User's manual for RAVFAC - A radiation view factor digital computer program

Contour integrals and finite difference in Radiation View Digital Computer Progra

Radiation view factor program

Computer program, RAVFAC, calculates diffuse radiation view factors, using contour integrals. Technique is combined with finite difference /double summation/ technique to compose total program package

Modification to the shading routine in the HREC orbital drag coefficient computer program Final report

Shading and pre-shading techniques for modified orbital drag coefficient computer progra

TcOPT3, a Member of Oligopeptide Transporters from the Hyperaccumulator Thlaspi caerulescens, Is a Novel Fe/Zn/Cd/Cu Transporter

BACKGROUND: Thlaspi caerulescens is a natural selected heavy metal hyperaccumulator that can not only tolerate but also accumulate extremely high levels of heavy metals in the shoots. Thus, to identify the transportors involved in metal long-distance transportation is very important for understanding the mechanism of heavy metal accumulation in this hyperaccumulator. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We cloned and characterized a novel gene TcOPT3 of OPT family from T. caerulescens. TcOPT3 was pronouncedly expressed in aerial parts, including stem and leaf. Moreover, in situ hybridization analyses showed that TcOPT3 expressed in the plant vascular systems, especially in the pericycle cells that may be involved in the long-distance transportation. The expression of TcOPT3 was highly induced by iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiency, especially in the stem and leaf. Sub-cellular localization showed that TcOPT3 was a plasma membrane-localized protein. Furthermore, heterogonous expression of TcOPT3 by mutant yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) complementation experiments demonstrated that TcOPT3 could transport Fe(2+) and Zn(2+). Moreover, expression of TcOPT3 in yeast increased metal (Fe, Zn, Cu and Cd) accumulation and resulted in an increased sensitivity to cadmium (Cd) and copper (Cu). CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrated that TcOPT3 might encode an Fe/Zn/Cd/Cu influx transporter with broad-substrate. This is the first report showing that TcOPT3 may be involved in metal long-distance transportation and contribute to the heavy metal hyperaccumulation

Genome-wide transcriptional profiling of appressorium development by the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae.

addresses: College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.notes: PMCID: PMC3276559The rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae is one of the most significant pathogens affecting global food security. To cause rice blast disease the fungus elaborates a specialised infection structure called an appressorium. Here, we report genome wide transcriptional profile analysis of appressorium development using next generation sequencing (NGS). We performed both RNA-Seq and High-Throughput SuperSAGE analysis to compare the utility of these procedures for identifying differential gene expression in M. oryzae. We then analysed global patterns of gene expression during appressorium development. We show evidence for large-scale gene expression changes, highlighting the role of autophagy, lipid metabolism and melanin biosynthesis in appressorium differentiation. We reveal the role of the Pmk1 MAP kinase as a key global regulator of appressorium-associated gene expression. We also provide evidence for differential expression of transporter-encoding gene families and specific high level expression of genes involved in quinate uptake and utilization, consistent with pathogen-mediated perturbation of host metabolism during plant infection. When considered together, these data provide a comprehensive high-resolution analysis of gene expression changes associated with cellular differentiation that will provide a key resource for understanding the biology of rice blast disease

Preparation and characterization of glass beads for use in thermionic gas chromatographic detectors

Glass beads containing rubidium or cesium can be prepared from either laboratory glass or synthetic glass mixtures. The sensitivity in the nitrogen-phosphorus mode was highest when the Na/sub 2/O/B/sub 2/O/sub 3/ ratio was larger than unity or when there was a high rubidium or cesium concentration. Beads containing no sodium showed the lowest noise and greatest stability. Linearities ranged from 3 to 11 x 10/sup 3/. Detectabilities of 40 to 70 x 10/sup -13/ g/sec and 1.5 to 8 x 10/sup -13/ g/sec were typical for azobenzene and malathion, respectively, in the N-P mode. In the phosphorous mode, the corresponding detectabilities were 20 to 8900 x 10/sup -13/ g/sec and 1 to 120 x 10/sup -13/ g/sec