria in 0.2% salt, indicating the salt acclimation of bacterivory. Bacteria and ciliates were added to urban creek samples to compare their capacity to support exogenous bacterivory. Even though samples were collected weekly for a year and be expected to have fluctuating salt levels as a result of deicing, all creek samples supported a similar level of bacterivory. - Road salt at some concentrations inhibits bacterivory by ciliates, and thus potentially could alter the microbial food web.

Effects of four commonly used UV filters on the growth, cell viability and oxidative stress responses of the Tetrahymena thermophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Li; Yuan, Tao; Zhou, Chuanqi; Cheng, Peng; Bai, Qifeng; Ao, Junjie; Wang, Wenhua; Zhang, Haimou

2013-11-01

UV filters are increasingly used in sunscreens and other personal care products. Although their residues have been widely identified in aquatic environment, little is known about the influences of UV filters to protozoan. The growth inhibition effects, cell viability and oxidative stress responses of four commonly used UV filters, 2-ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamate (EHMC), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC) and octocrylene (OC), to protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila were investigated in this study. The 24-h EC50 values with 95% confidence intervals for BP-3 and 4-MBC were 7.544 (6.561-8.675) mg L(-1) and 5.125 (4.874-5.388) mg L(-1), respectively. EHMC and OC did not inhibit the growth of T. thermophila after 24h exposure at the tested concentrations. The results of cell viability assays with propidium iodide (PI) staining were consistent with that of the growth inhibition tests. As for BP-3 and 4-MBC, the relatively higher concentrations, i.e. of 10.0 and 15.0 mg L(-1), could lead to the cell membranes impairment after 4h exposure. With the increase of the exposure time to 6h, their adverse effects on cell viability of T. thermophila were observed at the relatively lower concentration groups (1.0 mg L(-1) and 5.0 mg L(-1)). In addition, it is noticeable that at environmentally relevant concentration (1.0 μg L(-1)), BP-3 and 4-MBC could lead to the significant increase of catalase (CAT) activities of the T. thermophila cells. Especially for the BP-3, the oxidative injuries were further confirmed by the reduction of glutathione (GSH) content. It is imperative to further investigate the additive action of UV filters and seek other sensitive endpoint, especially at environmentally relevant concentration. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cyc17, a meiosis-specific cyclin, is essential for anaphase initiation and chromosome segregation in Tetrahymena thermophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Guan-Xiong; Dang, Huai; Tian, Miao; Zhang, Jing; Shodhan, Anura; Ning, Ying-Zhi; Xiong, Jie; Miao, Wei

2016-07-17

Although the role of cyclins in controlling nuclear division is well established, their function in ciliate meiosis remains unknown. In ciliates, the cyclin family has undergone massive expansion which suggests that diverse cell cycle systems exist, and this warrants further investigation. A screen for cyclins in the model ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila showed that there are 34 cyclins in this organism. Only 1 cyclin, Cyc17, contains the complete cyclin core and is specifically expressed during meiosis. Deletion of CYC17 led to meiotic arrest at the diakinesis-like metaphase I stage. Expression of genes involved in DNA metabolism and chromosome organization (chromatin remodeling and basic chromosomal structure) was repressed in cyc17 knockout matings. Further investigation suggested that Cyc17 is involved in regulating spindle pole attachment, and is thus essential for chromosome segregation at meiosis. These findings suggest a simple model in which chromosome segregation is influenced by Cyc17.

Molecular and biochemical analysis of conjugation and adolescence in Tetrahymena thermophila

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogers, M.B.

1986-01-01

A previously unrecognized stage in the development of sexual maturity in Tetrahymena thermophila, adolescence, has been described. When the progeny of successfully mated cells are grown logarithmically, they are unable to form mating pairs for about 65 generations. This period is known as immaturity. During the next stage, adolescence, the progeny pair with mature cells but not with other adolescent cells despite the presence of complementary mating types. Adolescence persists for 20-25 generations before the cells attain maturity (the ability to mate with any cell of different mating type). Once paired with mature cells, adolescents successfully complete conjugation was shown genetically. Mating pairs formed between adolescent and mature cells are indistinguishable from those formed between mature cells by the criteria of cytology and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of proteins extracted from mating pairs pulse-labelled with [ 35 S]methionine. An analysis of proteins induced during the first ten hours of conjugation was carried out using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The protein patterns obtained from all controls were similar. The synthesis of numerous large and basic proteins were induced during conjugation. The majority of the proteins were detected during meiosis and none were mating type specific. A library of micronuclear DNA was constructed in the plasmic PUC18. The library was screened by differential colony hybridization using cDNA complementary to polyA + RNA isolated from conjugating and control cells. Eight recombinant clones were isolated which contain sequences transcriptionally induced in conjugating cells

Developmentally programmed DNA deletion in Tetrahymena thermophila by a transposition-like reaction pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Saveliev, S V; Cox, M M

1996-01-01

We provide a molecular description of key intermediates in the deletion of two internal eliminated sequences (IES elements), the M and R regions, during macronuclear development in Tetrahymena thermophila. Using a variety of PCR-based methods in vivo, double-strand breaks are detected that are generated by hydrolytic cleavage and correspond closely to the observed chromosomal junctions left behind in the macronuclei. The breaks exhibit a temporal and structural relationship to the deletion reaction that provides strong evidence that they are intermediates in the deletion pathway. Breaks in the individual strands are staggered by 4 bp, producing a four nucleotide 5' extension. Evidence is presented that breaks do not occur simultaneously at both ends. The results are most consistent with a deletion mechanism featuring initiation by double-strand cleavage at one end of the deleted element, followed by transesterification to generate the macronuclear junction on one DNA strand. An adenosine residue is found at all the nucleophilic 3' ends used in the postulated transesterification step. Evidence for the transesterification step is provided by detection of a 3' hydroxyl that would be liberated by such a step at a deletion boundary where no other DNA strand ends are detected. Images PMID:8654384

Nuclear localization signal targeting to macronucleus and micronucleus in binucleated ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwamoto, Masaaki; Mori, Chie; Osakada, Hiroko; Koujin, Takako; Hiraoka, Yasushi; Haraguchi, Tokuko

2018-06-08

Ciliated protozoa possess two morphologically and functionally distinct nuclei: a macronucleus (MAC) and a micronucleus (MIC). The MAC is transcriptionally active and functions in all cellular events. The MIC is transcriptionally inactive during cell growth, but functions in meiotic events to produce progeny nuclei. Thus, these two nuclei must be distinguished by the nuclear proteins required for their distinct functions during cellular events such as cell proliferation and meiosis. To understand the mechanism of the nuclear transport specific to either MAC or MIC, we identified specific nuclear localization signals (NLSs) in two MAC- and MIC-specific nuclear proteins, macronuclear histone H1 and micronuclear linker histone-like protein (Mlh1), respectively. By expressing GFP-fused fragments of these proteins in Tetrahymena thermophila cells, two distinct regions in macronuclear histone H1 protein were assigned as independent MAC-specific NLSs and two distinct regions in Mlh1 protein were assigned as independent MIC-specific NLSs. These NLSs contain several essential lysine residues responsible for the MAC- and MIC-specific nuclear transport, but neither contains any consensus sequence with known monopartite or bipartite NLSs in other model organisms. Our findings contribute to understanding how specific nuclear targeting is achieved to perform distinct nuclear functions in binucleated ciliates. © 2018 The Authors. Genes to Cells published by Molecular Biology Society of Japan and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

The fate of deleted DNA produced during programmed genomic deletion events in Tetrahymena thermophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Saveliev, S V; Cox, M M

1994-01-01

Thousands of DNA deletion events occur during macronuclear development in the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. In two deleted genomic regions, designated M and R, the eliminated sequences form circles that can be detected by PCR. However, the circles are not normal products of the reaction pathway. The circular forms occur at very low levels in conjugating cells, but are stable. Sequencing analysis showed that many of the circles (as many as 50% of those examined) reflected a precise deletion in the M and R regions. The remaining circles were either smaller or larger and contained varying lengths of sequences derived from the chromosomal DNA surrounding the eliminated region. The chromosomal junctions left behind after deletion were more precise, although deletions in either the M or R regions can generate any of several alternative junctions (1). Some new chromosomal junctions were detected in the present study. The results suggest that the deleted segment is released as a linear DNA species that is degraded rapidly. The species is only rarely converted to the stable circles we detect. The deletion mechanism is different from those proposed for deletion events in hypotrichous ciliates (2-4), and does not reflect a conservative site-specific recombination process such as that promoted by the bacteriophage lambda integrase (5). Images PMID:7838724

Tetrahymena metallothioneins fall into two discrete subfamilies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Díaz

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Metallothioneins are ubiquitous small, cysteine-rich, multifunctional proteins which can bind heavy metals.We report the results of phylogenetic and gene expression analyses that include two new Tetrahymena thermophila metallothionein genes (MTT3 and MTT5. Sequence alignments of all known Tetrahymena metallothioneins have allowed us to rationalize the structure of these proteins. We now formally subdivide the known metallothioneins from the ciliate genus Tetrahymena into two well defined subfamilies, 7a and 7b, based on phylogenetic analysis, on the pattern of clustering of Cys residues, and on the pattern of inducibility by the heavy metals Cd and Cu. Sequence alignment also reveals a remarkably regular, conserved and hierarchical modular structure of all five subfamily 7a MTs, which include MTT3 and MTT5. The former has three modules, while the latter has only two. Induction levels of the three T. thermophila genes were determined using quantitative real time RT-PCR. Various stressors (including heavy metals brought about dramatically different fold-inductions for each gene; MTT5 showed the highest fold-induction. Conserved DNA motifs with potential regulatory significance were identified, in an unbiased way, upstream of the start codons of subfamily 7a MTs. EST evidence for alternative splicing in the 3' UTR of the MTT5 mRNA with potential regulatory activity is reported.The small number and remarkably regular structure of Tetrahymena MTs, coupled with the experimental tractability of this model organism for studies of in vivo function, make it an attractive system for the experimental dissection of the roles, structure/function relationships, regulation of gene expression, and adaptive evolution of these proteins, as well as for the development of biotechnological applications for the environmental monitoring of toxic substances.

1+1 = 3: a fusion of 2 enzymes in the methionine salvage pathway of Tetrahymena thermophila creates a trifunctional enzyme that catalyzes 3 steps in the pathway.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hannah M W Salim

2009-10-01

Full Text Available The methionine salvage pathway is responsible for regenerating methionine from its derivative, methylthioadenosine. The complete set of enzymes of the methionine pathway has been previously described in bacteria. Despite its importance, the pathway has only been fully described in one eukaryotic organism, yeast. Here we use a computational approach to identify the enzymes of the methionine salvage pathway in another eukaryote, Tetrahymena thermophila. In this organism, the pathway has two fused genes, MTNAK and MTNBD. Each of these fusions involves two different genes whose products catalyze two different single steps of the pathway in other organisms. One of the fusion proteins, mtnBD, is formed by enzymes that catalyze non-consecutive steps in the pathway, mtnB and mtnD. Interestingly the gene that codes for the intervening enzyme in the pathway, mtnC, is missing from the genome of Tetrahymena. We used complementation tests in yeast to show that the fusion of mtnB and mtnD from Tetrahymena is able to do in one step what yeast does in three, since it can rescue yeast knockouts of mtnB, mtnC, or mtnD. Fusion genes have proved to be very useful in aiding phylogenetic reconstructions and in the functional characterization of genes. Our results highlight another characteristic of fusion proteins, namely that these proteins can serve as biochemical shortcuts, allowing organisms to completely bypass steps in biochemical pathways.

Genomic organization and developmental fate of adjacent repeated sequences in a foldback DNA clone of Tetrahymena thermophila

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tschunko, A.H.; Loechel, R.H.; McLaren, N.C.; Allen, S.L.

1987-01-01

DNA sequence elimination and rearrangement occurs during the development of somatic cell lineages of eukaryotes and was first discovered over a century ago. However, the significance and mechanism of chromatin elimination are not understood. DNA elimination also occurs during the development of the somatic macronucleus from the germinal micronucleus in unicellular ciliated protozoa such as Tetrahymena thermophila. In this study foldback DNA from the micronucleus was used as a probe to isolate ten clones. All of those tested (4/4) contained sequences that were repetitive in the micronucleus and rearranged in the macronucleus. Inverted repeated sequences were present in one clone. This clone, pTtFBl, was subjected to a detailed analysis of its developmental fate. Subregions were subcloned and used as probes against Southern blots of micronuclear and macronuclear DNA. DNA was labeled with [ 33 P]-labeled dATP. The authors found that all subregions defined repeated sequence families in the micronuclear genome. A minimum of four different families was defined, two of which are retained in the macronucleus and two of which are completely eliminated. The inverted repeat family is retained with little rearrangement. Two of the families, defined by subregions that do not contain parts of the inverted repeat are totally eliminated during macronuclear development-and contain open reading frames. The significance of retained inverted repeats to the process of elimination is discussed

Biomechanics of Tetrahymena escaping from dead ends

Science.gov (United States)

Ishikawa, Takuji; Kikuchi, Kenji

2017-11-01

Behaviors of swimming microorganisms in complex environments are important in understanding cells' distribution in nature and in industries. Although cell's swimming and spreading in an infinite fluid has been intensively investigated, that in a narrow region bounded by walls is still unclear. Thus, in this study, we used Tetrahymena thermophila as a model microorganism, and experimentally investigated its behavior between flat plates with an angle. The results showed that the cells tended to escape from the narrow region, and the swimming velocity and the radius of curvature of the trajectories decreased as they swam narrower region. We then developed a computational model of swimming Tetrahymena. The results showed that the escaping behavior could be well explained by fluid mechanics. The obtained knowledge is useful in understanding cells' behaviors in complex environments, such as in porous media and in a granular matter. This research was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grants, numbers 25000008 and 17H00853.

Experimental identification and analysis of macronuclear non-coding RNAs from the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Kasper Langebjerg; Nielsen, Henrik

2012-01-01

expressed during vegetative growth or sexual reorganization. In order to get an overview of medium-sized (40-500¿nt) RNAs expressed from the Tetrahymena genome, we created a size-fractionated cDNA library from macronuclear RNA and analyzed 80 RNAs, most of which were previously unknown. The most abundant...... class was small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), many of which are formed by an unusual maturation pathway. The modifications guided by the snoRNAs were analyzed bioinformatically and experimentally and many Tetrahymena-specific modifications were found, including several in an essential, but not conserved...

Regulation of galactokinase gene expression in Tetrahymena thermophila. II. Identification of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine as a primary effector of adrenergic control of galactokinase expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Ness, J C; Morse, D E

1985-08-25

Intracellular concentrations of catecholamines were determined in wild-type and mutant Tetrahymena thermophila, using the highly sensitive techniques of high-performance liquid chromatography and electro-chemical detection. Catecholamines were determined in these cell strains grown under various steady-state conditions, including those which initiate and maintain repression of galactokinase gene expression. Wild-type cells grown in defined minimal medium supplemented with 1% glycerol, exhibiting derepressed galactokinase synthesis, were found to contain considerable quantities of dopa (3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) and dopamine, but no detectable levels of either norepinephrine or epinephrine. Analyses of wild-type cells revealed a strong positive correlation between the internal concentration of dopa and expression of the galactokinase gene, both of which are regulated by exogenous carbohydrates, catecholamine agonists, or dibutyryl-cAMP; an analogous relationship between intracellular dopamine concentrations and galactokinase activity was not found. In addition, a correlation between intracellular dopa content and the phenotypic expression of galactokinase in various mutants deficient in the catecholamine biosynthetic pathway or in glucokinase further confirms the role of dopa as a primary effector in the regulation of galactokinase gene expression.

Dicty_cDB: SLK195 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 0.003 4 AF312772 |AF312772.1 Tetrahymena thermophila macronuclear immobilization antigen LC (SerLC) mRNA, pa...rtial cds. 30 0.044 3 AF312771 |AF312771.1 Tetrahymena thermophila macronuclear immobilization antigen LB (S...survey sequence. 44 1.2 1 AF312774 |AF312774.1 Tetrahymena thermophila macronuclear immobilization...hermophila macronuclear immobilization antigen LD (SerLD) mRNA, complete cds. 30 ...erLB) mRNA, complete cds. 30 0.060 3 AF312770 |AF312770.1 Tetrahymena thermophila macronuclear immobilizat

Comparison of primary and secondary 26S rRNA structures in two Tetrahymena species: evidence for a strong evolutionary and structural constraint in expansion segments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Engberg, J; Nielsen, Henrik; Lenaers, G

1990-01-01

We have determined the nucleotide sequence of the 26S large subunit (LSU) rRNA genes for two Tetrahymena species, T. thermophila and T. pyriformis. The inferred rRNA sequences are presented in their most probable secondary structures based on compensatory mutations, energy, and conservation crite...

Dicty_cDB: SLJ818 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available its) Value N AF312775 |AF312775.1 Tetrahymena thermophila macronuclear immobilization antigen LD (SerLD) mRN...Y9928, primer: M13 forward, sequence 1. 30 0.014 4 AF312772 |AF312772.1 Tetrahymena thermophila macronuclear immobilization...r RE70748 full insert cDNA. 42 0.096 2 AF312771 |AF312771.1 Tetrahymena thermophila macronuclear immobilization...mena thermophila macronuclear immobilization antigen LA (SerLA) mRNA, complete cds. 30 0.12 3 AC116673 |AC11

NCBI nr-aa BLAST: CBRC-XTRO-01-2527 [SEVENS

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available CBRC-XTRO-01-2527 ref|XP_001008699.1| H1 immobilization antigen, putative [Tetrahym...ena thermophila SB210] gb|EAR88454.1| H1 immobilization antigen, putative [Tetrahymena thermophila SB210] XP_001008699.1 4.2 29% ...

NCBI nr-aa BLAST: CBRC-XTRO-01-0480 [SEVENS

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available CBRC-XTRO-01-0480 ref|XP_001008699.1| H1 immobilization antigen, putative [Tetrahym...ena thermophila SB210] gb|EAR88454.1| H1 immobilization antigen, putative [Tetrahymena thermophila SB210] XP_001008699.1 4.2 29% ...

NCBI nr-aa BLAST: CBRC-XTRO-01-0562 [SEVENS

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available CBRC-XTRO-01-0562 ref|XP_001008699.1| H1 immobilization antigen, putative [Tetrahym...ena thermophila SB210] gb|EAR88454.1| H1 immobilization antigen, putative [Tetrahymena thermophila SB210] XP_001008699.1 4.2 29% ...

NCBI nr-aa BLAST: CBRC-XTRO-01-0714 [SEVENS

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available CBRC-XTRO-01-0714 ref|XP_001008699.1| H1 immobilization antigen, putative [Tetrahym...ena thermophila SB210] gb|EAR88454.1| H1 immobilization antigen, putative [Tetrahymena thermophila SB210] XP_001008699.1 4.2 28% ...

Different polyamine pathways from bacteria have replaced eukaryotic spermidine biosynthesis in ciliates Tetrahymena thermophila and Paramecium tetaurelia.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Bin; Kim, Sok Ho; Zhang, Yang; Hanfrey, Colin C; Elliott, Katherine A; Ealick, Steven E; Michael, Anthony J

2015-09-01

The polyamine spermidine is absolutely required for growth and cell proliferation in eukaryotes, due to its role in post-translational modification of essential translation elongation factor eIF5A, mediated by deoxyhypusine synthase. We have found that free-living ciliates Tetrahymena and Paramecium lost the eukaryotic genes encoding spermidine biosynthesis: S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) and spermidine synthase (SpdSyn). In Tetrahymena, they were replaced by a gene encoding a fusion protein of bacterial AdoMetDC and SpdSyn, present as three copies. In Paramecium, a bacterial homospermidine synthase replaced the eukaryotic genes. Individual AdoMetDC-SpdSyn fusion protein paralogues from Tetrahymena exhibit undetectable AdoMetDC activity; however, when two paralogous fusion proteins are mixed, AdoMetDC activity is restored and spermidine is synthesized. Structural modelling indicates a functional active site is reconstituted by sharing critical residues from two defective protomers across the heteromer interface. Paramecium was found to accumulate homospermidine, suggesting it replaces spermidine for growth. To test this concept, a budding yeast spermidine auxotrophic strain was found to grow almost normally with homospermidine instead of spermidine. Biosynthesis of spermidine analogue aminopropylcadaverine, but not exogenously provided norspermidine, correlated with some growth. Finally, we found that diverse single-celled eukaryotic parasites and multicellular metazoan Schistosoma worms have lost the spermidine biosynthetic pathway but retain deoxyhypusine synthase. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Two Tetrahymena G-DNA-binding proteins, TGP1 and TGP3, share novel motifs and may play a role in micronuclear division

OpenAIRE

Lu, Quan; Henderson, Eric

2000-01-01

G-DNA is a four-stranded DNA structure with diverse putative biological roles. We have previously purified and cloned a novel G-DNA-binding protein TGP1 from the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. Here we report the molecular cloning of TGP3, an additional G-DNA-binding protein from the same organism. The TGP3 cDNA encodes a 365 amino acid protein that is homologous to TGP1 (34% identity and 44% similarity). The proteins share a sequence pattern that contains two novel repetitive and homologous...

A novel mitochondrial nuclease-associated protein: a major executor of the programmed nuclear death in Tetrahymena thermophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Osada, Eriko; Akematsu, Takahiko; Asano, Tomoya; Endoh, Hiroshi

2014-03-01

Programmed nuclear death (PND) in the ciliate Tetrahymena is an apoptosis-like phenomenon that occurs in a restricted space of cytoplasm during conjugation. In the process, only the parental macronucleus is selectively eliminated from the progeny cytoplasm, in conjunction with differentiation of new macronuclei for the next generation. For the last decade, mitochondria have been elucidated to be a crucial executioner like apoptosis: apoptosis-inducing factor and yet-unidentified nucleases localised in mitochondria are major factors for PND. To identify such nucleases, we performed a DNase assay in a PAGE (SDS-DNA-PAGE) using total mitochondrial proteins. Some proteins showed DNase activity, but particularly a 17 kDa protein exhibited the highest and predominant activity. Mass spectrometric analysis revealed a novel mitochondrial nuclease, named TMN1, whose homologue has been discovered only in the ciliate Paramecium tetraurelia, but not in other eukaryotes. Gene disruption of TMN1 led to a drastic reduction of mitochondrial nuclease activity and blocked nuclear degradation during conjugation, but did not affect accumulation of autophagic and lysosomal machinery around the parental macronucleus. These observations strongly suggest that the mitochondrial nuclease-associated protein plays a key role in PND as a major executor. Taking the novel protein specific to ciliates in consideration, Tetrahymena would have diverted a different protein from common apoptotic factors shared in eukaryotes to PND in the course of ciliate evolution. © 2014 Société Française des Microscopies and Société de Biologie Cellulaire de France. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The conjugation-specific Die5 protein is required for development of the somatic nucleus in both Paramecium and Tetrahymena.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuda, Atsushi; Shieh, Annie Wan-Yi; Chalker, Douglas L; Forney, James D

2010-07-01

Development in ciliated protozoa involves extensive genome reorganization within differentiating macronuclei, which shapes the somatic genome of the next vegetative generation. Major events of macronuclear differentiation include excision of internal eliminated sequences (IESs), chromosome fragmentation, and genome amplification. Proteins required for these events include those with homology throughout eukaryotes as well as proteins apparently unique to ciliates. In this study, we identified the ciliate-specific Defective in IES Excision 5 (DIE5) genes of Paramecium tetraurelia (PtDIE5) and Tetrahymena thermophila (TtDIE5) as orthologs that encode nuclear proteins expressed exclusively during development. Abrogation of PtDie5 protein (PtDie5p) function by RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated silencing or TtDie5p by gene disruption resulted in the failure of developing macronuclei to differentiate into new somatic nuclei. Tetrahymena DeltaDIE5 cells arrested late in development and failed to complete genome amplification, whereas RNAi-treated Paramecium cells highly amplified new macronuclear DNA before the failure in differentiation, findings that highlight clear differences in the biology of these distantly related species. Nevertheless, IES excision and chromosome fragmentation failed to occur in either ciliate, which strongly supports that Die5p is a critical player in these processes. In Tetrahymena, loss of zygotic expression during development was sufficient to block nuclear differentiation. This observation, together with the finding that knockdown of Die5p in Paramecium still allows genome amplification, indicates that this protein acts late in macronuclear development. Even though DNA rearrangements in these two ciliates look to be quite distinct, analysis of DIE5 establishes the action of a conserved mechanism within the genome reorganization pathway.

Dissecting relative contributions of cis- and trans-determinants to nucleosome distribution by comparing Tetrahymena macronuclear and micronuclear chromatin.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Jie; Gao, Shan; Dui, Wen; Yang, Wentao; Chen, Xiao; Taverna, Sean D; Pearlman, Ronald E; Ashlock, Wendy; Miao, Wei; Liu, Yifan

2016-12-01

The ciliate protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila contains two types of structurally and functionally differentiated nuclei: the transcriptionally active somatic macronucleus (MAC) and the transcriptionally silent germ-line micronucleus (MIC). Here, we demonstrate that MAC features well-positioned nucleosomes downstream of transcription start sites and flanking splice sites. Transcription-associated trans-determinants promote nucleosome positioning in MAC. By contrast, nucleosomes in MIC are dramatically delocalized. Nucleosome occupancy in MAC and MIC are nonetheless highly correlated with each other, as well as with in vitro reconstitution and predictions based upon DNA sequence features, revealing unexpectedly strong contributions from cis-determinants. In particular, well-positioned nucleosomes are often matched with GC content oscillations. As many nucleosomes are coordinately accommodated by both cis- and trans-determinants, we propose that their distribution is shaped by the impact of these nucleosomes on the mutational and transcriptional landscape, and driven by evolutionary selection. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Dicty_cDB: Contig-U14329-1 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 2 0.41 3 ( DV113252 ) CV03005B1A12.f1 CV03-normalized library Euphorbia... 32 0.42 3 ( CB610770 ) ALBEDO0002_IaF_C05 Mature...NA non acclimated Bluecrop library Vaccin... 34 0.057 3 ( AL645532 ) Mouse DNA sequence from clone RP23-295E...formis cDNA, cleaving embryo clone:m... 38 0.085 2 ( CF811518 ) NA72 cDNA non acclimated Bluecrop library...TTEAF92THC Tetrahymena thermophila EST library, c... 44 0.22 2 ( AC096661 ) Homo sapiens BAC clone RP11-61G2...4425 ) TTEAV71THB Tetrahymena thermophila EST library, c... 44 0.27 2 ( CQ870098 ) Sequence 519 from Patent

How applicable is the general adaptation syndrome to the unicellular Tetrahymena?

Science.gov (United States)

Csaba, György; Pállinger, Eva

2009-01-01

Hormone receptors, hormones and signal transduction pathways characteristic of higher vertebrates can be observed also in the unicellular Tetrahymena. Previous work showed that stress conditions (starvation, high temperature, high salt concentration, formaldehyde or alcohol treatment) elevated the intracellular level of four hormones (ACTH, endorphin, serotonin and T(3)). Here, the effect of other stressors (CuSO4 poisoning, tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor parachlorophenylalanine (PCPA) treatment) on the same and other hormones (epinephrine, insulin, histamine) was studied, using immunocytochemistry and flow cytometric analysis. It was found, that each effect increased the intracellular hormone contents, but some hormones (histamine, T(3)) were less reactive. Insulin--which is a life-saving factor for Tetrahymena--itself provoked elevation of hormone amounts in association with a stressor, further increased the level of hormones. It was concluded that the ancestor of Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) can be found already at unicellular level, and this possibly has a life saving function. Copyright 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Stress and Protists: No life without stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Slaveykova, Vera; Sonntag, Bettina; Gutiérrez, Juan Carlos

2016-08-01

We report a summary of the symposium "Stress and Protists: No life without stress", which was held in September 2015 on the VII European Congress of Protistology in partnership with the International Society of Protistologists (Seville, Spain). We present an overview on general comments and concepts on cellular stress which can be also applied to any protist. Generally, various environmental stressors may induce similar cell responses in very different protists. Two main topics are reported in this manuscript: (i) metallic nanoparticles as environmental pollutants and stressors for aquatic protists, and (ii) ultraviolet radiation - induced stress and photoprotective strategies in ciliates. Model protists such as Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Tetrahymena thermophila were used to assess stress caused by nanoparticles while stress caused by ultraviolet radiation was tested with free living planktonic ciliates as well as with the symbiont-bearing model ciliate Paramecium bursaria. For future studies, we suggest more intensive analyses on protist stress responses to specific environmental abiotic and/or biotic stressors at molecular and genetic levels up to ecological consequences and food web dynamics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Dicty_cDB: SLJ468 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available ignificant alignments: (bits) Value N AF312775 |AF312775.1 Tetrahymena thermophila macronuclear immobiliza...tion antigen LD (SerLD) mRNA, complete cds. 30 0.46 4 BG632067 |BG632067.1 GH02610.

Dicty_cDB: Contig-U12991-1 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available ( AF272150 ) Dictyostelium discoideum deliriumA (dlrA) gene, c... 2022 0.0 3 ( BJ...39594 ) TT1EP48TV Tetrahymena thermophila SB210 cDNA libr... 38 10.0 2 >( AF272150 ) Dictyostelium discoideum delirium

The Co-regulation Data Harvester: Automating gene annotation starting from a transcriptome database

Science.gov (United States)

Tsypin, Lev M.; Turkewitz, Aaron P.

Identifying co-regulated genes provides a useful approach for defining pathway-specific machinery in an organism. To be efficient, this approach relies on thorough genome annotation, a process much slower than genome sequencing per se. Tetrahymena thermophila, a unicellular eukaryote, has been a useful model organism and has a fully sequenced but sparsely annotated genome. One important resource for studying this organism has been an online transcriptomic database. We have developed an automated approach to gene annotation in the context of transcriptome data in T. thermophila, called the Co-regulation Data Harvester (CDH). Beginning with a gene of interest, the CDH identifies co-regulated genes by accessing the Tetrahymena transcriptome database. It then identifies their closely related genes (orthologs) in other organisms by using reciprocal BLAST searches. Finally, it collates the annotations of those orthologs' functions, which provides the user with information to help predict the cellular role of the initial query. The CDH, which is freely available, represents a powerful new tool for analyzing cell biological pathways in Tetrahymena. Moreover, to the extent that genes and pathways are conserved between organisms, the inferences obtained via the CDH should be relevant, and can be explored, in many other systems.

Rapid prey evolution can alter the structure of predator-prey communities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Friman, V. -P.; Jousset, A.; Buckling, A.

Although microevolution has been shown to play an important role in pairwise antagonistic species interactions, its importance in more complex communities has received little attention. Here, we used two Pseudomonas fluorescens prey bacterial strains (SBW25 and F113) and Tetrahymena thermophila

Life history trade-offs and relaxed selection can decrease bacterial virulence in environmental reservoirs.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lauri Mikonranta

Full Text Available Pathogen virulence is usually thought to evolve in reciprocal selection with the host. While this might be true for obligate pathogens, the life histories of opportunistic pathogens typically alternate between within-host and outside-host environments during the infection-transmission cycle. As a result, opportunistic pathogens are likely to experience conflicting selection pressures across different environments, and this could affect their virulence through life-history trait correlations. We studied these correlations experimentally by exposing an opportunistic bacterial pathogen Serratia marcescens to its natural protist predator Tetrahymena thermophila for 13 weeks, after which we measured changes in bacterial traits related to both anti-predator defence and virulence. We found that anti-predator adaptation (producing predator-resistant biofilm caused a correlative attenuation in virulence. Even though the direct mechanism was not found, reduction in virulence was most clearly connected to a predator-driven loss of a red bacterial pigment, prodigiosin. Moreover, life-history trait evolution was more divergent among replicate populations in the absence of predation, leading also to lowered virulence in some of the 'predator absent' selection lines. Together these findings suggest that the virulence of non-obligatory, opportunistic bacterial pathogens can decrease in environmental reservoirs through life history trade-offs, or random accumulation of mutations that impair virulence traits under relaxed selection.

Galvanotactic behavior of Tetrahymena pyriformis under electric fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Dal Hyung; Kim, Paul Seung Soo; Kim, Min Jun; Lee, Kyoungwoo; Kim, JinSeok

2013-01-01

Tetrahymena pyriformis, a eukaryotic ciliate, swims toward a cathode in straight or cross-shaped microchannels under an applied electric field, a behavioral response called cathodal galvanotaxis. In straight channel experiments, a one-dimensional electric field was applied, and the galvanotactic swimming behavior of Tetrahymena pyriformis was observed and described in detail while the polarity of this field is switched. In most individual cases, the cell would immediately switch its direction toward the cathode; however, exceptional cases have been observed where cells exhibit a turning delay or do not turn after a polarity switch. In cross-channel experiments, feedback control using vision-based tracking was used to steer a cell in the microchannel intersection using a two-dimensional electric field generated by four electrodes placed at four ends of the cross channel. The motivation for this work is to study the swimming behavior of Tetrahymena pyriformis as a microrobot under the control of electric fields. (paper)

J-GLOBAL MeSH Dictionary: Tetrahymena pyriformis [MeCab user dictionary for science technology term[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available MeCab user dictionary for science technology term Tetrahymena pyriformis 名詞 一般 * * * * Tetrahymena... pyriformis ... MeSH D013769 200906097287118996 C LS07 UNKNOWN_2 Tetrahymena pyriformis

Evaluation of guppy (Poecilia reticulata Peters) immunization against Tetrahymena sp. by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Science.gov (United States)

Sharon, Galit; Nath, Pulak R; Isakov, Noah; Zilberg, Dina

2014-09-15

Analysis of the effectiveness of guppy (Poecilia reticulata Peters) immunization based on measurements of antibody (Ab) titers suffers from a shortage of reagents that can detect guppy antibodies (Abs). To overcome this problem, we immunized mice with different preparations of guppy immunoglobulins (Igs) and used the mouse antisera to develop a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The most efficient immunogen for mouse immunization was guppy Igs adsorbed on protein A/G beads. Antisera from mice boosted with this immunoglobulin (Ig) preparation were highly specific and contained high Ab titers. They immunoreacted in a Western blot with Ig heavy and light chains from guppy serum, and Ig heavy chain from guppy whole-body homogenate. The mouse anti-guppy Ig was applied in an ELISA aimed at comparing the efficiency of different routes of guppy immunization against Tetrahymena: (i) anal intubation with sonicated Tetrahymena (40,000 Tetrahymena/fish in a total volume of 10 μL) mixed with domperidon, deoxycholic acid and free amino acids (valine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine and tryptophan), or (ii) intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of sonicated Tetrahymena in complete Freund's adjuvant (15,000 Tetrahymena/fish in total a volume of 20 μL). Negative control fish were anally intubated with the intubation mixture without Tetrahymena, or untreated. ELISA measurement of anti-Tetrahymena Ab titer revealed a significantly higher level of Abs in i.p.-immunized guppies, compared to the anally intubated and control fish. In addition, the efficiency of immunization was tested by monitoring guppy mortality following (i) i.p. challenge with Tetrahymena (900 Tetrahymena/fish) or (ii) cold stress followed by immersion in water containing 10,000 Tetrahymena/mL. Fish mortality on day 14 post-Tetrahymena infection by i.p. injection exceeded 50% in the control and anally intubated fish, compared to 31% in i.p.-immunized fish. Immunization did not protect from

Myceliophthora thermophila syn. Sporotrichum thermophile: a thermophilic mould of biotechnological potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Bijender

2016-01-01

Myceliophthora thermophila syn. Sporotrichum thermophile is a ubiquitous thermophilic mould with a strong ability to degrade organic matter during optimal growth at 45 °C. Both genome analysis and experimental data have suggested that the mould is capable of hydrolyzing all major polysaccharides found in biomass. The mould is able to secrete a large number of hydrolytic enzymes (cellulases, laccases, xylanases, pectinases, lipases, phytases and some other miscellaneous enzymes) employed in various biotechnological applications. Characterization of the biomass-hydrolyzing activity of wild and recombinant enzymes suggests that this mould is highly efficient in biomass decomposition at both moderate and high temperatures. The native enzymes produced by the mould are more efficient in activity than their mesophilic counterparts beside their low enzyme titers. The mould is able to synthesize various biomolecules, which are used in multifarious applications. Genome sequence data of M. thermophila also supported the physiological data. This review describes the biotechnological potential of thermophilic mould, M. thermophila supported by genomic and experimental evidences.

Ecological impacts of umbrella effects of radiation on the individual members

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doi, Masahiro; Kawaguchi, Isao

2007-01-01

In order to study the interactions in a model aquatic microcosm, an individual-based computer simulation model was developed. The microcosm consists of Euglena gracilis as an autotroph algae, Tetrahymena thermophila as a heterotroph protozoa and Escherichia coli as a saprotroph bacteria. There exists a strong interaction between Tetrahymena and E. coli as the first is the predator of the second. Ecological toxicity tests were conducted to test the population level impacts of the biological effects of radiation and toxicants on the lethality and mobility factors that influence directly or indirectly growth and reproduction. Radiological effects on lethality of E. coli individuals were translated to the reduction of the equilibrium population of Tetrahymena. A synergistic effect at the community level was also observed by the simulation of a combined exposure of radiation and a toxicant which reduced the feeding efficiency of Tetrahymena

DNA damage by the cobalt (II) and zinc (II) complexes of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-09-03

Sep 3, 2008 ... distributed in grade 3. The results indicated that Co(II)-L induced a relatively high level of DNA damage in comparison with the level of damage induced by Zn(II)-L. Key words: Tetraazamacrocycle Zn(II) complex, tetraazamacrocycle Co(II) complex, Tetrahymena thermophila, DNA damage, the comet assay.

Involvement of a putative intercellular signal-recognizing G protein-coupled receptor in the engulfment of Salmonella by the protozoan Tetrahymena

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P.N. Agbedanu

2013-07-01

Full Text Available In an effort to investigate the molecular basis of protozoa engulfment-mediated hypervirulence of Salmonella in cattle, we evaluated protozoan G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs as transducers of Salmonella engulfment by the model protozoan Tetrahymena. Our laboratory previously demonstrated that non-pathogenic protozoa (including Tetrahymena engulf Salmonella and then exacerbate its virulence in cattle, but the mechanistic details of the phenomenon are not fully understood. GPCRs were investigated since these receptors facilitate phagocytosis of particulates by Tetrahymena, and a GPCR apparently modulates bacterial engulfment for the pathogenic protozoan Entamoeba histolytica. A database search identified three putative Tetrahymena GPCRs, based on sequence homologies and predicted transmembrane domains, that were the focus of this study. Salmonella engulfment by Tetrahymena was assessed in the presence of suramin, a non-specific GPCR inhibitor. Salmonella engulfment was also assessed in Tetrahymena in which expression of putative GPCRs was knocked-down using RNAi. A candidate GPCR was then expressed in a heterologous yeast expression system for further characterization. Our results revealed that Tetrahymena were less efficient at engulfing Salmonella in the presence of suramin. Engulfment was reduced concordantly with a reduction in the density of protozoa. RNAi-based studies revealed that knock-down of one the Tetrahymena GPCRs caused diminished engulfment of Salmonella. Tetrahymena lysates activated this receptor in the heterologous expression system. These data demonstrate that the Tetrahymena receptor is a putative GPCR that facilitates bacterial engulfment by Tetrahymena. Activation of the putative GPCR seemed to be related to protozoan cell density, suggesting that its cognate ligand is an intercellular signaling molecule.

DNA damage by the cobalt (II) and zinc (II) complexes of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Using the single cell gel electrophoresis method, the tetraazamacrocycle Zn(II) complex (Zn(II)-L) and the tetraazamacrocycle Co(II) complex (Co(II)-L) were investigated focusing on their DNA damage to Tetrahymena thermophila. When the cells were treated with the 0.05, 0.25 and 0.50 mg/ml Zn(II)-L, the tail length ...

Comparative Proteome Bioinformatics: Identification of Phosphotyrosine Signaling Proteins in the Unicellular Protozoan Ciliate Tetrahymena

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gammeltoft, Steen; Christensen, Søren Tvorup; Joachimiak, Marcin

2005-01-01

Tetrahymena, bioinformatics, cilia, evolution, signaling, TtPTK1, PTK, Grb2, SH-PTP 2, Plcy, Src, PTP, PI3K, SH2, SH3, PH......Tetrahymena, bioinformatics, cilia, evolution, signaling, TtPTK1, PTK, Grb2, SH-PTP 2, Plcy, Src, PTP, PI3K, SH2, SH3, PH...

Characterization of Two VAO-Type Flavoprotein Oxidases from Myceliophthora thermophila

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandro R. Ferrari

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The VAO flavoprotein family consists mostly of oxidoreductases harboring a covalently linked flavin cofactor. The linkage can be either monocovalent at position 8 with a histidine or tyrosine or bicovalent at position 8 with a histidine and at position 6 with a cysteine. Bicovalently bound flavoproteins show a preference for bulkier substrates such as oligosaccharides or secondary metabolites. The genome of the thermophilic fungus Myceliophthora thermophila C1 was found to be rich in genes encoding putative covalent VAO-type flavoproteins. Enzymes from this fungus have the advantage of being rather thermostable and homologous overexpression in M. thermophila C1 is feasible. Recently we discovered a new and VAO-type carbohydrate oxidase from this fungus: xylooligosaccharide oxidase. In this study, two other putative VAO-type oxidases, protein sequence XP_003663615 (MtVAO615 and XP_003665713 (MtVAO713, were expressed in M. thermophila C1, purified and characterized. Enzyme MtVAO615 was found to contain a bicovalently bound FAD, while enzyme MtVAO713 contained a monocovalent histidyl-bound FAD. The crystal structures of both proteins were obtained which revealed atypical active site architectures. It could be experimentally verified that both proteins, when reduced, rapidly react with molecular oxygen, a hallmark of flavoprotein oxidases. A large panel of alcohols, including carbohydrates, steroids and secondary alcohols were tested as potential substrates. For enzyme MtVAO713 low oxidase activity was discovered towards ricinoleic acid.

Evaluate the potential environmental toxicity of quantum dots on ciliated protozoa by microcalorimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao, Qi; Huang, Shan; Su, Wei; Li, Peiyuan; Liang, Zuocui; Ou, Jianzhen; Ma, Jianqiang; Liu, Yi

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The toxic effects of QDs to T. thermophila BF 5 using a TAM air microcalorimeter. ► QDs were acutely toxic for T. thermophila BF 5 growth in a dose-dependent manner. ► The toxicity of different ligands-capped QDs on T. thermophila BF 5 was investigated. ► QDs could be ingested by cells and affect the morphology of T. thermophila BF 5 . - Abstract: In the present study, we evaluated the toxic effects of mercaptoacetic acid (MAA)-capped CdSe QDs and CdSe/ZnS QDs to particle-ingesting model ciliated protozoa Tetrahymena thermophila BF 5 (T. thermophila BF 5 ) by using a TAM air isothermal microcalorimeter. These results suggested that both MAA-CdSe QDs and MAA-CdSe/ZnS QDs were indeed acutely toxic for T. thermophila BF 5 growth in a dose-dependent manner, and the toxicities of both MAA-CdSe QDs and MAA-CdSe/ZnS QDs increased dramatically after UV irradiation due to the liberation of more toxic Cd 2+ , which indicated that the toxicity of MAA-CdSe/ZnS QDs was less than that of MAA-CdSe QDs. Furthermore, the toxicity of different ligands-capped CdSe/ZnS QDs on T. thermophila BF 5 was also investigated. The uptake of MAA-CdSe/ZnS QDs and adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP)-CdSe/ZnS QDs by cells and the morphological change during the process of T. thermophila BF 5 growth incubated with these QDs were further studied by fluorescence inverted microscopy.

Dicty_cDB: AFK889 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 599 e-167 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehydration Library Tortula....1 Tor7258 Gametophyte rehydration Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequence. 70 6e-08 1 CK030146 |CK03014...55.1 TTE00006978 Normalized large Tetrahymena thermophila cDNA, mRNA sequence. 74 4e-09 1 CN206834 |CN206834

JST Thesaurus Headwords and Synonyms: Tetrahymena [MeCab user dictionary for science technology term[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available MeCab user dictionary for science technology term Tetrahymena 名詞 一般 * * * * テトラヒメナ属... テトラヒメナゾク テトラヒメナゾク Thesaurus2015 200906089871776382 C LS07 UNKNOWN_1 Tetrahymena

Evaluation of Myceliopthora thermophila as an Enzyme Factory for the Production of Thermophilic Cellulolytic Enzymes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leonidas Matsakas

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Enzymatic hydrolysis is a key step in bioethanol production. Efficient hydrolysis requires a consortium of different enzymes that are able to hydrolyze cellulose and hemicellulose into fermentable sugars. Myceliopthora thermophila is a promising candidate for the production of thermophilic cellulolytic enzymes, the use of which could reduce the cost of ethanol production. The growth conditions of the fungus were optimized in order to achieve increased secretion of extracellular cellulases. Optimal conditions were found to be 7.0% w/v brewer’s spent grain as the carbon source and 0.4% w/v ammonium sulfate as the nitrogen source. The cellulases obtained were characterized for their optimum activity. The optimum temperature and pH for cellulase activity are 65 °C and pH 5.5, respectively. Studies on thermal inactivation of the crude extract showed that the cellulases of M. thermophila are stable for temperatures up to 60 °C. At this temperature the half-life was found to be as high as 27 h. Enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose resulted in 31.4% hydrolysis yield at 60 °C after 24 h of incubation. Finally, the recalcitrance constant for cellulose and cellulose pretreated with ionic liquids was calculated to be 5.46 and 2.69, respectively.

Genome-wide analysis of the phosphoinositide kinome from two ciliates reveals novel evolutionary links for phosphoinositide kinases in eukaryotic cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George Leondaritis

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The complexity of phosphoinositide signaling in higher eukaryotes is partly due to expansion of specific families and types of phosphoinositide kinases (PIKs that can generate all phosphoinositides via multiple routes. This is particularly evident in the PI3Ks and PIPKs, and it is considered an evolutionary trait associated with metazoan diversification. Yet, there are limited comprehensive studies on the PIK repertoire of free living unicellular organisms. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We undertook a genome-wide analysis of putative PIK genes in two free living ciliated cells, Tetrahymena and Paramecium. The Tetrahymena thermophila and Paramecium tetraurelia genomes were probed with representative kinases from all families and types. Putative homologs were verified by EST, microarray and deep RNA sequencing database searches and further characterized for domain structure, catalytic efficiency, expression patterns and phylogenetic relationships. In total, we identified and characterized 22 genes in the Tetrahymena thermophila genome and 62 highly homologues genes in Paramecium tetraurelia suggesting a tight evolutionary conservation in the ciliate lineage. Comparison to the kinome of fungi reveals a significant expansion of PIK genes in ciliates. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our study highlights four important aspects concerning ciliate and other unicellular PIKs. First, ciliate-specific expansion of PI4KIII-like genes. Second, presence of class I PI3Ks which, at least in Tetrahymena, are associated with a metazoan-type machinery for PIP3 signaling. Third, expansion of divergent PIPK enzymes such as the recently described type IV transmembrane PIPKs. Fourth, presence of possible type II PIPKs and presumably inactive PIKs (hence, pseudo-PIKs not previously described. Taken together, our results provide a solid framework for future investigation of the roles of PIKs in ciliates and indicate that novel functions and novel regulatory

Evaluate the potential environmental toxicity of quantum dots on ciliated protozoa by microcalorimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiao, Qi [College of Chemistry and Life Science, Guangxi Teachers Education University, Nanning 530001 (China); State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Huang, Shan, E-mail: huangs@whu.edu.cn [College of Chemistry and Life Science, Guangxi Teachers Education University, Nanning 530001 (China); State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Su, Wei [College of Chemistry and Life Science, Guangxi Teachers Education University, Nanning 530001 (China); Li, Peiyuan [College of Pharmacy, Guangxi Traditional Chinese Medical University, Nanning 530001 (China); Liang, Zuocui; Ou, Jianzhen; Ma, Jianqiang [College of Chemistry and Life Science, Guangxi Teachers Education University, Nanning 530001 (China); Liu, Yi, E-mail: prof.liuyi@263.net [State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China)

2012-11-10

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The toxic effects of QDs to T. thermophila BF{sub 5} using a TAM air microcalorimeter. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer QDs were acutely toxic for T. thermophila BF{sub 5} growth in a dose-dependent manner. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The toxicity of different ligands-capped QDs on T. thermophila BF{sub 5} was investigated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer QDs could be ingested by cells and affect the morphology of T. thermophila BF{sub 5}. - Abstract: In the present study, we evaluated the toxic effects of mercaptoacetic acid (MAA)-capped CdSe QDs and CdSe/ZnS QDs to particle-ingesting model ciliated protozoa Tetrahymena thermophila BF{sub 5} (T. thermophila BF{sub 5}) by using a TAM air isothermal microcalorimeter. These results suggested that both MAA-CdSe QDs and MAA-CdSe/ZnS QDs were indeed acutely toxic for T. thermophila BF{sub 5} growth in a dose-dependent manner, and the toxicities of both MAA-CdSe QDs and MAA-CdSe/ZnS QDs increased dramatically after UV irradiation due to the liberation of more toxic Cd{sup 2+}, which indicated that the toxicity of MAA-CdSe/ZnS QDs was less than that of MAA-CdSe QDs. Furthermore, the toxicity of different ligands-capped CdSe/ZnS QDs on T. thermophila BF{sub 5} was also investigated. The uptake of MAA-CdSe/ZnS QDs and adenosine 5 Prime -monophosphate (AMP)-CdSe/ZnS QDs by cells and the morphological change during the process of T. thermophila BF{sub 5} growth incubated with these QDs were further studied by fluorescence inverted microscopy.

Dicty_cDB: AFH538 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available e-165 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehydration Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequence. 7...ge Tetrahymena thermophila cDNA, mRNA sequence. 74 3e-09 1 CN206834 |CN206834.1 Tor7258 Gametophyte rehydr...ation Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequence. 70 5e-08 1 CK030146 |CK030146.1

Acetate Activation in Methanosaeta thermophila: Characterization of the Key Enzymes Pyrophosphatase and Acetyl-CoA Synthetase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefanie Berger

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The thermophilic methanogen Methanosaeta thermophila uses acetate as sole substrate for methanogenesis. It was proposed that the acetate activation reaction that is needed to feed acetate into the methanogenic pathway requires the hydrolysis of two ATP, whereas the acetate activation reaction in Methanosarcina sp. is known to require only one ATP. As these organisms live at the thermodynamic limit that sustains life, the acetate activation reaction in Mt. thermophila seems too costly and was thus reevaluated. It was found that of the putative acetate activation enzymes one gene encoding an AMP-forming acetyl-CoA synthetase was highly expressed. The corresponding enzyme was purified and characterized in detail. It catalyzed the ATP-dependent formation of acetyl-CoA, AMP, and pyrophosphate (PPi and was only moderately inhibited by PPi. The breakdown of PPi was performed by a soluble pyrophosphatase. This enzyme was also purified and characterized. The pyrophosphatase hydrolyzed the major part of PPi (KM=0.27±0.05 mM that was produced in the acetate activation reaction. Activity was not inhibited by nucleotides or PPi. However, it cannot be excluded that other PPi-dependent enzymes take advantage of the remaining PPi and contribute to the energy balance of the cell.

Inhibition of Tetrahymena pyriformis growth by Aliphatic Alcohols ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A Quantitative Structure- Activity Relationship (QSAR) study was undertaken to evaluate the relative toxicity of a mixed series of 21 (linear and branched-chain) alcohols and 9 normal aliphatic amines in term of the 50% inhibitory growth concentration (IGC50) of Tetrahymena pyriformis. The applied simple linear regression ...

Genomic insights into the fungal lignocellulolytic system of Myceliophthora thermophila

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthi eKarnaouri

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The microbial conversion of solid cellulosic biomass to liquid biofuels may provide a renewable energy source for transportation fuels. Cellulolytic fungi represent a promising group of organisms, as they have evolved complex systems for adaptation to their natural habitat. The filamentous fungus Myceliophthora thermophila constitutes an exceptionally powerful cellulolytic microorganism that synthesizes a complete set of enzymes necessary for the breakdown of plant cell wall. The genome of this fungus has been recently sequenced and annotated, allowing systematic examination and identification of enzymes required for the degradation of lignocellulosic biomass. The genomic analysis revealed the existence of an expanded enzymatic repertoire including numerous cellulases, hemicellulases and enzymes with auxiliary activities, covering the most of the recognized CAZy families. Most of them were predicted to possess a secretion signal and undergo through post translational glycosylation modifications. These data offer a better understanding of activities embedded in fungal lignocellulose decomposition mechanisms and suggest that M. thermophila could be made usable as an industrial production host for cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes.

Dicty_cDB: AFH685 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 99 e-167 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehydration Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequence....dration Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequence. 70 4e-08 1 CK030146 |CK030146.....1 TTE00006978 Normalized large Tetrahymena thermophila cDNA, mRNA sequence. 74 3e-09 1 CN206834 |CN206834.1 Tor7258 Gametophyte rehy

Dicty_cDB: AFK467 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 599 e-167 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehydration Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequenc....1 Tor7258 Gametophyte rehydration Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequence. 70 5e-08 1 CK030146 |CK03014...55.1 TTE00006978 Normalized large Tetrahymena thermophila cDNA, mRNA sequence. 74 3e-09 1 CN206834 |CN206834

The effect of extracellular environment on the sensitivity of two strains of Tetrahymena to gamma rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gebicki, J.M.; Darlington, J.L.; Baumgartner, S.

1980-01-01

The radiosensitivity of two strains of Tetrahymena pyriformis to gamma radiation was studied. Irradiation of mass suspensions of Tetrahymena in their normal growth medium confirmed earlier reports of their very high resistance to gamma rays. However this resistance was lowered when the cells were irradiated singly. Using mass and single cell cultures of Tetrahymena, it was shown that the mass cultures were not protected by anoxia from the effects of gamma radiation. However when lysates of Tetrahymena suspensions were added to single cell isolates just before irradiation, the cells were protected. Thus the high resistance of cells in mass culture might lie in the release of protective substances by other cells lysing spontaneously, or as a result of radiation damage. The absence of proteose-peptone-yeast in the growth medium markedly increased the lethality of the gamma rays for both strains. The most likely explanation appeared to lie in the protection of cells from indirect effects of radiation by organic materials in the external medium. The results of the present study emphasise the role of the indirect component of radiation damage in cell death. It is likely that much of this damage occurs in cell membranes. (U.K.)

An evolutionarily conserved phosphatidate phosphatase maintains lipid droplet number and endoplasmic reticulum morphology but not nuclear morphology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anoop Narayana Pillai

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Phosphatidic acid phosphatases are involved in the biosynthesis of phospholipids and triacylglycerol, and also act as transcriptional regulators. Studies to ascertain their role in lipid metabolism and membrane biogenesis are restricted to Opisthokonta and Archaeplastida. Here, we report the role of phosphatidate phosphatase (PAH in Tetrahymena thermophila, belonging to the Alveolata clade. We identified two PAH homologs in Tetrahymena, TtPAH1 and TtPAH2. Loss of function of TtPAH1 results in reduced lipid droplet number and an increase in endoplasmic reticulum (ER content. It also results in more ER sheet structure as compared to wild-type Tetrahymena. Surprisingly, we did not observe a visible defect in the nuclear morphology of the ΔTtpah1 mutant. TtPAH1 rescued all known defects in the yeast pah1Δ strain and is conserved functionally between Tetrahymena and yeast. The homologous gene derived from Trypanosoma also rescued the defects of the yeast pah1Δ strain. Our results indicate that PAH, previously known to be conserved among Opisthokonts, is also present in a set of distant lineages. Thus, a phosphatase cascade is evolutionarily conserved and is functionally interchangeable across eukaryotic lineages.

Binding and internalization of 3H-epinephrine in Tetrahymena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Csaba, G.; Sudar, F.; Pados, R.

1980-01-01

Exposure of Tetrahymena to exogenous epinephrine is followed by appearance of the hormone in the cell membrane, intracytoplasmic vacuoles and nucleus. The intranuclear localization is always heterochromatic. Only a minor proportion of the epinephrine applied gains access to the nucleus, while the bulk of it attaches to the membrane. (author)

Distinct toxicological characteristics and mechanisms of Hg2+ and MeHg in Tetrahymena under low concentration exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Cheng-Bin; Qu, Guang-Bo; Cao, Meng-Xi; Liang, Yong; Hu, Li-Gang; Shi, Jian-Bo; Cai, Yong; Jiang, Gui-Bin

2017-12-01

Inorganic divalent mercury complexes (Hg 2+ ) and monomethylmercury complexes (MeHg) are the main mercury species in aquatic systems and their toxicity to aquatic organisms is of great concern. Tetrahymena is a type of unicellular eukaryotic protozoa located at the bottom of food chain that plays a fundamental role in the biomagnification of mercury. In this work, the dynamic accumulation properties, toxicological characteristics and mechanisms of Hg 2+ and MeHg in five Tetrahymena species were evaluated in detail. The results showed that both Hg 2+ and MeHg were ingested and exhibited inhibitory effects on the proliferation or survival of Tetrahymena species. However, the ingestion rate of MeHg was significantly higher than that of Hg 2+ . The mechanisms responsible for the toxicity of MeHg and Hg 2+ were different, although both chemicals altered mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). MeHg disrupted the integrity of membranes while Hg 2+ had detrimental effects on Tetrahymena as a result of the increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In addition, the five Tetrahymena species showed different capacities in accumulating Hg 2+ and MeHg, with T. corlissi exhibiting the highest accumulations. The study also found significant growth-promoting effect on T. corlissi under low concentration exposure (0.003 and 0.01μg Hg/mL (15 and 50nM)), suggesting different effect and mechanism that should be more closely examined when assessing the bioaccumulation and toxicity of mercury in aquatic ecosystems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A knockout mutation of a constitutive GPCR in Tetrahymena decreases both G-protein activity and chemoattraction.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas J Lampert

Full Text Available Although G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs are a common element in many chemosensory transduction pathways in eukaryotic cells, no GPCR or regulated G-protein activity has yet been shown in any ciliate. To study the possible role for a GPCR in the chemoresponses of the ciliate Tetrahymena, we have generated a number of macronuclear gene knockouts of putative GPCRs found in the Tetrahymena Genome database. One of these knockout mutants, called G6, is a complete knockout of a gene that we call GPCR6 (TTHERM_00925490. Based on sequence comparisons, the Gpcr6p protein belongs to the Rhodopsin Family of GPCRs. Notably, Gpcr6p shares highest amino acid sequence homologies to GPCRs from Paramecium and several plants. One of the phenotypes of the G6 mutant is a decreased responsiveness to the depolarizing ions Ba²⁺ and K⁺, suggesting a decrease in basal excitability (decrease in Ca²⁺ channel activity. The other major phenotype of G6 is a loss of chemoattraction to lysophosphatidic acid (LPA and proteose peptone (PP, two known chemoattractants in Tetrahymena. Using microsomal [³⁵S]GTPγS binding assays, we found that wild-type (CU427 have a prominent basal G-protein activity. This activity is decreased to the same level by pertussis toxin (a G-protein inhibitor, addition of chemoattractants, or the G6 mutant. Since the basal G-protein activity is decreased by the GPCR6 knockout, it is likely that this gene codes for a constitutively active GPCR in Tetrahymena. We propose that chemoattractants like LPA and PP cause attraction in Tetrahymena by decreasing the basal G-protein stimulating activity of Gpcr6p. This leads to decreased excitability in wild-type and longer runs of smooth forward swimming (less interrupted by direction changes towards the attractant. Therefore, these attractants may work as inverse agonists through the constitutively active Gpcr6p coupled to a pertussis-sensitive G-protein.

Thyrotropin (TSH) regulates triiodothyronine (T3) production in the unicellular Tetrahymena.

Science.gov (United States)

Csaba, G; Pállinger, Eva

2011-09-01

The aim of the experiments was to study the regulation of triiodothyronine (T3) production in the unicellular Tetrahymena. Untreated and troph-hormone treated specimen were prepared and in different timepoints T3 content was measured and compared by immunocytochemical flow cytometry. 0.1 or 0.001 IU TSH in tryptone-yeast medium stimulated T3 synthesis at 10, 20, 30 min, but does not stimulate after 1 h. The overlapping gonadotropic hormone (GTH) also did it, however only at 10 min. In Losina salt solution (physiological for Tetrahymena) the effect was weaker, however outer amino acid source was not absolutely needed for the production of the hormone. The results show that the TSH regulation of thyroid hormone synthesis (storage, secretion) and troph-hormone overlap can be deduced to a unicellular level. This may allow the hypothesis that the endocrine mechanisms proved at a low level of phylogeny are preserved for the higher ranked organisms.

Comparative study of infection with Tetrahymena of different ornamental fish species

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sharon, G.; Leibowitz, M. Pimenta; Chettri, Jiwan Kumar

2014-01-01

different super orders. The species examined were platy (Xiphophorus), molly (Poecilia sphenops) and angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) of the Acanthopterygii super order (which also includes guppies) and goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus) and koi carp (Cyprinus carpio) of the Ostariophysi super order....... These two super orders are phylogenetically distant from each other. Infection with Tetrahymena resulted in parasite invasion of internal organs, skin and muscle in all fish species. A relatively strong inflammatory response was observed in infected goldfish and koi, with negligible response in fish species...... of the Acanthopterygii super order. Guppies were the most susceptible to Tetrahymena infection, exhibiting a mortality rate of 87% and 100% in two separate experiments. A high mortality rate was also observed in platy (77%), while that of molly and angelfish was significantly lower (23% and 33%, respectively). Goldfish...

QSAR studies for the acute toxicity of nitrobenzenes to the Tetrahymena pyriformis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Dan-Dan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR models play a key role in finding the relationship between molecular structures and the toxicity of nitrobenzenes to Tetrahymena pyriformis. In this work, genetic algorithm, along with partial least square (GA-PLS was employed to select optimal subset of descriptors that have significant contribution to the toxicity of nitrobenzenes to Tetrahymena pyriformis. A set of five descriptors, namely G2, HOMT, G(Cl…Cl, Mor03v and MAXDP, was used for the prediction of the toxicity of 45 nitrobenzene derivatives and then were used to build the model by multiple linear regression (MLR method. It turned out that the built model, whose stability was confirmed using the leave-one-out validation and external validation test, showed high statistical significance (R2=0.963, Q2LOO=0.944. Moreover, Y-scrambling test indicated there was no chance correlation in this model.

Bioaccumulation of 14C-Labeled Graphene in an Aquatic Food Chain through Direct Uptake or Trophic Transfer.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Shipeng; Xia, Tian; Yang, Yu; Lin, Sijie; Mao, Liang

2018-01-16

The growing applications of graphene materials warrant a careful evaluation of their environmental fate in aquatic food webs. Escherichia coli (Bacteria), Tetrahymena thermophila (protozoa), Daphnia magna (zooplankton), and Danio rerio (vertebrate) were used to build aquatic food chains to investigate the waterborne uptake and trophic transfer of 14 C-labeled graphene. Body burden factor (BBF) and trophic transfer factor (TTF) were analyzed for each organism and food chain to assess the bioaccumulation and biomagnification of graphene. The test organisms have high potential of accumulating graphene via direct uptake from culture medium with log-transformed BBF (log BBF) values of 3.66, 5.1, 3.9, and 1.62 for each organism, respectively. In the food chain from E. coli to T. thermophila, the calculated TTFs of 0.2 to 8.6 indicate the high trophic transfer potential in this aquatic food chain. However, the TTFs calculated for the food chain from T. thermophila to D. magna and from D. magna to D. rerio are much lower than 1, indicating that biomagnification was unlikely to occur in these food chains. Body burden measured for dietary uptake by T. thermophila, D. magna, and D. rerio are higher than that via waterborne exposure in a similar nominal concentration, respectively, indicating that trophic transfer is a nonnegligible route for the bioaccumulation of graphene in organisms.

Highly Divergent Mitochondrial ATP Synthase Complexes in Tetrahymena thermophila

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nina, Praveen Balabaskaran; Dudkina, Natalya V.; Kane, Lesley A.; van Eyk, Jennifer E.; Boekema, Egbert J.; Mather, Michael W.; Vaidya, Akhil B.; Eisen, Jonathan A.

The F-type ATP synthase complex is a rotary nano-motor driven by proton motive force to synthesize ATP. Its F(1) sector catalyzes ATP synthesis, whereas the F(o) sector conducts the protons and provides a stator for the rotary action of the complex. Components of both F(1) and F(o) sectors are

The Tubular Sheaths Encasing Methanosaeta thermophila Filaments Are Functional Amyloids.

Science.gov (United States)

Dueholm, Morten S; Larsen, Poul; Finster, Kai; Stenvang, Marcel R; Christiansen, Gunna; Vad, Brian S; Bøggild, Andreas; Otzen, Daniel E; Nielsen, Per Halkjær

2015-08-14

Archaea are renowned for their ability to thrive in extreme environments, although they can be found in virtually all habitats. Their adaptive success is linked to their unique cell envelopes that are extremely resistant to chemical and thermal denaturation and that resist proteolysis by common proteases. Here we employ amyloid-specific conformation antibodies and biophysical techniques to show that the extracellular cell wall sheaths encasing the methanogenic archaea Methanosaeta thermophila PT are functional amyloids. Depolymerization of sheaths and subsequent MS/MS analyses revealed that the sheaths are composed of a single major sheath protein (MspA). The amyloidogenic nature of MspA was confirmed by in vitro amyloid formation of recombinant MspA under a wide range of environmental conditions. This is the first report of a functional amyloid from the archaeal domain of life. The amyloid nature explains the extreme resistance of the sheath, the elastic properties that allow diffusible substrates to penetrate through expandable hoop boundaries, and how the sheaths are able to split and elongate outside the cell. The archaeal sheath amyloids do not share homology with any of the currently known functional amyloids and clearly represent a new function of the amyloid protein fold. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa adaptation to lungs of cystic fibrosis patients leads to lowered resistance to phage and protist enemies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Friman, Ville-Petri; Ghoul, Melanie; Molin, Søren

2013-01-01

) patients affects its survival in the presence of natural phage (14/1, ΦKZ, PNM and PT7) and protist (Tetrahymena thermophila and Acanthamoebae polyphaga) enemies. We found that most of the bacteria isolated from relatively recently intermittently colonised patients (1-25 months), were innately phage......-resistant and highly toxic for protists. In contrast, bacteria isolated from long time chronically infected patients (2-23 years), were less efficient in both resisting phages and killing protists. Moreover, chronic isolates showed reduced killing of wax moth larvae (Galleria mellonella) probably due to weaker...

The secondary structure of large-subunit rRNA divergent domains, a marker for protist evolution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lenaers, G; Nielsen, Henrik; Engberg, J

1988-01-01

The secondary structure of the large-subunit ribosomal RNA (24-26S rRNA) has been studied with emphasis on comparative analysis of the folding patterns of the divergent domains in the available protist sequences, that is Prorocentrum micans (dinoflagellate), Saccharomyces carlsbergensis (yeast......), Tetrahymena thermophila (ciliate), Physarum polycephalum and Dictyostelium discoideum (slime moulds), Crithidia fasciculata and Giardia lamblia (parasitic flagellates). The folding for the D3, D7a and D10 divergent domains has been refined and a consensus model for the protist 24-26S rRNA structure...

Two-dimensional gravitactic bioconvection in a protozoan (tetrahymena pyriformis) culture

OpenAIRE

Nguyen-Quang, Tri; Nguyen, The Hung; Guichard, Frederic; Nicolau, Ana; Szatmari, George; LePalec, Georges; Dusser, Martine; Lafossee, Josee; Bonnet, Jean Louis; Bohatier, Jacques

2009-01-01

Gravitactic bioconvective patterns created by Tetrahymena pyriformis in a Hele-Shaw apparatus were realized and compared with theoretical results. There were found to be two thresholds for bioconvection development: the first indicates the transition from the diffusion to the steady convection state; the second corresponds to the transition from the steady to the unsteady convection state. The results showed that the Hele-Shaw apparatus may be used as a physical analogy of poro...

H3-THYMIDINE DERIVATIVE POOLS IN RELATION TO MACRONUCLEAR DNA SYNTHESIS IN TETRAHYMENA PYRIFORMIS

Science.gov (United States)

Stone, G. E.; Miller, O. L.; Prescott, D. M.

1965-01-01

The formation of a soluble H3-thymidine derivative pool has been examined in Tetrahymena pyriformis as a function of macronuclear DNA synthesis during the cell life cycle. An autoradiographic technique which allows the detection of water-soluble materials within a cell has shown that these cells do not take up and retain exogenous H3-thymidine during G1 or G2. Uptake of H3-thymidine is restricted to the S period of the cell cycle. Additional autoradiographic experiments show, however, that a soluble pool of H3-thymidine derivatives persists from the end of one DNA synthesis period to the beginning of the next synthesis period in the subsequent cell cycle. Since this persisting pool cannot be labeled with H3-thymidine, the pool does not turn over during non-S periods. PMID:19866660

JST Thesaurus Headwords and Synonyms: Tetrahymena pyriformis [MeCab user dictionary for science technology term[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available MeCab user dictionary for science technology term Tetrahymena pyriformis 名詞 一般 * * ...* * Ｔｅｔｒａｈｙｍｅｎａ　ｐｙｒｉｆｏｒｍｉｓ Ｔｅｔｒａｈｙｍｅｎａ　ｐｙｒｉｆｏｒｍｉｓ ティーイーティーアールエイエイチワイエムイーエヌエイ　ピーワイアールアイエフオーアールエムアイエス Thesaurus2015 200906097287118996 C LS07 UNKNOWN_2 Tetrahymena pyriformis

Induced tubulin synthesis is caused by induced gene transcription in Tetrahymena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seyfert, H.M.; Kohle, D.; Jenovai, S.

1987-01-01

Tubulin synthesis and tubulin mRNA concentrations increase to variable extents during ciliary regeneration in the ciliate Tetrahymena. Experiments described here were carried out to determine whether the increased tubulin mRNa concentrations are due to induced transcription of tubulin genes or to stabilization of tubulin mRNA. In vivo labeling experiments with [ 3 H]uridine and in vitro transcription assays suggest that under conditions of increased protein and tubulin synthesis the rate of transcription is enhanced. Hybridization assays of in vitro transcribed RNA also demonstrate qualitatively that the tubulin genes are transcribed at higher rates when tubulin synthesis is stimulated during ciliary regeneration. This observation is supported by measurements of the half-life of tubulin mRNA molecules in nondeciliated cells: This is approximately 2 h. Since the concentration of tubulin mRNA in cells engaged in cilia regeneration increases from 5 to 19-fold during the first hour of the regeneration period, even a complete stabilization of the tubulin mRNA molecules could not account for an increase in tubulin mRNA concentration of this magnitude

Updating rDNA restriction enzyme maps of Tetrahymena reveals four new intron-containing species

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Henrik; Simon, E M; Engberg, J

1985-01-01

an intron in the 26s rRNA coding region. The evolutionary relationship among the species of the T. pyriformis complex was examined on the basis of the rDNA maps with emphasis on similarities between two of the new species and the widely studied T. thermophila and T. pigmentosa. Examination of a large number...

Biogeochemistry of the sulfur oxidizer Thiomicrospira thermophila

Science.gov (United States)

Houghton, J.; Fike, D. A.; Wills, E.; Foustoukos, D.

2013-12-01

Near-seafloor hydrothermal environments such as diffuse flow venting or subsurface mixing are characterized by rapidly changing conditions and steep chemical and thermal gradients. Microorganisms living in these environments can take advantage of these changes by switching among metabolic pathways rather than specializing. We present reaction stoichiometry and rates for T. thermophila grown in a closed system both at ambient and elevated pressure (50 bars) that demonstrate substantial metabolic flexibility, shifting between up to 5 different sulfur cycling reactions over a 24 hour period. Based on the stoichiometry between S2O3 consumed and SO4 produced, three reactions are sulfur oxidation and two are disproportionation, which has not previously been demonstrated for Thiomicrospira strains. Reactants include S2O3, elemental S (both polymeric S chains and S8 rings), HS-, and O2, while products include polymeric elemental S, SO4, HS-, and polysulfides. The presence of μmolal concentrations of HS- has been confirmed during the time series only when stoichiometry predicts disproportionation. Production of HS- in the presence of elemental S results in abiotic conversion to polysulfides, keeping the sulfide concentrations low in solution. The transition from oxidation to disproportionation appears to be triggered by a depletion in dissolved oxygen and the rate of reaction is a second order function of S2O3 and O2 concentrations. Growth was tested at conditions spanning their pH tolerance (5.0 - 8.0) using a citrate buffer (pH 5.0), unbuffered media (initial pH 7.0), and Tris buffer (pH 8.0). The highest rates are observed at pH 8.0 with rates decreasing as a function of pH. The lowest rate occurs at pH 5.0 and exhibits pseudo-first order behavior over a 24 hour period, likely due to a long lag and very slow growth. Repeat injections after the culture is acclimated to the experimental conditions result in very high pseudo-first order rates due to rapid consumption of

Ultraviolet light photobiology of the protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis and chemical reactivation of DNA damage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wheeler, J.S.

1988-01-01

The tunable dye laser was developed in order to perform UV-B and UV-C (254-320 nm) action spectra studies on several different organisms. Using the laser, action spectra studies have been performed for Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces, Chlamydomonas, Caenorhabditis elegans, Paramecium, and Tetrahymena pyriformis. Studies generally indicate increasing LD 50 values with increasing wavelength. Two notable findings were made: (1) The action spectra does not follow the DNA absorption spectra at 280, 290 and 295 nm; (2) The repair competent/repair defective sensitization factor does not remain constant throughout the wavelength region. In addition it was found that the repair defective strain of E. coli, Bs-1, showed an increase in survival with increasing UV irradiation, at certain dose levels. Further experiments were designed to better characterize the reactivation. Tetrahymena were exposed to UV-C and reactivated with methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and 4-nitro quinoline oxide (4-NQO). In both cases survival was seen to increase after chemical exposure. Likewise, UV-C was found to reactivate chemical damage (MMS)

Selective inhibition of precursor incorporation into ribosomal RNA in gamma-irradiated Tetrahymena pyriformis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ernst, S.G.; Oleinick, N.L.; Rustad, R.C.; Greenblatt, R.M.

1979-01-01

Sublethal doses of γ radiation are known to inhibit total RNA synthesis in the ciliate protozoan Tetrahymena. To determine if the synthesis of a particular class of RNA is preferentially inhibited, pulse-labeled RNA was isolated from normal exponentially growing cells, irradiated cells, and cells in which total RNA synthesis had recovered to the pre-irradiation level. The RNAs were analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrphoresis and oligo(dT)-cellulose column chromatography. Inhibition of RNA synthesis primarily involves ribosomal RNA. However, radiation does not cause a delay in the processing of precursor rRNA or a preferential loss of either of the mature rRNAs. Following irradiation, poly(A)-containing RNA [poly(A+)RNA] is synthesized at a rate up to three times greater than the control rate. The elevated poly(A+)RNA synthesis occurs during the period of depressed rRNA synthesis and even after rRNA synthesis has recovered to its pre-irradiation rate. While the sizes of the total cellular ribonucleoside triphosphate pools are depressed in the irradiated cells, these pools probably do not represent the actual compartments containing the precursors for RNA synthesis, and the observed changes cannot explain the modifications in macromolecular synthesis in irradiated Tetrahymena. (Auth.)

Polymerization of Various Lignins via Immobilized Myceliophthora thermophila Laccase (MtL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela Huber

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Enzymatic polymerization of lignin is an environmentally-friendly and sustainable method that is investigated for its potential in opening-up new applications of one of the most abundant biopolymers on our planet. In this work, the laccase from Myceliophthora thermophila was successfully immobilized onto Accurel MP1000 beads (67% of protein bound to the polymeric carrier and the biocatalyzed oxidation of Kraft lignin (KL and lignosulfonate (LS were carried out. Fluorescence intensity determination, phenol content analysis and size exclusion chromatography were performed in order to elucidate the extent of the polymerization reaction. The collected results show an 8.5-fold decrease of the LS samples’ fluorescence intensity after laccase-mediated oxidation and a 12-fold increase of the weight average molecular weight was obtained.

Effects of Pluronic F-68 on Tetrahymena cells: protection against chemical and physical stress and prolongation of survival under toxic conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hellung-Larsen, P; Assaad, F; Pankratova, Stanislava

2000-01-01

exposed to hyperthermia (43 degrees C). The cellular survival is increased at reduced temperatures (e.g. 4 degrees C instead of 36 degrees C) and at increased cellular concentrations (e.g. 100 cells ml(-1) instead of 25 or 10 cells ml(-1)). There is no effect of pre-incubation with Pluronic......The effects of the non-ionic surfactant Pluronic F-68 (0.01% w/v) on Tetrahymena cells have been studied. A marked protection against chemical and physical stress was observed. The chemical stress effects were studied in cells suspended in buffer (starvation) or in buffers with added ingredients....... The protective effect of Pluronic towards Tetrahymena is observed for concentrations in the range from 0.001 to 0.1% w/v....

Mixotrophic growth of two thermophilic Methanosarcina strains, Methanosarcina thermophila TM-1 and Methanosarcina sp. SO-2P, on methanol and hydrogen/carbon dioxide

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mladenovska, Zuzana; Ahring, Birgitte Kiær

1997-01-01

Two thermophilic strains, Methanosarcina thermophila TM-1 and Methanosarcina sp. SO-2P, were capable of mixotrophic growth on methanol and H-2/CO2. Activated carbon was, however, found to be necessary to support good growth. Both strains used hydrogen and methanol simultaneously. When methanol...

Phylogenetic evidence for the acquisition of ribosomal RNA introns subsequent to the divergence of some of the major Tetrahymena groups

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sogin, M L; Ingold, A; Karlok, M

1986-01-01

. In an attempt to evaluate the evolutionary origins of the intervening sequences, we have now determined complete small subunit ribosomal RNA gene sequences from 13 species of Tetrahymena and the absolute number of nucleotide differences between the sequences was used to construct a phylogenetic tree...

Enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated cellulosic wastes by the cellulase complex of Myceliophthora thermophila D-14 to produce ethanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roy, S K; Sadhukhan, R; Raha, S K; Chakrabarty, S L [Bose Institute, Calcutta (India). Dept. of Microbiology

1991-06-01

Pretreatment of different cellulosic wastes and their subsequent saccharification by thermostable cellulase from a thermophilic fungus Myceliophthora thermophila D-14 was investigated. Alkali treatment was found to be most effective. Carboxymethyl cellulose and untreated materials were used as controls. Significant inhibition of the cellulase activity was observed in the presence of glucose, but with ethanol no such effect was detected. The conversion of sugar to ethanol varied from 21-50% depending on the nature of substrate used. 14 refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs.

Dicty_cDB: Contig-U03778-1 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available DY679985 ) TTDA465TO Tetrahymena thermophila EST library str... 62 7e-09 3 ( CJ948566 ) Triticum aestivum cDNA clone:whchul...spotted knapweed Cen... 42 1e-07 4 ( EX126122 ) BR109952 etiolated mature leaf cDNA library KHLW ... 52 1e-0...cDNA cl... 48 2e-07 2 ( EG402891 ) BG01043A2F03.f1 BG01 - normalized library Leymus ... 48 2e-07 2 ( CJ650115 ) Triticum aesti...NA, gonad clone:mtgd004b03,... 60 4e-09 2 ( EX123216 ) BR107046 mature green leaf cDNA library...... 64 3e-21 5 ( CK272276 ) EST718354 potato abiotic stress cDNA library Sola... 44 2e-20 6 ( AM910992

Rapid detection of predation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and sorting of bacterivorous Tetrahymena by flow cytometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bradley J. Hernlem

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Protozoa are known to harbor bacterial pathogens, alter their survival in the environment and make them hypervirulent. Rapid non-culture based detection methods are required to determine the environmental survival and transport of enteric pathogens from point sources such as dairies and feedlots to food crops grown in proximity. Grazing studies were performed on a soil isolate of Tetrahymena fed green fluorescent protein (GFP expressing Escherichia coli O157:H7 to determine the suitability of the use of such fluorescent prey bacteria to locate and sort bacterivorous protozoa by flow cytometry. In order to overcome autofluorescence of the target organism and to clearly discern Tetrahymena with ingested prey versus those without, a ratio of prey to host of at least 100:1 was determined to be preferable. Under these conditions, we successfully sorted the two populations using short 5 to 45 min exposures of the prey and verified the internalization of E. coli O157:H7 cells in protozoa by confocal microscopy. This technique can be easily adopted for environmental monitoring of rates of enteric pathogen destruction versus protection in protozoa.

Temperature-dependent changes in the swimming behaviour of Tetrahymena pyriformis-NT1 and their interrelationships with electrophysiology and the state of membrane lipids.

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, J G; Brown, I D; Lee, A G; Kerkut, G A

1985-01-01

The swimming velocity and the amplitude of the helical swimming path of T. pyriformis-NT1 cells grown at 20 degrees C (Tg 20 degrees C) and 38 degrees C (Tg 38 degrees C) were monitored between 0 and 40 degrees C in the presence and absence of electric fields. Within physiological limits the swimming velocity increased and the amplitude decreased as temperature was raised. The temperature profiles of these properties were not linear, and showed discontinuities at different temperatures for the different cultures. The break points in Arrhenius plots of the resting potential, regenerative spike magnitude, repolarization time, swimming velocity and swimming amplitude are tabulated and compared. The initial breakpoints upon cooling were clustered about the breakpoints in fluorescence polarization of D.P.H. in extracted phospholipids, and around the transition temperatures estimated from the literature for the pellicular membrane of these cells. The average of the initial breakpoints on cooling was 22.9 degrees C for Tg 38 degrees C cells and 13.7 degrees C for Tg 20 degrees C cells, a shift of 9.2 degrees C. Unlike Paramecium there is no depolarizing receptor potential in Tetrahymena upon warming. It is suggested that this may be the basis of a behavioural difference between Tetrahymena and Paramecium--namely that in Tetrahymena maximum swimming velocity occurs above growth temperature whereas in Paramecium the two points coincide. Swimming velocity and resting potential were correlated with membrane fluidity within physiological limits, but for other parameters the relationship with fluidity was more complex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bioconversion of Biomass-Derived Phenols Catalyzed by Myceliophthora thermophila Laccase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anastasia Zerva

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Biomass-derived phenols have recently arisen as an attractive alternative for building blocks to be used in synthetic applications, due to their widespread availability as an abundant renewable resource. In the present paper, commercial laccase from the thermophilic fungus Myceliophthora thermophila was used to bioconvert phenol monomers, namely catechol, pyrogallol and gallic acid in water. The resulting products from catechol and gallic acid were polymers that were partially characterized in respect to their optical and thermal properties, and their average molecular weight was estimated via solution viscosity measurements and GPC. FT-IR and 1H-NMR data suggest that phenol monomers are connected with ether or C–C bonds depending on the starting monomer, while the achieved molecular weight of polycatechol is found higher than the corresponding poly(gallic acid. On the other hand, under the same condition, pyrogallol was dimerized in a pure red crystalline compound and its structure was confirmed by 1H-NMR as purpurogallin. The herein studied green synthesis of enzymatically synthesized phenol polymers or biological active compounds could be exploited as an alternative synthetic route targeting a variety of applications.

Thermostable amylolytic enzymes from a cellulolytic fungus Myceliophthora thermophila D14 (ATCC 48 104)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sadhukhan, R K; Manna, S; Roy, S K; Chakrabarty, S L [Bose Research Inst., Calcutta (India). Dept. of Microbiology

1990-09-01

The production of amylolytic enzymes by a thermophilic cellulolytic fungus, Myceliophthora thermophila D14 was investigated by batch cultivation in Czapek-Dox medium at 45deg C. Among various nitrogenous compounds used, NaNO{sub 3} and KNO{sub 3} were found to be the best for amylase production. Starch, cellobiose and maltose induced the synthesis of amylase while glucose, fructose, galactose, lactose, arabinose, xylose, sorbitol, mesoinositol and sucrose did not. Calcium ions had the most stimulating effect on enzyme formation amongst many ions investigated. The synthesis of amylolytic enzymes was dependent on growth and occurred predominantly in the mid-stationary phase. The enzyme was active in a broad temperature range (50deg C-60deg C) and displayed activity optima at 60deg C and pH 5.6. (orig.).

The effects of temperature upon the electrophysiological properties of Tetrahymena pyriformis-NT1.

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, J G; Brown, I D; Lee, A G; Kerkut, G A

1985-01-01

Cells of Tetrahymena pyriformis--NT1 were cultured at 38 degrees C (Tg 38 degrees C) and 20 degrees C (Tg 20 degrees C) and their properties investigated over the range 0-40 degrees C. Tg 20 degrees C cells were viable in the range 3-33 degrees C and changes in their properties were readily reversible between 10 degrees C and 30 degrees C. Tg 38 degrees cells were viable in the range 40-10 degrees C and their property changes were immediately reversible in the range 40-23 degrees C. The I-V relations of Tg 38 degrees C cells showed increased excitability as the cells were cooled from 40 degrees C. At 10 degrees C there was a considerable loss of excitability and slope resistance. Cooling Tg 20 degrees C cells from 20 degrees C gave a similar pattern, although over a narrower temperature range. Warming Tg 20 degrees C Tetrahymena above 20 degrees C led to a progressive loss of excitability and the cells were markedly less viable above 35 degrees C. Within physiological limits the regenerative spike magnitude, repolarization time, time to peak and input resistance increased as temperature was lowered, whereas resting potential was diminished. When compared at their growth temperatures and most intermediate temperatures, the value of the various parameters monitored were generally different for the two cultures. The Q10 value for resting potential changes of Tg 20 degrees C cells about 20 degrees C was 1.20. As in T. vorax this was significantly (P less than 0.01) greater than that predicted for a diffusion potential and suggested that T. pyriformis--NT1 may have an electrogenic pump component in its membrane potential.

Dicty_cDB: Contig-U01505-1 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available y1 Gm-c1004 Glycine max cDNA clone GENOME... 32 3.7 2 ( DV211690 ) 0089P0160Z_H09_T7 Mimulus guttatus library 2 Mimu...38TG Tetrahymena thermophila EST library str... 38 2.5 2 ( AC177658 ) Strongylocentrotus purpuratus clone R3...6 1.4 1 ( BG041778 ) saa41a04.y1 Gm-c1059 Glycine soja cDNA clone GENO... 46 1.4 1 ( BF645094 ) NF034E10EC1F1082 Elicited cell cultur...e Medicago t... 46 1.4 1 ( BF644741 ) NF014E01EC1F1005 Elicited cell culture Medica...a oleracea var. alboglabra EST, clone AAF... 44 5.4 1 ( CN828044 ) EL2662R Brassica embryo library (EL) Brassic

The Conjugation-Specific Die5 Protein Is Required for Development of the Somatic Nucleus in both Paramecium and Tetrahymena▿

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuda, Atsushi; Shieh, Annie Wan-Yi; Chalker, Douglas L.; Forney, James D.

2010-01-01

Development in ciliated protozoa involves extensive genome reorganization within differentiating macronuclei, which shapes the somatic genome of the next vegetative generation. Major events of macronuclear differentiation include excision of internal eliminated sequences (IESs), chromosome fragmentation, and genome amplification. Proteins required for these events include those with homology throughout eukaryotes as well as proteins apparently unique to ciliates. In this study, we identified the ciliate-specific Defective in IES Excision 5 (DIE5) genes of Paramecium tetraurelia (PtDIE5) and Tetrahymena thermophila (TtDIE5) as orthologs that encode nuclear proteins expressed exclusively during development. Abrogation of PtDie5 protein (PtDie5p) function by RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated silencing or TtDie5p by gene disruption resulted in the failure of developing macronuclei to differentiate into new somatic nuclei. Tetrahymena ΔDIE5 cells arrested late in development and failed to complete genome amplification, whereas RNAi-treated Paramecium cells highly amplified new macronuclear DNA before the failure in differentiation, findings that highlight clear differences in the biology of these distantly related species. Nevertheless, IES excision and chromosome fragmentation failed to occur in either ciliate, which strongly supports that Die5p is a critical player in these processes. In Tetrahymena, loss of zygotic expression during development was sufficient to block nuclear differentiation. This observation, together with the finding that knockdown of Die5p in Paramecium still allows genome amplification, indicates that this protein acts late in macronuclear development. Even though DNA rearrangements in these two ciliates look to be quite distinct, analysis of DIE5 establishes the action of a conserved mechanism within the genome reorganization pathway. PMID:20495055

A community model of ciliate Tetrahymena and bacteria E. coli. Part 1: Individual-based models of Tetrahymena and E. coli populations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jaworska, J.S.; Hallam, T.G.; Schultz, T.W. [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

1996-03-01

The dynamics of a microbial community consisting of a eucaryotic ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis and procaryotic. Escherichia coli in a batch culture is explored by employing an individual-based approach. In this portion of the article, Part 1, population models are presented. Because both models are individual-based, models of individual organisms are developed prior to construction of the population models. The individual models use an energy budget method in which growth depends on energy gain from feeding and energy sinks such as maintenance and reproduction. These models are not limited by simplifying assumptions about constant yield, constant energy sinks and Monod growth kinetics as are traditional models of microbial organisms. Population models are generated from individual models by creating distinct individual types and assigning to each type the number of real individuals they represent. A population is a compilation of individual types that vary in a phase of cell cycle and physiological parameters such as filtering rate for ciliates and maximum anabolic rate for bacteria. An advantage of the developed models is that they realistically describe the growth of the individual cells feeding on resource which varies in density and composition. Part 2, the core of the project, integrates models into a dynamic microbial community and provides model analysis based upon available data.

Genetics and Epigenetics of Mating Type Determination in Paramecium and Tetrahymena.

Science.gov (United States)

Orias, Eduardo; Singh, Deepankar Pratap; Meyer, Eric

2017-09-08

While sex is an ancient and highly conserved eukaryotic invention, self-incompatibility systems such as mating types or sexes appear to be derived limitations that show considerable evolutionary plasticity. Within a single class of ciliates, Paramecium and Tetrahymena species have long been known to present a wide variety of mating type numbers and modes of inheritance, but only recently have the genes involved been identified. Although similar transmembrane proteins mediate self/nonself recognition in both ciliates, the mechanisms of mating type determination differ widely, ranging from Mendelian systems to developmental nuclear differentiation, either stochastic or maternally inherited. The non-Mendelian systems rely on programmed editing of the germline genome that occurs during differentiation of the somatic nucleus, and they have co-opted different DNA recombination mechanisms-some previously unknown. Here we review the recent molecular advances and some remaining unsolved questions and discuss the possible implications of these diverse mechanisms for inbreeding/outbreeding balance regulation.

Evolution of density-dependent movement during experimental range expansions.

Science.gov (United States)

Fronhofer, E A; Gut, S; Altermatt, F

2017-12-01

Range expansions and biological invasions are prime examples of transient processes that are likely impacted by rapid evolutionary changes. As a spatial process, range expansions are driven by dispersal and movement behaviour. Although it is widely accepted that dispersal and movement may be context-dependent, for instance density-dependent, and best represented by reaction norms, the evolution of density-dependent movement during range expansions has received little experimental attention. We therefore tested current theory predicting the evolution of increased movement at low densities at range margins using highly replicated and controlled range expansion experiments across multiple genotypes of the protist model system Tetrahymena thermophila. Although rare, we found evolutionary changes during range expansions even in the absence of initial standing genetic variation. Range expansions led to the evolution of negatively density-dependent movement at range margins. In addition, we report the evolution of increased intrastrain competitive ability and concurrently decreased population growth rates in range cores. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding movement and dispersal as evolving reaction norms and plastic life-history traits of central relevance for range expansions, biological invasions and the dynamics of spatially structured systems in general. © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

A serological study of removal of UV-induced photoproducts in the DNA of tetrahymena pyriformis GL: influence of caffeine, quinacrine and chloroquine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lakhanisky, Th.; Hendrickx, B.; Mouton, R.F.; Cornelis, J.J.

1979-01-01

Antisera that recognise specifically UV-photoproducts in DNA have been used to follow the elimination of photolesions in UV irradiated Tetrahymena pyriformis. The amount of bound tritium-labelled antibodies to nuclei has been estimated by autoradiography. Curves of dose-response of DNA photo-products, their elimination by dark repair, and effect of caffeine, quinacrine, and chloroquine on the disappearance of UV-lesions have been evaluated. (author)

Comparative genomic analysis of the thermophilic biomass-degrading fungi Myceliophthora thermophila and Thielavia terrestris

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berka, Randy M.; Grigoriev, Igor V.; Otillar, Robert; Salamov, Asaf; Grimwood, Jane; Reid, Ian; Ishmael, Nadeeza; John, Tricia; Darmond, Corinne; Moisan, Marie-Claude; Henrissat, Bernard; Coutinho, Pedro M.; Lombard, Vincent; Natvig, Donald O.; Lindquist, Erika; Schmutz, Jeremy; Lucas, Susan; Harris, Paul; Powlowski, Justin; Bellemare, Annie; Taylor, David; Butler, Gregory; de Vries, Ronald P.; Allijn, Iris E.; van den Brink, Joost; Ushinsky, Sophia; Storms, Reginald; Powell, Amy J.; Paulsen, Ian T.; Elbourne, Liam D. H.; Baker, Scott. E.; Magnuson, Jon; LaBoissiere, Sylvie; Clutterbuck, A. John; Martinez, Diego; Wogulis, Mark; Lopez de Leon, Alfredo; Rey, Michael W.; Tsang, Adrian

2011-05-16

Thermostable enzymes and thermophilic cell factories may afford economic advantages in the production of many chemicals and biomass-based fuels. Here we describe and compare the genomes of two thermophilic fungi, Myceliophthora thermophila and Thielavia terrestris. To our knowledge, these genomes are the first described for thermophilic eukaryotes and the first complete telomere-to-telomere genomes for filamentous fungi. Genome analyses and experimental data suggest that both thermophiles are capable of hydrolyzing all major polysaccharides found in biomass. Examination of transcriptome data and secreted proteins suggests that the two fungi use shared approaches in the hydrolysis of cellulose and xylan but distinct mechanisms in pectin degradation. Characterization of the biomass-hydrolyzing activity of recombinant enzymes suggests that these organisms are highly efficient in biomass decomposition at both moderate and high temperatures. Furthermore, we present evidence suggesting that aside from representing a potential reservoir of thermostable enzymes, thermophilic fungi are amenable to manipulation using classical and molecular genetics.

Effect of temperature and pH on the actiity of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase from the thermophilic hydrogen bacterium Pseudomonas thermophila

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Romanova, A K; Emnova, E E; Zykalova, K A

1980-01-01

The activity of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate (RDP) carboxylase was found in the soluble fraction of the cytoplasm from sonicated Pseudomonas thermophila K-2 cells. The enzyme is relatively thermolabile and completey loses its activity at 80/sup 0/C. The activity of RDP carboxylase at 60/sup 0/C increases by 40% during the first 10 min of heating in the presence of Mg/sup 2 +/ ions, bicarbonate and dithiothreitol, and again decreases if the enzyme is heated over 20 min. The optimum temperature of the enzyme is 50 to 55/sup 0/C. The specific activity of the enzyme in fresh preparations under these conditions reaches 0.22 unit per 1 mg of protein in the extract. The calculated value of the activation energy for RDP carboxylase is 6.4 keal.mole/sup -1/, but 11.6 kcal.mole/sup -1/ in frozen preparations. The optimal pH is 7.0 to 7.3 depending on the buffer. The temperature optimum for the enzyme action does not depend on pH within the range of 7.3 to 8.8. Therefore, RDP carboxylase of Ps, thermophila K-2 differs from RDP carboxylases of mesophilic cultures studied earlier by a higher susceptibility to a decrease in temeprature (the enzyme activity is negligible at 30/sup 0/C), by a lower value of the activation energy at suboptimal temperatures, and by a lower pH optimum of the enzyme action.

Ecological impacts of environmental toxicants and radiation on the microbial ecosystem: a model simulation of computational microbiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doi, Masahiro; Sakashita, Tetsuya; Ishii, Nobuyoshi; Fuma, Shoichi; Takeda, Hiroshi; Miyamoto, Kiriko; Yanagisawa, K.; Nakamura, Yuji; Kawabata, Zenichiro

2000-01-01

This study explores a microorganic closed-ecosystem by computer simulation to illustrate symbiosis among populations in the microcosm that consists of heterotroph protozoa, Tetrahymena thermophila B as a consumer, autotroph algae, Euglena gracilis Z as a primary producer and saprotroph Bacteria, Escherichia coli DH5 as decomposer. The simulation program is written as a procedure of StarLogoT1.5.1, which is developed by Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling, Tufts University. The virtual microcosm is structured and operated by the following rules; 1) Environment is defined as a lattice model, which consists of 10,201 square patches, 300 micron Wide, 300 micron Length and 100 micron Hight. 2) Each patch has its own attributes, Nutrient, Detritus and absolute coordinates, 3) Components of the species, Tetrahymena, Euglena and E-coli are defined as sub-system, and each sub-system has its own attributes as location, heading direction, cell-age, structured biomass, reserves energy and demographic parameters (assimilation rate, breeding threshold, growth rate, etc.). 4) Each component of the species, Tetrahymena, Euglena and E-coli, lives by foraging (Tetrahymena eats E-coli), excreting its metabolic products to the environment (as a substrate of E-coli), breeding and dying according vital condition. 5) Euglena utilizes sunlight energy by photosynthesis process and produces organic compounds. E-coli breaks down the organic compounds of dead protoplasm or metabolic wastes (Detritus) and releases inorganic substances to construct down stream of food cycle. Virtual ecosystem in this study is named SIM-COSM, a parallel computing model for self-sustaining system of complexity. It found that SIM-COSM is a valuable to illustrate symbiosis among populations in the microcosm, where a feedback mechanism acts in response to disturbances and interactions among species and environment. In the simulation, microbes increased demographic and environmental

Box-Behnken analysis and storage of spray-dried collagenolytic proteases from Myceliophthora thermophila submerged bioprocess.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamin Neto, Youssef Ali Abou; Coitinho, Luciana Barbosa; de Freitas, Luis Alexandre Pedro; Cabral, Hamilton

2017-05-28

Enzymes do not have long-term storage stability in soluble forms, thus drying methods could minimize the loss of enzymatic activity, the spray dryer removes water under high temperatures and little time. The aims of this study were to improve the stability of enzymatic extract from Myceliophthora thermophila for potential applications in industry and to evaluate the best conditions to remove the water by spray drying technique. The parameters were tested according to Box-Behnken and evaluated by analysis of variance (ANOVA), all the parameters measured were found to influence the final enzyme activity and spray drying process yield ranged from 38.65 to 63.75%. Enzyme powders showed increased storage stability than extract and maintained about 100% of collagenolytic activity after 180 days of storage at 30°C. The results showed that the microbial enzymes maintained activity during the spray drying process and were stable during long-term storage; these are promising characteristics for industrial applications.

Biotoxicity assessment and toxicity mechanism on coal gasification wastewater (CGW): A comparative analysis of effluent from different treatment processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Weiwei; Han, Yuxing; Xu, Chunyan; Han, Hongjun; Zhu, Hao; Li, Kun; Zheng, Mengqi

2018-05-04

Even though coal gasification wastewater (CGW) treated by various biochemical treatment processes generally met the national discharge standard, its potential biotoxicity was still unknown. Therefore, in this study, bioassay with Tetrahymena thermophila (T. thermophila) was conducted to comprehensively evaluate the variation of biotoxicity in raw CGW and the treated effluent from lab-scale micro-electrolysis integrated with biological reactor (MEBR), single iron-carbon micro-electrolysis (ICME) and conventional activated sludge (CAS) processes. The results illustrated that raw CGW presented intensive acute toxicity with 24 h EC 50 value of 8.401% and toxic unit (TU) value of 11.90. Moreover, it performed significant cell membrane destruction and DNA damage even at 10% dilution concentration. The toxicant identification results revealed that multiple toxic polar compounds such as phenolic, heterocyclic and polycyclic aromatic compounds were the main contributors for biotoxicity. Furthermore, these compounds could accelerate oxidative stress, thereby inducing oxidative damage of cell membrane and DNA. As for treated effluent, TU value was decreased by 90.58% in MEBR process. An effective biotoxicity reduction was achieved in MEBR process owing to high removal efficiency in polar organic toxicants. In contrast, effluent from ICME and CAS processes presented relatively high acute toxicity and genotoxicity, because various heterocyclic and polycyclic aromatic compounds were difficult to be degraded in these processes. Therefore, it was suggested that MEBR was a potential and feasible process for improving CGW treatment and minimizing ecological risk. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The genes coding for the hsp70(dnaK) molecular chaperone machine occur in the moderate thermophilic archaeon Methanosarcina thermophila TM-1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hofman-Bang, H Jacob Peider; Lange, Marianne; Ahring, Birgitte Kiær

1999-01-01

The hsp70 (dnaK) locus of the moderate thermophilic archaeon Methanosarcina thermophila TM-1 was cloned, sequenced, and tested in vitro to measure gene induction by heat and ammonia, i.e., stressors pertinent to the biotechnological ecosystem of this methanogen that plays a key role in anaerobic...... thermoautotrophicum Delta H, from another genus, in which trkA is not part of the locus. The proteins encoded in the TM-1 genes are very similar to the S-6 homologs, but considerably less similar to the Delta H proteins. The TM-1 Hsp70(DnaK) protein has the 23-amino acid deletion-by comparison with homologs from Gram...

Distinct localization of a beta-tubulin epitope in the Tetrahymena thermophila and Paramecium caudatum cortex

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Libusová, Lenka; Sulimenko, Tetyana; Sulimenko, Vadym; Janisch, R.; Hozák, Pavel; Dráber, Pavel

2005-01-01

Roč. 225, 3-4 (2005), s. 157-167 ISSN 0033-183X R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LN00A026; GA AV ČR(CZ) IBS5052301; GA ČR(CZ) GA304/04/1386; GA AV ČR(CZ) KSK5020115 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520514 Keywords : antibody * beta-tubulin * cortex Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 1.573, year: 2005

Combined effects of γ-rays and acidification on an experimental model ecosystem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuma, Shoichi; Ishii, Nobuyoshi; Takeda, Hiroshi; Kawabata, Zen'ichiro; Ichimasa, Yusuke

2002-01-01

It is necessary to evaluate combined effects of ionizing radiation and other toxic agents on ecosystems, because ecosystems are exposed to these various factors. The authors studied combined effects of γ-rays and acidification on an experimental model ecosystem (microcosm) mimicking aquatic microbial communities. Microcosms, consisted of flagellate algae Euglena gracilis Z as a producer, ciliate protozoa Tetrahymena thermophila B as a consumer and bacteria Escherichia coli DH5α as a decomposer, were loaded by the following treatments: Irradiation with 100 Gy 60 Co γ-rays; Acidification of culture medium to pH4.0 with the mixture of 0.1 N HNO 3 and 0.1 N H 2 SO 4 (1:1, v/v), which mimicked acid rain; and Irradiation with 100 Gy γ-rays followed by the acidification of the culture medium (pH 4.0). The γ-irradiation induced a temporary decrease in cell densities of E. coli, but did not affect cell densities of the other species. The concentrations of chlorophyll a and ATP in the microcosm were not affected by the γ-irradiation, and chlorophyll a concentrations in a Eu. gracilis cell were not affected, either. The acidification significantly decreased cell densities of T. thermophila, slightly decreased cell densities of E. coli, and slightly increased cell densities of Eu. gracilis. The concentrations of chlorophyll a and ATP in the microcosm were increased by the acidification, although chlorophyll a concentrations in a Eu. gracilis cell were decreased. The combined exposure to γ-rays and acids temporarily decreased cell densities of E. coli, significantly decreased cell densities of T. thermophila, and slightly increased cell densities of Eu. gracilis. The concentrations of chlorophyll a and ATP in the microcosm were increased by the combined exposure, although chlorophyll a concentrations in a Eu. gracilis cell were decreased. The authors therefore conclude that combined exposure to γ-rays and acids had additive effects on cell densities, chlorophyll a and

Toxicity of acid mine pit lake water remediated with limestone and phosphorus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neil, L.L.; McCullough, C.D.; Lund, M.A.; Evans, L.H.; Tsvetnenko, Y. [Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA (Australia)

2009-11-15

Pit lakes are increasingly common worldwide and have potential to provide many benefits. However, lake water toxicity may require remediation before beneficial end uses can be realised. Three treatments to remediate AMD (pH similar to 4.8) pit lake water containing elevated concentrations of Al and Zn from Collie, Western Australia were tested in mesocosms. Treatments were: (a) limestone neutralisation (L), (b) phosphorus amendment (P), and c) combined limestone neutralisation and phosphorus amendment (L+P). Laboratory bioassays with Ceriodaphnia cf. dubia, Chlorella protothecoides and Tetrahymena thermophila assessed remediation. Limestone neutralisation increased pH and reduced heavy metal concentrations by 98% (Al) to 14% (Mg), removing toxicity to the three test species within 2 months. Phosphorus amendment removed toxicity after 6 months of treatment. However, phosphorus amendment to prior limestone neutralisation failed to reduce toxicity more than limestone neutralisation alone. Low concentrations of both phosphorus and nitrogen appear to limit phytoplankton population growth in all treatments.

Toxicity of acid mine pit lake water remediated with limestone and phosphorus.

Science.gov (United States)

Neil, Luke L; McCullough, Clint D; Lund, Mark A; Evans, Louis H; Tsvetnenko, Yuri

2009-11-01

Pit lakes are increasingly common worldwide and have potential to provide many benefits. However, lake water toxicity may require remediation before beneficial end uses can be realised. Three treatments to remediate AMD (pH approximately 4.8) pit lake water containing elevated concentrations of Al and Zn from Collie, Western Australia were tested in mesocosms. Treatments were: (a) limestone neutralisation (L), (b) phosphorus amendment (P), and (c) combined limestone neutralisation and phosphorus amendment (L+P). Laboratory bioassays with Ceriodaphnia cf. dubia, Chlorella protothecoides and Tetrahymena thermophila assessed remediation. Limestone neutralisation increased pH and reduced heavy metal concentrations by 98% (Al) to 14% (Mg), removing toxicity to the three test species within 2 months. Phosphorus amendment removed toxicity after 6 months of treatment. However, phosphorus amendment to prior limestone neutralisation failed to reduce toxicity more than limestone neutralisation alone. Low concentrations of both phosphorus and nitrogen appear to limit phytoplankton population growth in all treatments.

A microfluidic-enabled mechanical microcompressor for the immobilization of live single- and multi-cellular specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Yingjun; Jiang, Liwei; Aufderheide, Karl J; Wright, Gus A; Terekhov, Alexander; Costa, Lino; Qin, Kevin; McCleery, W Tyler; Fellenstein, John J; Ustione, Alessandro; Robertson, J Brian; Johnson, Carl Hirschie; Piston, David W; Hutson, M Shane; Wikswo, John P; Hofmeister, William; Janetopoulos, Chris

2014-02-01

A microcompressor is a precision mechanical device that flattens and immobilizes living cells and small organisms for optical microscopy, allowing enhanced visualization of sub-cellular structures and organelles. We have developed an easily fabricated device, which can be equipped with microfluidics, permitting the addition of media or chemicals during observation. This device can be used on both upright and inverted microscopes. The apparatus permits micrometer precision flattening for nondestructive immobilization of specimens as small as a bacterium, while also accommodating larger specimens, such as Caenorhabditis elegans, for long-term observations. The compressor mount is removable and allows easy specimen addition and recovery for later observation. Several customized specimen beds can be incorporated into the base. To demonstrate the capabilities of the device, we have imaged numerous cellular events in several protozoan species, in yeast cells, and in Drosophila melanogaster embryos. We have been able to document previously unreported events, and also perform photobleaching experiments, in conjugating Tetrahymena thermophila.

Spectral dependence of some UV-B and UV-C responses of Tetrahymena pyriformis irradiated with dye laser generated UV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calkins, John; Colley, Ed; Wheeler, John; Kentucky Univ., Lexington

1987-01-01

We have generated UV-B and UV-C radiations using a flashlamp driven tunable dye laser combined with frequency doubling crystals. Using this novel UV source, we have investigated lethality and its modification by growth phase, photoreactivation and caffeine in Tetrahymena pyriformis at 254 nm and from 260-315 nm in 5 nm steps. From the observed responses we have constructed action spectra for lethality, with or without caffeine (a repair inhibitor) and under conditions of photoreactivation. We have also estimated quantum efficiencies for these responses. Our observations suggest that complex changes in response occur at several wavelengths over the UV-C and UV-B regions. (author)

Calcium signaling in closely related protozoan groups (Alveolata): non-parasitic ciliates (Paramecium, Tetrahymena) vs. parasitic Apicomplexa (Plasmodium, Toxoplasma).

Science.gov (United States)

Plattner, H; Sehring, I M; Mohamed, I K; Miranda, K; De Souza, W; Billington, R; Genazzani, A; Ladenburger, E-M

2012-05-01

The importance of Ca2+-signaling for many subcellular processes is well established in higher eukaryotes, whereas information about protozoa is restricted. Recent genome analyses have stimulated such work also with Alveolates, such as ciliates (Paramecium, Tetrahymena) and their pathogenic close relatives, the Apicomplexa (Plasmodium, Toxoplasma). Here we compare Ca2+ signaling in the two closely related groups. Acidic Ca2+ stores have been characterized in detail in Apicomplexa, but hardly in ciliates. Two-pore channels engaged in Ca2+-release from acidic stores in higher eukaryotes have not been stingently characterized in either group. Both groups are endowed with plasma membrane- and endoplasmic reticulum-type Ca2+-ATPases (PMCA, SERCA), respectively. Only recently was it possible to identify in Paramecium a number of homologs of ryanodine and inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate receptors (RyR, IP3R) and to localize them to widely different organelles participating in vesicle trafficking. For Apicomplexa, physiological experiments suggest the presence of related channels although their identity remains elusive. In Paramecium, IP3Rs are constitutively active in the contractile vacuole complex; RyR-related channels in alveolar sacs are activated during exocytosis stimulation, whereas in the parasites the homologous structure (inner membrane complex) may no longer function as a Ca2+ store. Scrutinized comparison of the two closely related protozoan phyla may stimulate further work and elucidate adaptation to parasitic life. See also "Conclusions" section. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Saccharification of ozonated sugarcane bagasse using enzymes from Myceliophthora thermophila JCP 1-4 for sugars release and ethanol production.

Science.gov (United States)

de Cassia Pereira, Josiani; Travaini, Rodolfo; Paganini Marques, Natalia; Bolado-Rodríguez, Silvia; Bocchini Martins, Daniela Alonso

2016-03-01

The saccharification of ozonated sugarcane bagasse (SCB) by enzymes from Myceliophthora thermophila JCP 1-4 was studied. Fungal enzymes provided slightly higher sugar release than commercial enzymes, working at 50°C. Sugar release increased with temperature increase. Kinetic studies showed remarkable glucose release (4.99 g/L, 3%w/w dry matter) at 60°C, 8 h of hydrolysis, using an enzyme load of 10 FPU (filter paper unit). FPase and β-glucosidase activities increased during saccharification (284% and 270%, respectively). No further significant improvement on glucose release was observed increasing the enzyme load above 7.5 FPU per g of cellulose. Higher dry matter contents increased sugars release, but not yields. The fermentation of hydrolysates by Saccharomyces cerevisiae provided glucose-to-ethanol conversions around to 63%. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa adaptation to lungs of cystic fibrosis patients leads to lowered resistance to phage and protist enemies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ville-Petri Friman

Full Text Available Pathogenic life styles can lead to highly specialized interactions with host species, potentially resulting in fitness trade-offs in other ecological contexts. Here we studied how adaptation of the environmentally transmitted bacterial pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, to cystic fibrosis (CF patients affects its survival in the presence of natural phage (14/1, ΦKZ, PNM and PT7 and protist (Tetrahymena thermophila and Acanthamoebae polyphaga enemies. We found that most of the bacteria isolated from relatively recently intermittently colonised patients (1-25 months, were innately phage-resistant and highly toxic for protists. In contrast, bacteria isolated from long time chronically infected patients (2-23 years, were less efficient in both resisting phages and killing protists. Moreover, chronic isolates showed reduced killing of wax moth larvae (Galleria mellonella probably due to weaker in vitro growth and protease expression. These results suggest that P. aeruginosa long-term adaptation to CF-lungs could trade off with its survival in aquatic environmental reservoirs in the presence of microbial enemies, while lowered virulence could reduce pathogen opportunities to infect insect vectors; factors that are both likely to result in poorer environmental transmission. From an applied perspective, phage therapy could be useful against chronic P. aeruginosa lung infections that are often characterized by multidrug resistance: chronic isolates were least resistant to phages and their poor growth will likely slow down the emergence of beneficial resistance mutations.

Application of a battery of biotests for the determination of leachate toxicity to bacteria and invertebrates from sewage sludge-amended soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Malara, Anna; Oleszczuk, Patryk

2013-05-01

The objective of the study was to determine the leachates toxicity from sewage sludge-amended soils (sandy and loamy). Samples originated from a plot experiment realized over a period of 29 months. Two types of soil were fertilized with sewage sludges at the dose of 3 % (90 t/ha). Soil samples were taken after 0, 7, 17, and 29 months from the application of sewage sludges. Leachates were obtained according to the EN 12457-2 protocol. The following commercial tests were applied for the estimation of the toxicity: Microtox (Vibrio fischeri), Microbial assay for toxic risk assessment (ten bacteria and one yeast), Protoxkit F (Tetrahymena thermophila), Rotoxkit F (Brachionus calyciflorus), and Daphtoxkit F (Daphnia magna). The test organisms displayed varied toxicity with relation to the soils amended with sewage sludges. The toxicity of the leachates depended both on the soil type and on the kind of sewage sludge applied. Notable differences were also observed in the sensitivity of the test organisms to the presence of sewage sludge in the soil. The highest sensitivity was a characteristic of B. calyciflorus, while the lowest sensitivity to the presence of the sludges was revealed by the protozoa T. thermophila. Throughout the periods of the study, constant variations of toxicity were observed for most of the test organisms. The intensity as well as the range of those variations depended both on the kind of test organism and on the kind of sludge and soil type. In most cases, an increase of the toxicity of soils amended with the sewage sludges was observed after 29 months of the experiment.

Transposon domestication versus mutualism in ciliate genome rearrangements.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Vogt

Full Text Available Ciliated protists rearrange their genomes dramatically during nuclear development via chromosome fragmentation and DNA deletion to produce a trimmer and highly reorganized somatic genome. The deleted portion of the genome includes potentially active transposons or transposon-like sequences that reside in the germline. Three independent studies recently showed that transposase proteins of the DDE/DDD superfamily are indispensible for DNA processing in three distantly related ciliates. In the spirotrich Oxytricha trifallax, high copy-number germline-limited transposons mediate their own excision from the somatic genome but also contribute to programmed genome rearrangement through a remarkable transposon mutualism with the host. By contrast, the genomes of two oligohymenophorean ciliates, Tetrahymena thermophila and Paramecium tetraurelia, encode homologous PiggyBac-like transposases as single-copy genes in both their germline and somatic genomes. These domesticated transposases are essential for deletion of thousands of different internal sequences in these species. This review contrasts the events underlying somatic genome reduction in three different ciliates and considers their evolutionary origins and the relationships among their distinct mechanisms for genome remodeling.

RNA precursor pool metabolism and RNA synthesis in X-irradiated Tetrahymena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stephens, R.E.; Paul, I.J.; Zimmerman, A.M.

1976-01-01

The incorporation of a radioactive RNA precursor ( 3 H-uridine) has been used in many studies as an index for measuring the synthesis of RNA, yet there is a distinct possibility that the results so obtained were significantly influenced by radiation-induced effects on the metabolism of this precursor into UTP (the primary immediate precursor of RNA) before its incorporation into RNA. A direct examination was therefore undertaken of the effects of X-irradiation on the metabolism of 3 H-uridine and its relationship to RNA synthesis as determined by incorporation. X-irradiation of logarithmically growing Tetrahymena pyriformis caused a dose-dependent depression of total cellular RNA synthesis. Ribosomal RNA (which comprises about 80 per cent of total cellular RNA) synthesis was also depressed by X-irradiation in a dose-dependent manner. Measurements of the levels of radioactivity present in the UTP precursor pool of both irradiated and unirradiated cells were obtained by means of DEAE-cellulose column chromatography of the extracted free nucleotides. Metabolism of 3 H-uridine into UMP, UDP and UTP was depressed by 40%, 26% and 27% respectively, whereas incorporation of 3 H-uridine into RNA was depressed by 77%. The results show that about one-third of the observed (apparent) depression in RNA synthesis was due to radiation-induced effects on the precursor pool, and the remaining two-thirds due to some definite effect of radiation at the transcription level leading to depressed synthesis of RNA. (U.K.)

Meiosis gene inventory of four ciliates reveals the prevalence of a synaptonemal complex-independent crossover pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, Jingyun; Mahé, Frédéric; Loidl, Josef; Logsdon, John; Dunthorn, Micah

2014-03-01

To establish which meiosis genes are present in ciliates, and to look for clues as to which recombination pathways may be treaded by them, four genomes were inventoried for 11 meiosis-specific and 40 meiosis-related genes. We found that the set of meiosis genes shared by Tetrahymena thermophila, Paramecium tetraurelia, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, and Oxytricha trifallax is consistent with the prevalence of a Mus81-dependent class II crossover pathway that is considered secondary in most model eukaryotes. There is little evidence for a canonical class I crossover pathway that requires the formation of a synaptonemal complex (SC). This gene inventory suggests that meiotic processes in ciliates largely depend on mitotic repair proteins for executing meiotic recombination. We propose that class I crossovers and SCs were reduced sometime during the evolution of ciliates. Consistent with this reduction, we provide microscopic evidence for the presence only of degenerate SCs in Stylonychia mytilus. In addition, lower nonsynonymous to synonymous mutation rates of some of the meiosis genes suggest that, in contrast to most other nuclear genes analyzed so far, meiosis genes in ciliates are largely evolving at a slower rate than those genes in fungi and animals.

Alginic Acid-Aided Dispersion of Carbon Nanotubes, Graphene, and Boron Nitride Nanomaterials for Microbial Toxicity Testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ying; Mortimer, Monika; Chang, Chong Hyun; Holden, Patricia A

2018-01-30

Robust evaluation of potential environmental and health risks of carbonaceous and boron nitride nanomaterials (NMs) is imperative. However, significant agglomeration of pristine carbonaceous and boron nitride NMs due to strong van der Waals forces renders them not suitable for direct toxicity testing in aqueous media. Here, the natural polysaccharide alginic acid (AA) was used as a nontoxic, environmentally relevant dispersant with defined composition to disperse seven types of carbonaceous and boron nitride NMs, including multiwall carbon nanotubes, graphene, boron nitride nanotubes, and hexagonal boron nitride flakes, with various physicochemical characteristics. AA's biocompatibility was confirmed by examining AA effects on viability and growth of two model microorganisms (the protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila and the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa ). Using 400 mg·L -1 AA, comparably stable NM (200 mg·L -1 ) stock dispersions were obtained by 30-min probe ultrasonication. AA non-covalently interacted with NM surfaces and improved the dispersibility of NMs in water. The dispersion stability varied with NM morphology and size rather than chemistry. The optimized dispersion protocol established here can facilitate preparing homogeneous NM dispersions for reliable exposures during microbial toxicity testing, contributing to improved reproducibility of toxicity results.

Alginic Acid-Aided Dispersion of Carbon Nanotubes, Graphene, and Boron Nitride Nanomaterials for Microbial Toxicity Testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying Wang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Robust evaluation of potential environmental and health risks of carbonaceous and boron nitride nanomaterials (NMs is imperative. However, significant agglomeration of pristine carbonaceous and boron nitride NMs due to strong van der Waals forces renders them not suitable for direct toxicity testing in aqueous media. Here, the natural polysaccharide alginic acid (AA was used as a nontoxic, environmentally relevant dispersant with defined composition to disperse seven types of carbonaceous and boron nitride NMs, including multiwall carbon nanotubes, graphene, boron nitride nanotubes, and hexagonal boron nitride flakes, with various physicochemical characteristics. AA’s biocompatibility was confirmed by examining AA effects on viability and growth of two model microorganisms (the protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila and the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using 400 mg·L−1 AA, comparably stable NM (200 mg·L−1 stock dispersions were obtained by 30-min probe ultrasonication. AA non-covalently interacted with NM surfaces and improved the dispersibility of NMs in water. The dispersion stability varied with NM morphology and size rather than chemistry. The optimized dispersion protocol established here can facilitate preparing homogeneous NM dispersions for reliable exposures during microbial toxicity testing, contributing to improved reproducibility of toxicity results.

Building up a QSAR model for toxicity toward Tetrahymena pyriformis by the Monte Carlo method: A case of benzene derivatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Toropova, Alla P; Schultz, Terry W; Toropov, Andrey A

2016-03-01

Data on toxicity toward Tetrahymena pyriformis is indicator of applicability of a substance in ecologic and pharmaceutical aspects. Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) between the molecular structure of benzene derivatives and toxicity toward T. pyriformis (expressed as the negative logarithms of the population growth inhibition dose, mmol/L) are established. The available data were randomly distributed three times into the visible training and calibration sets, and invisible validation sets. The statistical characteristics for the validation set are the following: r(2)=0.8179 and s=0.338 (first distribution); r(2)=0.8682 and s=0.341 (second distribution); r(2)=0.8435 and s=0.323 (third distribution). These models are built up using only information on the molecular structure: no data on physicochemical parameters, 3D features of the molecular structure and quantum mechanics descriptors are involved in the modeling process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Two Endo-β-1, 4-Xylanases from Myceliophthora thermophila and Their Saccharification Efficiencies, Synergistic with Commercial Cellulase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul Basit

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The xylanases with high specific activity and resistance to harsh conditions are of high practical value for biomass utilization. In the present study, two new GH11 xylanase genes, MYCTH_56237 and MYCTH_49824, have been cloned from thermophilic fungus Myceliophthora thermophila and expressed in Pichia pastoris. The specific activities of purified xylanases reach approximately 1,533.7 and 1,412.5 U/mg, respectively. Based on multiple template-based homology modeling, the structures of their catalytic domains are predicted. Enzyme activity was more effective in 7.5 L fermentor, yielding 2,010.4 and 2,004.2 U/mL, respectively. Both enzymes exhibit optimal activity at 60°C with pH of 6.0 and 7.0, respectively. Their activities are not affected by EDTA and an array of metal ions. The kinetic constants have been determined for MYCTH_56237 (Km = 8.80 mg/mL, Vmax = 2,380 U/mg and MYCTH_49824 (Km = 5.67 mg/mL, Vmax = 1,750 U/mg. More importantly, both xylanases significantly cooperate with the commercial cellulase Celluclast 1.5 L in terms of the saccharification efficiency. All these biochemical properties of the xylanases offer practical potential for future applications.

Lihuaxuella thermophila gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from a geothermal soil sample in Tengchong, Yunnan, south-west China.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Tian-Tian; Zhang, Bing-Huo; Yao, Ji-Cheng; Tang, Shu-Kun; Zhou, En-Min; Yin, Yi-Rui; Wei, Da-Qiao; Ming, Hong; Li, Wen-Jun

2012-11-01

A novel filamentous bacterium, designated YIM 77831(T), was isolated from a geothermal soil sample collected at Rehai National Park, Tengchong, Yunnan province, south-west China. Growth occurred from 28 to 65 °C (optimum 50 °C), pH 6.0-8.0 (optimum pH 7.0). The strain formed branched substrate mycelia, endospores were produced on the substrate mycelium and aerial mycelium was not produced on any of the growth media tested. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain YIM 77831(T) was affiliated with the family Thermoactinomycetaceae. The stain YIM 77831(T) contained meso-diaminopimelic acid in the cell wall. Whole-cell hydrolysates contained glucose, galactose, mannose, ribose and rhamnose. The polar lipids were phosphatidylmethylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified aminophospholipid and four unknown phospholipids. The only menaquinone was MK-7. Major fatty acids were iso-C(15:0), anteiso-C(15:0) and anteiso-C(17:0). The G+C content was 55.6 mol%. On the basis of the morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics as well as genotypic data, strain YIM 77831(T) represents a novel genus and species, Lihuaxuella thermophila gen. nov., sp. nov., in the family Thermoactinomycetaceae. The type strain is YIM 77831(T) (CCTCC AA 2011024(T) = JCM 18059(T)).

Evolution of the feruloyl esterase MtFae1a from Myceliophthora thermophila towards improved catalysts for antioxidants synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Varriale, Simona; Cerullo, Gabriella; Antonopoulou, Io; Christakopoulos, Paul; Rova, Ulrika; Tron, Thierry; Fauré, Régis; Jütten, Peter; Piechot, Alexander; Brás, Joana L A; Fontes, Carlos M G A; Faraco, Vincenza

2018-04-23

The chemical syntheses currently employed for industrial purposes, including in the manufacture of cosmetics, present limitations such as unwanted side reactions and the need for harsh chemical reaction conditions. In order to overcome these drawbacks, novel enzymes are developed to catalyze the targeted bioconversions. In the present study, a methodology for the construction and the automated screening of evolved variants library of a Type B feruloyl esterase from Myceliophthora thermophila (MtFae1a) was developed and applied to generation of 30,000 mutants and their screening for selecting the variants with higher activity than the wild-type enzyme. The library was generated by error-prone PCR of mtfae1a cDNA and expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Screening for extracellular enzymatic activity towards 4-nitrocatechol-1-yl ferulate, a new substrate developed ad hoc for high-throughput assays of feruloyl esterases, led to the selection of 30 improved enzyme variants. The best four variants and the wild-type MtFae1a were investigated in docking experiments with hydroxycinnamic acid esters using a model of 3D structure of MtFae1a. These variants were also used as biocatalysts in transesterification reactions leading to different target products in detergentless microemulsions and showed enhanced synthetic activities, although the screening strategy had been based on improved hydrolytic activity.

Exploration of the Germline Genome of the Ciliate Chilodonella uncinata through Single-Cell Omics (Transcriptomics and Genomics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xyrus X. Maurer-Alcalá

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Separate germline and somatic genomes are found in numerous lineages across the eukaryotic tree of life, often separated into distinct tissues (e.g., in plants, animals, and fungi or distinct nuclei sharing a common cytoplasm (e.g., in ciliates and some foraminifera. In ciliates, germline-limited (i.e., micronuclear-specific DNA is eliminated during the development of a new somatic (i.e., macronuclear genome in a process that is tightly linked to large-scale genome rearrangements, such as deletions and reordering of protein-coding sequences. Most studies of germline genome architecture in ciliates have focused on the model ciliates Oxytricha trifallax, Paramecium tetraurelia, and Tetrahymena thermophila, for which the complete germline genome sequences are known. Outside of these model taxa, only a few dozen germline loci have been characterized from a limited number of cultivable species, which is likely due to difficulties in obtaining sufficient quantities of “purified” germline DNA in these taxa. Combining single-cell transcriptomics and genomics, we have overcome these limitations and provide the first insights into the structure of the germline genome of the ciliate Chilodonella uncinata, a member of the understudied class Phyllopharyngea. Our analyses reveal the following: (i large gene families contain a disproportionate number of genes from scrambled germline loci; (ii germline-soma boundaries in the germline genome are demarcated by substantial shifts in GC content; (iii single-cell omics techniques provide large-scale quality germline genome data with limited effort, at least for ciliates with extensively fragmented somatic genomes. Our approach provides an efficient means to understand better the evolution of genome rearrangements between germline and soma in ciliates.

Generation and analysis of expressed sequence tags from the ciliate protozoan parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arias Covadonga

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The ciliate protozoan Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ich is an important parasite of freshwater fish that causes 'white spot disease' leading to significant losses. A genomic resource for large-scale studies of this parasite has been lacking. To study gene expression involved in Ich pathogenesis and virulence, our goal was to generate expressed sequence tags (ESTs for the development of a powerful microarray platform for the analysis of global gene expression in this species. Here, we initiated a project to sequence and analyze over 10,000 ESTs. Results We sequenced 10,368 EST clones using a normalized cDNA library made from pooled samples of the trophont, tomont, and theront life-cycle stages, and generated 9,769 sequences (94.2% success rate. Post-sequencing processing led to 8,432 high quality sequences. Clustering analysis of these ESTs allowed identification of 4,706 unique sequences containing 976 contigs and 3,730 singletons. These unique sequences represent over two million base pairs (~10% of Plasmodium falciparum genome, a phylogenetically related protozoan. BLASTX searches produced 2,518 significant (E-value -5 hits and further Gene Ontology (GO analysis annotated 1,008 of these genes. The ESTs were analyzed comparatively against the genomes of the related protozoa Tetrahymena thermophila and P. falciparum, allowing putative identification of additional genes. All the EST sequences were deposited by dbEST in GenBank (GenBank: EG957858–EG966289. Gene discovery and annotations are presented and discussed. Conclusion This set of ESTs represents a significant proportion of the Ich transcriptome, and provides a material basis for the development of microarrays useful for gene expression studies concerning Ich development, pathogenesis, and virulence.

Combinatorial QSAR modeling of chemical toxicants tested against Tetrahymena pyriformis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Hao; Tropsha, Alexander; Fourches, Denis; Varnek, Alexandre; Papa, Ester; Gramatica, Paola; Oberg, Tomas; Dao, Phuong; Cherkasov, Artem; Tetko, Igor V

2008-04-01

Selecting most rigorous quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) approaches is of great importance in the development of robust and predictive models of chemical toxicity. To address this issue in a systematic way, we have formed an international virtual collaboratory consisting of six independent groups with shared interests in computational chemical toxicology. We have compiled an aqueous toxicity data set containing 983 unique compounds tested in the same laboratory over a decade against Tetrahymena pyriformis. A modeling set including 644 compounds was selected randomly from the original set and distributed to all groups that used their own QSAR tools for model development. The remaining 339 compounds in the original set (external set I) as well as 110 additional compounds (external set II) published recently by the same laboratory (after this computational study was already in progress) were used as two independent validation sets to assess the external predictive power of individual models. In total, our virtual collaboratory has developed 15 different types of QSAR models of aquatic toxicity for the training set. The internal prediction accuracy for the modeling set ranged from 0.76 to 0.93 as measured by the leave-one-out cross-validation correlation coefficient ( Q abs2). The prediction accuracy for the external validation sets I and II ranged from 0.71 to 0.85 (linear regression coefficient R absI2) and from 0.38 to 0.83 (linear regression coefficient R absII2), respectively. The use of an applicability domain threshold implemented in most models generally improved the external prediction accuracy but at the same time led to a decrease in chemical space coverage. Finally, several consensus models were developed by averaging the predicted aquatic toxicity for every compound using all 15 models, with or without taking into account their respective applicability domains. We find that consensus models afford higher prediction accuracy for the

Repair of 8-methoxypsoralen induced DNA interstrand cross-links in Tetrahymena thermophila. The effect of inhibitors of macromolecular synthesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, P E; Køber, L

1985-01-01

-beta-D-arabinofuranoside (10 mM), puromycin (1 mM), hydroxyurea (5 mM) or 3-aminobenzamide (2.5 mM). None of the compounds showed any effect on the protein-DNA complexing step, and the ligation was partly inhibited only by nalidixic acid (150 micrograms/ml). The involvement of topoisomerases...

A Transition Metal-Binding, Trimeric βγ-Crystallin from Methane-Producing Thermophilic Archaea, Methanosaeta thermophila.

Science.gov (United States)

Srivastava, Shanti Swaroop; Jamkhindikar, Aditya Anand; Raman, Rajeev; Jobby, Maroor K; Chadalawada, Swathi; Sankaranarayanan, Rajan; Sharma, Yogendra

2017-03-07

βγ-Crystallins are important constituents of the vertebrate eye lens, whereas in microbes, they are prevalent as Ca 2+ -binding proteins. In archaea, βγ-crystallins are conspicuously confined to two methanogens, viz., Methanosaeta and Methanosarcina. One of these, i.e., M-crystallin from Methanosarcina acetivorans, has been shown to be a typical Ca 2+ -binding βγ-crystallin. Here, with the aid of a high-resolution crystal structure and isothermal titration calorimetry, we report that "Methallin", a βγ-crystallin from Methanosaeta thermophila, is a trimeric, transition metal-binding protein. It binds Fe, Ni, Co, or Zn ion with nanomolar affinity, which is consistent even at 55 °C, the optimal temperature for the methanogen's growth. At the center of the protein trimer, the metal ion is coordinated by six histidines, two from each protomer, leading to an octahedral geometry. Small-angle X-ray scattering analysis confirms that the trimer seen in the crystal lattice is a biological assembly; this assembly dissociates to monomers upon removal of the metal ion. The introduction of two histidines (S17H/S19H) into a homologous βγ-crystallin, Clostrillin, allows it to bind nickel at the introduced site, though with micromolar affinity. However, because of the lack of a compatible interface, nickel binding could not induce trimerization, affirming that Methallin is a naturally occurring trimer for high-affinity transition metal binding. While βγ-crystallins are known to bind Ca 2+ and form homodimers and oligomers, the transition metal-binding, trimeric Methallin is a new paradigm for βγ-crystallins. The distinct features of Methallin, such as nickel or iron binding, are also possible imprints of biogeochemical changes during the period of its origin.

In silico prediction of Tetrahymena pyriformis toxicity for diverse industrial chemicals with substructure pattern recognition and machine learning methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Feixiong; Shen, Jie; Yu, Yue; Li, Weihua; Liu, Guixia; Lee, Philip W; Tang, Yun

2011-03-01

There is an increasing need for the rapid safety assessment of chemicals by both industries and regulatory agencies throughout the world. In silico techniques are practical alternatives in the environmental hazard assessment. It is especially true to address the persistence, bioaccumulative and toxicity potentials of organic chemicals. Tetrahymena pyriformis toxicity is often used as a toxic endpoint. In this study, 1571 diverse unique chemicals were collected from the literature and composed of the largest diverse data set for T. pyriformis toxicity. Classification predictive models of T. pyriformis toxicity were developed by substructure pattern recognition and different machine learning methods, including support vector machine (SVM), C4.5 decision tree, k-nearest neighbors and random forest. The results of a 5-fold cross-validation showed that the SVM method performed better than other algorithms. The overall predictive accuracies of the SVM classification model with radial basis functions kernel was 92.2% for the 5-fold cross-validation and 92.6% for the external validation set, respectively. Furthermore, several representative substructure patterns for characterizing T. pyriformis toxicity were also identified via the information gain analysis methods. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evolutionary dynamics of a conserved sequence motif in the ribosomal genes of the ciliate Paramecium.

Science.gov (United States)

Catania, Francesco; Lynch, Michael

2010-05-04

In protozoa, the identification of preserved motifs by comparative genomics is often impeded by difficulties to generate reliable alignments for non-coding sequences. Moreover, the evolutionary dynamics of regulatory elements in 3' untranslated regions (both in protozoa and metazoa) remains a virtually unexplored issue. By screening Paramecium tetraurelia's 3' untranslated regions for 8-mers that were previously found to be preserved in mammalian 3' UTRs, we detect and characterize a motif that is distinctly conserved in the ribosomal genes of this ciliate. The motif appears to be conserved across Paramecium aurelia species but is absent from the ribosomal genes of four additional non-Paramecium species surveyed, including another ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila. Motif-free ribosomal genes retain fewer paralogs in the genome and appear to be lost more rapidly relative to motif-containing genes. Features associated with the discovered preserved motif are consistent with this 8-mer playing a role in post-transcriptional regulation. Our observations 1) shed light on the evolution of a putative regulatory motif across large phylogenetic distances; 2) are expected to facilitate the understanding of the modulation of ribosomal genes expression in Paramecium; and 3) reveal a largely unexplored--and presumably not restricted to Paramecium--association between the presence/absence of a DNA motif and the evolutionary fate of its host genes.

Ecological effects of various toxic agents on the aquatic microcosm in comparison with acute ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuma, S.; Ishii, N.; Takeda, H.; Miyamoto, K.; Yanagisawa, K.; Ichimasa, Y.; Saito, M.; Kawabata, Z.; Polikarpov, G.G.

2003-01-01

The purpose of this study was an evaluation of the effect levels of various toxic agents compared with acute doses of ionizing radiation for the experimental model ecosystem, i.e., microcosm mimicking aquatic microbial communities. For this purpose, the authors used the microcosm consisting of populations of the flagellate alga Euglena gracilis as a producer, the ciliate protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila as a consumer and the bacterium Escherichia coli as a decomposer. Effects of aluminum and copper on the microcosm were investigated in this study, while effects of γ-rays, ultraviolet radiation, acidification, manganese, nickel and gadolinium were reported in previous studies. The microcosm could detect not only the direct effects of these agents but also the community-level effects due to the interspecies interactions or the interactions between organisms and toxic agents. The authors evaluated doses or concentrations of each toxic agent which had the following effects on the microcosm: (1) no effects; (2) recognizable effects, i.e., decrease or increase in the cell densities of at least one species; (3) severe effects, i.e., extinction of one or two species; and (4) destructive effects, i.e., extinction of all species. The resulting effects data will contribute to an ecological risk assessment of the toxic agents compared with acute doses of ionizing radiation

Phages can constrain protist predation-driven attenuation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence in multienemy communities

Science.gov (United States)

Friman, Ville-Petri; Buckling, Angus

2014-01-01

The coincidental theory of virulence predicts that bacterial pathogenicity could be a by-product of selection by natural enemies in environmental reservoirs. However, current results are ambiguous and the simultaneous impact of multiple ubiquitous enemies, protists and phages on virulence evolution has not been investigated previously. Here we tested experimentally how Tetrahymena thermophila protist predation and PNM phage parasitism (bacteria-specific virus) alone and together affect the evolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 virulence, measured in wax moth larvae. Protist predation selected for small colony types, both in the absence and presence of phage, which showed decreased edibility to protists, reduced growth in the absence of enemies and attenuated virulence. Although phage selection alone did not affect the bacterial phenotype, it weakened protist-driven antipredatory defence (biofilm formation), its associated pleiotropic growth cost and the correlated reduction in virulence. These results suggest that protist selection can be a strong coincidental driver of attenuated bacterial virulence, and that phages can constrain this effect owing to effects on population dynamics and conflicting selection pressures. Attempting to define causal links such as these might help us to predict the cold and hot spots of coincidental virulence evolution on the basis of microbial community composition of environmental reservoirs. PMID:24671085

Tetrahymena pyriformis cells are deficient in all mannose-P-dolichol-dependent mannosyltransferases but not in mannose-P-dolichol synthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yagodnik, C.; de la Canal, L.; Parodi, A.J.

1987-01-01

Cells of the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis incubated with [ 14 C]glucose were found to synthesize Man-P-dolichol and Glc-P-dolichol, as well as Glc 3 Man 5 GlcNAc 2 -P-P-dolichol, the latter being the main and largest lipid derivative formed. The missing mannose residues were those known to be transferred from Man-P-dolichol in other systems. Formation of Man-P-dolichol and of dolichol-P-P-oligosaccharides containing up to five mannose units was detected in cell-free assays containing protozoan membranes, rat liver dolichol-P, unlabeled Man/sub 4-9/GlcNAc 2 -P-P-dolichol from pig liver, and GDP-[ 14 C]Man. Under exactly the same conditions but with UDP-[ 14 C]Glc instead of GDP-[ 14 C]Man, Glc-P-dolichol and dolichol-P-P-oligosaccharides containing five mannose and one to three glucose residues were formed in the absence of the pig liver compounds. In the presence of the latter, dolichol-P-P derivatives containing nine mannose and one to three glucose units were also synthesized. It is concluded that T. pyriformis cells are deficient in all Man-P-dolichol-dependent mannosyltransferases but not in Man-P-dolichol synthesis. The role of the latter compound in this microorganism is unknown

Heteroagglomeration of zinc oxide nanoparticles with clay mineral modulates the bioavailability and toxicity of nanoparticle in Tetrahymena pyriformis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Govind Sharan; Senapati, Violet Aileen; Dhawan, Alok; Shanker, Rishi

2017-06-01

The extensive use of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) in cosmetics, sunscreens and healthcare products increases their release in the aquatic environment. The present study explored the possible interaction of ZnO NPs with montmorillonite clay minerals in aqueous conditions. An addition of ZnO NPs on clay suspension significantly (pclay particles from 1652±90nm to 2158±13nm due to heteroagglomeration. The electrokinetic measurements showed a significant (pclay association (-1.37±0.03μmcm/Vs) that results to the electrostatic interaction between ZnO NPs and clay particles. The attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis of ZnO NPs-clay association demonstrated the binding of ZnO NPs with the Si-O-Al region on the edges of clay particles. The increase in size of ZnO NPs-clay heteroagglomerates further leads to their sedimentation at 24h. Although, the stability of ZnO NPs in the clay suspension was decreased due to heteroagglomeration, but the bioavailability and toxicity of ZnO NPs-clay heteroagglomerates in Tetrahymena pyriformis was enhanced. These observations provide an evidence on possible mechanisms available in natural environment that can facilitate nanoparticles entry into the organisms present in lower trophic levels of the food web. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

QSTR with extended topochemical atom (ETA) indices. 14. QSAR modeling of toxicity of aromatic aldehydes to Tetrahymena pyriformis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roy, Kunal, E-mail: kunalroy_in@yahoo.com [Drug Theoretics and Cheminformatics Laboratory, Division of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032 (India); Das, Rudra Narayan [Drug Theoretics and Cheminformatics Laboratory, Division of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032 (India)

2010-11-15

Aldehydes are a toxic class of chemicals causing severe health hazards. In this background, quantitative structure-toxicity relationship (QSTR) models have been developed in the present study using Extended Topochemical Atom (ETA) indices for a large group of 77 aromatic aldehydes for their acute toxicity against the protozoan ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis. The ETA models have been compared with those developed using various non-ETA topological indices. Attempt was also made to include the n-octanol/water partition coefficient (log K{sub o/w}) as an additional descriptor considering the importance of hydrophobicity in toxicity prediction. Thirty different models were developed using different chemometric tools. All the models have been validated using internal validation and external validation techniques. The statistical quality of the ETA models was found to be comparable to that of the non-ETA models. The ETA models have shown the important effects of steric bulk, lipophilicity, presence of electronegative atom containing substituents and functionality of the aldehydic oxygen to the toxicity of the aldehydes. The best ETA model (without using log K{sub o/w}) shows encouraging statistical quality (Q{sub int}{sup 2}=0.709,Q{sub ext}{sup 2}=0.744). It is interesting to note that some of the topological models reported here are better in statistical quality than previously reported models using quantum chemical descriptors.

Evolutionary dynamics of a conserved sequence motif in the ribosomal genes of the ciliate Paramecium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lynch Michael

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In protozoa, the identification of preserved motifs by comparative genomics is often impeded by difficulties to generate reliable alignments for non-coding sequences. Moreover, the evolutionary dynamics of regulatory elements in 3' untranslated regions (both in protozoa and metazoa remains a virtually unexplored issue. Results By screening Paramecium tetraurelia's 3' untranslated regions for 8-mers that were previously found to be preserved in mammalian 3' UTRs, we detect and characterize a motif that is distinctly conserved in the ribosomal genes of this ciliate. The motif appears to be conserved across Paramecium aurelia species but is absent from the ribosomal genes of four additional non-Paramecium species surveyed, including another ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila. Motif-free ribosomal genes retain fewer paralogs in the genome and appear to be lost more rapidly relative to motif-containing genes. Features associated with the discovered preserved motif are consistent with this 8-mer playing a role in post-transcriptional regulation. Conclusions Our observations 1 shed light on the evolution of a putative regulatory motif across large phylogenetic distances; 2 are expected to facilitate the understanding of the modulation of ribosomal genes expression in Paramecium; and 3 reveal a largely unexplored--and presumably not restricted to Paramecium--association between the presence/absence of a DNA motif and the evolutionary fate of its host genes.

Evaluation of seven in vitro alternatives for ocular safety testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruner, L H; Kain, D J; Roberts, D A; Parker, R D

1991-07-01

Seven in vitro assays were evaluated to determine if any were useful as screening procedures in ocular safety assessment. Seventeen test materials (chemicals, household cleaners, hand soaps, dishwashing liquids, shampoos, and liquid laundry detergents) were tested in each assay. In vivo ocular irritation scores for the materials were obtained from existing rabbit low volume eye test (LVET) data. The seven assays evaluated included the silicon microphysiometer (SM), luminescent bacteria toxicity test (LBT), neutral red assay (NR), total protein assay (TP), Tetrahymena thermophila motility assay (TTMA), bovine eye/chorioallantoic membrane assay (BE/CAM), and the EYTEX system (ETS). For the seventeen materials used in this study there was a significant correlation between the in vivo irritant potential and in vitro data for all the tests except the EYTEX System (SM, r = -0.87; LBT, r = -0.91; NR, r = -0.85; TTMA, r = 0.78; TP, r = -0.86; ETS, r = 0.29). The irritation classifications provided by the BE/CAM also did not correspond with the actual in vivo irritancy potential of the test materials. The result of this study suggested it may be possible to classify materials into broad irritancy categories with some of the assays. This would allow their use as screens prior to limited in vivo confirmation in the ocular safety assessment process.

Horizontal gene transfer from Bacteria to rumen Ciliates indicates adaptation to their anaerobic, carbohydrates-rich environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takenaka Akio

2006-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The horizontal transfer of expressed genes from Bacteria into Ciliates which live in close contact with each other in the rumen (the foregut of ruminants was studied using ciliate Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs. More than 4000 ESTs were sequenced from representatives of the two major groups of rumen Cilates: the order Entodiniomorphida (Entodinium simplex, Entodinium caudatum, Eudiplodinium maggii, Metadinium medium, Diploplastron affine, Polyplastron multivesiculatum and Epidinium ecaudatum and the order Vestibuliferida, previously called Holotricha (Isotricha prostoma, Isotricha intestinalis and Dasytricha ruminantium. Results A comparison of the sequences with the completely sequenced genomes of Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes, followed by large-scale construction and analysis of phylogenies, identified 148 ciliate genes that specifically cluster with genes from the Bacteria and Archaea. The phylogenetic clustering with bacterial genes, coupled with the absence of close relatives of these genes in the Ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila, indicates that they have been acquired via Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT after the colonization of the gut by the rumen Ciliates. Conclusion Among the HGT candidates, we found an over-representation (>75% of genes involved in metabolism, specifically in the catabolism of complex carbohydrates, a rich food source in the rumen. We propose that the acquisition of these genes has greatly facilitated the Ciliates' colonization of the rumen providing evidence for the role of HGT in the adaptation to new niches.

Horizontal gene transfer from Bacteria to rumen Ciliates indicates adaptation to their anaerobic, carbohydrates-rich environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Ricard, Guénola; McEwan, Neil R; Dutilh, Bas E; Jouany, Jean-Pierre; Macheboeuf, Didier; Mitsumori, Makoto; McIntosh, Freda M; Michalowski, Tadeusz; Nagamine, Takafumi; Nelson, Nancy; Newbold, Charles J; Nsabimana, Eli; Takenaka, Akio; Thomas, Nadine A; Ushida, Kazunari; Hackstein, Johannes H P; Huynen, Martijn A

2006-02-10

The horizontal transfer of expressed genes from Bacteria into Ciliates which live in close contact with each other in the rumen (the foregut of ruminants) was studied using ciliate Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs). More than 4000 ESTs were sequenced from representatives of the two major groups of rumen Cilates: the order Entodiniomorphida (Entodinium simplex, Entodinium caudatum, Eudiplodinium maggii, Metadinium medium, Diploplastron affine, Polyplastron multivesiculatum and Epidinium ecaudatum) and the order Vestibuliferida, previously called Holotricha (Isotricha prostoma, Isotricha intestinalis and Dasytricha ruminantium). A comparison of the sequences with the completely sequenced genomes of Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes, followed by large-scale construction and analysis of phylogenies, identified 148 ciliate genes that specifically cluster with genes from the Bacteria and Archaea. The phylogenetic clustering with bacterial genes, coupled with the absence of close relatives of these genes in the Ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila, indicates that they have been acquired via Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT) after the colonization of the gut by the rumen Ciliates. Among the HGT candidates, we found an over-representation (>75%) of genes involved in metabolism, specifically in the catabolism of complex carbohydrates, a rich food source in the rumen. We propose that the acquisition of these genes has greatly facilitated the Ciliates' colonization of the rumen providing evidence for the role of HGT in the adaptation to new niches.

The membrane skeleton in Paramecium: Molecular characterization of a novel epiplasmin family and preliminary GFP expression results.

Science.gov (United States)

Pomel, Sébastien; Diogon, Marie; Bouchard, Philippe; Pradel, Lydie; Ravet, Viviane; Coffe, Gérard; Viguès, Bernard

2006-02-01

Previous attempts to identify the membrane skeleton of Paramecium cells have revealed a protein pattern that is both complex and specific. The most prominent structural elements, epiplasmic scales, are centered around ciliary units and are closely apposed to the cytoplasmic side of the inner alveolar membrane. We sought to characterize epiplasmic scale proteins (epiplasmins) at the molecular level. PCR approaches enabled the cloning and sequencing of two closely related genes by amplifications of sequences from a macronuclear genomic library. Using these two genes (EPI-1 and EPI-2), we have contributed to the annotation of the Paramecium tetraurelia macronuclear genome and identified 39 additional (paralogous) sequences. Two orthologous sequences were found in the Tetrahymena thermophila genome. Structural analysis of the 43 sequences indicates that the hallmark of this new multigenic family is a 79 aa domain flanked by two Q-, P- and V-rich stretches of sequence that are much more variable in amino-acid composition. Such features clearly distinguish members of the multigenic family from epiplasmic proteins previously sequenced in other ciliates. The expression of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP)-tagged epiplasmin showed significant labeling of epiplasmic scales as well as oral structures. We expect that the GFP construct described herein will prove to be a useful tool for comparative subcellular localization of different putative epiplasmins in Paramecium.

Tetrahymena telomerase protein p65 induces conformational changes throughout telomerase RNA (TER) and rescues telomerase reverse transcriptase and TER assembly mutants.

Science.gov (United States)

Berman, Andrea J; Gooding, Anne R; Cech, Thomas R

2010-10-01

The biogenesis of the Tetrahymena telomerase ribonucleoprotein particle (RNP) is enhanced by p65, a La family protein. Single-molecule and biochemical studies have uncovered a hierarchical assembly of the RNP, wherein the binding of p65 to stems I and IV of telomerase RNA (TER) causes a conformational change that facilitates the subsequent binding of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) to TER. We used purified p65 and variants of TERT and TER to investigate the conformational rearrangements that occur during RNP assembly. Nuclease protection assays and mutational analysis revealed that p65 interacts with and stimulates conformational changes in regions of TER beyond stem IV. Several TER mutants exhibited telomerase activity only in the presence of p65, revealing the importance of p65 in promoting the correct RNP assembly pathway. In addition, p65 rescued TERT assembly mutants but not TERT activity mutants. Taken together, these results suggest that p65 stimulates telomerase assembly and activity in two ways. First, by sequestering stems I and IV, p65 limits the ensemble of structural conformations of TER, thereby presenting TERT with the active conformation of TER. Second, p65 acts as a molecular buttress within the assembled RNP, mutually stabilizing TER and TERT in catalytically active conformations.

Prediction of acute toxicity of phenol derivatives using multiple linear regression approach for Tetrahymena pyriformis contaminant identification in a median-size database.

Science.gov (United States)

Dieguez-Santana, Karel; Pham-The, Hai; Villegas-Aguilar, Pedro J; Le-Thi-Thu, Huong; Castillo-Garit, Juan A; Casañola-Martin, Gerardo M

2016-12-01

In this article, the modeling of inhibitory grown activity against Tetrahymena pyriformis is described. The 0-2D Dragon descriptors based on structural aspects to gain some knowledge of factors influencing aquatic toxicity are mainly used. Besides, it is done by some enlarged data of phenol derivatives described for the first time and composed of 358 chemicals. It overcomes the previous datasets with about one hundred compounds. Moreover, the results of the model evaluation by the parameters in the training, prediction and validation give adequate results comparable with those of the previous works. The more influential descriptors included in the model are: X3A, MWC02, MWC10 and piPC03 with positive contributions to the dependent variable; and MWC09, piPC02 and TPC with negative contributions. In a next step, a median-size database of nearly 8000 phenolic compounds extracted from ChEMBL was evaluated with the quantitative-structure toxicity relationship (QSTR) model developed providing some clues (SARs) for identification of ecotoxicological compounds. The outcome of this report is very useful to screen chemical databases for finding the compounds responsible of aquatic contamination in the biomarker used in the current work. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of C2 ceramide on the inositol phospholipid metabolism (uptake of 32P, 3H-serine and 3H-palmitic acid) and apoptosis-related morphological changes in Tetrahymena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovacs, P.; Hegyesi, H.; Koehidai, L.; Nemes, P.; Csaba, G.

1999-01-01

Sphingomyelin metabolites have significant role in the regulation of many life processes of mammalian cells. In the present experiments the influence of phospholipid turnover and apoptosis related morphologic signs by one of this metabolite, C 2 ceramide was studied, and compared to the control, untreated cells, in the unicellular Tetrahymena. The incorporation of phospholipid head group components (serine, phosphorus) show a clear time-dependence; while the incorporation of fatty acid component (palmitic acid) is very fast: no significant alterations were found between 5- and 60-min incubations. C 2 ceramide treatment didn't alter 3 H-palmitic acid incorporation into phospholipids, however 3 H-serine incorporation was mainly inhibited. The amount of total incorporated 32 P was also decreased, on the other hand the lover concentration C 2 ceramide (10 μM) elevated the synthesis of inositol phospholipids. The higher concentration of C 2 ceramide (50 μM) had inhibitory effect on the synthesis of each phospholipids examined. This means that in the presence of the C 2 ceramide the synthesis, recovery and turnover of phospholipids, participating in signal transduction, are altered. However these observations were based the uptake of labeled phospholipid precursors, which gives information on the dynamics of the process, without using lipid mass measurements. C 2 ceramide also caused the rounding off the cells, DNA degradation and nuclear condensation. These latter observations point to morphological signs of apoptosis. The results call attention to the role of sphingomyelin metabolites on signalization of unicellulars, to the cross-talk between the inositol phospholipids and sphingomyelin metabolites, and the role of these molecules in the apoptotic processes at a low evolutionary level. (Copyright (c) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

Nanomaterials' Influences on the Emergence of Life and Their Toxic Effects on Bacteria and Protozoa

Science.gov (United States)

Mielke, Randall Edward

This research investigates the unique properties of nanomaterials (NMs) with highly catalytic surfaces that make them ideal for the production of organic molecules but also confer toxic properties of some NMs. Iron-sulphide NMs were used in a hydrothermal reactor that released hydrogen sulphide and other metal ions in the effluent, as analyzed by inductively-coupled plasma (ICP) spectrometry. Using an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM), iron sulphide NM surfaces indicate severe weathering as a result of environmental conditions including high pressure (100 bar H2) and moderate temperatures (130°C). The effluent's chemical properties from the reactor experiment generated chimney structures from newly formed iron-sulphide NMs in a ferrous rich 'Hadean Ocean' solution. Using ESEM, we show that structural changes occur under different pHs, temperatures, and silicate concentrations. The presence of 5-mer peptides also shows distinct structural differences during the formation of iron-sulphide NM chimneys. Nano-titanium dioxide NMs (nTiO2) were used to show the toxicity of nTiO2 encrusted Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) fed to Tetrahymena thermophila (TT) protozoa under aerobic conditions. The control TT showed limited toxicity when grown in the presence of nTiO2, and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) revealed the initial accumulation of nTiO2 in food vacuoles (FVs) of control TT cells that were not observed in the TT grown with nTiO2-encrusted PA. After 22 h, very little nTiO2 is observed in the control TT FVs as compared with the TT grown with nTiO2-encrusted PA FVs which had about 30% of the FV filled with nTiO2. Toxicity to nTiO2 was observed as reduced growth yields for both the control and the PA fed TT, but also as a reduction in growth rate for TT grown with nTiO2-encrusted PA. To understand biological weathering of NMs, the use of STEM energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was enhanced to analyze single nano-sized particles

Ciliate telomerase RNA loop IV nucleotides promote hierarchical RNP assembly and holoenzyme stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Robart, Aaron R; O'Connor, Catherine M; Collins, Kathleen

2010-03-01

Telomerase adds simple-sequence repeats to chromosome 3' ends to compensate for the loss of repeats with each round of genome replication. To accomplish this de novo DNA synthesis, telomerase uses a template within its integral RNA component. In addition to providing the template, the telomerase RNA subunit (TER) also harbors nontemplate motifs that contribute to the specialized telomerase catalytic cycle of reiterative repeat synthesis. Most nontemplate TER motifs function through linkage with the template, but in ciliate and vertebrate telomerases, a stem-loop motif binds telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and reconstitutes full activity of the minimal recombinant TERT+TER RNP, even when physically separated from the template. Here, we resolve the functional requirements for this motif of ciliate TER in physiological RNP context using the Tetrahymena thermophila p65-TER-TERT core RNP reconstituted in vitro and the holoenzyme reconstituted in vivo. Contrary to expectation based on assays of the minimal recombinant RNP, we find that none of a panel of individual loop IV nucleotide substitutions impacts the profile of telomerase product synthesis when reconstituted as physiological core RNP or holoenzyme RNP. However, loop IV nucleotide substitutions do variably reduce assembly of TERT with the p65-TER complex in vitro and reduce the accumulation and stability of telomerase RNP in endogenous holoenzyme context. Our results point to a unifying model of a conformational activation role for this TER motif in the telomerase RNP enzyme.

Ecological effects of ionizing radiation and other toxic agents on the aquatic microcosm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuma, Shoichi; Ishii, Nobuyoshi; Tanaka, Nobuyuki; Takeda, Hiroshi; Miyamoto, Kiriko; Yanagisawa, Kei; Kawabata, Zen'ichiro

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was comparative evaluation of effects of ionizing radiation and other various toxic agents on aquatic microbial communities. For this purpose, the authors investigated effects of γ-rays, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, acidification, aluminum, manganese, nickel, copper and gadolinium on the microcosm, i.e., the experimental model ecosystem consisting of populations of the flagellate alga Euglena gracilis as a producer, the ciliate protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila as a consumer and the bacterium Eseherichia coli as a decomposer. Effects of toxic agents in the microcosm were not only direct effects but also community-level effects due to interactions among the constituting species or between organisms and toxic agents. In general, the degrees of effects observed in the microcosm could be categorized as follows: no effects; recognizable effects, i.e., decrease or increase in the cell densities of at least one species; severe effects, i.e., extinction of one or two species; and destructive effects, i.e., extinction of all species. These results were analyzed by the ecological effect index (EEI), in which differences in the cell densities between exposed and control microcosm were represented by the Euclidean distance function. A 50% effect doses for the microcosm (ED M50 ), at which the EEI became 50%, were evaluated to be 530 Gy for γ-rays, 2100 J m -2 for UV, 4100 μM for manganese, 45 μM for nickel, 110 μM for copper and 250 μM for gadolinium. (author)

Ecological effects of ionizing radiation on population and ecosystem: a computational model ecosystem study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doi, Masahiro; Fuma, Shoichi; Ishii, Nobuyuki; Sakashita, Tetsuya; Miyamoto, Kiriko; Takeda, Hiroshi; Kawabata, Zenichiro

2003-01-01

Ecosystem is a self-sustaining system of complexity, and their responses to the impacts are synergistic and subjected to the demographic stochasticity of the species, environmental stochasticity and randomness. Environmental fate and effects of radiation has ranged from observable DNA damage of the cell to the fare on tissues, individual, population, community and ecosystems. The quantitative, systematic individual-based model, SIM-COSM was developed to simulate impacts of radiation exposure and other toxicants on an aquatic microbial ecosystem (microcosm). The microcosm consists of heterotroph ciliate protozoa (Tetrahymena thermophila B) as a consumer, autotroph flagellate algae (Euglena gracilis Z) as a producer and saprotroph bacteria (Escherichia coli DH5) as a decomposer. The symbiosis among microbes is self-organized by realizing material cycle and sustained for more than 2 years after inoculation. The system can not afford to lose any one of the microbes to maintain its sustainability. Experimental ecotoxicological tests for (a) gamma radiation, (b) Manganese ions and (c) Gadolinium are summarized. Population dynamics of microbes in Microcosm and its computer simulations by SIM-COSM are shown together in a figure. Population dynamics in Microcosm and SIM-COSM exposed to 500 Gy of gamma-radiation at 50 days after inoculation are shown also in a figure. To take the effects on the interactions between species and environment into account, one option is to put the ecotoxicity tests as experimental micro ecosystem study and theoretical model ecosystem analysis. (M. Suetake)

8-Methoxypsoralen DNA interstrand cross-linking of the ribosomal RNA genes in Tetrahymena thermophila. Distribution, repair and effect on rRNA synthesis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fengquin, X; Nielsen, Henrik; Zhen, W

1993-01-01

between three domains (terminal spacer, transcribed region and central spacer) as defined by restriction enzyme analysis (BamHI and ClaI). It is furthermore shown that a dosage resulting in approximately one cross-link per rDNA molecule (21 kbp, two genes) is sufficient to block RNA synthesis. Finally......, it is shown that the cross-links in the rDNA molecules are repaired at equal rate in all three domains within 24 h and that RNA synthesis is partly restored during this repair period. The majority of the cells also go through one to two cell divisions in this period but do not survive....

Vacuum ultraviolet photolysis of diclofenac and the effects of its treated aqueous solutions on the proliferation and migratory responses of Tetrahymena pyriformis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arany, Eszter; Láng, Júlia; Somogyvári, Dávid; Láng, Orsolya; Alapi, Tünde; Ilisz, István

2014-01-01

The effects of dissolved O 2 , phosphate buffer and the initial concentration of diclofenac on the vacuum ultraviolet photolysis of this contaminant molecule were studied. Besides kinetic measurements, the irradiated, multicomponent samples were characterized via the proliferation and migratory responses (in sublethal concentrations) of the bioindicator eukaryotic ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis. The results suggest that hydroxyl radicals, hydrogen atoms and hydroperoxyl radicals may all contribute to the degradation of diclofenac. The aromatic by-products of diclofenac were presumed to include a hydroxylated derivative, 1-(8-chlorocarbazolyl)acetic acid and 1-(8-hydroxycarbazolyl)acetic acid. The biological activity of photoexposed samples reflected the chemical transformation of diclofenac and was also dependent on the level of dissolved O 2 . The increase in toxicity of samples taken after different irradiation times did not exceed a factor of two. Our results suggest that the combination of vacuum ultraviolet photolysis with toxicity and chemotactic measurements can be a valuable method for the investigation of the elimination of micropollutants. - Highlights: • The radical-scavenging effect of phosphates seems to be negligible. • Only higher concentrations of HO 2 · contribute to the degradation of diclofenac. • Toxicity of VUV-treated samples decreases with increasing rate of mineralization. • Dissolved O 2 enhances the mineralization of diclofenac by affecting the radical set. • Treated samples retain the chemorepellent character of the parent compound

Vacuum ultraviolet photolysis of diclofenac and the effects of its treated aqueous solutions on the proliferation and migratory responses of Tetrahymena pyriformis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arany, Eszter [Research Group of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Rerrich Béla tér 1 (Hungary); Láng, Júlia [Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, H-1089 Budapest, Nagyvárad tér 4 (Hungary); Somogyvári, Dávid [Research Group of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Rerrich Béla tér 1 (Hungary); Láng, Orsolya [Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, H-1089 Budapest, Nagyvárad tér 4 (Hungary); Alapi, Tünde [Research Group of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Rerrich Béla tér 1 (Hungary); Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Dóm tér 7 (Hungary); Ilisz, István [Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Dóm tér 7 (Hungary); and others

2014-01-01

The effects of dissolved O{sub 2}, phosphate buffer and the initial concentration of diclofenac on the vacuum ultraviolet photolysis of this contaminant molecule were studied. Besides kinetic measurements, the irradiated, multicomponent samples were characterized via the proliferation and migratory responses (in sublethal concentrations) of the bioindicator eukaryotic ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis. The results suggest that hydroxyl radicals, hydrogen atoms and hydroperoxyl radicals may all contribute to the degradation of diclofenac. The aromatic by-products of diclofenac were presumed to include a hydroxylated derivative, 1-(8-chlorocarbazolyl)acetic acid and 1-(8-hydroxycarbazolyl)acetic acid. The biological activity of photoexposed samples reflected the chemical transformation of diclofenac and was also dependent on the level of dissolved O{sub 2}. The increase in toxicity of samples taken after different irradiation times did not exceed a factor of two. Our results suggest that the combination of vacuum ultraviolet photolysis with toxicity and chemotactic measurements can be a valuable method for the investigation of the elimination of micropollutants. - Highlights: • The radical-scavenging effect of phosphates seems to be negligible. • Only higher concentrations of HO{sub 2}{sup ·} contribute to the degradation of diclofenac. • Toxicity of VUV-treated samples decreases with increasing rate of mineralization. • Dissolved O{sub 2} enhances the mineralization of diclofenac by affecting the radical set. • Treated samples retain the chemorepellent character of the parent compound.

NCBI nr-aa BLAST: CBRC-BTAU-01-2897 [SEVENS

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available CBRC-BTAU-01-2897 ref|YP_740836.1| NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 [Tetrahymena pigmento...sa] gb|ABI51745.1| NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 [Tetrahymena pigmentosa] YP_740836.1 0.019 21% ...

Comparative studies on the photosensitizing potency of 5-methoxypsoralen and 8-methoxypsoralen as measured by cytolysis in Paramecium caudatam and Tetrahymena pyriformis, and growth inhibition and survival in Candida albicans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Young, A.R.; Barth, J.

1982-01-01

The photosensitizing potencies of 5-methoxypsoralen and 8-methoxypsoralen were investigated using the following biological end-points for lethality: (i) cytolysis in the protozoans Paramecium caudatum and Tetrahymena pyriformis, (ii) inhibition of growth in the yeast Candida albicans and (iii) survival as measured by colony counts in Candida albicans. In all cases, 5-methoxypsoralen proved to be the more potent photosensitizing agent. The preliminary action spectra of the 2 compounds for growth inhibition in C. albicans were similar and showed maximal spectral efficiency in the 320-340 nm waveband. The molecular basis for the described end-points is unknown. Although it is well known that 5-methoxypsoralen and 8-methoxypsoralen readily photoreact with DNA, it is considered that photoreaction with protein should also be given serious consideration as the possible lethal event. The superior effect of 5-methoxypsoralen is in accordance with some of the physical and photochemical properties of this molecule, but this result is at variance with other studies in different test systems that have been used to compare the photobiological efficacy of these 2 compounds. (author)

Comparative studies on the photosensitizing potency of 5-methoxypsoralen and 8-methoxypsoralen as measured by cytolysis in Paramecium caudatam and Tetrahymena pyriformis, and growth inhibition and survival in Candida albicans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Young, A.R. (Institute of Dermatology, London (UK)); Barth, J. (Karl-Marx-Universitaet, Leipzig (German Democratic Republic))

1982-01-01

The photosensitizing potencies of 5-methoxypsoralen and 8-methoxypsoralen were investigated using the following biological end-points for lethality: (i) cytolysis in the protozoans Paramecium caudatum and Tetrahymena pyriformis, (ii) inhibition of growth in the yeast Candida albicans and (iii) survival as measured by colony counts in Candida albicans. In all cases, 5-methoxypsoralen proved to be the more potent photosensitizing agent. The preliminary action spectra of the 2 compounds for growth inhibition in C. albicans were similar and showed maximal spectral efficiency in the 320-340 nm waveband. The molecular basis for the described end-points is unknown. Although it is well known that 5-methoxypsoralen and 8-methoxypsoralen readily photoreact with DNA, it is considered that photoreaction with protein should also be given serious consideration as the possible lethal event. The superior effect of 5-methoxypsoralen is in accordance with some of the physical and photochemical properties of this molecule, but this result is at variance with other studies in different test systems that have been used to compare the photobiological efficacy of these 2 compounds.

Modulation of individual steps in group I intron catalysis by a peripheral metal ion.

Science.gov (United States)

Forconi, Marcello; Piccirilli, Joseph A; Herschlag, Daniel

2007-10-01

Enzymes are complex macromolecules that catalyze chemical reactions at their active sites. Important information about catalytic interactions is commonly gathered by perturbation or mutation of active site residues that directly contact substrates. However, active sites are engaged in intricate networks of interactions within the overall structure of the macromolecule, and there is a growing body of evidence about the importance of peripheral interactions in the precise structural organization of the active site. Here, we use functional studies, in conjunction with published structural information, to determine the effect of perturbation of a peripheral metal ion binding site on catalysis in a well-characterized catalytic RNA, the Tetrahymena thermophila group I ribozyme. We perturbed the metal ion binding site by site-specifically introducing a phosphorothioate substitution in the ribozyme's backbone, replacing the native ligands (the pro-R (P) oxygen atoms at positions 307 and 308) with sulfur atoms. Our data reveal that these perturbations affect several reaction steps, including the chemical step, despite the absence of direct contacts of this metal ion with the atoms involved in the chemical transformation. As structural probing with hydroxyl radicals did not reveal significant change in the three-dimensional structure upon phosphorothioate substitution, the effects are likely transmitted through local, rather subtle conformational rearrangements. Addition of Cd(2+), a thiophilic metal ion, rescues some reaction steps but has deleterious effects on other steps. These results suggest that native interactions in the active site may have been aligned by the naturally occurring peripheral residues and interactions to optimize the overall catalytic cycle.

Mapping the kinetic barriers of a Large RNA molecule's folding landscape.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jörg C Schlatterer

Full Text Available The folding of linear polymers into discrete three-dimensional structures is often required for biological function. The formation of long-lived intermediates is a hallmark of the folding of large RNA molecules due to the ruggedness of their energy landscapes. The precise thermodynamic nature of the barriers (whether enthalpic or entropic that leads to intermediate formation is still poorly characterized in large structured RNA molecules. A classic approach to analyzing kinetic barriers are temperature dependent studies analyzed with Eyring's transition state theory. We applied Eyring's theory to time-resolved hydroxyl radical (•OH footprinting kinetics progress curves collected at eight temperature from 21.5 °C to 51 °C to characterize the thermodynamic nature of folding intermediate formation for the Mg(2+-mediated folding of the Tetrahymena thermophila group I ribozyme. A common kinetic model configuration describes this RNA folding reaction over the entire temperature range studied consisting of primary (fast transitions to misfolded intermediates followed by much slower secondary transitions, consistent with previous studies. Eyring analysis reveals that the primary transitions are moderate in magnitude and primarily enthalpic in nature. In contrast, the secondary transitions are daunting in magnitude and entropic in nature. The entropic character of the secondary transitions is consistent with structural rearrangement of the intermediate species to the final folded form. This segregation of kinetic control reveals distinctly different molecular mechanisms during the two stages of RNA folding and documents the importance of entropic barriers to defining rugged RNA folding landscapes.

Reduction of Fe(III) oxides by phylogenetically and physiologically diverse thermophilic methanogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamada, Chihaya; Kato, Souichiro; Kimura, Satoshi; Ishii, Masaharu; Igarashi, Yasuo

2014-09-01

Three thermophilic methanogens (Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus, Methanosaeta thermophila, and Methanosarcina thermophila) were investigated for their ability to reduce poorly crystalline Fe(III) oxides (ferrihydrite) and the inhibitory effects of ferrihydrite on their methanogenesis. This study demonstrated that Fe(II) generation from ferrihydrite occurs in the cultures of the three thermophilic methanogens only when H2 was supplied as the source of reducing equivalents, even in the cultures of Mst. thermophila that do not grow on and produce CH4 from H2/CO2. While supplementation of ferrihydrite resulted in complete inhibition or suppression of methanogenesis by the thermophilic methanogens, ferrihydrite reduction by the methanogens at least partially alleviates the inhibitory effects. Microscopic and crystallographic analyses on the ferrihydrite-reducing Msr. thermophila cultures exhibited generation of magnetite on its cell surfaces through partial reduction of ferrihydrite. These findings suggest that at least certain thermophilic methanogens have the ability to extracellularly transfer electrons to insoluble Fe(III) compounds, affecting their methanogenic activities, which would in turn have significant impacts on materials and energy cycles in thermophilic anoxic environments. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

In silico prediction of toxicity of phenols to Tetrahymena pyriformis by using genetic algorithm and decision tree-based modeling approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbasitabar, Fatemeh; Zare-Shahabadi, Vahid

2017-04-01

Risk assessment of chemicals is an important issue in environmental protection; however, there is a huge lack of experimental data for a large number of end-points. The experimental determination of toxicity of chemicals involves high costs and time-consuming process. In silico tools such as quantitative structure-toxicity relationship (QSTR) models, which are constructed on the basis of computational molecular descriptors, can predict missing data for toxic end-points for existing or even not yet synthesized chemicals. Phenol derivatives are known to be aquatic pollutants. With this background, we aimed to develop an accurate and reliable QSTR model for the prediction of toxicity of 206 phenols to Tetrahymena pyriformis. A multiple linear regression (MLR)-based QSTR was obtained using a powerful descriptor selection tool named Memorized_ACO algorithm. Statistical parameters of the model were 0.72 and 0.68 for R training 2 and R test 2 , respectively. To develop a high-quality QSTR model, classification and regression tree (CART) was employed. Two approaches were considered: (1) phenols were classified into different modes of action using CART and (2) the phenols in the training set were partitioned to several subsets by a tree in such a manner that in each subset, a high-quality MLR could be developed. For the first approach, the statistical parameters of the resultant QSTR model were improved to 0.83 and 0.75 for R training 2 and R test 2 , respectively. Genetic algorithm was employed in the second approach to obtain an optimal tree, and it was shown that the final QSTR model provided excellent prediction accuracy for the training and test sets (R training 2 and R test 2 were 0.91 and 0.93, respectively). The mean absolute error for the test set was computed as 0.1615. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cross-study analysis of genomic data defines the ciliate multigenic epiplasmin family: strategies for functional analysis in Paramecium tetraurelia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ravet Viviane

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The sub-membranous skeleton of the ciliate Paramecium, the epiplasm, is composed of hundreds of epiplasmic scales centered on basal bodies, and presents a complex set of proteins, epiplasmins, which belong to a multigenic family. The repeated duplications observed in the P. tetraurelia genome present an interesting model of the organization and evolution of a multigenic family within a single cell. Results To study this multigenic family, we used phylogenetic, structural, and analytical transcriptional approaches. The phylogenetic method defines 5 groups of epiplasmins in the multigenic family. A refined analysis by Hydrophobic Cluster Analysis (HCA identifies structural characteristics of 51 epiplasmins, defining five separate groups, and three classes. Depending on the sequential arrangement of their structural domains, the epiplasmins are defined as symmetric, asymmetric or atypical. The EST data aid in this classification, in the identification of putative regulating sequences such as TATA or CAAT boxes. When specific RNAi experiments were conducted using sequences from either symmetric or asymmetric classes, phenotypes were drastic. Local effects show either disrupted or ill-shaped epiplasmic scales. In either case, this results in aborted cell division. Using structural features, we show that 4 epiplasmins are also present in another ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila. Their affiliation with the distinctive structural groups of Paramecium epiplasmins demonstrates an interspecific multigenic family. Conclusion The epiplasmin multigenic family illustrates the history of genomic duplication in Paramecium. This study provides a framework which can guide functional analysis of epiplasmins, the major components of the membrane skeleton in ciliates. We show that this set of proteins handles an important developmental information in Paramecium since maintenance of epiplasm organization is crucial for cell morphogenesis.

Variability in secondary structure of 18S ribosomal RNA as topological marker for identification of Paramecium species.

Science.gov (United States)

Shakoori, Farah R; Tasneem, Fareeda; Al-Ghanim, K; Mahboob, S; Al-Misned, F; Jahan, Nusrat; Shakoori, Abdul Rauf

2014-12-01

Besides cytological and molecular applications, Paramecium is being used in water quality assessment and for determination of saprobic levels. An unambiguous identification of these unicellular eukaryotes is not only essential, but its ecological diversity must also be explored in the local environment. 18SrRNA genes of all the strains of Paramecium species isolated from waste water were amplified, cloned and sequenced. Phylogenetic comparison of the nucleotide sequences of these strains with 23 closely related Paramecium species from GenBank Database enabled identification of Paramecium multimicronucleatum and Paramecium jenningsi. Some isolates did not show significant close association with other Paramecium species, and because of their unique position in the phylogenetic tree, they were considered new to the field. In the present report, these isolates are being designated as Paramecium caudatum pakistanicus. In this article, secondary structure of 18SrRNA has also been analyzed as an additional and perhaps more reliable topological marker for species discrimination and for determining possible phylogenetic relationship between the ciliate species. On the basis of comparison of secondary structure of 18SrRNA of various isolated Paramacium strains, and among Paramecium caudatum pakistanicus, Tetrahymena thermophila, Drosophila melanogaster, and Homo sapiens, it can be deduced that variable regions are more helpful in differentiating the species at interspecific level rather than at intraspecific level. It was concluded that V3 was the least variable region in all the organisms, V2 and V7 were the longest expansion segments of D. melanogaster and there was continuous mutational bias towards G.C base pairing in H. sapiens. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Model for an RNA tertiary interaction from the structure of an intermolecular complex between a GAAA tetraloop and an RNA helix.

Science.gov (United States)

Pley, H W; Flaherty, K M; McKay, D B

1994-11-03

In large structured RNAs, RNA hairpins in which the strands of the duplex stem are connected by a tetraloop of the consensus sequence 5'-GNRA (where N is any nucleotide, and R is either G or A) are unusually frequent. In group I introns there is a covariation in sequence between nucleotides in the third and fourth positions of the loop with specific distant base pairs in putative RNA duplex stems: GNAA loops correlate with successive 5'-C-C.G-C base pairs in stems, whereas GNGA loops correlate with 5'-C-U.G-A. This has led to the suggestion that GNRA tetraloops may be involved in specific long-range tertiary interactions, with each A in position 3 or 4 of the loop interacting with a C-G base pair in the duplex, and G in position 3 interacting with a U-A base pair. This idea is supported experimentally for the GAAA loop of the P5b extension of the group I intron of Tetrahymena thermophila and the L9 GUGA terminal loop of the td intron of bacteriophage T4 (ref. 4). NMR has revealed the overall structure of the tetraloop for 12-nucleotide hairpins with GCAA and GAAA loops and models have been proposed for the interaction of GNRA tetraloops with base pairs in the minor groove of A-form RNA. Here we describe the crystal structure of an intermolecular complex between a GAAA tetraloop and an RNA helix. The interactions we observe correlate with the specificity of GNRA tetraloops inferred from phylogenetic studies, suggesting that this complex is a legitimate model for intramolecular tertiary interactions mediated by GNRA tetraloops in large structured RNAs.

Thermophilic fungi as new sources for production of cellulases and xylanases with potential use in sugarcane bagasse saccharification.

Science.gov (United States)

de Cassia Pereira, J; Paganini Marques, N; Rodrigues, A; Brito de Oliveira, T; Boscolo, M; da Silva, R; Gomes, E; Bocchini Martins, D A

2015-04-01

To obtain new cellulases and xylanases from thermophilic fungi; evaluate their potential for sugarcane bagasse saccharification. Thirty-two heat-tolerant fungi were isolated from the environment, identified (morphological/molecular tools) and the production of the enzymes was evaluated by solid state fermentation using lignocellulosic materials as substrates. Myceliophthora thermophila JCP 1-4 was the best producer of endoglucanase (357·51 U g(-1) ), β-glucosidase (45·42 U g(-1) ), xylanase (931·11 U g(-1) ) and avicelase (3·58 U g(-1) ). These enzymes were most active at 55-70°C and stable at 30-60°C. Using crude enzymatic extract from M. thermophila JCP 1-4 to saccharify sugarcane bagasse pretreated with microwaves and glycerol, glucose and xylose yields obtained were 15·6 and 35·13% (2·2 and 1·95 g l(-1) ), respectively. All isolated fungi have potential to produce the enzymes; M. thermophila JCP 1-4 enzymatic extract have potential to be better explored in saccharification experiments. Pretreatment improved enzymatic saccharification, as sugar yields were much higher than those obtained from in natura bagasse. Myceliophthora thermophila JCP 1-4 produces avicelase (not commonly found among fungi; important to hydrolyse crystalline cellulose) and a β-glucosidase resistant to glucose inhibition, interesting characteristics for saccharification experiments. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Efficient plant biomass degradation by thermophilic fungus Myceliophthora heterothallica.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Brink, Joost; van Muiswinkel, Gonny C J; Theelen, Bart; Hinz, Sandra W A; de Vries, Ronald P

2013-02-01

Rapid and efficient enzymatic degradation of plant biomass into fermentable sugars is a major challenge for the sustainable production of biochemicals and biofuels. Enzymes that are more thermostable (up to 70°C) use shorter reaction times for the complete saccharification of plant polysaccharides compared to hydrolytic enzymes of mesophilic fungi such as Trichoderma and Aspergillus species. The genus Myceliophthora contains four thermophilic fungi producing industrially relevant thermostable enzymes. Within this genus, isolates belonging to M. heterothallica were recently separated from the well-described species M. thermophila. We evaluate here the potential of M. heterothallica isolates to produce efficient enzyme mixtures for biomass degradation. Compared to the other thermophilic Myceliophthora species, isolates belonging to M. heterothallica and M. thermophila grew faster on pretreated spruce, wheat straw, and giant reed. According to their protein profiles and in vitro assays after growth on wheat straw, (hemi-)cellulolytic activities differed strongly between M. thermophila and M. heterothallica isolates. Compared to M. thermophila, M. heterothallica isolates were better in releasing sugars from mildly pretreated wheat straw (with 5% HCl) with a high content of xylan. The high levels of residual xylobiose revealed that enzyme mixtures of Myceliophthora species lack sufficient β-xylosidase activity. Sexual crossing of two M. heterothallica showed that progenies had a large genetic and physiological diversity. In the future, this will allow further improvement of the plant biomass-degrading enzyme mixtures of M. heterothallica.

Metabolismo del glutatión y enzimas antioxidantes frente al estrés por metal(oid)es y otros agentes, en el ciliado-modelo "Tetrahymena thermophila"

OpenAIRE

Ortega Herrero, Ruth

2015-01-01

El estrés oxidativo se define como el estado celular de desequilibrio entre moléculas oxidantes y antioxidantes. Esta definición se basa en la hipótesis Redox que se desarrolla en cuatro postulados: 1)Todo sistema vivo presenta elementos redox que son moléculas ricas en residuos de cisteína y que toman parte en los procesos de señalización celular, tráfico de macromoléculas y regulación fisiológica. 2)Estos elementos se coordinan mediante circuitos redox, que tienen nodos comunes como el gl...

Inhibition of the Rumen Ciliate Entodinium caudatum by Antibiotics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tansol Park

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Axenic cultures of free-living aerobic ciliates, such as Tetrahymena thermophila and Paramecium aurelia, have been established and routinely used in laboratory research, greatly facilitating, or enabling characterization of their metabolism, physiology, and ecology. Ruminal protozoa are anaerobic ciliates, and they play important roles in feed digestion and fermentation. Although, repeatedly attempted, no laboratory-maintainable axenic culture of ruminal ciliates has been established. When axenic ciliate cultures are developed, antibiotics are required to eliminate the accompanying bacteria. Ruminal ciliates gradually lose viability upon antibiotic treatments, and the resultant axenic cultures can only last for short periods of time. The objective of this study was to evaluate eight antibiotics that have been evaluated in developing axenic cultures of ruminal ciliates, for their toxicity to Entodinium caudatum, which is the most predominant ruminal ciliate species. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy (TEM showed that the antibiotics damaged both the cell surface and nuclei of E. caudatum and increased accumulation of intracellular glycogen. Combinations of the three least toxic antibiotics failed to eliminate the bacteria that are present in the E. caudatum culture. The combination of ampicillin, carbenicillin, streptomycin, and oxytetracycline was able to eliminate all the bacteria, but the resultant axenic E. caudatum culture gradually lost viability. Adding the bacterial fraction (live separated from an untreated E. caudatum culture reversed the viability decline and recovered the growth of the treated E. caudatum culture, whereas feeding nine strains of live bacteria isolated from E. caudatum cells, either individually or in combination, could not. Nutritional and metabolic dependence on its associated bacteria, accompanied with direct and indirect inhibition by antibiotics, makes it difficult to establish an axenic culture of E

Evolutionary origins and functions of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway in marine diatoms.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sacha Coesel

Full Text Available Carotenoids are produced by all photosynthetic organisms, where they play essential roles in light harvesting and photoprotection. The carotenoid biosynthetic pathway of diatoms is largely unstudied, but is of particular interest because these organisms have a very different evolutionary history with respect to the Plantae and are thought to be derived from an ancient secondary endosymbiosis between heterotrophic and autotrophic eukaryotes. Furthermore, diatoms have an additional xanthophyll-based cycle for dissipating excess light energy with respect to green algae and higher plants. To explore the origins and functions of the carotenoid pathway in diatoms we searched for genes encoding pathway components in the recently completed genome sequences of two marine diatoms. Consistent with the supplemental xanthophyll cycle in diatoms, we found more copies of the genes encoding violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE and zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZEP enzymes compared with other photosynthetic eukaryotes. However, the similarity of these enzymes with those of higher plants indicates that they had very probably diversified before the secondary endosymbiosis had occurred, implying that VDE and ZEP represent early eukaryotic innovations in the Plantae. Consequently, the diatom chromist lineage likely obtained all paralogues of ZEP and VDE genes during the process of secondary endosymbiosis by gene transfer from the nucleus of the algal endosymbiont to the host nucleus. Furthermore, the presence of a ZEP gene in Tetrahymena thermophila provides the first evidence for a secondary plastid gene encoded in a heterotrophic ciliate, providing support for the chromalveolate hypothesis. Protein domain structures and expression analyses in the pennate diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum indicate diverse roles for the different ZEP and VDE isoforms and demonstrate that they are differentially regulated by light. These studies therefore reveal the ancient origins of several

Evolutionary origins and functions of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway in marine diatoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Coesel, Sacha; Oborník, Miroslav; Varela, Joao; Falciatore, Angela; Bowler, Chris

2008-08-06

Carotenoids are produced by all photosynthetic organisms, where they play essential roles in light harvesting and photoprotection. The carotenoid biosynthetic pathway of diatoms is largely unstudied, but is of particular interest because these organisms have a very different evolutionary history with respect to the Plantae and are thought to be derived from an ancient secondary endosymbiosis between heterotrophic and autotrophic eukaryotes. Furthermore, diatoms have an additional xanthophyll-based cycle for dissipating excess light energy with respect to green algae and higher plants. To explore the origins and functions of the carotenoid pathway in diatoms we searched for genes encoding pathway components in the recently completed genome sequences of two marine diatoms. Consistent with the supplemental xanthophyll cycle in diatoms, we found more copies of the genes encoding violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE) and zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZEP) enzymes compared with other photosynthetic eukaryotes. However, the similarity of these enzymes with those of higher plants indicates that they had very probably diversified before the secondary endosymbiosis had occurred, implying that VDE and ZEP represent early eukaryotic innovations in the Plantae. Consequently, the diatom chromist lineage likely obtained all paralogues of ZEP and VDE genes during the process of secondary endosymbiosis by gene transfer from the nucleus of the algal endosymbiont to the host nucleus. Furthermore, the presence of a ZEP gene in Tetrahymena thermophila provides the first evidence for a secondary plastid gene encoded in a heterotrophic ciliate, providing support for the chromalveolate hypothesis. Protein domain structures and expression analyses in the pennate diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum indicate diverse roles for the different ZEP and VDE isoforms and demonstrate that they are differentially regulated by light. These studies therefore reveal the ancient origins of several components of the

Dependence of the cytotoxicity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the culture medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Ying; Ran Tiecheng; Li Yuguo; Guo Jinxue; Li Wenxin

2006-01-01

This study examined the influence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) on the growth of the unicellular protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis. Contrary to the findings from most other investigations, our experiment indicated that MWNTs stimulated growth of the cells cultured in proteose peptone yeast extract medium (PPY). Atomic force microscopy images and thermogravimetric analysis showed the spontaneous formation of peptone-MWNT conjugates in the medium by noncovalent binding. Uptake of large amounts of the conjugates by Tetrahymena pyriformis was responsible for growth stimulation, evidenced by images with fluorescently labelled peptone. After the PPY medium was replaced by a filtrated pond water medium (FPW), however, inhibition of the growth of cells exposed to MWNTs occurred. Measurements of the level of malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase activity demonstrated further that MWNTs might be either toxic or nontoxic, depending on the medium used to cultivate Tetrahymena pyriformis. The biological effects of the interaction of MWNTs with some composites in culture media would be helpful for understanding the mechanisms of the toxicity of carbon nanotubes to living systems

Development of thresholds of excess toxicity for environmental species and their application to identification of modes of acute toxic action.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jin J; Zhang, Xu J; Yang, Yi; Huang, Tao; Li, Chao; Su, Limin; Zhao, Yuan H; Cronin, Mark T D

2018-03-01

The acute toxicity of organic pollutants to fish, Daphnia magna, Tetrahymena pyriformis, and Vibrio fischeri was investigated. The results indicated that the Toxicity Ratio (TR) threshold of log TR =1, which has been based on the distribution of toxicity data to fish, can also be used to discriminate reactive or specifically acting compounds from baseline narcotics for Daphnia magna and Vibrio fischeri. A log TR=0.84 is proposed for Tetrahymena pyriformis following investigation of the relationships between the species sensitivity and the absolute averaged residuals (AAR) between the predicted baseline toxicity and the experimental toxicity. Less inert compounds exhibit relatively higher toxicity to the lower species (Tetrahymena pyriformis and Vibrio fischeri) than the higher species (fish and Daphnia magna). A greater number of less inert compounds with log TR greater than the thresholds was observed for Tetrahymena pyriformis and Vibrio fischeri. This may be attributed to the hydrophilic compounds which may pass more easily through cell membranes than the skin or exoskeleton of organisms and have higher bioconcentration factors in the lower species, leading to higher toxicity. Most of classes of chemical associated with excess toxicity to one species also exhibited excess toxicity to other species, however, a few classes with excess toxicity to one species exhibiting narcotic toxicity to other species and thus may have different MOAs between species. Some ionizable compounds have log TR much lower than one because of the over-estimated log K OW . The factors that influence the toxicity ratio calculated from baseline level are discussed in this paper. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A comparative in-silico analysis of autophagy proteins in ciliates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erhan Aslan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Autophagy serves as a turnover mechanism for the recycling of redundant and/or damaged macromolecules present in eukaryotic cells to re-use them under starvation conditions via a double-membrane structure known as autophagosome. A set of eukaryotic genes called autophagy-related genes (ATGs orchestrate this highly elaborative process. The existence of these genes and the role they play in different eukaryotes are well-characterized. However, little is known of their role in some eukaryotes such as ciliates. Here, we report the computational analyses of ATG genes in five ciliate genomes to understand their diversity. Our results show that Oxytricha trifallax is the sole ciliate which has a conserved Atg12 conjugation system (Atg5-Atg12-Atg16. Interestingly, Oxytricha Atg16 protein includes WD repeats in addition to its N-terminal Atg16 domain as is the case in multicellular organisms. Additionally, phylogenetic analyses revealed that E2-like conjugating protein Atg10 is only present in Tetrahymena thermophila. We fail to find critical autophagy components Atg5, Atg7 and Atg8 in the parasitic ciliate Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. Contrary to previous reports, we also find that ciliate genomes do not encode typical Atg1 since all the candidate sequences lack an Atg1-specific C-terminal domain which is essential for Atg1 complex formation. Consistent with the absence of Atg1, ciliates also lack other members of the Atg1 complex. However, the presence of Atg6 in all ciliates examined here may rise the possibility that autophagosome formation could be operated through Atg6 in ciliates, since Atg6 has been shown as an alternative autophagy inducer. In conclusion, our results highlight that Atg proteins are partially conserved in ciliates. This may provide a better understanding for the autophagic destruction of the parental macronucleus, a developmental process also known as programmed nuclear death in ciliates.

Personal care product preservatives: risk assessment and mixture toxicities with an industrial wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Carbajo, Jose B; Perdigón-Melón, Jose A; Petre, Alice L; Rosal, Roberto; Letón, Pedro; García-Calvo, Eloy

2015-04-01

The aquatic toxicity of eight preservatives frequently used in personal care products (PCPs) (iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, bronopol, diazolidinyl urea, benzalkonium chloride, zinc pyrithione, propylparaben, triclosan and a mixture of methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone) was assessed by means of two different approaches: a battery of bioassays composed of single species tests of bacteria (Vibrio fischeri and Pseudomonas putida) and protozoa (Tetrahymena thermophila), and a whole biological community resazurin-based assay using activated sludge. The tested preservatives showed considerable toxicity in the studied bioassays, but with a marked difference in potency. In fact, all biocides except propylparaben and diazolidinyl urea had EC50 values lower than 1 mg L(-1) in at least one assay. Risk quotients for zinc pyrithione, benzalkonium chloride, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and triclosan as well as the mixture of the studied preservatives exceeded 1, indicating a potential risk for the process performance and efficiency of municipal sewage treatment plants (STPs). These four single biocides explained more than 95% of the preservative mixture risk in all bioassays. Each individual preservative was also tested in combination with an industrial wastewater (IWW) from a cosmetics manufacturing facility. The toxicity assessment was performed on binary mixtures (preservative + IWW) and carried out using the median-effect principle, which is a special case of the concept of Concentration Addition (CA). Almost 70% of all experiments resulted in EC50 values within a factor of 2 of the values predicted by the median-effect principle (CI values between 0.5 and 2). The rest of the mixtures whose toxicity was mispredicted by CA were assessed with the alternative concept of Independent Action (IA), which showed higher predictive power for the biological community assay. Therefore, the concept used to accurately predict the toxicity of mixtures of a preservative

The mitochondrial genomes of the ciliates Euplotes minuta and Euplotes crassus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huynh Minh

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There are thousands of very diverse ciliate species from which only a handful mitochondrial genomes have been studied so far. These genomes are rather similar because the ciliates analysed (Tetrahymena spp. and Paramecium aurelia are closely related. Here we study the mitochondrial genomes of the hypotrichous ciliates Euplotes minuta and Euplotes crassus. These ciliates are only distantly related to Tetrahymena spp. and Paramecium aurelia, but more closely related to Nyctotherus ovalis, which possesses a hydrogenosomal (mitochondrial genome. Results The linear mitochondrial genomes of the hypotrichous ciliates Euplotes minuta and Euplotes crassus were sequenced and compared with the mitochondrial genomes of several Tetrahymena species, Paramecium aurelia and the partially sequenced mitochondrial genome of the anaerobic ciliate Nyctotherus ovalis. This study reports new features such as long 5'gene extensions of several mitochondrial genes, extremely long cox1 and cox2 open reading frames and a large repeat in the middle of the linear mitochondrial genome. The repeat separates the open reading frames into two blocks, each having a single direction of transcription, from the repeat towards the ends of the chromosome. Although the Euplotes mitochondrial gene content is almost identical to that of Paramecium and Tetrahymena, the order of the genes is completely different. In contrast, the 33273 bp (excluding the repeat region piece of the mitochondrial genome that has been sequenced in both Euplotes species exhibits no difference in gene order. Unexpectedly, many of the mitochondrial genes of E. minuta encoding ribosomal proteins possess N-terminal extensions that are similar to mitochondrial targeting signals. Conclusion The mitochondrial genomes of the hypotrichous ciliates Euplotes minuta and Euplotes crassus are rather different from the previously studied genomes. Many genes are extended in size compared to mitochondrial

An atom counting and electrophilicity based QSTR approach

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

WINTEC

QSTR models with two parameters result when global electrophilicity is used as the second descriptor. In ... Atom counting; QSTR; electrophilicity; conceptual DFT; Tetrahymena pyriformis. ... theoretical background whereas the computational.

Quantum chemistry based quantitative structure-activity relationships for modeling the (sub)acute toxicity of substituted mononitrobenzenes in aquatic systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zvinavashe, E.; Murk, A.J.; Vervoort, J.; Soffers, A.E.M.F.; Freidig, A.; Rietjens, I.M.C.M.

2006-01-01

Fifteen experimental literature data sets on the acute toxicity of substituted nitrobenzenes to algae (Scenedesmus obliquus, Chlorella pyrenoidosa, C. vulgaris), daphnids (Daphnia magna, D. carinata), fish (Cyprinus carpio, Poecilia reticulata), protozoa (Tetrahymena pyriformis), bacteria

Novel Functions of an Iron-Sulfur Flavoprotein from Trichomonas vaginalis Hydrogenosomes

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Smutná, T.; Pilařová, K.; Tarábek, Ján; Tachezy, J.; Hrdý, I.

2014-01-01

Roč. 58, č. 6 (2014), s. 3224-3232 ISSN 0066-4804 Grant - others:GA ČR(CZ) GC13-09208J Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : Methanosarcina thermophila * nitric oxide * Trichomonas vaginalis Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 4.476, year: 2014

Dicty_cDB: AFL127 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 7 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehydration Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequence. 78 2e-...trahymena thermophila cDNA, mRNA sequence. 74 3e-09 1 CN206834 |CN206834.1 Tor7258 Gametophyte rehydration

Immobilisation of laccase on Eupergit supports and its application for the removal of endocrine disrupting chemicals in a packed-bed reactor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lloret, L.; Hollmann, F.; Eibes, G.; Feijoo, G.; Moreira, M.T.; Lema, J.M.

2011-01-01

Laccase from Myceliophthora thermophila was covalently immobilised on Eupergit C and Eupergit C 250L yielding specific activities of up to 17 and 80 U/g, respectively. Due to its superior activity, Eupergit C 250L was chosen for further research. The somewhat lower catalytic efficiency (based on the

The mitochondrial genomes of the ciliates Euplotes minuta and Euplotes crassus.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Graaf, R.M. de; Alen, T.A. van; Dutilh, B.E.; Kuiper, J.W.; Zoggel, H.J. van; Huynh, M.B.; Gortz, H.D.; Huynen, M.A.; Hackstein, J.H.

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: There are thousands of very diverse ciliate species from which only a handful mitochondrial genomes have been studied so far. These genomes are rather similar because the ciliates analysed (Tetrahymena spp. and Paramecium aurelia) are closely related. Here we study the mitochondrial

Journal of Biosciences | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Journal of Biosciences. SUDHANSHU GAUTAM. Articles written in Journal of Biosciences. Volume 42 Issue 4 December 2017 pp 613-621 Article. Small phosphatidate phosphatase ( TtPAH2 ) of Tetrahymena complements respiratory function and not membrane biogenesis function of yeast PAH1.

Journal of Biosciences | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Journal of Biosciences. SHUKLA SUSHMITA. Articles written in Journal of Biosciences. Volume 42 Issue 4 December 2017 pp 613-621 Article. Small phosphatidate phosphatase ( TtPAH2 ) of Tetrahymena complements respiratory function and not membrane biogenesis function of yeast PAH1.

Co-Transport of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons by Motile Microorganisms Leads to Enhanced Mass Transfer under Diffusive Conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gilbert, Dorthea; Jakobsen, Hans H.; Winding, Anne

2014-01-01

as sink and source for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This resulted in stable concentration gradients in water (>24 h). Adding the model organism Tetrahymena pyriformis to the experimental system enhanced PAH mass transfer up to hundred-fold (benzo[a]pyrene). Increasing mass transfer enhancement...

An atom counting and electrophilicity based QSTR approach

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Quantitative-structure-toxicity-relationship (QSTR) models are developed for predicting the toxicity (pIGC50) of 252 aliphatic compounds on Tetrahymena pyriformis. The single parameter models with a simple molecular descriptor, the number of atoms in the molecule, provide reasonable results. Better QSTR models with ...

Open Veterinary Journal - Vol 3, No 2 (2013)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Involvement of a putative intercellular signal-recognizing G protein-coupled receptor in the engulfment of Salmonella by the protozoan Tetrahymena · EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT. PN Agbedanu, MT Brewer, TA Day, MJ Kimber, KL Anderson, SK ...

Damage of DNA by radiation and it's recovery, 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narita, Noboru; Matsuura, Tomio; Sato, Hiroyuki.

1974-01-01

The damage and recovery of DNA was investigated by the incorporation of thymine derivatives (DHT, I trans, II trans, cis and glycol) into exponentially growing Tetrahymena cells. The strain employed was Tetrahymena pyriformis, Variety I, mating type IV. It is well known that these thymine derivatives are induced in vivo by radiation. The in vivo damage of DNA induced by radiation, and its recovery, were confirmed experimentally by means of gradient separation of sucrose density and by analytical ultra centrifugation (UVC). The recovery of DNA, its excision repair and its recombinational repair were compared with the recovery of Bacillus subtilis whose recovery kinetics were already known. 1) The damage of DNA was more sensitive to glycol than to II trans and cis. On the other hand, DHT is not sensitive for breaking DNA strand. 2) In its recovery damaged DNA was no more sensitive to glycol than to hhp as was true for Bacillus subtilis. (author)

Teaching Phagocytosis Using Flow Cytometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Boothby

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Investigative microbiology on protists in a basic teaching laboratory environment is limited by student skill level, ease of microbial culture and manipulation, instrumentation, and time. The flow cytometer is gaining use as a mainstream instrument in research and clinical laboratories, but has had minimal application in teaching laboratories. Although the cost of a flow cytometer is currently prohibitive for many microbiology teaching environments and the number of trained instructors and teaching materials is limited, in many ways the flow cytometer is an ideal instrument for teaching basic microbiology. We report here on a laboratory module to study phagocytosis in Tetrahymena sp. using flow cytometry in a basic microbiology teaching laboratory. Students and instructors found the flow cytometry data analysis program, Paint-A-GatePRO-TM, to be very intuitive and easy to learn within a short period of time. Assessment of student learning about Tetrahymena sp., phagocytosis, flow cytometry, and investigative microbiology using an inquiry-based format demonstrated an overall positive response from students.

The Greenlandic Life Script and Life Stories

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zaragoza Scherman, Alejandra; Berntsen, Dorthe

Adults older than 40 years remember a significantly greater amount of personal life events from their 15 - 30 years of age. This phenomenon is known as the reminiscence bump (Rubin, Rahal, & Poon, 1998). The reminiscence bump is highly populated by emotionally positive events (Rubin & Berntsen......, 2003), when cued by requests for important events. This dominance of positive events is not seen when cued by random words. Berntsen and Rubin (2004) presented a cultural explanation for the bump: cultural life script theory. Their theory claims that the bump for the life story can be explained...... by the life script; that is, culturally shared expectations about the order and timing of life events in an typical, idealized life course. According to the cultural life script theory, the life script is used as a guideline for the recall of autobiographical memories, which help construct personal life...

USHA P KAR

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Volume 42 Issue 2 June 2017 pp 333-344 Review. Regulation of dynamin family proteins by post-translational modifications · USHA P KAR HIMANI ... Volume 43 Issue 1 March 2018 pp 139-148 Article. Tetrahymena dynamin-related protein 6 self-assembles independent of membrane association · USHA P KAR HIMANI ...

JST Thesaurus Headwords and Synonyms: Tetrahymena属 [MeCab user dictionary for science technology term[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available MeCab user dictionary for science technology term Tetrahymena属 名詞 サ変接続 * * * * テトラヒ...メナ属 テトラヒメナゾク テトラヒメナゾク Thesaurus2015 200906089871776382 C LS07 UNKNOWN_2 Tetrahymena 属

Quality of life philosophy I. Quality of life, happiness, and meaning in life.

Science.gov (United States)

Ventegodt, Søren; Andersen, Niels Jørgen; Merrick, Joav

2003-12-01

In the Danish Quality of Life Survey, we asked 10,000 people about their quality of life with the validated SEQOL questionnaire with more than 300 questions on their quality of life. How did they feel? How content were they with their lives? How happy were they? Did they feel their needs were fulfilled? And many more questions. We asked the questions we believed to be important for their quality of life (QOL). The results were quite surprising and forced us to recontemplate the following philosophical questions: What is quality of life, happiness, and meaning in life? What is a human being? Do we need a new biology? Is the brain the seat of consciousness? How do we seize the meaning of life and by doing so, will we become well again? What are the key concepts of quality of life? The meaning of life is connectedness and development. It is about realizing every opportunity and potential in one"s existence. The opportunities must be found and acknowledged. What do you find when you find yourself deep down? You find your real self and your purpose in life. You realize that you are already a part of a larger totality. Antonovsky called it "coherence". Maslow called it "transcendence". Frankl called it "meaning of life". We call it simply "being". To test if these philosophical questions are actually relevant for medicine, we looked at the consequences for patients being taught the quality of life philosophy. Quite surprisingly we learned from our pilot studies with "quality of life as medicine" that just by assimilating the basic concepts of the quality of life philosophy presented in this series of papers, patients felt better and saw their lives as more meaningful. The improvement of the patient"s personal philosophy of life seems to be the essence of holistic medicine, helping the patient to assume more responsibility for his or her own existence.

Quality of Life Philosophy I. Quality of Life, Happiness, and Meaning in Life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Søren Ventegodt

2003-01-01

Full Text Available In the Danish Quality of Life Survey, we asked 10,000 people about their quality of life with the validated SEQOL questionnaire with more than 300 questions on their quality of life. How did they feel? How content were they with their lives? How happy were they? Did they feel their needs were fulfilled? And many more questions. We asked the questions we believed to be important for their quality of life (QOL. The results were quite surprising and forced us to recontemplate the following philosophical questions: What is quality of life, happiness, and meaning in life? What is a human being? Do we need a new biology? Is the brain the seat of consciousness? How do we seize the meaning of life and by doing so, will we become well again? What are the key concepts of quality of life? The meaning of life is connectedness and development. It is about realizing every opportunity and potential in one’s existence. The opportunities must be found and acknowledged. What do you find when you find yourself deep down? You find your real self and your purpose in life. You realize that you are already a part of a larger totality. Antonovsky called it “coherence”. Maslow called it “transcendence”. Frankl called it “meaning of life”. We call it simply “being”.To test if these philosophical questions are actually relevant for medicine, we looked at the consequences for patients being taught the quality of life philosophy. Quite surprisingly we learned from our pilot studies with “quality of life as medicine” that just by assimilating the basic concepts of the quality of life philosophy presented in this series of papers, patients felt better and saw their lives as more meaningful. The improvement of the patient’s personal philosophy of life seems to be the essence of holistic medicine, helping the patient to assume more responsibility for his or her own existence.

Storage Stability and Improvement of Intermediate Moisture Foods, Phase 3

Science.gov (United States)

Labuza, T. P.

1975-01-01

Methods were determined for the improvement of shelf-life stability of intermediate moisture foods (IMF). Microbial challenge studies showed that protection against molds and Staphylococcus aureus could be achieved by a combination of antimicrobial agents, humectants and food acids. Potassium sorbate and propylene glycol gave the best results. It was also confirmed that the maximum in heat resistance shown by vegetative pathogens at intermediate water activities also occurred in a solid food. Glycols and sorbitol both achieve browning inhibition because of their action as a medium for reaction and effect on viscosity of the adsorbed phase. Chemical availability results showed rapid lysine loss before visual discoloration occurred. This is being confirmed with a biological test using Tetrahymena pyriformis W. Accelerated temperature tests show that effectiveness of food antioxidants against rancidity development can be predicted; however, the protection factor changes with temperature. BHA was found to be the best antioxidant for iron catalyzed oxidation.

Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases from Myceliophthora thermophila C1

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Frommhagen, Matthias

2017-01-01

Current developments aim at the effective enzymatic degradation of plant biomass polysaccharides into fermentable monosaccharides for biofuels and biochemicals. Recently discovered lytic polysaccharide monooxgygenases (LPMOs) boost the hydrolytic breakdown of lignocellulosic biomass, especially

Architecture is Life... ...Life is Architecture

OpenAIRE

Snider, David E

2001-01-01

When thinking about architecture, I cannot help but think about my life and the things that have affected my life. How does the environment around us effect the daily decisions we make? How do the experiences throughout our life impact who we are and who we become? The people and surroundings we choose will ultimately decide the type of people we become. When we select our surroundings we are in turn selecting our ideal community. Everyone is trying to achieve community in some sense, from in...

Practical Life: The Keystone of Life, Culture, and Community

Science.gov (United States)

Ramani, Uma

2013-01-01

Uma Ramani's characterization of practical life is philosophical and anthropological, suggesting that "human history is the story of the evolution of our practical life activities." Practical life is a collaborative activity that creates community and culture. One's adaptation to life through the daily work of ordering our environment…

Tetrahymena dynamin-related protein 6 self-assembles ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Usha P Kar

2017-12-30

Dec 30, 2017 ... multi-domain proteins, and share similar domain architecture. Classical dynamins ... domains: a GTPase domain, middle domain (MD), GTPase ..... influenced by bacterial environment, we have expressed human dynamin in ...

Psychiatry: life events and social support in late life depression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clóvis Alexandrino-Silva

2011-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: To examine the association of life events and social support in the broadly defined category of depression in late life. INTRODUCTION: Negative life events and lack of social support are associated with depression in the elderly. Currently, there are limited studies examining the association between life events, social support and late-life depression in Brazil. METHODS: We estimated the frequency of late-life depression within a household community sample of 367 subjects aged 60 years or greater with associated factors. ''Old age symptomatic depression'' was defined using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview 1.1 tool. This diagnostic category included only late-life symptoms and consisted of the diagnoses of depression and dysthymia as well as a subsyndromal definition of depression, termed ''late subthreshold depression''. Social support and life events were assessed using the Comprehensive Assessment and Referral Evaluation (SHORT-CARE inventory. RESULTS: ''Old age symptomatic depression'' occurred in 18.8% of the patients in the tested sample. In univariate analyses, this condition was associated with female gender, lifetime anxiety disorder and living alone. In multivariate models, ''old age symptomatic depression'' was associated with a perceived lack of social support in men and life events in women. DISCUSSION: Social support and life events were determined to be associated with late-life depression, but it is important to keep in mind the differences between genders. Also, further exploration of the role of lifetime anxiety disorder in late-life depression may be of future importance. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that this study helps to provide insight into the role of psychosocial factors in late-life depression.

Extraterrestrial Life: Life on Mars - Then and Now

Science.gov (United States)

Arrhenius, Gustaf; Mojzsis, Stephen

1996-01-01

The recent claim to have identified possible signs of ancient life on Mars has been widely publicized and discussed. The authors conceded that none of the half-dozen pieces of evidence adduced in their paper individually provided strong support for extraterrestrial life, though they argued that the pieces added up to a case worth considering. Most - perhaps all - of the observed phenomena have counterparts in the inorganic world, so even the combination does not make a compelling case that there was ever life on Mars. Nevertheless, the importance of the problem has justified bringing the results to general attention. The paper has focussed interest on the origin and possible ubiquity of life, and on how we can design techniques capable of giving a more definitive answer to the question of whether there is, or has ever been, life elsewhere in the Universe.

Balancing Life Roles to Achieve Career Happiness and Life Satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Peronne, Kristin Marie

2000-01-01

A study guided by Super's Life Span, Life Space approach included a survey of 119 women and 66 men about sacrifices made in life and work roles to achieve balance and satisfaction. Differences in sacrifices and satisfaction were related to the combination of life roles they occupied. (SK)

Evolution of the Exon-Intron Structure in Ciliate Genomes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vladyslav S Bondarenko

Full Text Available A typical eukaryotic gene is comprised of alternating stretches of regions, exons and introns, retained in and spliced out a mature mRNA, respectively. Although the length of introns may vary substantially among organisms, a large fraction of genes contains short introns in many species. Notably, some Ciliates (Paramecium and Nyctotherus possess only ultra-short introns, around 25 bp long. In Paramecium, ultra-short introns with length divisible by three (3n are under strong evolutionary pressure and have a high frequency of in-frame stop codons, which, in the case of intron retention, cause premature termination of mRNA translation and consequent degradation of the mis-spliced mRNA by the nonsense-mediated decay mechanism. Here, we analyzed introns in five genera of Ciliates, Paramecium, Tetrahymena, Ichthyophthirius, Oxytricha, and Stylonychia. Introns can be classified into two length classes in Tetrahymena and Ichthyophthirius (with means 48 bp, 69 bp, and 55 bp, 64 bp, respectively, but, surprisingly, comprise three distinct length classes in Oxytricha and Stylonychia (with means 33-35 bp, 47-51 bp, and 78-80 bp. In most ranges of the intron lengths, 3n introns are underrepresented and have a high frequency of in-frame stop codons in all studied species. Introns of Paramecium, Tetrahymena, and Ichthyophthirius are preferentially located at the 5' and 3' ends of genes, whereas introns of Oxytricha and Stylonychia are strongly skewed towards the 5' end. Analysis of evolutionary conservation shows that, in each studied genome, a significant fraction of intron positions is conserved between the orthologs, but intron lengths are not correlated between the species. In summary, our study provides a detailed characterization of introns in several genera of Ciliates and highlights some of their distinctive properties, which, together, indicate that splicing spellchecking is a universal and evolutionarily conserved process in the biogenesis of short

Life skills, wealth, health, and wellbeing in later life.

Science.gov (United States)

Steptoe, Andrew; Wardle, Jane

2017-04-25

Life skills play a key role in promoting educational and occupational success in early life, but their relevance at older ages is uncertain. Here we measured five life skills-conscientiousness, emotional stability, determination, control, and optimism-in 8,119 men and women aged 52 and older (mean 66.7 y). We show that the number of skills is associated with wealth, income, subjective wellbeing, less depression, low social isolation and loneliness, more close relationships, better self-rated health, fewer chronic diseases and impaired activities of daily living, faster walking speed, and favorable objective biomarkers (concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, vitamin D and C-reactive protein, and less central obesity). Life skills also predicted sustained psychological wellbeing, less loneliness, and a lower incidence of new chronic disease and physical impairment over a 4-y period. These analyses took account of age, sex, parental socioeconomic background, education, and cognitive function. No single life skill was responsible for the associations we observed, nor were they driven by factors such as socioeconomic status or health. Despite the vicissitudes of later life, life skills impact a range of outcomes, and the maintenance of these attributes may benefit the older population.

Getting a life: the emergence of the life story in adolescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Habermas, T; Bluck, S

2000-09-01

In the life story, autobiographical remembering and self-understanding are combined to create a coherent account of one's past. A gap is demonstrated between developmental research on the story-organization of autobiographical remembering of events in childhood and of life narratives in adulthood. This gap is bridged by substantiating D.P. McAdams's (1985) claim that the life story develops in adolescence. Two manifestations of the life story, life narratives and autobiographical reasoning, are delineated in terms of 4 types of global coherence (temporal, biographical, causal, and thematic). A review of research shows that the cognitive tools necessary for constructing global coherence in a life story and the social-motivational demands to construct a life story develop during adolescence. The authors delineate the implications of the life story framework for other research areas such as coping, attachment, psychotherapeutic process, and the organization of autobiographical memory.

Is Life Unique?

Science.gov (United States)

Abel, David L.

2011-01-01

Is life physicochemically unique? No. Is life unique? Yes. Life manifests innumerable formalisms that cannot be generated or explained by physicodynamics alone. Life pursues thousands of biofunctional goals, not the least of which is staying alive. Neither physicodynamics, nor evolution, pursue goals. Life is largely directed by linear digital programming and by the Prescriptive Information (PI) instantiated particularly into physicodynamically indeterminate nucleotide sequencing. Epigenomic controls only compound the sophistication of these formalisms. Life employs representationalism through the use of symbol systems. Life manifests autonomy, homeostasis far from equilibrium in the harshest of environments, positive and negative feedback mechanisms, prevention and correction of its own errors, and organization of its components into Sustained Functional Systems (SFS). Chance and necessity—heat agitation and the cause-and-effect determinism of nature’s orderliness—cannot spawn formalisms such as mathematics, language, symbol systems, coding, decoding, logic, organization (not to be confused with mere self-ordering), integration of circuits, computational success, and the pursuit of functionality. All of these characteristics of life are formal, not physical. PMID:25382119

Picturing Life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Molly Bathje MS, OTR/L

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The cover art of the summer 2013 issue of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy provided by Jonathan Darnall reflects his unique life perspective, current roles, and values. An exploration of Jon’s life experience reveals how creative arts, including photography, have positively influenced his life and inform OT practitioners about the benefits of photography as an intervention and an occupation.

WeChat Addiction Suppresses the Impact of Stressful Life Events on Life Satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Bi; Wu, Yan; Jiang, Shengyi; Zhai, Huizhen

2018-03-01

The current study examined the influences of stressful life events and WeChat addiction on life satisfaction, and investigated the mediating role of WeChat addiction on the relationship between the two research variables. A total of 463 undergraduates completed self-reported scales for stressful life events, WeChat addiction, and life satisfaction. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the questionnaire data. The results showed the suppressing effect of WeChat addiction on the negative impact of stressful life events on life satisfaction. Stressful life events affect life satisfaction both directly and indirectly. Stressful life events are positively associated with WeChat addiction, which exerts positive impact on life satisfaction. The contributions of the findings are discussed.

Life course socio-economic position and quality of life in adulthood: a systematic review of life course models

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background A relationship between current socio-economic position and subjective quality of life has been demonstrated, using wellbeing, life and needs satisfaction approaches. Less is known regarding the influence of different life course socio-economic trajectories on later quality of life. Several conceptual models have been proposed to help explain potential life course effects on health, including accumulation, latent, pathway and social mobility models. This systematic review aimed to assess whether evidence supported an overall relationship between life course socio-economic position and quality of life during adulthood and if so, whether there was support for one or more life course models. Methods A review protocol was developed detailing explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria, search terms, data extraction items and quality appraisal procedures. Literature searches were performed in 12 electronic databases during January 2012 and the references and citations of included articles were checked for additional relevant articles. Narrative synthesis was used to analyze extracted data and studies were categorized based on the life course model analyzed. Results Twelve studies met the eligibility criteria and used data from 10 datasets and five countries. Study quality varied and heterogeneity between studies was high. Seven studies assessed social mobility models, five assessed the latent model, two assessed the pathway model and three tested the accumulation model. Evidence indicated an overall relationship, but mixed results were found for each life course model. Some evidence was found to support the latent model among women, but not men. Social mobility models were supported in some studies, but overall evidence suggested little to no effect. Few studies addressed accumulation and pathway effects and study heterogeneity limited synthesis. Conclusions To improve potential for synthesis in this area, future research should aim to increase study

Life is pretty meaningful.

Science.gov (United States)

Heintzelman, Samantha J; King, Laura A

2014-09-01

The human experience of meaning in life is widely viewed as a cornerstone of well-being and a central human motivation. Self-reports of meaning in life relate to a host of important functional outcomes. Psychologists have portrayed meaning in life as simultaneously chronically lacking in human life as well as playing an important role in survival. Examining the growing literature on meaning in life, we address the question "How meaningful is life, in general?" We review possible answers from various psychological sources, some of which anticipate that meaning in life should be low and others that it should be high. Summaries of epidemiological data and research using two self-report measures of meaning in life suggest that life is pretty meaningful. Diverse samples rate themselves significantly above the midpoint on self-reports of meaning in life. We suggest that if meaning in life plays a role in adaptation, it must be commonplace, as our analysis suggests. (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Informal science education: lifelong, life-wide, life-deep.

Science.gov (United States)

Sacco, Kalie; Falk, John H; Bell, James

2014-11-01

Informal Science Education: Lifelong, Life-Wide, Life-Deep Informal science education cultivates diverse opportunities for lifelong learning outside of formal K-16 classroom settings, from museums to online media, often with the help of practicing scientists.

Quality of Life Theory II. Quality of Life as the Realization of Life Potential: A Biological Theory of Human Being

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soren Ventegodt

2003-01-01

Full Text Available This review presents one of the eight theories of the quality of life (QOL used for making the SEQOL (self-evaluation of quality of life questionnaire or the quality of life as realizing life potential. This theory is strongly inspired by Maslow and the review furthermore serves as an example on how to fulfill the demand for an overall theory of life (or philosophy of life, which we believe is necessary for global and generic quality-of-life research.Whereas traditional medical science has often been inspired by mechanical models in its attempts to understand human beings, this theory takes an explicitly biological starting point. The purpose is to take a close view of life as a unique entity, which mechanical models are unable to do. This means that things considered to be beyond the individual's purely biological nature, notably the quality of life, meaning in life, and aspirations in life, are included under this wider, biological treatise. Our interpretation of the nature of all living matter is intended as an alternative to medical mechanism, which dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. New ideas such as the notions of the human being as nestled in an evolutionary and ecological context, the spontaneous tendency of self-organizing systems for realization and concord, and the central role of consciousness in interpreting, planning, and expressing human reality are unavoidable today in attempts to scientifically understand all living matter, including human life.

Managing Daily Life

Science.gov (United States)

... Duchenne / Managing Daily Life Print Email Managing Daily Life Environmental accessibility As the person with Duchenne starts ... such as wider doorways and ramps, can make life easier once the person with Duchenne cannot climb ...

The cultural life script as cognitive schema: How the life script shapes memory for fictional life stories

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koppel, Jonathan Mark; Berntsen, Dorthe

2014-01-01

with the life script, memory for its valence was reconstructed to fit the script (in Study 2); and, third, intrusions in recall were disproportionately for life script events (in Study 3), though that was not the case in recognition (in Study 1). We conclude that the life script serves as a cognitive schema...

Planets and Life

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Woodruff T., III; Baross, John

2007-09-01

Foreword; Preface; Contributors; Prologue; Part I. History: 1. History of astrobiological ideas W. T. Sullivan and D. Carney; 2. From exobiology to astrobiology S. J. Dick; Part II. The Physical Stage: 3. Formation of Earth-like habitable planets D. E. Brownlee and M. Kress; 4. Planetary atmospheres and life D. Catling and J. F. Kasting; Part III. The Origin of Life on Earth: 5. Does 'life' have a definition? C.E. Cleland and C. F. Chyba; 6. Origin of life: crucial issues R. Shapiro; 7. Origin of proteins and nucleic acids A. Ricardo and S. A. Benner; 8. The roots of metabolism G.D. Cody and J. H. Scott; 9. Origin of cellular life D. W. Deamer; Part IV. Life on Earth: 10. Evolution: a defining feature of life J. A. Baross; 11. Evolution of metabolism and early microbial communities J. A. Leigh, D. A. Stahl and J. T. Staley; 12. The earliest records of life on Earth R. Buick; 13. The origin and diversification of eukaryotes M. L. Sogin, D. J. Patterson and A. McArthur; 14. Limits of carbon life on Earth and elsewhere J. A. Baross, J. Huber and M. Schrenk; 15. Life in ice J. W. Deming and H. Eicken; 16. The evolution and diversification of life S. Awramik and K. J. McNamara; 17. Mass extinctions P. D. Ward; Part V. Potentially Habitable Worlds: 18. Mars B. M. Jakosky, F. Westall and A. Brack; 19. Europa C. F. Chyba and C. B. Phillips; 20. Titan J. I. Lunine and B. Rizk; 21. Extrasolar planets P. Butler; Part VI. Searching for Extraterrestrial Life: 22. How to search for life on other worlds C. P. McKay; 23. Instruments and strategies for detecting extraterrestrial life P. G. Conrad; 24. Societial and ethical concerns M. S. Race; 25. Planetary protection J. D. Rummel; 26. Searching for extraterrestrial intelligence J. C. Tarter; 27. Alien biochemistries P. D. Ward and S. A. Benner; Part VII. Future of the Field: 28. Disciplinary and educational opportunities L. Wells, J. Armstrong and J. Huber; Epilogue C. F. Chyba; Appendixes: A. Units and usages; B. Planetary

T. thermophila group I introns that cleave amide bonds

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce, Gerald F. (Inventor)

1997-01-01

The present invention relates to nucleic acid enzymes or enzymatic RNA molecules that are capable of cleaving a variety of bonds, including phosphodiester bonds and amide bonds, in a variety of substrates. Thus, the disclosed enzymatic RNA molecules are capable of functioning as nucleases and/or peptidases. The present invention also relates to compositions containing the disclosed enzymatic RNA molecule and to methods of making, selecting, and using such enzymes and compositions.

Satisfaction with life and food-related life in Ecuadorian older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Schnettler, Berta; Lobos, Germán; Lapo, María Del Carmen; Adasme-Berríos, Cristian; Hueche, Clementina

2017-02-01

To distinguish typologies of seniors according to their levels of satisfaction with life and food-related life, and to characterize them according to the importance assigned to family, health-related aspects, eating habits, nutritional status and sociodemographic characteristics. A survey was administered to a non-probabilistic sample of 817 seniors aged 60 years and over, of both genders, resident in urban and rural zones of the province of Guayas, Ecuador. The instrument included: Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Satisfaction with Food-related Life (SWFL), the Health-related Quality of Life Index (HRQOL-4) and the Family Importance Scale (FIS). Eating habits, sociodemographic variables, approximate weight and height were asked about. A cluster analysis was used to distinguish three typologies that differed significantly in the scores on the SWLS, SWFL, FIS, number of days with mental health problems, self-perception of health status, body mass index, eating habits and zone of residence. Two typologies presented high levels of satisfaction with life and food-related life, although the variables associated with overall well-being and in the food domain were different in each typology. The results suggest that high levels of satisfaction with life and food-related life in Ecuadorian seniors are associated with both healthful eating habits and having lunch in company, fewer mental health problems and greater importance assigned to family.

Life on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

McKay, Christopher P.; Cuzzi, Jeffrey (Technical Monitor)

1996-01-01

Although the Viking results may indicate that Mars has no life today, the possibility exists that Mars may hold the best record of the events that led to the origin of life. There is direct geomorphological evidence that in the past Mars had large amounts of liquid water on its surface. Atmospheric models would suggest that this early period of hydrological activity was due to the presence of a thick atmosphere and the resulting warmer temperatures. From a biological perspective the existence of liquid water, by itself motivates the question of the origin of life on Mars. From studies of the Earth's earliest biosphere we know that by 3.5 Gyr. ago, life had originated on Earth and reached a fair degree of biological sophistication. Surface activity and erosion on Earth make it difficult to trace the history of life before the 3.5 Gyr timeframe. If Mars did maintain a clement environment for longer than it took for life to originate on Earth, then the question of the origin of life on Mars follows naturally.

Relationship between life satisfaction and quality of life in Turkish nursing school students.

Science.gov (United States)

Yildirim, Yasemin; Kilic, Serap Parlar; Akyol, Asiye Durmaz

2013-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between life satisfaction and quality of life of nursing students. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with a research population of 396 nursing students who received education at a school of nursing. The research data were collected between May and June of the 2007-2008 academic year. The data collection tools included "Student Description Form," Life Satisfaction Scale, and WHOQOL-BREF (TR) Quality of Life (QOL) Scale. The mean score of life satisfaction was 22.90 ± 5.74. Participants' QOL mean scores were 67.16 ± 15.29 in the physical domain, 64.33 ± 14.72 in the psychological domain, 62.81 ± 19.12 in the social relationships domain, and 60.59 ± 12.59 in the environmental domain. There was a significant correlation between life satisfaction and the four main domains of quality of life scores (P life satisfaction and quality of life among nursing students. In addition, it was determined that being a nursing student had a positive effect on students' life satisfaction and quality of life. Therefore, the education system is recommended to be redesigned in such a way as to make students more active and to improve their life satisfaction and quality of life. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Relation Between Hertz Stress-Life Exponent, Ball-Race Conformity, and Ball Bearing Life

Science.gov (United States)

Zaretsky, Erwin V.; Poplawski, Joseph V.; Root, Lawrence E.

2008-01-01

ANSI/ABMA and ISO standards based on Lundberg-Palmgren bearing life theory are normalized for ball bearings having inner- and outerrace conformities of 52 percent (0.52) and made from pre-1940 bearing steel. The Lundberg-Palmgren theory incorporates an inverse 9th power relation between Hertz stress and fatigue life for ball bearings. The effect of race conformity on ball set life independent of race life is not incorporated into the Lundberg-Palmgren theory. In addition, post-1960 vacuum-processed bearing steel exhibits a 12th power relation between Hertz stress and life. The work reported extends the previous work of Zaretsky, Poplawski, and Root to calculate changes in bearing life--that includes the life of the ball set--caused by race conformity, Hertz stress-life exponent, ball bearing type and bearing series. The bearing fatigue life in actual application will usually be equal to or greater than that calculated using the ANSI/ABMA and ISO standards that incorporate the Lundberg-Palmgren theory. The relative fatigue life of an individual race is more sensitive to changes in race conformity for Hertz stress-life exponent n of 12 than where n = 9. However, when the effects are combined to predict actual bearing life for a specified set of conditions and bearing geometry, the predicted life of the bearing will be greater for a value of n = 12 than n = 9.

Defending definitions of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Mix, Lucas John

2015-01-01

Over the past 10 years, it has become unpopular to talk about definitions of life, under the assumption that attempts at a precise definition are counterproductive. Recent attempts have failed to meet strict philosophical criteria for definitions and have failed to reach consensus. I argue that provisional definitions are necessary for clear communications. Our current knowledge of biology justifies a number of universal claims about the category of life. Whether or not "life" represents a natural category, it maps to a number of important, observable processes. Given the importance of those processes and the extent of our knowledge, plural explicit definitions of life (and related categories) will be necessary for progress in astrobiology and origin-of-life studies as well as biology in general. I propose concrete categories related to, but not necessarily coextensive with, life for clear communication and hypothesis formation: Woese life, Darwin life, Haldane life.

Go4Life

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... some of these Go4Life exercises to improve your flexibility! 2:48 Play next Play now Go4Life Exercise-- ... 17,679 views Exercise your upper body at work like Linda with Go4Life's Wall Pushups. CC 1: ...

Extraterrestrial Life

Science.gov (United States)

Klein, M. J.

1993-01-01

Extraterrestrial Intelligence is intelligent life that developed somewhere other than the earth. Such life has not yet been discovered. However, scientific research, including astronomy, biology, planetary science and studies of fossils here on earth have led many scientists to conclude that such life may exist on planets orbiting at least some of the hundreds of billions of stars in our Milky Way Galaxy. Today, some researchers are trying to find evidence for extraterrestrial intelligence. This effort is often called SETI, which stands for Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. SETI researchers decided that looking for evidence of their technology might be the best way to discover other intelligent life in the Galaxy. They decided to use large radio telescopes to search the sky over a wide range of radio frequencies...

Death in life or life in death? Dementia's ontological challenge.

Science.gov (United States)

Macdonald, Gaynor

2018-01-01

Is it possible to end one's life well with dementia? The perception of dementia as death brought into life flows from ideas about humanness embedded in medicine's Cartesian paradigm. Dementia as incurable brain disease exacerbates negativity. But the real impact of dementia is that it changes social relations: to live well with dementia requires a relational not Cartesian understanding of life. A relational ontology prioritizes social health: to live is to be held in connection. Negativity produces the disconnection that is death, with or without disease. When people with dementia are held in connection, they live a better life.

Go4Life

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Go4Life Exercises — Stretching Play all Try some of these Go4Life exercises to improve your flexibility! 2:48 ... Exercises — Building Strength Play all Try some of these Go4Life exercises to improve your strength! Stronger muscles ...

Life Cycle Management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bey, Niki

2018-01-01

This chapter gives an overview of Life Cycle Management (LCM)—a discipline that deals with the managerial tasks related to practicing sustainable development in an organisation . Just as Life Cycle Assessment, LCM advocates the life cycle perspective , and it applies this perspective in decision...

Remodelling the Life Course: Making the Most of Life with Multiple Sclerosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milka Satinovic

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to develop a substantive grounded theory on how to live a life as good as possible with multiple sclerosis (MS. The question of how to improve the quality of life is of key importance when speaking of a chronic illness like MS. We still have little knowledge of this important question from the patients’ perspective. Classic grounded theory was used to explore patients’ experiences of living with MS. The aim was to identify their main concern and how they process this concern at different phases in their life course. Twenty-one interviews were conducted with 17 participants diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Participant observation at five courses for people with a multiple sclerosis diagnosis generated field notes. The participants’ main concern was how to live a life as good as possible in spite of their deteriorating health. The participants met this challenge through a process of remodelling the life course, in four phases: postponing (keeping up a normal life, adjusting (moving on to a changed life, restructuring (doing the best of it in a changed life, and transforming (preventing illness from controlling life. The remodelling process is influenced by the individual context, like the current health situation, biography, relations, and structural conditions. The process of remodelling helps us understand what facilitates and what hinders patients with MS from living a good life.

変動重力場に対する生物対流時空間パターンの応答

OpenAIRE

Mogami, Yoshihiro; Asato, Eriko; Wada, Yuuko; Kubota, Ayami; Katsu, Yumiko; Niihori, Maki; Baba, Shoji A.; 最上, 善広; 安里, 枝利子; 和田, 祐子; 久保田, 彩水; 勝, 由美子; 新堀, 真希; 馬場, 昭次

2009-01-01

Bioconvection of the aquatic microorganisms has been focused as an experimental tool for the research proposal aiming to reveal the possibility for gravity to develop new functions of the biological systems through the collective interactions between the individual components of the systems. Previously we reported the changes in the bioconvection pattern of Tetrahymena and Chlamydomonas, viewed from top, in response to the altered gravity during parabolic fight by an airplane. In top-view rec...

Measurement of quality of life II. From the philosophy of life to science.

Science.gov (United States)

Ventegodt, Søren; Merrick, Joav; Andersen, Niels Jørgen

2003-10-13

We believe it should be possible to make operational the philosophical ideas of the good life in order to make it the object of scientific research. The Quality of Life Research Center in Copenhagen, Denmark has therefore spent the last several years with these questions and tried to find practical and evidence-based scientific solutions. This paper describes the theoretical road taken in moving from the abstract philosophy of life to the actual questionnaire. It presents an important aspect of our work with the quality-of-life (QOL) concept though the last decade. We have developed the quality-of-life philosophy; the SEQOL, QOL5, and QOL1 questionnaires; the quality-of-life theory; and the quality-of-life research methodology. We carried out quality-of-life population surveys and developed techniques for improving quality of life with the chronically sick patient. This paper presents the struggle to create a rating scale for the generic measurement of the global quality of life, based on quality-of-life theory, derived from quality-of-life philosophy. The developed rating scale is a ratio scale combining a Likert scale, a visual analogue scale, and a numerical scale, to a reduced combination scale. This allows for the extraction of as much information from the respondents as possible without exhausting them unduly or demanding more than can be reasonably expected.

Exogenous determinants of early-life conditions, and mortality later in life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van den Berg, Gerard J; Doblhammer, Gabriele; Christensen, Kaare

2009-01-01

based on the estimation of duration models) indicate a significant negative causal effect of economic conditions early in life on individual mortality rates at higher ages. If the national economic performance in the year of birth exceeds its trend value (i.e., if the business cycle is favorable......) then the mortality rate later in life is lower. The implied effect on the median lifetime of those who survive until age 35 is about 10 months. A systematic empirical exploration of all macro-indicators reveals that economic conditions in the first years after birth also affect mortality rates later in life.......We analyze causal effects of conditions early in life on the individual mortality rate later in life. Conditions early in life are captured by transitory features of the macro-environment around birth, notably the state of the business cycle around birth, but also food price deviations, weather...

Personel and life coaching

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Spaten, Ole Michael

2018-01-01

Personal coaching and life-coaching psychology is for assisting individuals clarify values, visions and meaning of life, through a systematic process in which the coach facilitates improvement of satisfying and fruitful life experiences and achievement of personal life goals....

LIFE: Life Investigation For Enceladus A Sample Return Mission Concept in Search for Evidence of Life.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsou, Peter; Brownlee, Donald E; McKay, Christopher P; Anbar, Ariel D; Yano, Hajime; Altwegg, Kathrin; Beegle, Luther W; Dissly, Richard; Strange, Nathan J; Kanik, Isik

2012-08-01

Life Investigation For Enceladus (LIFE) presents a low-cost sample return mission to Enceladus, a body with high astrobiological potential. There is ample evidence that liquid water exists under ice coverage in the form of active geysers in the "tiger stripes" area of the southern Enceladus hemisphere. This active plume consists of gas and ice particles and enables the sampling of fresh materials from the interior that may originate from a liquid water source. The particles consist mostly of water ice and are 1-10 μ in diameter. The plume composition shows H(2)O, CO(2), CH(4), NH(3), Ar, and evidence that more complex organic species might be present. Since life on Earth exists whenever liquid water, organics, and energy coexist, understanding the chemical components of the emanating ice particles could indicate whether life is potentially present on Enceladus. The icy worlds of the outer planets are testing grounds for some of the theories for the origin of life on Earth. The LIFE mission concept is envisioned in two parts: first, to orbit Saturn (in order to achieve lower sampling speeds, approaching 2 km/s, and thus enable a softer sample collection impact than Stardust, and to make possible multiple flybys of Enceladus); second, to sample Enceladus' plume, the E ring of Saturn, and the Titan upper atmosphere. With new findings from these samples, NASA could provide detailed chemical and isotopic and, potentially, biological compositional context of the plume. Since the duration of the Enceladus plume is unpredictable, it is imperative that these samples are captured at the earliest flight opportunity. If LIFE is launched before 2019, it could take advantage of a Jupiter gravity assist, which would thus reduce mission lifetimes and launch vehicle costs. The LIFE concept offers science returns comparable to those of a Flagship mission but at the measurably lower sample return costs of a Discovery-class mission.

Quality of Life

Science.gov (United States)

Military Child Education DSN: (315) 477-9422 COMM: (808) 477-9422 Individual Contacts Branch Chief, Quality Directory Media Inquiries Home : Resources : Quality of Life J102 Quality of Life and Military Child Education Branch PACOM Quality of Life and Education Facebook Page | USPACOM SAPR 24/7 Emergency Lines and

SIMPLE LIFE AND RELIGION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmet YILDIRIM

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Individuals in terms of the economy in which we live is one of the most important phenomenon of the century. This phenomenon present itself as the only determinant of people's lives by entering almost makes itself felt. The mo st obvious objective needs of the economy by triggering motive is to induce people to consume . Consumer culture pervades all aspects of the situation are people . Therefore, these people have the blessing of culture , beauty and value all in the name of w hatever is consumed. This is way out of the siege of moral and religious values we have is to go back again . Referred by local cultural and religious values, based on today increasingly come to the fore and the Muslim way of life appears to be close to th e plain / lean preferred by many people life has been a way of life. Even the simple life , a way of life in the Western world , a conception of life , a philosophy, a movement as it has become widely accepted. Here in determining the Muslim way of life Pr ophet. Prophet (sa lived the kind of life a very important model, sample, and determining which direction is known. Religious values, which is the carrier of the prophets, sent to the society they have always been examples and models. Because every aspect of human life, his life style and the surrounding area has a feature. We also value his life that he has unknowingly and without learning and skills and to understand it is not possible to live our religion . We also our presentation, we mainly of Islam o utlook on life and predicted life - style, including the Prophet of Islam 's (sa simple life to scrutinize and lifestyle issues related to reveal , in short Islam's how life has embraced and the Prophet. Prophet's will try to find answers to questions reg arding how to live.

Early-life disruption of amphibian microbiota decreases later-life resistance to parasites.

Science.gov (United States)

Knutie, Sarah A; Wilkinson, Christina L; Kohl, Kevin D; Rohr, Jason R

2017-07-20

Changes in the early-life microbiota of hosts might affect infectious disease risk throughout life, if such disruptions during formative times alter immune system development. Here, we test whether an early-life disruption of host-associated microbiota affects later-life resistance to infections by manipulating the microbiota of tadpoles and challenging them with parasitic gut worms as adults. We find that tadpole bacterial diversity is negatively correlated with parasite establishment in adult frogs: adult frogs that had reduced bacterial diversity as tadpoles have three times more worms than adults without their microbiota manipulated as tadpoles. In contrast, adult bacterial diversity during parasite exposure is not correlated with parasite establishment in adult frogs. Thus, in this experimental setup, an early-life disruption of the microbiota has lasting reductions on host resistance to infections, which is possibly mediated by its effects on immune system development. Our results support the idea that preventing early-life disruption of host-associated microbiota might confer protection against diseases later in life.Early-life microbiota alterations can affect infection susceptibility later in life, in animal models. Here, Knutie et al. show that manipulating the microbiota of tadpoles leads to increased susceptibility to parasitic infection in adult frogs, in the absence of substantial changes in the adults' microbiota.

Gender gaps--Life expectancy and proportion of life in poor health.

Science.gov (United States)

Luy, Marc; Minagawa, Yuka

2014-12-01

The literature suggests that women report worse health but live longer than men--a phenomenon known as the gender paradox in health and mortality. Although studies examining the paradox abound, relatively little is known about mechanisms underlying the gap. With data on healthy life expectancy from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010, this article analyses the relationship between length of life and health among men and women in 45 more-developed countries. The proportion of life spent in poor health is used as an indicator of health. This approach accounts for gender differences in longevity and illustrates the female health disadvantage pattern more clearly. Life expectancy at birth and the proportion of life in poor health are closely related for both genders. Furthermore, the larger the female excess in longevity, the larger the female excess in the proportion of life in poor health. By focusing on the proportion of life in poor health, this analysis suggests that women's longevity advantage translates into a health disadvantages relative to men. The results indicate that women suffer from poor health not in spite of living longer, but because they live longer.

Small phosphatidate phosphatase (TtPAH2) of Tetrahymena ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Anoop Narayana Pillai

2017-10-03

Oct 3, 2017 ... There was no significant difference (indicated as 'ns') in the number of lipid droplets as analysed by Kruskal-Wallis test. (p \\0.01). .... and Goodman JM 2011 The yeast lipin orthologue Pah1p is ... gamma transcriptional activity.

Effects of platinic chloride on Tetrahymena pyrifromis GL

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nilsson, Jytte R.

1992-01-01

Cellebiologi, platinum(IV)chloride, endocytosis, detoxification, cell proliferation, fine structure, cisplatin......Cellebiologi, platinum(IV)chloride, endocytosis, detoxification, cell proliferation, fine structure, cisplatin...

The essence of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Wentao

2016-09-26

Although biology has achieved great successes in recent years, we have not got a clear idea on "what is life?" Actually, as explained here, the main reason for this situation is that there are two completely distinct aspects for "life", which are usually talked about together. Indeed, in respect to these two aspects: Darwinian evolution and self-sustaining, we must split the concept of life correspondingly, for example, by defining "life form" and "living entity", separately. For life's implementation (related to the two aspects) in nature, three mechanisms are crucial: the replication of DNA/RNA-like polymers by residue-pairing, the sequence-dependent folding of RNA/protein-like polymers engendering special functions, and the assembly of phospholipid-like amphiphiles forming vesicles. The notion "information" is significant for us to comprehend life phenomenon: the life form of a living entity can just be defined by its genetic information; Darwinian evolution is essentially an evolution of such information, transferred across generations. The in-depth analysis concerning the essence of life would improve our cognition in the whole field of biology, and may have a direct influence on its subfields like the origin of life, artificial life and astrobiology. This article was reviewed by Anthony Poole and Thomas Dandekar.

Chinese Student Life.

Science.gov (United States)

Braswell, James; Boone, Jerry N.

1991-01-01

Places life of university students in China in context of Tiananmen Square and Cultural Revolution, with implications of serving them as students in the United States. Presents basic facts of student life in China. Although the emphasis is on college life, some attention is paid to earlier student experiences as well. (Author/NB)

An Empirical Study on the Effect of Work/Life Commitment to Work-Life Conflict

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Li; Yin, Jie-lin

This study examined the relation between work and life orientation and work interfere with personal life or personal life interfere with work of employees in China. Cluster analysis results showed that there are four profiles of orientation: work orientation, life orientation, integration and disengagement orientation. There are significant differences in work interfere personal life and personal life interfere work between different profiles.

Emergence of Life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie-Paule Bassez

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Indeed, even if we know that many individual components are necessary for life to exist, we do not yet know what makes life emerge. One goal of this journal Life is to juxtapose articles with multidisciplinary approaches and perhaps to answer in the near future this question of the emergence of life. Different subjects and themes will be developed, starting of course with the multiple definitions of life and continuing with others such as: life diversity and universality; characteristics of living systems; thermodynamics with energy and entropy; kinetics and catalysis; water in its different physical states; circulation of sap and blood and its origin; the first blood pump and first heart; the first exchange of nutrients between cells, sap and blood; essential molecules of living systems; chirality; molecular asymmetry and its origin; formation of enantiomer excess and amplification; microscopic observations on a micrometer and sub-micrometer scales, at molecular and atomic levels; the first molecules at the origin of genetic information, viroids, circular RNA; regions of space or the area inside membranes and cells capable of initiating and maintaining life; phenomena at the origin of the emergence of life; molecules studied in the traditional field of chemistry and in the recent field of nanoscience governed by new laws; interaction between the individual molecules and components of living systems; interaction between living systems and the environment; transfer of information through generations; continuation of life from one generation to the next; prebiotic chemistry and prebiotic signatures on Earth, on Mars, on other planets; biosignatures of the first forms of life; fossils and pseudofossils dating 3.5 Ga ago and more recent ones; experimental fossilization; pluricellular eukaryotes dating 2.1 Ga ago; sudden increase in oxygen in the atmosphere around 2.0 to 2.5 Ga ago and its relation to geology; shell symmetry; aging with

Life extension, overpopulation and the right to life: against lethal ethics.

Science.gov (United States)

Cutas, D E

2008-09-01

Some of the objections to life-extension stem from a concern with overpopulation. I will show that whether or not the overpopulation threat is realistic, arguments from overpopulation cannot ethically demand halting the quest for, nor access to, life-extension. The reason for this is that we have a right to life, which entitles us not to have meaningful life denied to us against our will and which does not allow discrimination solely on the grounds of age. If the threat of overpopulation creates a rights conflict between the right to come into existence, the right to reproduce, the right to more opportunities and space (if, indeed, these rights can be successfully defended), and the right to life, the latter ought to be given precedence.

Life estimation I and C cable insulation materials based on accelerated life testing accelerated life testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santhosh, T.V.; Ramteke, P.K.; Shrestha, N.B.; Ahirwar, A.K.; Gopika, V.

2016-01-01

Accelerated Iife tests are becoming increasingly popular in today's industry due to the need for obtaining life data quickly and reliably. Life testing of products under higher stress levels without introducing additional failure modes can provide significant savings of both time and money. Correct analysis of data gathered via such accelerated life testing will yield parameters and other information for the product's life under use stress conditions. To be of practical use in assessing the operational behaviour of cables in NPPs, laboratory ageing aims to mimic the type of degradation observed under operational conditions. Conditions of testing therefore need to be carefully chosen to ensure that the degradation mechanism occurring in the accelerated tests are similar to those which occur in service. This paper presents the results of an investigation in which the elongation-at-break (EAB) measurements were carried on a typical control cable to predict the mean life at service conditions. A low voltage polyvinyl chloride (PVC) insulated and PVC sheathed control cable, used in NPP instrumentation and control (I and C) applications, was subjected thermal ageing at three elevated temperatures

Exogenous determinants of early-life conditions, and mortality later in life.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Berg, Gerard J; Doblhammer, Gabriele; Christensen, Kaare

2009-05-01

We analyze causal effects of conditions early in life on the individual mortality rate later in life. Conditions early in life are captured by transitory features of the macro-environment around birth, notably the state of the business cycle around birth, but also food price deviations, weather indicators, and demographic indicators. We argue that these features can only affect high-age mortality by way of the individual early-life conditions. Moreover, they are exogenous from the individual point of view, which is a methodological advantage compared to the use of unique characteristics of the newborn individual or his or her family or household as early-life indicators. We collected national annual time-series data on the above-mentioned indicators, and we combine these to the individual data records from the Danish Twin Registry covering births in 1873-1906. The empirical analyses (mostly based on the estimation of duration models) indicate a significant negative causal effect of economic conditions early in life on individual mortality rates at higher ages. If the national economic performance in the year of birth exceeds its trend value (i.e., if the business cycle is favorable) then the mortality rate later in life is lower. The implied effect on the median lifetime of those who survive until age 35 is about 10 months. A systematic empirical exploration of all macro-indicators reveals that economic conditions in the first years after birth also affect mortality rates later in life.

Definition of life law and the situation with problems of China's life jurisprudence.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Changqiu

2008-12-01

Life law is a new conception brought by the development of modern life science and biotechnology. There are many different ideas on the conception of life law in academy. The definition of life law should be footed on the domain of bioethics. Based on bioethics, life law is a group of legislations which are enacted or acknowledged by the state and implemented by the state compulsively with the goal of regulating all types of relations revolving the survival as well as terminal of human beings and some other creatures which play important roles in the maintenance of human's life and health. There are many problems in China's study on science of life law, which need paying special attention to by China's scholars.

Life Stories and Trauma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kongshøj, Inge Lise Lundsgaard; Bohn, Annette; Berntsen, Dorthe

Research has shown a connection between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and integration of traumatic experiences into the life story. Furthermore, empirical evidence suggests that life story formation begins in mid to late adolescence. Following these findings, the present study investigated...... whether experiencing trauma in youth was associated with a greater risk to integrate the trauma into the life story compared to adult traumatic exposure. Life stories were collected from 115 participants recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Moreover, participants filled out questionnaires regarding...... often integrate the trauma into their life story? Results will be discussed in relation to theories of development of life stories and of PTSD....

Life satisfaction, distress, and resiliency across the life span of women.

Science.gov (United States)

Beutel, Manfred E; Glaesmer, Heide; Decker, Oliver; Fischbeck, Sabine; Brähler, Elmar

2009-01-01

This study aimed to determine (1) the relationship between life satisfaction, mental disorders, and aging in the female community and (2) to identify the impact of vulnerability factors, personal (resilience, self-esteem), and social resources on life satisfaction and distress. A stratified random sample of the German female population (N = 2,540) was investigated using standardized questionnaires of life satisfaction (Questions on Life Satisfaction), depression, anxiety (Patient Health Questionnaire), resilience scale (RS-11), and self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale). When participants were divided into six age groups (18-30, 31-40, 41-50, 51-60, 61-70, and >70 y), we found lower life satisfaction, satisfaction with partnership, and sexuality beyond the age of 50 years. Satisfaction with health was decreased already at early adulthood. Although the importance of partnership/sexuality was reduced around midlife, the importance of health increased. Depression was highest in the oldest group, whereas anxiety remained fairly stable across the cohorts. Life satisfaction was strongly associated with resilience, a good household income, the presence of a partnership, absence of anxiety and depression, lack of unemployment, positive self-esteem, religious affiliation, and-least-age. Personal and social resources and the absence of anxiety and depression are of crucial importance for the maintenance of life satisfaction in aging women.

Life History Approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olesen, Henning Salling

2015-01-01

as in everyday life. Life histories represent lived lives past, present and anticipated future. As such they are interpretations of individuals’ experiences of the way in which societal dynamics take place in the individual body and mind, either by the individual him/herself or by another biographer. The Life...... History approach was developing from interpreting autobiographical and later certain other forms of language interactive material as moments of life history, i.e. it is basically a hermeneutic approach. Talking about a psycho-societal approach indicates the ambition of attacking the dichotomy...... of the social and the psychic, both in the interpretation procedure and in some main theoretical understandings of language, body and mind. My article will present the reflections on the use of life history based methodology in learning and education research as a kind of learning story of research work....

Multiple chronic conditions and life expectancy: a life table analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

DuGoff, Eva H; Canudas-Romo, Vladimir; Buttorff, Christine; Leff, Bruce; Anderson, Gerard F

2014-08-01

The number of people living with multiple chronic conditions is increasing, but we know little about the impact of multimorbidity on life expectancy. We analyze life expectancy in Medicare beneficiaries by number of chronic conditions. A retrospective cohort study using single-decrement period life tables. Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries (N=1,372,272) aged 67 and older as of January 1, 2008. Our primary outcome measure is life expectancy. We categorize study subjects by sex, race, selected chronic conditions (heart disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, and Alzheimer disease), and number of comorbid conditions. Comorbidity was measured as a count of conditions collected by Chronic Conditions Warehouse and the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Life expectancy decreases with each additional chronic condition. A 67-year-old individual with no chronic conditions will live on average 22.6 additional years. A 67-year-old individual with 5 chronic conditions and ≥10 chronic conditions will live 7.7 fewer years and 17.6 fewer years, respectively. The average marginal decline in life expectancy is 1.8 years with each additional chronic condition-ranging from 0.4 fewer years with the first condition to 2.6 fewer years with the sixth condition. These results are consistent by sex and race. We observe differences in life expectancy by selected conditions at 67, but these differences diminish with age and increasing numbers of comorbid conditions. Social Security and Medicare actuaries should account for the growing number of beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions when determining population projections and trust fund solvency.

Best Practice Life Expectancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Medford, Anthony

2017-01-01

been reported previously by various authors. Though remarkable, this is simply an empirical observation. Objective: We examine best-practice life expectancy more formally by using extreme value theory. Methods: Extreme value distributions are fit to the time series (1900 to 2012) of maximum life......Background: Whereas the rise in human life expectancy has been extensively studied, the evolution of maximum life expectancies, i.e., the rise in best-practice life expectancy in a group of populations, has not been examined to the same extent. The linear rise in best-practice life expectancy has...... expectancies at birth and age 65, for both sexes, using data from the Human Mortality Database and the United Nations. Conclusions: Generalized extreme value distributions offer a theoretically justified way to model best-practice life expectancies. Using this framework one can straightforwardly obtain...

Work–Life Interventions

OpenAIRE

He Lu Calvin Ong; Senthu Jeyaraj

2014-01-01

Despite disparities in the conceptualization of work–life balance (WLB) and work–life harmony (WLH) in the literature, there remains no evidence till date to validate these differences. Furthermore, there are currently no insights that shed light on the relationship between work–life initiatives and key business strategies of contemporary organizations. Hence, the current study investigated the differences between the ...

Voice as Form of Life and Life Form

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra Laugier

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This paper studies the concept of form of life as central to ordinary language philosophy (as understood in Wittgenstein’s, Austin’s and Stanley Cavell’s work: philosophy of our language as spoken; pronounced by a human voice within a form of life. Such an approach to Wittgenstein’s later philosophy shifts the question of the common use of language – central to Wittgenstein’s Investigations – to the definition of the subject as voice, and to the reinvention of subjectivity in language. The voice is both a subjective and common expression: it is what makes it possible for my individual voice, or claim, to become shared and for our forms of life to be intertwined with a lifeform.

Contents of life review and quality of life of advanced cancer patients

OpenAIRE

Ando, Michiyo; Ishiwara, Tatsuhiko; Kimura, Hideyuki; Tsuchida, Yoko

2003-01-01

The present study investigated the utility of life review for advanced cancer patients. In the investigation, we examined the contents of life review of advanced cancer patients, and the relation between specific contents and Quality of Life (QoL) issues.

Life as quale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roland Cazalis

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The developments of relational biology during these last thirty years tend to classify autonomous system such as biological, cognitive or social groups among the living systems which they models as such. This present article tries to understand the nature of life by the transition phase which characterizes the passage from the inanimate world to the organic one. Our proposal is that life belongsto the category of qualia. Consequently, qualia are already obvious at least with the simplest forms of the living world. Furthermore, if life, consciousness and language are emergences of complex entities,life as quale is specifically the self of the cellular organism.

The quality of life and satisfaction with life of women who are childless by choice.

Science.gov (United States)

Bień, Agnieszka; Rzońca, Ewa; Iwanowicz-Palus, Grażyna; Lecyk, Urszula; Bojar, Iwona

2017-05-11

Objective. The study attempts to identify and analyze factors affecting the quality of life and satisfaction with life of women who are childless by choice. Materials and method. The research instruments used were: the WHOQOL-Bref questionnaire and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and author's own questionnaire. Results. A better overall quality of life, perception of own health and quality of life in all the specific domains analyzed was found among childless women living in cities, college/university-educated, and with a good or very good financial standing. Conclusions. A positive correlation was found between satisfaction with life and overall quality of life, general perceived health, and all quality of life domains. Higher satisfaction with life scores in childless women are correlated with a higher quality of life scores and better perceived health.

[End-of-life care and end-of-life medical decisions: the ITAELD study].

Science.gov (United States)

Miccinesi, Guido; Puliti, Donella; Paci, Eugenio

2011-01-01

To describe the attitudes towards end of life care and the practice of end-of-life medical decisions with possible life-shortening effect among Italian physicians. Cross sectional study (last death among the assisted patients in the last 12 months was considered). In the year 2007, 5,710 GPs and 8,950 hospital physicians were invited all over Italy to participate in the ITAELDstudy through anonymous mail questionnaire. Proportion of agreement with statements on end-of-life care issues. Proportion of deaths with an end-of-life medical decision. The response rate was 19.2%. The 65% of respondents agreed with the duty to respect any non-treatment request of the competent patient, the 55% agreed with the same duty in case of advanced directives, the 39% in case of proxy's request. The 53% of respondents agreed with the ethical acceptability of active euthanasia in selected cases. Among 1,850 deaths the 57.7% did not receive any end-of-life medical decision. For a further 21.0% no decision was possible, being sudden and unexpected deaths. In the remaining 21.3% at least one end-of-life medical decision was reported: 0.8% was classified as physician assisted death, 20.5% as non-treatment decision. Among all deceased the 19.6% were reported to have been deeply sedated. Being favourable to the use of opioids in terminal patients was associated to non-treatment decisions with possible but non-intentional life shortening effect; agreeing with the duty to fully respect any actual non-treatment request of the competent patient was associated to end-of life medical decisions with intentional life-shortening effect (adjusted OR>10 in both cases). The life stance and ethical beliefs of physicians determine their behaviour at the end of life wherever specific statements of law are lacking. Therefore education and debate are needed on these issues.

Influence of physicians' life stances on attitudes to end-of-life decisions and actual end-of-life decision-making in six countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cohen, J; van Delden, J; Mortier, F

2008-01-01

AIM: To examine how physicians' life stances affect their attitudes to end-of-life decisions and their actual end-of-life decision-making. METHODS: Practising physicians from various specialties involved in the care of dying patients in Belgium, Denmark, The Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland......) and Protestants (up to 20.4% in The Netherlands) reported ever having made such a decision. DISCUSSION: The results suggest that religious teachings influence to some extent end-of-life decision-making, but are certainly not blankly accepted by physicians, especially when dealing with real patients...... large life-stance groups in each country. RESULTS: Only small differences in life stance were found in all countries in general attitudes and intended and actual behaviour with regard to various end-of-life decisions. However, with regard to the administration of drugs explicitly intended to hasten...

Life and the laundromat: reflections on dirty linen and everyday private life.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawler, J

1997-09-01

This is a paper in which I reflect on, and draw issues from, an unplanned ethnographic experience in a London laundromat. The concept of 'everyday life' has a kind of simple, even benign, quality. However, there are many events in everyday life that are complex and complicating. Everyday life can be mundane--boring even. But it can also confront and trouble us, even when it concerns such apparently ordinary matters like doing the laundry. This paper is about how the ordinary matters of everyday life can become problematic and how our involvement in them can confront us with dilemmas that are unwanted yet require our attention and judgement as participants in social life.

The quantum life

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Paul

2009-07-01

To a physicist, life seems little short of miraculous-all those stupid atoms getting together to perform such clever tricks! For centuries, living organisms were regarded as some sort of magic matter. Today, we know that no special "life force" is at work in biology; there is just ordinary matter doing extraordinary things, all the while obeying the familiar laws of physics. What, then, is the secret of life's remarkable properties?

Energy and quality of life

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasten, Cesar; Santamarina, Juan Carlos

2012-01-01

Energy is required to sustain life. A human-centered analysis of the worldwide energy situation is conducted in terms of quality of life-related variables that are affected, but not directly determined, by energy consumption. Data since 1980 show a continuous global increase in both energy consumption and quality of life, and lower population growth in countries with higher quality of life. Based on these trends, we advance non-linear energy consumption predictions and identify various plausible scenarios to optimally steer future energy demands, in order to maximize quality of life. The scenarios consider the coupling between energy consumption rate per capita, quality of life, population growth, social inequality, and governments’ energy-for-life efficiency. The results show the energy cost of increasing quality of life in the developing world, energy savings that can be realized by limiting overconsumption without impacting quality of life, and the role of governments on increasing energy-for-life efficiency and reducing social inequality. - Highlights: ► Energy consumption is inherently coupled to quality of life and population growth. ► Limiting overconsumption can keep 2040 energy consumption at 2010 levels. ► Restricting population growth has a minor effect on future energy demand. ► Social inequality reduction increases quality of life with a minor energy use. ► Increasing energy-for-life efficiency can keep 2040 energy use at 2010 levels.

NPP service life management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elagin, Yu.P.

2001-01-01

Problems of NPP service life management and service life prolongation are reviewed. Methods for the prolongation of the French NPP service life are discussed, priority directions of nuclear block service life management in regard to aging in the context of the European program of investigation into the materials aging are identified. Questions of the provision of the 60 years service life of the Mihama 1 block (Japan) and decision of the problem of the control equipment aging in Great Britain are discussed. Situation with the prolongation of licenses on the NPP operation in the USA and Spain is considered [ru

Implication of Life in Foreign Literature and Life Education of Contemporary College Students

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Zhang pei pei

2017-01-01

College students’outlook on life is obviously diversified.College students’outlook on life and education are not only concerned by college students，but also on the personal development of college students.How to find the implication of life in foreign literature and literature？It is of great significance to carry on the life outlook education to the contemporary university student.

Caring for children with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2011-07-03

Jul 3, 2011 ... She currently works with funding support from the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and the ... Children with life-limiting illnesses may also develop life-threatening ... bodies in an age-appropriate manner a basic.

Evidence of Taxa-, Clone-, and Kin-discrimination in Protists: Ecological and Evolutionary Implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Espinosa, Avelina; Paz-Y-Miño-C, Guillermo

2014-11-01

Unicellular eukaryotes, or protists, are among the most ancient organisms on Earth. Protists belong to multiple taxonomic groups; they are widely distributed geographically and in all environments. Their ability to discriminate among con- and heterospecifics has been documented during the past decade. Here we discuss exemplar cases of taxa-, clone-, and possible kin-discrimination in five major lineages: Mycetozoa ( Dictyostelium , Polysphondylium ), Dikarya ( Saccharomyces ), Ciliophora ( Tetrahymena ), Apicomplexa ( Plasmodium ) and Archamoebae ( Entamoeba ). We summarize the proposed genetic mechanisms involved in discrimination-mediated aggregation (self versus different), including the csA , FLO and trg (formerly lag ) genes, and the Proliferation Activation Factors (PAFs), which facilitate clustering in some protistan taxa. We caution about the experimental challenges intrinsic to studying recognition in protists, and highlight the opportunities for exploring the ecology and evolution of complex forms of cell-cell communication, including social behavior, in a polyphyletic, still superficially understood group of organisms. Because unicellular eukaryotes are the evolutionary precursors of multicellular life, we infer that their mechanisms of taxa-, clone-, and possible kin-discrimination gave origin to the complex diversification and sophistication of traits associated with species and kin recognition in plants, fungi, invertebrates and vertebrates.

The quality of life and satisfaction with life of women who are childless by choice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agnieszka Bień

2017-05-01

A positive correlation was found between satisfaction with life and overall quality of life, general perceived health, and all quality of life domains. Higher satisfaction with life scores in childless women are correlated with a higher quality of life scores and better perceived health.

Life sciences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Day, L. (ed.)

1991-04-01

This document is the 1989--1990 Annual Report for the Life Sciences Divisions of the University of California/Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. Specific progress reports are included for the Cell and Molecular Biology Division, the Research Medicine and Radiation Biophysics Division (including the Advanced Light Source Life Sciences Center), and the Chemical Biodynamics Division. 450 refs., 46 figs. (MHB)

Life sciences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Day, L.

1991-04-01

This document is the 1989--1990 Annual Report for the Life Sciences Divisions of the University of California/Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. Specific progress reports are included for the Cell and Molecular Biology Division, the Research Medicine and Radiation Biophysics Division (including the Advanced Light Source Life Sciences Center), and the Chemical Biodynamics Division. 450 refs., 46 figs

Good daily habits during the early stages of life determine success throughout life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Kohyama

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This paper assesses hypothesis that sufficient sleep duration and proper circadian rhythms during the early stages of life are indispensable to a successful life. Successful life was defined according to the famous cohort studies of Mischel's and Dunedin. To assess the hypothesis, neuronal elements presumably affecting early daily habits and successful life are reviewed. The effect of sufficient sleep duration and proper circadian rhythms during early stages of life on the development of the prefrontal cortex has been found to be the key issue to verify the hypothesis. Socioeconomic status is found to be another issue to be studied.

Good daily habits during the early stages of life determine success throughout life.

Science.gov (United States)

Kohyama, Jun

2016-01-01

This paper assesses hypothesis that sufficient sleep duration and proper circadian rhythms during the early stages of life are indispensable to a successful life. Successful life was defined according to the famous cohort studies of Mischel's and Dunedin. To assess the hypothesis, neuronal elements presumably affecting early daily habits and successful life are reviewed. The effect of sufficient sleep duration and proper circadian rhythms during early stages of life on the development of the prefrontal cortex has been found to be the key issue to verify the hypothesis. Socioeconomic status is found to be another issue to be studied.

Quality of Life in Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norina Popovici

2016-01-01

Many times we wondered why people want a certain comfort in exchange for sacrifices on longterm: we want houses, cars, holidays, quality services. All our life we work and give up many tothings (maybe more important than achieving material benefits. It's about quality of life. In thispaper we analyzed the quality of life in Europe addressing several factors, such as subjective wellbeing,living standards and material constraints, work-life balance, family life and social life,health and education.

Early Life Exposures and Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Early-life events and exposures have important consequences for cancer development later in life, however, epidemiological studies of early-life factors and cancer development later in life have had significant methodological challenges.

Everyday Family Life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Westerling, Allan

2010-01-01

and methods and it illustrates this by presenting a research design which comprises a multi-methodological approach combining quantitative and qualitative methods in the study of the relationship between the individual and the social (the individual/social), thus enabling analysis of both meaning...... project takes a social psychological approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods in a longitudinal study of family life. The knowledge interest of the project is the constitution of communality and individuality in everyday family life. This article presents the theoretical framework......What are the implications of ongoing processes of modernization and individualization for social relations in everyday life? This overall research question is the pivotal point in empirical studies at the Centre of Childhood-, Youth- and Family Life Research at Roskilde University. One research...

Taxonomy, distribution and prevalence of parasites of tigerfish, Hydrocynus vittatus (Castelnau, 1861) in the Sanyati basin, Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe.

Science.gov (United States)

Mabika, Nyasha; Barson, Maxwell; Van Dyk, Cobus; Avenant-Oldewage, Annemariè

2016-09-01

Parasites of the tigerfish (Hydrocynus vittatus) were investigated in the period October 2014 to July 2015 in the Sanyati Basin, Lake Kariba. The fish were collected using seine netting and also during the annual Kariba International Tiger Fishing Tournament. A total of 80 fish specimens (24 males and 56 females) were collected and were infected with the following seven parasite taxa: Monogenea (Annulotrema sp.1 from the gills and Annulotrema sp.2 from the skin), Nematoda (Contracaecum larvae), Cestoda (bothriocephalid, larval cyclophyllid), Copepoda (Lamproglena hemprichii), pentastomid, Myxosporea (Myxobolus sp.,) and unicellular ciliate parasites (Trichodina sp., Tetrahymena sp., and unidentified). Annulotrema sp. 1 was observed in all fish and had the highest prevalence, mean intensity and abundance. The fish organs infected were gills, skin, fin, body cavity, stomach, intestines, mesentery, liver, kidney, brain cavity and swim bladder. No parasites were observed in the muscle, eyes and blood. The distribution of the parasites was highest in the gills and lowest in the brain cavity and swimbladder. Bothriocephalids, pentastomes and Trichodina sp. were not observed in male fish. Sex was not related to the intensity of parasites. The results of the study showed that H. vittatus has a richer parasite community than other previous investigated alestids. Pentastomes, Myxobolus sp., Trichodina sp., Tetrahymena sp. and bothriocephalid cestodes are new records for H. vittatus in Zimbabwe.

The study of life-satisfaction

OpenAIRE

Veenhoven, Ruut

1996-01-01

textabstractABSTRACT This chapter reviews the literature on life satisfaction. Six questions are considered: 1) What is the point of studying life-satisfaction? 2) What is life-satisfaction? 3) Can life-satisfaction be measured? 4) How satisfied are we? 5) What causes us to be satisfied or dissatisfied with life? 6) Can the level of life-satisfaction be increased? These questions are considered at the individual level as well as the societal level. In the concluding section a general overview...

Work-Life Balance

OpenAIRE

Kvasničková, Katarína

2011-01-01

The subject of this thesis is Work-Life Balance - the reconciliation of professional and personal lives. The primary objective of this work is to analyze employee satisfaction in achieving a balance between the professional and personal life and to develop recommendations for employer on that basis. The theoretical portion of this work defines the issues surrounding Work-Life Balance and tools that employees can use to harmonize the two with an analysis of applications in the Czech Republic a...

Quest for a good life: spiritual values, life goals, and college students.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Kaili Chen; Yu, Esther Dawen

2014-03-01

Values and life goals are associated with one's general well-being and quality of life. However, there is insufficient documentation about issues that are linked with the notions of spiritual values and life goals among college students in Asia. This study addressed this lack of research by focusing on the spiritual values and life goals among students in Singapore. Four hundred and ninety structured surveys and 64 follow-up interviews were taken in two government-sponsored universities in Singapore. Statistics showed that spiritual values were positively correlated with intrinsic goals, which had been shown to strongly relate to subjective well-being (SWB). Developing spiritual values may promote subjective well-being by enabling college students to find meaning and purpose in life. Copyright © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

[Quality of life and life project, two inseparable concepts?].

Science.gov (United States)

Deconstanza, Patrice

2010-01-01

The construction of a life project within a long-stay unit for people living with chronic psychiatric disorders must take into account a dimension of care centred around the quality of life and the care provided "here and now". Here, the concept of care finds its full meaning. The example of a long-stay psychiatric unit.

Analyzing Food-Related Life Satisfaction and other Predictors of Life Satisfaction in Central Chile.

Science.gov (United States)

Schnettler, Berta; Lobos, Germán; Orellana, Ligia; Grunert, Klaus; Sepúlveda, José; Mora, Marcos; Denegri, Marianela; Miranda, Horacio

2015-06-17

This study aimed to assess the effect of satisfaction with food-related life on life satisfaction among inhabitants of the main municipalities of central Chile. A survey was applied to a sample of 1,277 people, distributed proportionally by municipality. The questionnaire included the following scales: SWLS (Satisfaction with Life Scale), SWFL (Satisfaction with Food-related Life) and the Health-Related Quality of Life Index (HRQOL). Questions were asked regarding eating habits inside and outside the home, time available for meals at home, the assessment of five sources of happiness and the demographic characteristics of those surveyed. An ordered logit model was proposed, in which the dependent variable was satisfaction with life. Satisfaction with life was significantly related to the respondent's socioeconomic status, self-perception of health, degree of satisfaction with food-related life, monthly food expenditure, time available for supper with the family (p health problems, frequency of supper with the family, the degree of agreement with respect to family being an important source of happiness (p food consumption in fast food outlets (p health, family and eating, and the family interaction associated with eating may play an important role in overall satisfaction with life.

Between Gorleben life and city life

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halbach, D.; Panzer, G.

1980-01-01

The authors lived for quite a long time in Wendland, the village of opponents of atomic energy at Gorleben. They regard the conflict on the issue of Gorleben and atomic energy as being located within the fundamental conflict existing between various ways of life: between the rather traditional region with the centralistic model of the atomic state and their hopes for decentralized ecological communities. They report on the practical development of this resistance and point out its forms of struggle which have to be proportionate to the atomic antagonist, friends and foes in the region as well as to their own requirements and objectives concerning an ecological and independent way of life. (HSCH) [de

Toward a Developmental Psychology of Sehnsucht (Life Longings): The Optimal (Utopian) Life

Science.gov (United States)

Scheibe, Susanne; Freund, Alexandra M.; Baltes, Paul B.

2007-01-01

The topic of an optimal or utopian life has received much attention across the humanities and the arts but not in psychology. The German concept of Sehnsucht captures individual and collective thoughts and feelings about one's optimal or utopian life. Sehnsucht (life longings; LLs) is defined as an intense desire for alternative states and…

Life: Here? There? Elsewhere? The Search for Life on Venus and Mars. Life in the Universe Series.

Science.gov (United States)

1996

This classroom kit, designed by curriculum developers working with teachers and scientists from the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute, helps teachers guide students in the exploration of life through the multidisciplinary sciences of paleontology and exobiology. It reflects the real-life methods of science: making…

YOUR LIFE@CERN

CERN Multimedia

Guinot, Genevieve

2016-01-01

Balancing work and home life, getting support for your family and thriving in an inclusive and respectful workplace: find out more about the support structures in place to enhance your working life@CERN!

Investigating nurses' quality of life and work-life balance statuses in Singapore.

Science.gov (United States)

Kowitlawkul, Y; Yap, S F; Makabe, S; Chan, S; Takagai, J; Tam, W W S; Nurumal, M S

2018-04-06

To investigate the key determinants of nurses' quality of life and work-life balance statuses in a tertiary hospital in Singapore. Nurses' quality of life can directly and indirectly impact patients' safety and quality of care. Therefore, identifying key factors that influence nurses' quality of life is essential in the healthcare delivery system. A descriptive quantitative study design was adopted, and validated questionnaires were used. Data were collected in a period of 3 months (March to May 2014) at a 600-bed tertiary hospital in Singapore. One thousand and forty nurses participated in the study. Social support and sense of coherence were found to be significant predictors for high quality of life in all domains. Most nurses in this study spent more time on work than their private lives. However, there was no significant difference in job satisfaction among the four groups of nurses' proportions of percentages of actual time spent on work and private life. Cultivating social support from family, friends/colleagues and supervisors can help an individual cope with stress and enhance a nurse's quality of life. Even though nurses who spent more time at work were still satisfied with their job, they might need to be aware of their physical health and work environment. Nursing policy related to nurses' physical health and environment should be established. Health promotion programmes such as physical exercise and mindfulness interventions should be conducted to promote nurses' well-being and healthy workplace environments to enhance nurses' quality of life. © 2018 International Council of Nurses.

Disrupted Refugee Family Life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shapiro, Ditte Krogh

2017-01-01

Fleeing civil war involves managing life threatening events and multiple disruptions of everyday life. The theoretical potentials of analysing the recreation of everyday family life among Syrian refugees in Denmark is explored based on conceptualizations that emphasize the collective agency...... of family members in social historical contexts. Studying the multiple perspectives of family members shows how social support conceptualized as care practises is conflictual in the changing everyday family practices that are transformed by policy. The purpose of studying how families manage to flee civil...... war and struggle to recreate an everyday life in exile is to contribute with contextualization and expansion of mainstream understandings of family life, suffering, and resilience in refugee family trajectories in multiple contexts....

Life insurance mathematics

CERN Document Server

Gerber, Hans U

1997-01-01

This concise introduction to life contingencies, the theory behind the actuarial work around life insurance and pension funds, will appeal to the reader who likes applied mathematics. In addition to model of life contingencies, the theory of compound interest is explained and it is shown how mortality and other rates can be estimated from observations. The probabilistic model is used consistently throughout the book. Numerous exercises (with answers and solutions) have been added, and for this third edition several misprints have been corrected.

End of Life Issues

Science.gov (United States)

Planning for the end of life can be difficult. But by deciding what end-of-life care best suits your needs when you are healthy, you can ... right choices when the time comes. End-of-life planning usually includes making choices about the following: ...

The right to life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dr.Sc. Stavri Sinjari

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The right to life constitutes one of the main human rights and freedoms, foreseen by article 21 of the Albanian Constitution and article 2 of European Human Rights Convention. No democratic or totalitarian society can function without guarantees and protection of the human right to life We intend to address these issues on our article: What is life. What we legally understand with life. When the life starts and finish. How this right has evolved. Which is the state interest on protecting the life. Should we consider that the life is the same for all. Should the state interfere at any cost to protect the life. Is there any criminal charge for responsible persons to the violation of this right. Is this issue treated by European Human Rights Court. What are the Albanian legal provisions on protection of this right. This research is performed mainly according to a comparative and analytical methodology. Comperative analysis will be present almost throughout the paper. Treatment of issues of this research will be achieved through a system comparable with international standards in particular and the most advanced legislation in this area. At the same time, this research is conducted by analytical and statistical data processing. We believe that our research will make a modest contribution, not only to the legal literature, but also to criminal policy makers, law makers, lawyers and attorneys.

Is life supernatural?

Science.gov (United States)

Levin, Gilbert V.

2015-09-01

The big question of the origin of life is examined. The paradox created by Pasteur's resounding edict: Life only comes from life, pitted against the need for spontaneous generation is explored. This seemingly dead-end conundrum contrasts sharply with the great progress we have made in understanding the evolution of the species since Darwin's revolutionary insight. The conditions and sources of energy that might have promoted non-living molecules and compounds to cross the sharp line from inert to living are contemplated. Abiotic synthesis might help explain the origin, but still fails to explain the moment of vitalization. A different approach to discovering when the inert becomes alive is proposed. The need for, and a way to bring forth, a "Bio-Einstein" to solve this penultimate question of life's origin are presented.

Boiler-turbine life extension

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Natzkov, S. [TOTEMA, Ltd., Sofia (Bulgaria); Nikolov, M. [CERB, Sofia (Bulgaria)

1995-12-01

The design life of the main power equipment-boilers and turbines is about 105 working hours. The possibilities for life extension are after normatively regulated control tests. The diagnostics and methodology for Boilers and Turbines Elements Remaining Life Assessment using up to date computer programs, destructive and nondestructive control of metal of key elements of units equipment, metal creep and low cycle fatigue calculations. As well as data for most common damages and some technical decisions for elements life extension are presented.

A Random Walk Down University Avenue: Life Paths, Life Events, and Personality Trait Change at the Transition to University Life

Science.gov (United States)

Lüdtke, Oliver; Roberts, Brent W.; Trautwein, Ulrich; Nagy, Gabriel

2013-01-01

This longitudinal study examined the relation between continuity and change in the Big Five personality traits and life events. Approximately 2,000 German students were tracked from high school to university or to vocational training or work, with 3 assessments over 4 years. Life events were reported retrospectively at the 2nd and 3rd assessment. Latent curve analyses were used to assess change in personality traits, revealing 3 main findings. First, mean-level changes in the Big Five factors over the 4 years were in line with the maturity principle, indicating increasing psychological maturity from adolescence to young adulthood. Second, personality development was characterized by substantive individual differences relating to the life path followed; participants on a more vocationally oriented path showed higher increases in conscientiousness and lower increases in agreeableness than their peers at university. Third, initial level and change in the Big Five factors (especially Neuroticism and Extraversion) were linked to the occurrence of aggregated as well as single positive and negative life events. The analyses suggest that individual differences in personality development are associated with life transitions and individual life experiences. PMID:21744977

Go4Life

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... useful upper body exercise from Go4Life, the Overhead Arm Raise. CC 3:10 Play next Play now Go4Life Exercise--Hand Grip - Duration: 3 minutes, 10 seconds. National Institute ...

The ability to form full-length intron RNA circles is a general property of nuclear group I introns

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Henrik; Fiskaa, Tonje; Birgisdottir, Asa Birna

2003-01-01

at the expense of the host. The circularization pathway has distinct structural requirements that differ from those of splicing and appears to be specifically suppressed in vivo. The ability to form full-length circles is found in all types of nuclear group I introns, including those from the Tetrahymena...... ribosomal DNA. The biological function of the full-length circles is not known, but the fact that the circles contain the entire genetic information of the intron suggests a role in intron mobility....

Family life in transition – a longitudinal study of family life in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Westerling, Allan; Dencik, Lars; Andersen, Hans H. K.

This paper is an outline of the background for the study and it’s methodological and theoretical framework. The study, Family Forms and Cohabitation in the Modern Welfare State (FAMOSTAT), was originally funded by the National Danish Research Council for the Human Sciences. Its focus is on the tr...... questionnaire (IFUSOFF) was adopted to the web-format (IFUSOFF II), adding more questions on the work-life/family-life balance....... is on the transformations of family life as a consequence of societal modernization in Denmark. The project was informed by Dencik’s (1996) social psychological perspective on family life, arguing that the impact of modernization should be studied through empirical investigations of everyday family life. Following Asplund...

Effects of early life factors on the health and quality of life of older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Yilmaz, Fikriye; N Tekin, Rukiye

2018-01-01

Few studies on the effects of early life factors on the health and quality of life of adults have been conducted in Turkey. We aimed to investigate the effects of early life factors on the health and quality of life of older adults. We administered a questionnaire to 350 adults, aged 50-89 years, living in Cankaya, Ankara. The questionnaire covered sociodemographic characteristics, early life characteristics, health status, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Ageing scale. Data were analyzed using χ 2 tests, independent samples t-tests, one-way anova, and binary logistic regression analysis. The analyses showed that the most important risk factors for chronic disease were being ≥65 years (odds ratio (OR) = 2.34), having a chronic health problem before 18 years of age (OR = 2.48), experiencing prolonged hospitalization or bed rest before 18 years of age (OR = 2.65), and experiencing parental unconcern during early life (OR = 2.13) (P quality of life (P life factors are among the important determinants of the health and quality of life of older adults in Turkey. © 2017 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Quality of life in the contemporary politics of healthcare: … but what is a life?

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Catherine R

2018-03-01

'Quality of life' (QoL) is a ubiquitous phrase in medicine. There is considerable literature on the meaning of 'quality' in 'quality of life', but little on the meaning of 'life'. And yet, rooted in measurements of QoL, is a conceptualization of 'a life' used to judge 'quality'. In this article I focus on 'life' within institutional healthcare, arguing that for patients who are considered elderly, their life is defined against functionality. I use an autoethnographic method to enter this conversation, underlining the disjuncture between patients' understanding of 'a life', and that of healthcare professionals. I draw on the writings of the Italian philosopher Georgio Agamben to interrogate 'life', shifting the conversation of QoL from one of measurement and administration to one of political order. I discuss both the formal, evidence-based tools and the nature of their application. I conclude by arguing that QoL tools and their application, produce a particular kind of life, and that what is at stake in the invocation of 'quality of life' in health care is our very experience of aging and our embodiment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Go4Life

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... This item has been hidden Go4Life Exercises — Building Strength Play all Try some of these Go4Life exercises to improve your strength! Stronger muscles can make it easier to do ...

Go4Life

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... more This item has been hidden Go4Life Exercises — Balance Play all Try some of these Go4Life exercises to improve your balance! Balance is important because it can help reduce ...

End of life and life after death - issues to be addressed

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Poojar Sridhar

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Being an Oncologist, I have seen many patients suffering from cancer. It pains a lot looking at them fighting the battle of life, though knowing that they would lose miserably and surrender meekly as majority of the patients report to the hospital at an advanced stage of disease and only palliative care may be the option. There is an urgent need to create - Cancer Awareness in the villages and also about the end of life care in all terminally ill patients. 20 patients in the terminal phase were questioned regarding end of life care. The common questions they asked are, why has God punished me like this? Why me on earth? Should I die so early? Why should I leave my near and dear ones and go far away, from the point of no return? Do I ever see them again? With deep sorrow and sigh, they suffer till the last breath, having the feeling of insecurity as what would happen to their dear ones. In the terminal phase, the patients wishes must be respected and their needs must be fulfilled. The health care professionals should plan an appropriate care for each patient. Most of them feel that the best place to be in end of life is the home. Research has shown that Hospice care may improve the quality of life of a patient who is dying and of the patient′s family. Communication about end of life care and decision making during the final moments of a person′s life are very important. The patients suffering are mainly due to the physical, psychological, social and spiritual issues. Death of a terminally ill patient should never be a sudden loss. All healthcare professionals, Social workers and Non-Governmental Organisations must install the life after death of the person, who has struggled for every breath and assure that he/she shall rest in peace and shall smile seeing their near and dear ones living with dignity and pride in the society. Ultimately, the patient must have dignity in dying.

The effect of life expectancy on aggression and generativity: a life history perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunkel, Curtis S; Mathes, Eugene; Papini, Dennis R

2010-09-23

Following a model that is inclusive of both dispositional and situational influences on life-history behaviors and attitudes, the effect of life expectancies on aggression and generativity was examined. Consistent with the hypotheses it was found that shorter life expectancies led to an increase in the desire to aggress and a decrease in the desire to engage in generative behaviors. The results are discussed in terms of how life history theory can be used to frame research on person-situation interactions.

Appraisal Of Quality Of Life Of Diabetic Patients, Including Life ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The review showed that patients with diabetes mellitus had signi cantly low ... of life (physical health, psychological health, social relations, and environment). ... of quality of life regarding gender, age, or the level of education of the patients. ... neuropathy, impaired vision, elevated blood lipids and amputation of toes or feet.

Life Course Stage and Social Support Mobilization for End-of-Life Caregivers.

Science.gov (United States)

LaValley, Susan A; Gage-Bouchard, Elizabeth A

2018-04-01

Caregivers of terminally ill patients are at risk for anxiety, depression, and social isolation. Social support from friends, family members, neighbors, and health care professionals can potentially prevent or mitigate caregiver strain. While previous research documents the importance of social support in helping end-of-life caregivers cope with caregiving demands, little is known about differences in social support experiences among caregivers at different life course stages. Using life course theory, this study analyzes data from in-depth interviews with 50 caregivers of patients enrolled in hospice services to compare barriers to mobilizing social support among caregivers at two life course stages: midlife caregivers caring for parents and older adult caregivers caring for spouses/partners. Older adult caregivers reported different barriers to mobilizing social support compared with midlife caregivers. Findings enhance the understanding of how caregivers' life course stage affects their barriers to mobilization of social support resources.

Thermostable Shelf Life Study

Science.gov (United States)

Perchonok, M. H.; Antonini, D. K.

2008-01-01

The objective of this project is to determine the shelf life end-point of various food items by means of actual measurement or mathematical projection. The primary goal of the Advanced Food Technology Project in these long duration exploratory missions is to provide the crew with a palatable, nutritious and safe food system while minimizing volume, mass, and waste. The Mars missions could be as long as 2.5 years with the potential of the food being positioned prior to the crew arrival. Therefore, it is anticipated that foods that are used during the Mars missions will require a 5 year shelf life. Shelf life criteria are safety, nutrition, and acceptability. Any of these criteria can be the limiting factor in determining the food's shelf life. Due to the heat sterilization process used for the thermostabilized food items, safety will be preserved as long as the integrity of the package is maintained. Nutrition and acceptability will change over time. Since the food can be the sole source of nutrition to the crew, a significant loss in nutrition may determine when the shelf life endpoint has occurred. Shelf life can be defined when the food item is no longer acceptable. Acceptability can be defined in terms of appearance, flavor, texture, or aroma. Results from shelf life studies of the thermostabilized food items suggest that the shelf life of the foods range from 0 months to 8 years, depending on formulation.

Thermostabilized Shelf Life Study

Science.gov (United States)

Perchonok, Michele H.; Catauro, Patricia M.

2009-01-01

The objective of this project is to determine the shelf life end-point of various food items by means of actual measurement or mathematical projection. The primary goal of the Advanced Food Technology Project in these long duration exploratory missions is to provide the crew with a palatable, nutritious and safe food system while minimizing volume, mass, and waste. The Mars missions could be as long as 2.5 years with the potential of the food being positioned prior to the crew arrival. Therefore, it is anticipated that foods that are used during the Mars missions will require a 5 year shelf life. Shelf life criteria are safety, nutrition, and acceptability. Any of these criteria can be the limiting factor in determining the food's shelf life. Due to the heat sterilization process used for the thermostabilized food items, safety will be preserved as long as the integrity of the package is maintained. Nutrition and acceptability will change over time. Since the food can be the sole source of nutrition to the crew, a significant loss in nutrition may determine when the shelf life endpoint has occurred. Shelf life can be defined when the food item is no longer acceptable. Acceptability can be defined in terms of appearance, flavor, texture, or aroma. Results from shelf life studies of the thermostabilized food items suggest that the shelf life of the foods range from 0 months to 8 years, depending on formulation.

Life Satisfaction in Old Age

OpenAIRE

BRDIČKOVÁ, Monika

2009-01-01

The paper describes life satisfaction in old age. The theoretical part defines negative and positive aspects of old age, and further describes cognitive and emotional changes. The main content of the theoretical part is focused on life satisfaction, purposfulness and self-conception of seniors. The practical part includes qualitative research, which survays life satisfaction of seniors, directed on four dimensions of human life: self-conception, purpose of life, family and social relations. T...

Early life vaccination

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nazerai, Loulieta; Bassi, Maria Rosaria; Uddbäck, Ida Elin Maria

2016-01-01

Intracellular pathogens represent a serious threat during early life. Importantly, even though the immune system of newborns may be characterized as developmentally immature, with a propensity to develop Th2 immunity, significant CD8+ T-cell responses may still be elicited in the context of optimal...... the first period of life and provide a pertinent alternative in infant vaccinology. To address this, infant mice were vaccinated with three different adenoviral vectors and the CD8+ T-cell response after early life vaccination was explored. We assessed the frequency, polyfunctionality and in vivo...... cytotoxicity of the elicited memory CD8+ T cells, as well as the potential of these cells to respond to secondary infections and confer protection. We further tested the impact of maternal immunity against our replication-deficient adenoviral vector during early life vaccination. Overall, our results indicate...

The study of life-satisfaction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R. Veenhoven (Ruut)

1996-01-01

textabstractABSTRACT This chapter reviews the literature on life satisfaction. Six questions are considered: 1) What is the point of studying life-satisfaction? 2) What is life-satisfaction? 3) Can life-satisfaction be measured? 4) How satisfied are we? 5) What causes us to be satisfied or

Nuclear power plant life management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rorive, P.; Berthe, J.; Lafaille, J.P.; Eussen, G.

1998-01-01

Several definitions can be given to the design life of a nuclear power plant just as they can be attributed to the design life of an industrial installation: the book-keeping life which is the duration of the provision for depreciation of the plant, the licensed life which corresponds to the duration for which the plant license has been granted and beyond which a new license should be granted by the safety authorities, the design life which corresponds to the duration specified for ageing and fatigue calculations in the design of some selected components during the plant design phase, the technical life which is the duration of effective technical operation and finally the economic life corresponding to the duration of profitable operation of the plant compared with other means of electricity production. Plant life management refers to the measures taken to cope with the combination of licensed, design, technical and economical life. They can include repairs and replacements of components which have arrived to the end of their life due to known degradation processes such as fatigue, embrittlement, corrosion, wear, erosion, thermal ageing. In all cases however, it is of great importance to plan the intervention so as to minimise the economic impact. Predictive maintenance is used together with in-service inspection programs to fulfil this goal. The paper will go over the methodologies adopted in Belgium in all aspects of electrical, mechanical and civil equipment for managing plant life. (author)

Life Domain Satisfactions as Predictors of Overall Life Satisfaction Among Workers: Evidence from Chile.

Science.gov (United States)

Loewe, Nicolas; Bagherzadeh, Mehdi; Araya-Castillo, Luis; Thieme, Claudio; Batista-Foguet, Joan Manuel

2014-01-01

This article examines the subjective antecedents of life satisfaction of workers. Adopting a 'bottom-up' perspective, we assessed the unique influence that satisfaction with multiple life domains have on evaluative judgments of overall life satisfaction. Based on a nationwide sample of 530 Chilean workers, we simultaneously tested the effects of seven life domain satisfactions that have been consistently included in extant models of life satisfaction and subjective well-being. These were satisfaction with health, financial situation, social relationships, one's self-worth, leisure-time, family, and work. Having controlled for age and gender, results showed that satisfaction with one's financial situation was the dominant predictor of overall life satisfaction of workers, with a weight of .36. Satisfaction with family, work, and health had effects of .25, .14, and .14, respectively. Interestingly, satisfaction with one's self-worth, leisure-time, and social relationships did not have statistically significant effects on life satisfaction, although the first two showed t values near the critical value.

Global life satisfaction predicts ambulatory affect, stress, and cortisol in daily life in working adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Smyth, Joshua M; Zawadzki, Matthew J; Juth, Vanessa; Sciamanna, Christopher N

2017-04-01

Global life satisfaction has been linked with long-term health advantages, yet how life satisfaction impacts the trajectory of long-term health is unclear. This paper examines one such possible mechanism-that greater life satisfaction confers momentary benefits in daily life that accumulate over time. A community sample of working adults (n = 115) completed a measure of life satisfaction and then three subsequent days of ecological momentary assessment surveys (6 times/day) measuring affect (i.e., emotional valence, arousal), and perceived stress, and also provided salivary cortisol samples. Multilevel models indicated that people with higher (vs. lower) levels of life satisfaction reported better momentary affect, less stress, marginally lower momentary levels and significantly altered diurnal slopes of cortisol. Findings suggest individuals with high global life satisfaction have advantageous daily experiences, providing initial evidence for potential mechanisms through which global life satisfaction may help explain long-term health benefits.

Quimp (QUality of life IMPairment): an addition to the Quality of Life lexicon

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chernyshov, P. V.; Linder, M. D.; Pustišek, N.; Manolache, L.; Szepietowski, J. C.; Tomas-Aragones, L.; Marron, S. E.; Poot, F.; Augustin, M.; Bewley, A.; van Cranenburgh, O. D.; Jemec, G. B.; Salek, N. N.; Sampogna, F.; Svensson, A.

2017-01-01

There has been a constant growth in the number of publications each year concerning "quality of life (QoL)" and "dermatology," since the publication of the Dermatology Life Quality Index in 1994. Numerous dermatology and disease-specific QoL instruments have since been created. Quality of life is

Character profiles and life satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Hwanjin; Suh, Byung Seong; Kim, Won Sool; Lee, Hye-Kyung; Park, Seon-Cheol; Lee, Kounseok

2015-04-01

There is a surge of interest in subjective well-being (SWB), which concerns how individuals feel about their happiness. Life satisfaction tends to be influenced by individual psychological traits and external social factors. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between individual character and SWB. Data from 3522 university students were analyzed in this study. Character profiles were evaluated using the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised Short version (TCI-RS). Life satisfaction was assessed using the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). All statistical tests regarding the correlations between each character profile and life satisfaction were conducted using ANOVAs, t-tests, multiple linear regression models and correlation analyses. The creative (SCT) profile was associated with the highest levels of life satisfaction, whereas the depressive (sct) profile was associated with the lowest levels of life satisfaction. Additionally, high self-directedness, self-transcendence and cooperation were associated with high life satisfaction. The results of gender-adjusted multiple regression analysis showed that the effects of self-directedness were the strongest in the assessment of one's quality of life, followed by self-transcendence and cooperativeness, in that order. All of the three-character profiles were significantly correlated with one's quality of life, and the character profiles of TCI-RS explained 27.6% of life satisfaction in total. Among the three-character profiles, the self-directedness profile was most associated with life satisfaction. Our study was cross-sectional, and self-reported data from students at a single university were analyzed. The results of this study showed that, among the character profiles, the effects of self-directedness were the strongest for predicting life satisfaction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The search for alien life

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, M.

Life on Earth relies exclusively on the complex coordination among DNA, RNA, proteins, and an encompassing cell membrane. This level of complexity has been amenable to new molecular techniques with extreme specificity and sensitivity, enabling spectacular advances in cell biology and microbial ecology. Armed with molecular techniques, the last few decades of research have revealed the surprising extent of life on our own planet, expanding the habitable range of salinity, pressure, temperature, and radiation of our world. Given the relatively recent discoveries about life on Earth, how then can we expect to look for alien life that may use completely different sets of molecules for structure and activity? Astrobiology has taken on the challenge of developing the intellectual basis, target identification, instrument capabilities, and operational procedures for the search for life elsewhere. The research aims to develop general principles of how life maintains itself, how life interacts with its environment, and how the signatures of life may be preserved and recognized. The approach has been to move from the laboratory, to the environment, to robotic exploration of planetary analogs. To date, generic evidence for life can be perceived through life's creation and utilization of disequilibria, multiple uses of a relatively few sets of molecules, a preference for chiral compounds, and a predilection for lighter isotopes. It is through application of life detection instrumentation in environmental extremes that we hope to develop a catalogue of generic biosignatures, robust instrumentation capable of revealing the unexpected, and effective exploration strategies for robotic platforms in the search for signs of life. In 2009, Mars Science Laboratory and ExoMars may be the first beneficiaries of this approach.

Go4Life

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... years ago 17,529 views Exercise your upper body at work like Linda with Go4Life's Wall Pushups. ... Trainer Sandy shows Linda how to do lower body exercises in her office with Go4Life's Toe Stand. ...

Go4Life

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... all Try some of these Go4Life exercises to improve your flexibility! 2:48 Play next Play now ... all Try some of these Go4Life exercises to improve your strength! Stronger muscles can make it easier ...

Go4Life

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Go4Life exercises to improve your strength! Stronger muscles can make it easier to do everyday things like ... 513 views Trainer Sandy shows Irene that you can do Go4Life exercises anywhere, even the kitchen! CC ...

Life in other planets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghosh, S N [Calcutta Univ. (India). Dept. of Applied Physics

1977-12-01

Speculations of life on other planets in space are discussed. The life history of a star in terms of the high-temperature fusion reactions taking place in it is outlined. The phenomenon of gases escaping from planetary atmospheres which destroys life on them is explained. Solar radiation effects, pulsar detection, etc., are briefly touched upon.

Parasitic fauna of eight species of ornamental freshwater fish species from the middle Negro River in the Brazilian Amazon Region Fauna parasitária de oito espécies de peixes ornamentais de água doce do médio Rio Negro na Amazônia brasileira

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcos Tavares-Dias

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Twenty-seven specimens of cardinal tetra Paracheirodon axelrodi, 33 rosy tetra Hyphessobrycon copelandi (Characidae, 28 marbled hatchetfish Carnegiella strigata, 26 blackwing hatchetfish Carnegiella martae (Gasteropelecidae, 27 bodó Ancistrus hoplogenys (Loricariidae, 31 brown pencilfish Nannostomus eques, 38 oneline pencilfish Nannostomus unifasciatus (Lebiasinidae and 13 angelfish Pterophyllum scalare (Cichlidae were collected from the middle Negro River, State of Amazonas, Brazil, for parasitological studies. Out of the total of 223 fish examined, 143 (64.1% were parasitized by at least one parasite species. The highest prevalence rate was for Monogenea (36.7%, followed by Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ciliophora (20.6%, Trichodina spp. (Ciliophora (4.0%, Piscinoodinium pillulare (Dinoflagellida (1.3%, Tetrahymena sp. (Ciliophora (0.89%, and Procamallanus sp. (Nematoda (0.4%. All eight fish species had Monogenea (Gyrodactylidae and Dactylogyridae in the gills, but the highest prevalence occurred in P. scalare and the lowest in P. axelrodi and C. strigata. However, the highest mean intensity of Monogenea was found in P. scalare and A. hoplogenys. The protozoan I. multifiliis occurred in the six ornamental fish species examined, but C. strigata and C. martae had higher prevalence and mean intensity. Trichodina spp. were found only in the gills of C. strigata, C. martae and N. eques, and with higher mean intensity in C. strigata. On the other hand, the protozoan P. pilullare was found only in the gills of C. martae. This is the first report of Tetrahymena sp. in Brazil, and it occurred in the gills of C. strigata.Para estudos parasitológicos, 27 espécimes de cardinal Paracheirodon axelrodi, 33 rosa-céu Hyphessobrycon copelandi (Characidae, 28 peixes borboleta Carnegiella strigata e 26 Carnegiella martae (Gasteropelecidae, 27 bodó ou cascudo Ancistrus hoplogenys (Loricariidae, 31 peixes-lápis Nannostomus eques e 38 Nannostomus unifasciatus

Life Span Developmental Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Eryilmaz

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The Life Span Developmental Approach examines development of individuals which occurs from birth to death. Life span developmental approach is a multi-disciplinary approach related with disciplines like psychology, psychiatry, sociology, anthropology and geriatrics that indicates the fact that development is not completed in adulthood, it continues during the life course. Development is a complex process that consists of dying and death. This approach carefully investigates the development of individuals with respect to developmental stages. This developmental approach suggests that scientific disciplines should not explain developmental facts only with age changes. Along with aging, cognitive, biological, and socioemotional development throughout life should also be considered to provide a reasonable and acceptable context, guideposts, and reasonable expectations for the person. There are three important subjects whom life span developmental approach deals with. These are nature vs nurture, continuity vs discontinuity, and change vs stability. Researchers using life span developmental approach gather and produce knowledge on these three most important domains of individual development with their unique scientific methodology.

Long life nickel electrodes for a nickel-hydrogen cell: Cycle life tests

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, H. S.; Verzwyvelt, S. A.

1985-01-01

In order to develop a long life nickel electrode for a Ni/H2 cell, the cycle life of nickel electrodes was tested in Ni/H2 boiler plate cells. A 19 test cell matrix was made of various nickel electrode designs including three levels each of plaque mechanical strength, median pore size of the plaque, and active material loading. Test cells were cycled to the end of their life (0.5v) in a 45 minute low Earth orbit cycle regime at 80% depth-of-discharge. It is shown that the active material loading level affects the cycle life the most with the optimum loading at 1.6 g/cc void. Mechanical strength does not affect the cycle life noticeably in the bend strength range of 400 to 700 psi. It is found that the best plaque is made of INCO nickel powder type 287 and has median pore size of 13 micron.

Working conditions, work life and quality of life of the temporary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Working conditions, work life and quality of life of the temporary support staff ... and expectations of the temporary support staff with regard to their working ... conditions mainly as unpleasant, but that they adapted because of the team spirit.

Go4Life

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... now Alzheimer's Disease-Related Dementias: Research Challenges and Opportunities - Duration: 5 minutes, 32 seconds. National Institute On ... This item has been hidden Go4Life Exercises — Building Strength Play all Try some of these Go4Life exercises ...

Life in other planets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghosh, S.N.

1977-01-01

Speculations of life on other planets in space are discussed. The life history of a star in terms of the high temperature fusion reactions taking place in it, is outlined. The phenomenon of gases escaping from planetary atmospheres which destroys life on them is explained. Solar radiation effects, pulsar detection etc. are briefly touched upon. (K.B.)

Mapping the current situation in life and life satisfaction in specific areas of life Center for psychosocial rehabilitation clients, company MANA, ops Olomouc

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soňa Lemrová

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The paper is concerned with mapping the quality of life of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. Surveying the quality of life of schizophrenics may be complicated due to the symptomatology - e.g. negative results during the higher levels of anxiety. Apart from health: age, gender, occupation, family, social contacts, finances, opportunities for rehabilitation and psychoeducational programmes are all among the important factors of the individual quality of life. Our research group comprised 16 clients (male n=12, female n=4 of the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Centre, MANA o.p.s. Olomouc. Average age of our respondents was 38.2. Except for 4 male respondents, all the rest were unemployed at the time of the survey, 3 respondents were living alone, others with parents or a partner. Average age of the male respondents at the time of their first hospitalization was 22, of the female respondents 18.5. The Czech version of the Quality of life questionnaire (Dotazník životní spokojenosti - DŽS was the basis of our primary method. In view of the sociodemographic data of our respondents, we have surveyed the level of the individual quality of life in the areas of health, financial situation, oneself and friends, acquaintances and relatives. A supplementary method was based on the SEIQoL (Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life, a questionnaire for monitoring the importance of happiness with individually chosen life themes (QL and an overall level of quality of life (VAS. The goal was to ascertain the level of happiness in the aforementioned areas of life DŽS and the correlation with age, importance and quality of life themes and their correlation with current overall quality of life. The lowest level of happiness (DŽS was measured in the overall level of the current quality of life (VAS in connection to gender (male=60.7%, female=43.8%, but in view of the low number of female respondents (n=4 we consider this result an

Experience and Life History. Roskilde University Life History Project Paper.

Science.gov (United States)

Salling Olesen, Henning

The Life History Project at Denmark's Roskilde University is a 5-year research project that was initiated in 1998 to examine learning and participation in adult and continuing education from a life history perspective. The project was designed to build on a broad range of qualitative interview studies and case studies into learning processes. The…

Life satisfaction, anxiety, depression and resilience across the life span of men.

Science.gov (United States)

Beutel, Manfred E; Glaesmer, Heide; Wiltink, Jörg; Marian, Hanna; Brähler, Elmar

2010-03-01

To determine (a) the relationship between life satisfaction, anxiety, depression and ageing in the male community and (b) to identify the impact of vulnerability factors, personal and social resources on life satisfaction and distress. A stratified random sample of the German male population (N = 2144) was investigated by standardized questionnaires of life satisfaction (FLZ(M)), depression, anxiety (PHQ), resilience (RS-11) and self-esteem (RSS). No age-related change was found regarding overall life satisfaction. Satisfaction with health decreased in midlife (51-60 years), while the importance of health increased. Importance of and satisfaction with partnership and sexuality were only reduced in the oldest group (70+). Anxiety was highest around midlife (51-60 years), accompanied by reduced resilience and self-esteem. No clear age-related change was found regarding depression. Life satisfaction was strongly associated with resilience, lack of unemployment, the presence of a partnership, positive self-esteem, a good household income, the absence of anxiety and depression and living in the Eastern states. Personal and social resources and the absence of anxiety and depression are of crucial importance for the maintenance of life satisfaction in ageing men. There is also evidence for a crisis around midlife manifested by health concerns, anxiety and reduced resilience.

Managing BWR plant life extension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ianni, P.W.; Kiss, E.

1985-01-01

Recent studies have confirmed that extending the useful life of a large nuclear plant can be justified with very high cost benefit ratio. In turn, experience with large power plant systems and equipment has shown that a well-integrated and -managed plan is essential in order to achieve potential economic benefits. Consequently, General Electric's efforts have been directed at establishing a life extension plan that considers alternative options and cost-effective steps that can be taken in early life, those appropriate during middle life, and those required in late life. This paper briefly describes an approach designed to provide the plant owner a maximum of flexibility in developing a life extension plan

Go4Life

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Red Get YouTube TV Best of YouTube Music Sports Gaming Movies TV Shows News Live Spotlight 360° ... more This item has been hidden Go4Life Exercises — Balance Play all Try some of these Go4Life exercises ...

Life is hard: countering definitional pessimism concerning the definition of life

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Kelly C.

2016-10-01

Cleland and Chyba published a classic piece in 2002 that began a movement I call definitional pessimism, where it is argued that there is no point in attempting anything like a general definition of life. This paper offers a critical response to the pessimist position in general and the influential arguments offered by Cleland and her collaborators in particular. One such argument is that all definitions of life fall short of an ideal in which necessary and sufficient conditions produce unambiguous categorizations that dispose of all counterexamples. But this concept of definition is controversial within philosophy; a fact that greatly diminishes the force of the admonition that biologists should conform to such an ideal. Moreover, biology may well be fundamentally different from logic and the physical sciences from which this ideal is drawn, to the point where definitional conformity misrepresents biological reality. Another idea often pushed is that the prospects for definitional success concerning life are on a par with medieval alchemy's attempts to define matter - that is, doomed to fail for lack of a unifying scientific theory. But this comparison to alchemy is both historically inaccurate and unfair. Planetary science before the discovery of the first exoplanets offers a much better analogy, with much more optimistic conclusions. The pessimists also make much of the desirability of using microbes as models for any universal concept of life, from which they conclude that certain types of 'Darwinian' evolutionary definitions are inadequate. But this argument posits an unrealistic ideal, as no account of life can both be universal and do justice to the sorts of precise causal mechanisms microbes exemplify. The character of biology and the demand for universality in definitions of life thus probably accords better with functional rather than structural categories. The bottom line is that there is simply no viable alternative, either pragmatically or

Globalization and Life History Research: Fragments of a Life Foretold

Science.gov (United States)

Tierney, William G.

2010-01-01

The goal of this paper is to understand, by way of a life history of one low-income working-class youth, how globalization impacts the working class in a developing nation. The concept of globalization and the method of life history seem diametrically opposed. Globalization is an idea about large social forces that impact the economic and material…

Working conditions, work life and quality of life of the temporary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Five major categories resulted: experiences of the organisational structure; work life; interpersonal relationships; occupational development and quality of life while working at TLS. Conclusions were that staff experienced working conditions mainly as unpleasant, but that they adapted because of the team spirit.

Life Satisfaction, Self-Esteem, and Subjective Age in Women across the Life Span

Science.gov (United States)

Borzumato-Gainey, Christine; Kennedy, Alison; McCabe, Beth; Degges-White, Suzanne

2009-01-01

A study of 320 women, ages 21 to 69, explored the relations among relationship status, subjective age, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. Women in married or partnered relationships had higher levels of life satisfaction than did single women. Women in their 30s and 40s had significantly lower levels of life satisfaction than did other age…

Stressful life events and neuroticism as predictors of late-life versus early-life depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Kerstin; Giannakopoulos, Panteleimon; Herrmann, François R; Bartolomei, Javier; Digiorgio, Sergio; Ortiz Chicherio, Nadia; Delaloye, Christophe; Ghisletta, Paolo; Lecerf, Thierry; De Ribaupierre, Anik; Canuto, Alessandra

2013-12-01

The occurrence of depression in younger adults is related to the combination of long-standing factors such as personality traits (neuroticism) and more acute factors such as the subjective impact of stressful life events. Whether an increase in physical illnesses changes these associations in old age depression remains a matter of debate. We compared 79 outpatients with major depression and 102 never-depressed controls; subjects included both young (mean age: 35 years) and older (mean age: 70 years) adults. Assessments included the Social Readjustment Rating Scale, NEO Personality Inventory and Cumulative Illness Rating Scale. Logistic regression models analyzed the association between depression and subjective impact of stressful life events while controlling for neuroticism and physical illness. Patients and controls experienced the same number of stressful life events in the past 12 months. However, in contrast to the controls, patients associated the events with a subjective negative emotional impact. Negative stress impact and levels of neuroticism, but not physical illness, significantly predicted depression in young age. In old age, negative stress impact was weakly associated with depression. In this age group, depressive illness was also determined by physical illness burden and neuroticism. Our data suggest that the subjective impact of life stressors, although rated as of the same magnitude, plays a less important role in accounting for depression in older age compared to young age. They also indicate an increasing weight of physical illness burden in the prediction of depression occurrence in old age. © 2013 The Authors. Psychogeriatrics © 2013 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Lifetime traumatic events, health-related quality of life, and satisfaction with life in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamoureux-Lamarche, Catherine; Vasiliadis, Helen-Maria

2017-10-01

The aims were to assess the association between lifetime traumatic events and post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSS) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and satisfaction with life stratified by gender among a community-dwelling sample of older adults. Data used came from the ESA-Services study (2011-2013) and included a large convenience sample of 1811 older adults. Traumatic events were measured using a list of 14 events. PTSS was measured using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised. HRQOL and life satisfaction were measured with the EQ-5D-3L and the Satisfaction With Life Scale. Multivariate regression analyses were used to assess the association between traumatic events, PTSS, and quality of life. Respondents had a mean age of 73.90 years (SD: 6.13, range 65-97). Our results showed that exposure to violence (OR 4.88, CI 2.72-8.77), an accident (OR 2.33, CI 1.29-4.22), and sexual abuse (OR 2.26 CI 1.17-4.37) was associated with PTSS only in women. No traumatic event was associated only in men. The interaction between gender and exposure to violence and life-threatening disease of a close one was significant. Experiencing violence (β = -0.04, p life-threatening disease (β = -0.04, p life-threatening disease of a close one, sexual abuse, and other type of traumatic events. A life-threatening disease (β = -0.90, p life satisfaction only in men and the exposure of violence (β = -1.18, p life satisfaction in women. Our study could help healthcare professionals to identify and monitor traumatic events that are at higher risk to be associated with PTSS and a lower quality of life for older men and women.

Life-history interviews

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Adriansen, Hanne Kirstine

2010-01-01

in qualitative interviews. I first presented the paper on a conference on life history research at Karlstad University in November 2010. My main purpose was to establish whether a paper discussing the use of time line interviews should be placed in the context of a life history research. The valuable comments......My first encounter with life history research was during my Ph.D. research. This concerned a multi-method study of nomadic mobility in Senegal. One method stood out as yielding the most interesting and in-depth data: life story interviews using a time line. I made interviews with the head...... of the nomadic households and during these I came to understand the use of mobility in a complex context of continuity and change, identity and belonging in the Fulani community. Time line interviews became one of my favourite tool in the years to follow, a tool used both for my research in various settings...

Remaining life assessment and plant life extension in high temperature components of power and petrochemical plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fleming, A.

2003-01-01

This paper explains the reasons why plant life can so easily be extended beyond the original design life. It details the means by which plant life extension is normally achieved, a structured plan for achieving such plant life extension at reasonable cost and some of the key techniques used in assessing the remaining life and discusses the simple repair options available. (author)

Sex and life expectancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Seifarth, Joshua E; McGowan, Cheri L; Milne, Kevin J

2012-12-01

A sexual dimorphism in human life expectancy has existed in almost every country for as long as records have been kept. Although human life expectancy has increased each year, females still live longer, on average, than males. Undoubtedly, the reasons for the sex gap in life expectancy are multifaceted, and it has been discussed from both sociological and biological perspectives. However, even if biological factors make up only a small percentage of the determinants of the sex difference in this phenomenon, parity in average life expectancy should not be anticipated. The aim of this review is to highlight biological mechanisms that may underlie the sexual dimorphism in life expectancy. Using PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, and Google Scholar, as well as cited and citing reference histories of articles through August 2012, English-language articles were identified, read, and synthesized into categories that could account for biological sex differences in human life expectancy. The examination of biological mechanisms accounting for the female-based advantage in human life expectancy has been an active area of inquiry; however, it is still difficult to prove the relative importance of any 1 factor. Nonetheless, biological differences between the sexes do exist and include differences in genetic and physiological factors such as progressive skewing of X chromosome inactivation, telomere attrition, mitochondrial inheritance, hormonal and cellular responses to stress, immune function, and metabolic substrate handling among others. These factors may account for at least a part of the female advantage in human life expectancy. Despite noted gaps in sex equality, higher body fat percentages and lower physical activity levels globally at all ages, a sex-based gap in life expectancy exists in nearly every country for which data exist. There are several biological mechanisms that may contribute to explaining why females live longer than men on average, but the complexity of the

Life in the lithosphere, kinetics and the prospects for life elsewhere.

Science.gov (United States)

Cockell, Charles S

2011-02-13

The global contiguity of life on the Earth today is a result of the high flux of carbon and oxygen from oxygenic photosynthesis over the planetary surface and its use in aerobic respiration. Life's ability to directly use redox couples from components of the planetary lithosphere in a pre-oxygenic photosynthetic world can be investigated by studying the distribution of organisms that use energy sources normally bound within rocks, such as iron. Microbiological data from Iceland and the deep oceans show the kinetic limitations of living directly off igneous rocks in the lithosphere. Using energy directly extracted from rocks the lithosphere will support about six orders of magnitude less productivity than the present-day Earth, and it would be highly localized. Paradoxically, the biologically extreme conditions of the interior of a planet and the inimical conditions of outer space, between which life is trapped, are the locations from which volcanism and impact events, respectively, originate. These processes facilitate the release of redox couples from the planetary lithosphere and might enable it to achieve planetary-scale productivity approximately one to two orders of magnitude lower than that produced by oxygenic photosynthesis. The significance of the detection of extra-terrestrial life is that it will allow us to test these observations elsewhere and establish an understanding of universal relationships between lithospheres and life. These data also show that the search for extra-terrestrial life must be accomplished by 'following the kinetics', which is different from following the water or energy.

Plant life management at Loviisa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hytoenen, Y.; Savikoski, A.

1998-01-01

IVO, Power Engineering Ltd. has developed a company-wide approach to plant life management. The first stage of plant life management comprises operational and maintenance histories, design and plant inspection data using advanced computer systems. The life of the plant can be controlled by maintenance, refurbishment and inspection programs, and by varying the method of plant operation. On-line monitoring is needed, and cost control and training must be taken into account if the life of the plant is to be managed efficiently. Identifying the life-limiting factors is essential at Loviisa. It has been concentrated on the aging in the form of materials degradation due to fatigue, erosion, corrosion, radiation and thermal effects. Certain other life-limiting factors are also mentioned

Impact of work-life imbalance on job satisfaction and quality of life among hospital nurses in Japan

Science.gov (United States)

MAKABE, Sachiko; TAKAGAI, Junko; ASANUMA, Yoshihiro; OHTOMO, Kazuo; KIMURA, Yutaka

2014-01-01

This study investigated the status of work-life imbalance among hospital nurses in Japan and impact of work-life imbalance on job satisfaction and quality of life. A cross-sectional survey of 1,202 nurses (81% response rate) was conducted in three Japanese acute care hospitals. Participants were divided into four groups for actual work-life balance (Group A: 50/50, including other lower working proportion groups [e.g., 40/50]; Group B: 60/40; Group C: 70/30; and Group D: 80/20, including other higher working proportion groups [e.g., 90/10]). We also asked participants about desired work-life balance, and private and work-related perspectives. Satisfactions (job, private life, and work-life balance), quality of life, and stress-coping ability were also measured. All data were compared among the four groups. Most nurses sensed that they had a greater proportion of working life than private life, and had a work-life imbalance. Actual WLB did not fit compared to desired WLB. When the actual working proportion greatly exceeds the private life proportion, nurses’ health could be in danger, and they may resign due to lower job satisfaction and QOL. Simultaneous progress by both management and individual nurses is necessary to improve work-life imbalance. PMID:25475095

Impact of work-life imbalance on job satisfaction and quality of life among hospital nurses in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Makabe, Sachiko; Takagai, Junko; Asanuma, Yoshihiro; Ohtomo, Kazuo; Kimura, Yutaka

2015-01-01

This study investigated the status of work-life imbalance among hospital nurses in Japan and impact of work-life imbalance on job satisfaction and quality of life. A cross-sectional survey of 1,202 nurses (81% response rate) was conducted in three Japanese acute care hospitals. Participants were divided into four groups for actual work-life balance (Group A: 50/50, including other lower working proportion groups [e.g., 40/50]; Group B: 60/40; Group C: 70/30; and Group D: 80/20, including other higher working proportion groups [e.g., 90/10]). We also asked participants about desired work-life balance, and private and work-related perspectives. Satisfactions (job, private life, and work-life balance), quality of life, and stress-coping ability were also measured. All data were compared among the four groups. Most nurses sensed that they had a greater proportion of working life than private life, and had a work-life imbalance. Actual WLB did not fit compared to desired WLB. When the actual working proportion greatly exceeds the private life proportion, nurses' health could be in danger, and they may resign due to lower job satisfaction and QOL. Simultaneous progress by both management and individual nurses is necessary to improve work-life imbalance.

Geographical conceptualization of quality of life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Murgaš František

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The conceptualization of quality of life in terms of geography is based on two assumptions. The first assumption is that the quality of life consists of two dimensions: subjective and objective. The subjective is known as ‘well-being’, while the objective is the proposed term ‘quality of place’. The second assumption is based on the recognition that quality of life is always a spatial dimension. The concept of quality of life is closely linked with the concept of a good life; geographers enriched this concept by using the term ‘good place’ as a place in which the conditions are created for a good life. The quality of life for individuals in terms of a good place overlaps with the quality of life in society, namely the societal quality of life. The geographical conceptualisation of quality of life is applied to settlements within the city of Liberec.

Quality of Life Theory I. The IQOL Theory: An Integrative Theory of the Global Quality of Life Concept

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soren Ventegodt

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Quality of life (QOL means a good life and we believe that a good life is the same as living a life with a high quality. This paper presents the theoretical and philosophical framework of the Danish Quality of Life Survey, and of the SEQOL, QOL5, and QOL1 questionnaires.The notion of a good life can be observed from subjective to the objective, where this spectrum incorporates a number of existing quality of life theories. We call this spectrum the integrative quality-of-life (IQOL theory and discuss the following aspects in this paper: well being, satisfaction with life, happiness, meaning in life, the biological information system (�balance�, realizing life potential, fulfillment of needs, and objective factors.The philosophy of life outlined in this paper tries to measure the global quality of life with questions derived from the integrative theory of the quality of life. The IQOL theory is an overall theory or meta-theory encompassing eight more factual theories in a subjective-existential-objective spectrum. Other philosophies of life can stress other aspects of life, but by this notion of introducing such an existential depth into the health and social sciences, we believe to have taken a necessary step towards a new humility and respect for the richness and complexity of life.

Go4Life

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Balance Play all Try some of these Go4Life exercises to improve your balance! Balance is important because it can help reduce your risk for falls. 3:01 Play next Play now Go4Life Exercise--Stand on One Foot - Duration: 3 minutes, 1 ...

The impact of hyperhidrosis on patients' daily life and quality of life: a qualitative investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamudoni, P; Mueller, B; Halford, J; Schouveller, A; Stacey, B; Salek, M S

2017-06-08

An understanding of the daily life impacts of hyperhidrosis and how patients deal with them, based on qualitative research, is lacking. This study investigated the impact of hyperhidrosis on the daily life of patients using a mix of qualitative research methods. Participants were recruited through hyperhidrosis patient support groups such as the Hyperhidrosis Support Group UK. Data were collected using focus groups, interviews and online surveys. A grounded theory approach was used in the analysis of data transcripts. Data were collected from 71 participants, out of an initial 100 individuals recruited. Seventeen major themes capturing the impacts of hyperhidrosis were identified; these covered all areas of life including daily life, psychological well-being, social life, professional /school life, dealing with hyperhidrosis, unmet health care needs and physical impact. Psychosocial impacts are central to the overall impacts of hyperhidrosis, cutting across and underlying the limitations experienced in other areas of life.

An integrated life cycle inventory for demolition processes in the context of life cycle sustainability assessment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bozhilova-Kisheva, Kossara Petrova; Hu, Mingming; van Roekel, Eric

2012-01-01

According to the Life Cycle Assessment in Building and Construction: State-of-the-Art Report (2003), the dismantling and demolition stage of the building life cycle is only sometimes included in the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) when doing Life Cycle Assessments (LCA). The reason that it is less...... inventoried in a traditional LCA maybe because this stage is expected to have a negligible environmental impact comparing to other stages in the life cycle of the buildings. When doing a life cycle sustainability assessment considering not only environmental but also economic and social impacts, the impacts...

Conducting everyday life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juhl, Pernille

, they are involved in preventive interventions. I conducted participatory observations with the children in their everyday life. Overall, the study stresses that even small children must be perceived as active participants who act upon and struggle with different conditions and meaning making processes across......In the paper I discuss how small children (0-4 year) develop through ‘conducting everyday life’ across contexts (Holzkamp 2013). I discuss how this process of conducting everyday life is essential when discussing the ‘good life for children’ from a child perspective. These issues are addressed...... contexts (home, day care, part-time foster family) and in relation to other co-participants....

Life cycle and nano-products: end-of-life assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asmatulu, Eylem; Twomey, Janet; Overcash, Michael

2012-01-01

Understanding environmental impacts of nanomaterials necessitates analyzing the life cycle profile. The initial emphasis of nanomaterial life cycle studies has been on the environmental and health effects of nanoproducts during the production and usage stages. Analyzing the end-of-life (eol) stage of nanomaterials is also critical because significant impacts or benefits for the environment may arise at that particular stage. In this article, the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) Consumer Products Inventory (CPI) model was used, which contains a relatively large and complete nanoproduct list (1,014) as of 2010. The consumer products have wide range of applications, such as clothing, sports goods, personal care products, medicine, as well as contributing to faster cars and planes, more powerful computers and satellites, better micro and nanochips, and long-lasting batteries. In order to understand the eol cycle concept, we allocated 1,014 nanoproducts into the nine end-of-life categories (e.g., recyclability, ingestion, absorption by skin/public sewer, public sewer, burning/landfill, landfill, air release, air release/public sewer, and other) based on probable final destinations of the nanoproducts. This article highlights the results of this preliminary assessment of end-of-life stage of nanoproducts. The largest potential eol fate was found to be recyclability, however little literature appears to have evolved around nanoproduct recycling. At lower frequency is dermal and ingestion human uptake and then landfill. Release to water and air are much lower potential eol fates for current nanoproducts. In addition, an analysis of nano-product categories with the largest number of products listed indicated that clothes, followed by dermal-related products and then sports equipment were the most represented in the PEN CPI (http

Life cycle and nano-products: end-of-life assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Asmatulu, Eylem; Twomey, Janet; Overcash, Michael, E-mail: mrovercash@earthlink.net [Wichita State University, Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (United States)

2012-03-15

Understanding environmental impacts of nanomaterials necessitates analyzing the life cycle profile. The initial emphasis of nanomaterial life cycle studies has been on the environmental and health effects of nanoproducts during the production and usage stages. Analyzing the end-of-life (eol) stage of nanomaterials is also critical because significant impacts or benefits for the environment may arise at that particular stage. In this article, the Woodrow Wilson Center's Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) Consumer Products Inventory (CPI) model was used, which contains a relatively large and complete nanoproduct list (1,014) as of 2010. The consumer products have wide range of applications, such as clothing, sports goods, personal care products, medicine, as well as contributing to faster cars and planes, more powerful computers and satellites, better micro and nanochips, and long-lasting batteries. In order to understand the eol cycle concept, we allocated 1,014 nanoproducts into the nine end-of-life categories (e.g., recyclability, ingestion, absorption by skin/public sewer, public sewer, burning/landfill, landfill, air release, air release/public sewer, and other) based on probable final destinations of the nanoproducts. This article highlights the results of this preliminary assessment of end-of-life stage of nanoproducts. The largest potential eol fate was found to be recyclability, however little literature appears to have evolved around nanoproduct recycling. At lower frequency is dermal and ingestion human uptake and then landfill. Release to water and air are much lower potential eol fates for current nanoproducts. In addition, an analysis of nano-product categories with the largest number of products listed indicated that clothes, followed by dermal-related products and then sports equipment were the most represented in the PEN CPI (http

Application of structural reliability and risk assessment to life prediction and life extension decision making

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyer, T.A.; Balkey, K.R.; Bishop, B.A.

1987-01-01

There can be numerous uncertainties involved in performing component life assessments. In addition, sufficient data may be unavailable to make a useful life prediction. Structural Reliability and Risk Assessment (SRRA) is primarily an analytical methodology or tool that quantifies the impact of uncertainties on the structural life of plant components and can address the lack of data in component life prediction. As a prelude to discussing the technical aspects of SRRA, a brief review of general component life prediction methods is first made so as to better develop an understanding of the role of SRRA in such evaluations. SRRA is then presented as it is applied in component life evaluations with example applications being discussed for both nuclear and non-nuclear components

Quality of life and philosophy of life determines physical and mental health: status over research findings from the Quality of Life Research Center, Copenhagen, 1991-2007.

Science.gov (United States)

Ventegodt, Søren; Kandel, Isack; Merrick, Joav

2007-10-22

Quality of life (QOL) has over the past decade become an important part of health science and also increased public awareness. It has become increasingly apparent that illness is closely related to the individual perception of a good life, and therefore the exploration of indicators related to quality of life appears to be of broad importance for the prevention and treatment of diseases. Identifying, which factors constitute a good life may reveal an understanding about what areas in life should be encouraged, in order to enhance the global quality of life, health, and ability. In this paper we present results from studies initiated in 1989 to examine quality of life in relation to disease. The purpose of this presentation was to assemble the results from the study carried out in the years between 1993 and 1997, examining a total of 11,500 Danes, to show the association between quality of life and a wide series of social indicators.

LIFE CYCLE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. S. Sennik

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This work is a generalization of the theoretical propositions related to the life cycle of information systems. There was given the definition of the life cycle, specify which items you should include every step of the cycle. Describes the methodology division of the life cycle on the main stage, including methodology Rational Unified Process. The description of the fundamental standards in this area. Special attention was paid to the work of the basic life cycle models. It was carried out their comparative characteristics. On the basis of the theoretical propositions, it was concluded that the preferred model of the life cycle for the corporate network is a spiral model and the use of international standards in the life cycle saves a lot of effort, time and material resources.

EXTRA LIFE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruth S. Contreras Espinosa

2016-02-01

Full Text Available El creciente número de personas jugando videojuegos significa que estos están teniendo un efecto innegable sobre nuestra cultura. Este efecto es claramente visible en una aceptación general. Los videojuegos también han cambiado la forma en que muchas otras formas de medios de comunicación, se producen y consumen. Los videojuegos tienen una influencia creciente en nuestra cultura, y en "EXTRA LIFE" diferentes autores expresan sus opiniones sobre este nuevo medio. EXTRA LIFE Abstract The increasing number of people playing video games means that they are having an undeniable effect on culture. This effect is clearly visible in the increasing mainstream acceptance of aspects of gaming culture. Video games have also changed the way that many other forms of media, are produced and consumed. Video games have an increasing influence on our culture,  and in "EXTRA LIFE" diferent authors have voiced their opinions on this new media. Keywords: Video games; culture; effects; games.

Late-life depressive symptoms, religiousness, and mood in the last week of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Braam, Arjan W; Klinkenberg, Marianne; Galenkamp, Henrike; Deeg, Dorly J H

2012-01-01

Aim of the current study is to examine whether previous depressive symptoms modify possible effects of religiousness on mood in the last week of life. After-death interviews with proxy respondents of deceased sample members of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam provided information on depressed mood in the last week of life, as well as on the presence of a sense of peace with the approaching end of life. Other characteristics were derived from interviews with the sample members when still alive. Significant interactions were identified between measures of religiousness and previous depressive symptoms (CES-D scores) in their associations with mood in the last week of life. Among those with previous depressive symptoms, church-membership, church-attendance and salience of religion were associated with a greater likelihood of depressed mood in the last week of life. Among those without previous depressive symptoms, church-attendance and salience of religion were associated with a higher likelihood of a sense of peace. For older adults in the last phase of life, supportive effects of religiousness were more or less expected. Fore those with recent depressive symptoms, however, religiousness might involve a component of existential doubt.

Connecting Life Span Development with the Sociology of the Life Course: A New Direction.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilleard, Chris; Higgs, Paul

2016-04-01

The life course has become a topic of growing interest within the social sciences. Attempts to link this sub-discipline with life span developmental psychology have been called for but with little sign of success. In this paper, we seek to address three interlinked issues concerning the potential for a more productive interchange between life course sociology and life span psychology. The first is to try to account for the failure of these two sub-disciplines to achieve any deepening engagement with each other, despite the long-expressed desirability of that goal; the second is to draw attention to the scope for enriching the sociology of the life course through Erik Erikson's model of life span development; and the last is the potential for linking Eriksonian theory with current debates within mainstream sociology about the processes involved in 'individualisation' and 'self-reflexivity' as an alternative entry point to bring together these two fields of work.

Dicty_cDB: Contig-U06686-1 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 477 |pid:none) Methanosaeta thermophila PT, com... 37 0.22 EF175614_1( EF175614 |pid:none) Yersinia intermed...CHO_OF382xn20r1.ab1 CHO_OF Nicotiana tabacum geno... 48 0.16 1 ( EJ323709 ) 1095403525209 Global-Ocean-Sampli...br... 48 0.16 1 ( CX574665 ) TTE00035304 Amplicon Express - Conjugative Form T... 48 0.16 1 ( AC09...ar... 40 1.1 2 ( DQ102703 ) Coreana raphaelis mitochondrion, complete genome. 30 1.1 4 ( AC095058 ) Homo sapie.... 36 2.1 2 ( CP000263 ) Buchnera aphidicola str. Cc (Cinara cedri), compl... 42 2

Dicty_cDB: Contig-U05677-1 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available . 40 1.1 2 ( FL644201 ) TS36-G5 Reticulitermes flavipes symbiont library ... 34 1.2 2 ( EX953737 ) IF1_19_H1...na thermophila conjugation cD... 48 9e-06 3 ( CX585524 ) TTE00019768 Amplicon Exp...... 60 1e-04 1 ( CX578285 ) TTE00027054 Amplicon Express - Conjugative Form T... ...8546535 Global-Ocean-Sampling_GS-30-02-01-1... 46 1.8 1 ( EJ825455 ) 1093017558219 Global-Ocean-Sampli...1106744 Global-Ocean-Sampling_GS-31-01-01-1... 44 7.0 1 ( EK280751 ) 1095462293927 Global-Ocean-Sampli

Life Span Developmental Approach

OpenAIRE

Ali Eryilmaz

2011-01-01

The Life Span Developmental Approach examines development of individuals which occurs from birth to death. Life span developmental approach is a multi-disciplinary approach related with disciplines like psychology, psychiatry, sociology, anthropology and geriatrics that indicates the fact that development is not completed in adulthood, it continues during the life course. Development is a complex process that consists of dying and death. This approach carefully investigates the development of...

Bioinformatics: future of life sciences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arif, R.; Ghafoor, M.; Saleem, M.; Baig, S.J.; Hassan, S.W.

2004-01-01

The vital part of our life or the basic unit of life is the cell. The cellular biomolecules function in a conjugate manner and this system provide us with the necessary elements of life, and the sciences that deals with nature function of the cell and it's molecular components are defined as life sciences. Vital subjects involved in maintaining the identity and functioning of cells are genomics and proteomics. (author)

Research on Life Science and Life Support Engineering Problems of Manned Deep Space Exploration Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Bin; Guo, Linli; Zhang, Zhixian

2016-07-01

Space life science and life support engineering are prominent problems in manned deep space exploration mission. Some typical problems are discussed in this paper, including long-term life support problem, physiological effect and defense of varying extraterrestrial environment. The causes of these problems are developed for these problems. To solve these problems, research on space life science and space medical-engineering should be conducted. In the aspect of space life science, the study of space gravity biology should focus on character of physiological effect in long term zero gravity, co-regulation of physiological systems, impact on stem cells in space, etc. The study of space radiation biology should focus on target effect and non-target effect of radiation, carcinogenicity of radiation, spread of radiation damage in life system, etc. The study of basic biology of space life support system should focus on theoretical basis and simulating mode of constructing the life support system, filtration and combination of species, regulation and optimization method of life support system, etc. In the aspect of space medical-engineering, the study of bio-regenerative life support technology should focus on plants cultivation technology, animal-protein production technology, waste treatment technology, etc. The study of varying gravity defense technology should focus on biological and medical measures to defend varying gravity effect, generation and evaluation of artificial gravity, etc. The study of extraterrestrial environment defense technology should focus on risk evaluation of radiation, monitoring and defending of radiation, compound prevention and removal technology of dust, etc. At last, a case of manned lunar base is analyzed, in which the effective schemes of life support system, defense of varying gravity, defense of extraterrestrial environment are advanced respectively. The points in this paper can be used as references for intensive study on key

Quality-of-life and spirituality.

Science.gov (United States)

Panzini, Raquel Gehrke; Mosqueiro, Bruno Paz; Zimpel, Rogério R; Bandeira, Denise Ruschel; Rocha, Neusa S; Fleck, Marcelo P

2017-06-01

Spirituality has been identified as an important dimension of quality-of-life. The objective of this study was to review the literature on quality-of-life and spirituality, their association, and assessment tools. A search was conducted of the keyterms 'quality-of-life' and 'spirituality' in abstract or title in the databases PsycINFO and PubMed/Medline between 1979-2005, complemented by a new search at PUBMED from 2006-2016. Quality-of-life is a new concept, which encompasses and transcends the concept of health, being composed of multiple domains: physical, psychological, environmental, among others. The missing measure in health has been defined as the individual's perception of their position in life in the context of culture and value system in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards, and concerns. There is consistent evidence of an association between quality-of-life and religiosity/spirituality (R/S), through studies with reasonable methodological rigour, using several variables to assess R/S (e.g. religious affiliation, religious coping, and prayer/spirituality). There are also several valid and reliable instruments to evaluate quality-of-life and spirituality. Further studies are needed, however, especially in Brazil. Such studies will provide empirical data to be used in planning health interventions based on spirituality, seeking a better quality-of-life. In the last 10 years, research is consistently growing about quality-of-life and spirituality in many countries, and also in many areas of health research.

Curcuma alismatifolia vase life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruno Trevenzoli Favero

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Cut curcuma stem has a reported vase life of 7 to 21 days and this difference in vase life is probably due to a combination of different factors such as growing conditions and postharvest treatments. However, the cut flower industry needs key postharvest information for new species and cultivars to be able to effectively market the flowers. The objectives of this study was to evaluate the effect of commercial hydrator and holding solutions, commercial growth regulator formulation, floral foam, ethylene and silver thiosulfate (STS on the postharvest handling of C. alismatifolia cultivars. Control treatment (deionized water had better vase life than the combinations of the commercial hydrator for 4h and commercial holding solution for 44h. Floral foam reduced vase life to 17 days from 23 days for the control treatment. The growth regulators gibberellin plus benzyladenine (GA4+7 + BA had a positive effect on the fresh weight keeping parameter, but further studies are necessary. STS did not improve vase life, nor did ethylene at 1 µL L-1 reduce it. The curcuma cultivars tested were not positively affected by vase solution composition and had an average vase life in deionized water of 21 days.

Space life sciences: A status report

Science.gov (United States)

1990-01-01

The scientific research and supporting technology development conducted in the Space Life Sciences Program is described. Accomplishments of the past year are highlighted. Plans for future activities are outlined. Some specific areas of study include the following: Crew health and safety; What happens to humans in space; Gravity, life, and space; Sustenance in space; Life and planet Earth; Life in the Universe; Promoting good science and good will; Building a future for the space life sciences; and Benefits of space life sciences research.

Media life of the young

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Westlund, Oscar; Bjur, Jakob

2014-01-01

This is a thorough investigation into contemporary young people and their media life. The article conceptualizes a typology of media life, drawing on a theoretical body involving the sociology of generations, life course research, media life and individualization. This empirically derived typology...... makes a strong instrument for an understanding of the media life of the young, furnishing insights into how they have constructed their use of media. The investigation is based on a robust national survey with Swedes born 1994–2001, conducted in 2010, and focusing on four media: television, gaming......, the Internet and mobile devices. Two of the findings are particularly surprising. Firstly, the results reveal that the young generally lead heterogeneous media lives, varying with age and sex. Secondly, although some young people literarily live their life in media, there are also de facto young who live...

Plant life management in Hungary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillemot, F.

1998-01-01

The life management in Hungary is in an early stage. The preparation of a suitable database, development of maintenance systems and education of the plant and consultant staff is essential. The Act of Nuclear Safety, the introduction of the 10 years periodic safety review system (periodic licence extension) is a good basis for life management. At the same time the economic changes in the country make the life management difficult. Presently most important task is to prepare the technical environment and the methodology for NPP Life management, and within a few years, when the economy would be consolidated, a real life management will be performed

Product Life Design: Notes for course 41627

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McAloone, Timothy Charles; Andreasen, Mogens Myrup

2003-01-01

- and ecological specifications, life cycle-oriented quality, whole life costs. - Product life systems, "the meeting", relational properties, the role of the human operator. - Modelling of the product and the product life cycle, computer modelling. - The score model, Integrated Product Development, Life Cycle...... Engineering, Concurrent Engineering. - The importance of the product concept, explicit life phase concepts. - Modelling of meetings, "universal virtues", simulation. - Product modelling, Product Data Management, life cycle databases, design history, documentation. - The structure and the content of the DFX......The course in product life design is designed to give an understanding of the phenomena of life cycle and product life thinking, the role of product design in fitting to product life systems and thus achieving sound product life perspectives. The course aims at developing an ability in the student...

Validity of the Life Satisfaction questions, the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire, and the Satisfaction With Life Scale in persons with spinal cord injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Post, Marcel W; van Leeuwen, Christel M; van Koppenhagen, Casper F; de Groot, Sonja

2012-10-01

To assess and compare the validity of 3 life satisfaction instruments in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Cross-sectional study 5 years after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Eight rehabilitation centers with specialized SCI units. Persons (N=225) with recently acquired SCI between 18 and 65 years of age were included in a cohort study. Data were available for 145 persons 5 years after discharge. Not applicable. The Life Satisfaction questions (LS Questions), the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (LiSat-9), and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). There were no floor or ceiling effects. Cronbach α was questionable for the LS Questions (.60), satisfactory for the LiSat-9 (.75), and good for the SWLS (.83). Concurrent validity was shown by strong and significant Spearman correlations (.59-.60) between all 3 life satisfaction instruments. Correlations with measures of mental health and participation were .52 to .56 for the LS Questions, .45 to .52 for the LiSat-9, and .41 to .48 for the SWLS. Divergent validity was shown by weak and in part nonsignificant correlations between the 3 life satisfaction measures and measures of functional independence and lesion characteristics. Overall, the validity of all 3 life satisfaction measures was supported. Despite questionable internal consistency, the concurrent and divergent validity of the LS Questions was at least as good as the validity of the LiSat-9 and the SWLS. Copyright © 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Artificial life and Piaget.

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, Ulrich; Grobman, K H.

2003-04-01

Artificial life provides important theoretical and methodological tools for the investigation of Piaget's developmental theory. This new method uses artificial neural networks to simulate living phenomena in a computer. A recent study by Parisi and Schlesinger suggests that artificial life might reinvigorate the Piagetian framework. We contrast artificial life with traditional cognitivist approaches, discuss the role of innateness in development, and examine the relation between physiological and psychological explanations of intelligent behaviour.

Residual life of technical systems; diagnosis, prediction and life extension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reinertsen, Rune

1996-01-01

The paper presents and discusses research related to residual life of non-repairable and repairable technical systems. Diagnosis of systems and extension of residual life of technical systems are also presented and discussed. This paper concludes that research published describing determination and extension of residual life as well as methods for diagnosis of non-repairable and repairable technical systems, is somewhat limited. Many papers have a rather pragmatic approach. The authors only describe special cases from their own plant and do not provide any explanation of a more academical nature. The other papers are mainly describing very specific applications of statistical models, leaving the more general case out of consideration. One of the main results of this paper is to point out these facts, and thereby identify the need for future research in this area

Causes of decreased life expectancy over the life span in bipolar disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Kessing, Lars Vedel; Vradi, Eleni; McIntyre, Roger S; Andersen, Per Kragh

2015-07-15

Accelerated aging has been proposed as a mechanism explaining the increased prevalence of comorbid general medical illnesses in bipolar disorder. To test the hypothesis that lost life years due to natural causes starts in early and mid-adulthood, supporting the hypothesis of accelerated aging. Using individual data from nationwide registers of patient with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder we calculated remaining life expectancies before age 90 years for values of age 15, 25, 35…75 years among all individuals alive in year 2000. Further, we estimated the reduction in life expectancy due to natural causes (physical illnesses) and unnatural causes (suicide and accidents) in relation to age. A total of 22,635 patients with bipolar disorder were included in the study in addition to data from the entire Danish general population of 5.4 million people. At age 15 years, remaining life expectancy before age 90 years was decreased 12.7 and 8.9 life years, respectively, for men and women with bipolar disorder. For 15-year old boys with bipolar disorder, natural causes accounted for 58% of all lost life years and for 15-year old girls, natural causes accounted for 67% increasing to 74% and 80% for 45-year old men and women, respectively. Data concern patients who get contact to hospital psychiatry only. Natural causes of death is the most prevalent reason for lost life years already from adolescence and increases substantially during early and mid-adulthood, in this way supporting the hypothesis of accelerated aging. Early intervention in bipolar disorder should not only focus on improving outcome of the bipolar disorder but also on decreasing the risk of comorbid general medical illnesses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diet Quality and Satisfaction with Life, Family Life, and Food-Related Life across Families: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study with Mother-Father-Adolescent Triads.

Science.gov (United States)

Schnettler, Berta; Lobos, Germán; Miranda-Zapata, Edgardo; Denegri, Marianela; Ares, Gastón; Hueche, Clementina

2017-10-29

Family is a major determinant of children's and adolescents' eating behavior. The objectives of the present study were to assess diet quality, eating habits, satisfaction with life, family life, and food-related life in mother-father-adolescent triads, and to identify profiles of families according to family members' diet quality. Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 300 two-parent families with one child over the age of 10 in the city of Temuco (Chile), including the Adapted Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Satisfaction with Food-related Life (SWFoL) scale, Satisfaction with Family Life (SWFaL) scales, and questions relating to their eating habits. Positive relationships were found between the diet quality of the family members, particularly between mothers and adolescents. Three family profiles with different diet qualities were identified: "families with an unhealthy diet" (39.3%), "families in which mothers and adolescents have healthy diets, but the fathers' diets require changes" (14.3%), and "families that require changes in their diet" (46.4%). These findings stress the key role of mothers in determining family diet quality and suggest a positive relationship between diet quality and satisfaction with life.

Transportation life cycle assessment (LCA) synthesis : life cycle assessment learning module series.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-03-12

The Life Cycle Assessment Learning Module Series is a set of narrated, self-advancing slideshows on : various topics related to environmental life cycle assessment (LCA). This research project produced the first 27 of such modules, which : are freely...

Parents' traces in life: When and how parents are presented in spontaneous life narratives.

Science.gov (United States)

Köber, Christin; Habermas, Tilmann

2017-08-26

Although parents are acknowledged to be a part of their children's personality and narrative identity and to remain important across the life span, narrative personality research has not yet explored the spontaneous presentation of parents in life stories. Therefore, this study examined longitudinally the place given to parents when crafting one's life narrative and how this changes with age. Furthermore, in contrast to prior studies, we focused on spontaneous mentions of parents. We investigated how often parents are mentioned in life narratives of six age groups spanning from age 8 to 69, how the parental relationship is evaluated, whether narrators express understanding of their parents, and whether they respond to parental values. People of all ages dedicated a substantial part of their life narratives to their parents and evaluated their relationship with them in an increasingly differentiated manner. Parents were increasingly perceived as individuals beyond their parental nurturing role. Until late in life, individuals reflect on values and opinions that were transferred to them by their parents. Parents hold a consistent place in life narratives, emphasizing their importance for narrative identity. Results are discussed in terms of lifelong child-parent relationships. Directions for future research are outlined. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Trajectories of life satisfaction after TBI: Influence of life roles, age, cognitive disability, and depressive symptoms

Science.gov (United States)

Juengst, Shannon B.; Adams, Leah M.; Bogner, Jennifer A.; Arenth, Patricia M.; O’Neil-Pirozzi, Therese M.; Dreer, Laura E.; Hart, Tessa; Bergquist, Thomas F.; Bombardier, Charles H.; Dijkers, Marcel P.; Wagner, Amy K.

2015-01-01

Objectives 1) Identify life satisfaction trajectories after moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), 2) establish a predictive model for these trajectories across the first 5 years post-injury, and 3) describe differences in these life satisfaction trajectory groups, focusing on age, depressive symptoms, disability, and participation in specific life roles,. Research Method Analysis of the longitudinal TBI Model Systems National Database was performed on data collected prospectively at 1, 2, and 5 years post-TBI. Participants (n=3,012) had a moderate to severe TBI and were 16 years old and older. Results Four life satisfaction trajectories were identified across the first 5 years post-injury, including: Stable Satisfaction, Initial Satisfaction Declining, Initial Dissatisfaction Improving, and Stable Dissatisfaction. Age, depressive symptoms, cognitive disability, and life role participation as a worker, leisure participant, and/ or religious participant at one year post-injury significantly predicted trajectory group membership. Life role participation and depressive symptoms were strong predictors of life satisfaction trajectories across the first 5 years post TBI. Conclusions The previously documented loss of life roles and prevalence of depression after a moderate to severe TBI make this a vulnerable population for whom low or declining life satisfaction is a particularly high risk. Examining individual life role participation may help to identify relevant foci for community-based rehabilitation interventions or supports. PMID:26618215

Life prediction technology of structural materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagata, Norio

1992-01-01

There is empirically the time limit of use in all industrial plants and components. By defining the loss of functions as the expiration of life, if the forecast of life time or residual life of plants and components can be done, a very useful means becomes available for safety and economical efficiency. The life of plants is controlled by the occurrence and extension of defects in materials, and by the life of the material which is placed under most severe condition. Such severe condition is the environment of use itself with high temperature, corrosive environment, load, vibration and so on. The forecast of material life is to quantitatively grasp the damage behavior of materials under such condition, and to carry out the time control of the functions of plants by defect control. The time dependence of material damage such as fatigue damage, creep damage and corrosion damage is discussed. The forecast of material life by empirical knowledge and theoretical inference and the forecast of residual life are explained. Finally, the forecast of the life time of light water reactors is described as those constructed in initial period approach their design life. (K.I.)

Health-related quality of life and life satisfaction in colorectal cancer survivors: trajectories of adjustment.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, Jeff; Ng, Shu Kay; Breitbart, William; Aitken, Joanne; Youl, Pip; Baade, Peter D; Chambers, Suzanne K

2013-03-14

This longitudinal study describes the five year trajectories of health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) and life satisfaction in long term colorectal cancer survivors. A population-based sample of 1966 colorectal cancer survivors were surveyed at six time points from five months to five years post-diagnosis. Predictor variables were: socio-demographic variables, optimism; cancer threat appraisal; perceived social support. Quality of life was assessed with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Colorectal (HR-QOL); and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Growth mixture models were applied to identify trajectory classes and their predictors. Distinct adjustment trajectories were identified for HR-QOL and life satisfaction. Lower optimism, poorer social support, a more negative cognitive appraisal, and younger age were associated with poorer life satisfaction, while survivors with less than 8 years of education had higher life satisfaction. This pattern was similar for overall HR-QOL except that educational level was not a significant predictor and later stage disease and female gender emerged as related to poorer outcomes. One in five survivors reported poorer constant HR-QOL (19.2%) and a small group had poor life satisfaction (7.2%); 26.2% reported constant high HR-QOL and 48.8% had high constant life satisfaction. Socioeconomic disadvantage and remoteness of residence uniquely predicted poorer outcomes in the colorectal cancer specific HR-QOL sub domain. Although HR-QOL and subjective cognitive QOL share similar antecedents their trajectory patterns suggested they are distinct adjustment outcomes; with life satisfaction emerging as temporally stable phenomenon. Unique patterns of risk support suggest the need to account for heterogeneity in adjustment in longitudinal QOL studies with cancer survivors.

Charting the internal landscape: Affect associated with thoughts about major life domains explains life satisfaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Talya Miron-Shatz

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Studies of happiness have examined the impact of demographics, personality and emotions accompanying daily activities on life satisfaction. We suggest that how people feel while contemplating aspects of their lives, including their weight, children and future prospects, is a promising yet uncharted territory within the internal landscape of life satisfaction. In a sample of 811 American women, we assessed women's feelings when thinking about major life domains and frequency of thoughts about each domain. Regression and dominance analyses showed that emotional valence of thoughts about major life domains was an important predictor of current and prior life satisfaction, surpassing, in descending order, demographics, participants' feelings during recent activities, and their neuroticism and extraversion scores. Domains thought about more frequently were often associated with greater emotional valence. These results suggest that life satisfaction may be improved by modifying emotional valence and frequency of thoughts about life domains. Moreover, these thoughts appear to be an important and relatively stable component of well-being worthy of further study.

Leadership and Work-Life Balance.

Science.gov (United States)

Mattock, Sarah L

2015-01-01

Simply stated, work-life balance is something that is both difficult to define and difficult to achieve. Leaders, throughout the continuum of trauma care, need to have a sound understanding of what work-life balance means and set an example of a healthy work-life balance for those they lead. This article offers strategies for enhancing work-life balance and challenges individuals to use self-reflection as a means to furthering their personal and professional growth.

PREMIUMS CALCULATION FOR LIFE INSURANCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ANA PREDA

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the techniques and the formulas used on international practice for establishing the premiums for a life policy. The formulas are generally based on a series of indicators named mortality indicators which mainly point out the insured survival probability, the death probability and life expectancy at certain age. I determined, using a case study, the unique net premium, the annual net premium for a survival insurance, whole life insurance and mixed life insurance.

Work–Life Interventions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

He Lu Calvin Ong

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Despite disparities in the conceptualization of work–life balance (WLB and work–life harmony (WLH in the literature, there remains no evidence till date to validate these differences. Furthermore, there are currently no insights that shed light on the relationship between work–life initiatives and key business strategies of contemporary organizations. Hence, the current study investigated the differences between the constructs of WLB and WLH using a cognitive dissonance approach and assessed the impact of work–life interventions, based on these approaches, on individual creativity at work. Hundred participants, age ranging from 18 to 32 years (M = 23.94, SD = 3.87, with at least 6 months of working experience were recruited. Using an online questionnaire, participants were randomly assigned into WLB (n = 55 or WLH (n = 45 conditions. Participants were tasked to complete pre- and post-intervention measures of individual creativity, as well as a manipulation check using a cognitive dissonance scale. Results showed that participants in the WLB condition elicit higher levels of cognitive dissonance compared with participants in the WLH condition. This indicates an implicit difference in the constructs of WLB and harmony. Second, findings also suggest that work–life interventions adopting a WLH approach will have a more positive impact on individuals’ creativity at work compared with interventions targeted at achieving balance. Research, practical, and cultural implications of the findings are discussed in the article.

Contributing to Overall Life Satisfaction: Personality Traits Versus Life Satisfaction Variables Revisited—Is Replication Impossible?

OpenAIRE

Bernd Lachmann; Rayna Sariyska; Christopher Kannen; Konrad Błaszkiewicz; Boris Trendafilov; Ionut Andone; Mark Eibes; Alexander Markowetz; Mei Li; Keith M. Kendrick; Christian Montag

2017-01-01

Virtually everybody would agree that life satisfaction is of immense importance in everyday life. Thus, it is not surprising that a considerable amount of research using many different methodological approaches has investigated what the best predictors of life satisfaction are. In the present study, we have focused on several key potential influences on life satisfaction including bottom-up and top-down models, cross-cultural effects, and demographic variables. In four independent (large scal...

End-of-Life Nursing Care and Education: End-of-Life Nursing Education: Past and Present.

Science.gov (United States)

DʼAntonio, Jocelyn

The dying experience is forever carried in the life story of those for whom the nurse cares. A goal of end-of-life nursing education is to produce nurses who are comfortable with death and dying and who have had the opportunity to reflect on their thoughts and feelings about end-of-life care. This article reviews the history, development, and teaching methods of end-of-life care, offering recommendations for future education.

Water and Life on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

McKay, Christopher P.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Mars appears to be cold dry and dead world. However there is good evidence that early in its history it had liquid water, more active volcanism, and a thicker atmosphere. Mars had this earth-like environment over three and a half billion years ago, during the same time that life appeared on Earth. The main question in the exploration of Mars then is the search for a independent origin of life on that planet. Ecosystems in cold, dry locations on Earth - such as the Antarctic - provide examples of how life on Mars might have survived and where to look for fossils. Although the Viking results may indicate that Mars has no life today, there is direct geomorphological evidence that, in the past, Mars had large amounts of liquid water on its surface - possibly due to a thicker atmosphere. From a biological perspective the existence of liquid water, by itself motivates the question of the origin of life on Mars. One of the martian meteorites dates back to this early period and may contain evidence consistent with life. From studies of the Earth's earliest biosphere we know that by 3.5 Gyr. ago, life had originated on Earth and reached a fair degree of biological sophistication. Surface activity and erosion on Earth make it difficult to trace the history of life before the 3.5 Gyr timeframe. Ecosystems in cold, dry locations on Earth - such as the Antarctic - provide examples of how life on Mars might have survived and where to look for fossils.

The Adult Life Spiral: A Critique of the Life Cycle Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, Peter; Etzkowitz, Henry

We can identify and describe alternate paths of adulthood utilizing data from interviews with single adults. Our review of major models used in adulthood studies suggests that a developmental model, such as Daniel Levinson's life cycle model, is too tied to the notion of the imminent unfolding of the life course. The age-stratification theory…

Periperformative Life Narrative: Queer Collages

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poletti, A.L.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/377063525

2016-01-01

This essay reconsiders the importance of performativity to scholarship on life writing by exploring the potential of Eve Sedgwick's concept of the periper-formative utterance for reading queer life narratives. Taking the documentary Tarnation (2003) as an example, I argue that a range of life

Life cycle assessment (LCA)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thrane, Mikkel; Schmidt, Jannick Andresen

2004-01-01

The chapter introduces Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and its application according to the ISO 1404043 standards.......The chapter introduces Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and its application according to the ISO 1404043 standards....

Good Job, Good Life? Working Conditions and Quality of Life in Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Drobnic, Sonja; Beham, Barbara; Prag, Patrick; Drobnič, S.; Prag, Patrick

Cross-national comparisons generally show large differences in life satisfaction of individuals within and between European countries. This paper addresses the question of whether and how job quality and working conditions contribute to the quality of life of employed populations in nine

End-of-life decisions: Christian perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Stempsey, William E

1997-12-01

While legal rights to make medical treatment decisions at the end of one's life have been recognized by the courts, particular religious traditions put axiological and metaphysical meat on the bare bones of legal rights. Mere legal rights do not capture the full reality, meaning and importance of death. End-of-life decisions reflect not only the meaning we find in dying, but also the meaning we have found in living. The Christian religions bring particular understandings of the vision of life as a gift from God, human responsibility for stewardship of that life, the wholeness of the person, and the importance of the dying process in preparing spiritually for life beyond earthly life, to bear on end-of-life decisions.

76 FR 77455 - Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance and Veterans' Group Life Insurance-Slayer's Rule Exclusion

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-13

... and Veterans' Group Life Insurance--Slayer's Rule Exclusion AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs... Veterans' Group Life Insurance--Slayer's Rule Exclusion.'' Copies of comments received will be available...) (slayer's rule ``is undoubtedly an implicit provision of the Servicemen's Group Life Insurance Act of 1965...

Satisfaction with Life, Meaning in Life, Sad Childhood Experiences, and Psychological Symptoms among Turkish Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Cömert, Itır Tarı; Özyeşil, Zümra Atalay; Burcu Özgülük, S

2016-02-01

The aim of the current study was to investigate the contributions of sad childhood experiences, depression, anxiety, and stress, existence of a sense of meaning, and pursuit of meaning in explaining life satisfaction of young adults in Turkey. The sample comprised 400 undergraduate students ( M age = 20.2 yr.) selected via random cluster sampling. There were no statistically significant differences between men and women in terms of their scores on depression, existence of meaning, pursuit of meaning, and life satisfaction scores. However, there were statistically significant differences between men and women on the sad childhood experiences, anxiety and stress. In heirarchical regression analysis, the model as a whole was significant. Depression and existence of meaning in life made unique significant contributions to the variance in satisfaction in life. Students with lower depression and with a sense of meaning in life tended to be more satisfied with life.

LMFBR Ultra Long Life Cores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, J.E.; Doncals, R.A.; Porter, C.A.; Gundy, L.M.

1986-01-01

The Ultra Long Life Core is an attractive and innovative design approach with several extremely beneficial attributes. Long Life cores are applicable to the full range of LMR plant sizes resulting in lifetimes up to 30 years. Core life is somewhat limited for smaller plant sizes, however significant benefits of this approach still exist for all plant sizes. The union of long life cores and the complementary inherent safety technology offer a means of utilizing the well-proven oxide fuel in a system with unsurpassed safety capability. A further benefit is that the uranium fuel cycle can be used in long life cores, especially for initial LMR plant deployment, thereby eliminating the need for reprocessing prior to starting LMR plant construction in the U.S. Finally the long life core significantly reduces power costs. With inherent safety capability designed into an LMR and with the ULLC fuel cycle, power costs competitive with light water plants are achievable while offering improved operational flexibility derived through extending refueling intervals

Statistical inference on residual life

CERN Document Server

Jeong, Jong-Hyeon

2014-01-01

This is a monograph on the concept of residual life, which is an alternative summary measure of time-to-event data, or survival data. The mean residual life has been used for many years under the name of life expectancy, so it is a natural concept for summarizing survival or reliability data. It is also more interpretable than the popular hazard function, especially for communications between patients and physicians regarding the efficacy of a new drug in the medical field. This book reviews existing statistical methods to infer the residual life distribution. The review and comparison includes existing inference methods for mean and median, or quantile, residual life analysis through medical data examples. The concept of the residual life is also extended to competing risks analysis. The targeted audience includes biostatisticians, graduate students, and PhD (bio)statisticians. Knowledge in survival analysis at an introductory graduate level is advisable prior to reading this book.

[Relationships between suicide attitudes and perception of life purpose and meaning of life in college students].

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Xingli; Zou, Bing; Huang, Zhongyan

2012-10-01

To investigate the suicide attitudes of college students and analyze the impact of the perception of life purpose and meaning of life on their suicide attitudes using structural equation modeling. A total of 1050 college students were tested by Suicide Attitude Questionnaire (QSA), Purpose in Life test (PIL) and Chinese version of Meaning of Life questionnaire (C-MLQ). A theoretical model was established for confirming the influence of the purpose in life and meaning in life on suicide attitudes of the college students. The college students had generally a negative attitude towards suicide. The female students tended to show more objective attitudes towards suicide and the students from rural areas had a stronger attitude against euthanasia.The meanings and purposes in life were closely correlated with the attitudes towards suicide, and the structural equation modeling well fitted the data (Χ(2)/df=1.924, GFI=0.936, AGFI=0.915, NFI=0.937, CFI=0.940, and RMSEA=0.045). The perception of meaning and purposes in life had a direct predictive value on the suicide attitude of the college students, and the presumptions derived from the theoretical model were strongly supported by structural equation modeling. The perceptions in meanings in life and purposes in livelihood have important influence on the suicide attitudes of college students, and intervention with effective life education should be administered to guide the suicide attitude of the college students.

Virkeligheder i Second Life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Sisse Siggaard

"Virkeligheder i Second Life" er en beretning, der bygger på tre case studier samt omfattende observationer i den virtuelle verden Second Life i perioden 2006 til 2008. Beretningen er den ene af to bøger der bygger på forskning i virtuelle verdener; de tre case studier er: Wonderful Denmark, en...... virtuel virksomhed, Literary, et virtuelt bibliotek, Times, en afdeling af en real life virksomhed. Den anden bog: "Oplevelser i en virtuel verden" omhandler den virtuelle verden EverQuest - et masserollespil....

The government of life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Villadsen, Kaspar; Wahlberg, Ayo

2015-01-01

. Subsequent research on biopolitics and governmentality has tended to separate the concepts, differentiating into distinct research traditions each with different intellectual pathways. We propose to bring these conceptual innovations together to understand contemporary problems of the government of life...... of death power, the interplay of sovereignty, discipline and security, governmentalization through medical normalization, and ‘securitization’ of life as circulations and open series. The article also introduces this special feature on the government of life in which significant scholars explores issues...

Sandia National Laboratories: Careers: Work-Life Balance

Science.gov (United States)

; Culture Work-Life Balance Special Programs Students and Postdocs Benefits and Perks Hiring Process Life at -Life Balance Careers Work-Life Balance People in park Your life is not just work We understand your healthy, multidimensional lifestyle and achieve a personal balance between home, work, and community life

Diet Quality and Satisfaction with Life, Family Life, and Food-Related Life across Families: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study with Mother-Father-Adolescent Triads

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Berta Schnettler

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Family is a major determinant of children’s and adolescents’ eating behavior. The objectives of the present study were to assess diet quality, eating habits, satisfaction with life, family life, and food-related life in mother–father–adolescent triads, and to identify profiles of families according to family members’ diet quality. Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 300 two-parent families with one child over the age of 10 in the city of Temuco (Chile, including the Adapted Healthy Eating Index (AHEI, Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS, Satisfaction with Food-related Life (SWFoL scale, Satisfaction with Family Life (SWFaL scales, and questions relating to their eating habits. Positive relationships were found between the diet quality of the family members, particularly between mothers and adolescents. Three family profiles with different diet qualities were identified: “families with an unhealthy diet” (39.3%, “families in which mothers and adolescents have healthy diets, but the fathers’ diets require changes” (14.3%, and “families that require changes in their diet” (46.4%. These findings stress the key role of mothers in determining family diet quality and suggest a positive relationship between diet quality and satisfaction with life.

Diet Quality and Satisfaction with Life, Family Life, and Food-Related Life across Families: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study with Mother-Father-Adolescent Triads

Science.gov (United States)

Lobos, Germán; Miranda-Zapata, Edgardo; Denegri, Marianela; Ares, Gastón; Hueche, Clementina

2017-01-01

Family is a major determinant of children’s and adolescents’ eating behavior. The objectives of the present study were to assess diet quality, eating habits, satisfaction with life, family life, and food-related life in mother–father–adolescent triads, and to identify profiles of families according to family members’ diet quality. Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 300 two-parent families with one child over the age of 10 in the city of Temuco (Chile), including the Adapted Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Satisfaction with Food-related Life (SWFoL) scale, Satisfaction with Family Life (SWFaL) scales, and questions relating to their eating habits. Positive relationships were found between the diet quality of the family members, particularly between mothers and adolescents. Three family profiles with different diet qualities were identified: “families with an unhealthy diet” (39.3%), “families in which mothers and adolescents have healthy diets, but the fathers’ diets require changes” (14.3%), and “families that require changes in their diet” (46.4%). These findings stress the key role of mothers in determining family diet quality and suggest a positive relationship between diet quality and satisfaction with life. PMID:29109387

Life Story Development in Childhood: The Development of Life Story Abilities and the Acquisition of Cultural Life Scripts from Late Middle Childhood to Adolescence

Science.gov (United States)

Bohn, Annette; Berntsen, Dorthe

2008-01-01

The authors investigated the relationship between the acquisition of cultural life scripts and the degree of coherence in children's and adolescents' life stories. Three groups of Danish school children aged 9 to 15 years participated. In 3 sessions, they wrote down a recently experienced single autobiographical event, their life story, and their…

Nuclear plant life extension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Negin, C.A.

1989-01-01

The nuclear power industry's addressing of life extension is a natural trend in the maturation of this technology after 20 years of commercial operation. With increasing emphasis on how plants are operated, and less on how to build them, attention is turning on to maximizing the use of these substantial investments. The first studies of life extension were conducted in the period from 1978 and 1982. These were motivated by the initiation, by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), of studies to support decommissioning rulemaking. The basic conclusions of those early studies that life extension is feasible and worth pursuing have not been changed by the much more extensive investigations that have since been conducted. From an engineering perspective, life extension for nuclear plants is fundamentally the same as for fossil plants

Life events and Tourette syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Steinberg, Tamar; Shmuel-Baruch, Sharona; Horesh, Netta; Apter, Alan

2013-07-01

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric developmental disorder characterized by the presence of multiple motor tics and one or more vocal tics. Although TS is primarily biological in origin, stress-diatheses interactions most probably play a role in the course of the illness. The precise influence of the environment on this basically biological disorder is difficult to ascertain, particularly when TS is complicated by comorbidities. Among the many questions that remain unresolved are the differential impact of positive and negative events and specific subtypes of events, and the importance of major crucial events relative to minor daily ones to tic severity. To examine the relationships between life events, tic severity and comorbid disorders in Tourette Syndrome (TS), including OCD, ADHD, anxiety, depression and rage attacks. Life events were classified by quantity, quality (positive or negative) and classification types of events (family, friends etc.). Sixty patients aged 7-17 years with Tourette syndrome or a chronic tic disorder were recruited from Psychological Medicine Clinic in Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel. Yale Global Tic Severity Scale; Children's Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale; Life Experiences Survey; Brief Adolescent Life Events Scale; Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders; Child Depression Inventory/Beck Depression Inventory; ADHD Rating Scale IV; Overt Aggression Scale. Regarding tics and minor life events, there was a weak but significant correlation between severity of motor tics and the quantity of negative events. No significant correlation was found between tic severity and quantity of positive events. Analysis of the BALES categories yielded a significant direct correlation between severity of vocal tics and quantity of negative events involving friends. Regarding comorbidities and minor life events, highly significant correlations were found with depression and anxiety. Regarding tics and major life

Negative life events and life satisfaction in university students: Belief in a just world as a mediator and moderator.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Xunlong

2016-11-01

A cross-sectional study was conducted to explore the role of belief in a just world between negative life events and life satisfaction. The results revealed that two dimensions of belief in a just world played partial mediating roles between negative life events and life satisfaction. Moreover, belief in a just world was also a moderator between negative life events and life satisfaction that mitigates the adverse effects of negative life events. In conclusion, these results suggest that belief in a just world could be both a mediator and a moderator between negative life events and life satisfaction.

The 'Cancer Home-Life Intervention'

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pilegaard, Marc Sampedro; la Cour, Karen; Gregersen Oestergaard, Lisa

2018-01-01

, occupational therapy-based and adaptive programme for people with advanced cancer targeting the performance of their prioritised everyday activities. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Home-living adults diagnosed with advanced cancer experiencing functional limitations were recruited from two Danish hospitals. They were......BACKGROUND: People with advanced cancer face difficulties with their everyday activities at home that may reduce their health-related quality of life. To address these difficulties, we developed the 'Cancer Home-Life Intervention'. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of the 'Cancer Home Life......-Intervention' compared with usual care with regard to patients' performance of, and participation in, everyday activities, and their health-related quality of life. DESIGN AND INTERVENTION: A randomised controlled trial ( ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02356627). The 'Cancer Home-Life Intervention' is a brief, tailored...

Getting Acquainted in Second Life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pallay, Christian; Rehm, Matthias; Kurdyukova, Ekaterina

2009-01-01

The paper investigates human agent interactions in virtual environments like Second Life. As interactions in such environments are inherently social, the agent should be able to participate in social interaction rituals like getting acquainted when meeting someone for the first time. The differen....... The differences between these rituals in real life and in Second Life are analyzed. Different rule sets for each version of the ritual have been developed and the performance of the different sets is compared in interactions with users in Second Life.......The paper investigates human agent interactions in virtual environments like Second Life. As interactions in such environments are inherently social, the agent should be able to participate in social interaction rituals like getting acquainted when meeting someone for the first time...

Life on Earth is an individual.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermida, Margarida

2016-06-01

Life is a self-maintaining process based on metabolism. Something is said to be alive when it exhibits organization and is actively involved in its own continued existence through carrying out metabolic processes. A life is a spatio-temporally restricted event, which continues while the life processes are occurring in a particular chunk of matter (or, arguably, when they are temporally suspended, but can be restarted at any moment), even though there is continuous replacement of parts. Life is organized in discrete packages, particular cells and multicellular organisms with differing degrees of individuality. Biological species, too, have been shown to be individuals, and not classes, as these collections of organisms are spatio-temporally localized, restricted, continuous, and somewhat cohesive entities, with a definite beginning and end. Assuming that all life on Earth has a common origin, all living organisms, cells, and tissues descending from this origin exhibit continuity of the life processes at the cellular level, as well as many of the features that define the individual character of species: spatio-temporal localization and restriction, continuity, historicity, and cohesiveness. Therefore, life on Earth is an ontological individual. Independent origins of life will have produced other such individuals. These provisionally called 'life-individuals' constitute a category of organization of life which has seldom been recognized. The discovery of at least one independent life-individual would go a long way toward the project of the universality of biology.

Rapid Deterioration of Basic Life Support Skills in Dentists With Basic Life Support Healthcare Provider.

Science.gov (United States)

Nogami, Kentaro; Taniguchi, Shogo; Ichiyama, Tomoko

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between basic life support skills in dentists who had completed the American Heart Association's Basic Life Support (BLS) Healthcare Provider qualification and time since course completion. Thirty-six dentists who had completed the 2005 BLS Healthcare Provider course participated in the study. We asked participants to perform 2 cycles of cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a mannequin and evaluated basic life support skills. Dentists who had previously completed the BLS Healthcare Provider course displayed both prolonged reaction times, and the quality of their basic life support skills deteriorated rapidly. There were no correlations between basic life support skills and time since course completion. Our results suggest that basic life support skills deteriorate rapidly for dentists who have completed the BLS Healthcare Provider. Newer guidelines stressing chest compressions over ventilation may help improve performance over time, allowing better cardiopulmonary resuscitation in dental office emergencies. Moreover, it may be effective to provide a more specialized version of the life support course to train the dentists, stressing issues that may be more likely to occur in the dental office.

Tracing the Life Courses of Canadians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajulton, Fernando

1994-01-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the life courses of Canadians through an event history analysis of data from the 1990 General Social Survey on Family and Friends. The sequences and the timing of transitions into various life course stages, and the durations of stay in those stages are analyzed through multiple-decrement life tables. Changes in the life courses over 10-year birth cohorts from 1910 to 1970 and differentials by gender are highlighted in the paper. The analysis reveals that what is traditionally thought of as a "typical" life course is experienced only by one-fourth to one-third of a cohort. With the increasing diversity of life course stages among younger cohorts, it would no longer be adequate to consider only the "typical" life stages in future analyses.

The normativity of life scripts and its relation with life story events across cultures and subcultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatiboğlu, Neşe; Habermas, Tilmann

2016-11-01

This study explored the normativity of individual life scripts and their relation to actual life story memories across countries (Turkey and Germany) and subcultures (urban vs. rural, of migrant vs. of indigenous descent). Young adults from provincial Karabük and metropolitan Istanbul (Turkey), second generation Turkish migrants and Germans from Frankfurt a.M. (Germany) provided both their individual versions of the life script and seven most important personal memories. We expected the agreement on the life script, that is, its normativity, and correspondingly its guiding influence on the selection of life story memories to correlate positively with a collectivistic, negatively an individualistic cultural orientation, that is, to be highest in provincial Karabük, less in Istanbul, still less in Turkish migrants in Germany, and finally lowest in native Germans. The study confirmed expectations for the normativity of life scripts, but not for the normativity of most important memories. We conclude that the normativity of life scripts is influenced both by the individualist vs. collectivist orientation.

Effects of stress management training and problem solving on quality of life and life expectancy among infertile women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Reza Zarbakhsh Bahri

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Introduction: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of stress management training and problem-solving training on quality of life and life expectancy of infertile women was conducted.Material and Methods: The method of this study was experimental with pretest – posttest design with a control group. population of 400 infertile women who referred to infertility center in Rasht were randomized to 250 of them were selected and the quality of life and life expectancy of the study were the 45 members of the quality of life and life expectancy lower were more randomly in three groups of 15 people, including two experimental groups and one control group were replaced. Each experimental groups were trained for 10 sessions of 90 minutes, respectively, stress management and problem-solving. Upon completion of the training program, participants were assessed again.Results: The result of present study showed that there was a significant difference between the experimental groups and control group in the scores of quality of life and life expectancy (p0.05.Conclusion: Stress management and problem solving training were effective on life expectancy and quality of life of infertile women but there was no significant difference between the effectiveness of these two methods on life expectancy and quality of life of infertile women.

Work-life balance and family friendly policies

OpenAIRE

Janine Chapman; Natalie Skinner

2013-01-01

This paper presents Australian and international research on work-life interaction. We review the work-life policies and practices that are likely to have the greatest impact on work-life outcomes, specifically reducing the negative impact of work on other life domains (work-life interference), and enhancing the positive effect (work-life facilitation). The review addresses four policy areas common in work-life studies of the general workforce: employee-centered flexible work practices; worki...

Recognising life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nissen, Morten

2013-01-01

’ – that the contemporary discursive pragmatics of more or less pharmaceutical life practices still include forms of transcendence – and by the wish to fertilize the field of bio-politics with the indexical inter-subjectivity of the concept of ideology, as derived from an antiessentialist reading of Hegelian......–Marxist traditions. The analysis unfolds as an ideology critique that reconstructs, and seeks ways to overcome, particular forms of recognition that are identifiable in the data and in the field of drug practices, and how these form part of the constitution of singular collectives and participants – in these life...

Ionizing radiation promotes protozoan reproduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luckey, T.D.

1986-01-01

This experiment was performed to determine whether ionizing radiation is essential for maximum growth rate in a ciliated protozoan. When extraneous ionizing radiation was reduced to 0.15 mrad/day, the reproduction rate of Tetrahymena pyriformis was significantly less (P less than 0.01) than it was at near ambient levels, 0.5 or 1.8 mrad/day. Significantly higher growth rates (P less than 0.01) were obtained when chronic radiation was increased. The data suggest that ionizing radiation is essential for optimum reproduction rate in this organism

Life Cycle Sustainability Dashboard

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Traverso, Marzia; Finkbeiner, Matthias; Jørgensen, Andreas

2012-01-01

One method to assess the sustainability performance of products is life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA), which assesses product performance considering the environmental,economic, and social dimensions of the life cycle. The results of LCSA can be used to compare different products...... of sustainability is the communicability of the results by means of a graphical representation (a cartogram), characterized by a suitable chromatic scale and ranking score. The integration of LCSA and the dashboard of sustainability into a so-called Life Cycle Sustainability Dashboard (LCSD) is described here...

Extraterrestrial Life in the Microbial Age

Science.gov (United States)

Gronstal, Aaron L.

Humankind has long been fascinated with the potential for alien civilizations within the Solar System and beyond (e.g., Crowe and Dowd 2013; Sullivan 2013). Despite the early optimism for life beyond Earth, humankind has yet to make first contact with an alien race. Historical discourse on the topic of alien life can provide some useful input into questions about how the people of Earth today might respond to contact with alien life (e.g., Dick 2013). However, this discourse is primarily devoted to understanding humankind's response to intelligent life. We must recognize that the search for life's potential beyond Earth has dramatically changed since the dawn of the Space Age. We now know that advanced civilizations are not common on planets in our solar system. The search for life on nearby worlds is now limited to non-intelligent, microbial life. Any chance we have of contacting intelligent life lies in receiving transmissions from distant worlds, and contact with such cultures would be greatly limited by the vast expanse of space. This chapter discusses the need for more attention paid to the possible social, economic, and legal ramifications that the discovery of non-intelligent, alien microbial life might bring.

Think Positively and Feel Positively: Optimism and Life Satisfaction in Late Life

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Beeto Wai-Chung; Moneta, Giovanni B.; Mcbride-Chang, Catherine

2005-01-01

This study developed a dispositional path model of life satisfaction for community dwelling Chinese elderly living in Hong Kong. A sample of 117 elderly completed scales measuring life satisfaction, optimism, self-esteem, relationship harmony, self-construals, and perceived/expected health and financial status. Modeling revealed that life…

Work Life Balance Among Nurse Educators Towards Quality Life: A Mixed Method Study

OpenAIRE

Eddieson Astodello Pasay-an; Petelyne Pacio Pangket; Juanita Yudong Nialla; Lynn B Laban

2014-01-01

Work-Life balance is completely an imminent problem that needs to be addressed across all organizations. The nursing field, especially nurses in the Academe is not excused due to multiple roles they are facing. This study was intended to determine and explore the work life balance among nurse educators towards quality life. The respondents of the study were the nurse educators of the Schools of Nursing in the city Baguio and the province of Benguet, Philippines. The research utilized Mixed Me...

On the Sunny Side of Life: Sunshine Effects on Life Satisfaction

Science.gov (United States)

Kampfer, Sylvia; Mutz, Michael

2013-01-01

This paper seeks to analyze the influence of the weather on a person's self-reported life satisfaction. On a theoretical level, it is claimed that "nice" weather can improve the affective well-being of a person. Given this, it is argued that affects can, in turn, have an impact on that person's general assessment of his or her life. In…

Early Life Adversity as a Risk Factor for Fibromyalgia in Later Life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucie A. Low

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The impact of early life events is increasingly becoming apparent, as studies investigate how early childhood can shape long-term physiology and behaviour. Fibromyalgia (FM, which is characterised by increased pain sensitivity and a number of affective co-morbidities, has an unclear etiology. This paper discusses risk factors from early life that may increase the occurrence or severity of FM in later life: pain experience during neonatal life causes long-lasting changes in nociceptive circuitry and increases pain sensitivity in the older organism; premature birth and related stressor exposure cause lasting changes in stress responsivity; maternal deprivation affects anxiety-like behaviours that may be partially mediated by epigenetic modulation of the genome—all these adult phenotypes are strikingly similar to symptoms displayed by FM sufferers. In addition, childhood trauma and exposure to substances of abuse may cause lasting changes in developing neurotransmitter and endocrine circuits that are linked to anxiety and stress responses.

End of Life: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Toner, Mary Ann; Shadden, Barbara B.

2012-01-01

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) provide services to patients confronting the end of life (EOL) in a variety of settings. Instead of targeting improvement of health or sustaining life, EOL services focus primarily on quality of life. Although SLPs may not consider themselves core members of the health care team providing EOL services, the…

A cross-cultural study of the lifespan distributions of life script events and autobiographical memories of life story events

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zaragoza Scherman, Alejandra; Salgado, Sinué; Shao, Zhifang

Cultural Life Script Theory provides a cultural explanation of the reminiscence bump: adults older than 40 years remember more life events happening between 15 - 30 years of age. The cultural life script represents semantic knowledge about commonly shared expectations regarding the order and timing...... of major transitional life events in an idealized life course. By comparing the lifespan distribution of life scripts events and memories of life story events, we can determine the degree to which the cultural life script serves as a recall template for autobiographical memories, especially of positive...

Years of potential life lost and life expectancy in schizophrenia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjorthøj, Carsten; Stürup, Anne Emilie; McGrath, John J

2017-01-01

was least in the Asian study and greatest in Africa. The overall weighted average life expectancy was 64·7 years (95% CI 61·1-71·3), and was lower for men than women (59·9 years, 95% CI 55·5-64·3 vs 67·6 years, 63·1-72·1). Life expectancy was lowest in Asia and Africa. Timing of publication and risk of bias...... (Africa n=1, Asia n=1, Australia n=1, Europe n=7, and North America n=3) that involved up to 247 603 patients. Schizophrenia was associated with a weighted average of 14·5 years of potential life lost (95% CI 11·2-17·8), and was higher for men than women (15·9, 13·8-18·0 vs 13·6, 11·4-15·8). Loss...

Maintenance for life management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hevia, F.

1997-01-01

Life Management is based on the detection, monitoring and control of long-term degradation that affects individual plant components and important populations. Experience has shown that in many cases current maintenance practices do not attend to ageing directly; instead they deal with the consequences when it is already too late, when good Life Management is no longer practical. This has brought about the need for specific Maintenance Evaluation and Improvement Programmes to adjust to the basic objective of Life Management which is to project against, monitor and mitigate ageing that can affect the safe and profitable operating life of the facility. New regulatory requirements for ageing monitoring and effective maintenance to ensure safety (Maintenance Rule) have made it even more necessary to implement the Maintenance Evaluation Programme to cope with ageing, and to integrate that tasks in both programmes to optimise effort and use of tools. This paper presents a brief description of the objectives and methodologies of these Programmes which has been applied to plants around the world and in Spain at the Garona and Vandellos II plants in Spain as part of the PIE project for developing a Remanent Life Evaluation System for nuclear power plants. (Author)

Evaluation of life and death studies course on attitudes toward life and death among nursing students.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Huei-Lih; Lin, Huey-Shyan; Chen, Wen-Tin

2005-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate attitudes toward life and death among nursing students after attending the life and death studies (LDS) program. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data. The pretest-posttest control group design randomly assigned students to an experimental (n = 47) or control group (n = 49). The 13-week course included lectures, video appraisal, games, simulations, films, books, assignments and group sharing. Statistical and content analysis were used to analyze qualitative and quantitative data. The findings showed a significant improvement in perception of the meaningfulness of life in four categories of improvement: expanded viewpoint, sadness about death, treating life sincerely, and instilling hope in life. The qualitative data indicated that a positive change in meaning of life was associated with interaction with others and self-reflection.

Life extension and life cycle management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoang, H.

2010-10-01

To continue the effort of nuclear energy as the clean energy offsetting the increase in greenhouse gas emission that contributes to the increased global warming effect, the nuclear industry is focused on the optimization of their current nuclear generation assets. Plant life extension (Plex) and Plant life management (Plim), together with power up rate, are the key strategies for the optimization effort. Plex begins with the process to obtain the regulatory approval for an additional 20 years of operation, beyond the current 40-year limit. This highly standardized process consists of the following steps: 1) Scoping: identify the systems, structures and components for inclusion in the license renewal scope of work. 2) Screening: narrow down the selection of the in-scope systems, structures and components based on passive and long-lived characteristics. 3) Aging management review: demonstrate that aging effects will continue to be managed during the additional 20 years of operation. 4) Time limiting aging analyses: confirm the acceptability of design bases analyses that assume the 40-year plant life as a key input assumptions. To provide a consistent approach for the preparation of the license renewal application, the following are the key guidance documents: NUREG-1800: Standard review plan; NUREG-1801: Generic aging lessons learned; Nuclear Energy Institute NEI 95-10. The objectives of Plim are to focus on improving plant reliability/availability, and to plan for equipment upgrades for efficiency improvement as well as technological obsolescence. Plim is a technical evaluation combined with a risk assessment to produce a long-range business plant with a time horizon of 10 years or longer. Due to its long view nature, this plan will be reviewed on a yearly basis for any required adjustments. The technical evaluation consists of the following major steps: 1) Select systems, structures and components with performance deficiencies experience. 2) Collect operating data

Integrating Varieties of Life Course Concepts

OpenAIRE

Duane F. Alwin

2012-01-01

A body of work referred to as the "life course" framework (also known as "life course theory," the "life course paradigm," and the "life course perspective") has been increasingly used to motivate and justify the examination of the relationships among variables in social and behavioral science, particularly in the study of population health and aging. Yet, there is very little agreement on what some of these concepts mean, and there is hardly any agreement on what the "life course" is. This a...

Life after stoma creation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Danielsen, Anne Kjærgaard

2013-01-01

, as well as an alteration in the bodily design. Research in the field may provide additional information about central elements when adapting to life with a stoma. There are currently no studies that adequately focus on the relationship between health-related quality of life and stoma construction...... in a Danish context, neither for temporary or permanent construction, nor in relation to the importance of stoma handling. Purpose: The overall objective of the study was to investigate health-related quality of life related to stoma creation and patient education. Methodologically, the project......: Impact on everyday life and Educational Needs. The study included 15 participants who were interviewed in groups related to whether they were treated for cancer or non-cancer. The results showed that participants often experienced the stoma as a taboo, and emotions related to stigma were identified...

Life with osteoporosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Carrinna

Background: Osteoporosis is considered a major worldwide public health problem. Men and women with osteoporosis are mostly unaware of the illness, until bone fractures occur. It is estimated that more than one in three European women and one in five men over 50 years will experience osteoporotic...... fractures followed by considerable morbidity and mortality. In line with many other chronic illnesses, one of the pronounced challenges related to osteoporosis is considered to be compliance and persistence to medical treatment. The causes of low compliance and persistence to treatment remain unclear....... Living with a chronic illness often affects the entire human life situation, specifically, emotionally and existentially. How this is experienced personally and how this affects the individual’s life is still unknown. Aim: To gain a deeper understanding of patients’ life with osteoporosis by determining...

Plant life management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charbonneau, S.; Framatome, J.B.

1992-01-01

Plant life assessment and extension studies have been performed by numerous companies all over the world. Critical equipment has been identified as well as various degradation mechanisms involved in the plant aging process. Nowadays one has to think what to implement to improve the existing situation in the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). FRAMATOME has undertaken this thought process in order to find the right answers and bring them to utilities facing either critical concern for plant life extension or the problem of management of power plant potential longevity. This is why we prepared a Plant Life Improvement Action Plan, comprising 10 (ten) major items described hereafter using examples of work performed by FRAMATOME for its utility customers desiring to manage the lives of their plants, both in France with EDF and abroad

APPROACHES TO QUALITY OF LIFE ANALYSISQUANTICATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Larisa E. Danilina

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The paper reviews different approaches to quality of life measurement used in Russian and international statistics. It outlines the essence of J. Stiglitz’s recommendations on development of quality of life statistical indicators, analyses proposals and practical application of innovative approaches of quality of life measurement by the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE. The paper reviews Rosstat’s (Russian Federal State Statistics Service new research as well as an independent research in the area of quality of life research. The authors make proposals to extend the list of aspects analyzed an quality of life research and underline the importance of such a review through regional specifics. They suggest extending the system of quality of life statistical indicators by certain coefficients characterizing economic development disparity and its influence on the quality of life.

Predictors of life disability in trichotillomania.

Science.gov (United States)

Tung, Esther S; Flessner, Christopher A; Grant, Jon E; Keuthen, Nancy J

2015-01-01

Limited research has investigated disability and functional impairment in trichotillomania (TTM) subjects. This study examined the relationships between hair pulling (HP) style and severity and disability while controlling for mood severity. Disability was measured in individual life areas (work, social, and family/home life) instead of as a total disability score as in previous studies. One hundred fifty three adult hair pullers completed several structured interviews and self-report instruments. HP style and severity, as well as depression, anxiety, and stress were correlated with work, social, and family/home life impairment on the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS). Multiple regression analyses were performed to determine significant predictors of life impairment. Depressive severity was a significant predictor for all SDS life areas. In addition, interference/avoidance associated with HP was a predictor for work and social life disability. Distress from HP was a significant predictor of social and family/home life disability. Focused HP score and anxiety were significant predictors of family/home life disability. As expected, depression in hair pullers predicted disability across life domains. Avoiding work and social situations can seriously impair functioning in those life domains. Severity of distress and worry about HP may be most elevated in social situations with friends and family and thus predict impairment in those areas. Finally, since HP often occurs at home, time spent in focused hair pulling would have a greater negative impact on family and home responsibilities than social and work life. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Good Job, Good Life? Working Conditions and Quality of Life in Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Drobnic, Sonja; Beham, Barbara; Prag, Patrick

2010-01-01

Cross-national comparisons generally show large differences in life satisfaction of individuals within and between European countries. This paper addresses the question of whether and how job quality and working conditions contribute to the quality of life of employed populations in nine strategically selected EU countries: Finland, Sweden, the…

Life Writing After Empire

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

A watershed moment of the twentieth century, the end of empire saw upheavals to global power structures and national identities. However, decolonisation profoundly affected individual subjectivities too. Life Writing After Empire examines how people around the globe have made sense of the post...... in order to understand how individual life writing reflects broader societal changes. From far-flung corners of the former British Empire, people have turned to life writing to manage painful or nostalgic memories, as well as to think about the past and future of the nation anew through the personal...

Geography of European Life Satisfaction

Science.gov (United States)

Okulicz-Kozaryn, Adam

2011-01-01

The vast majority of studies analyze life satisfaction at individual and/or country level. This study contributes with analysis of life satisfaction at the (sub-national) province level across multiple countries. The purpose of this study is to call attention to spatial aspects of life satisfaction. Literature does not discuss the fact that life…

[Favouring the work-life balance].

Science.gov (United States)

Masurelle, Franck

2015-01-01

Saint-Amand-les-Eaux general hospital, in the north of France, actively promotes quality of life at work for its staff. In 2014, during National Quality of Life at Work week, the hospital put in place a programme of activities encouraging a better work-life balance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Maintenance, rehabilitation, long life-the CANDU potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torgerson, D.F.; Charlebois, P.; Hopkins, J.

1998-01-01

Plant life extension beyond the original design life is becoming an attractive economic consideration in the nuclear industry. Plant Life Management and life extension considerations have been built into the complete life cycle of the CANDU plant. The plant life management studies demonstrate that life extension for operating plants beyond 30 years is economically viable. The new CANDU designs benefit from this experience feedback and as a result, the plant design basis is now 40 years or better with potential for economical life extension. AECL is therefore confident that the new CANDU designs will exceed the performance record of the first generation CANDU 6 units and is committed to providing continued support and services during the operating life of the plant

Web of life and ways of life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caterina Croce

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The notion of bios is a key-concept in Foucault's research. In the studies about the ancient world, bios stands out as an ethic substance relevant to the practice, the control and the transformation of the self. It is worth investigating the analogies and the differences between the notion of bios as it is meant in the last lectures at the Collège de France and that of bios as a creative force, shared and plural, that we find in previous seasons of Foucault research. The issue of 'way of life' allows us to explore the ambivalences of this topic. In its singular/plural declination, bios raises questions about the common living, which results from the coexistence and sharing of different ways of life – bioi – that cut through the ground of the institutionalized relationships.

Life-course occupational social class and health in later life: the importance of frequency and timing of measures.

Science.gov (United States)

Stone, Juliet; Netuveli, Gopalakrishnan; Blane, David

2014-09-01

Research investigating associations between social class over the life-course and later health relies primarily on secondary analysis of existing data, limiting the number and timing of available measurements. This paper aims to examine the impact of these constraints on the measurement of life-course occupational social class and subsequent explanatory analyses predicting health in later life. Participants of the UK Boyd Orr Lifegrid Subsample ( n  = 294), aged an average of 68 years, provided retrospective information on their life-course occupational social class, coded at 6-month intervals. This was used to simulate two types of life-course data: (1) Theoretical: Life stage (four data-points at key life stages); (2) A-theoretical: Panel data (data-points at regular intervals of varying length). The percentage of life time in disadvantage and the predictive value for limiting longstanding illness (LLI) in later life using the full life-course and simulated data was compared. The presence of 'critical periods' of exposure and the role of trajectories of social class were also investigated. Compared with the full data, the life stage approach estimated a higher percentage of life time in disadvantage and emphasised 'transient' periods in disadvantage (e.g. labour market entry). With varying intervals using the a-theoretical approach, there was no clear pattern. Percentage of life time in manual class was a significant predictor of LLI only when using the four-point life stage approach. Occupational social class at labour market entry was a predictor of LLI in later life, suggesting a 'critical period'. Comparison of trajectories of social class further emphasised the importance of the sequence and timing of exposures to disadvantage in determining later health. We conclude that producing a valid summary of life-course occupational social class does not necessarily require a large number of data-points, particularly if guided by relevant theory, and that such

WHAT PREDICTS A SUCCESSFUL LIFE? A LIFE-COURSE MODEL OF WELL-BEING*

Science.gov (United States)

Layard, Richard; Clark, Andrew E.; Cornaglia, Francesca; Powdthavee, Nattavudh; Vernoit, James

2014-01-01

Policy-makers who care about well-being need a recursive model of how adult life-satisfaction is predicted by childhood influences, acting both directly and (indirectly) through adult circumstances. We estimate such a model using the British Cohort Study (1970). We show that the most powerful childhood predictor of adult life-satisfaction is the child’s emotional health, followed by the child’s conduct. The least powerful predictor is the child’s intellectual development. This may have implications for educational policy. Among adult circumstances, family income accounts for only 0.5% of the variance of life-satisfaction. Mental and physical health are much more important. PMID:25422527

Does It Have a Life Cycle?

Science.gov (United States)

Keeley, Page

2010-01-01

If life continues from generation to generation, then all plants and animals must go through a life cycle, even though it may be different from organism to organism. Is this what students have "learned," or do they have their own private conceptions about life cycles? The formative assessment probe "Does It Have a Life Cycle?" reveals some…

Transposon Invasion of the Paramecium Germline Genome Countered by a Domesticated PiggyBac Transposase and the NHEJ Pathway

Science.gov (United States)

Dubois, Emeline; Bischerour, Julien; Marmignon, Antoine; Mathy, Nathalie; Régnier, Vinciane; Bétermier, Mireille

2012-01-01

Sequences related to transposons constitute a large fraction of extant genomes, but insertions within coding sequences have generally not been tolerated during evolution. Thanks to their unique nuclear dimorphism and to their original mechanism of programmed DNA elimination from their somatic nucleus (macronucleus), ciliates are emerging model organisms for the study of the impact of transposable elements on genomes. The germline genome of the ciliate Paramecium, located in its micronucleus, contains thousands of short intervening sequences, the IESs, which interrupt 47% of genes. Recent data provided support to the hypothesis that an evolutionary link exists between Paramecium IESs and Tc1/mariner transposons. During development of the macronucleus, IESs are excised precisely thanks to the coordinated action of PiggyMac, a domesticated piggyBac transposase, and of the NHEJ double-strand break repair pathway. A PiggyMac homolog is also required for developmentally programmed DNA elimination in another ciliate, Tetrahymena. Here, we present an overview of the life cycle of these unicellular eukaryotes and of the developmentally programmed genome rearrangements that take place at each sexual cycle. We discuss how ancient domestication of a piggyBac transposase might have allowed Tc1/mariner elements to spread throughout the germline genome of Paramecium, without strong counterselection against insertion within genes. PMID:22888464

Family, money, and health: Regional differences in the determinants of life satisfaction over the life course

Science.gov (United States)

Margolis, Rachel; Myrskylä, Mikko

2013-01-01

We examine how family, money, and health explain variation in life satisfaction over the life cycle across seven global regions using data from the World Values Survey. With a life domain approach, we study whether the importance of the life domains varies by region and age groups and whether the variation explained by each factor is due to the magnitude or prevalence of each factor. Globally, family, money, and health explain a substantial fraction of life satisfaction, increasing from 12 percent in young adulthood to 15 percent in mature adulthood. Health is the most important factor, and its importance increases with age. Income is unimportant above age 50. Remarkably, the contribution of family is small across ages. Across regions health is most important in the wealthier, and income in the poorer regions of the world. Family explains a substantial fraction of life satisfaction only in Western Europe and Anglophone countries. Findings highlight that the population-level importance of family, money, and health in explaining variation in life satisfaction across regions is mainly attributable to the individual-level life satisfaction differences between people of different statuses rather than differences in the distribution of various states such as poor health across regions. PMID:24796263

Adolescent internalizing symptoms and negative life events: the sensitizing effects of earlier life stress and cortisol.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruttle, Paula L; Armstrong, Jeffrey M; Klein, Marjorie H; Essex, Marilyn J

2014-11-01

Although adolescence is marked by increased negative life events and internalizing problems, few studies investigate this association as an ongoing longitudinal process. Moreover, while there are considerable individual differences in the degree to which these phenomena are linked, little is known about the origins of these differences. The present study examines early life stress (ELS) exposure and early-adolescent longitudinal afternoon cortisol level as predictors of the covariation between internalizing symptoms and negative life events across high school. ELS was assessed by maternal report during infancy, and the measure of cortisol was derived from assessments at ages 11, 13, and 15 years. Life events and internalizing symptoms were assessed at ages 15, 17, and 18 years. A two-level hierarchical linear model revealed that ELS and cortisol were independent predictors of the covariation of internalizing symptoms and negative life events. Compared to those with lower levels of ELS, ELS-exposed adolescents displayed tighter covariation between internalizing symptoms and negative life events. Adolescents with lower longitudinal afternoon cortisol displayed tighter covariation between negative life events and internalizing symptoms, while those with higher cortisol demonstrated weaker covariation, partially due to increased levels of internalizing symptoms when faced with fewer negative life events.

Life-span development of self-esteem and its effects on important life outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Orth, Ulrich; Robins, Richard W; Widaman, Keith F

2012-06-01

We examined the life-span development of self-esteem and tested whether self-esteem influences the development of important life outcomes, including relationship satisfaction, job satisfaction, occupational status, salary, positive and negative affect, depression, and physical health. Data came from the Longitudinal Study of Generations. Analyses were based on 5 assessments across a 12-year period of a sample of 1,824 individuals ages 16 to 97 years. First, growth curve analyses indicated that self-esteem increases from adolescence to middle adulthood, reaches a peak at about age 50 years, and then decreases in old age. Second, cross-lagged regression analyses indicated that self-esteem is best modeled as a cause rather than a consequence of life outcomes. Third, growth curve analyses, with self-esteem as a time-varying covariate, suggested that self-esteem has medium-sized effects on life-span trajectories of affect and depression, small to medium-sized effects on trajectories of relationship and job satisfaction, a very small effect on the trajectory of health, and no effect on the trajectory of occupational status. These findings replicated across 4 generations of participants--children, parents, grandparents, and their great-grandparents. Together, the results suggest that self-esteem has a significant prospective impact on real-world life experiences and that high and low self-esteem are not mere epiphenomena of success and failure in important life domains. 2012 APA, all rights reserved

Trajectories of quality of life, life satisfaction, and psychological adjustment after prostate cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Chambers, Suzanne K; Ng, Shu Kay; Baade, Peter; Aitken, Joanne F; Hyde, Melissa K; Wittert, Gary; Frydenberg, Mark; Dunn, Jeff

2017-10-01

To describe trajectories of health-related quality of life (QoL), life satisfaction, and psychological adjustment for men with prostate cancer over the medium to long term and identify predictors of poorer outcomes using growth mixture models. One-thousand sixty-four (82.4% response) men diagnosed with prostate cancer were recruited close to diagnosis and assessed over a 72-month (6-year) period with self-report assessment of health-related QoL, life satisfaction, cancer-related distress, and prostate specific antigen anxiety. Urinary, bowel, and sexual function were also assessed using validated questionnaires. Poorer physical QOL was predicted by older age, lower education, lower income, comorbidities, and receiving hormone therapy. Lower life satisfaction was related to younger age, lower income, not being partnered, and comorbidities. Poorer psychological trajectories were predicted by younger age, lower income, comorbidities, and receiving radical prostatectomy or brachytherapy. Better urinary, bowel, and sexual function were related to better global outcomes over time. Anxiety about prostate specific antigen testing was rare. Distinct trajectories exist for medium- to long-term QoL, life satisfaction, and psychological adjustment after prostate cancer; with age and socioeconomic deprivation playing a differential role in men's survivorship profile and the impact of functional status on outcomes increasing over time. These results reinforce the need for an appraisal of men's life course in addition to treatment side effects when planning survivorship care after cancer. © 2016 The Authors. Psycho-Oncology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A 'Balanced' Life: Work-Life Balance and Sickness Absence in Four Nordic Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Antai, D; Oke, A; Braithwaite, P; Anthony, D S

2015-10-01

Little attention has been given to the relationship between work-life balance and sickness absence. To investigate the association between poor work-life balance and sickness absence in 4 Nordic welfare states. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed on pooled cross-sectional data of workers aged 15-65 years from Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Norway (n=4186) obtained from the 2010 European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS). Poor work-life balance was defined based on the fit between working hours and family or social commitments outside work. Self-reported sickness absence was measured as absence for ≥7 days from work for health reasons. Poor work-life balance was associated with elevated odds (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.80) of self-reported sickness absence and more health problems in the 4 Nordic countries, even after adjusting for several important confounding factors. Work-related characteristics, ie, no determination over schedule (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.53), and job insecurity (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.21 to 2.02) increased the likelihood of sickness absence, and household characteristics, ie, cohabitation status (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.96) reduced this likelihood. The associations were non-significant when performed separately for women and men. Sickness absence is predicted by poor work-life balance. Findings suggest the need for implementation of measures that prevent employee difficulties in combining work and family life.

An evaluation of life satisfaction and health - Quality of life of senior citizens.

Science.gov (United States)

Ziółkowski, Artur; Błachnio, Aleksandra; Pąchalska, Maria

2015-01-01

Modern medicine is still searching for the antecedents which will lead to successful aging. The article discusses the self-perception of life satisfaction and health of senior citizens. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between self-evaluation of life satisfaction and health by senior citizens in comparison to different age groups. The study included 463 persons - 230 men and 233 women. The age of the participants was in the range 16 - 83 years. All participants were asked to fill the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire (Fragebogen zur Lebenszufriedenheit - FLZ). The FLZ questionnaire assesses the global life satisfaction of a person and health domain separately. The results show age-related differences in the evaluation of life satisfaction. Accordingly, there is a significant change in health evaluations in different age groups, but there are no significant gender differences in health self-report data. The senior citizens' assessment of general health, although the lowest among all the age-subgroups, showed significant difference only in relation to the people below 45 years of age. The significant differences in satisfaction from mental health occurred only for the elderly and participants aged 25-34 and 35-44. Life satisfaction is associated with subjective health evaluations. There are two domains (mental health and performance) that are positively evaluated by more than two-thirds of senior citizens. The observed differences challenge stereotypes and prejudices relating to negative aging process. Senior citizens can improve their control beliefs and develop self-regulation and coping skills.

Life Skills – Key to Success

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beena Johnson

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Life skills are the abilities for adaptive and positive behavior which enable the individuals to deal effectively with the challenges and stress of everyday life. Cognitive skills are used for analyzing information, personal skills help in self-management and inter-personal skills are needed for good communication and effective social interaction. These skills can be developed through scientific professional training. Life skills empower the adolescents to choose the best values and behaviors which are essential for positive health. Students who acquire life skills become better adjusted to the school environment and their academic performance will definitely improve. Their self esteem increases and they become capable of coping with the demands and challenges of daily life. Through repeated practicing, individuals can develop mastery over these skills. They learn to apply life skills in all problematic situations in real life and gain control over stressful situations easily.

Quality in modern Nordic working life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Stine; Bramming, Pia; Holt, Helle

2013-01-01

quality issues of modern working life. Welfare research, working environment research, and human resource management (HRM) research attack the multiple challenges of working life in different ways and share the overall objective of solving issues in modern working life. Research from the three...... of the perspectives are applied at the same time in the same study. Our results show that while the perspectives share a common interest in solving the problems of the overlapping working life (OWL), they do so with different methods and criteria for success, and offer different solutions. We propose the concept “OWL...... theme reflects an approach to solving the issues of modern working life through improvements of the working life balance. The quality theme reflects an approach to solving issues in modern working life by addressing quality of work, preventing stress, burnout, etc. The review only finds three studies...

Interference-Fit Life Factors for Ball Bearings

Science.gov (United States)

Oswald, Fred B.; Zaretsky, Erwin V.; Poplawski, Joseph V.

2010-01-01

The effect of hoop stresses on the rolling-element fatigue life of angular-contact and deep-groove ball bearings was determined for common inner-ring interference fits at the ABEC-5 tolerance level. The analysis was applied to over 1150 bearing configurations and load cases. Hoop stresses were superimposed on the Hertzian principal stresses created by the applied bearing load to calculate the inner-race maximum shearing stress. The resulting fatigue life of the bearing was recalculated through a series of equations. The reduction in the fatigue life is presented as life factors that are applied to the unfactored bearing life. The life factors found in this study ranged from 1.00 (no life reduction)--where there was no net interface pressure--to a worst case of 0.38 (a 62-percent life reduction). For a given interference fit, the reduction in life is different for angular-contact and deep-groove ball bearings. Interference fits also affect the maximum Hertz stress-life relation. Experimental data of Czyzewski, showing the effect of interference fit on rolling-element fatigue life, were reanalyzed to determine the shear stress-life exponent. The Czyzewski data shear stress-life exponent c equals 8.77, compared with the assumed value of 9. Results are presented as tables and charts of life factors for angular-contact and deep-groove ball bearings with light, normal, and heavy loads and interference fits ranging from extremely light to extremely heavy.

What is Life? On Earth and Beyond

Science.gov (United States)

Losch, Andreas

2017-07-01

Introduction Andreas Losch; 1. Reflections on origins, life, and the origins of life Marie-Christine Maurel; 2. The search for another Earth-like planet and life elsewhere Joshua Krissansen-Totton and David C. Catling; 3. The shape of life: morphological signatures of ancient microbial life in rocks Beda A. Hofmann; 4. Precellular evolution and the origin of life: some notes on reductionism, complexity and historical contingency Antonio Lazcano; 5. Science and philosophy faced with the question of life in the twenty-first century Michel Morange; 6. What is life? And why is the question still open? Claus Beisbart; 7. Is the origin of life a fluke? Why the chance hypothesis should not be dismissed too quickly Christian Weidemann; 8. Some contemporary – and persistent – fallacies and confusions about astrobiology Milan M. Ćirković; 9. Superintelligent AI and the postbiological cosmos approach Susan Schneider; 10. What theology can contribute to the question 'what is life?' Andreas Losch; 11. Autopoietic systems and the theology of creation: on the nature of life Alexander Maßmann; 12. Where there's life there's intelligence Ted Peters; 13. Life in the universe, incarnation and salvation Juan Pablo Marrufo del Torro, SJ; 14. Talking lions, intelligent aliens and knowing God – some epistemological reflections on a speculative issue Taede A. Smedes; 15. What is life? On Earth and beyond: conclusion Andreas Losch; 16. A skeptical afterword Antonio Lazcano.

Evaluation of Life and Death Studies Course on Attitudes Toward Life and Death Among Nursing Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huei-Lih Hwang

2005-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate attitudes toward life and death among nursing students after attending the life and death studies (LDS program. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect data. The pretest-posttest control group design randomly assigned students to an experimental (n = 47 or control group (n = 49. The 13-week course included lectures, video appraisal, games, simulations, films, books, assignments and group sharing. Statistical and content analysis were used to analyze qualitative and quantitative data. The findings showed a significant improvement in perception of the meaningfulness of life in four categories of improvement: expanded viewpoint, sadness about death, treating life sincerely, and instilling hope in life. The qualitative data indicated that a positive change in meaning of life was associated with interaction with others and self-reflection.

End-of-life content in treatment guidelines for life-limiting diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Mast, Kimberly R; Salama, Marybeth; Silverman, Gabriel K; Arnold, Robert M

2004-12-01

Clinical guidelines are systematically developed statements that influence medical practice, education, and funding. Guidelines represent the consensus of leaders, often based on systematic reviews of the literature, regarding the "state of the art." To assess the degree to which end-of-life care is integrated into nationally developed guidelines for chronic, noncurable, life-limiting diseases. Four compendia were reviewed: The Healthcare Standards Directory ECRI, 2001; the Clinical Practice Guidelines Directory, 2000 edition; the National Guidelines Clearinghouse, (guideline.gov); and the National Library of Medicine's MEDLINE database on the OVID platform for guidelines on nine chronic diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, end-stage liver disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, congestive heart failure, dementia, cerebrovascular accident, end-stage renal disease, cancer [breast, colon, prostate, lung], and human immunodeficiency virus). They were assessed by two reviewers for end-of-life content in 15 domains (e.g., epidemiology of death, symptom management, spiritual, family roles, and settings of care), the presence of eight specific terms dealing with palliative care, integration of palliative care information into the guideline, and descriptive variables. Not available. Each guideline was examined and rated on a 0-2 scale (0, absent content; 1, minimal content; 2, helpful content) using 15 end-of-life content domains. Scores from domains were summed and classified into 3 categories: 4 or less, minimal; 5-12, moderate; and more than 12, significant content. Ten percent of guidelines had significant palliative care content, 64% had minimal content, and 26% had moderate content. The least addressed domains dealt with spirituality, ethics, advocacy and family roles. When guidelines that dealt solely with prevention, acute exacerbations or complications of an illness, or specific treatment modalities were excluded 28% and 16% of these general guidelines

Life expectancy in bipolar disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kessing, Lars Vedel; Vradi, Eleni; Andersen, Per Kragh

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Life expectancy in patients with bipolar disorder has been reported to be decreased by 11 to 20 years. These calculations are based on data for individuals at the age of 15 years. However, this may be misleading for patients with bipolar disorder in general as most patients have a later...... onset of illness. The aim of the present study was to calculate the remaining life expectancy for patients of different ages with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. METHODS: Using nationwide registers of all inpatient and outpatient contacts to all psychiatric hospitals in Denmark from 1970 to 2012 we...... remaining life expectancy in bipolar disorder and that of the general population decreased with age, indicating that patients with bipolar disorder start losing life-years during early and mid-adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: Life expectancy in bipolar disorder is decreased substantially, but less so than previously...

Fighting for Dear Life: Christians and Aggressive End-of-Life Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Shinall, Myrick C

2014-01-01

Patients or their family members sometimes give religious reasons for requesting life-sustaining technologies that have little hope of restoring health. This poses an ethical challenge for clinicians and a potential strain on limited health-care resources. Among Christians, one explanation for a preference for aggressive, life-prolonging care is the influence of the idea of martyrdom, which became the normative form of dying in early Christianity. The ancient discourse of martyrdom and the modern discourse of aggressive medical care both share a martial orientation and commend an ethos of combat. This paper examines ancient Christian martyrdom discourse to illuminate its affinity with the discourse of aggressive medical care. The ethos of martyrdom has shaped Christian attitudes toward death such that preference for aggressive medical care at the end of life is understandable.

Long-term storage life of light source modules by temperature cycling accelerated life test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Ningning; Tan Manqing; Li Ping; Jiao Jian; Guo Xiaofeng; Guo Wentao

2014-01-01

Light source modules are the most crucial and fragile devices that affect the life and reliability of the interferometric fiber optic gyroscope (IFOG). While the light emitting chips were stable in most cases, the module packaging proved to be less satisfactory. In long-term storage or the working environment, the ambient temperature changes constantly and thus the packaging and coupling performance of light source modules are more likely to degrade slowly due to different materials with different coefficients of thermal expansion in the bonding interface. A constant temperature accelerated life test cannot evaluate the impact of temperature variation on the performance of a module package, so the temperature cycling accelerated life test was studied. The main failure mechanism affecting light source modules is package failure due to solder fatigue failure including a fiber coupling shift, loss of cooling efficiency and thermal resistor degradation, so the Norris-Landzberg model was used to model solder fatigue life and determine the activation energy related to solder fatigue failure mechanism. By analyzing the test data, activation energy was determined and then the mean life of light source modules in different storage environments with a continuously changing temperature was simulated, which has provided direct reference data for the storage life prediction of IFOG. (semiconductor devices)

KOH concentration effect on cycle life of nickel-hydrogen cells. III - Cycle life test

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, H. S.; Verzwyvelt, S. A.

1988-01-01

A cycle life test of Ni/H2 cells containing electrolytes of various KOH concentrations and a sintered type nickel electrode was carried out at 23 C using a 45 min accelerated low earth orbit (LEO) cycle regime at 80 percent depth of discharge. One of three cells containing 26 percent KOH has achieved over 28,000 cycles, and the other two 19,000 cycles, without a sign of failure. Two other cells containing 31 percent KOH electrolyte, which is the concentration presently used in aerospace cells, failed after 2,979 and 3,620 cycles. This result indicates that the cycle life of the present type of Ni/H2 cells may be extended by a factor of 5 to 10 simply by lowering the KOH concentration. Long cycle life of a Ni/H2 battery at high depth-of-discharge operation is desired, particularly for an LEO spacecraft application. Typically, battery life of about 30,000 cycles is required for a five year mission in an LEO. Such a cycle life with presently available cells can be assured only at a very low depth-of-discharge operation. Results of testing already show that the cycle life of an Ni/H2 cell is tremendously improved by simply using an electrolyte of low KOH concentration.

Early life insults as determinants of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adult life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Savran, Osman; Ulrik, Charlotte Suppli

2018-01-01

Background: Early life events may predispose to the development of chronic lung disease in adulthood. Aim: To provide an update on current knowledge of early nongenetic origins of COPD. Materials and methods: Systematic literature review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items...... in utero and early life is a risk factor for subsequent development of COPD. Furthermore, low birth weight, lower respiratory tract infections and asthma, including wheezy bronchitis, in childhood also seem to be important determinants for later development of COPD. Early life insults may, therefore...

Individuals' quality of life linked to major life events, perceived social support, and personality traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Pocnet, Cornelia; Antonietti, Jean-Philippe; Strippoli, Marie-Pierre F; Glaus, Jennifer; Preisig, Martin; Rossier, Jérôme

2016-11-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between major recent life events that occurred during the last 5 years, social and personal resources, and subjective quality of life (QoL). A total of 1801 participants from the general population (CoLaus/PsyCoLaus study) completed the Life Events Questionnaire, the Social Support Questionnaire, the NEO Five-Factor Inventory Revised, and the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life. Major life events were modestly associated with the QoL (about 5 % of the explained variance). However, QoL was significantly related to perceived social support and personality traits (about 37 % of the explained variance). Particularly, perceived social support, extraversion and conscientiousness personality dimensions were positively linked to life satisfaction, whereas a high level of neuroticism was negatively associated with QoL. This study highlights the negative but temporary association between critical events and QoL. However, a combination of high conscientiousness and extraversion, and positive social support may explain better variances for a high-perceived QoL.

Remanent life management of nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinedo, J.; Gomez Santamaria, J.

1995-01-01

The concept of life in the nuclear power plants is very special. The main aceptions are: design life, economic life and useful life. The good management of NPP will do the prolongation of the life in the NPP. The remanent of management life summarizes certain activities in order to prolong the lifetime of the NPP. This article presents the activities of the RML program, the technological program and its benefits

Benefits of Higher Education in Mid-Life: A Life Course Agency Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Isopahkala-Bouret, Ulpukka

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the benefits of higher education in mid-life from the perspective of life course agency. Studies concerning the benefits of degree-oriented higher education have been mainly conducted using survey questionnaires and quantitative methods. In order to gain a more comprehensive picture, this qualitative…

Older people, food and satisfaction with life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dean, Moira; Raats, Monique M.; Grunert, Klaus G.

2009-01-01

This chapter discusses food-related satisfaction with life of older people, identifying some of the determinants and barriers to satisfaction with food-related quality of life, and discusses possible ways of enhancing older people's quality of life in the domain of food. Despite being strongly...... associated with life, and heavily contributing to the quality of life, food has so far been neglected and not much research has been conducted into people's satisfaction with their food-related life and its relationship to overall life satisfaction. As people age, their goals and available resources in terms...... of health, social networks, income and skills change. Changes in resources can be expected to have an impact on satisfaction with life....

Negotiating Life Chances

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Korzenevica, Marina

to and negotiate both educational and labour mobility - both of which are associated with the chance of a better life. This thesis is about young people (aged 16-31): How they negotiate their life chances and how they contribute to transformations of the socio-political space of their communities in two villages...... becoming. Aspirations prevail over political interests: young people navigate and negotiate their engagement in party and community politics by making calculations concerning their own mobility, life strategies and obligations to kin. In this way, young men engage in, but also balance and shift......, conversely, can only aspire to educational mobility due to gender norms. Furthermore, many of their hopes of ‘becoming somebody’ collapse upon marriage. Women find that they cannot continue their education, nor use the skills they have acquired in local politics, as they need to follow traditional...

COMPETENCYTHE FORMATION FOR LIFE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milagros Mederos-Piñeiro

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The formation of life competences is the result of a quality education that prepares students to meet the challenges of a fast moving world where equality and equal opportunities should constitute premises of education; training them is a challenge teachers to assume new generations contribute actively to a better world. In Cuba are important research on the formation of communication competences and self-regulated learning in primary school. The paper shows the result of an investigation that provides a methodology for the formation of life competences in primary school education, used as an essential pathway research activity. The methodological approach of research has a quantitative approach and an explanatory scope to establish and make sense of understanding the causal relationship between the direction of research activity and training of life competences. Theoretical, empirical and mathematical-statistical, for characterizing the initial state, processing of results and analysis: research methods are used. The application of the methodology for the formation of life competences makes teachers lead the teaching-learning process with a research and transforming teaching concept, where the school is the protagonist of their learning and causes changes in their performances, which are evident in the formed competences related to effective and affective communication; the solution of problems related to life; the use of means in obtaining the knowledge and the expression of a behavior consistent with school and social demands. The effectiveness of the methodology confirms that there is a causal relationship between the direction of research activity by teachers and the formation of life competences in school.

Obesity in adulthood and its consequences for life expectancy: a life-table analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A. Peeters (Anna); J.J.M. Barendregt (Jan); F. Willekens; J.P. Mackenbach (Johan); A. Al Mamun; L.G.A. Bonneux (Luc)

2003-01-01

textabstractBACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity in adulthood are linked to an increased risk for death and disease. Their potential effect on life expectancy and premature death has not yet been described. OBJECTIVE: To analyze reductions in life expectancy and increases in

Quality of life technologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wac, Katarzyna; Fiordelli, M.; Gustarini, M.

2015-01-01

Inevitably, as basic human needs are assured in any developed society, differentiating factors for quality of life (QoL) relate to a greater capacity to make informed decisions across daily life activities, especially those related to health. The availability of powerful, personalized, and wearable...

Life extension economic analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smithling, A.P.

1992-01-01

Life extension economic analyses of fossil fueled power plants need the development of consistent methods which consider the capital costs associated with component replacement or repair and estimates of normal station capital expenditures over the units remaining life. In order to link capital and production costs, Niagra Mohawk Power Corp. develops most and worst cases. A most case includes capital components that would definitely need replacement or modification for life extension. The worst case scenario contains must case capital costs plus various components which may need replacement or modification. In addition, two forecasted conditions are used, base case capacity and low capacity

Parenthood and Life Satisfaction in Germany

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthias Pollmann-Schult

2013-03-01

Full Text Available This article examines the association between parenthood and life satisfaction. It focuses on the question to which extent parental life satisfaction is influenced by individual and familial context. The empirical study is based on the data from the first wave of the German Family Panel (pairfam. All in all, the analyses show that although parents are less satisfied with their leisure time, their social contacts and their relationship, they are nonetheless more satisfied with their life in general than their childless peers. Increased life satisfaction is observed in particular in the first years following the birth of a child. The satisfaction of parents is, however, dependent upon different contextual factors. Parents in the medium and higher income ranges report a comparatively high degree of life satisfaction, whereas only a weak association is observed between parenthood and life satisfaction among low-income persons. Moreover, the life satisfaction of mothers, but not of fathers, varies with their employment status. For instance, only non-employed and part-time employed mothers report a greater life satisfaction than childless women. Finally, fathers whose family formation was presumably unplanned record no higher level of satisfaction than men without children.

Challenges in end-of-life communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Galushko, Maren; Romotzky, Vanessa; Voltz, Raymond

2012-09-01

The purpose of this review is to give an overview of challenges that have been addressed in recent research in end-of-life communication. Diversity of difficulties that may occur in communication about end-of-life issues has been showed. The emotional quality of this communication requires special skills from professionals involved. Studies showed that physicians and medical students are often overstrained and avoid end-of-life discussions. Health professionals and patients are often ambivalent about end-of-life discussions. Nevertheless, professionals are expected to initiate these in an honest, needs-oriented way. Patient preferences are difficult to infer and have to be assessed explicitly and regularly. Studies showed that the emotional impact of end-of-life discussions can lead to a high burden or avoidance of professionals. Interdisciplinary, multi-professional work can support health professionals in end-of-life care but often structural barriers obstruct possible benefits. Health professionals need to initiate end-of-life communication in a sensitive way. Specific demands for health professionals in end-of-life communication are to differentiate own emotions and life events from those of patients and to deal with both adequately. Moreover, structural aspects can lead to difficulties between different specialties, professions and sectors, which can have a negative impact on adequate care for patient and relatives. Special efforts for improvement are needed.

The circle of life: A cross-cultural comparison of children's attribution of life-cycle traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Burdett, Emily R R; Barrett, Justin L

2016-06-01

Do children attribute mortality and other life-cycle traits to all minded beings? The present study examined whether culture influences young children's ability to conceptualize and differentiate human beings from supernatural beings (such as God) in terms of life-cycle traits. Three-to-5-year-old Israeli and British children were questioned whether their mother, a friend, and God would be subject to various life-cycle processes: Birth, death, ageing, existence/longevity, and parentage. Children did not anthropomorphize but differentiated among human and supernatural beings, attributing life-cycle traits to humans, but not to God. Although 3-year-olds differentiated significantly among agents, 5-year-olds attributed correct life-cycle traits more consistently than younger children. The results also indicated some cross-cultural variation in these attributions. Implications for biological conceptual development are discussed. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Late-life and life history predictors of older adults' high-risk alcohol consumption and drinking problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Moos, Rudolf H; Schutte, Kathleen K; Brennan, Penny L; Moos, Bernice S

2010-04-01

This prospective, longitudinal study focused on late-life and life history predictors of high-risk alcohol consumption and drinking problems during a 20-year interval as adults matured from age 55-65 to 75-85. A sample of older community residents (N=719) who had consumed alcohol in the past year or shortly before was surveyed at baseline and 10 and 20 years later. At each contact point, participants completed an inventory that assessed their alcohol consumption, drinking problems, and personal and life context factors. Participants also provided information about their life history of drinking and help-seeking. Older adults who, at baseline, had more friends who approved of drinking, relied on substances for tension reduction, and had more financial resources were more likely to engage in high-risk alcohol consumption and to incur drinking problems at 10- and 20-year follow-ups. With respect to life history factors, drinking problems by age 50 were associated with a higher likelihood of late-life high-risk alcohol consumption and drinking problems; having tried to cut down on drinking and participation in Alcoholics Anonymous were associated with a lower likelihood of high-risk consumption and problems. Specific late-life and life history factors can identify older adults likely to engage in excessive alcohol consumption 10 and 20 years later. Targeted screening that considers current alcohol consumption and life context, and history of drinking problems and help-seeking, could help identify older adults at higher risk for excessive or problematic drinking. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Telework and daily life: Its pros and cons for work-life balance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Pérez Sánchez

2009-05-01

Full Text Available In this article we discuss whether telework constitutes a useful work-life balance strategy for women teleworkers with dependants. From our analysis we show that the discourse of the women interviewed about telework is not homogeneous, compact or linear, but includes plenty of contradictions, paradoxes and tensions. This fact reinforces telework’s enormous polysemy: it liberates and enslaves, it is a trap and an opportunity, it fulfills and can mean self-sacrifice. But, despite this rich complexity, our women informants agree on one particular matter: telework’s risks and possibly pernicious effects cannot hide either its advantages for work-life balance or the benefits it brings, at least in some cases, to one's personal life.