Transcriptome analysis of hepatic gene expression and DNA methylation in methionine- and betaine-supplemented geese (Anser cygnoides domesticus)

Dietary methionine (Met) restriction produces a coordinated series of transcriptional responses in the liver that limits growth performance and amino acid metabolism. Methyl donor supplementation with betaine (Bet) may protect against this disturbance and affect the molecular basis of gene regulation. However, a lack of genetic information remains an obstacle to understand the mechanisms underlying the relationship between Met and Bet supplementation and its effects on genetic mechanisms. The goal of this study was to identify the effects of dietary supplementation of Met and Bet on growth performance, transcriptomic gene expression, and epigenetic mechanisms in geese on a Met-deficient diet. One hundred and fifty 21-day-old healthy male Yangzhou geese of similar body weight were randomly distributed into 3 groups with 5 replicates per treatment and 10 geese per replicate: Met-deficient diet (Control), Control+1.2 g/kg of Met (Met), and Control+0.6 g/kg of Bet (Bet). All geese had free access to the diet and water throughout rearing. Our results indicated that supplementation of 1.2 g/kg of Met in Met-deficient feed increased growth performance and plasma homocysteine (HCY) levels, indicating increased transsulfuration flux in the liver. Supplementation of 0.6 g/kg Bet had no apparent sparing effect on Met needs for growth performance in growing geese. The expression of many genes critical for Met metabolism is increased in Met supplementation group. In the Bet-supplemented group, genes involved in energy production and conversion were up-regulated. Dietary supplementation with Bet and Met also altered DNA methylation. We observed changes in the methylation of the LOC106032502 promoter and corresponding changes in mRNA expression. In conclusion, Met and Bet supplementation in geese affects the transcriptional regulatory network and alters the hepatic DNA methylation of LOC106032502

Isothermal Fatigue and Creep-Fatigue Interaction Behavior of Nickel-Base Directionally Solidified Superalloy

The creep-fatigue interaction in directionally solidified nickel-base superalloy was analyzed with the modified Chaboche-based unified viscoplasticity constitutive model. The model features the anisotropic material behavior, hardening/ softening, and stress relaxation. Simple low-cyclic fatigue and specified hold time experiments were conducted on a directionally solidified superalloy (DZ125) at temperatures over 760°C. The material parameters were optimized considering its tensile, cyclic and creep behavior with the Levenberg–Marquardt optimization procedure. The model was constructed in FORTRAN and integrated in FEA software UMAT/ABAQUS. The results show that experimental and simulated hysteresis loop size/shape, peak stresses, stress relaxation, and related areas are closely matched. The modified constitutive model was found to be instrumental for revealing the fatigue and creep-fatigue interaction behavior of such materials and can be used for practical applications.Взаимодействие ползучести и усталости в суперсплаве на основе никеля, полученного направленной кристаллизацией, проанализировано с помощью модифицированной унифицированной определяющей модели вязкопластичности Шабоша. Модель характеризует анизотропное поведение материала, упрочнение/разупрочнение и релаксацию напряжений. Эксперименты по определению малоцикловой усталости и времени пребывания выполнены на суперсплаве (DZ125) при температурах выше 760°С. Параметры материала оптимизированы с учетом его поведения при растяжении, циклической нагрузке и ползучести при помощи метода оптимизации Левенберга–Марквардта. Модель построена на языке ФОРТРАН и интегрирована в программу FEА UMAT/ABAQUS. Показано, что экспериментальные и модельные размеры/ форма петли гистерезиса, пиковые напряжения, релаксация напряжений и их область находятся в соответствии. Установлено, что модифицированную определяющую модель целесообразно применять при анализе усталости и взаимодействия ползучести и усталости подобных материалов, она может также найти практическое применение

Perturbation analysis for periodic heat transfer in radiating fins

A perturbation analysis is presented for periodic heat transfer in radiating fins of uniform thickness. The base temperature is assumed to oscillate around a mean value. The perturbation expansion is carried out in terms of dimensionless amplitude ɛ of the base temperature oscillation. The zero-order problem which is nonlinear, and corresponds to the steady state fin behaviour, is solved by quasilinearization. A method of complex combination is used to reduce both the first and the second order problems to two, coupled linear boundary value problems which are subsequently solved by a noniterative numerical scheme. The second-order term is composed of an oscillatory component with twice the frequency of base temperature oscillation and a time-independent term which causes a net change in the steady state values of temperature and heat transfer rate. Within the range of parameters used, the net effect is to decrease the mean temperature and increase the mean heat transfer rate. This is in constrast to the linear case of convecting fins where the mean values are unaffected by base temperature oscillations. Detailed numerical results are presented illustrating the effects of fin parameter N and dimensionless frequency B on temperature distribution, heat transfer rate, and time-average fin efficiency. The time-average fin efficiency is found to reduce significantly at low N and high B. Eine Störungsanalyse wird für periodische Wärmeübertragung in Strahlungsrippen gleicher Dicke vorgelegt. Die Fußtemperatur wird als um einen Mittelwert schwingend angenommen. Die Störungsentwicklung wird in Termen einer dimensionslosen Amplitude e dieser Schwingung angesetzt. Das Problem nullter Ordnung, das nichtlinear ist und dem stationären Verhalten der Rippe entspricht, wird durch Quasilinearisierung gelöst. Eine Methode der komplexen Kombination wird angewandt, um die Probleme erster und zweiter Ordnung auf zwei gekoppelte Grenzwertprobleme zu reduzieren, die nacheinander nach einem nichtiterativen Schema gelöst werden. Der Term zweiter Ordnung besteht aus einer Schwingungskomponente mit der doppelten Frequenz der Schwingung der Fußtemperatur und einem zeitunabhängigen Term, der eine Nettoänderung der stationären Werte der Temperatur und der Wärmeübertragung verursacht. Im verwendeten Bereich der Parameter tritt eine Abnahme der mittleren Temperatur und eine Zunahme der mittleren Wärmeübertragung auf. Das steht im Gegensatz zum linearen Fall der Konvektionsrippe, bei dem die Mittelwerte durch Schwingungen der Fußtemperatur nicht beeinflußt werden. Detaillierte numerische Ergebnisse zeigen die Einflüsse des Rippenparameters N und der dimensionslosen Frequenz B auf Temperatur Verteilung, Wärmeübertragung und zeitliches Mittel des Rippengütegrades. Dieses zeitliche Mittel nimmt merklich ab bei kleinem N und hohem B.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46652/1/231_2005_Article_BF01003645.pd

Observing the First Stars and Black Holes

The high sensitivity of JWST will open a new window on the end of the cosmological dark ages. Small stellar clusters, with a stellar mass of several 10^6 M_sun, and low-mass black holes (BHs), with a mass of several 10^5 M_sun should be directly detectable out to redshift z=10, and individual supernovae (SNe) and gamma ray burst (GRB) afterglows are bright enough to be visible beyond this redshift. Dense primordial gas, in the process of collapsing from large scales to form protogalaxies, may also be possible to image through diffuse recombination line emission, possibly even before stars or BHs are formed. In this article, I discuss the key physical processes that are expected to have determined the sizes of the first star-clusters and black holes, and the prospect of studying these objects by direct detections with JWST and with other instruments. The direct light emitted by the very first stellar clusters and intermediate-mass black holes at z>10 will likely fall below JWST's detection threshold. However, JWST could reveal a decline at the faint-end of the high-redshift luminosity function, and thereby shed light on radiative and other feedback effects that operate at these early epochs. JWST will also have the sensitivity to detect individual SNe from beyond z=10. In a dedicated survey lasting for several weeks, thousands of SNe could be detected at z>6, with a redshift distribution extending to the formation of the very first stars at z>15. Using these SNe as tracers may be the only method to map out the earliest stages of the cosmic star-formation history. Finally, we point out that studying the earliest objects at high redshift will also offer a new window on the primordial power spectrum, on 100 times smaller scales than probed by current large-scale structure data.Comment: Invited contribution to "Astrophysics in the Next Decade: JWST and Concurrent Facilities", Astrophysics & Space Science Library, Eds. H. Thronson, A. Tielens, M. Stiavelli, Springer: Dordrecht (2008

Fungal diversity notes 253–366: taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions to fungal taxa

Notes on 113 fungal taxa are compiled in this paper, including 11 new genera, 89 new species, one new subspecies, three new combinations and seven reference specimens. A wide geographic and taxonomic range of fungal taxa are detailed. In the Ascomycota the new genera Angustospora (Testudinaceae), Camporesia (Xylariaceae), Clematidis, Crassiparies (Pleosporales genera incertae sedis), Farasanispora, Longiostiolum (Pleosporales genera incertae sedis), Multilocularia (Parabambusicolaceae), Neophaeocryptopus (Dothideaceae), Parameliola (Pleosporales genera incertae sedis), and Towyspora (Lentitheciaceae) are introduced. Newly introduced species are Angustospora nilensis, Aniptodera aquibella, Annulohypoxylon albidiscum, Astrocystis thailandica, Camporesia sambuci, Clematidis italica, Colletotrichum menispermi, C. quinquefoliae, Comoclathris pimpinellae, Crassiparies quadrisporus, Cytospora salicicola, Diatrype thailandica, Dothiorella rhamni, Durotheca macrostroma, Farasanispora avicenniae, Halorosellinia rhizophorae, Humicola koreana, Hypoxylon lilloi, Kirschsteiniothelia tectonae, Lindgomyces okinawaensis, Longiostiolum tectonae, Lophiostoma pseudoarmatisporum, Moelleriella phukhiaoensis, M. pongdueatensis, Mucoharknessia anthoxanthi, Multilocularia bambusae, Multiseptospora thysanolaenae, Neophaeocryptopus cytisi, Ocellularia arachchigei, O. ratnapurensis, Ochronectria thailandica, Ophiocordyceps karstii, Parameliola acaciae, P. dimocarpi, Parastagonospora cumpignensis, Pseudodidymosphaeria phlei, Polyplosphaeria thailandica, Pseudolachnella brevifusiformis, Psiloglonium macrosporum, Rhabdodiscus albodenticulatus, Rosellinia chiangmaiensis, Saccothecium rubi, Seimatosporium pseudocornii, S. pseudorosae, Sigarispora ononidis and Towyspora aestuari. New combinations are provided for Eutiarosporella dactylidis (sexual morph described and illustrated) and Pseudocamarosporium pini. Descriptions, illustrations and / or reference specimens are designated for Aposphaeria corallinolutea, Cryptovalsa ampelina, Dothiorella vidmadera, Ophiocordyceps formosana, Petrakia echinata, Phragmoporthe conformis and Pseudocamarosporium pini. The new species of Basidiomycota are Agaricus coccyginus, A. luteofibrillosus, Amanita atrobrunnea, A. digitosa, A. gleocystidiosa, A. pyriformis, A. strobilipes, Bondarzewia tibetica, Cortinarius albosericeus, C. badioflavidus, C. dentigratus, C. duboisensis, C. fragrantissimus, C. roseobasilis, C. vinaceobrunneus, C. vinaceogrisescens, C. wahkiacus, Cyanoboletus hymenoglutinosus, Fomitiporia atlantica, F. subtilissima, Ganoderma wuzhishanensis, Inonotus shoreicola, Lactifluus armeniacus, L. ramipilosus, Leccinum indoaurantiacum, Musumecia alpina, M. sardoa, Russula amethystina subp. tengii and R. wangii are introduced. Descriptions, illustrations, notes and / or reference specimens are designated for Clarkeinda trachodes, Dentocorticium ussuricum, Galzinia longibasidia, Lentinus stuppeus and Leptocorticium tenellum. The other new genera, species new combinations are Anaeromyces robustus, Neocallimastix californiae and Piromyces finnis from Neocallimastigomycota, Phytophthora estuarina, P. rhizophorae, Salispina, S. intermedia, S. lobata and S. spinosa from Oomycota, and Absidia stercoraria, Gongronella orasabula, Mortierella calciphila, Mucor caatinguensis, M. koreanus, M. merdicola and Rhizopus koreanus in Zygomycota

Why do we differ in number sense? Evidence from a genetically sensitive investigation

Basic intellectual abilities of quantity and numerosity estimation have been detected across animal species. Such abilities are referred to as ‘number sense’. For human species, individual differences in number sense are detectable early in life, persist in later development, and relate to general intelligence. The origins of these individual differences are unknown. To address this question, we conducted the first large-scale genetically sensitive investigation of number sense, assessing numerosity discrimination abilities in 837 pairs of monozygotic and 1422 pairs of dizygotic 16-year-old twin pairs. Univariate genetic analysis of the twin data revealed that number sense is modestly heritable (32%), with individual differences being largely explained by non-shared environmental influences (68%) and no contribution from shared environmental factors. Sex-Limitation model fitting revealed no differences between males and females in the etiology of individual differences in number sense abilities. We also carried out Genome-wide Complex Trait Analysis (GCTA) that estimates the population variance explained by additive effects of DNA differences among unrelated individuals. For 1118 unrelated individuals in our sample with genotyping information on 1.7 million DNA markers, GCTA estimated zero heritability for number sense, unlike other cognitive abilities in the same twin study where the GCTA heritability estimates were about 25%. The low heritability of number sense, observed in this study, is consistent with the directional selection explanation whereby additive genetic variance for evolutionary important traits is reduced

Maneuvering target tracking of UAV based on MN-DDPG and transfer learning

© 2020 The Authors Tracking maneuvering target in real time autonomously and accurately in an uncertain environment is one of the challenging missions for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In this paper, aiming to address the control problem of maneuvering target tracking and obstacle avoidance, an online path planning approach for UAV is developed based on deep reinforcement learning. Through end-to-end learning powered by neural networks, the proposed approach can achieve the perception of the environment and continuous motion output control. This proposed approach includes: (1) A deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG)-based control framework to provide learning and autonomous decision-making capability for UAVs; (2) An improved method named MN-DDPG for introducing a type of mixed noises to assist UAV with exploring stochastic strategies for online optimal planning; and (3) An algorithm of task-decomposition and pre-training for efficient transfer learning to improve the generalization capability of UAV's control model built based on MN-DDPG. The experimental simulation results have verified that the proposed approach can achieve good self-adaptive adjustment of UAV's flight attitude in the tasks of maneuvering target tracking with a significant improvement in generalization capability and training efficiency of UAV tracking controller in uncertain environments