Multi-Decadal Change of Atmospheric Aerosols and Their Effect on Surface Radiation

We present an investigation on multi-decadal changes of atmospheric aerosols and their effects on surface radiation using a global chemistry transport model along with the near-term to long-term data records. We focus on a 28-year time period of satellite era from 1980 to 2007, during which a suite of aerosol data from satellite observations and ground-based remote sensing and in-situ measurements have become available. We analyze the long-term global and regional aerosol optical depth and concentration trends and their relationship to the changes of emissions" and assess the role aerosols play in the multi-decadal change of solar radiation reaching the surface (known as "dimming" or "brightening") at different regions of the world, including the major anthropogenic source regions (North America, Europe, Asia) that have been experiencing considerable changes of emissions, dust and biomass burning regions that have large interannual variabilities, downwind regions that are directly affected by the changes in the source area, and remote regions that are considered to representing "background" conditions

A New Race (X12) of Soybean Cyst Nematode in China

The soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, is a serious economic threat to soybean-producing regions worldwide. A new SCN population (called race X12) was detected in Shanxi province, China. Race X12 could reproduce on all the indicator lines of both race and Heterodera glycines (HG) type tests. The average number of females on Lee68 (susceptible control) was 171.40 with the lowest Female Index (FI) 61.31 on PI88788 and the highest FI 117.32 on Pickett in the race test. The average number of females on Lee68 was 323.17 with the lowest FI 44.18 on PI88788 and the highest FI 97.83 on PI548316 in the HG type test. ZDD2315 and ZDD24656 are elite resistant germplasms in China. ZDD2315 is highly resistant to race 4, the strongest infection race in the 16 races with FI 1.51 while being highly sensitive to race X12 with FI 64.32. ZDD24656, a variety derived from PI437654 and ZDD2315, is highly resistant to race 1 and race 2. ZDD24656 is highly sensitive to race X12 with FI 99.12. Morphological and molecular studies of J2 and cysts confirmed the population as the SCN H. glycines. This is a new SCN race with stronger virulence than that of race 4 and is a potential threat to soybean production in China

The Role of Multiple Re-Entry Tears in Type B Aortic Dissection Progression: A Longitudinal Study Using a Controlled Swine Model

False lumen (FL) expansion often occurs in type B aortic dissection (TBAD) and has been associated with the presence of re-entry tears. This longitudinal study aims to elucidate the role of re-entry tears in the progression of TBAD using a controlled swine model, by assessing aortic hemodynamics through combined imaging and computational modeling

Multi-Decadal Change of Atmospheric Aerosols and their Effect on Surface Radiation

We present an investigation on multi-decadal changes of atmospheric aerosols and their effects on surface radiation using a global chemistry transport model, GOCART, along with the near-term to long-term data records. We focus on a 28-year time period of satellite era from 1980 to 2007 during which a suite of aerosol data from satellite observations, ground-based measurements, and intensive field experiments have become available. Particularly: (1) We compare the model calculated clear sky downward radiation at the surface with surface network data from BSRN and CMA (2) We compare the model and surface data with satellite derived downward radiation products from ISCCP and SRS (3) We analyze the long-term global and regional aerosol trends in major anthropogenic source regions (North America, Europe, Asia) that have been experiencing considerable changes of emissions during the three decades, dust and biomass burning regions that have large interannual variability, downwind regions that are directly affected by the changes in the source area, and remote regions that are considered to representing "background" conditions. The comparisons and methods from this study can be applied to multiple model analysis in the AeroCom framework

The chromodomain protein, Chromator, interacts with JIL-1 kinase and regulates the structure of Drosophila polytene chromosomes

In this study we have generated two new hypomorphic Chro alleles and analyzed the consequences of reduced Chromator protein function on polytene chromosome structure. We show that in Chro71/Chro612 mutants the polytene chromosome arms were coiled and compacted with a disruption and misalignment of band and interband regions and with numerous ectopic contacts connecting non-homologous regions. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Chromator co-localizes with the JIL-1 kinase at polytene interband regions and that the two proteins interact within the same protein complex. That both proteins are necessary and may function together is supported by the finding that a concomitant reduction in JIL-1 and Chromator function synergistically reduces viability during development. Overlay assays and deletion construct analysis suggested that the interaction between JIL-1 and Chromator is direct and that it is mediated by sequences in the C-terminal domain of Chromator and by the acidic region within the C-terminal domain of JIL-1. Taken together these findings indicate that Chromator and JIL-1 interact in an interband-specific complex that functions to establish or maintain polytene chromosome structure in Drosophila