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Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) data and outputs of land surface model were applied to estimate the groundwater storage changes over the Nile Delta Aquifer (NDA) in northern Egypt during the period 2003–2012. Monthly solutions of GRACE data were used to estimate the Terrestrial Water Storage variations (ΔTWS) over the aquifer. The non-groundwater contributions were estimated from land surface model outputs (CLM4.5). These contributions were subtracted from the ΔTWS to estimate groundwater storage variations (ΔGWS) over the aquifer. The average annual precipitation (AAP) rates were estimated from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) data and used to identify the time periods. The results were evidenced by geochemical, isotopic, and hydrogeological data. The average precipitation data over the aquifer are 1.8, 1.4, and 1.6 km3/yr during periods I, II, and III, respectively. (2) The groundwater depletion rates over the aquifer were estimated at −0.07 ± 0.028, −0.029 ± 0.044, and − 0.19 ± 0.058 km3/yr during periods I, II, and III, respectively. (3) The slightly low depletion of the groundwater in the aquifer is apparently caused by the compensation from the recharge water and the saline water intrusion. The average natural recharge rates were estimated at +3.65 ± 0.35, +4.98 ± 0.47, and + 5.91 ± 0.59 km3/yr during periods I, II, and III, respectively. The integrated approach provides valuable information for better assessment of the groundwater resource variations of large groundwater reservoirs and for developing sustainable management programmes of these resources.

Dark Septate Endophytes (DSEs) represent a diverse group of root-endophytic fungi that have been isolated from plant roots in many different natural and anthropogenic ecosystems. Melanin is widespread in eukaryotic organisms and possesses various functions such as protecting human skin from UV radiation, affecting the virulence of pathogens, and playing a role in development and physiology of insects. Melanin is a distinctive feature of the cell walls of DSEs and has been thought to protect these fungi from abiotic stress. Melanin in DSEs is assumed to be synthesized via the 1,8-dihydroxynaphthaline (DHN) pathway. Its function in alleviation of salt stress is not yet known. The aims of this study were: i. investigating the growth responses of three DSEs (Periconia macrospinosa, Cadophora sp. and Leptodontidium sp.) to salt stress, ii. analyzing melanin production under salt stress and, iii. testing the role of melanin in salt stress tolerance of DSEs. The study shows that the three DSE species can tolerate high salt concentrations. Melanin content increased in the hyphae of all DSEs at 100 mM salt, but decreased at 500 mM. This was not reflected in the RNA accumulation of the gene encoding scytalone dehydratase which is involved in melanin biosynthesis. The application of tricyclazole, a DHN-melanin biosynthesis inhibitor, did not affect either salt stress tolerance or the accumulation of sodium in the hyphae. In addition, melanin biosynthesis mutants of Leptodontidium sp. did not show decreased growth performance compared to the wild type, especially not at high salt concentrations. This indicates that DSEs can live under salt stress and withstand these conditions regardless of melanin accumulation.

An effective catalyst for removing organic dyes from water is highly required. A two-dimensional metal-organic framework, copper-benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic (CuBDC), and its derivative (CuO@C) were investigated as catalysts for the degradation of organic dye. The materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), high-resolution TEM, scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR), nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm, atomic absorbance flame (AAF), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). CuO@ was used for catalytic hydrogenation of organic dyes using sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as a reducing agent. It displayed high catalytic efficiency (100%) and required a short reaction time with excellent recyclability and a simple regeneration process. The materials could be used for more than 5 times without obvious fading in the material's …

An effective catalyst for removing organic dyes from water is highly required. A two-dimensional metal-organic framework, copper-benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic (CuBDC), and its derivative (CuO@C) were investigated as catalysts for the degradation of organic dye. The materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), high-resolution TEM, scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR), nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm, atomic absorbance flame (AAF), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). CuO@ was used for catalytic hydrogenation of organic dyes using sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as a reducing agent. It displayed high catalytic efficiency (100%) and required a short reaction time with excellent recyclability and a simple regeneration process. The materials could be used for more than 5 times without obvious fading in the material's …

An effective catalyst for removing organic dyes from water is highly required. A two-dimensional metal-organic framework, copper-benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic (CuBDC), and its derivative (CuO@C) were investigated as catalysts for the degradation of organic dye. The materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), high-resolution TEM, scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR), nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm, atomic absorbance flame (AAF), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). CuO@ was used for catalytic hydrogenation of organic dyes using sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as a reducing agent. It displayed high catalytic efficiency (100%) and required a short reaction time with excellent recyclability and a simple regeneration process. The materials could be used for more than 5 times without obvious fading in the material's …

An effective catalyst for removing organic dyes from water is highly required. A two-dimensional metal-organic framework, copper-benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic (CuBDC), and its derivative (CuO@C) were investigated as catalysts for the degradation of organic dye. The materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), high-resolution TEM, scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR), nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm, atomic absorbance flame (AAF), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). CuO@ was used for catalytic hydrogenation of organic dyes using sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as a reducing agent. It displayed high catalytic efficiency (100%) and required a short reaction time with excellent recyclability and a simple regeneration process. The materials could be used for more than 5 times without obvious fading in the material's …

Heterochromatin silencing is critical for genomic integrity
and cell survival. It is orchestrated by chromodomain
(CD)-containing proteins that bind to
methylated histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9me), a hallmark
of heterochromatin. Here, we show that phosphorylation
of tyrosine 41 (H3Y41p)––a novel histone
H3 modification––participates in the regulation
of heterochromatin in fission yeast. We show that a
loss-of-function mutant of H3Y41 can suppress heterochromatin
de-silencing in the centromere and subtelomere
repeat regions, suggesting a de-silencing
role forH3Y41p on heterochromatin. Furthermore,we
show both in vitro and in vivo that H3Y41p differentially
regulates two CD-containing proteins without
the change in the level of H3K9 methylation: it promotes
the binding of Chp1 to histone H3 and the
exclusion of Swi6. H3Y41p is preferentially enriched
on centromeric heterochromatin during M- to early S
phase, which coincides with the localization switch
of Swi6/Chp1. The loss-of-function H3Y41 mutant
could suppress the hypersensitivity of the RNAi mutants
towards hydroxyurea (HU), which arrests replication
in S phase. Overall, we describe H3Y41p as
a novel histone modification that differentially regulates
heterochromatin silencing in fission yeast via
the binding of CD-containing proteins.

Centromeric identity and chromosome segregation
are determined by the precise centromeric targeting
of CENP-A, the centromere-specific histone H3
variant. The significance of the amino-terminal domain
(NTD) of CENP-A in this process remains
unclear. Here, we assessed the functional significance
of each residue within the NTD of CENP-A
from Schizosaccharomyces pombe (SpCENP-A) and
identified a proline-rich ‘GRANT’ (Genomic stability-
Regulating site within CENP-A N-Terminus) motif
that is important for CENP-A function. Through sequential
mutagenesis, we show that GRANT proline
residues are essential for coordinating SpCENP-A
centromeric targeting. GRANT proline-15 (P15), in
particular, undergoes cis–trans isomerization to regulate
chromosome segregation fidelity, which appears
to be carried out by two FK506-binding protein
(FKBP) family prolyl cis–trans isomerases. Using
proteomics analysis, we further identified the
SpCENP-A-localizing chaperone Sim3 as a SpCENPA
NTD interacting protein that is dependent on
GRANT proline residues. Ectopic expression of
sim3+ complemented the chromosome segregation
defect arising fromthe loss of these proline residues.
Overall, cis–trans proline isomerization is a posttranslational
modification of the SpCENP-A NTD that
confers precise propagation of centromeric integrity
in fission yeast, presumably via targeting SpCENP-A
to the centromere.