The Preprotein Binding Domain of SecA Displays Intrinsic Rotational Dynamics

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Suicidal ideation and reported suicide attempts in Greece during the economic crisis

The financial crisis in Greece is largely impinging on the health and mental health of the population, raising concerns about a potential rise in suicide rates. The aim of this study was to explore changes in suicidal ideation and reported suicide attempts between 2009 and 2011 in a representative sample of the population and in several population subgroups. The socio‐economic predictors of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in 2011 were also investigated. Two nationwide cross‐sectional telephone surveys were conducted in 2009 and 2011 using the same methodology. A random and representative sample of 2192 and 2256 people, respectively, took part in the surveys. Between 2009 and 2011, there was a substantial increase in the prevalence of suicidal ideation and reported suicide attempts. People suffering from depression, men, married individuals, people experiencing financial strain, people with low interpersonal trust, and individuals with a history of suicide attempts were particularly vulnerable.     

Substrate-Activated Conformational Switch on Chaperones Encodes a Targeting Signal in Type III Secretion

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Highlights? The targeting signal of TTS substrates to the ATPase was identified ? The ATPase engages the chaperone-substrate complex but not the free chaperone ? The ATPase recognizes a conformational change induced by the substrate to the chaperone ? Abrogation of the ternary complex results in secretion and infection defects     

Percutaneous treatment of spontaneous left main coronary artery dissection using drug-eluting stent

Background

Previous studies indicated that the clustering of major cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors is common, and multiple unhealthy lifestyles are responsible for the clustering of CVD risk factors. However, little is known about the direct association between the volume load and the clustering of CVD risk factors in general population.

Methods

We investigated the association of the clustering of CVD risk factors (defined as two or more of the following factors: hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and overweight) with volume load, which was evaluated by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Hypovolaemia was defined as extracellular water/total body water (ECW/TBW) at and under the 10th percentile for the normal population.

Results

Among the 7900 adults, only 29.3% were free of any pre-defined CVD risk factors and 40.8% had clustering of CVD risk factors. Hypovolaemia in clustering group was statistically higher than that either in the single or in the none risk factor group, which was 23.7% vs. 17.0% and 10.0%, respectively (P <0.001). As a categorical outcome, the percentage of the lowest quartiles of ECW/TBW and TBW/TBWwatson in clustering group were statistically higher than either those in the single or in the none risk factor group, which were 44.9% vs. 36.9% and 25.1% (P <0.001), 36.2% vs. 32.2% and 25.0%, respectively (P <0.001). After adjusting of potential confounders, hypovolaemia was significantly associated with clustering of CVD risk factors, with an OR of 1.66 (95% CI, 1.45-1.90).

Conclusions

Hypovolaemia was associated with clustering of major CVD risk factors, which further confirms the importance of lifestyle for the development of CVD.

     

Diversity of dimethylsulfide-degrading methanogens and sulfate-reducing bacteria in anoxic sediments along the Medway Estuary,UK

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas but the microbial diversity mediating methylotrophic methanogenesis is not well-characterized. One overlooked route to methane is via the degradation of dimethylsulfide (DMS), an abundant organosulfur compound in the environment. Methanogens and sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) can degrade DMS in anoxic sediments depending on sulfate availability. However, we know little about the underlying microbial community and how sulfate availability affects DMS degradation in anoxic sediments. We studied DMS-dependent methane production along the salinity gradient of the Medway Estuary (UK) and characterized, for the first time, the DMS-degrading methanogens and SRB using cultivation-independent tools. DMS metabolism resulted in high methane yield (39%–42% of the theoretical methane yield) in anoxic sediments regardless of their sulfate content. Methanomethylovorans, Methanolobus and Methanococcoides were dominant methanogens in freshwater, brackish and marine incubations respectively, suggesting niche-partitioning of the methanogens likely driven by DMS amendment and sulfate concentrations. Adding DMS also led to significant changes in SRB composition and abundance in the sediments. Increases in the abundance of Sulfurimonas and SRB suggest cryptic sulfur cycling coupled to DMS degradation. Our study highlights a potentially important pathway to methane production in sediments with contrasting sulfate content and sheds light on the diversity of DMS degraders.     

Spatial co‐localisation of extreme weather events: a clear and present danger

Extreme weather events have become a dominant feature of the narrative surrounding changes in global climate with large impacts on ecosystem stability, functioning and resilience; however, understanding of their risk of co‐occurrence at the regional scale is lacking. Based on the UK Met Office’s long‐term temperature and rainfall records, we present the first evidence demonstrating significant increases in the magnitude, direction of change and spatial co‐localisation of extreme weather events since 1961. Combining this new understanding with land‐use data sets allowed us to assess the likely consequences on future agricultural production and conservation priority areas. All land‐uses are impacted by the increasing risk of at least one extreme event and conservation areas were identified as the hotspots of risk for the co‐occurrence of multiple event types. Our findings provide a basis to regionally guide land‐use optimisation, land management practices and regulatory actions preserving ecosystem services against multiple climate threats.