bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessment of DNA methylation pattern under drought stress using methylation-sensitive randomly amplified polymorphism analysis in rice
Authors: Sapna Harihar , Ashwini Narasimha , Ramesh Sampangiramareddy , Nataraja Karaba N. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractDNA methylation is known to regulate gene expression when plants are exposed to abiotic stress such as drought. Therefore, insight into DNA methylation pattern would be useful for a better understanding of the expression profile of genes associated with drought adaptation. In the present study, we attempted to analyse the DNA methylation pattern at the whole-genome level and the expression of a few drought-responsive genes in rice under different regimes of soil water status, i.e. puddled, 100 and 60% field capacities (FC). The methylation-sensitive randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis was employed to identify DNA methylation pattern. We observed an increase in DNA methylation at 60% FC, and reduced methylation under 100% FC compared to puddled condition. The genes such as protein phosphatases (PP2C) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) having CpG islands in their promoter region had lower expression level under 100 and 60% FC compared to puddled conditions. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and RNA helicase 25 (RH25), with no CpG islands in their promoter region, exhibited enhanced expression compared to puddled plants. In rice, increased DNA methylation seems to be an important mechanism associated with drought responses, which probably regulates the methylation-sensitive gene expression. The drought-induced changes in DNA methylation would contribute for epigenetic mechanism. The study provided evidence to argue that drought-induced increased methylation might be one of the major mechanisms associated with acclimation responses in field crops like rice.
DU BOIS AND MARX, DU BOIS AND MARXISM
Authors: Saman Michael J. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractW. E. B. Du Bois’s engagement with the thought of Karl Marx forms an important aspect of his intellectual biography, yet its contours crystallize explicitly only late in his written work, and its development prior to the 1930s remains insufficiently understood. In order to bring to light the mix of criticisms, reservations, ideals, and inspirations that shape this reception, this article explores its trajectory as exhaustively as the available documentation permits, beginning from Du Bois’s early training in economics as a university student, continuing through his increasing attention to socialism in the early 1900s and his embrace of Soviet communism in the 1920s, and culminating in the 1930s in his teaching of Marx at Atlanta University and the overtly Marxian positions he adopts inBlack Reconstruction(1935).
Switchable design of a frequency reconfigurable broadband whip antenna in high frequency
Authors: Wang Hengfeng , Liu Chao 
Published: August 2020

AbstractIn this paper, the antenna reconfigurable technology is used to redesign a whip antenna in different sub-bands of high frequency (HF). According to the electrical characteristics of the antenna, on the one hand, two different radiation whip heights are designed to solve the problem of pattern up-warping in the high-frequency band; on the other hand, a common upper loading network and several different adjusting inductors and matching networks are designed for each sub-band to achieve high gain and efficiency when keeping good voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) characteristics. Five sub-bands of the 10-m HF whip antenna are reconfigured through the actual selection of radiation height, adjusting inductance, and matching network by radio frequency (RF) switch. The antenna load and matching network are optimized by grasshopper optimization algorithm (GOA), and integrated into the antenna body by using the printed circuit technology. The scaled prototype of 1 m frequency reconfigurable antenna is manufactured and tested, which shows that the VSWR is all <3 with an average value of 2.14; the gain is all >−2.5 dB with an average value of 3.90 dB; the efficiency is all >18.2% with an average value of 71.59%, and the patterns all keep horizontal omnidirectional without the phenomenon of up-warping.
Functionality and efficacy of Franklin Robotics’ Tertill™robotic weeder
Authors: Sanchez Johnny , Gallandt Eric R. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractAgricultural weeds remain an important production constraint, with labor shortages and a lack of new herbicide options in recent decades making the problem even more acute. Robotic weeding machines are a possible solution to these increasingly intractable weed problems. Franklin Robotics’ Tertill™is an autonomous weeding robot designed for home gardeners that relies on a minimalistic design to be cost-effective. The objectives of this study were to investigate the ability of the Tertill to control broadleaf and grass weeds, and based on early observations, experiments were conducted with and without its string-trimmer–like weeding implement. Tertill demonstrated high weed-control efficacy, supporting its utility as a tool for home gardeners. Weeds were best controlled by the combined effect of soil disturbance caused by the action of the robot’s wheels and the actuation of the string trimmer. Despite the regrowth potential of an annual grass due to its meristem location, Tertill maintained low densities of millet in an experimental arena. The simple and effective design of the Tertill may offer insights to inform future development of farm-scale weeding robots. Weed density, emergence periodicity, robot working rate, and robotic weeding mechanisms are important design criteria regardless of the technology used for plant detection.
The Role of Hiss, Chorus, and EMIC Waves in the Modeling of the Dynamics of the Multi‐MeV Radiation Belt Electrons
Authors: Drozdov A. Y. , Usanova M. E. , Hudson M. K. , Allison H. J. , Shprits Y. Y. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractIn this study, we performed a series of long‐term and individual storm simulations with and without hiss, chorus, and electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves. We compared simulation results incorporating different wave modes with Van Allen Probes flux observations to illustrate how hiss and chorus waves aid EMIC waves in depleting multi‐MeV electrons. We found that EMIC, hiss, and chorus waves are required to reproduce satellite measurements in our simulations. Our results indicate that hiss waves play a dominant role in scattering near‐equatorial mirroring electrons, and they assist EMIC waves, which scatter only small pitch angle electrons. The best agreement between the observations and the simulations (long‐term and 17 January 2013 storm) is achieved when hiss, chorus, and EMIC waves are included.
Factorial Sensitivity Analysis of Physical Schemes and Their Interactions in RegCM
Authors: Song Tangnyu , Huang Guohe , Wang Xiuquan , Zhou Xiong 
Published: August 2020

AbstractIt is well known that the choices of physical schemes in Regional Climate Models (RCMs) can cause considerable uncertainties in future climate projections. In this study, a factorial sensitivity analysis method has been proposed to screen out statistically significant schemes and interactions, which assists in selecting the optimized physical scheme combination from a long‐term perspective with affordable computational costs. The Regional Climate Model (RegCM) is used as an example to illustrate how the approach works. In detail, all schemes are fully tested through 120 experimental runs based on a factorial design; the contributions and statistical significance (P value) of individual schemes and their interactions to temperature, precipitation, wind speed, and wind direction are then quantified. The performance of the proposed approach is then demonstrated through a case study of Canada. The results indicate that there exist considerable spatial and temporal simulated variations associated with different scheme combinations. It is also suggested that individual physical schemes have dominant influences on simulated variations, but some effects explained by their interactions are statistically significant and thus cannot be neglected. In particular, the planetary boundary layer (PBL) scheme, moisture scheme, and land surface model are found to be the dominant factors affecting the uncertainties of temperature, precipitation, and wind speed in future climate projections over Canada, respectively. Furthermore, the potential relationships between the vegetation cover conditions and the sensitivity of physical schemes are explored. The proposed approach is an attempt to analyze the sensitivity influenced by not only individual physical schemes and also their multilevel interactions.
Roles of Double Low‐Level Jets in the Generation of Coexisting Inland and Coastal Heavy Rainfall Over South China During the Presummer Rainy Season
Authors: Liu Xi , Luo Yali , Huang Ling , Zhang Da‐Lin , Guan Zhaoyong 
Published: August 2020

AbstractIn this study, the key dynamic factors influencing the formation of six heavy‐rainfall events with coexisting inland and coastal rainfall over south China during May–June 2011–2017 are investigated using global ensemble forecasts from the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts. An ensemble sensitivity analysis and comparisons between the identified good and bad members are conducted. Results confirm the importance of the synoptic low‐level jet (SLLJ) and boundary layer jet (BLJ), but with different contributions, in determining the generation of the inland and coastal rainbelts, respectively. The inland heavy rainfall is closely related to both the SLLJ and BLJ, especially their meridional wind components. The more intense cold or quasi‐stationary front, low‐level vortex, or shear line accompanied by the stronger geostrophic southerly winds within both jets over inland and coastal south China is, the more rainfall over the inland region is favored. The ageostrophic southerly winds of the BLJ make limited contributions to the inland rainfall production but exert greater impacts on the generation of extreme (yet localized) coastal rainfall. The geostrophic meridional winds and associated low‐level front/vortex also play a nonnegligible but indispensable role in producing the coastal rainfall. These findings add to our knowledge of heavy rainfall in the East Asian monsoon region.
The saccharibacterium TM7x elicits differential responses across its host range
Authors: Utter Daniel R , He Xuesong , Cavanaugh Colleen M , McLean Jeffrey S , Bor Batbileg 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Host range is a fundamental component of symbiotic interactions, yet it remains poorly characterized for the prevalent yet enigmatic subcategory of bacteria/bacteria symbioses. The recently characterized obligate bacterial epibiont Candidatus Nanosynbacter lyticus TM7x with its bacterial host Actinomyces odontolyticus XH001 offers an ideal system to study such a novel relationship. In this study, the host range of TM7x was investigated by coculturing TM7x with various related Actinomyces strains and characterizing their growth dynamics from initial infection through subsequent co-passages. Of the twenty-seven tested Actinomyces, thirteen strains, including XH001, could host TM7x, and further classified into “permissive” and “nonpermissive” based on their varying initial responses to TM7x. Ten permissive strains exhibited growth/crash/recovery phases following TM7x infection, with crash timing and extent dependent on initial TM7x dosage. Meanwhile, three nonpermissive strains hosted TM7x without a growth-crash phase despite high TM7x dosage. The physical association of TM7x with all hosts, including nonpermissive strains, was confirmed by microscopy. Comparative genomic analyses revealed distinguishing genomic features between permissive and nonpermissive hosts. Our results expand the concept of host range beyond a binary to a wider spectrum, and the varying susceptibility of Actinomyces strains to TM7x underscores how small genetic differences between hosts can underly divergent selective trajectories.
Polygenic risk for anxiety influences anxiety comorbidity and suicidal behavior in bipolar disorder
Authors: Lopes Fabiana L. , Zhu Kevin , Purves Kirstin L. , Song Christopher , Ahn Kwangmi , Hou Liping , Akula Nirmala , Kassem Layla , Bergen Sarah E. , Landen Mikael , Veras Andre B. , Nardi Antonio E. ,   Bipolar Genome Study Consortium (BiGS), Alliey-Rodriguez Ney , Badner Judith A. , Berrettini Wade , Byerley William , Coryell William , Craig David W. , Edenberg Howard J. , Foroud Tatiana , Gershon Elliot S. , Greenwood Tiffany A. , Guo Yiran , Keating Brendan J. , Koller Daniel L. , Lawson William B. , Liu Chunyu , Mahon Pamela B. , McInnis Melvin G. , Murray Sarah S. , Nurnberger John L. , Nwulia Evaristus A. , Panganiban Corrie B. , Rice John , Schork Nicholas J. , Smith Erin N. , Zhang Peng , Zöllner Sebastian , Goes Fernando S. , Kelsoe John R. , Nievergelt Caroline M. , Potash James B. , Shekhtman Tatyana , Schilling Paul D. , Zandi Peter P. , McMahon Francis J. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBipolar disorder is often comorbid with anxiety, which is itself associated with poorer clinical outcomes, including suicide. A better etiologic understanding of this comorbidity could inform diagnosis and treatment. The present study aims to test whether comorbid anxiety in bipolar disorder reflects shared genetic risk factors. We also sought to assess the contribution of genetic risk for anxiety to suicide attempts in bipolar disorder. Polygenic risk scores (PRS) were calculated from published genome-wide association studies of samples of controls and cases with anxiety (n = 83,566) or bipolar disorder (n = 51,710), then scored in independent target samples (total n = 3369) of individuals with bipolar disorder who reported or denied lifetime anxiety disorders or suicidal attempts in research interviews. Participants were recruited from clinical and nonclinical settings and genotyped for common genetic variants. The results show that polygenic risk for anxiety was associated with comorbid anxiety disorders and suicide attempts in bipolar disorder, while polygenic risk for bipolar disorder was not associated with any of these variables. Our findings point out that comorbid anxiety disorders in bipolar disorder reflect a dual burden of bipolar and anxiety-related genes; the latter may also contribute to suicide attempts. Clinical care that recognizes and addresses this dual burden may help improve outcomes in people living with comorbid bipolar and anxiety disorders.
Large freshwater phages with the potential to augment aerobic methane oxidation
Authors: Chen Lin-Xing , Méheust Raphaël , Crits-Christoph Alexander , McMahon Katherine D. , Nelson Tara Colenbrander , Slater Gregory F. , Warren Lesley A. , Banfield Jillian F. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThere is growing evidence that phages with unusually large genomes are common across various microbiomes, but little is known about their genetic inventories or potential ecosystem impacts. In the present study, we reconstructed large phage genomes from freshwater lakes known to contain bacteria that oxidize methane. Of manually curated genomes, 22 (18 are complete), ranging from 159 kilobase (kb) to 527 kb in length, were found to encode the pmoC gene, an enzymatically critical subunit of the particulate methane monooxygenase, the predominant methane oxidation catalyst in nature. The phage-associated PmoC sequences show high similarity to (>90%), and affiliate phylogenetically with, those of coexisting bacterial methanotrophs, including members of Methyloparacoccus, Methylocystis and Methylobacter spp. In addition, pmoC-phage abundance patterns correlate with those of the coexisting bacterial methanotrophs, supporting host–phage relationships. Future work is needed to determine whether phage-associated PmoC has similar functions to additional copies of PmoC encoded in bacterial genomes, thus contributing to growth on methane. Transcriptomics data from Lake Rotsee (Switzerland) showed that some phage-associated pmoC genes were highly expressed in situ and, of interest, that the most rapidly growing methanotroph was infected by three pmoC-phages. Thus, augmentation of bacterial methane oxidation by pmoC-phages during infection could modulate the efflux of this potent greenhouse gas into the environment.
Circadian clock-controlled gene expression in co-cultured, mat-forming cyanobacteria
Authors: Hörnlein Christine , Confurius-Guns Veronique , Grego Michele , Stal Lucas J. , Bolhuis Henk 
Published: August 2020

AbstractNatural coastal microbial mat communities are multi-species assemblages that experience fluctuating environmental conditions and are shaped by resource competition as well as by cooperation. Laboratory studies rarely address the natural complexity of microbial communities but are usually limited to homogeneous mono-cultures of key species grown in liquid media. The mat-forming filamentous cyanobacteria Lyngbya aestuarii and Coleofasciculus chthonoplastes were cultured under different conditions to investigate the expression of circadian clock genes and genes that are under their control. The cyanobacteria were grown in liquid medium or on a solid substrate (glass beads) as mono- or as co-cultures under a light–dark regime and subsequently transferred to continuous light. TaqMan-probe based qPCR assays were used to quantify the expression of the circadian clock genes kaiA, kaiB, and kaiC, and of four genes that are under control of the circadian clock: psbA, nifH, ftsZ, and prx. Expression of kaiABC was influenced by co-culturing the cyanobacteria and whether grown in liquid media or on a solid substrate. Free-running (i.e. under continuous light) expression cycle of the circadian clock genes was observed in L. aestuarii but not in C. chthonoplastes. In the former organism, maximum expression of psbA and nifH occurred temporally separated and independent of the light regime, although the peak shifted in time when the culture was transferred to continuous illumination. Although functionally similar, both species of cyanobacteria displayed different 24-h transcriptional patterns in response to the experimental treatments, suggesting that their circadian clocks have adapted to different life strategies adopted by these mat-forming cyanobacteria.
On the role of microkinetic network structure in the interplay between oxygen evolution reaction and catalyst dissolution
Authors: Dam An Phuc , Papakonstantinou Georgios , Sundmacher Kai 
Published: August 2020

AbstractUnderstanding the pathways of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the mechanisms of catalyst degradation is of essential importance for developing efficient and stable OER catalysts. Experimentally, a close coupling between OER and catalyst dissolution on metal oxides is reported. In this work, it is analysed how the microkinetic network structure of a generic electrocatalytic cycle, in which a common intermediate causes catalyst dissolution, governs the interplay between electrocatalytic activity and stability. Model discrimination is possible based on the analysis of incorporated microkinetic network structures and the comparison to experimental data. The derived concept is used to analyse the coupling of OER and catalyst dissolution on rutile and reactively sputtered Iridium oxides. For rutile Iridium oxide, the characteristic activity and stability behaviour can be well described by a mono-nuclear, adsorbate evolution mechanism and the chemical type of both competing dissolution and rate-determining OER-step. For the reactively sputtered Iridium oxide surface, experimentally observed characteristics can be captured by the assumption of an additional path via a low oxidation state intermediate, which explains the observed characteristic increase in OER over dissolution selectivity with potential by the competition between electrochemical re-oxidation and chemical dissolution.
Extrapyramidal plasticity predicts recovery after spinal cord injury
Authors: Huber E. , Patel R. , Hupp M. , Weiskopf N. , Chakravarty M. M. , Freund P. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractSpinal cord injury (SCI) leads to wide-spread neurodegeneration across the neuroaxis. We explored trajectories of surface morphology, demyelination and iron concentration within the basal ganglia-thalamic circuit over 2 years post-SCI. This allowed us to explore the predictive value of neuroimaging biomarkers and determine their suitability as surrogate markers for interventional trials. Changes in markers of surface morphology, myelin and iron concentration of the basal ganglia and thalamus were estimated from 182 MRI datasets acquired in 17 SCI patients and 21 healthy controls at baseline (1-month post injury for patients), after 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. Using regression models, we investigated group difference in linear and non-linear trajectories of these markers. Baseline quantitative MRI parameters were used to predict 24-month clinical outcome. Surface area contracted in the motor (i.e. lower extremity) and pulvinar thalamus, and striatum; and expanded in the motor thalamus and striatum in patients compared to controls over 2-years. In parallel, myelin-sensitive markers decreased in the thalamus, striatum, and globus pallidus, while iron-sensitive markers decreased within the left caudate. Baseline surface area expansions within the striatum (i.e. motor caudate) predicted better lower extremity motor score at 2-years. Extensive extrapyramidal neurodegenerative and reorganizational changes across the basal ganglia-thalamic circuitry occur early after SCI and progress over time; their magnitude being predictive of functional recovery. These results demonstrate a potential role of extrapyramidal plasticity during functional recovery after SCI.
A preliminary study of mirror-induced self-directed behaviour on wildlife at the Royal Belum Rainforest Malaysia
Authors: Hamdan Azwan , Ab Latip Mohd Qayyum , Abu Hassim Hasliza , Mohd Noor Mohd Hezmee , Tengku Azizan Tengku Rinalfi Putra , Mohamed Mustapha Noordin , Ahmad Hafandi 
Published: August 2020

AbstractMirror-induced behaviour has been described as a cognitive ability of an animal to self-direct their image in front of the mirror. Most animals when exposed to a mirror responded with a social interactive behaviour such as aggressiveness, exploratory and repetitive behaviour. The objective of this study is to determine the mirror-induced self-directed behaviour on wildlife at the Royal Belum Rainforest, Malaysia. Wildlife species at the Royal Belum Rainforest were identified using a camera traps from pre-determined natural saltlick locations. Acrylic mirrors with steel frame were placed facing the two saltlicks (Sira Batu and Sira Tanah) and the camera traps with motion-detecting infrared sensor were placed at strategically hidden spot. The behavioural data of the animal response to the mirror were analysed using an ethogram procedure. Results showed that barking deer was the species showing the highest interaction in front of the mirror. Elephants displayed self-directed response through inspecting behaviour via usage of their trunk and legs while interacting to the mirror. Interestingly, the Malayan tapir showed startled behaviour during their interaction with the mirror. However, the absence of interactive behaviour of the Malayan tiger signalled a likelihood of a decreased social response behaviour. These results suggested that the ability to self-directed in front of the mirror is most likely related to the new approach to study the neural mechanism and its level of stimulus response in wildlife. In conclusion, research on mirror-induced self-directed behaviour in wildlife will have profound implications in understanding the cognitive ability of wildlife as an effort to enhance the management strategies and conservation.