A Tone-Aided/Dual Vestigial Sideband (TA/DVSB) system for mobile satellite channels

Tone-aided modulation is one way of combatting the effects of multipath fading and Doppler frequency shifts. A new tone-aided modulation format for M-ary phase-shift keyed signals (MPSK) is discussed. A spectral null for the placement of the tone is created in the center of the MPSK signal by translating the upper sideband upwards in frequency by the same amount. The key element of the system is the algorithm for recombining the data sidebands in the receiver, a function that is performed by a specialized phase-locked loop (PLL). The system structure is discussed and simulation results showing the PLL acquisition performance are presented

Specificity of plant microRNA target MIMICs: cross-targeting of miR159 and miR319

Plant microRNA (miRNA) target MIMICs (MIMs) are non-coding RNA transcripts that can inhibit endogenous miRNAs, as they contain a miRNA binding site that forms a three nucleotide (nt) mismatch loop opposite the miRNA cleavage site upon miRNA binding. This loop renders the MIMs non-cleavable, presumably leading to sequestration of the miRNA and thus enabling the endogenous targets to be deregulated. Arabidopsis miR319 and miR159 are two closely related but distinct miRNA families, as they are functionally specific for two different sets of targets, TCP and MYB genes, respectively. Being offset by one nt, MIM319 and MIM159 should have specificity to their respective miRNA families. However, MIM319 and MIM159 plants appear indistinguishable, having highly similar developmental defects reminiscent of a loss-of-function mir159 mutant. In both MIM319 and MIM159 plants, miR159 and miR319 levels are reduced, and correspondingly, both MYB and TCP mRNA levels are elevated, implying that these MIMs are inhibiting both miR159 and miR319. These data demonstrate that MIMs are able to inhibit closely related miRNAs, including those with cleavage sites not opposite the three nt loop. This highlights that MIMs can have unintended off-target effects and that their use should include corresponding molecular analysis to investigate their impact on closely related miRNAs.This research was supported by an Australian Research Council grant DP130103697 and an International ANU PhD scholarship to M.R

Allelic effects on starch structure and properties of six starch biosynthetic genes in a rice recombinant inbred line population

BACKGROUND: The genetic diversity of six starch biosynthetic genes (Wx, SSI, SSIIa, SBEI, SBEIIa and SBEIIb) in indica and japonica rices opens an opportunity to produce a new variety with more favourable grain starch quality. However, there is limited information about the effects of these six gene allele combinations on starch structure and properties. A recombinant inbred line population from a cross between indica and japonica varieties offers opportunities to combine specific alleles of the six genes. RESULTS: The allelic (indica vs japonica) effects of six starch biosynthetic genes on starch structure, functional properties, and abundance of granule bound proteins in rice grains were investigated in a common genetic background using a recombinant inbred line population. The indica Wx (Wxi) allele played a major role while indica SSI (SSIi), japonica SSIIa (SSIIaj) and indica SBEI (SBEIi) alleles had minor roles on the increase of amylose content. SSIIaj and japonica SBEIIb (SBEIIbj) alleles had a major and a minor role on high ratio of ∑DP ≤ 10 to ∑DP ≤ 24 fractions (RCL10/24), respectively. Both major alleles (Wxi and SSIIaj) reduced peak viscosity (PV), onset, peak and end gelatinization temperatures (GTs) of amylopectin, and increased amylose-lipid complex dissociation enthalpy compared with their counterpart-alleles, respectively. SBEIIai and SBEIIbj decreased PV, whereas SSIi and SBEIIbj decreased FV. SBEIi reduced setback viscosity and gelatinization enthalpy. RCL10/24 of chain length distribution in amylopectin is negatively correlated with PV and BD of paste property and GTs of thermal properties. We also report RILs with superior starch properties combining Wxi, SSIj, SSIIaj, SBEIi and SBEIIbj alleles. Additionally, a clear relation is drawn to starch biosynthetic gene alleles, starch structure, properties, and abundance of granule bound starch biosynthetic enzymes inside starch granules. CONCLUSIONS: Rice Wxi and SSIIaj alleles play major roles, while SSIi, SBEIi, SBEIIai and SBEIIbj alleles have minor roles in the determination of starch properties between indica and japonica rice through starch structural modification. The combination of these alleles is a key factor for starch quality improvement in rice breeding programs. RCL10/24 value is critical for starch structure and property determination.Jixun Luo was supported by CSC (Chinese Scholarship Council) and Australian National University scholarships. This work was funded by CSIRO Food Future National Research Flagship

Expression of human ARGONAUTE 2 inhibits endogenous microRNA activity in Arabidopsis

Plant and animal microRNA (miRNA) pathways share many analogous components, the ARGONAUTE (AGO) proteins being foremost among them. We sought to ascertain the degree of functional conservation shared by Homo sapiens ARGONAUTE 2 (HsAGO2) and Arabidopsis thaliana ARGONAUTE 1 (AtAGO1), which are the predominant AGO family members involved with miRNA activity in their respective species. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing HsAGO2 were indistinguishable from counterparts over-expressing AtAGO1, each group exhibiting the morphological and molecular hallmarks of miRNA-pathway loss-of-function alleles. However, unlike AtAGO1, HsAGO2 was unable to rescue the ago1-27 allele. We conclude that, despite the evolutionary gulf between them, HsAGO2 is likely capable of interacting with some component/s of the Arabidopsis miRNA pathway, thereby perturbing its operation, although differences have arisen such that HsAGO2 alone is insufficient to confer efficient silencing of miRNA targets in planta

MicroR159 regulation of most conserved targets in Arabidopsis has negligible phenotypic effects

BACKGROUND A current challenge of microRNA (miRNA) research is the identification of biologically relevant miRNA:target gene relationships. In plants, high miRNA:target gene complementarity has enabled accurate target predictions, and slicing of target mRNAs has facilitated target validation through rapid amplification of 5' cDNA ends (5'-RACE) analysis. Together, these approaches have identified more than 20 targets potentially regulated by the deeply conserved miR159 family in Arabidopsis, including eight MYB genes with highly conserved miR159 target sites. However, genetic analysis has revealed the functional specificity of the major family members, miR159a and miR159b is limited to only two targets, MYB33 and MYB65. Here, we examine the functional role of miR159 regulation for the other potential MYB target genes. RESULTS For these target genes, functional analysis failed to identify miR159 regulation that resulted in any major phenotypic impact, either at the morphological or molecular level. This appears to be mainly due to the quiescent nature of the remaining family member, MIR159c. Although its expression overlaps in a temporal and spatial cell-specific manner with a subset of these targets in anthers, the abundance of miR159c is extremely low and concomitantly a mir159c mutant displays no anther defects. Examination of potential miR159c targets with conserved miR159 binding sites found neither their spatial or temporal expression domains appeared miR159 regulated, despite the detection of miR159-guided cleavage products by 5'-RACE. Moreover, expression of a miR159-resistant target (mMYB101) resulted predominantly in plants that are indistinguishable from wild type. Plants that displayed altered morphological phenotypes were found to be ectopically expressing the mMYB101 transgene, and hence were misrepresentative of the in vivo functional role of miR159. CONCLUSIONS This study presents a novel explanation for a paradox common to plant and animal miRNA systems, where among many potential miRNA-target relationships usually only a few appear physiologically relevant. The identification of a quiescent miR159c:target gene regulatory module in anthers provides a likely rationale for the presence of conserved miR159 binding sites in many targets for which miR159 regulation has no obvious functional role. Remnants from the demise of such modules may lead to an overestimation of miRNA regulatory complexity when investigated using bioinformatic, 5'-RACE or transgenic approaches.RSA was funded by an ANU postgraduate scholarship and by a CSIRO Emerging Science Initiative. JL is the recipient of an ANU international student postgraduate scholarship. This research was supported by an Australian Research Council grant DP0773270

Preacher\u27s Magazine Volume 27 Number 01

Editorials:Retrospection—Maturity—Success The Counselor’s Corner Religion and Health,” a New Magazine, Russell L. Dicks Sermon for the New Year, “The Untraveled Road,” Henry B. Wallin St. Paul on the Life of Christ, J. H. Mayfield A Wilderness Experience for the Ministry, W. Shelburne Brown Three-Minute Sermon, F. Lincicome (The New Year) The Reaction Against the Evolutionary Interpretation of the Bible, Ralph Earle A Letter from Adam Clarke to a Preacher Friend, A. S. London Service Without Servility, Eric Jorden Should Ministers Marry Christians to Unbelievers? Anonymous Working with Men, Robert Hertenstein (Deceased) No Denominational Barriers in Our Hymnal, J. Raymond Knighton, Jr. Practical:Sermon Outlines, Messages on the Messianic Psalms, John W. May The Master Evangelist, Peter Wiseman Usable Poems, Mabel Dennett, Dick Fullerton Musings of a Minister’s Wife, Mrs. W. M. Franklin The Preacher and Churchmanship, Raymond Browning Uncle Hiram Says—, Uncle Hiram Two Dozen Don’ts for a Better Pastor-Evangelist Relationship Is Your Time Your Own? J. T. Gassett The Minister’s Wife, Mrs. Harold Reed Pointed Paragraphs for Preachers, Evangelist F. Lincicomehttps://digitalcommons.olivet.edu/cotn_pm/1304/thumbnail.jp

The development of a telephone follow-up intervention for adult patients after cardiac surgery

Background: Hospital re-admission among adult patients after cardiac surgery remains high with an estimated rate of 18.7% in the United States and in Canada (Iribarne et. al., 2014). This results in additional healthcare costs and poor patient hospital experience. Although there are limited studies in the benefits of telephone follow-up in cardiac surgery, the development of this type intervention can potentially improve patient outcomes. Purpose: The main goal of this practicum project was to develop a telephone follow-up intervention for adult patients after cardiac surgery following discharge from the hospital from the Cardiac Surgery Department of Hamilton Health Sciences in Hamilton, Ontario. Methods: An integrated literature review and key stakeholder consultations were completed to help determine the content and structure of the telephone follow-up intervention. Results: The telephone follow-up intervention will involve a registered nurse (RN) performing a telephone call to the eligible patients who meet an inclusion criterion/criteria 10 days after discharge from the hospital. In addition, this practicum project includes a Telephone Follow-up Toolkit, which was created for the nursing staff, and a Telephone Follow-up Intervention after Cardiac Surgery form, which will be used for the patient interview and the documentation of information during the telephone follow-up. Conclusion: The implementation of this practicum project will assist improve the outcome and delivery of cardiac surgery services in the supporting agency. It is recommended that a pilot should be conducted for one to two months to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of this intervention

Functional independence of circadian clocks that regulate plant gene expression

AbstractBackground: Circadian clocks regulate the gene expression, metabolism and behaviour of most eukaryotes, controlling an orderly succession of physiological processes that are synchronised with the environmental day/night cycle. Central circadian pacemakers that control animal behaviour are located in the brains of insects and rodents, but the location of such a pacemaker has not been determined in plants. Peripheral plant and animal tissues also maintain circadian rhythms when isolated in culture, indicating that these tissues contain circadian clocks. The degree of autonomy that the multiple, peripheral circadian clocks have in the intact organism is unclear.Results: We used the bioluminescent luciferase reporter gene to monitor rhythmic expression from three promoters in transgenic Arabidopsis and tobacco plants. The rhythmic expression of a single gene could be set at up to three phases in different anatomical locations of a single plant, by applying light/dark treatments to restricted tissue areas. The initial phases were stably maintained after the entraining treatments ended, indicating that the circadian oscillators in intact plants are autonomous. This result held for all the vegetative plant organs and for promoters expressed in all major cell types. The rhythms of one organ were unaffected by entrainment of the rest of the plant, indicating that phase-resetting signals are also autonomous.Conclusions: Higher plants contain a spatial array of autonomous circadian clocks that regulate gene expression without a localised pacemaker. Circadian timing in plants might be less accurate but more flexible than the vertebrate circadian system

Resistance to Wheat streak mosaic virus generated by expression of an artificial polycistronic microRNA in wheat

Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) is a persistent threat to wheat production, necessitating novel approaches for protection. We developed an artificial miRNA strategy against WSMV, incorporating five amiRNAs within one polycistronic amiRNA precursor. Using miRNA sequence and folding rules, we chose five amiRNAs targeting conserved regions of WSMV but avoiding off-targets in wheat. These replaced the natural miRNA in each of five arms of the polycistronic rice miR395, producing amiRNA precursor, FanGuard (FGmiR395), which was transformed into wheat behind a constitutive promoter. Splinted ligation detected all five amiRNAs being processed in transgenic leaves. Resistance was assessed over two generations. Three types of response were observed in T 1 plants of different transgenic families: completely immune; initially resistant with resistance breaking down over time; and initially susceptible followed by plant recovery. Deep sequencing of small RNAs from inoculated leaves allowed the virus sequence to be assembled from an immune transgenic, susceptible transgenic, and susceptible non-transgenic plant; the amiRNA targets were fully conserved in all three isolates, indicating virus replication on some transgenics was not a result of mutational escape by the virus. For resistant families, the resistance segregated with the transgene. Analysis in the T 2 generation confirmed the inheritance of immunity and gave further insights into the other phenotypes. Stable resistant lines developed no symptoms and no virus by ELISA; this resistance was classified as immunity when extracts failed to transmit from inoculated leaves to test plants. This study demonstrates the utility of a polycistronic amiRNA strategy in wheat against WSMV