The Expansion of Class Concepts and the Colorado Coal Field War Project

The Colorado Coal Field War Project was an attempt by McGuire, Reckner, and others to develop a \u27working-class\u27 archaeology that served the public as well as the archaeologists performing excavations and research. The attempt was successful, promoting and supporting ideas that had been discussed in archaeology about gender, class, and the treatment of archaeology as a craft. Their example of using archaeology to benefit communities as well as academic interests can and should be tested in other regions of the United States as well as the rest of the world

The Expansion of Class Concepts and the Colorado Coal Field War Project

The Colorado Coal Field War Project was an attempt by McGuire, Reckner, and others to develop a \u27working-class\u27 archaeology that served the public as well as the archaeologists performing excavations and research. The attempt was successful, promoting and supporting ideas that had been discussed in archaeology about gender, class, and the treatment of archaeology as a craft. Their example of using archaeology to benefit communities as well as academic interests can and should be tested in other regions of the United States as well as the rest of the world

Adaptive genomic structural variation in the grape powdery mildew pathogen, Erysiphe necator.

BackgroundPowdery mildew, caused by the obligate biotrophic fungus Erysiphe necator, is an economically important disease of grapevines worldwide. Large quantities of fungicides are used for its control, accelerating the incidence of fungicide-resistance. Copy number variations (CNVs) are unbalanced changes in the structure of the genome that have been associated with complex traits. In addition to providing the first description of the large and highly repetitive genome of E. necator, this study describes the impact of genomic structural variation on fungicide resistance in Erysiphe necator.ResultsA shotgun approach was applied to sequence and assemble the genome of five E. necator isolates, and RNA-seq and comparative genomics were used to predict and annotate protein-coding genes. Our results show that the E. necator genome is exceptionally large and repetitive and suggest that transposable elements are responsible for genome expansion. Frequent structural variations were found between isolates and included copy number variation in EnCYP51, the target of the commonly used sterol demethylase inhibitor (DMI) fungicides. A panel of 89 additional E. necator isolates collected from diverse vineyard sites was screened for copy number variation in the EnCYP51 gene and for presence/absence of a point mutation (Y136F) known to result in higher fungicide tolerance. We show that an increase in EnCYP51 copy number is significantly more likely to be detected in isolates collected from fungicide-treated vineyards. Increased EnCYP51 copy numbers were detected with the Y136F allele, suggesting that an increase in copy number becomes advantageous only after the fungicide-tolerant allele is acquired. We also show that EnCYP51 copy number influences expression in a gene-dose dependent manner and correlates with fungal growth in the presence of a DMI fungicide.ConclusionsTaken together our results show that CNV can be adaptive in the development of resistance to fungicides by providing increasing quantitative protection in a gene-dosage dependent manner. The results of this work not only demonstrate the effectiveness of using genomics to dissect complex traits in organisms with very limited molecular information, but also may have broader implications for understanding genomic dynamics in response to strong selective pressure in other pathogens with similar genome architectures

Behavioural studies on eriophyoid mites: an overview.

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Rediscovery and redescription of two eriophyid mites (Acari, Prostigmata, Eriophyidae) from Baccharis salicifolia (Asteraceae), from Argentina with remarks on the eriophyoid coverflap base

International audienceThe rediscovery of Aceria cortii Amrine & Stasny and Shevtchenkella baccharis (Keifer) is reported on Baccharis salicifolia (Asteraceae) from Central Argentina and both species are redescribed. Aceria cortii is a gall inducer in leaves and stems of the plant whereas S. baccharis is a leaf vagrant. The topography of the area anterior to the eriophyoid genital coverflap is discussed. This constitutes a first record of S. baccharis for South America

Adjusted Tornado Probabilities

Tornado occurrence rates computed from the available reports are biased low relative to the unknown true rates. To correct for this low bias, the authors demonstrate a method to estimate the annual probability of being struck by a tornado that uses the average report density estimated as a function of distance from nearest city/town center. The method is demonstrated on Kansas and then applied to 15 other tornado-prone states from Nebraska to Tennessee. States are ranked according to their adjusted tornado rate and comparisons are made with raw rates published elsewhere. The adjusted rates, expressed as return periods, arestates, including Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. The expected annual number of people exposed to tornadoes is highest for Illinois followed by Alabama and Indiana. For the four states with the highest tornado rates, exposure increases since 1980 are largest for Oklahoma (24%) and Alabama (23%)

Studies on epipolythiodioxopiperazine alkaloids

Natural products research remains a fertile source for drug discovery due to the complexity, chemical diversity and biological activity of compounds discovered from nature. Verticillins are members of the epipolythiodioxopiperazine (ETP) alkaloid class of fungal metabolites and are known as potent cytotoxic agents, some with IC50 values of less than 10 nM. Studies showed that verticillin A has activity as a selective histone methyl transferases inhibitor with important anticancer properties. However, several challenges slowed the further development of this class of compounds. The goals of this project strived to address such challenges in the development of the ETP alkaloids in three ways: (1) enhancing the production of verticillins, (2) identifying and isolating new analogues of the verticillins, and (3) developing a targeted delivery approach for the verticillins. Aim 1 was achieved by analyzing different fungal strains under a suite of fermentation conditions. These studies were facilitated by the use of the droplet-liquid microjunction-surface sampling probe (droplet probe) coupled with UHPLC–PDA–HRMS/MS, which enables chemical analysis in situ directly from the surface of the cultures. These experiments showed that the production of verticillins was greatly affected by growth conditions. Using these technologies to select the best among the tested growth conditions, the production of the verticillin analogues was increased in laboratory scale fermentation. Aim 2 was achieved via using a precursor-directed biosynthesis approach that was monitored in situ via droplet probe. To characterize the generated series of “non-natural natural products”, a suite of NMR and mass spectrometry data were collected. This approach yielded novel compounds that would be difficult to generate via synthesis. Furthermore, and in a collaborative manner, the generation of new analogues was also achieved via semisynthetic approaches that generated ester, carbonate, sulfonate and carbamate derivatives of the verticillins. This synthetic process was characterized by the use of 1H NMR to monitor the various reactions. Aim 3 was achieved by encapsulating verticillin A into an expansile nanoparticles (verticillin A-eNP). This delivery system was used to circumvent two imperative issues of the drug administration of verticillins. First, the verticillin A-eNP was used to shield healthy cells, by targeting cancerous cells, as it permits the retention of the eNPs inside the cancer cells and the continuous release of the drug in their acidic environment Secondly, the verticillin A-eNP enhanced the solubility of the poorly soluble verticillins, facilitating a more straight forward approach to their delivery and testing in vivo

The role of positive selection in determining the molecular cause of species differences in disease

Related species, such as humans and chimpanzees, often experience the same disease with varying degrees of pathology, as seen in the cases of Alzheimer's disease, or differing symptomatology as in AIDS. Furthermore, certain diseases such as schizophrenia, epithelial cancers and autoimmune disorders are far more frequent in humans than in other species for reasons not associated with lifestyle. Genes that have undergone positive selection during species evolution are indicative of functional adaptations that drive species differences. Thus we investigate whether biomedical disease differences between species can be attributed to positively selected genes

Developmental and metabolic plasticity of white-skinned grape berries in response to <i>Botrytis cinerea</i> during noble rot

Noble rot results from exceptional infections of ripe grape (Vitis vinifera) berries by Botrytis cinerea. Unlike bunch rot, noble rot promotes favorable changes in grape berries and the accumulation of secondary metabolites that enhance wine grape composition. Noble rot-infected berries of cv Sémillon, a white-skinned variety, were collected over 3 years from a commercial vineyard at the same time that fruit were harvested for botrytized wine production. Using an integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics approach, we demonstrate that noble rot alters the metabolism of cv Sémillon berries by inducing biotic and abiotic stress responses as well as ripening processes. During noble rot, B. cinerea induced the expression of key regulators of ripening-associated pathways, some of which are distinctive to the normal ripening of red-skinned cultivars. Enhancement of phenylpropanoid metabolism, characterized by a restricted flux in white-skinned berries, was a common outcome of noble rot and red-skinned berry ripening. Transcript and metabolite analyses together with enzymatic assays determined that the biosynthesis of anthocyanins is a consistent hallmark of noble rot in cv Sémillon berries. The biosynthesis of terpenes and fatty acid aroma precursors also increased during noble rot. We finally characterized the impact of noble rot in botrytized wines. Altogether, the results of this work demonstrated that noble rot causes a major reprogramming of berry development and metabolism. This desirable interaction between a fruit and a fungus stimulates pathways otherwise inactive in white-skinned berries, leading to a greater accumulation of compounds involved in the unique flavor and aroma of botrytized wines.Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale