1,259 research outputs found
Transformation of Epichloë typhina by electroporation of conidia
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Choke, caused by the endophytic fungus <it>Epichloë typhina</it>, is an important disease affecting orchardgrass (<it>Dactylis glomerata </it>L.) seed production in the Willamette Valley. Little is known concerning the conditions necessary for successful infection of orchardgrass by <it>E. typhina</it>. Detection of <it>E. typhina </it>in plants early in the disease cycle can be difficult due to the sparse distribution of hyphae in the plant. Therefore, a sensitive method to detect fungal infection in plants would provide an invaluable tool for elucidating the conditions for establishment of infection in orchardgrass. Utilization of a marker gene, such as the green fluorescent protein (GFP), transformed into <it>Epichloë </it>will facilitate characterization of the initial stages of infection and establishment of the fungus in plants.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>We have developed a rapid, efficient, and reproducible transformation method using electroporation of germinating <it>Epichloë </it>conidia isolated from infected plants.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The GFP labelled <it>E. typhina </it>provides a valuable molecular tool to researchers studying conditions and mechanisms involved in the establishment of choke disease in orchardgrass.</p
Classification and analysis of emission-line galaxies using mean field independent component analysis
We present an analysis of the optical spectra of narrow emission-line
galaxies, based on mean field independent component analysis (MFICA). Samples
of galaxies were drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and used to
generate compact sets of `continuum' and `emission-line' component spectra.
These components can be linearly combined to reconstruct the observed spectra
of a wider sample of galaxies. Only 10 components - five continuum and five
emission line - are required to produce accurate reconstructions of essentially
all narrow emission-line galaxies; the median absolute deviations of the
reconstructed emission-line fluxes, given the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of
the observed spectra, are 1.2-1.8 sigma for the strong lines. After applying
the MFICA components to a large sample of SDSS galaxies we identify the regions
of parameter space that correspond to pure star formation and pure active
galactic nucleus (AGN) emission-line spectra, and produce high S/N
reconstructions of these spectra.
The physical properties of the pure star formation and pure AGN spectra are
investigated by means of a series of photoionization models, exploiting the
faint emission lines that can be measured in the reconstructions. We are able
to recreate the emission line strengths of the most extreme AGN case by
assuming the central engine illuminates a large number of individual clouds
with radial distance and density distributions, f(r) ~ r^gamma and g(n) ~
n^beta, respectively. The best fit is obtained with gamma = -0.75 and beta =
-1.4. From the reconstructed star formation spectra we are able to estimate the
starburst ages. These preliminary investigations serve to demonstrate the
success of the MFICA-based technique in identifying distinct emission sources,
and its potential as a tool for the detailed analysis of the physical
properties of galaxies in large-scale surveys.Comment: MNRAS accepted. 29 pages, 24 figures, 3 table
Interpreting the Ionization Sequence in AGN Emission-Line Spectra
We investigate the physical cause of the great range in the ionization level
seen in the spectra of narrow lined active galactic nuclei (AGN). Mean field
independent component analysis identifies examples of individual SDSS galaxies
whose spectra are not dominated by emission due to star formation (SF), which
we designate as AGN. We assembled high S/N ratio composite spectra of a
sequence of these AGN defined by the ionization level of their narrow-line
regions (NLR), extending down to very low-ionization cases. We used a local
optimally emitting cloud (LOC) model to fit emission-line ratios in this AGN
sequence. These included the weak lines that can be measured only in the
co-added spectra, providing consistency checks on strong line diagnostics.
After integrating over a wide range of radii and densities our models indicate
that the radial extent of the NLR is the major parameter in determining the
position of high to moderate ionization AGN along our sequence, providing a
physical interpretation for their systematic variation. Higher ionization AGN
contain optimally emitting clouds that are more concentrated towards the
central continuum source than in lower ionization AGN. Our LOC models indicate
that for the objects that lie on our AGN sequence, the ionizing luminosity is
anticorrelated with the NLR ionization level, and hence anticorrelated with the
radial concentration and physical extent of the NLR. A possible interpretation
that deserves further exploration is that the ionization sequence might be an
age sequence where low ionization objects are older and have systematically
cleared out their central regions by radiation pressure. We consider that our
AGN sequence instead represents a mixing curve of SF and AGN spectra, but argue
that while many galaxies do have this type of composite spectra, our AGN
sequence appears to be a special set of objects with negligible SF excitation.Comment: 57 pages; 18 figures, accepted by MNRA
Identification and characterization of a salt stress-inducible zinc finger protein from Festuca arundinacea
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Increased biotic and abiotic plant stresses due to climate change together with an expected global human population of over 9 billion by 2050 intensifies the demand for agricultural production on marginal lands. Soil salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses responsible for reduced crop productivity worldwide and the salinization of arable land has dramatically increased over the last few decades. Consequently, as land becomes less amenable for conventional agriculture, plants grown on marginal soils will be exposed to higher levels of soil salinity. Forage grasses are a critical component of feed used in livestock production worldwide, with many of these same species of grasses being utilized for lawns, erosion prevention, and recreation. Consequently, it is important to develop a better understanding of salt tolerance in forage and related grass species.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>A gene encoding a ZnF protein was identified during the analysis of a salt-stress suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) expression library from the forage grass species <it>Festuca arundinacea</it>. The expression pattern of <it>FaZnF </it>was compared to that of the well characterized gene for delta 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase (<it>P5CS</it>), a key enzyme in proline biosynthesis, which was also identified in the salt-stress SSH library. The <it>FaZnF </it>and <it>P5CS </it>genes were both up-regulated in response to salt and drought stresses suggesting a role in dehydration stress. <it>FaZnF </it>was also up-regulated in response to heat and wounding, suggesting that it might have a more general function in multiple abiotic stress responses. Additionally, potential downstream targets of FaZnF (a MAPK [Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase], GST [Glutathione-S-Transferase] and lipoxygenase L2) were found to be up-regulated in calli overexpressing <it>FaZnF </it>when compared to control cell lines.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This work provides evidence that FaZnF is an AN1/A20 zinc finger protein that is involved in the regulation of at least two pathways initiated by the salt stress response, thus furthering our understanding of the mechanisms of cellular action during a stress that is applicable to commercial crops worldwide.</p
Interpreting the Ionization Sequence in Star-Forming Galaxy Emission-Line Spectra
High ionization star forming (SF) galaxies are easily identified with strong
emission line techniques such as the BPT diagram, and form an obvious
ionization sequence on such diagrams. We use a locally optimally emitting cloud
model to fit emission line ratios that constrain the excitation mechanism,
spectral energy distribution, abundances and physical conditions along the
star-formation ionization sequence. Our analysis takes advantage of the
identification of a sample of pure star-forming galaxies, to define the
ionization sequence, via mean field independent component analysis. Previous
work has suggested that the major parameter controlling the ionization level in
SF galaxies is the metallicity. Here we show that the observed SF- sequence
could alternatively be interpreted primarily as a sequence in the distribution
of the ionizing flux incident on gas spread throughout a galaxy. Metallicity
variations remain necessary to model the SF-sequence, however, our best models
indicate that galaxies with the highest and lowest observed ionization levels
(outside the range -0.37 < log [O III]/H\b{eta} < -0.09) require the variation
of an additional physical parameter other than metallicity, which we determine
to be the distribution of ionizing flux in the galaxy.Comment: 41 pages, 17 figures, 9 tables, accepted to MNRA
Orthotopic cardiac transplantation after minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass
AbstractJ Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1999;117:390-
Professional Decision-Making in Research (PDR): The validity of a new measure
In this paper, we report on the development and validity of the Professional Decision-Making in Research (PDR) measure, a vignette-based test that examines decision-making strategies used by investigators when confronted with challenging situations in the context of empirical research. The PDR was administered online with a battery of validity measures to a group of NIH-funded researchers and research trainees who were diverse in terms of age, years of experience, types of research, and race. The PDR demonstrated adequate reliability (alpha = .84) and parallel form correlation (r = .70). As hypothesized, the PDR was significantly negatively correlated with narcissism, cynicism, moral disengagement, and compliance disengagement; it was not correlated with socially desirable responding. In regression analysis, the strongest predictors of higher PDR scores were low compliance disengagement, speaking English as a native language, conducting clinical research with human subjects, and low levels of narcissism. Given that the PDR was written at an eighth grade reading level to be suitable for use with English as a second language participants and that only one-fourth of items focused on clinical research, further research into the possible roles of culture and research ethics training across specialties is warranted. This initial validity study demonstrates the potential usefulness of the PDR as an educational outcome assessment measure and a research instrument for studies on professionalism and integrity in research
Control of inducible chemoresistance: Enhanced anti-tumor therapy through increased apoptosis by inhibition of NF-κB
Programmed cell death (apoptosis) seems to be the principal mechanism whereby anti-oncogenic therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation effect their responses. Resistance to apoptosis, therefore, is probably a principal mechanism whereby tumors are able to overcome these cancer therapies. The transcription factor NF-κB is activated by chemotherapy and by irradiation in some cancer cell lines. Furthermore, inhibition of NF-κB in vitro leads to enhanced apoptosis in response to a variety of different stimuli. We show here that inhibition of NF-κB through the adenoviral delivery of a modified form of IκBα, the inhibitor of NF-κB, sensitizes chemoresistant tumors to the apoptotic potential of TNFκ and of the chemotherapeutic compound CPT-11, resulting in tumor regression. These results demonstrate that the activation of NF-κB in response to chemotherapy is a principal mechanism of inducible tumor chemoresistance, and establish the inhibition of NF-κB as a new approach to adjuvant therapy in cancer treatment
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