The Role of bHLHm1 in Phytohormone Signalling in Legume Nodules and Roots

The GmbHLHm1 is a basic Helix-Loop-Helix membrane (bHLHm) DNA-binding transcription factor localized on the symbiosome cellular membrane. It regulates NH4+ transporters (AMFs) and nitrogen transporters (NRTs). RNAi-Silenced GmbHLHm1 transgenic hairy roots led to reduced nodulation, nitrogen fixation, and impaired plant growth. Overexpression of the GmbHLHm1 significantly induced nodulation, nitrogen fixation, , and enhanced plant growth. These results indicate that GmbHLHm1 plays an important role in nodulation and symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Long-term GA had a structural impact on the nodule, leading to a reduced expression of GmbHLHm1 and nitrogenase activity. GA application promoted shoot height on both the wildtype and RNAi- Silenced GmbHLHm1 transgenic hairy roots, indicating that induced shoot height is independent of GmbHLHm1 expression in roots. Extended IAA treatments induced GmbHLHm1 expression and enlarged nodules, while not changing the nodule biomass at the whole plant level. IAA treatment on GmbHLHm1-silenced nodules showed induced nodule size but not an increase in the nitrogen fixation area, indicating that auxin only improves the size of nodules, not the nitrogen fixation capability. The GmbHLHm1 promoter-GUS was mainly targeted to the infected cells and the nucleus of those cells. The GA treatment reduced the expression of the GmbHLHm1 in the infected region and repressed GmbHLHm1 expression in most of the outer layer cells. Yeast One-Hybrid experiments discovered five annotated proteins interact with the promoter of GmbHLHm1, and eleven for GmAMF3, including proteins related to both nodulation, membrane-localized proteins. With interrupted LjbHLHm1.1 expression in Lotus japonicus , plants had unhealthy nodule sand nitrogen deficiency symptoms, indicating the LjbHLHm1.1 expression plays an important role in L. japonicus growth and nodulation. L. japonicus plants and LjbHLHm1.1 mutant showed similar response to long-term GA treatment, as soybeans

How do firms in strategic emerging industries influence their peers’ innovation strategies?

Drawing on signaling theory, peer effect, and the awarenessmotivation-capability (AMC) framework, we examine the role of strategic emerging industries (SEI) firms in raising the awareness and motivation of non-SEI firms’ R&D activities, including gaining government R&D subsidies and adopting internal R&D investment, while considering the moderate effect of non-SEI firms’ capability factor. Based on the data of Chinese listed firms from SEI and non-SEI, the empirical results reveal that (a) the number of SEI firms funded by government R&D has an inverted U-shape relationship with the amount that non-SEI firms gain from government R&D subsidies, and has a positive relationship with the investment of non-SEI firms on internal R&D. (b) The financial performance of SEI firms funded by government R&D motivates nonSEI firms to gain government R&D subsidies and invest in internal R&D. (c) These relationships are strengthened by the relative scale of the non-SEI firms

A Study of Cluster-based System for Information Exploration

Researchers always need to find publication to support their study. Traditionally, researchers will search in an information retrieval system where researchers input a query and obtain a ranked list of retrieved results. However, traditional information retrieval systems cannot help researchers if they are in anomalous state of knowledge. Due to linguistic barriers or lack of knowledge in a field, researchers may be unable to specify a query and thus, unable to do an efficient and effective publications search. A cluster-based information retrieval system will be designed to resolve the problem by presenting a topic map. The purpose of this study is to see whether such a system could help researchers in exploring information.Master of Science in Information Scienc

Linear Network Coding Based Fast Data Synchronization for Wireless Ad Hoc Networks with Controlled Topology

Fast data synchronization in wireless ad hoc networks is a challenging and critical problem. It is fundamental for efficient information fusion, control and decision in distributed systems. Previously, distributed data synchronization was mainly studied in the latency-tolerant distributed databases, or assuming the general model of wireless ad hoc networks. In this paper, we propose a pair of linear network coding (NC) and all-to-all broadcast based fast data synchronization algorithms for wireless ad hoc networks whose topology is under operator's control. We consider both data block selection and transmitting node selection for exploiting the benefits of NC. Instead of using the store-and-forward protocol as in the conventional uncoded approach, a compute-and-forward protocol is used in our scheme, which improves the transmission efficiency. The performance of the proposed algorithms is studied under different values of network size, network connection degree, and per-hop packet error rate. Simulation results demonstrate that our algorithms significantly reduce the times slots used for data synchronization compared with the baseline that does not use NC.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures, published on China Communications, vol. 19, no. 5, May 202

International Doctoral Students Negotiating Support from Interpersonal Relationships and Institutional Resources During COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected international students around the world. Chinese international students are challenged in their daily life and study due to the travel restrictions, disruption of research, closure of labs, and the rise of anti-Asian racism. This study investigates the challenges, especially psychological ones, faced by international doctoral students from China studying in the U.S. and explores how their social networks and support systems help them navigate their life and study during the pandemic. In light of social networks and support theory, we interviewed 20 Chinese international doctoral students studying in the U.S. and found that falling in between intimate relationships and student-institution relationships, academic departments and advisors are able to provide all types of support, namely, instrumental, informational, and emotional. Their ability to provide emotional support was heavily overlooked, especially during a global crisis. Concerted efforts must urgently be put together to deal with the mental health of international doctoral students on campus and rebuild a supportive and hospitable U.S. higher education system. This study can contribute to the scholarship of international higher education by capturing international doctoral student experiences and perceptions in this crucial time and assesses higher education institutions’ capability to support international students