Terrestrial isopods and myriapods in a forested scree slope: subterranean biodiversity,depth gradient and annual dynamics

Diversity, depth distribution and seasonal activity of isopods and myriapods were studied using subterranean traps buried in a forested limestone scree slope in the ?ierna Hora Mts, Western Carpathians, Slovakia, throughout the depth gradient from 5 to 95 cm. A total of five isopod, 13 diplopod and 11 chilopod species were identified. Most edaphic species strongly preferred the uppermost organic soil layers. Among the species captured, some represented rare stenoecous Carpathian endemics, namely the isopod Trichoniscus carpaticus, and diplopods Julus curvicornis and Leptoiulus mariae. Others were subterranean forms, partly adapted to hypogean conditions: the isopod Mesoniscus graniger, and diplopods Mecogonopodium carpathicum and Trachysphaera costata. The annual activity in the vast majority of the species ceased completely in winter, and was gradually relaunched in spring. In evaluating the age structure of two predominant diplopods Polydesmus denticulatus and Mecogonopodium carpathicum, both widespread across the depth gradient, a vertical segregation of early post-embryonic stages was found. While P. denticulatus tended to undergo the early stages of development in the soil-filled topmost levels, the early juvenile stage of M. carpathicum was distributed deep in the scree slope profile.     

The molecular sociology of the cell

Proteomic studies have yielded detailed lists of the proteins present in a cell. Comparatively little is known, however, about how these proteins interact and are spatially arranged within the 'functional modules' of the cell: that is, the 'molecular sociology' of the cell. This gap is now being bridged by using emerging experimental techniques, such as mass spectrometry of complexes and single-particle cryo-electron microscopy, to complement traditional biochemical and biophysical methods. With the development of integrative computational methods to exploit the data obtained, such hybrid approaches will uncover the molecular architectures, and perhaps even atomic models, of many protein complexes. With these structures in hand, researchers will be poised to use cryo-electron tomography to view protein complexes in action within cells, providing unprecedented insights into protein-interaction networks.     

Discharge properties of Mg–Sn–Y alloys as anodes for Mg-air batteries

Mg–Sn–Y alloys with different Sn contents (wt%) were assessed as anode candidates for Mg-air batteries. The relationship between microstructure (including the second phase, grain size, and texture) and discharge properties of the Mg–Sn–Y alloys was examined using mi-crostructure observation, electrochemical measurements, and galvanostatic discharge tests. The Mg–0.7Sn–1.4Y alloy had a high steady dis-charge voltage of 1.5225 V and a high anodic efficiency of 46.6% at 2.5 mA·cm?2. These good properties were related to its microstructure:small grain size of 3.8 μm, uniform distribution of small second phase particles of 0.6 μm, and a high content (vol%) of (11(2)0)/(10(1)0) orient-ated grains. The scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy (SKPFM) indicated that the Sn3Y5 and MgSnY phases were effective cathodes caus-ing micro-galvanic corrosion which promoted the dissolution of Mg matrix during the discharge process.     

The molecular architecture of the nuclear pore complex

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) are proteinaceous assemblies of approximately 50 MDa that selectively transport cargoes across the nuclear envelope. To determine the molecular architecture of the yeast NPC, we collected a diverse set of biophysical and proteomic data, and developed a method for using these data to localize the NPC's 456 constituent proteins (see the accompanying paper). Our structure reveals that half of the NPC is made up of a core scaffold, which is structurally analogous to vesicle-coating complexes. This scaffold forms an interlaced network that coats the entire curved surface of the nuclear envelope membrane within which the NPC is embedded. The selective barrier for transport is formed by large numbers of proteins with disordered regions that line the inner face of the scaffold. The NPC consists of only a few structural modules that resemble each other in terms of the configuration of their homologous constituents, the most striking of these being a 16-fold repetition of 'columns'. These findings provide clues to the evolutionary origins of the NPC.     

Determining the architectures of macromolecular assemblies

To understand the workings of a living cell, we need to know the architectures of its macromolecular assemblies. Here we show how proteomic data can be used to determine such structures. The process involves the collection of sufficient and diverse high-quality data, translation of these data into spatial restraints, and an optimization that uses the restraints to generate an ensemble of structures consistent with the data. Analysis of the ensemble produces a detailed architectural map of the assembly. We developed our approach on a challenging model system, the nuclear pore complex (NPC). The NPC acts as a dynamic barrier, controlling access to and from the nucleus, and in yeast is a 50 MDa assembly of 456 proteins. The resulting structure, presented in an accompanying paper, reveals the configuration of the proteins in the NPC, providing insights into its evolution and architectural principles. The present approach should be applicable to many other macromolecular assemblies.     

System-Organisational Aspect of a Learning Organisation in Companies

The objective of this article is to discuss the learning organisation (LO) concept in correlation with network organisation (NO), which is an indispensable element for the transition into the new era of management, i.e. knowledge networking. Business organisations (BO) rarely achieve innovativeness, and thus competitive advantage, without establishing NO/LO and knowledge management. Therefore, a suitable knowledge strategy must be developed that is related to BO's business strategy. The last two statements surface our main hypothesis, which is described in our general model on linking the elements of an LO and then tested by empirical research carried out in Slovenian BOs. Our original model of LO has proved helpful in understanding BOs as LOs in transitional economies, e.g. in Slovenia. In them an innovation-based business has not yet become the norm with BOs of all sizes, with success mainly enjoyed in larger BOs. However, NO can help the LO concept spread and support innovativeness rather quickly in all BOs.

Transiting circumbinary planets Kepler-34 b and Kepler-35 b

Most Sun-like stars in the Galaxy reside in gravitationally bound pairs of stars (binaries). Although long anticipated, the existence of a 'circumbinary planet' orbiting such a pair of normal stars was not definitively established until the discovery of the planet transiting (that is, passing in front of) Kepler-16. Questions remained, however, about the prevalence of circumbinary planets and their range of orbital and physical properties. Here we report two additional transiting circumbinary planets: Kepler-34 (AB)b and Kepler-35 (AB)b, referred to here as Kepler-34 b and Kepler-35 b, respectively. Each is a low-density gas-giant planet on an orbit closely aligned with that of its parent stars. Kepler-34 b orbits two Sun-like stars every 289?days, whereas Kepler-35 b orbits a pair of smaller stars (89% and 81% of the Sun's mass) every 131?days. The planets experience large multi-periodic variations in incident stellar radiation arising from the orbital motion of the stars. The observed rate of circumbinary planets in our sample implies that more than ～1% of close binary stars have giant planets in nearly coplanar orbits, yielding a Galactic population of at least several million.