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Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki and Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann) (Blattoidea: Rhinotermitidae) are invasive subterranean termite pest species with a major global economic impact. However, the descriptions of the mutualistic protist communities harbored in their respective hindguts remain fragmentary. The C. formosanus hindgut has long been considered to harbor three protist species, Pseudotrichonympha grassii (Trichonymphida), Holomastigotoides hartmanni, and Cononympha (Spirotrichonympha) leidyi (Spirotrichonymphida), but molecular data have suggested that the diversity may be higher. Meanwhile, the C. gestroi community remains undescribed except for Pseudotrichonympha leei. To complete the characterization of these communities, hindguts of workers from both termite species were investigated using single‐cell PCR, microscopy, cell counts, and 18S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The two hosts were found to harbor intriguingly parallel protist communities, each consisting of one Pseudotrichonympha species, two Holomastigotoides species, and two Cononympha species. All protist species were unique to their respective hosts, which last shared a common ancestor ~18 MYA. The relative abundances of protist species in each hindgut differed remarkably between cell count data and 18S rRNA profiles, calling for caution in interpreting species abundances from amplicon data. This study will enable future research in C. formosanus and C. gestroi hybrids, which provide a unique opportunity to study protist community inheritance, compatibility, and potential contribution to hybrid vigor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetrapyrazinoporphyrazine (TPysPz) ligands and metal complexes find, generally, application as electronic materials and catalysts. Considering the limited application of Titanium (Ti), we prepared and characterized a family of ligands and Ti‐based complexes of tetrakis‐2,3‐[5,6‐di‐R8‐pyrazino]porphyrazine (R = H, 2‐Py, Ph). UV/Vis measurements in different solvents confirm molecular aggregation, which results more pronounced in the presence of 2‐pyridil and phenyl substituents on the macrocycle edge. Because of low solubility, solid state NMR was applied for structure characterization. Additional IR and MALDI‐TOF were carried out to complete the characterization. Cyclic voltammetry in DMSO/Bu4NBF4 0.1 m unveiled that our Ti complexes can take part in up to five redox events. The first two quasi‐reversible reductions involve Ti(IV), whereas the further to or three occur at the expense of the TPysPz macrocycle. To test the applicability of our compounds as catalytic materials, we performed a preliminary cyclic voltammetry investigation in the solid‐state, which showed typical peaks of hydrogen redox reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: ASCT is currently the "gold standard" first‐line treatment for multiple myeloma patients younger than 65 years old, and limited data on efficacy and safety in older patients are available. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 83 newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients aged 65 or older. All patients were evaluated for fitness at diagnosis and after bortezomib‐based induction treatment. Results and conclusions: All patients collected an adequate PBSC graft, mainly after G‐CSF plus cyclophosphamide; a median of 6.47 × 106/kg CD34 + cells was collected. The conditioning regimen consisted of melphalan 100, 140 and 200 mg/m2 in 40, 15 and 28 patients, respectively. Median time to neutrophils' and platelets' recovery was 11 and 12 days, respectively. Adverse events of any grade were referred by 40% of patients. The overall response rate was 93%, CR/sCR were 39%. Median PFS was 35 months; median OS was not reached. In our study cohort, the achievement of at least VGPR after induction therapy and the obtainment of CR/sCR after ASCT are the only parameters that were associated with an improved PFS. ASCT is an effective and safe first‐line treatment approach, a careful patients selection reduce the toxicity of the procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Passive seismic methods have been proven successful in recent years at retrieving information about the large‐scale structure of a sedimentary basin. These methods are based on ambient noise recordings, and local and distant (teleseismic) earthquake data. In particular, it has been previously observed that the arrival time of teleseismic P‐waves recorded inside a sedimentary basin shows time delays and polarization that both strongly depend on the basin properties and structure. In this paper, we present a new methodology for determining seismic P‐wave velocity in a sedimentary basin, based on the time delay of a teleseismic P‐wave travelling through the low‐velocity basin infill, with respect to a teleseismic wave recorded outside the basin. The new methodology is developed in a Bayesian framework and, thus, it includes estimates of the uncertainties of the P‐wave velocities. For this study, we exploit synchronous recordings of teleseismic P‐wave arrivals at a dense linear array of broadband seismic stations, using data from two teleseismic events coming from two different incoming angles. The results obtained by the new proposed methodology are successfully compared to classical cross‐correlation measurements, and are used to infer properties of a sedimentary basin, such as the basin bounding fault's geometry and the average P‐wave velocity of the sedimentary basin fill. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The marine picocyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus dominate primary production in oligotrophic oceans, but their role in the particulate organic carbon (POC) flux into the deeper ocean remains unresolved. Here, we present for the first‐time data on the absolute clade and strain‐specific contribution to POC flux of two of the most abundant clades of Synechococcus (II and III) and strains of Prochlorococcus (high‐light strain MIT 9312 and low‐light strain MIT 9313) in the Sargasso Sea, by targeting the 23S‐16S rDNA internally transcribed spacer region using quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction. We collected seawater samples and sinking particles using shallow sediment traps during winter and summer 2012 around the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series station. Both clades of Synechococcus had a higher contribution to the total POC flux during winter compared to the summer, with both clades contributing up to 2.7% to the total winter POC flux. Prochlorococcus was more abundant during the summer, but both strains of Prochlorococcus contributed less than 0.2% to the POC flux in both seasons. We found these differences in the contribution to flux to be mainly due to the smaller size of the Prochlorococcus. In addition, the flux of Synechococcus clade III, and Prochlorococcus MIT9312 was enhanced relative to their standing stock in a cyclonic eddy sampled during winter 2012. Using quantification of genetic markers, this study establishes distinct clade‐and strain specific patterns in POC flux among the most abundant picophytoplankton groups in the Atlantic Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acanthus mollis (Acanthaceae), Achillea ligustica, Artemisia arborescens and Inula viscosa (Asteraceae) are used in Southern Italy against psoriasis and other skin diseases that occur with an imbalanced production of eicosanoids. We here assessed their in vitro effects upon 5-, 12-, 15-LOX and COX-1 enzymes as well as NFκB activation in intact cells as their possible therapeutic targets. All methanol crude extracts inhibited both 5-LOX and COX-1 activities under 200 µg/mL, without significant effects on the 12-LOX pathway or any relevant in vitro free radical scavenging activity. NFκB activation was prevented by all extracts but A. mollis. Interestingly, A. ligustica, A. arborescens and A. mollis increased the biosynthesis of 15(S)-HETE, an anti-inflammatory eicosanoid. A. ligustica (IC50 =49.5 µg/mL) was superior to Silybum marianum (IC50 =147.8 µg/mL), which we used as antipsoriatic herbal medicine of reference. Its n-hexane, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate fractions had also inhibitory effects on the LTB4 biosynthesis (IC50 s=9.6, 20.3 and 68 µg/mL, respectively) evidencing that the apolar extracts of A. ligustica are promising active herbal ingredients for future phytotherapeutical products targeting psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in monocyte and macrophage function have been demonstrated in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. The purpose of this study was to evaluate tumor necrosis factor (TNT) production by activated monocytes from patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and to evaluate its relation to cancer stage, weight loss, and performance status. Monocytes from patients (n = 10) and controls (n = 10) were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells by plastic adherence and incubated with lipopolysaccharide (10 μg/mL). The TNF concentration of supernatants was assayed by TNFα-specific immunoassay. The TNF production by monocytes from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients was significantly higher ( P<.001) than those of controls. No significant relationship was found to cancer stage, weight loss, and performance status. These findings indicate that, in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients, an increased TNF production by activated monocytes takes place which does not correlate with cancer stage, cancer-related weight loss, and performance status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set of amphiphilic random copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA) and perfluorohexylethyl acrylate (FA) with different compositions synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) is investigated by 1H and 19F NMR relaxometry. In particular, a thorough investigation of T1 and T2 relaxation times at variable temperature and copolymer composition provides the first complete and detailed characterization of the dynamics of both the main chain backbone and the side chains of the PEGMA‐co‐FA copolymers. The results highlight an intramolecular segregation of rigid main chain and mobile side chains, and an additional self‐assembling of the PEGMA and FA side chains into distinct nanodomains, driven by the hydrophobic interactions between FA side chains. The obtainment and observation of nanoscale phase separation in random copolymers is a promising achievement to the aim of controlling self‐assembly in the bulk by suitably modulating copolymers composition, which can open novel avenues to easier fabrications and applications in nanotechnologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]