Find research datasets worth reusing

opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Diverse mechanisms of metaeffector activity in an intracellular bacterial pathogen, Legionella pneumophila

Pathogens deliver complex arsenals of translocated effector proteins to host cells during infection, but the extent to which these proteins are regulated once inside the eukaryotic cell remains poorly defined. Among all bacterial pathogens, Legionella pneumophila maintains the largest known set of translocated substrates, delivering over 300 proteins to the host cell via its Type IVB, Icm/Dot translocation system. Backed by a few notable examples of effector–effector regulation in L. pneumophila, we sought to define the extent of this phenomenon through a systematic analysis of effector–effector functional interaction. We used Saccharomyces cerevisiae, an established proxy for the eukaryotic host, to query > 108,000 pairwise genetic interactions between two compatible expression libraries of ~330 L. pneumophila‐translocated substrates. While capturing all known examples of effector–effector suppression, we identify fourteen novel translocated substrates that suppress the activity of other bacterial effectors and one pair with synergistic activities. In at least nine instances, this regulation is direct—a hallmark of an emerging class of proteins called metaeffectors, or "effectors of effectors". Through detailed structural and functional analysis, we show that metaeffector activity derives from a diverse range of mechanisms, shapes evolution, and can be used to reveal important aspects of each cognate effector's function. Metaeffectors, along with other, indirect, forms of effector–effector modulation, may be a common feature of many intracellular pathogens—with unrealized potential to inform our understanding of how pathogens regulate their interactions with the host cell.

Data from: Removal of Cr6+ ions from water by electricosorption on modified activated carbon fibre felt

Electrosorption is a novel desalination technique that has many advantages in the treatment of sewage. However, commercially available activated carbon electrodes for electrosorption commonly have low microporosity, poor molding performance, and low adsorption and regeneration efficiency. Here we evaluated a novel adsorbent material, activated carbon fiber felt (ACFF), for electrosorption of chromium ions (Cr6+) in sewage treatment. The ACFF was modified with 20% nitric acid and its modified structure was characterized. The modified ACFF was used as an adsorbing electrode to investigate its desalination effect by electrosorption. Results showed that compared with those of unmodified ACFF, the modified ACFF had more carbonyl and carboxyl groups and the specific surface area, average pore size and micropore volume of the modified ACFF also improved by 32.2%, 2.5%, and 23.1%, respectively. The kinetics of Cr6+ adsorption conformed to the pseudo-second order kinetic equation, and the adsorption isotherm conformed to the Langmuir model. In addition, the regeneration rate of the modified ACFF electrode was more than 94%. In conclusion, the modified ACFF exhibits excellent electrosorption and regeneration performance for Cr6+ removal from water and thus is of great value for promotion in sewage treatment.

Data from: Grizzly bear response to spatio-temporal variability in human recreational activity.

1. Outdoor recreation on trail networks is a growing form of disturbance for wildlife. However, few studies have examined behavioural responses by large carnivores to motorised and non-motorised recreational activity-- a knowledge gap that has implications for the success of human access management aimed at improving habitat quality for wildlife. 2. We used an integrated step-selection analysis of grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) radiotelemetry data and a spatio-temporal model of motorised and non-motorised human recreational activity to examine the effect of human recreational activity along trails on both habitat selection and movement behaviour of individual bears. Grizzly bears were captured and radiocollared in the west-central Alberta Rocky Mountains and Foothills, and trail cameras were deployed on trails to obtain data on human recreational activity. 3. We found that models including data on recreational activity outperformed trail-proximity models when interactions with movement covariates were included. Responses were highly variable among individuals, and across classes; males, females and females with cubs. 4. Male and solitary female grizzly bears increased avoidance of trails with a high probability of motorised activity, as well as displaying increased movement rates in response to motorised recreation. Females with cubs did not increase avoidance, however they had the largest response with higher movement rates. In contrast, for all classes selection for proximity to trail increased when probability of non-motorised activity was high, and the effect on movement was dampened relative to the motorised response. 5. Synthesis and applications. By combining selection and movement into a unified modelling framework, we show that bears alter selection and movement behaviour in response to trails and recreation, and that such responses are determined by the type of recreational activity. Reduced selection and increased movement in proximity to motorised trails could affect bears' ability to exploit foraging opportunities in these areas. Future access management actions for grizzly bear recovery should consider frequency and type of linear feature use by humans rather than solely relying on thresholds relating to feature densities.

Data from: Numerical and experimental study of pyrophoric activated metal Mg surface combustion characteristics

The combustion of multi-hole pyrophoric activated metal belongs to solid combustion and the combustion mechanism is quite complex, which is a difficult problem to be solved. Once the pyrophoric activated metal contacting with oxygen, the oxygen diffuses to the interior of the activated metal within plenty of holes and reacts with it, which enlarges the contact area with oxygen. Consequently, the whole combustion is serious and the temperature rises rapidly. To study the combustion mechanism of chaff, surface heat balance equation is established in this work by taking Mg as the activated metal. To solve this equation, the chaff adiabatic wall temperature distribution is computed by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in the presence of high speed airflow. Then, chaff surface temperature distribution is obtained by solving the heat balance equations. Finally, numerical and experimental results via infrared (IR) thermal imager are compared to demonstrate the effectiveness of the established equation.

Data from: An active-radio-frequency-identification system capable of identifying co-locations and social-structure: validation with a wild free-ranging animal

Behavioural events that are important for understanding sociobiology and movement ecology are often rare, transient and localised, but can occur at spatially distant sites e.g. territorial incursions and co-locating individuals. Existing animal tracking technologies, capable of detecting such events, are limited by one or more of: battery life; data resolution; location accuracy; data security; ability to co-locate individuals both spatially and temporally. Technology that at least partly resolves these limitations would be advantageous. European badgers (Meles meles L.), present a challenging test-bed, with extra-group paternity (apparent from genotyping) contradicting established views on rigid group territoriality with little social-group mixing. In a proof of concept study we assess the utility of a fully automated active-radio-frequency-identification (aRFID) system combining badger-borne aRFID-tags with static, wirelessly-networked, aRFID-detector base-stations to record badger co-locations at setts (burrows) and near notional border latrines. We summarise the time badgers spent co-locating within and between social-groups, applying network analysis to provide evidence of co-location based community structure, at both these scales. The aRFID system co-located animals within 31.5 m (adjustable) of base-stations. Efficient radio transmission between aRFIDs and base-stations enables a 20 g tag to last for 2–5 years (depending on transmission interval). Data security was high (data stored off tag), with remote access capability. Badgers spent most co-location time with members of their own social-groups at setts; remaining co-location time was divided evenly between intra- and inter-social-group co-locations near latrines and inter-social-group co-locations at setts. Network analysis showed that 20–100% of tracked badgers engaged in inter-social-group mixing per week, with evidence of trans-border super-groups, that is, badgers frequently transgressed notional territorial borders. aRFID occupies a distinct niche amongst established tracking technologies. We validated the utility of aRFID to identify co-locations, social-structure and inter-group mixing within a wild badger population, leading us to refute the conventional view that badgers (social-groups) are territorial and to question management strategies, for controlling bovine TB, based on this model. Ultimately aRFID proved a versatile system capable of identifying social-structure at the landscape scale, operating for years and suitable for use with a range of species.

opencc-zeroDec 2018View details →

Data from: Linking dynamical complexities from activation signals to transcription responses

The transcription of inducible genes involves signaling pathways that induce DNA binding of the downstream transcription factors to form functional promoter states. How the transcription dynamics is linked to the temporal variations of activation signals is far to be fully understood. In this work, we develop a mathematical model with multiple promoter states to address this question. Each promoter state has its own activation and inactivation rates, and is selected randomly with a probability that may change in time. Under the activation of constant signals, our analysis shows that if only the activation rates differ among the promoter states, then the mean transcription level $m(t)$ displays only a monotone or monophasic growth pattern. In a sharp contrast, if the inactivation rates change with the promoter states, then $m(t)$ may display multiphasic growth patterns. Upon the activation of signals that oscillate periodically, $m(t)$ also oscillates later, almost periodically in the same frequency, but the magnitude decreases in the frequency and is almost completely attenuated at large frequencies. This gives a surprising indication that multiple promoter states could filter out the signal oscillation and the noise in the random promoter state selection, as observed in the transcription of a gene activated by p53 in breast carcinoma cells. Our approach may help develop a theoretical framework to integrate coherently the genetic circuit with the promoter states to elucidate the linkage from the activation signal to the temporal profile of transcription outputs.

Data from: Incidence rate of community-acquired pneumonia in adults: a population-based prospective active surveillance study in three cities in South America

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence rate and mortality of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults in three cities in Latin America during a three-year period. DESIGN: Prospective population based study. SETTING: Healthcare facilities (outpatient centers and hospitals) in the cities of General Roca (Argentina), Rivera (Uruguay) and Concepcion (Paraguay). PARTICIPANTS: 2302 adults aged 18 years and older with CAP were prospectively enrolled between January 2012 and March 2015. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence rate of CAP in adults, predisposing conditions for disease, mortality at 14 days and at one year were estimated. Incidence rate of CAP, within each age group, was calculated by dividing the number of cases by the person-years of disease-free exposure time based on the last census; incidence rates were expressed per 1000 person-years. RESULTS: Median age of participants was 66 years, 46.44 % were men, 68% were hospitalized. Annual incidence rate was 7.03 (CI95% 6.64-7.44) per 1000 person-years in General Roca, 6.33 (CI95% 5.92-6.78) per 1000 person-years in Rivera and 1.76 (CI95% 1.55-2.00) per 1000 person-years in Concepcion. Incidence rates were highest in participants aged over 65 years. 82.4% had at least one predisposing condition and 48% had 2 or more (multi-morbidity). Chronic heart disease (43.6%) and smoking (37.3%) were the most common risk factors. 14-day mortality rate was 12.1% and one-year mortality was 24.9%. Multi-morbidity was associated with an increased risk of death at 14 days (OR 2.91; 2.23 to 3.80) and at 1 year (OR 3.00; 2.44 to 3.70). CONCLUSIONS: We found a high incidence rate of CAP in adults, ranging from 1.76 to 7.03 per 1000 person-years, in three cities in South America, disclosing the high burden of disease in the region. Efforts to improve prevention strategies are needed.

opencc-zeroJul 2019View details →

Data from: The effect of promoting current local research activities on large monitors on the population's interest in health-related research – a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were threefold: to estimate people's interest in health-related research, to understand to what extent people appreciate being actively informed about current local health-related research and to investigate whether their interest can be influenced by advertising local current health-related research using large TV monitors. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial using a stepped wedge design. SETTING: The emergency department waiting room at two public hospitals in northern Queensland, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Waiting patients and their accompanying friends and relatives in the emergency department waiting room not requiring immediate medical attention. INTERVENTIONS: A TV monitor advertising local current health-related research. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Odds ratio for the effect of intervention on changing the interest in health-related research compared to a control group while adjusting for gender, age and socioeconomic standard. RESULTS: The intervention significantly increased the short-term interest in health-related research with an odds ratio of 1.3 (1.1-1.7, p=0.0063). We also noted that being female and being older was correlated to a higher interest in health-related research CONCLUSIONS: This study found that proactive information significantly increased the general populations' interest in health-related research. There are reasonable set up costs involved but the costs for maintaining the system were very low. Hence, it seems reasonable that research-active organizations should give much higher priority to this type of activity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) with the registration number ACTRN12617001085369

opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Neonatal activation of the xenobiotic-sensors PXR and CAR results in acute and persistent down-regulation of PPARα-signaling in mouse liver

Safety concerns have emerged regarding the potential long-lasting effects due to developmental exposure to xenobiotics. The pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) are critical xenobiotic-sensing nuclear receptors that are highly expressed in liver. The goal of this study was to test our hypothesis that neonatal exposure to PXR- or CAR-activators not only acutely but also persistently regulates the expression of drug-processing genes (DPGs). A single dose of the PXR-ligand PCN (75 mg/kg), CAR-ligand TCPOBOP (3 mg/kg), or vehicle (corn oil) was administered intraperitoneally to 3-day-old neonatal wild-type mice. Livers were collected 24 h post-dose or from adult mice at 60 days of age, and global gene expression of these mice was determined using Affymetrix Mouse Transcriptome Assay 1.0. In neonatal liver, PCN up-regulated 464 and down-regulated 449 genes, whereas TCPOBOP up-regulated 308 and down-regulated 112 genes. In adult liver, there were 15 persistently up-regulated and 22 persistently down-regulated genes following neonatal exposure to PCN, as well as 130 persistently up-regulated and 18 persistently down-regulated genes following neonatal exposure to TCPOBOP. Neonatal exposure to both PCN and TCPOBOP persistently down-regulated multiple Cyp4a members, which are prototypical-target genes of the lipid-sensor PPARα, and this correlated with decreased PPARα-binding to the Cyp4a gene loci. RT-qPCR, western blotting, and enzyme activity assays in livers of wild-type, PXR-null, and CAR-null mice confirmed that the persistent down-regulation of Cyp4a was PXR and CAR dependent. In conclusion, neonatal exposure to PXR- and CAR-activators both acutely and persistently regulates critical genes involved in xenobiotic and lipid metabolism in liver.

Data from: An appraisal of the enzyme stability-activity trade-off

A longstanding idea in evolutionary physiology is that an enzyme cannot jointly optimize performance at both high and low temperatures due to a trade-off between stability and activity. Although a stability-activity trade-off has been observed for well-characterized examples, such a trade-off is not imposed by any physical chemical constraint. To better understand the pervasiveness of this trade-off, I investigated the stability-activity relationship for comparative biochemical studies of purified orthologous enzymes identified by a literature search. The nature of this relationship varied greatly among studies. Notably, studies of enzymes with low mean synonymous nucleotide sequence divergence were less likely to exhibit the predicted negative correlation between stability and activity. Similarly, a survey of directed evolution investigations of the stability-activity relationship indicated that these traits are often uncoupled among nearly identical yet phenotypically divergent enzymes. This suggests that the presumptive trade-off often reported for investigations of enzymes with high mean sequence divergence may in some cases instead be a consequence of the degeneration over time of enzyme function in unselected environments, rather than a direct effect of thermal adaptation. The results caution against the general assertion of a stability-activity trade-off during enzyme adaptation.

opencc-zeroDec 2013View details →

Data from: Structure-based network analysis of activation mechanisms in the ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases: the regulatory spine residues are global mediators of structural stability and allosteric interactions

The ErbB protein tyrosine kinases are among the most important cell signaling families and mutation-induced modulation of their activity is associated with diverse functions in biological networks and human disease. We have combined molecular dynamics simulations of the ErbB kinases with the protein structure network modeling to characterize the reorganization of the residue interaction networks during conformational equilibrium changes in the normal and oncogenic forms. Structural stability and network analyses have identified local communities integrated around high centrality sites that correspond to the regulatory spine residues. This analysis has provided a quantitative insight to the mechanism of mutation-induced "superacceptor" activity in oncogenic EGFR dimers. We have found that kinase activation may be determined by allosteric interactions between modules of structurally stable residues that synchronize the dynamics in the nucleotide binding site and the αC-helix with the collective motions of the integrating αF-helix and the substrate binding site. The results of this study have pointed to a central role of the conserved His-Arg-Asp (HRD) motif in the catalytic loop and the Asp-Phe-Gly (DFG) motif as key mediators of structural stability and allosteric communications in the ErbB kinases. We have determined that residues that are indispensable for kinase regulation and catalysis often corresponded to the high centrality nodes within the protein structure network and could be distinguished by their unique network signatures. The optimal communication pathways are also controlled by these nodes and may ensure efficient allosteric signaling in the functional kinase state. Structure-based network analysis has quantified subtle effects of ATP binding on conformational dynamics and stability of the EGFR structures. Consistent with the NMR studies, we have found that nucleotide-induced modulation of the residue interaction networks is not limited to the ATP site, and may enhance allosteric cooperativity with the substrate binding region by increasing communication capabilities of mediating residues.

Data from: Bacillus cereus AR156 activates defense responses to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato in Arabidopsis thaliana similarly to flg22

Bacillus cereus AR156 (AR156) is a plant growth promoting rhizobacterium capable of inducing systemic resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) in Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis). Here we show that when applied to Arabidopsis leaves, AR156 acted similarly to flg22, a typical pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP), in initiating PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI). AR156-elicited PTI responses included phosphorylation of MPK3 and MPK6, induction of the expression of defense-related genes PR1, FRK1, WRKY22, and WRKY29; production of reactive oxygen species; and callose deposition. Pretreatment with AR156 still significantly reduced Pst multiplication and disease severity in NahG transgenic plants and mutants sid2-2, jar1, etr1, ein2, npr1, and fls2. This suggests that AR156-induced PTI responses require neither salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and ethylene signaling; nor flagella receptor kinase FLS2, the receptor of flg22. On the other hand, AR156 and flg22 acted in concert to differentially regulate a number of AGO1-bound miRNAs that function to mediate PTI. A full-genome transcriptional profiling analysis indicated that AR156 and flg22 activated similar transcriptional programs, co-regulating the expression of 117 genes; their concerted regulation of 16 genes was confirmed by real-time quantitative PCR analysis. These results suggest that AR156 activates basal defense responses to Pst in Arabidopsis similarly to flg22.

opencc-zeroDec 2018View details →

Data from: Photocatalytic activity of graphene oxide–TiO2 thin films sensitized by natural dyes extracted from Bactris guineensis

This study synthesized and characterized composites of graphene oxide and TiO2 (GO-TiO2). GO-TiO2 thin films were deposited using the Doctor Blade technique. Subsequently, the thin films were sensitized with a natural dye extracted from a Colombian source (Bactris guineensis). Thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and diffuse reflectance measurements were used for physicochemical characterization. All the samples were polycrystalline in nature, and the diffraction signals corresponded to the TiO2 anatase crystalline phase. Raman spectroscopy and FT-IR verified the synthesis of composite thin films, and the SEM analysis confirmed the TiO2 films morphological modification after the process of GO incorporation and sensitization. XPS results suggested a possibility of appearance of Titanium (III) through the formation of oxygen vacancies (Ov). Furthermore, the optical results indicated that the presence of the natural sensitizer and GO improved the optical properties of TiO2 in the visible range. Finally, the photocatalytic degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) was studied under visible irradiation in aqueous solution, and pseudo-first order model was used to obtain kinetic information about photocatalytic degradation. These results indicated that the presence of GO has an important synergistic effect in conjunction with the natural sensitizer, reaching a photocatalytic yield of 33%.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: The interrelationship among economic activities, environmental degradation, material consumption, and population health in low-income countries: a longitudinal ecological study

Objectives: The theory of ecological unequal exchange explains how trade and various forms of economic activity create the problem of environmental degradation, and lead to the deterioration of population health. Based on this theory, our study examined the inter-relationship among economic characteristics, ecological footprints, CO2 emissions, infant mortality rates and under-5 mortality rates in low-income countries. Design: A longitudinal ecological study design. Setting: Sixty-six low-income countries from 1980 to 2010 were included in the analyses. Data for each country represented an average of 23 years (N=1497). Data sources: Data were from the World Development Indicators, UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database, Global Footprint Network and Polity IV Project. Analyses: Linear mixed models with a spatial power covariance structure and a correlation that decreased over time were constructed to accommodate the repeated measures. Statistical analyses were conducted separately by sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and other regions. Results: After controlling for country-level sociodemographic characteristics, debt and manufacturing, economic activities were positively associated with infant mortality rates and under-5 mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa. By contrast, export intensity and foreign investment were beneficial for reducing infant and under-5 mortality rates in Latin America and other regions. Although the ecological footprints and CO2 emissions did not mediate the relationship between economic characteristics and health outcomes, export intensity increased CO2 emissions, but reduced the ecological footprints in sub-Saharan Africa. By contrast, in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, although export intensity was positively associated with the ecological footprints and also CO2 emissions, the percentage of exports to high-income countries was negatively associated with the ecological footprints. Conclusions: This study suggested that environmental protection and economic development are important for reducing infant and under-5 mortality rates in low-income countries.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: Air humidity thresholds trigger active moss spore release to extend dispersal in space and time

1. Understanding the complete dispersal process is important for making realistic predictions of species distributions, but mechanisms for diaspore release in wind-dispersed species are often unknown. However, diaspore release under conditions that increase the probability of longer dispersal distances and mechanisms that extend dispersal events in time may have evolutionary advantages. 2. We quantified air humidity thresholds regulating spore release in the moss Brachythecium rutabulum. We also investigated the prevailing micrometeorological conditions when these thresholds occur in nature and how they affect dispersal distances up to 100 m, using a mechanistic dispersal model. 3. We show that moss spores were mainly released when the peristome teeth were opening, as relative air humidity (RH) decreased from high values to relatively low (mainly between 90% and 75% RH). This most often occurred in the morning, when wind speeds were relatively low. Surprisingly, the model predicted that an equally high proportion of the spores would travel distances beyond 100 m (horizontally) when released in the wind conditions prevailing during events of RH decrease in the morning, that lead to peristome opening, as in the highest wind speeds. Moreover, a higher proportion of the spores reached high altitudes when released at the lower wind speeds during the morning compared to the higher speeds later in the day, indicating a possibility for extended dispersal distances when released in the morning. Dispersal in the morning is enhanced by a combination of a more unstable atmospheric surface layer, that promotes vertical dispersal, and a lower wind speed that decreases the spore deposition probability onto the ground, compared to later in the day. 4. Our study demonstrates an active spore release mechanism in response to diurnally changing air humidity. The mechanism may promote longer dispersal distances, because of enhanced vertical dispersal and because spores being released in the morning have more time to travel before the wind calms down at night. The mechanism also leads to a prolonged dispersal period over the season, which may be viewed as a risk spreading in time that ultimately also leads to a higher diversity of establishment conditions, dispersal distances and directions.

Data from: Fundamental activity constraints lead to specific interpretations of the connectome

The continuous integration of experimental data into coherent models of the brain is an increasing challenge of modern neuroscience. Such models provide a bridge between structure and activity, and identify the mechanisms giving rise to experimental observations. Nevertheless, structurally realistic network models of spiking neurons are necessarily underconstrained even if experimental data on brain connectivity are incorporated to the best of our knowledge. Guided by physiological observations, any model must therefore explore the parameter ranges within the uncertainty of the data. Based on simulation results alone, however, the mechanisms underlying stable and physiologically realistic activity often remain obscure. We here employ a mean-field reduction of the dynamics, which allows us to include activity constraints into the process of model construction. We shape the phase space of a multi-scale network model of the vision-related areas of macaque cortex by systematically refining its connectivity. Fundamental constraints on the activity, i.e., prohibiting quiescence and requiring global stability, prove sufficient to obtain realistic layer- and area-specific activity. Only small adaptations of the structure are required, showing that the network operates close to an instability. The procedure identifies components of the network critical to its collective dynamics and creates hypotheses for structural data and future experiments. The method can be applied to networks involving any neuron model with a known gain function.

opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Posterior parietal cortex drives inferotemporal activations during three-dimensional object vision

The primate visual system consists of a ventral stream, specialized for object recognition, and a dorsal visual stream, which is crucial for spatial vision and actions. However, little is known about the interactions and information flow between these two streams. We investigated these interactions within the network processing three-dimensional (3D) object information, comprising both the dorsal and ventral stream. Reversible inactivation of the macaque caudal intraparietal area (CIP) during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) reduced fMRI activations in posterior parietal cortex in the dorsal stream and, surprisingly, also in the inferotemporal cortex (ITC) in the ventral visual stream. Moreover, CIP inactivation caused a perceptual deficit in a depth-structure categorization task. CIP-microstimulation during fMRI further suggests that CIP projects via posterior parietal areas to the ITC in the ventral stream. To our knowledge, these results provide the first causal evidence for the flow of visual 3D information from the dorsal stream to the ventral stream, and identify CIP as a key area for depth-structure processing. Thus, combining reversible inactivation and electrical microstimulation during fMRI provides a detailed view of the functional interactions between the two visual processing streams.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: A new Magneto-Inductive tracking technique to uncover subterranean activity: what do animals do underground?

1. Despite the importance of the subterranean ecotope, knowledge of underground movement and behaviour has been extremely limited. Previous technologies have relied upon techniques with very low spatial or temporal resolution, such as VHF telemetry. Rather incongruously therefore, relatively simple underground activity regimes have often been assumed, with insufficient attention to the ecological importance of burrow use. 2. We test the capability of Magneto-Inductive (MI) tracking, recording underground movement within a European badger sett over a two week period in February. These data allowed us to: quantify subterranean movement; extrapolate the three-dimensional burrow architecture; simultaneously track multiple individuals; and establish the function of specific movement patterns; demonstrating the technique's utility. Contrasting data generated using MI tracking, against the resolution achievable with VHF tracking, we establish how sampling frequency can influence the percecption of movement. 3. Taking 20 locational fixes per minute, MI collars operated for one year before on-board batteries failed, resulting in an average five billion data points per collar deployment. Socio-ecologically we found that rather than foraging continuously throughout the night, badgers returned to the sett an average of 2.2 times, approximately every 3-4 hours. From burrow mapping, badgers tended to use peripheral chambers for ca. 45 minutes on these return visits,These outlying chambers were used less by day, when badgers selected deeper chambers, suggesting each chamber type fulfils a different function. This technology also exposed that badgers exhibited a far greater extent of underground movement than revealed by former technologies, which by comparison captured less than 0.5% of subterranean activity. Importantly, these high-resolution data showed that individuals left, returned to, and moved about the sett independently, with no tendency for synchronous subterranean activity. 4. In overview, magneto-inductive tracking proved relatively simple and cost effective to deploy, it provided very detailed and accurate subterranean fixes, and was robust enough for long-term field deployment. Furthermore, the capabilities of MI are highly transferable, enabling a better understanding of underground activity and the ecological importance of subterranean burrows for the conservation and management of a wide range of species.

opencc-zeroDec 2018View details →

Data from: Akaganeite nanorices deposited muscovite mica surfaces as sunlight active green photocatalyst

Thin-films of akaganeite [FeO(OH)] nanorices deposited muscovite mica (ANPM) surfaces are produced using the facile urea assisted controlled self-assembly technique. The synthesized materials are characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). The prepared nanorices on mica surfaces show average particle length and width as 200 nm and 50 nm respectively. Synthesized material acts as an efficient photocatalyst under UV and sunlight conditions as demonstrated by the degradation of standard methylene blue solution. The methylene blue degradation efficiencies of the catalyst under exposure to 180 min sunlight and UV are 89% and 87.5% respectively which shows that the catalyst is highly active under sunlight than under UV light. Therefore, the synthesized material is a potential green photocatalyst in efficient treatment of industrial dye effluents under direct sunlight.