Biological control of apple scab and fire blight by the application of the non-pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens Bk3 to the leaf surface

The biological control of plant diseases by application of antagonistic microorganisms to the plant phyllosphere is an alternative strategy to prevent the frequent treatment of plants by pesticides. Microbiological antagonists can firstly interact directly against the pathogen by releasing antimicrobial compounds and/or secondly induce the plant resistance of the host plant by expression of pathogenesis-related proteins (PR proteins). The focus of our study is on the interaction of the non-pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens Bk3 to the plant phyllosphere of Malus domestica cv. Holsteiner Cox. After application of P. fluorescens Bk3 to the phyllosphere of M. domestica cv. Holsteiner Cox we observed dramatic changes in the protein composition of the apoplast of the host plant. Sequencing of the induced proteins by ESI-Q-ToF mass spectrometry and homology search identified these additional proteins as pathogenesis related proteins (PR) like ß-1,3- glucanase, thaumatin-like protein, chitinase and hevein-like protein. To confirm these findings, a suppressive subtractive hybridization with total RNA from leaves before and after inoculation of P. fluorescens Bk3 to the leaves of the host plant was performed. It revealed an increased expression level of many PR and stress related genes. The induction of PR proteins and plant defence genes in host plants after application of non-pathogenic bacterial antagonists to the plant phylloshere can presumably prevent or reduce successful infections by plant pathogens

Late Cenozoic metamorphic evolution and exhumation of Taiwan

The Taiwan mountain belt is composed of a Cenozoic slate belt (Hsuehshan Range units, HR, and Backbone Slates, BS) and of accreted polymetamorphic basement rocks (Tananao Complex, TC). Ongoing crustal shortening has resulted from the collision between the Chinese continental margin and the Luzon volcanic arc, which initiated ~6.5 Ma ago. The grade and age of metamorphism and exhumation are a key record of the development of the orogenic wedge. Because the Taiwan mountain belt is mostly composed by accreted sediments lacking metamorphic index minerals, quantitative constraints on metamorphism are sparse. By contrast, these rocks are rich in carbonaceaous material (CM) and are therefore particularly appropriate for RSCM (Raman Spectroscopy of CM) thermometry. We apply this technique in addition to (U-Th)/He thermochronology on detrital zircons to assess peak metamorphic temperatures (T) and the late exhumational history respectively, along different transects in central and southern Taiwan. In the case of the HR units, we find evidence for high metamorphic T of at least 340°–350°C and locally up to 475°C, and for relative rapid exhumation with zircon (U-Th)/He ages in the range of 1.5–2 Ma. Farther east, the BS were only slightly metamorphosed (T < 330 °C), and zircons are not reset for (U-Th)/He. From the eastern BS to the inner TC schists, T gradually increases from ~350°C up to ~500°C following an inverted metamorphic gradient. Available geochronological constraints and the continuous thermal gradient from the BS to the basement rocks of the TC suggest that the high RSCM T of the TC were most probably acquired during the last orogeny, and were not inherited from a previous thermal event. Zircons yield (U-Th)/He ages of ~0.5–1.2 Ma. Peak metamorphic T and the timing of exhumation do not show along-strike variations over the TC in the studied area. In contrast, exhumation is laterally diachronous and decreases southward in the case of the HR units. In particular, our data imply that the HR units have been exhumed by a minimum of 15 km over the last few Ma. In the case of the BS, they show far less cumulated exhumation and much slower cooling rates. We propose that most of the deformation and exhumation of the Taiwan mountain belt is sustained through two underplating windows located beneath the Hsuehshan Range and the TC. Our data show significant departures from the predictions of the prevailing model in Taiwan, which assumes a homogeneous critical wedge with dominant frontal accretion. Our study sheds new light on how the mountain belt has grown as a possible result of underplating mostly

Differentiation state-specific mitochondrial dynamic regulatory networks are revealed by global transcriptional analysis of the developing chicken lens.

The mature eye lens contains a surface layer of epithelial cells called the lens epithelium that requires a functional mitochondrial population to maintain the homeostasis and transparency of the entire lens. The lens epithelium overlies a core of terminally differentiated fiber cells that must degrade their mitochondria to achieve lens transparency. These distinct mitochondrial populations make the lens a useful model system to identify those genes that regulate the balance between mitochondrial homeostasis and elimination. Here we used an RNA sequencing and bioinformatics approach to identify the transcript levels of all genes expressed by distinct regions of the lens epithelium and maturing fiber cells of the embryonic Gallus gallus (chicken) lens. Our analysis detected more than 15,000 unique transcripts expressed by the embryonic chicken lens. Of these, more than 3000 transcripts exhibited significant differences in expression between lens epithelial cells and fiber cells. Multiple transcripts coding for separate mitochondrial homeostatic and degradation mechanisms were identified to exhibit preferred patterns of expression in lens epithelial cells that require mitochondria relative to lens fiber cells that require mitochondrial elimination. These included differences in the expression levels of metabolic (DUT, PDK1, SNPH), autophagy (ATG3, ATG4B, BECN1, FYCO1, WIPI1), and mitophagy (BNIP3L/NIX, BNIP3, PARK2, p62/SQSTM1) transcripts between lens epithelial cells and lens fiber cells. These data provide a comprehensive window into all genes transcribed by the lens and those mitochondrial regulatory and degradation pathways that function to maintain mitochondrial populations in the lens epithelium and to eliminate mitochondria in maturing lens fiber cells

Towards Routinely Using Virtual Reality in Higher Education

Virtual reality promises to be a tool that can improve higher education. Immersive virtual environments offer the chance to enrich courses with experiential learning experiences. The technological possibilities evolve rapidly and more and more researchers report on adopting virtual reality for learning – albeit such work often has a more or less experimental character. However, the base of knowledge on using virtual reality in higher education is growing; educators who want to employ virtual reality to amend courses, to extend the curriculum with experiential learning, or who want to offer new content enabled through virtual reality, find increasingly rich advice. With this article, we contribute to this advice by providing insights from three research cases. Although these were experimental, their embedding into a larger project enables us to propose recommendations for educators. The ultimate aim of our work is the routine use of virtual reality in higher education

DINAMIKA PARTAI POLITIK DI INDONESIA

Basis sosiologis partai politik adalah idiologi dan kepentingan yang diarahkan pada usahamemperoleh kekuasaan.Dalam perkembangannya, partai politik telah berfungsi dan berperan dalam sistem politikdemokrasi.Karena itu fokus bahasan dalam tulisan ini, ialah dinamika atau pasang-surut fungsi dan perananpartai politik dalam sistem politik demokrasi Indonesia dengan metode/pendekatan kwalitatif-deskriptif.BangsaIndonesia, telah akrab dengan partai-partai politik.Sebelum “Republik Indonesia” terbentuk, partai politik telahberfungsi dan berperanan sebagai sarana perjuangan yang menggelorakan nasionalisme untuk kemerdekaan,demikian pula halnya setelah proklamasi kemerdekaan.Meskipun demikian, pelaksanaan fungsi dan perananpartai politik mengalami dinamika atau pasang surut sesuai perkembangan sistem politik Indonesia. PeriodeDemokrasi Parlementer, partai politik menampilkan fungsi dan peranan yang kuat. Partai politik dan parlemen(DPR) merupakan kerangka pokok sistem politik Indonesia.Lain halnya, pada Demokrasi Terpimpin, terjadipenyederhanaan kepartaian. Kebijakan penyederhanaan kepartaian berlangsung pula dalam sistem DemokrasiPancasila era orde baru melalui undang-undang Nomor : 3/1975 tentang Partai Politik dan Golongan Karya yangmenyatakan adanya tiga organisasi kekuatan sosial politik yaitu : Partai Persatuan Pembangunan sebagai fusipartai-partai politik yang beraliran “Islam, Partai Demokrasi Indonesia sebagai fusi partai-partai politik beralirannasional/demokrasi, dan Golongan Karya. Di sini Golkar tampil sebagai organisasi kekuatan sosial politik yangpaling dominan yang menjadikan peranan partai politik melemah. Tetapi dalam sistem politik Demokrasi Pancasilaera reformasi; fungsi dan peranan partai politik kembali menguat bahkan sangat menentukan proses politik dalamsistem politik Indonesia.Kata Kunci : Demokrasi, Partai Politik, Pemilihan Umu

Selektion auf Methioninreichtum des Samenproteins bei heimischen Leguminosen

While grain legumes can be regarded as highly valuable protein source for animal nutrition, certain drawbacks inhibit their use as sole foodstuff for livestock. The nutrient quality is reduced by low concentrations of tryptophan and sulfur amino acids. In the past substantial breeding effort has been invested in the reduction of antinutritional components and disease resistance while the protein quality has not been a focal point. To improve the protein quality the elevation of the low sulfur amino acid content is of prominent importance especially for organic production where high methionine feed components are rare. The present work tries to establish a method to select methionine enriched grain legumes for further breeding steps. Agronomical important European grain legume species were investigated (Lupinus angustifolius L., Pisum sativum L. and Vicia Faba L.). Plants grown from chemically mutagenized seeds were screened according to leaf chlorophyll content, radicle growth in a phytotoxic ethionine solution and seed S-contents. Results indicate usefulness of the screening procedure for L. angustifolius (increase of methionine content by up to 20%) and partly for P. sativum, while not for V. faba

Providing Support for an Interdisciplinary Research Group with a Multidisciplinary Informationist Team: Is It Effective?

Background Three subject librarians and a data librarian, representing three departments and two libraries at a university, were awarded an NLM Informationist Supplement to support an interdisciplinary Research Group with an NIH grant. The Informationist Team developed a model to utilize the skills of multiple librarians to support the increasing number of interdisciplinary and interprofessional research groups at the university. Librarians routinely attended lab meetings and shared notes with each other to monitor researcher needs. Methods The Informationist Team regularly provided support for literature searches, creating search alerts, bibliographic citation management and sharing, and data management to an interdisciplinary Research Group over a two year period. Two new library workshops were also developed after observing researcher needs. Surveys were administered to the Research Group prior to, during, and after a two-year period to assess the effectiveness of an Informationist Team model that employs the skills of multiple librarians. Results Surveys administered to the Research Group showed that the group increased their use of appropriate resources to find scientific and technical information over a two-year period. Additionally, by the final survey, all members of the Research Group had worked with a librarian and all felt it had saved them time. The data librarian also facilitated the creation of a form to collect data for a lab protocol that helped the group avoid significant errors. Conclusions The relationship between the multidisciplinary Informationist Team and the Research Group was mutually beneficial. The Research Group was able to improve its knowledge and efficiency with the Informationist Team’s assistance, and regular librarian attendance at lab meetings enabled librarians to enhance their understanding of basic science research. Having a multidisciplinary team of librarians allowed for sharing the workload and for deeper assistance to the Research Group in specialized areas such as data management

Providing Hands-on Training with Bioinformatics Databases: A Collaboration Between VCU Libraries & Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research

BackgroundWith the goal of increasing specialized services for researchers, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Libraries sent its basic science librarians to an intensive training on bioinformatics databases, “A Librarian’s Guide to NCBI.” VCU’s Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research (Wright CCTR) was expanding the educational component of its bioinformatics support around the same time. This year, the librarians partnered with the Wright CCTR to offer an introductory bioinformatics database workshop introducing researchers to genetic/genomic databases. MethodsFor one week in June, sessions were conducted introducing up to 30 faculty and staff to The Cancer Genome Atlas and NCBI’s Gene, BLAST, Variation Viewer and Gene Expression Omnibus. Librarians taught resources they learned in the NCBI training, and Wright CCTR staff taught resources they use often. Each day’s 1.5 hour session included presentations, demonstrations, and hands-on assignment time. Certificates were awarded to participants who completed 4 out of 5 assignments. ResultsRegistration for the workshop was full in under a week with a waiting list. All survey respondents (n=27) evaluated the overall quality of the workshop as good or excellent and indicated that they would recommend the workshop to a colleague or student. ConclusionsThis successful partnership between VCU Libraries and the Wright CCTR allowed for a broader range of bioinformatics topics to be covered, in addition to easing the planning and teaching workload for each group. The strong interest in this series across a variety of disciplines from both VCU and VCU Health indicates a need for staff and faculty-oriented bioinformatics training within the university