Efficient Multi-Scale Attention Module with Cross-Spatial Learning

Remarkable effectiveness of the channel or spatial attention mechanisms for producing more discernible feature representation are illustrated in various computer vision tasks. However, modeling the cross-channel relationships with channel dimensionality reduction may bring side effect in extracting deep visual representations. In this paper, a novel efficient multi-scale attention (EMA) module is proposed. Focusing on retaining the information on per channel and decreasing the computational overhead, we reshape the partly channels into the batch dimensions and group the channel dimensions into multiple sub-features which make the spatial semantic features well-distributed inside each feature group. Specifically, apart from encoding the global information to re-calibrate the channel-wise weight in each parallel branch, the output features of the two parallel branches are further aggregated by a cross-dimension interaction for capturing pixel-level pairwise relationship. We conduct extensive ablation studies and experiments on image classification and object detection tasks with popular benchmarks (e.g., CIFAR-100, ImageNet-1k, MS COCO and VisDrone2019) for evaluating its performance.Comment: Accepted to ICASSP202

Genetic mapping of AhVt1, a novel genetic locus that confers the variegated testa color in cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and its utilization for marker-assisted selection

IntroductionPeanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important cash crop worldwide. Compared with the ordinary peanut with pure pink testa, peanut with variegated testa color has attractive appearance and a higher market value. In addition, the variegated testa represents a distinct regulation pattern of anthocyanin accumulation in integument cells.MethodsIn order to identify the genetic locus underlying variegated testa color in peanut, two populations were constructed from the crosses between Fuhua 8 (pure-pink testa) and Wucai (red on white variegated testa), Quanhonghua 1 (pure-red testa) and Wucai, respectively. Genetic analysis and bulked sergeant analysis sequencing were applied to detect and identify the genetic locus for variegated testa color. Marker-assisted selection was used to develop new variegated testa peanut lines.ResultsAs a result, all the seeds harvested from the F1 individuals of both populations showed the variegated testa type with white trace. Genetic analysis revealed that the pigmentation of colored region in red on white variegated testa was controlled by a previous reported gene AhRt1, while the formation of white region (un-pigmented region) in variegated testa was controlled by another single genetic locus. This locus, named as AhVt1 (Arachis hypogaea Variegated Testa 1), was preliminary mapped on chromosome 08 through bulked sergeant analysis sequencing. Using a secondary mapping population derived from the cross between Fuhua 8 and Wucai, AhVt1 was further mapped to a 1.89-Mb genomic interval by linkage analysis, and several potential genes associated with the uneven distribution of anthocyanin, such as MADS-box, MYB, and Chalcone synthase-like protein, were harbored in the region. Moreover, the molecular markers closely linked to the AhVt1 were developed, and the new variegated testa peanut lines were obtained with the help of marker-assisted selection.ConclusionOur findings will accelerate the breeding program for developing new peanut varieties with “colorful” testa colors and laid a foundation for map-based cloning of gene responsible for variegated testa

A Major and Stable QTL for Bacterial Wilt Resistance on Chromosome B02 Identified Using a High-Density SNP-Based Genetic Linkage Map in Cultivated Peanut Yuanza 9102 Derived Population

Bacterial wilt (BW) is one of the important diseases limiting the production of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) worldwide. The sufficient precise information on the quantitative trait loci (QTL) for BW resistance is essential for facilitating gene mining and applying in molecular breeding. Cultivar Yuanza 9102 is BW resistant, bred from wide cross between cultivated peanut Baisha 1016 and a wild diploid peanut species A. chacoense with BW resistance. In this study, we aim to map the major QTLs related to BW-resistance in Yuanza 9102. A high density SNP-based genetic linkage map was constructed through double-digest restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) technique based on Yuanza 9102 derived recombinant inbred lines (RILs) population. The map contained 2,187 SNP markers distributed on 20 linkage groups (LGs) spanning 1566.10 cM, and showed good synteny with AA genome from A. duranensis and BB genome from A. ipaensis. Phenotypic frequencies of BW resistance among RIL population showed two-peak distribution in four environments. Four QTLs explaining 5.49 to 23.22% phenotypic variance were identified to be all located on chromosome B02. The major QTL, qBWB02.1 (12.17–23.33% phenotypic variation explained), was detected in three environments showing consistent and stable expression. Furthermore, there was positive additive effect among these major and minor QTLs. The major QTL region was mapped to a region covering 2.3 Mb of the pseudomolecule B02 of A. ipaensis which resides in 21 nucleotide-binding site -leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) encoding genes. The result of the major stable QTL (qBWB02.1) not only offers good foundation for discovery of BW resistant gene but also provide opportunity for deployment of the QTL in marker-assisted breeding in peanut

Gene expression and DNA methylation altering lead to the high oil content in wild allotetraploid peanut (A. monticola)

IntroductionThe wild allotetraploid peanut Arachis monticola contains a higher oil content than the cultivated allotetraploid Arachis hypogaea. Besides the fact that increasing oil content is the most important peanut breeding objective, a proper understanding of its molecular mechanism controlling oil accumulation is still lacking.MethodsWe investigated this aspect by performing comparative transcriptomics from developing seeds between three wild and five cultivated peanut varieties.ResultsThe analyses not only showed species-specific grouping transcriptional profiles but also detected two gene clusters with divergent expression patterns between two species enriched in lipid metabolism. Further analysis revealed that expression alteration of lipid metabolic genes with co-expressed transcription factors in wild peanut led to enhanced activity of oil biogenesis and retarded the rate of lipid degradation. In addition, bisulfite sequencing was conducted to characterize the variation of DNA methylation between wild allotetraploid (245, WH 10025) and cultivated allotetraploid (Z16, Zhh 7720) genotypes. CG and CHG context methylation was found to antagonistically correlate with gene expression during seed development. Differentially methylated region analysis and transgenic assay further illustrated that variations of DNA methylation between wild and cultivated peanuts could affect the oil content via altering the expression of peroxisomal acyl transporter protein (Araip.H6S1B).DiscussionFrom the results, we deduced that DNA methylation may negatively regulate lipid metabolic genes and transcription factors to subtly affect oil accumulation divergence between wild and cultivated peanuts. Our work provided the first glimpse on the regulatory mechanism of gene expression altering for oil accumulation in wild peanut and gene resources for future breeding applications

Quaternary vegetation history in Hungary

Detailed information of SSR markers used for genotyping the RIL population. (XLSX 49 kb

Chicken GLUT4 undergoes complex alternative splicing events and its expression in striated muscle changes dramatically during development

ABSTRACT: Glucose transporter protein 4 (GLUT4) plays an important role in regulating insulin-mediated glucose homeostasis in mammals. Until now, studies on GLUT4 have focused on mammals mostly, while chicken GLUT4 has been rarely investigated. In this study, chicken GLUT4 mRNA sequences were obtained by combining conventional amplification, 5′- and 3′- rapid amplification of cDNA ends technique (RACE), then bioinformatics analysis on its genomic structure, splicing pattern, subcellular localization prediction and homologous comparisons were carried out. In addition, the distribution of GLUT4 was detected by RT-qPCR in bird′s liver and striated muscles (cardiac muscle, pectoralis and leg muscle) at different ages, including embryonic day 14 (E14), E19, 7-day-old (D7), D21 and D49 (n = 3–4). Results showed that chicken GLUT4 gene produced at least 14 transcripts (GenBank accession No: OP491293-OP491306) through alternative splicing and polyadenylation, which predicted encoding 12 types of amino acid (AA) sequences (with length ranged from 65 AA to 519 AA). These proteins contain typical major facilitator superfamily domain of glucose transporters with length variations, sharing a common sequence of 59 AA, and were predicted to have distinct subcellular localization. The dominant transcript (named as T1) consists of 11 exons with an open reading frame being predicted encoding 519 AA. In addition, analyzing on the spatio-temporal expression of chicken GLUT4 showed it dominantly expressed in pectoralis, leg muscles and cardiac muscle, and the mRNA level of chicken GLUT4 dramatically fluctuated with birds′ development in cardiac muscle, pectoralis and leg muscles, with the level at D21 significantly higher than that at E14, E19, and D49 (P < 0.05). These data indicated that chicken GLUT4 undergoes complex alternative splicing events, and GLUT4 expression level in striated muscle was subjected to dynamic regulation with birds′ development. Results indicate these isoforms may play overlapping and distinct roles in chicken

Utilizing a Photocatalysis Process to Achieve a Cathode with Low Charging Overpotential and High Cycling Durability for a Li-O2 Battery

The practical applications of non-aqueous lithium-oxygen batteries are impeded by large overpotentials and unsatisfactory cycling durability. Reported here is that commonly encountered fatal problems can be efficiently solved by using a carbon- and binder-free electrode of titanium coated with TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNAs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Ultraviolet irradiation of the TNAs generates positively charged holes, which efficiently decompose Li2O2 and Li2CO3 during recharging, thereby reducing the overpotential to one that is near the equilibrium potential for Li2O2 formation. The AuNPs promote Li2O2 formation, resulting in a large discharge capacity. The electrode exhibits excellent stability with about 100 % coulombic efficiency during continuous cycling of up to 200 cycles, which is due to the carbon- and binder-free composition. This work reveals a new strategy towards the development of highly efficient oxygen electrode materials for lithium-oxygen batteries.</p

Effect of O2 adsorption on the termination of Li–O2 batteries discharge

Lithium-oxygen (Li–O2) batteries can exhibit high theoretical energy density and be surely suitable for potential energy storage. However, they suffer from early discharge termination and consequently low practical capacity, which has been regarded as the blockage of the diffusion of oxygen and the electron transfer on cathode surface. Herein, based on experimental results and theoretical simulation, it is confirmed that the discharge termination is largely caused by the surface adsorption of oxygen and the corresponding reaction intermediates. A TiO2-coated binder-free carbon paper has been prepared and used as cathode for Li–O2 battery. During the first discharge, the discharge plateau at ca. 2.55 V has not been observed due to the weak adsorption of oxygen on TiO2 surface, indicative of an early discharge termination of Li–O2 battery. It is further identified that the formed vacancies on TiO2 surface during lithiation/delithiation prevents the early discharge termination. Therefore, the interaction between oxygen and electrode surface plays a key role in discharge termination mechanism of Li–O2 batteries.</p

Functional Characterization of Calcineurin Homologs <em>PsCNA1/PsCNB1</em> in <em>Puccinia striiformis</em> f. sp. <em>tritici</em> Using a Host-Induced RNAi System

<div><p>Calcineurin plays a key role in morphogenesis, pathogenesis and drug resistance in most fungi. However, the function of calcineurin genes in <em>Puccinia striiformis</em> f. sp. <em>tritici</em> (<em>Pst</em>) is unclear. We identified and characterized the calcineurin genes <em>PsCNA1</em> and <em>PsCNB1</em> in <em>Pst.</em> Phylogenetic analyses indicate that <em>Ps</em>CNA1 and <em>Ps</em>CNB1 form a calcium/calmodulin regulated protein phosphatase belonging to the calcineurin heterodimers composed of subunits A and B. Quantitative RT-PCR analyses revealed that both <em>PsCNA1</em> and <em>PsCNB1</em> expression reached their maximum in the stage of haustorium formation, which is one day after inoculation. Using barely stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) as a transient expression vector in wheat, the expression of <em>PsCNA1</em> and <em>PsCNB1</em> in <em>Pst</em> was suppressed, leading to slower extension of fungal hyphae and reduced production of urediospores. The immune-suppressive drugs cyclosporin A and FK506 markedly reduced the germination rates of urediospores, and when germination did occur, more than two germtubes were produced. These results suggest that the calcineurin signaling pathway participates in stripe rust morphogenetic differentiation, especially the formation of haustoria during the early stage of infection and during the production of urediospores. Therefore <em>PsCNA1</em> and <em>PsCNB1</em> can be considered important pathogenicity genes involved in the wheat-<em>Pst</em> interaction.</p> </div