Dynamics of male meiotic recombination frequency during plant development using Fluorescent Tagged Lines in Arabidopsis thaliana

Meiotic homologous recombination plays a central role in creating genetic variability, making it an essential biological process relevant to evolution and crop breeding. In this study, we used pollenspecific fluorescent tagged lines (FTLs) to measure male meiotic recombination frequency during the development of Arabidopsis thaliana. Interestingly, a subset of pollen grains consistently shows loss of fluorescence expression in tested lines. Using nine independent FTL intervals, the spatio-temporal dynamics of male recombination frequency was assessed during plant development, considering both shoot type and plant age as independent parameters. In most genomic intervals assayed, male meiotic recombination frequency is highly consistent during plant development, showing no significant change between different shoot types and during plant aging. However, in some genomic regions, such as I1a and I5a, a small but significant effect of either developmental position or plant age were observed, indicating that the meiotic CO frequency in those intervals varies during plant development. Furthermore, from an overall view of all nine genomic intervals assayed, both primary and tertiary shoots show a similar dynamics of increasing recombination frequency during development, while secondary and lateral shoots remain highly stable. Our results provide new insights in the dynamics of male meiotic recombination frequency during plant development

Picard groups and duality for Real Morava EE-theories

We show, at the prime 2, that the Picard group of invertible modules over $E_n^{hC_2}$ is cyclic. Here, $E_n$ is the height $n$ Lubin--Tate spectrum and its $C_2$-action is induced from the formal inverse of its associated formal group law. We further show that $E_n^{hC_2}$ is Gross--Hopkins self-dual and determine the exact shift. Our results generalize the well-known results when $n = 1$.Comment: Comments welcome. Abstract and introduction update

The First Amendment Weaponized: When Guns Become Public Discourse

This Article discusses First Amendment challenges asserted against gun control measures—inside and outside our courts. It explains at length why existing doctrinal approaches to resolving these challenges fail, providing an alternative account of why the First Amendment should not be construed liberally to protect the open carry of firearms. As guns in public spaces and protests become commonplace, we can expect not only continual First Amendment challenges to gun control measures, but also the growing prevalence of First Amendment claims asserted in the public by advocates and gun owners to justify open carry—and the forging of new constitutional meanings and social norms. This Article maps a doctrinal path that judges should take to reject these challenges while providing a conceptual language for bystanders to reassert and reclaim their rights to public safety and participation from open carriers trying to weaponize the First Amendment. To courts, the Article argues that the practice of open carry is too divorced from the value of democratic self-governance to constitute public discourse deserving of First Amendment coverage. Courts should deny First Amendment coverage to gun carry both because bearing arms in public does not facilitate the formation of public opinion and because doing so preserves the social and legal norms that exclude guns from the public sphere. These norms—encoded in commonplace gun control laws— serve important constitutional values and interests central to the First Amendment. To nonjudicial audiences, the Article calls for advocates of gun control to flip the script on these First Amendment claims and forcefully articulate the ways that guns in public spaces threaten the free and equal exercise of constitutional rights to free speech, assembly, and political participation more broadly. These First Amendment challenges illustrate the extent to which pro-gun rights movements transcend the jurisprudential boundaries of the Second Amendment. Evolving popular beliefs about the right to bear arms trickle down into popular beliefs about other, adjacent constitutional rights like the First Amendment right to freedom of speech. Through considering these First Amendment challenges to gun control measures and looking beyond their lack of judicial success, we can begin to see how popular beliefs about the right to bear arms are gradually evolving to incorporate First Amendment values. Guns are transformed into public discourse—symbols and forms of political speech

Design and Analysis of a Novel Multilevel Single Phase Interconnected H-Bridge Inverter

Inverters allow the use of residential solar power to run household appliances and electronics by converting DC to AC power just like the AC power from the grid. This study looks at the design and implementation of a novel multilevel inverter topology called a single phase interconnected H bridge inverter. By utilizing reduced switching complexity, the multilevel inverter can lower the cost of a typical inverter without sacrificing the power quality. The design is developed and analyzed through simulation and hardware testing to demonstrate a working model. Load testing is performed on the inverter output as well as analysis of a custom filter to optimize the output total harmonic distortion (THD). Results from measurements done in simulation and hardware demonstrate the functionality of the proposed inverter topology, providing quality outputs at no load condition. The thesis will also identify and offer solutions to the problems encountered during the construction and testing of the proposed inverter

Algorithms on Minimizing the Maximum Sensor Movement for Barrier Coverage of a Linear Domain

In this paper, we study the problem of moving $n$ sensors on a line to form a barrier coverage of a specified segment of the line such that the maximum moving distance of the sensors is minimized. Previously, it was an open question whether this problem on sensors with arbitrary sensing ranges is solvable in polynomial time. We settle this open question positively by giving an $O(n^2 \log n)$ time algorithm. For the special case when all sensors have the same-size sensing range, the previously best solution takes $O(n^2)$ time. We present an $O(n \log n)$ time algorithm for this case; further, if all sensors are initially located on the coverage segment, our algorithm takes $O(n)$ time. Also, we extend our techniques to the cycle version of the problem where the barrier coverage is for a simple cycle and the sensors are allowed to move only along the cycle. For sensors with the same-size sensing range, we solve the cycle version in $O(n)$ time, improving the previously best $O(n^2)$ time solution.Comment: This version corrected an error in the proof of Lemma 2 in the previous version and the version published in DCG 2013. Lemma 2 is for proving the correctness of an algorithm (see the footnote of Page 9 for why the previous proof is incorrect). Everything else of the paper does not change. All algorithms in the paper are exactly the same as before and their time complexities do not change eithe

Stories through the Camera - A Photovoice Community Health Assessment about the Impacts of Neighbourhood on Chinese Immigrant Older Adults\u27 Health

A growing public health literature indicates that neighbourhood environment plays an important role in older adults’ health. However, investigation on neighbourhood health impacts on Chinese immigrant older adults – a growing socially marginalized population in Canada – is currently missing. This study helps to fill this gap by exploring the multiple dimensions on how neighbourhood environmental factors affect Chinese immigrant older adults’ different health aspects. The purpose of this study was to understand Chinese immigrant seniors’ perspectives on healthy and harmful spaces located within their immediate neighbourhood, and the accessibility of these spaces among Chinese older adults. A Photovoice research method was used with 6 Chinese immigrant older adults from a middle-class neighbourhood in Vancouver, Canada. Research findin gs showed that neighbourhood attributes related to the built physical environment, social environment, and public/community service environment affect Chinese older adults’ physical health, diet, mental health, social health, and mobility. This study highlighted the complex interactions between different aspects of neighbourhood factors and Chinese older adults’ agency in obtaining health-benefiting resources. Future studies need to expand the concept of individual health to better understand the different interactive pathways between neighbourhood environmental factors and other health aspects

Human Capital Investments and Decision-Making in Entrepreneurship

Every year, entrepreneurs launch millions of new ventures in the hopes of transforming their new ideas of solving business problems into legitimate and successful businesses. However, the vast majority will fail for a variety of reasons, ranging from management team failures to a lack of consumer interest. To mitigate these risks, entrepreneurs commonly turn to their business models and financials, giving due diligence to ensure they have sufficient assets and growth for moving forward. However, human capital, including the employees hired, their relevant skills and knowledge, and the skills attributed to the founding team, arguably deserves significant attention as well, particularly during early phases of the startup. Not only can employees contribute toward a growing business through their personal networks and skills, but they could also be essential for general venture growth and success. Therefore, human capital investments like initial hiring efforts and long-term sustained investments both require consideration. This paper outlines the general entrepreneurial ecosystem and human capital. This provides an overview of the benefits of human capital and begins to answer the inquiry as to why human capital is both complex yet essential. Lastly, the paper poses two questions: how do ventures choose to initially invest in human capital and effectively assess associated risks, and how can entrepreneurs increase the likelihood that the investments made are beneficial for the long-term? Detailed answers are provided for both, with both serving as useful general guidelines for entrepreneurs to follow.Managemen

Reconstitution of protein targeting to the inner envelope membrane of chloroplasts

The chloroplast envelope plays critical roles in the synthesis and regulated transport of key metabolites, including intermediates in photosynthesis and lipid metabolism. Despite this importance, the biogenesis of the envelope membranes has not been investigated in detail. To identify the determinants of protein targeting to the inner envelope membrane (IM), we investigated the targeting of the nucleus-encoded integral IM protein, atTic40. We found that pre-atTic40 is imported into chloroplasts and processed to an intermediate size (int-atTic40) before insertion into the IM. Int-atTic40 is soluble and inserts into the IM from the internal stromal compartment. We also show that atTic40 and a second IM protein, atTic110, can target and insert into isolated IM vesicles in vitro. Collectively, our experiments are consistent with a “postimport” mechanism in which the IM proteins are first imported from the cytoplasm and subsequently inserted into the IM from the stroma