Protection of the Abiotic Environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michel, R.; Hutmacher, K. E.; Landfermann, H. H.

2004-01-01

Environmental protection against the dangers arising from ionizing radiation, radioactive materials, and other harmful substances is more than to avoid acute dangers or risks for humans or for non-human living organisms. To allow for a sustainable development the abiotic part of the environment must not be neglected in concepts of environmental protection. The environmental impact of some selected long-lived anthropogenic radionuclides is used to exemplify adverse effects for which a unified approach is needed. To this end, indicators are needed for the assessment of the human impact on the abiotic environment which allows to compare different human actions with respect to sustainability and to choose appropriate measures in the competition for a sustainable development. Such indicators have to account for the dynamics of the different environmental compartments. Using the long-lived radionuclides 14C, 36Cl, 85Kr, and 129I as examples, the importance to consider dynamical models and ecological lifetimes in quantifications of the human impact on the environment is emphasized. Particular problems arise from the natural occurrences and variability of radionuclides and other harmful substances. Suitable indicators for the assessment of human impact on the abiotic compartments air, water, and soil are discussed. (Author) 18 refs

Polyamines and abiotic stress in plants: A complex relationship

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rakesh eMinocha

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The physiological relationship between abiotic stress in plants and polyamines was reported more than 40 years ago. Ever since there has been a debate as to whether increased polyamines protect plants against abiotic stress (e.g. due to their ability to deal with oxidative radicals or cause damage to them (perhaps due to hydrogen peroxide produced by their catabolism. The observation that cellular polyamines are typically elevated in plants under both short-term as well as long-term abiotic stress conditions is consistent with the possibility of their dual effects, i.e. being a protector as well as a perpetrator of stress damage to the cells. The observed increase in tolerance of plants to abiotic stress when their cellular contents are elevated by either exogenous treatment with polyamines or through genetic engineering with genes encoding polyamine biosynthetic enzymes is indicative of a protective role for them. However, through their catabolic production of hydrogen peroxide and acrolein, both strong oxidizers, they can potentially be the cause of cellular harm during stress. In fact, somewhat enigmatic but strong positive relationship between abiotic stress and foliar polyamines has been proposed as a potential biochemical marker of persistent environmental stress in forest trees in which phenotypic symptoms of stress are not yet visible. Such markers may help forewarn forest managers to undertake amelioration strategies before the appearance of visual symptoms of stress and damage at which stage it is often too late for implementing strategies for stress remediation and reversal of damage. This review provides a comprehensive and critical evaluation of the published literature on interactions between abiotic stress and polyamines in plants, and examines the experimental strategies used to understand the functional significance of this relationship with the aim of improving plant productivity, especially under conditions of abiotic stress.

Designing cooperatively folded abiotic uni- and multimolecular helix bundles

Science.gov (United States)

de, Soumen; Chi, Bo; Granier, Thierry; Qi, Ting; Maurizot, Victor; Huc, Ivan

2018-01-01

Abiotic foldamers, that is foldamers that have backbones chemically remote from peptidic and nucleotidic skeletons, may give access to shapes and functions different to those of peptides and nucleotides. However, design methodologies towards abiotic tertiary and quaternary structures are yet to be developed. Here we report rationally designed interactional patterns to guide the folding and assembly of abiotic helix bundles. Computational design facilitated the introduction of hydrogen-bonding functionalities at defined locations on the aromatic amide backbones that promote cooperative folding into helix-turn-helix motifs in organic solvents. The hydrogen-bond-directed aggregation of helices not linked by a turn unit produced several thermodynamically and kinetically stable homochiral dimeric and trimeric bundles with structures that are distinct from the designed helix-turn-helix. Relative helix orientation within the bundles may be changed from parallel to tilted on subtle solvent variations. Altogether, these results prefigure the richness and uniqueness of abiotic tertiary structure behaviour.

Recent Molecular Advances on Downstream Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cláudia Regina Batista de Souza

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abiotic stresses such as extremes of temperature and pH, high salinity and drought, comprise some of the major factors causing extensive losses to crop production worldwide. Understanding how plants respond and adapt at cellular and molecular levels to continuous environmental changes is a pre-requisite for the generation of resistant or tolerant plants to abiotic stresses. In this review we aimed to present the recent advances on mechanisms of downstream plant responses to abiotic stresses and the use of stress-related genes in the development of genetically engineered crops.

Phytohormones and their metabolic engineering for abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shabir H. Wani

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abiotic stresses including drought, salinity, heat, cold, flooding, and ultraviolet radiation causes crop losses worldwide. In recent times, preventing these crop losses and producing more food and feed to meet the demands of ever-increasing human populations have gained unprecedented importance. However, the proportion of agricultural lands facing multiple abiotic stresses is expected only to rise under a changing global climate fueled by anthropogenic activities. Identifying the mechanisms developed and deployed by plants to counteract abiotic stresses and maintain their growth and survival under harsh conditions thus holds great significance. Recent investigations have shown that phytohormones, including the classical auxins, cytokinins, ethylene, and gibberellins, and newer members including brassinosteroids, jasmonates, and strigolactones may prove to be important metabolic engineering targets for producing abiotic stress-tolerant crop plants. In this review, we summarize and critically assess the roles that phytohormones play in plant growth and development and abiotic stress tolerance, besides their engineering for conferring abiotic stress tolerance in transgenic crops. We also describe recent successes in identifying the roles of phytohormones under stressful conditions. We conclude by describing the recent progress and future prospects including limitations and challenges of phytohormone engineering for inducing abiotic stress tolerance in crop plants.

Structure, function and networks of transcription factors involved in abiotic stress responses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindemose, Søren; O'Shea, Charlotte; Jensen, Michael Krogh

2013-01-01

Transcription factors (TFs) are master regulators of abiotic stress responses in plants. This review focuses on TFs from seven major TF families, known to play functional roles in response to abiotic stresses, including drought, high salinity, high osmolarity, temperature extremes...... and the phytohormone ABA. Although ectopic expression of several TFs has improved abiotic stress tolerance in plants, fine-tuning of TF expression and protein levels remains a challenge to avoid crop yield loss. To further our understanding of TFs in abiotic stress responses, emerging gene regulatory networks based...... on TFs and their direct targets genes are presented. These revealed components shared between ABA-dependent and independent signaling as well as abiotic and biotic stress signaling. Protein structure analysis suggested that TFs hubs of large interactomes have extended regions with protein intrinsic...

Development of abiotic-stress resistant warm season trufgrasses by proton-beam irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seo, Y. W.; Kim, J. Y.; Jeong, S. H. [Korea Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2007-04-15

The direct use of mutation is a valuable approach to generate genetic variation in crop species by altering agronomically useful major traits. The proton beam, as a mutagen, was applied to improve resistance traits of Zoysia grass under various abiotic stresses. Proton beam was irradiated to mature dry seeds of Zenith (Zoysia grass), which is well-adapted to Korean climate, using a proton- accelerator with seven different doses (50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 400 Gy). Individual seedling of M1 plant was transplanted from the seed bed and allowed to reach appropriate plant mass. Clones that showed superior growth were chosen and transplanted to pots for further clone propagation and field evaluation. Growth characteristics of turfgrass, such as plant height, leaf length, leaf width, number of tiller were evaluated ninety days after sowing. Although large variation within each dose, noticeable differences were found among different irradiated doses. Most of the mutant clones derived from the irradiation treatment showed more vigorous growth than the control plants. RAPD (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA) and AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) methods were conducted to analyze genomic variations associated with proton beam irradiation. In order to establish selection criteria for selection of salt-stress resistance plants, an in vitro method that is able to select salt-stress resistant mutants in liquid media without ambient disturbances. Total 647 predominance clones that were considered as abiotic stress resistant mutants were transplanted to the field for further evaluation.

The shifting influence of abiotic drivers during landslide succession in Puerto Rico

Science.gov (United States)

L. R. Walker; A. B. Shiels; P. J. Bellingham; A. D. Sparrow; N. Fetcher; F. H. Landau; D. J. Lodge

2013-01-01

Summary 1. Abiotic variables are critical drivers of succession in most primary seres, but how their influence on biota changes over time is rarely examined. Landslides provide good model systems for examining abiotic influences because they are spatially and temporally heterogeneous habitats with distinct abiotic and biotic gradients and post-landslide erosion. 2. In...

Revisiting the Role of Plant Transcription Factors in the Battle against Abiotic Stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Sardar-Ali; Li, Meng-Zhan; Wang, Suo-Min; Yin, Hong-Ju

2018-05-31

Owing to diverse abiotic stresses and global climate deterioration, the agricultural production worldwide is suffering serious losses. Breeding stress-resilient crops with higher quality and yield against multiple environmental stresses via application of transgenic technologies is currently the most promising approach. Deciphering molecular principles and mining stress-associate genes that govern plant responses against abiotic stresses is one of the prerequisites to develop stress-resistant crop varieties. As molecular switches in controlling stress-responsive genes expression, transcription factors (TFs) play crucial roles in regulating various abiotic stress responses. Hence, functional analysis of TFs and their interaction partners during abiotic stresses is crucial to perceive their role in diverse signaling cascades that many researchers have continued to undertake. Here, we review current developments in understanding TFs, with particular emphasis on their functions in orchestrating plant abiotic stress responses. Further, we discuss novel molecular mechanisms of their action under abiotic stress conditions. This will provide valuable information for understanding regulatory mechanisms to engineer stress-tolerant crops.

Chemical Priming of Plants Against Multiple Abiotic Stresses: Mission Possible?

KAUST Repository

Savvides, Andreas

2015-12-15

Crop plants are subjected to multiple abiotic stresses during their lifespan that greatly reduce productivity and threaten global food security. Recent research suggests that plants can be primed by chemical compounds to better tolerate different abiotic stresses. Chemical priming is a promising field in plant stress physiology and crop stress management. We review here promising chemical agents such as sodium nitroprusside, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hydrosulfide, melatonin, and polyamines that can potentially confer enhanced tolerance when plants are exposed to multiple abiotic stresses. The challenges and opportunities of chemical priming are addressed, with the aim to boost future research towards effective application in crop stress management.

Chemical Priming of Plants Against Multiple Abiotic Stresses: Mission Possible?

KAUST Repository

Savvides, Andreas; Ali, Shawkat; Tester, Mark A.; Fotopoulos, Vasileios

2015-01-01

Crop plants are subjected to multiple abiotic stresses during their lifespan that greatly reduce productivity and threaten global food security. Recent research suggests that plants can be primed by chemical compounds to better tolerate different abiotic stresses. Chemical priming is a promising field in plant stress physiology and crop stress management. We review here promising chemical agents such as sodium nitroprusside, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hydrosulfide, melatonin, and polyamines that can potentially confer enhanced tolerance when plants are exposed to multiple abiotic stresses. The challenges and opportunities of chemical priming are addressed, with the aim to boost future research towards effective application in crop stress management.

Additional insights into the adaptation of cotton plants under abiotic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abiotic stress is the primary cause of crop losses worldwide. In addition to protein coding genes, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as important players in plant stress responses. Though miRNAs are key in regulating many aspects of plant developmental plasticity under abiotic stresses, very few information are available ...

The Role of MAPK Modules and ABA during Abiotic Stress Signaling

KAUST Repository

Zé licourt, Axel de; Colcombet, Jean; Hirt, Heribert

2016-01-01

To respond to abiotic stresses, plants have developed specific mechanisms that allow them to rapidly perceive and respond to environmental changes. The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) was shown to be a pivotal regulator of abiotic stress responses

Abiotic condensation synthesis of glyceride lipids and wax esters under simulated hydrothermal conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Rushdi, Ahmed I; Simoneit, Bernd R T

2006-04-01

Precursor compounds for abiotic proto cellular membranes are necessary for the origin of life. Amphipathic compounds such as fatty acids and acyl glycerols are important candidates for micelle/bilayer/vesicle formation. Two sets of experiments were conducted to study dehydration reactions of model lipid precursors in aqueous media to form acyl polyols and wax esters, and to evaluate the stability and reactions of the products at elevated temperatures. In the first set, mixtures of n-nonadecanoic acid and ethylene glycol in water, with and without oxalic acid, were heated at discrete temperatures from 150 ( composite function)C to 300 ( composite function)C for 72 h. The products were typically alkyl alkanoates, ethylene glycolyl alkanoates, ethylene glycolyl bis-alkanoates and alkanols. The condensation products had maximum yields between 150 ( composite function)C and 250 ( composite function)C, and were detectable and thus stable under hydrothermal conditions to temperatures acid and glycerol were heated using the same experimental conditions, with and without oxalic acid, between 100 ( composite function)C and 250 ( composite function)C. The main condensation products were two isomers each of monoacylglycerols and diacylglycerols at all temperatures, as well as minor amounts of the fatty acid anhydride and methyl ester. The yield of glyceryl monoheptanoates generally increased with increasing temperature and glyceryl diheptanoates decreased noticeably with increasing temperature. The results indicate that condensation reactions and abiotic synthesis of organic lipid compounds under hydrothermal conditions occur easily, provided precursor concentrations are sufficiently high.

Abiotic stresses affect Trichoderma harzianum T39-induced resistance to downy mildew in grapevine.

Science.gov (United States)

Roatti, Benedetta; Perazzolli, Michele; Gessler, Cesare; Pertot, Ilaria

2013-12-01

Enhancement of plant defense through the application of resistance inducers seems a promising alternative to chemical fungicides for controlling crop diseases but the efficacy can be affected by abiotic factors in the field. Plants respond to abiotic stresses with hormonal signals that may interfere with the mechanisms of induced systemic resistance (ISR) to pathogens. In this study, we exposed grapevines to heat, drought, or both to investigate the effects of abiotic stresses on grapevine resistance induced by Trichoderma harzianum T39 (T39) to downy mildew. Whereas the efficacy of T39-induced resistance was not affected by exposure to heat or drought, it was significantly reduced by combined abiotic stresses. Decrease of leaf water potential and upregulation of heat-stress markers confirmed that plants reacted to abiotic stresses. Basal expression of defense-related genes and their upregulation during T39-induced resistance were attenuated by abiotic stresses, in agreement with the reduced efficacy of T39. The evidence reported here suggests that exposure of crops to abiotic stress should be carefully considered to optimize the use of resistance inducers, especially in view of future global climate changes. Expression analysis of ISR marker genes could be helpful to identify when plants are responding to abiotic stresses, in order to optimize treatments with resistance inducers in field.

Improving abiotic stress tolerance of quinoa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, Aizheng

Global food security faces the challenges of rapid population growth and shortage of water resources. Drought, heat waves and soil salinity are becoming more frequent and extreme due to climatic changes in many regions of the world, and resulting in yield reduction of many crops. It is hypothesized...... that quinoa has the potential to grow under a range of abiotic stresses, tolerating levels regarded as stresses in other crop species. Therefore cultivation of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) could be an alternative option in such regions. Even though quinoa is more tolerant to abiotic stress than most...... other crops, its productivity declines under severe drought, high salt conditions and harsh climate conditions. Different management approaches including water-saving irrigation methods (such as deficit irrigation, DI and alternate root-zone drying irrigation, ARD), inoculating crop seeds with plant...

Current perspectives in proteomic analysis of abiotic stress in Grapevines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iniga Seraphina George

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Grapes are an important crop plant which forms the basis of a globally important industry. Grape and wine production is particularly vulnerable to environmental and climatic fluctuations, which makes it essential for us to develop a greater understanding of the molecular level responses of grape plants to various abiotic stresses. The completion of the initial grape genome sequence in 2007 has led to a significant increase in research on grapes using proteomics approaches. In this article, we discuss some of the current research on abiotic stress in grapevines, in the context of abiotic stress research in other plant species. We also highlight some of the current limitations in grapevine proteomics and identify areas with promising scope for potential future research.

Can plant-natural enemy communication withstand disruption by biotic and abiotic factors?

Science.gov (United States)

Clavijo McCormick, Andrea

2016-12-01

The attraction of natural enemies towards herbivore-induced plant volatiles is a well-documented phenomenon. However, the majority of published studies are carried under optimal water and nutrient regimes and with just one herbivore. But what happens when additional levels of ecological complexity are added? Does the presence of a second herbivore, microorganisms, and abiotic stress interfere with plant-natural enemy communication? or is communication stable enough to withstand disruption by additional biotic and abiotic factors?Investigating the effects of these additional levels of ecological complexity is key to understanding the stability of tritrophic interactions in natural ecosystems and may aid to forecast the impact of environmental disturbances on these, especially in climate change scenarios, which are often associated with modifications in plant and arthropod species distribution and increased levels of abiotic stress.This review explores the literature on natural enemy attraction to herbivore-induced volatiles when, besides herbivory, plants are challenged by additional biotic and abiotic factors.The aim of this review was to establish the impact of different biotic and abiotic factors on plant-natural enemy communication and to highlight critical aspects to guide future research efforts.

Biotic and abiotic variables show little redundancy in explaining tree species distributions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meier, Elaine S.; Kienast, Felix; Pearman, Peter B.

2010-01-01

Abiotic factors such as climate and soil determine the species fundamental niche, which is further constrained by biotic interactions such as interspecific competition. To parameterize this realized niche, species distribution models (SDMs) most often relate species occurrence data to abiotic var...

Effect of abiotic stress under light and dark conditions on carotenoid ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this study was to observe the effect of abiotic stress under light and dark conditions on pumpkin calluses carotenoid. Plant elicitors used to create abiotic stress in this study were Polyethylene Glycol 4000 for drought stress, Jasmonic Acid and Salicylic Acid for hormones stress and Murashige and Skoog Salt for ...

Abiotic ozone and oxygen in atmospheres similar to prebiotic Earth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Domagal-Goldman, Shawn D.; Segura, Antígona; Claire, Mark W.; Robinson, Tyler D.; Meadows, Victoria S.

2014-01-01

The search for life on planets outside our solar system will use spectroscopic identification of atmospheric biosignatures. The most robust remotely detectable potential biosignature is considered to be the detection of oxygen (O 2 ) or ozone (O 3 ) simultaneous to methane (CH 4 ) at levels indicating fluxes from the planetary surface in excess of those that could be produced abiotically. Here we use an altitude-dependent photochemical model with the enhanced lower boundary conditions necessary to carefully explore abiotic O 2 and O 3 production on lifeless planets with a wide variety of volcanic gas fluxes and stellar energy distributions. On some of these worlds, we predict limited O 2 and O 3 buildup, caused by fast chemical production of these gases. This results in detectable abiotic O 3 and CH 4 features in the UV-visible, but no detectable abiotic O 2 features. Thus, simultaneous detection of O 3 and CH 4 by a UV-visible mission is not a strong biosignature without proper contextual information. Discrimination between biological and abiotic sources of O 2 and O 3 is possible through analysis of the stellar and atmospheric context—particularly redox state and O atom inventory—of the planet in question. Specifically, understanding the spectral characteristics of the star and obtaining a broad wavelength range for planetary spectra should allow more robust identification of false positives for life. This highlights the importance of wide spectral coverage for future exoplanet characterization missions. Specifically, discrimination between true and false positives may require spectral observations that extend into infrared wavelengths and provide contextual information on the planet's atmospheric chemistry.

Abiotic racemization kinetics of amino acids in marine sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Steen, Andrew; Jørgensen, Bo Barker; Lomstein, Bente Aagaard

2013-01-01

Enantiomeric ratios of amino acids can be used to infer the sources and composition of sedimentary organic matter. Such inferences, however, rely on knowing the rates at which amino acids in sedimentary organic racemize abiotically. Based on a heating experiment, we report Arrhenius parameters...... between different amino acids or depths. These results can be used in conjunction with measurements of sediment age to predict the ratio of D:L amino acids due solely to abiotic racemization of the source material, deviations from which can indicate the abundance and turnover of active microbial...

Comparison of U and Np uptake on biogenic and abiotic ferrihydrite by XAFS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krawczyk-Baersch, Evelyn; Schmeide, Katja; Kvashnina, Kristina O.; Rossberg, Andre; Scheinost, Andreas C.

2017-01-01

XAS spectra of U and Np sorption biogenic ferrihydrite samples were compared to abiotic samples. The k 3 -weighted χ-spectrum and its Fourier-transform of the studied biogenic ferrihydrite sample bears close resemblance to the bidentate edge-sharing innersphere sorption 1 E complex, which is the main sorption species on abiotic ferrihydrite. Based on the shell fit analysis, the distances of the coordination shells U-O eq , U-O ax , and U-Fe are similar to those determined for abiotic ferrihydrite samples.

Abscisic Acid and Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Crop Plants

Science.gov (United States)

Sah, Saroj K.; Reddy, Kambham R.; Li, Jiaxu

2016-01-01

Abiotic stress is a primary threat to fulfill the demand of agricultural production to feed the world in coming decades. Plants reduce growth and development process during stress conditions, which ultimately affect the yield. In stress conditions, plants develop various stress mechanism to face the magnitude of stress challenges, although that is not enough to protect them. Therefore, many strategies have been used to produce abiotic stress tolerance crop plants, among them, abscisic acid (ABA) phytohormone engineering could be one of the methods of choice. ABA is an isoprenoid phytohormone, which regulates various physiological processes ranging from stomatal opening to protein storage and provides adaptation to many stresses like drought, salt, and cold stresses. ABA is also called an important messenger that acts as the signaling mediator for regulating the adaptive response of plants to different environmental stress conditions. In this review, we will discuss the role of ABA in response to abiotic stress at the molecular level and ABA signaling. The review also deals with the effect of ABA in respect to gene expression. PMID:27200044

The Role of Silicon under Biotic and Abiotic Stress Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

İlkay YAVAŞ

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Biotic and abiotic stress factors can adversely affect the agricultural productivity leading to physiological and biochemical damage to crops. Therefore, the most effective way is to increase the resistance to stresses. Silicon plays a ro le in reducing the effects of abiotic and biotic stresses (drought, salt stress, disease and insect stress etc. on plants. Silicon is accumulated in the cell walls and intercellular spaces and thus it has beneficial effects on disease infestations in especially small grains. The application of silicon may reduce the effects of environmental stresses on plants while making effective use of plant nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous. Also, silicon may reduce the toxic effects of heavy metals in soil. I t may protect the foliage and increase light uptake and reduce respiration. Therefore, in this review, we discussed the effects of silicon on abiotic and biotic stresses in especially field crops.

Comparison of U and Np uptake on biogenic and abiotic ferrihydrite by XAFS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krawczyk-Baersch, Evelyn [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Biogeochemistry; Schmeide, Katja [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Surface Processes; Kvashnina, Kristina O.; Rossberg, Andre; Scheinost, Andreas C. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Molecular Structures

2017-06-01

XAS spectra of U and Np sorption biogenic ferrihydrite samples were compared to abiotic samples. The k{sup 3}-weighted χ-spectrum and its Fourier-transform of the studied biogenic ferrihydrite sample bears close resemblance to the bidentate edge-sharing innersphere sorption {sup 1}E complex, which is the main sorption species on abiotic ferrihydrite. Based on the shell fit analysis, the distances of the coordination shells U-O{sub eq}, U-O{sub ax}, and U-Fe are similar to those determined for abiotic ferrihydrite samples.

Abiotic ozone and oxygen in atmospheres similar to prebiotic Earth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Domagal-Goldman, Shawn D. [Planetary Environments Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 8800 Greenbelt Road, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Segura, Antígona; Claire, Mark W.; Robinson, Tyler D.; Meadows, Victoria S., E-mail: shawn.goldman@nasa.gov [NASA Astrobiology Institute—Virtual Planetary Laboratory (United States)

2014-09-10

The search for life on planets outside our solar system will use spectroscopic identification of atmospheric biosignatures. The most robust remotely detectable potential biosignature is considered to be the detection of oxygen (O{sub 2}) or ozone (O{sub 3}) simultaneous to methane (CH{sub 4}) at levels indicating fluxes from the planetary surface in excess of those that could be produced abiotically. Here we use an altitude-dependent photochemical model with the enhanced lower boundary conditions necessary to carefully explore abiotic O{sub 2} and O{sub 3} production on lifeless planets with a wide variety of volcanic gas fluxes and stellar energy distributions. On some of these worlds, we predict limited O{sub 2} and O{sub 3} buildup, caused by fast chemical production of these gases. This results in detectable abiotic O{sub 3} and CH{sub 4} features in the UV-visible, but no detectable abiotic O{sub 2} features. Thus, simultaneous detection of O{sub 3} and CH{sub 4} by a UV-visible mission is not a strong biosignature without proper contextual information. Discrimination between biological and abiotic sources of O{sub 2} and O{sub 3} is possible through analysis of the stellar and atmospheric context—particularly redox state and O atom inventory—of the planet in question. Specifically, understanding the spectral characteristics of the star and obtaining a broad wavelength range for planetary spectra should allow more robust identification of false positives for life. This highlights the importance of wide spectral coverage for future exoplanet characterization missions. Specifically, discrimination between true and false positives may require spectral observations that extend into infrared wavelengths and provide contextual information on the planet's atmospheric chemistry.

Abiotic dechlorination in rock matrices impacted by long-term exposure to TCE.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, Charles E; Towne, Rachael M; Lippincott, David R; Lacombe, Pierre J; Bishop, Michael E; Dong, Hailiang

2015-01-01

Field and laboratory tests were performed to evaluate the abiotic reaction of trichloroethene (TCE) in sedimentary rock matrices. Hydraulically conductive fractures, and the rock directly adjacent to the hydraulically conductive fractures, within a historically contaminated TCE bedrock aquifer were used as the basis for this study. These results were compared to previous work using rock that had not been exposed to TCE (Schaefer et al., 2013) to assess the impact of long-term TCE exposure on the abiotic dechlorination reaction, as the longevity of these reactions after long-term exposure to TCE was hitherto unknown. Results showed that potential abiotic TCE degradation products, including ethane, ethene, and acetylene, were present in the conductive fractures. Using minimally disturbed slices of rock core at and near the fracture faces, laboratory testing on the rocks confirmed that abiotic dechlorination reactions between the rock matrix and TCE were occurring. Abiotic daughter products measured in the laboratory under controlled conditions were consistent with those measured in the conductive fractures, except that propane also was observed as a daughter product. TCE degradation measured in the laboratory was well described by a first order rate constant through the 118-d study. Observed bulk first-order TCE degradation rate constants within the rock matrix were 1.3×10(-8) s(-1). These results clearly show that abiotic dechlorination of TCE is occurring within the rock matrix, despite decades of exposure to TCE. Furthermore, these observed rates of TCE dechlorination are expected to have a substantial impact on TCE migration and uptake/release from rock matrices. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nitrogen fertility and abiotic stresses management in cotton crop: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Aziz; Tan, Daniel Kean Yuen; Afridi, Muhammad Zahir; Luo, Honghai; Tung, Shahbaz Atta; Ajab, Mir; Fahad, Shah

2017-06-01

This review outlines nitrogen (N) responses in crop production and potential management decisions to ameliorate abiotic stresses for better crop production. N is a primary constituent of the nucleotides and proteins that are essential for life. Production and application of N fertilizers consume huge amounts of energy, and excess is detrimental to the environment. Therefore, increasing plant N use efficiency (NUE) is important for the development of sustainable agriculture. NUE has a key role in crop yield and can be enhanced by controlling loss of fertilizers by application of humic acid and natural polymers (hydrogels), having high water-holding capacity which can improve plant performance under field conditions. Abiotic stresses such as waterlogging, drought, heat, and salinity are the major limitations for successful crop production. Therefore, integrated management approaches such as addition of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), the film antitranspirant (di-1-p-menthene and pinolene) nutrients, hydrogels, and phytohormones may provide novel approaches to improve plant tolerance against abiotic stress-induced damage. Moreover, for plant breeders and molecular biologists, it is a challenge to develop cotton cultivars that can tolerate plant abiotic stresses while having high potential NUE for the future.

WRKY proteins: signaling and regulation of expression during abiotic stress responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, Aditya; Roychoudhury, Aryadeep

2015-01-01

WRKY proteins are emerging players in plant signaling and have been thoroughly reported to play important roles in plants under biotic stress like pathogen attack. However, recent advances in this field do reveal the enormous significance of these proteins in eliciting responses induced by abiotic stresses. WRKY proteins act as major transcription factors, either as positive or negative regulators. Specific WRKY factors which help in the expression of a cluster of stress-responsive genes are being targeted and genetically modified to induce improved abiotic stress tolerance in plants. The knowledge regarding the signaling cascade leading to the activation of the WRKY proteins, their interaction with other proteins of the signaling pathway, and the downstream genes activated by them are altogether vital for justified targeting of the WRKY genes. WRKY proteins have also been considered to generate tolerance against multiple abiotic stresses with possible roles in mediating a cross talk between abiotic and biotic stress responses. In this review, we have reckoned the diverse signaling pattern and biological functions of WRKY proteins throughout the plant kingdom along with the growing prospects in this field of research.

Unraveling the role of fungal symbionts in plant abiotic stress tolerance

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Lamabam Peter

2011-01-01

Fungal symbionts have been found to be associated with every plant studied in the natural ecosystem, where they colonize and reside entirely or partially in the internal tissues of their host plant. Fungal endophytes can express/form a range of different lifestyle/relationships with different host including symbiotic, mutualistic, commensalistic and parasitic in response to host genotype and environmental factors. In mutualistic association fungal endophyte can enhance growth, increase reproductive success and confer biotic and abiotic stress tolerance to its host plant. Since abiotic stress such as, drought, high soil salinity, heat, cold, oxidative stress and heavy metal toxicity is the common adverse environmental conditions that affect and limit crop productivity worldwide. It may be a promising alternative strategy to exploit fungal endophytes to overcome the limitations to crop production brought by abiotic stress. There is an increasing interest in developing the potential biotechnological applications of fungal endophytes for improving plant stress tolerance and sustainable production of food crops. Here we have described the fungal symbioses, fungal symbionts and their role in abiotic stress tolerance. A putative mechanism of stress tolerance by symbionts has also been covered. PMID:21512319

Energy harvesting by implantable abiotically catalyzed glucose fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Kerzenmacher, S.; Ducrée, J.; Zengerle, R.; von Stetten, F.

Implantable glucose fuel cells are a promising approach to realize an autonomous energy supply for medical implants that solely relies on the electrochemical reaction of oxygen and glucose. Key advantage over conventional batteries is the abundant availability of both reactants in body fluids, rendering the need for regular replacement or external recharging mechanisms obsolete. Implantable glucose fuel cells, based on abiotic catalysts such as noble metals and activated carbon, have already been developed as power supply for cardiac pacemakers in the late-1960s. Whereas, in vitro and preliminary in vivo studies demonstrated their long-term stability, the performance of these fuel cells is limited to the μW-range. Consequently, no further developments have been reported since high-capacity lithium iodine batteries for cardiac pacemakers became available in the mid-1970s. In recent years research has been focused on enzymatically catalyzed glucose fuel cells. They offer higher power densities than their abiotically catalyzed counterparts, but the limited enzyme stability impedes long-term application. In this context, the trend towards increasingly energy-efficient low power MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) implants has revived the interest in abiotic catalysts as a long-term stable alternative. This review covers the state-of-the-art in implantable abiotically catalyzed glucose fuel cells and their development since the 1960s. Different embodiment concepts are presented and the historical achievements of academic and industrial research groups are critically reviewed. Special regard is given to the applicability of the concept as sustainable micro-power generator for implantable devices.

Compartment specific importance of glutathione during abiotic and biotic stress

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Bernd eZechmann

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The tripeptide thiol glutathione (γ-L-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-glycine is the most important sulfur containing antioxidant in plants and essential for plant defense against abiotic and biotic stress conditions. It is involved in the detoxification of reactive oxygen species, redox signaling, the modulation of defense gene expression and important for the regulation of enzymatic activities. Even though changes in glutathione contents are well documented in plants and its roles in plant defense are well established, still too little is known about its compartment specific importance during abiotic and biotic stress conditions. Due to technical advances in the visualization of glutathione and the redox state of plants through microscopical methods some progress was made in the last few years in studying the importance of subcellular glutathione contents during stress conditions in plants. This review summarizes the data available on compartment specific importance of glutathione in the protection against abiotic and biotic stress conditions such as high light stress, exposure to cadmium, drought, and pathogen attack (Pseudomonas, Botrytis, Tobacco Mosaic Virus. The data will be discussed in connection with the subcellular accumulation of ROS during these conditions and glutathione synthesis which are both highly compartment specific (e.g. glutathione synthesis takes place in chloroplasts and the cytosol. Thus this review will reveal the compartment specific importance of glutathione during abiotic and biotic stress conditions.

Titania may produce abiotic oxygen atmospheres on habitable exoplanets.

Science.gov (United States)

Narita, Norio; Enomoto, Takafumi; Masaoka, Shigeyuki; Kusakabe, Nobuhiko

2015-09-10

The search for habitable exoplanets in the Universe is actively ongoing in the field of astronomy. The biggest future milestone is to determine whether life exists on such habitable exoplanets. In that context, oxygen in the atmosphere has been considered strong evidence for the presence of photosynthetic organisms. In this paper, we show that a previously unconsidered photochemical mechanism by titanium (IV) oxide (titania) can produce abiotic oxygen from liquid water under near ultraviolet (NUV) lights on the surface of exoplanets. Titania works as a photocatalyst to dissociate liquid water in this process. This mechanism offers a different source of a possibility of abiotic oxygen in atmospheres of exoplanets from previously considered photodissociation of water vapor in upper atmospheres by extreme ultraviolet (XUV) light. Our order-of-magnitude estimation shows that possible amounts of oxygen produced by this abiotic mechanism can be comparable with or even more than that in the atmosphere of the current Earth, depending on the amount of active surface area for this mechanism. We conclude that titania may act as a potential source of false signs of life on habitable exoplanets.

Oxygen dependency of neutrophilic Fe(II) oxidation by Leptothrix differs from abiotic reaction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vollrath, S.; Behrends, T.; Van Cappellen, P.

2012-01-01

Neutrophilic Fe(II) oxidizing microorganisms are found in many natural environments. It has been hypothesized that, at low oxygen concentrations, microbial iron oxidation is favored over abiotic oxidation. Here, we compare the kinetics of abiotic Fe(II) oxidation to oxidation in the presence of

Understanding the Posttranscriptional Regulation of Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress

KAUST Repository

AlShareef, Sahar A.

2017-06-01

Constitutive and alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs from multiexonic genes controls the diversity of the proteome; these precisely regulated processes also fine-tune responses to cues related to growth, development, and biotic and abiotic stresses. Recent work showed that AS is pervasive across plant species, with more than 60% of intron-containing genes producing different isoforms. Mammalian cell-based assays have discovered various AS small-molecule inhibitors that perturb splicing and thereby provide invaluable tools for use as chemical probes to uncover the molecular underpinnings of splicing regulation and as potential anticancer compounds. Here, I show that the macrolide Pladienolide B (PB) and herboxidiene (GEX1A) inhibits both constitutive and alternative splicing, mimics an abiotic stress signal, and activates the abscisic acid (ABA) pathway in plants. Moreover, PB and GEX1A activate genome-wide transcriptional patterns involved in abiotic stress responses in plants. PB and GEX1A treatment triggered the ABA signaling pathway, activated ABA-inducible promoters, and led to stomatal closure. Interestingly, PB and GEX1A elicited similar cellular changes, including alterations in the patterns of transcription and splicing, suggesting that these compounds might target the same spliceosome complex in plant cells. This work establishes PB and GEX1A as potent splicing inhibitors in plants that can be used to probe the assembly, dynamics, and molecular functions of the spliceosome and to study the interplay between splicing stress and abiotic stresses, as well as having potential biotechnological applications.

Cell Wall Metabolism in Response to Abiotic Stress

Science.gov (United States)

Gall, Hyacinthe Le; Philippe, Florian; Domon, Jean-Marc; Gillet, Françoise; Pelloux, Jérôme; Rayon, Catherine

2015-01-01

This review focuses on the responses of the plant cell wall to several abiotic stresses including drought, flooding, heat, cold, salt, heavy metals, light, and air pollutants. The effects of stress on cell wall metabolism are discussed at the physiological (morphogenic), transcriptomic, proteomic and biochemical levels. The analysis of a large set of data shows that the plant response is highly complex. The overall effects of most abiotic stress are often dependent on the plant species, the genotype, the age of the plant, the timing of the stress application, and the intensity of this stress. This shows the difficulty of identifying a common pattern of stress response in cell wall architecture that could enable adaptation and/or resistance to abiotic stress. However, in most cases, two main mechanisms can be highlighted: (i) an increased level in xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) and expansin proteins, associated with an increase in the degree of rhamnogalacturonan I branching that maintains cell wall plasticity and (ii) an increased cell wall thickening by reinforcement of the secondary wall with hemicellulose and lignin deposition. Taken together, these results show the need to undertake large-scale analyses, using multidisciplinary approaches, to unravel the consequences of stress on the cell wall. This will help identify the key components that could be targeted to improve biomass production under stress conditions. PMID:27135320

Changes in biotic and abiotic processes following mangrove clearing

Science.gov (United States)

Granek, Elise; Ruttenberg, Benjamin I.

2008-12-01

Mangrove forests, important tropical coastal habitats, are in decline worldwide primarily due to removal by humans. Changes to mangrove systems can alter ecosystem properties through direct effects on abiotic factors such as temperature, light and nutrient supply or through changes in biotic factors such as primary productivity or species composition. Despite the importance of mangroves as transitional habitats between land and sea, little research has examined changes that occur when they are cleared. We examined changes in a number of biotic and abiotic factors following the anthropogenic removal of red mangroves ( Rhizophora mangle) in the Panamanian Caribbean, including algal biomass, algal diversity, algal grazing rates, light penetration, temperature, sedimentation rates and sediment organic content. In this first study examining multiple ecosystem-level effects of mangrove disturbance, we found that areas cleared of mangroves had higher algal biomass and richness than intact mangrove areas. This increase in algal biomass and richness was likely due to changes in abiotic factors (e.g. light intensity, temperature), but not biotic factors (fish herbivory). Additionally the algal and cyanobacterial genera dominating mangrove-cleared areas were rare in intact mangroves and included a number of genera that compete with coral for space on reefs. Interestingly, sedimentation rates did not differ between intact and cleared areas, but the sediments that accumulated in intact mangroves had higher organic content. These findings are the first to demonstrate that anthropogenic clearing of mangroves changes multiple biotic and abiotic processes in mangrove forests and that some of these changes may influence adjacent habitats such as coral reefs and seagrass beds. Additional research is needed to further explore the community and ecosystem-level effects of mangrove clearing and their influence on adjacent habitats, but it is clear that mangrove conservation is an

Wheat EST resources for functional genomics of abiotic stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Links Matthew G

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Wheat is an excellent species to study freezing tolerance and other abiotic stresses. However, the sequence of the wheat genome has not been completely characterized due to its complexity and large size. To circumvent this obstacle and identify genes involved in cold acclimation and associated stresses, a large scale EST sequencing approach was undertaken by the Functional Genomics of Abiotic Stress (FGAS project. Results We generated 73,521 quality-filtered ESTs from eleven cDNA libraries constructed from wheat plants exposed to various abiotic stresses and at different developmental stages. In addition, 196,041 ESTs for which tracefiles were available from the National Science Foundation wheat EST sequencing program and DuPont were also quality-filtered and used in the analysis. Clustering of the combined ESTs with d2_cluster and TGICL yielded a few large clusters containing several thousand ESTs that were refractory to routine clustering techniques. To resolve this problem, the sequence proximity and "bridges" were identified by an e-value distance graph to manually break clusters into smaller groups. Assembly of the resolved ESTs generated a 75,488 unique sequence set (31,580 contigs and 43,908 singletons/singlets. Digital expression analyses indicated that the FGAS dataset is enriched in stress-regulated genes compared to the other public datasets. Over 43% of the unique sequence set was annotated and classified into functional categories according to Gene Ontology. Conclusion We have annotated 29,556 different sequences, an almost 5-fold increase in annotated sequences compared to the available wheat public databases. Digital expression analysis combined with gene annotation helped in the identification of several pathways associated with abiotic stress. The genomic resources and knowledge developed by this project will contribute to a better understanding of the different mechanisms that govern stress tolerance in

Abiotic drivers of Chihuahuan Desert plant communities

Science.gov (United States)

Laura Marie Ladwig

2014-01-01

Within grasslands, precipitation, fire, nitrogen (N) addition, and extreme temperatures influence community composition and ecosystem function. The differential influences of these abiotic factors on Chihuahuan Desert grassland communities was examined within the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, located in central New Mexico, U.S.A. Although fire is a natural...

Origin of Abiotic Methane in Submarine Hydrothermal Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Seewald, J. S.; German, C. R.; Grozeva, N. G.; Klein, F.; McDermott, J. M.; Ono, S.; Reeves, E. P.; Wang, D. T.

2018-05-01

Results of recent investigations into the chemical and isotopic composition of actively venting submarine hydrothermal fluids and volatile species trapped in fluid inclusions will be discussed in the context of processes responsible for abiotic CH4 formation.

OsLEA3-2, an abiotic stress induced gene of rice plays a key role in salt and drought tolerance.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianli Duan

Full Text Available Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA proteins are involved in tolerance to drought, cold and high salinity in many different organisms. In this report, a LEA protein producing full-length gene OsLEA3-2 was identified in rice (Oryza sativa using the Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (RACE method. OsLEA3-2 was found to be only expressed in the embryo and can be induced by abiotic stresses. The coding protein localizes to the nucleus and overexpression of OsLEA3-2 in yeast improved growth performance compared with control under salt- and osmotic-stress conditions. OsLEA3-2 was also inserted into pHB vector and overexpressed in Arabidopsis and rice. The transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings showed better growth on MS media supplemented with 150 mM mannitol or 100 mM NaCl as compared with wild type plants. The transgenic rice also showed significantly stronger growth performance than control under salinity or osmotic stress conditions and were able to recover after 20 days of drought stress. In vitro analysis showed that OsLEA3-2 was able to protect LDH from aggregation on freezing and inactivation on desiccation. These results indicated that OsLEA3-2 plays an important role in tolerance to abiotic stresses.

Novel NAC transcription factor TaNAC67 confers enhanced multi-abiotic stress tolerances in Arabidopsis.

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Xinguo Mao

Full Text Available Abiotic stresses are major environmental factors that affect agricultural productivity worldwide. NAC transcription factors play pivotal roles in abiotic stress signaling in plants. As a staple crop, wheat production is severely constrained by abiotic stresses whereas only a few NAC transcription factors have been characterized functionally. To promote the application of NAC genes in wheat improvement by biotechnology, a novel NAC gene designated TaNAC67 was characterized in common wheat. To determine its role, transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing TaNAC67-GFP controlled by the CaMV-35S promoter was generated and subjected to various abiotic stresses for morphological and physiological assays. Gene expression showed that TaNAC67 was involved in response to drought, salt, cold and ABA treatments. Localization assays revealed that TaNAC67 localized in the nucleus. Morphological analysis indicated the transgenics had enhanced tolerances to drought, salt and freezing stresses, simultaneously supported by enhanced expression of multiple abiotic stress responsive genes and improved physiological traits, including strengthened cell membrane stability, retention of higher chlorophyll contents and Na(+ efflux rates, improved photosynthetic potential, and enhanced water retention capability. Overexpression of TaNAC67 resulted in pronounced enhanced tolerances to drought, salt and freezing stresses, therefore it has potential for utilization in transgenic breeding to improve abiotic stress tolerance in crops.

Diagnosis of abiotic and biotic stress factors using the visible symptoms in foliage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vollenweider, P.; Guenthardt-Goerg, Madeleine S.

2005-01-01

Visible symptoms in the foliage of trees are recorded to monitor the effects of abiotic and biotic stress. Difficulties are reported in diagnosing the origin of stress. The present paper discusses several diagnostic criteria which are usable in different species for a better determination of the stress factor type. A new diagnosis scheme to differentiate between classes of abiotic and biotic stress factors is supplied. Abiotic stress generates gradients of symptoms. The symptom specificity is determined by the degree of interaction between the stress factor and plant defense system. Symptoms caused by abiotic stress and natural autumnal senescence can be morphologically different or undistinguishable according to the stress and plant species. With biotic stress, the class of parasitic is generally recognizable on the basis of the visible symptoms. Structurally and physiologically based explanations of the symptom morphology are still missing for many stress factors. - The morphology and distribution of visible stress symptoms in tree foliage provides diagnostic tools to identify plant defense responses and differentiate stress from natural senescence symptoms

Abiotic factors drives floristic variations of fern's metacommunity in an Atlantic Forest remnant.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, L E N; Farias, R P; Santiago, A C P; Silva, I A A; Barros, I C L

2018-02-15

We analyzed floristic variations in fern's metacommunity at the local scale and their relationship with abiotic factors in an Atlantic Forest remnant of northeastern Brazil. Floristic and environmental variations were accessed on ten plots of 10 × 20 m. We performed cluster analyses, based on Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index to establish the floristic relationship. The influence of abiotic factors: luminosity, temperature, relative air humidity and relative soil moisture was evaluated from a redundancy analysis. We found 24 species belonging to 20 genera and 12 families. The fern's flora showed high floristic heterogeneity (>75% for most of the plot's associations). The fern's metacommunity was structured along an abiotic gradient modulated by temperature, luminosity, and relative soil moisture.

Effect of abiotic and biotic stress factors analysis using machine learning methods in zebrafish.

Science.gov (United States)

Gutha, Rajasekar; Yarrappagaari, Suresh; Thopireddy, Lavanya; Reddy, Kesireddy Sathyavelu; Saddala, Rajeswara Reddy

2018-03-01

In order to understand the mechanisms underlying stress responses, meta-analysis of transcriptome is made to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and their biological, molecular and cellular mechanisms in response to stressors. The present study is aimed at identifying the effect of abiotic and biotic stress factors, and it is found that several stress responsive genes are common for both abiotic and biotic stress factors in zebrafish. The meta-analysis of micro-array studies revealed that almost 4.7% i.e., 108 common DEGs are differentially regulated between abiotic and biotic stresses. This shows that there is a global coordination and fine-tuning of gene regulation in response to these two types of challenges. We also performed dimension reduction methods, principal component analysis, and partial least squares discriminant analysis which are able to segregate abiotic and biotic stresses into separate entities. The supervised machine learning model, recursive-support vector machine, could classify abiotic and biotic stresses with 100% accuracy using a subset of DEGs. Beside these methods, the random forests decision tree model classified five out of 8 stress conditions with high accuracy. Finally, Functional enrichment analysis revealed the different gene ontology terms, transcription factors and miRNAs factors in the regulation of stress responses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cross-tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses in plants: a focus on resistance to aphid infestation.

Science.gov (United States)

Foyer, Christine H; Rasool, Brwa; Davey, Jack W; Hancock, Robert D

2016-03-01

Plants co-evolved with an enormous variety of microbial pathogens and insect herbivores under daily and seasonal variations in abiotic environmental conditions. Hence, plant cells display a high capacity to respond to diverse stresses through a flexible and finely balanced response network that involves components such as reduction-oxidation (redox) signalling pathways, stress hormones and growth regulators, as well as calcium and protein kinase cascades. Biotic and abiotic stress responses use common signals, pathways and triggers leading to cross-tolerance phenomena, whereby exposure to one type of stress can activate plant responses that facilitate tolerance to several different types of stress. While the acclimation mechanisms and adaptive responses that facilitate responses to single biotic and abiotic stresses have been extensively characterized, relatively little information is available on the dynamic aspects of combined biotic/abiotic stress response. In this review, we consider how the abiotic environment influences plant responses to attack by phloem-feeding aphids. Unravelling the signalling cascades that underpin cross-tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses will allow the identification of new targets for increasing environmental resilience in crops. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of Abiotic Resource LCIA Methods

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Rodrigo A. F. Alvarenga

2016-02-01

Full Text Available In a life cycle assessment (LCA, the impacts on resources are evaluated at the area of protection (AoP with the same name, through life cycle impact assessment (LCIA methods. There are different LCIA methods available in literature that assesses abiotic resources, and the goal of this study was to propose recommendations for that impact category. We evaluated 19 different LCIA methods, through two criteria (scientific robustness and scope, divided into three assessment levels, i.e., resource accounting methods (RAM, midpoint, and endpoint. In order to support the assessment, we applied some LCIA methods to a case study of ethylene production. For RAM, the most suitable LCIA method was CEENE (Cumulative Exergy Extraction from the Natural Environment (but SED (Solar Energy Demand and ICEC (Industrial Cumulative Exergy Consumption/ECEC (Ecological Cumulative Exergy Consumption may also be recommended, while the midpoint level was ADP (Abiotic Depletion Potential, and the endpoint level was both the Recipe Endpoint and EPS2000 (Environmental Priority Strategies. We could notice that the assessment for the AoP Resources is not yet well established in the LCA community, since new LCIA methods (with different approaches and assessment frameworks are showing up, and this trend may continue in the future.

The Role of Tomato WRKY Genes in Plant Responses to Combined Abiotic and Biotic Stresses

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Yuling Bai

2018-06-01

Full Text Available In the field, plants constantly face a plethora of abiotic and biotic stresses that can impart detrimental effects on plants. In response to multiple stresses, plants can rapidly reprogram their transcriptome through a tightly regulated and highly dynamic regulatory network where WRKY transcription factors can act as activators or repressors. WRKY transcription factors have diverse biological functions in plants, but most notably are key players in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. In tomato there are 83 WRKY genes identified. Here we review recent progress on functions of these tomato WRKY genes and their homologs in other plant species, such as Arabidopsis and rice, with a special focus on their involvement in responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. In particular, we highlight WRKY genes that play a role in plant responses to a combination of abiotic and biotic stresses.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal responses to abiotic stresses: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lenoir, Ingrid; Fontaine, Joël; Lounès-Hadj Sahraoui, Anissa

2016-03-01

The majority of plants live in close collaboration with a diversity of soil organisms among which arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play an essential role. Mycorrhizal symbioses contribute to plant growth and plant protection against various environmental stresses. Whereas the resistance mechanisms induced in mycorrhizal plants after exposure to abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity and pollution, are well documented, the knowledge about the stress tolerance mechanisms implemented by the AMF themselves is limited. This review provides an overview of the impacts of various abiotic stresses (pollution, salinity, drought, extreme temperatures, CO2, calcareous, acidity) on biodiversity, abundance and development of AMF and examines the morphological, biochemical and molecular mechanisms implemented by AMF to survive in the presence of these stresses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationships between biotic and abiotic factors and regeneration of chestnut oak, white oak, and northern red oak

Science.gov (United States)

Songlin Fei; Kim C. Steiner; James C. Finley; Marc E. McDill

2003-01-01

A series of substantial field surveys of 38 mixed-oak stands in central Pennsylvania were carried out during 1996-2000. All the stands were surveyed 1 year prior to harvest, and 16 stands have been surveyed 1 year after harvest. Three abiotic factors at stand scale, four abiotic factors at plot scale, and two biotic factors and one abiotic factor at subplot scale was...

Abiotic stress responses in plants: roles of calmodulin-regulated proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Virdi, Amardeep S.; Singh, Supreet; Singh, Prabhjeet

2015-01-01

Intracellular changes in calcium ions (Ca2+) in response to different biotic and abiotic stimuli are detected by various sensor proteins in the plant cell. Calmodulin (CaM) is one of the most extensively studied Ca2+-sensing proteins and has been shown to be involved in transduction of Ca2+ signals. After interacting with Ca2+, CaM undergoes conformational change and influences the activities of a diverse range of CaM-binding proteins. A number of CaM-binding proteins have also been implicated in stress responses in plants, highlighting the central role played by CaM in adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. Stress adaptation in plants is a highly complex and multigenic response. Identification and characterization of CaM-modulated proteins in relation to different abiotic stresses could, therefore, prove to be essential for a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in abiotic stress tolerance in plants. Various studies have revealed involvement of CaM in regulation of metal ions uptake, generation of reactive oxygen species and modulation of transcription factors such as CAMTA3, GTL1, and WRKY39. Activities of several kinases and phosphatases have also been shown to be modulated by CaM, thus providing further versatility to stress-associated signal transduction pathways. The results obtained from contemporary studies are consistent with the proposed role of CaM as an integrator of different stress signaling pathways, which allows plants to maintain homeostasis between different cellular processes. In this review, we have attempted to present the current state of understanding of the role of CaM in modulating different stress-regulated proteins and its implications in augmenting abiotic stress tolerance in plants. PMID:26528296

The Role of MAPK Modules and ABA during Abiotic Stress Signaling

KAUST Repository

Zélicourt, Axel de

2016-05-01

To respond to abiotic stresses, plants have developed specific mechanisms that allow them to rapidly perceive and respond to environmental changes. The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) was shown to be a pivotal regulator of abiotic stress responses in plants, triggering major changes in plant physiology. The ABA core signaling pathway largely relies on the activation of SnRK2 kinases to mediate several rapid responses, including gene regulation, stomatal closure, and plant growth modulation. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) have also been implicated in ABA signaling, but an entire ABA-activated MAPK module was uncovered only recently. In this review, we discuss the evidence for a role of MAPK modules in the context of different plant ABA signaling pathways. Abiotic stresses impact average yield in agriculture by more than 50% globally.Since ABA is a key regulator of abiotic stress responses, an understanding of its functioning at the molecular level is essential for plant breeding. Although the ABA core signaling pathway has been unraveled, several downstream events are still unclear.MAPKs are involved in most plant developmental stages and in response to stresses. Several members of the MAPK family were shown to be directly or indirectly activated by the ABA core signaling pathway.Recent evidence shows that the complete MAP3K17/18-MKK3-MPK1/2/7/14 module is under the control of ABA, whose members are under the transcriptional and post-translational control of the ABA core signaling pathway. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd.

Electrode impedance analysis of chronic tungsten microwire neural implants: understanding abiotic vs. biotic contributions

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Viswanath eSankar

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Changes in biotic and abiotic factors can be reflected in the complex impedance spectrum of the microelectrodes chronically implanted into the neural tissue. The recording surface of the tungsten electrode in vivo undergoes abiotic changes due to recording site corrosion and insulation delamination as well as biotic changes due to tissue encapsulation as a result of the foreign body immune response. We reported earlier that large changes in electrode impedance measured at 1 kHz were correlated with poor electrode functional performance, quantified through electrophysiological recordings during the chronic lifetime of the electrode. There is a need to identity the factors that contribute to the chronic impedance variation. In this work, we use numerical simulation and regression to equivalent circuit models to evaluate both the abiotic and biotic contributions to the impedance response over chronic implant duration. COMSOL® simulation of abiotic electrode morphology changes provide a possible explanation for the decrease in the electrode impedance at long implant duration while biotic changes play an important role in the large increase in impedance observed initially.

Importance of biotic and abiotic components in feedback between plants and soil

OpenAIRE

Hanzelková, Věra

2017-01-01

The plant-soil feedback affects the forming of a plant community. Plants affect their own species as well as other species. The plant-soil feedback can be both positive and negative. Plants affect soil, change its properties, and the soil affects the plants reciprocally. Soil components can be divided into biotic and abiotic ones. The abiotic component is represented by physical and chemical properties of the soil. The main properties are the soil structure, the soil moisture, the soil temper...

Pre-mRNA splicing repression triggers abiotic stress signaling in plants

KAUST Repository

Ling, Yu

2016-09-24

Alternative splicing (AS) of precursor RNAs enhances transcriptome plasticity and proteome diversity in response to diverse growth and stress cues. Recent work has shown that AS is pervasive across plant species, with more than 60% of intron-containing genes producing different isoforms. Mammalian cell-based assays have discovered various inhibitors of AS. Here, we show that the macrolide pladienolide B (PB) inhibits constitutive splicing and AS in plants. Also, our RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data revealed that PB mimics abiotic stress signals including salt, drought and abscisic acid (ABA). PB activates the abiotic stress- and ABA-responsive reporters RD29A

Pre-mRNA splicing repression triggers abiotic stress signaling in plants

KAUST Repository

Ling, Yu; Alshareef, Sahar; Butt, Haroon; Lozano-Juste, Jorge; Li, Lixin; Galal, Aya A.; Moustafa, Ahmed; Momin, Afaque Ahmad Imtiyaz; Tashkandi, Manal; Richardson, Dale N.; Fujii, Hiroaki; Arold, Stefan T.; Rodriguez, Pedro L.; Duque, Paula; Mahfouz, Magdy M.

2016-01-01

Alternative splicing (AS) of precursor RNAs enhances transcriptome plasticity and proteome diversity in response to diverse growth and stress cues. Recent work has shown that AS is pervasive across plant species, with more than 60% of intron-containing genes producing different isoforms. Mammalian cell-based assays have discovered various inhibitors of AS. Here, we show that the macrolide pladienolide B (PB) inhibits constitutive splicing and AS in plants. Also, our RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data revealed that PB mimics abiotic stress signals including salt, drought and abscisic acid (ABA). PB activates the abiotic stress- and ABA-responsive reporters RD29A

Induction of abiotic stress tolerance in plants by endophytic microbes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lata, R; Chowdhury, S; Gond, S K; White, J F

2018-04-01

Endophytes are micro-organisms including bacteria and fungi that survive within healthy plant tissues and promote plant growth under stress. This review focuses on the potential of endophytic microbes that induce abiotic stress tolerance in plants. How endophytes promote plant growth under stressful conditions, like drought and heat, high salinity and poor nutrient availability will be discussed. The molecular mechanisms for increasing stress tolerance in plants by endophytes include induction of plant stress genes as well as biomolecules like reactive oxygen species scavengers. This review may help in the development of biotechnological applications of endophytic microbes in plant growth promotion and crop improvement under abiotic stress conditions. Increasing human populations demand more crop yield for food security while crop production is adversely affected by abiotic stresses like drought, salinity and high temperature. Development of stress tolerance in plants is a strategy to cope with the negative effects of adverse environmental conditions. Endophytes are well recognized for plant growth promotion and production of natural compounds. The property of endophytes to induce stress tolerance in plants can be applied to increase crop yields. With this review, we intend to promote application of endophytes in biotechnology and genetic engineering for the development of stress-tolerant plants. © 2018 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Abiotic transformation of estrogens in synthetic municipal wastewater: An alternative for treatment?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marfil-Vega, Ruth [School of Energy, Environmental, Biological and Medical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, 701 Engineering Research Center, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0071 (United States); Suidan, Makram T., E-mail: Makram.Suidan@uc.ed [School of Energy, Environmental, Biological and Medical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, 701 Engineering Research Center, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0071 (United States); Mills, Marc A. [USEPA, Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH 45268 (United States)

2010-11-15

The abiotic transformation of estrogens, including estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), estriol (E3) and ethinylestradiol (EE2), in the presence of model vegetable matter was confirmed in this study. Batch experiments were performed to model the catalytic conversion of E1, E2, E3 and EE2 in synthetic wastewater. Greater than 80% reduction in the parent compounds was achieved for each target chemical after 72 h with the remaining concentration distributed between aqueous and solid phases as follows: 13% and 7% for E1, 10% and 2% for E2, 6% and 2% for E3, and 8% and 3% for EE2, respectively. Testosterone, androstenedione and progesterone were also monitored in this study, and their concentrations were found to be in agreement with initially spiked amount. Data collected under laboratory conditions provided the basis for implementing new abiotic wastewater treatment technologies that use inexpensive materials. - Abiotic transformation of estrogens in wastewater matrices can be harnessed for improving their removal from the environment.

Abiotic transformation of estrogens in synthetic municipal wastewater: An alternative for treatment?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marfil-Vega, Ruth; Suidan, Makram T.; Mills, Marc A.

2010-01-01

The abiotic transformation of estrogens, including estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), estriol (E3) and ethinylestradiol (EE2), in the presence of model vegetable matter was confirmed in this study. Batch experiments were performed to model the catalytic conversion of E1, E2, E3 and EE2 in synthetic wastewater. Greater than 80% reduction in the parent compounds was achieved for each target chemical after 72 h with the remaining concentration distributed between aqueous and solid phases as follows: 13% and 7% for E1, 10% and 2% for E2, 6% and 2% for E3, and 8% and 3% for EE2, respectively. Testosterone, androstenedione and progesterone were also monitored in this study, and their concentrations were found to be in agreement with initially spiked amount. Data collected under laboratory conditions provided the basis for implementing new abiotic wastewater treatment technologies that use inexpensive materials. - Abiotic transformation of estrogens in wastewater matrices can be harnessed for improving their removal from the environment.

Cortex proliferation in the root is a protective mechanism against abiotic stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Hongchang

2015-01-01

Although as an organ the root plays a pivotal role in nutrient and water uptake as well anchorage, individual cell types function distinctly. Cortex is regarded as the least differentiated cell type in the root, but little is known about its role in plant growth and physiology. In recent studies, we found that cortex proliferation can be induced by oxidative stress. Since all types of abiotic stress lead to oxidative stress, this finding suggests a role for cortex in coping with abiotic stress. This hypothesis was tested in this study using the spy mutant, which has an extra layer of cortex in the root. Interestingly, the spy mutant was shown to be hypersensitive to salt and oxidizing reagent applied to the leaves, but it was as tolerant as the wild type to these compounds in the soil. This result lends support to the notion that cortex has a protective role against abiotic stress arising from the soil.

Abscisic Acid and abiotic stress signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuteja, Narendra

2007-05-01

Abiotic stress is severe environmental stress, which impairs crop production on irrigated land worldwide. Overall, the susceptibility or tolerance to the stress in plants is a coordinated action of multiple stress responsive genes, which also cross-talk with other components of stress signal transduction pathways. Plant responses to abiotic stress can be determined by the severity of the stress and by the metabolic status of the plant. Abscisic acid (ABA) is a phytohormone critical for plant growth and development and plays an important role in integrating various stress signals and controlling downstream stress responses. Plants have to adjust ABA levels constantly in responce to changing physiological and environmental conditions. To date, the mechanisms for fine-tuning of ABA levels remain elusive. The mechanisms by which plants respond to stress include both ABA-dependent and ABA-independent processes. Various transcription factors such as DREB2A/2B, AREB1, RD22BP1 and MYC/MYB are known to regulate the ABA-responsive gene expression through interacting with their corrosponding cis-acting elements such as DRE/CRT, ABRE and MYCRS/MYBRS, respectively. Understanding these mechanisms is important to improve stress tolerance in crops plants. This article first describes the general pathway for plant stress response followed by roles of ABA and transcription factors in stress tolerance including the regulation of ABA biosynthesis.

The Stable Isotope Fractionation of Abiotic Reactions: A Benchmark in the Detection of Life

Science.gov (United States)

Summers, David P.

2003-01-01

One very important tool in the analysis of biogenic, and potentially biogenic, samples is the study of their stable isotope distributions. The isotope distribution of a sample depends on the process(es) that created it. One important application of the analysis of C & N stable isotope ratios has been in the determination of whether organic matter in a sample is of biological origin or was produced abiotically. For example, the delta C-13 of organic material found embedded in phosphate grains was cited as a critical part of the evidence for life in 3.8 billion year old samples. The importance of such analysis in establishing biogenicity was highlighted again by the role this issue played in the recent debate over the validity of what had been accepted as the Earth s earliest microfossils. These kinds of analysis imply a comparison with the fractionation that one would have seen if the organic material had been produced by alternative, abiotic, pathways. Could abiotic reactions account for the same level of fractionation? Additionally, since the fractionation can vary between different abiotic reactions, understanding their fractionations can be important in distinguishing what reactions may have been significant in the formation of different abiological samples (such as extraterrestrial samples). There is however, a scarcity of data on the fractionation of carbon and nitrogen by abiotic reactions. In order to interpret properly what the stable isotope ratios of samples tell us about their biotic or abiotic nature, more needs to be known about how abiotic reactions fractionate C and N. Carbon isotope fractionations have been studied for a few abiotic processes. These studies presumed the presence of a reducing atmosphere, focusing on reactions involving spark discharge, W photolysis of reducing gas mixtures, and cyanide polymerization in the presence of ammonia. They did find that the initial products showed a depletion in I3C with values in the range of a few per

Abiotic factors drives floristic variations of fern’s metacommunity in an Atlantic Forest remnant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. E. N. Costa

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract We analyzed floristic variations in fern’s metacommunity at the local scale and their relationship with abiotic factors in an Atlantic Forest remnant of northeastern Brazil. Floristic and environmental variations were accessed on ten plots of 10 × 20 m. We performed cluster analyses, based on Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index to establish the floristic relationship. The influence of abiotic factors: luminosity, temperature, relative air humidity and relative soil moisture was evaluated from a redundancy analysis. We found 24 species belonging to 20 genera and 12 families. The fern’s flora showed high floristic heterogeneity (>75% for most of the plot’s associations. The fern’s metacommunity was structured along an abiotic gradient modulated by temperature, luminosity, and relative soil moisture.

Comparison of the abiotic preferences of macroinvertebrates in tropical river basins.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gert Everaert

Full Text Available We assessed and compared abiotic preferences of aquatic macroinvertebrates in three river basins located in Ecuador, Ethiopia and Vietnam. Upon using logistic regression models we analyzed the relationship between the probability of occurrence of five macroinvertebrate families, ranging from pollution tolerant to pollution sensitive, (Chironomidae, Baetidae, Hydroptilidae, Libellulidae and Leptophlebiidae and physical-chemical water quality conditions. Within the investigated physical-chemical ranges, nine out of twenty-five interaction effects were significant. Our analyses suggested river basin dependent associations between the macroinvertebrate families and the corresponding physical-chemical conditions. It was found that pollution tolerant families showed no clear abiotic preference and occurred at most sampling locations, i.e. Chironomidae were present in 91%, 84% and 93% of the samples taken in Ecuador, Ethiopia and Vietnam. Pollution sensitive families were strongly associated with dissolved oxygen and stream velocity, e.g. Leptophlebiidae were only present in 48%, 2% and 18% of the samples in Ecuador, Ethiopia and Vietnam. Despite some limitations in the study design, we concluded that associations between macroinvertebrates and abiotic conditions can be river basin-specific and hence are not automatically transferable across river basins in the tropics.

Atypical Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Strains form Biofilm on Abiotic Surfaces Regardless of Their Adherence Pattern on Cultured Epithelial Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hebert F. Culler

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the capacity of biofilm formation of atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC strains on abiotic and biotic surfaces. Ninety-one aEPEC strains, isolated from feces of children with diarrhea, were analyzed by the crystal violet (CV assay on an abiotic surface after 24 h of incubation. aEPEC strains representing each HEp-2 cell type of adherence were analyzed after 24 h and 6, 12, and 18 days of incubation at 37°C on abiotic and cell surfaces by CFU/cm2 counting and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM. Biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces occurred in 55 (60.4% of the aEPEC strains. There was no significant difference in biofilm biomass formation on an abiotic versus prefixed cell surface. The biofilms could be visualized by CLSM at various developmental stages. aEPEC strains are able to form biofilm on an abiotic surface with no association with their adherence pattern on HEp-2 cells with the exception of the strains expressing UND (undetermined adherence. This study revealed the capacity of adhesion and biofilm formation by aEPEC strains on abiotic and biotic surfaces, possibly playing a role in pathogenesis, mainly in cases of persistent diarrhea.

Specification of matrix cleanup goals in fractured porous media.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez, David J; Kueper, Bernard H

2013-01-01

Semianalytical transient solutions have been developed to evaluate what level of fractured porous media (e.g., bedrock or clay) matrix cleanup must be achieved in order to achieve compliance of fracture pore water concentrations within a specified time at specified locations of interest. The developed mathematical solutions account for forward and backward diffusion in a fractured porous medium where the initial condition comprises a spatially uniform, nonzero matrix concentration throughout the domain. Illustrative simulations incorporating the properties of mudstone fractured bedrock demonstrate that the time required to reach a desired fracture pore water concentration is a function of the distance between the point of compliance and the upgradient face of the domain where clean groundwater is inflowing. Shorter distances correspond to reduced times required to reach compliance, implying that shorter treatment zones will respond more favorably to remediation than longer treatment zones in which back-diffusion dominates the fracture pore water response. For a specified matrix cleanup goal, compliance of fracture pore water concentrations will be reached sooner for decreased fracture spacing, increased fracture aperture, higher matrix fraction organic carbon, lower matrix porosity, shorter aqueous phase decay half-life, and a higher hydraulic gradient. The parameters dominating the response of the system can be measured using standard field and laboratory techniques. © 2012, The Author(s). Ground Water © 2012, National Ground Water Association.

Transgenic tobacco plants constitutively expressing peanut BTF3 exhibit increased growth and tolerance to abiotic stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Pruthvi, V; Rama, N; Parvathi, M S; Nataraja, K N

2017-05-01

Abiotic stresses limit crop growth and productivity worldwide. Cellular tolerance, an important abiotic stress adaptive trait, involves coordinated activities of multiple proteins linked to signalling cascades, transcriptional regulation and other diverse processes. Basal transcriptional machinery is considered to be critical for maintaining transcription under stressful conditions. From this context, discovery of novel basal transcription regulators from stress adapted crops like peanut would be useful for improving tolerance of sensitive plant types. In this study, we prospected a basal transcription factor, BTF3 from peanut (Arachis hypogaea L) and studied its relevance in stress acclimation by over expression in tobacco. AhBTF3 was induced under PEG-, NaCl-, and methyl viologen-induced stresses in peanut. The constitutive expression of AhBTF3 in tobacco increased plant growth under non stress condition. The transgenic plants exhibited superior phenotype compared to wild type under mannitol- and NaCl-induced stresses at seedling level. The enhanced cellular tolerance of transgenic plants was evidenced by higher cell membrane stability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity, seedling survival and vigour than wild type. The transgenic lines showed better in vitro regeneration capacity on growth media supplemented with NaCl than wild type. Superior phenotype of transgenic plants under osmotic and salinity stresses seems to be due to constitutive activation of genes of multiple pathways linked to growth and stress adaptation. The study demonstrated that AhBTF3 is a positive regulator of growth and stress acclimation and hence can be considered as a potential candidate gene for crop improvement towards stress adaptation. © 2016 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Changes in abiotic influences on seed plants and ferns during 18 years of primary succession on Puerto Rican landslides

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence R. Walker; Aaron B. Shiels; Peter J. Bellingham; Ashley D. Sparrow; Ned Fetcher; Fred H. Landau; Deborah J. Lodge

2013-01-01

Abiotic variables are critical drivers of succession in most primary seres, but how their influence on biota changes over time is rarely examined. Landslides provide good model systems for examining abiotic influences because they are spatially and temporally heterogeneous habitats with distinct abiotic and biotic gradients and post-landslide erosion. In an 18-year...

Transcriptomic Profiling of the Maize (Zea mays L.) Leaf Response to Abiotic Stresses at the Seedling Stage.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Pengcheng; Cao, Wei; Fang, Huimin; Xu, Shuhui; Yin, Shuangyi; Zhang, Yingying; Lin, Dezhou; Wang, Jianan; Chen, Yufei; Xu, Chenwu; Yang, Zefeng

2017-01-01

Abiotic stresses, including drought, salinity, heat, and cold, negatively affect maize ( Zea mays L.) development and productivity. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of resistance to abiotic stresses in maize, RNA-seq was used for global transcriptome profiling of B73 seedling leaves exposed to drought, salinity, heat, and cold stress. A total of 5,330 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected in differential comparisons between the control and each stressed sample, with 1,661, 2,019, 2,346, and 1,841 DEGs being identified in comparisons of the control with salinity, drought, heat, and cold stress, respectively. Functional annotations of DEGs suggested that the stress response was mediated by pathways involving hormone metabolism and signaling, transcription factors (TFs), very-long-chain fatty acid biosynthesis and lipid signaling, among others. Of the obtained DEGs (5,330), 167 genes are common to these four abiotic stresses, including 10 up-regulated TFs (five ERFs, two NACs, one ARF, one MYB, and one HD-ZIP) and two down-regulated TFs (one b-ZIP and one MYB-related), which suggested that common mechanisms may be initiated in response to different abiotic stresses in maize. This study contributes to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of maize leaf responses to abiotic stresses and could be useful for developing maize cultivars resistant to abiotic stresses.

Pathways for abiotic organic synthesis at submarine hydrothermal fields.

Science.gov (United States)

McDermott, Jill M; Seewald, Jeffrey S; German, Christopher R; Sylva, Sean P

2015-06-23

Arguments for an abiotic origin of low-molecular weight organic compounds in deep-sea hot springs are compelling owing to implications for the sustenance of deep biosphere microbial communities and their potential role in the origin of life. Theory predicts that warm H2-rich fluids, like those emanating from serpentinizing hydrothermal systems, create a favorable thermodynamic drive for the abiotic generation of organic compounds from inorganic precursors. Here, we constrain two distinct reaction pathways for abiotic organic synthesis in the natural environment at the Von Damm hydrothermal field and delineate spatially where inorganic carbon is converted into bioavailable reduced carbon. We reveal that carbon transformation reactions in a single system can progress over hours, days, and up to thousands of years. Previous studies have suggested that CH4 and higher hydrocarbons in ultramafic hydrothermal systems were dependent on H2 generation during active serpentinization. Rather, our results indicate that CH4 found in vent fluids is formed in H2-rich fluid inclusions, and higher n-alkanes may likely be derived from the same source. This finding implies that, in contrast with current paradigms, these compounds may form independently of actively circulating serpentinizing fluids in ultramafic-influenced systems. Conversely, widespread production of formate by ΣCO2 reduction at Von Damm occurs rapidly during shallow subsurface mixing of the same fluids, which may support anaerobic methanogenesis. Our finding of abiogenic formate in deep-sea hot springs has significant implications for microbial life strategies in the present-day deep biosphere as well as early life on Earth and beyond.

Current trends in genetic manipulations to enhance abiotic and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Hitherto, tolerant plants were mainly produced by classical breeding techniques. Success in breeding for better adapted varieties to abiotic and biotic stresses depends on the concerted efforts of various research domains including plant and cell physiology, molecular biology, genetics and breeding. However, such process ...

Utilizing Genetic Resources and Precision Agriculture to Enhance Resistance to Biotic and Abiotic Stress in Watermelon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mihail KANTOR

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Originally from Africa, watermelon is a staple crop in South Carolina and rich source of important phytochemicals that promote human health. As a result of many years of domestication and selection for desired fruit quality, modern watermelon cultivars are susceptible to biotic and abiotic stress. The present review discusses how genetic selection and breeding combined with geospatial technologies (precision agriculture may help enhance watermelon varieties for resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. Gene loci identified and selected in undomesticated watermelon accessions are responsible for resistance to diseases, pests and abiotic stress. Vegetable breeding programs use traditional breeding methodologies and genomic tools to introduce gene loci conferring biotic or abiotic resistance into the genome background of elite watermelon cultivars. This continuous approach of collecting, evaluating and identifying useful genetic material is valuable for enhancing genetic diversity and tolerance and combined with precision agriculture could increase food security in the Southeast.

Methane clumped isotopes in the Songliao Basin (China): New insights into abiotic vs. biotic hydrocarbon formation

Science.gov (United States)

Shuai, Yanhua; Etiope, Giuseppe; Zhang, Shuichang; Douglas, Peter M. J.; Huang, Ling; Eiler, John M.

2018-01-01

Abiotic hydrocarbon gas, typically generated in serpentinized ultramafic rocks and crystalline shields, has important implications for the deep biosphere, petroleum systems, the carbon cycle and astrobiology. Distinguishing abiotic gas (produced by chemical reactions like Sabatier synthesis) from biotic gas (produced from degradation of organic matter or microbial activity) is sometimes challenging because their isotopic and molecular composition may overlap. Abiotic gas has been recognized in numerous locations on the Earth, although there are no confirmed instances where it is the dominant source of commercially valuable quantities in reservoir rocks. The deep hydrocarbon reservoirs of the Xujiaweizi Depression in the Songliao Basin (China) have been considered to host significant amounts of abiotic methane. Here we report methane clumped-isotope values (Δ18) and the isotopic composition of C1-C3 alkanes, CO2 and helium of five gas samples collected from those Xujiaweizi deep reservoirs. Some geochemical features of these samples resemble previously suggested identifiers of abiotic gas (13C-enriched CH4; decrease in 13C/12C ratio with increasing carbon number for the C1-C4 alkanes; abundant, apparently non-biogenic CO2; and mantle-derived helium). However, combining these constraints with new measurements of the clumped-isotope composition of methane and careful consideration of the geological context, suggests that the Xujiaweizi depression gas is dominantly, if not exclusively, thermogenic and derived from over-mature source rocks, i.e., from catagenesis of buried organic matter at high temperatures. Methane formation temperatures suggested by clumped-isotopes (167-213 °C) are lower than magmatic gas generation processes and consistent with the maturity of local source rocks. Also, there are no geological conditions (e.g., serpentinized ultramafic rocks) that may lead to high production of H2 and thus abiotic production of CH4 via CO2 reduction. We propose

Resilience of cereal crops to abiotic stress: A review

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SAM

2014-07-16

Jul 16, 2014 ... Key words: Cereal crops, abiotic stresses, food insecurity, molecular breeding, quantitative trait loci (QTLs), salinity, water stress. ... production of genetically modified (GM) crops, exo- genous use of osmo protectants etc. ... stressful environments is important to fulfill food demand of the ever-increasing world ...

STRESS ECOLOGY IN FUCUS : ABIOTIC, BIOTIC AND GENETIC INTERACTIONS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wahl, Martin; Jormalainen, Veijo; Eriksson, Britas Klemens; Coyer, James A.; Molis, Markus; Schubert, Hendrik; Dethier, Megan; Karez, Rolf; Kruse, Inken; Lenz, Mark; Pearson, Gareth; Rohde, Sven; Wikstrom, Sofia A.; Olsen, Jeanine L.; Lesser, M

2011-01-01

Stress regimes defined as the synchronous or sequential action of abiotic and biotic stresses determine the performance and distribution of species. The natural patterns of stress to which species are more or less well adapted have recently started to shift and alter under the influence of global

Understanding the Posttranscriptional Regulation of Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress

KAUST Repository

Alshareef, Sahar

2017-01-01

Constitutive and alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs from multiexonic genes controls the diversity of the proteome; these precisely regulated processes also fine-tune responses to cues related to growth, development, and biotic and abiotic stresses

Abiotic synthesis of organic compounds from carbon disulfide under hydrothermal conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Rushdi, Ahmed I; Simoneit, Bernd R T

2005-12-01

Abiotic formation of organic compounds under hydrothermal conditions is of interest to bio, geo-, and cosmochemists. Oceanic sulfur-rich hydrothermal systems have been proposed as settings for the abiotic synthesis of organic compounds. Carbon disulfide is a common component of magmatic and hot spring gases, and is present in marine and terrestrial hydrothermal systems. Thus, its reactivity should be considered as another carbon source in addition to carbon dioxide in reductive aqueous thermosynthesis. We have examined the formation of organic compounds in aqueous solutions of carbon disulfide and oxalic acid at 175 degrees C for 5 and 72 h. The synthesis products from carbon disulfide in acidic aqueous solutions yielded a series of organic sulfur compounds. The major compounds after 5 h of reaction included dimethyl polysulfides (54.5%), methyl perthioacetate (27.6%), dimethyl trithiocarbonate (6.8%), trithianes (2.7%), hexathiepane (1.4%), trithiolanes (0.8%), and trithiacycloheptanes (0.3%). The main compounds after 72 h of reaction consisted of trithiacycloheptanes (39.4%), pentathiepane (11.6%), tetrathiocyclooctanes (11.5%), trithiolanes (10.6%), tetrathianes (4.4%), trithianes (1.2%), dimethyl trisulfide (1.1%), and numerous minor compounds. It is concluded that the abiotic formation of aliphatic straight-chain and cyclic polysulfides is possible under hydrothermal conditions and warrants further studies.

Impact of Post-Translational Modifications of Crop Proteins under Abiotic Stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akiko Hashiguchi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The efficiency of stress-induced adaptive responses of plants depends on intricate coordination of multiple signal transduction pathways that act coordinately or, in some cases, antagonistically. Protein post-translational modifications (PTMs can regulate protein activity and localization as well as protein–protein interactions in numerous cellular processes, thus leading to elaborate regulation of plant responses to various external stimuli. Understanding responses of crop plants under field conditions is crucial to design novel stress-tolerant cultivars that maintain robust homeostasis even under extreme conditions. In this review, proteomic studies of PTMs in crops are summarized. Although the research on the roles of crop PTMs in regulating stress response mechanisms is still in its early stage, several novel insights have been retrieved so far. This review covers techniques for detection of PTMs in plants, representative PTMs in plants under abiotic stress, and how PTMs control functions of representative proteins. In addition, because PTMs under abiotic stresses are well described in soybeans under submergence, recent findings in PTMs of soybean proteins under flooding stress are introduced. This review provides information on advances in PTM study in relation to plant adaptations to abiotic stresses, underlining the importance of PTM study to ensure adequate agricultural production in the future.

Metabolomics as a Tool to Investigate Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aurelio Gómez-Cadenas

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Metabolites reflect the integration of gene expression, protein interaction and other different regulatory processes and are therefore closer to the phenotype than mRNA transcripts or proteins alone. Amongst all –omics technologies, metabolomics is the most transversal and can be applied to different organisms with little or no modifications. It has been successfully applied to the study of molecular phenotypes of plants in response to abiotic stress in order to find particular patterns associated to stress tolerance. These studies have highlighted the essential involvement of primary metabolites: sugars, amino acids and Krebs cycle intermediates as direct markers of photosynthetic dysfunction as well as effectors of osmotic readjustment. On the contrary, secondary metabolites are more specific of genera and species and respond to particular stress conditions as antioxidants, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS scavengers, coenzymes, UV and excess radiation screen and also as regulatory molecules. In addition, the induction of secondary metabolites by several abiotic stress conditions could also be an effective mechanism of cross-protection against biotic threats, providing a link between abiotic and biotic stress responses. Moreover, the presence/absence and relative accumulation of certain metabolites along with gene expression data provides accurate markers (mQTL or MWAS for tolerant crop selection in breeding programs.

Elucidating the Role of Carbon Sources on Abiotic and Biotic Release of Arsenic into Cambodian Aquifers

Science.gov (United States)

Koeneke, M.

2017-12-01

Arsenic (As) is a naturally occurring contaminant in Cambodia that has been contaminating well-water sources of millions of people. Commonly, studies look into the biotic factors that cause the arsenic to be released from aquifer sediments to groundwater. However, abiotic release of As from sediments, though little studied, may also play key roles in As contamination of well water. The goal of this research is to quantitatively compare organic-carbon mediated abiotic and biotic release of arsenic from sediments to groundwater. Batch anaerobic incubation experiments under abiotic (sodium azide used to immobilize microbes) and biotic conditions were conducted using Cambodian aquifer sediments, four different organic carbon sources (sodium lactate, sodium citrate, sodium oxalate, and humic acid), and six different carbon concentrations (0, 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 25mg C/L). Dissolved arsenic, iron(Fe), and manganese(Mn) concentrations in the treatments were measured 112 days . In addition, sediment and solution carbon solution was measured . Collectively, these show how different carbon sources, different carbon concentrations, and how abiotic and biotic factors impact the release of arsenic from Cambodian sediments into aquifers. Overall, an introduction of organic carbon to the soil increases the amount of As released from the sediment. The biotic + abiotic and abiotic conditions seemed to play a minimal role in the amount of As released. Dissolved species analysis showed us that 100% of the As was As(V), Our ICP-MS results vary due to the heterogeneity of samples, but when high levels are Fe are seen in solution, we also see high levels of As. We also see higher As concentrations when there is a smaller amount of Mn in solution.

Overexpression of an abiotic-stress inducible plant protein in the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-09-17

Sep 17, 2008 ... the universal stress hormone, is supplied in the culture ... various abiotic stress like water deficit, high salinity and low temperature or exogenous ... period in a plant growth chamber (NIPPON, LHP-100-RDS, Tokyo,. Japan).

Abiotic factors drives floristic variations of fern’s metacommunity in an Atlantic Forest remnant

OpenAIRE

L. E. N. Costa; R. P. Farias; A. C. P. Santiago; I. A. A. Silva; I. C. L. Barros

2018-01-01

Abstract We analyzed floristic variations in fern’s metacommunity at the local scale and their relationship with abiotic factors in an Atlantic Forest remnant of northeastern Brazil. Floristic and environmental variations were accessed on ten plots of 10 × 20 m. We performed cluster analyses, based on Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index to establish the floristic relationship. The influence of abiotic factors: luminosity, temperature, relative air humidity and relative soil moisture was evaluated...

ROS-mediated abiotic stress-induced programmed cell death in plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veselin ePetrov

2015-02-01

Full Text Available During the course of their ontogenesis, plants are continuously exposed to a large variety of abiotic stress factors which can damage tissues and jeopardize the survival of the organism unless properly countered. While animals can simply escape and thus evade stressors, plants as sessile organisms have developed complex strategies to withstand them. When the intensity of a detrimental factor is high, one of the defense programs employed by plants is the induction of programmed cell death (PCD. This is an active, genetically controlled process which is initiated to isolate and remove damaged tissues thereby ensuring the survival of the organism. The mechanism of PCD induction usually includes an increase in the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS which are utilized as mediators of the stress signal. Abiotic stress-induced PCD is not only a process of fundamental biological importance, but also of considerable interest to agricultural practice as it has the potential to significantly influence crop yield. Therefore, numerous scientific enterprises have focused on elucidating the mechanisms leading to and controlling PCD in response to adverse conditions in plants. This knowledge may help to develop novel strategies to obtain more resilient crop varieties with improved tolerance and enhanced productivity. The aim of the present review is to summarize the recent advances in research on ROS-induced PCD related to abiotic stress and the role of the organelles in the process.

The Grape VlWRKY3 Gene Promotes Abiotic and Biotic Stress Tolerance in Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana

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Rongrong Guo

2018-04-01

Full Text Available WRKY transcription factors are known to play important roles in plant responses to various abiotic and biotic stresses. The grape WRKY gene, WRKY3 was previously reported to respond to salt and drought stress, as well as methyl jasmonate and ethylene treatments in Vitis labrusca × V. vinifera cv. ‘Kyoho.’ In the current study, WRKY3 from the ‘Kyoho’ grape cultivar was constitutively expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana under control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. The 35S::VlWRKY3 transgenic A. thaliana plants showed improved salt and drought stress tolerance during the germination, seedling and the mature plant stages. Various physiological traits related to abiotic stress responses were evaluated to gain further insight into the role of VlWRKY3, and it was found that abiotic stress caused less damage to the transgenic seedlings than to the wild-type (WT plants. VlWRKY3 over-expression also resulted in altered expression levels of abiotic stress-responsive genes. Moreover, the 35S::VlWRKY3 transgenic A. thaliana lines showed improved resistance to Golovinomyces cichoracearum, but increased susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea, compared with the WT plants. Collectively, these results indicate that VlWRKY3 plays important roles in responses to both abiotic and biotic stress, and modification of its expression may represent a strategy to enhance stress tolerance in crops.

[Inhibitors of proteolytic enzymes under abiotic stresses in plants (review)].

Science.gov (United States)

Mosolov, V V; Valueva, T A

2011-01-01

Data on the role of proteolytic enzyme inhibitors in plant adaptation to various unfavorable environmental abiotic factors--water deficiency, salinization of soil, extreme temperatures, etc.--and also probable functions of proteinases inhibitors in natural plant senescense are considered.

Abiotic factors influencing tropical dry forests regeneration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ceccon Eliane

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Tropical dry forests represent nearly half the tropical forests in the world and are the ecosystems registering the greatest deterioration from the anthropogenic exploitation of the land. This paper presents a review on the dynamics of tropical dry forests regeneration and the main abiotic factors influencing this regeneration, such as seasonal nature, soil fertility and humidity, and natural and anthropic disturbances. The main purpose is to clearly understand an important part of TDF succession dynamics.

Characterization and comparison of iron oxyhydroxide precipitates from biotic and abiotic groundwater treatments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arturi, Katarzyna R.; Bender Koch, Christian; Søgaard, Erik G.

2017-01-01

Removal of iron is an important step in groundwater treatment for drinking water production. It is performed to prevent organoleptic issues and clogging in water supply systems. Iron can be eliminated with a purely physico-chemical (abiotic) method or biotically with the help of iron......-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB). Each of the purification methods requires different operating conditions and results in formation of iron oxyhydroxide (FeOOH) precipitates. Knowledge about the differences in composition and properties of the biotic and abiotic precipitates is desirable from a technical, but also...

MICROSCALE METABOLIC, REDOX AND ABIOTIC REACTIONS IN HANFORD 300 AREA SUBSURFACE SEDIMENTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beyenal, Haluk [WSU; McLEan, Jeff [JCVI; Majors, Paul [PNNL; Fredrickson, Jim [PNNL

2013-11-14

The Hanford 300 Area is a unique site due to periodic hydrologic influence of river water resulting in changes in groundwater elevation and flow direction. This area is also highly subject to uranium remobilization, the source of which is currently believed to be the region at the base of the vadose zone that is subject to period saturation due to the changes in the water levels in the Columbia River. We found that microbial processes and redox and abiotic reactions which operate at the microscale were critical to understanding factors controlling the macroscopic fate and transport of contaminants in the subsurface. The combined laboratory and field research showed how microscale conditions control uranium mobility and how biotic, abiotic and redox reactions relate to each other. Our findings extended the current knowledge to examine U(VI) reduction and immobilization using natural 300 Area communities as well as selected model organisms on redox-sensitive and redox-insensitive minerals. Using innovative techniques developed specifically to probe biogeochemical processes at the microscale, our research expanded our current understanding of the roles played by mineral surfaces, bacterial competition, and local biotic, abiotic and redox reaction rates on the reduction and immobilization of uranium.

SERDP ER-1421 Abiotic and Biotic Mechanisms Controlling In Situ Remediation of NDMA: Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szecsody, James E.; McKinley, James P.; Crocker, Fiona H.; Breshears, Andrew T.; Devary, Brooks J.; Fredrickson, Herbert L.; Thompson, Karen T.

2009-09-30

This laboratory-scale project was initiated to investigate in situ abiotic/biotic mineralization of NDMA. Under iron-reducing conditions, aquifer sediments showed rapid abiotic NDMA degradation to dimethylamine (DMA), nitrate, formate, and finally, CO2. These are the first reported experiments of abiotic NDMA mineralization. The NDMA reactivity of these different iron phases showed that adsorbed ferrous iron was the dominant reactive phase that promoted NDMA reduction, and other ferrous phases present (siderite, iron sulfide, magnetite, structural ferrous iron in 2:1 clays) did not promote NDMA degradation. In contrast, oxic sediments that were biostimulated with propane promoted biomineralization of NDMA by a cometabolic monooxygenase enzyme process. Other monooxygenase enzyme processes were not stimulated with methane or toluene additions, and acetylene addition did not block mineralization. Although NDMA mineralization extent was the highest in oxic, biostimulated sediments (30 to 82%, compared to 10 to 26% for abiotic mineralization in reduced sediments), large 1-D column studies (high sediment/water ratio of aquifers) showed 5.6 times higher NDMA mineralization rates in reduced sediment (half-life 410 ± 147 h) than oxic biomineralization (half life 2293 ± 1866 h). Sequential reduced/oxic biostimulated sediment mineralization (half-life 3180 ± 1094 h) was also inefficient compared to reduced sediment. These promising laboratory-scale results for NDMA mineralization should be investigated at field scale. Future studies of NDMA remediation should focus on the comparison of this in situ abiotic NDMA mineralization (iron-reducing environments) to ex situ biomineralization, which has been shown successful in other studies.

Identification of Arabidopsis candidate genes in response to biotic and abiotic stresses using comparative microarrays.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arjun Sham

Full Text Available Plants have evolved with intricate mechanisms to cope with multiple environmental stresses. To adapt with biotic and abiotic stresses, plant responses involve changes at the cellular and molecular levels. The current study was designed to investigate the effects of combinations of different environmental stresses on the transcriptome level of Arabidopsis genome using public microarray databases. We investigated the role of cyclopentenones in mediating plant responses to environmental stress through TGA (TGACG motif-binding factor transcription factor, independently from jasmonic acid. Candidate genes were identified by comparing plants inoculated with Botrytis cinerea or treated with heat, salt or osmotic stress with non-inoculated or non-treated tissues. About 2.5% heat-, 19% salinity- and 41% osmotic stress-induced genes were commonly upregulated by B. cinerea-treatment; and 7.6%, 19% and 48% of genes were commonly downregulated by B. cinerea-treatment, respectively. Our results indicate that plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses are mediated by several common regulatory genes. Comparisons between transcriptome data from Arabidopsis stressed-plants support our hypothesis that some molecular and biological processes involved in biotic and abiotic stress response are conserved. Thirteen of the common regulated genes to abiotic and biotic stresses were studied in detail to determine their role in plant resistance to B. cinerea. Moreover, a T-DNA insertion mutant of the Responsive to Dehydration gene (rd20, encoding for a member of the caleosin (lipid surface protein family, showed an enhanced sensitivity to B. cinerea infection and drought. Overall, the overlapping of plant responses to abiotic and biotic stresses, coupled with the sensitivity of the rd20 mutant, may provide new interesting programs for increased plant resistance to multiple environmental stresses, and ultimately increases its chances to survive. Future research

The Promoter of AtUSP Is Co-regulated by Phytohormones and Abiotic Stresses in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhuria, Monika; Goel, Parul; Kumar, Sanjay; Singh, Anil K

2016-01-01

Universal stress proteins (USPs) are known to be expressed in response to various abiotic stresses in a wide variety of organisms, such as bacteria, archaebacteria, protists, algae, fungi, plants, and animals. However, in plants, biological function of most of the USPs still remains obscure. In the present study, Arabidopsis USP gene ( AtUSP ) showed induction in response to abscisic acid (ABA) and various abiotic stresses viz . heat, dehydration, salt, osmotic, and cold stresses. Additionally, in silico analysis of AtUSP promoter identified several cis -elements responsive to phytohormones and abiotic stresses such as ABRE, ERE, DRE, and HSE, etc. To functionally validate the AtUSP promoter, the 1115 bp region of promoter was characterized under phytohormone and abiotic stress treatments. Deletion analysis of promoter was carried out by cloning the full length promoter (D0) and its three 5' deletion derivatives, D1 (964 bp), D2 (660 bp), and D3 (503 bp) upstream of the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene, which were then stably transformed in Arabidopsis plants. The AtUSP promoter (D0) showed minimal activity under non-stress conditions which was enhanced in response to phytohormone treatments (ABA and ACC) and abiotic stresses such as dehydration, heat, cold, salt, and osmotic stresses. The seedlings harboring D1 and D2 deletion fragments showed constitutive GUS expression even under control condition with increased activity almost under all the treatments. However, D3 seedlings exhibited complete loss of activity under control condition with induction under ACC treatment, dehydration, heat, oxidative, salt, and osmotic stresses. Thus, present study clearly showed that AtUSP promoter is highly inducible by phytohormones and multiple abiotic stresses and it can be exploited as stress inducible promoter to generate multi-stress tolerant crops with minimal effects on their other important traits.

Isoelectric point is an inadequate descriptor of MS2, Phi X 174 and PRD1 phages adhesion on abiotic surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Dika, Christelle; Duval, Jérôme F L; Francius, Gregory; Perrin, Aline; Gantzer, Christophe

2015-05-15

MS2, Phi X 174 and PRD1 bacteriophages are commonly used as surrogates to evaluate pathogenic virus behavior in natural aquatic media. The interfacial properties of these model soft bioparticles are herein discussed in connection with their propensities to adhere onto abiotic surfaces that differ in terms of surface charges and hydrophobicities. The phages considered in this work exhibit distinct multilayered surface structures and their electrostatic charges are evaluated from the dependence of their electrophoretic mobilities on electrolyte concentration at neutral pH on the basis of electrokinetic theory for soft (bio)particles. The charges of the viruses probed by electrokinetics vary according to the sequence Phi X 174⩽PRD1≪MS2, where 'Phi X 174≪MS2Phi X 174 and PRD1 bacteriophages. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Generation of RNA in abiotic conditions.

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di Mauro, Ernesto

Generation of RNA in abiotic conditions. Ernesto Di Mauro Dipartimento di Genetica Bi-ologia Molecolare, Universit` "Sapienza" Roma, Italy. a At least four conditions must be satisfied for the spontaneous generation of (pre)-genetic poly-mers: 1) availability of precursors that are activated enough to spontaneously polymerize. Preliminary studies showed that (a) nucleic bases and acyclonucleosides can be synthesized from formamide H2NCOH by simply heating with prebiotically available mineral catalysts [last reviewed in (1)], and that b) nucleic bases can be phosphorylated in every possible posi-tion [2'; 3'; 5'; cyclic 2',3'; cyclic 3',5' (2)]. The higher stability of the cyclic forms allows their accumulation. 2) A polymerization mechanism. A reaction showing the formation of RNA polymers starting from prebiotically plausible precursors (3',5' cyclic GMP and 3', 5'cyclic AMP) was recently reported (3). Polymerization in these conditions is thermodynamically up-hill and an equilibrium is attained that limits the maximum length of the polymer produced to about 40 nucleotides for polyG and 100 nucleotides for polyA. 3) Ligation of the synthesized oligomers. If this type of reaction could occur according to a terminal-joining mechanism and could generate canonical 3',5' phosphodiester bonds, exponential growth would be obtained of the generated oligomers. This type of reaction has been reported (4) , limited to homogeneous polyA sequences and leading to the production of polyA dimers and tetramers. What is still missing are: 4) mechanisms that provide the proof of principle for the generation of sequence complexity. We will show evidence for two mechanisms providing this proof of principle for simple complementary sequences. Namely: abiotic sequence complementary-driven terminal ligation and sequence-complementary terminal growth. In conclusion: all the steps leading to the generation of RNA in abiotic conditions are satisfied. (1) R Saladino, C Crestini, F

Genetic and Computational Approaches for Studying Plant Development and Abiotic Stress Responses Using Image-Based Phenotyping

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Campbell, M. T.; Walia, H.; Grondin, A.; Knecht, A.

2017-12-01

The development of abiotic stress tolerant crops (i.e. drought, salinity, or heat stress) requires the discovery of DNA sequence variants associated with stress tolerance-related traits. However, many traits underlying adaptation to abiotic stress involve a suite of physiological pathways that may be induced at different times throughout the duration of stress. Conventional single-point phenotyping approaches fail to fully capture these temporal responses, and thus downstream genetic analysis may only identify a subset of the genetic variants that are important for adaptation to sub-optimal environments. Although genomic resources for crops have advanced tremendously, the collection of phenotypic data for morphological and physiological traits is laborious and remains a significant bottleneck in bridging the phenotype-genotype gap. In recent years, the availability of automated, image-based phenotyping platforms has provided researchers with an opportunity to collect morphological and physiological traits non-destructively in a highly controlled environment. Moreover, these platforms allow abiotic stress responses to be recorded throughout the duration of the experiment, and have facilitated the use of function-valued traits for genetic analyses in major crops. We will present our approaches for addressing abiotic stress tolerance in cereals. This talk will focus on novel open-source software to process and extract biological meaningful data from images generated from these phenomics platforms. In addition, we will discuss the statistical approaches to model longitudinal phenotypes and dissect the genetic basis of dynamic responses to these abiotic stresses throughout development.

Molecular and physiological responses to abiotic stress in forest trees and their relevance to tree improvement.

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Harfouche, Antoine; Meilan, Richard; Altman, Arie

2014-11-01

Abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity and cold, are the major environmental stresses that adversely affect tree growth and, thus, forest productivity, and play a major role in determining the geographic distribution of tree species. Tree responses and tolerance to abiotic stress are complex biological processes that are best analyzed at a systems level using genetic, genomic, metabolomic and phenomic approaches. This will expedite the dissection of stress-sensing and signaling networks to further support efficient genetic improvement programs. Enormous genetic diversity for stress tolerance exists within some forest-tree species, and due to advances in sequencing technologies the molecular genetic basis for this diversity has been rapidly unfolding in recent years. In addition, the use of emerging phenotyping technologies extends the suite of traits that can be measured and will provide us with a better understanding of stress tolerance. The elucidation of abiotic stress-tolerance mechanisms will allow for effective pyramiding of multiple tolerances in a single tree through genetic engineering. Here we review recent progress in the dissection of the molecular basis of abiotic stress tolerance in forest trees, with special emphasis on Populus, Pinus, Picea, Eucalyptus and Quercus spp. We also outline practices that will enable the deployment of trees engineered for abiotic stress tolerance to land owners. Finally, recommendations for future work are discussed. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Abiotic stressors and stress responses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sulmon, Cecile; Van Baaren, Joan; Cabello-Hurtado, Francisco

2015-01-01

Abstract Organisms are regularly subjected to abiotic stressors related to increasing anthropogenic activities, including chemicals and climatic changes that induce major stresses. Based on various key taxa involved in ecosystem functioning (photosynthetic microorganisms, plants, invertebrates), we...... review how organisms respond and adapt to chemical- and temperature-induced stresses from molecular to population level. Using field-realistic studies, our integrative analysis aims to compare i) how molecular and physiological mechanisms related to protection, repair and energy allocation can impact...... life history traits of stressed organisms, and ii) to what extent trait responses influence individual and population responses. Common response mechanisms are evident at molecular and cellular scales but become rather difficult to define at higher levels due to evolutionary distance and environmental...

Novel perspectives for the engineering of abiotic stress tolerance in plants.

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Cabello, Julieta V; Lodeyro, Anabella F; Zurbriggen, Matias D

2014-04-01

Adverse environmental conditions pose serious limitations to agricultural production. Classical biotechnological approaches towards increasing abiotic stress tolerance focus on boosting plant endogenous defence mechanisms. However, overexpression of regulatory elements or effectors is usually accompanied by growth handicap and yield penalties due to crosstalk between developmental and stress-response networks. Herein we offer an overview on novel strategies with the potential to overcome these limitations based on the engineering of regulatory systems involved in the fine-tuning of the plant response to environmental hardships, including post-translational modifications, small RNAs, epigenetic control of gene expression and hormonal networks. The development and application of plant synthetic biology tools and approaches will add new functionalities and perspectives to genetic engineering programs for enhancing abiotic stress tolerance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ROS-mediated abiotic stress-induced programmed cell death in plants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Petrov, Veselin; Hille, Jacob; Mueller-Rober, Bernd; Gechev, Tsanko S.

2015-01-01

During the course of their ontogenesis plants are continuously exposed to a large variety of abiotic stress factors which can damage tissues and jeopardize the survival of the organism unless properly countered. While animals can simply escape and thus evade stressors, plants as sessile organisms

Identification of the AQP members involved in abiotic stress responses from Arabidopsis.

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Feng, Zhi-Juan; Xu, Sheng-Chun; Liu, Na; Zhang, Gu-Wen; Hu, Qi-Zan; Xu, Zhao-Shi; Gong, Ya-Ming

2018-03-10

Aquaporins (AQPs) constitute a highly diverse family of water channel proteins that play crucial biological functions in plant growth and development and stress physiology. In Arabidopsis, 35 AQPs are classified into four subfamilies (PIPs, TIPs, NIPs and SIPs). However, knowledge about the roles of different subfamily AQPs remains limited. Here, we explored the chromosomal location, gene structure and expression patterns of all AQPs in different tissues or under different abiotic stresses based on available microarray data. Tissue expression analysis showed that different AQPs had various expression patterns in tissues (root, leaf, flower and seed). Expression profiles under stress conditions revealed that most AQPs were responsive to osmotic, salt and drought stresses. Phenotypic and physiological identification showed that Tip2;2 loss-of-function mutant exhibited less sensitive to abiotic stresses (mannitol, NaCl and PEG) compared with wild-type, as evident by analysis of germination rate, root growth, survival rate, ion leakage, malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline contents. Mutant of TIP2;2 modulated the transcript levels of SOS1, SOS2, SOS3, DREB1A, DREB2A and P5CS1, under abiotic stress conditions. This study provides a basis for further functional identification of stress-related candidate AQPs in Arabidopsis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rubisco Activase Is Also a Multiple Responder to Abiotic Stresses in Rice.

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Yue Chen

Full Text Available Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase activase (RCA is a nuclear gene that encodes a chloroplast protein that plays an important role in photosynthesis. Some reports have indicated that it may play a role in acclimation to different abiotic stresses. In this paper, we analyzed the stress-responsive elements in the 2.0 kb 5'-upstream regions of the RCA gene promoter and the primary, secondary and tertiary structure of the protein. We identified some cis-elements of multiple stress-related components in the RCA promoter. Amino acid and evolution analyses showed that the RCA protein had conserved regions between different species; however, the size and type varied. The secondary structures, binding sites and tertiary structures of the RCA proteins were also different. This might reflect the differences in the transcription and translation levels of the two RCA isoforms during adaptation to different abiotic stresses. Although both the transcription and translation levels of RCA isoforms in the rice leaves increased under various stresses, the large isoform was increased more significantly in the chloroplast stroma and thylakoid. It can be concluded that RCA, especially RCAL, is also a multiple responder to abiotic stresses in rice, which provides new insights into RCA functions.

Effect of plant growth hormones and abiotic stresses on germination ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Phosphatases are widely found in plants having intracellular and extracellular activities. Phosphatases are believed to be important for phosphorous scavenging and remobilization in plants, but its role in adaptation to abiotic stresses and growth hormones at germination level has not been critically evaluated. To address ...

Progress and challenges for abiotic stress proteomics of crop plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Barkla, Bronwyn J; Vera-Estrella, Rosario; Pantoja, Omar

2013-06-01

Plants are continually challenged to recognize and respond to adverse changes in their environment to avoid detrimental effects on growth and development. Understanding the mechanisms that crop plants employ to resist and tolerate abiotic stress is of considerable interest for designing agriculture breeding strategies to ensure sustainable productivity. The application of proteomics technologies to advance our knowledge in crop plant abiotic stress tolerance has increased dramatically in the past few years as evidenced by the large amount of publications in this area. This is attributed to advances in various technology platforms associated with MS-based techniques as well as the accessibility of proteomics units to a wider plant research community. This review summarizes the work which has been reported for major crop plants and evaluates the findings in context of the approaches that are widely employed with the aim to encourage broadening the strategies used to increase coverage of the proteome. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Species associations overwhelm abiotic conditions to dictate the structure and function of wood-decay fungal communities.

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Maynard, Daniel S; Covey, Kristofer R; Crowther, Thomas W; Sokol, Noah W; Morrison, Eric W; Frey, Serita D; van Diepen, Linda T A; Bradford, Mark A

2018-04-01

Environmental conditions exert strong controls on the activity of saprotrophic microbes, yet abiotic factors often fail to adequately predict wood decomposition rates across broad spatial scales. Given that species interactions can have significant positive and negative effects on wood-decay fungal activity, one possibility is that biotic processes serve as the primary controls on community function, with abiotic controls emerging only after species associations are accounted for. Here we explore this hypothesis in a factorial field warming- and nitrogen-addition experiment by examining relationships among wood decomposition rates, fungal activity, and fungal community structure. We show that functional outcomes and community structure are largely unrelated to abiotic conditions, with microsite and plot-level abiotic variables explaining at most 19% of the total variability in decomposition and fungal activity, and 2% of the variability in richness and evenness. In contrast, taxonomic richness, evenness, and species associations (i.e., co-occurrence patterns) exhibited strong relationships with community function, accounting for 52% of the variation in decomposition rates and 73% in fungal activity. A greater proportion of positive vs. negative species associations in a community was linked to strong declines in decomposition rates and richness. Evenness emerged as a key mediator between richness and function, with highly even communities exhibiting a positive richness-function relationship and uneven communities exhibiting a negative or null response. These results suggest that community-assembly processes and species interactions are important controls on the function of wood-decay fungal communities, ultimately overwhelming substantial differences in abiotic conditions. © 2018 by the Ecological Society of America.

Improved tolerance to various abiotic stresses in transgenic sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas expressing spinach betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase.

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Weijuan Fan

Full Text Available Abiotic stresses are critical delimiters for the increased productivity and cultivation expansion of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas, a root crop with worldwide importance. The increased production of glycine betaine (GB improves plant tolerance to various abiotic stresses without strong phenotypic changes, providing a feasible approach to improve stable yield production under unfavorable conditions. The gene encoding betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (BADH is involved in the biosynthesis of GB in plants, and the accumulation of GB by the heterologous overexpression of BADH improves abiotic stress tolerance in plants. This study is to improve sweet potato, a GB accumulator, resistant to multiple abiotic stresses by promoted GB biosynthesis. A chloroplastic BADH gene from Spinacia oleracea (SoBADH was introduced into the sweet potato cultivar Sushu-2 via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The overexpression of SoBADH in the transgenic sweet potato improved tolerance to various abiotic stresses, including salt, oxidative stress, and low temperature. The increased BADH activity and GB accumulation in the transgenic plant lines under normal and multiple environmental stresses resulted in increased protection against cell damage through the maintenance of cell membrane integrity, stronger photosynthetic activity, reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS production, and induction or activation of ROS scavenging by the increased activity of free radical-scavenging enzymes. The increased proline accumulation and systemic upregulation of many ROS-scavenging genes in stress-treated transgenic plants also indicated that GB accumulation might stimulate the ROS-scavenging system and proline biosynthesis via an integrative mechanism. This study demonstrates that the enhancement of GB biosynthesis in sweet potato is an effective and feasible approach to improve its tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses without causing phenotypic defects. This strategy for trait

Analysis of global gene expression in Brachypodium distachyon reveals extensive network plasticity in response to abiotic stress.

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Henry D Priest

Full Text Available Brachypodium distachyon is a close relative of many important cereal crops. Abiotic stress tolerance has a significant impact on productivity of agriculturally important food and feedstock crops. Analysis of the transcriptome of Brachypodium after chilling, high-salinity, drought, and heat stresses revealed diverse differential expression of many transcripts. Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis revealed 22 distinct gene modules with specific profiles of expression under each stress. Promoter analysis implicated short DNA sequences directly upstream of module members in the regulation of 21 of 22 modules. Functional analysis of module members revealed enrichment in functional terms for 10 of 22 network modules. Analysis of condition-specific correlations between differentially expressed gene pairs revealed extensive plasticity in the expression relationships of gene pairs. Photosynthesis, cell cycle, and cell wall expression modules were down-regulated by all abiotic stresses. Modules which were up-regulated by each abiotic stress fell into diverse and unique gene ontology GO categories. This study provides genomics resources and improves our understanding of abiotic stress responses of Brachypodium.

Induced Systemic Tolerance to Multiple Stresses Including Biotic and Abiotic Factors by Rhizobacteria

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Sung-Je Yoo

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Recently, global warming and drastic climate change are the greatest threat to the world. The climate change can affect plant productivity by reducing plant adaptation to diverse environments including frequent high temperature; worsen drought condition and increased pathogen transmission and infection. Plants have to survive in this condition with a variety of biotic (pathogen/pest attack and abiotic stress (salt, high/low temperature, drought. Plants can interact with beneficial microbes including plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, which help plant mitigate biotic and abiotic stress. This overview presents that rhizobacteria plays an important role in induced systemic resistance (ISR to biotic stress or induced systemic tolerance (IST to abiotic stress condition; bacterial determinants related to ISR and/or IST. In addition, we describe effects of rhizobacteria on defense/tolerance related signal pathway in plants. We also review recent information including plant resistance or tolerance against multiple stresses (bioticabiotic. We desire that this review contribute to expand understanding and knowledge on the microbial application in a constantly varying agroecosystem, and suggest beneficial microbes as one of alternative environment-friendly application to alleviate multiple stresses.

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Confers Tolerance to Various Abiotic Stresses and Modulates Plant Response to Phytohormones through Osmoprotection and Gene Expression Regulation in Rice

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Shalini Tiwari

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Being sessile in nature, plants have to withstand various adverse environmental stress conditions including both biotic and abiotic stresses. Comparatively, abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, high temperature, and cold pose major threat to agriculture by negatively impacting plant growth and yield worldwide. Rice is one of the most widely consumed staple cereals across the globe, the production and productivity of which is also severely affected by different abiotic stresses. Therefore, several crop improvement programs are directed toward developing stress tolerant rice cultivars either through marker assisted breeding or transgenic technology. Alternatively, some known rhizospheric competent bacteria are also known to improve plant growth during abiotic stresses. A plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens NBRI-SN13 (SN13 was previously reported by our lab to confer salt stress tolerance to rice seedlings. However, the present study investigates the role of SN13 in ameliorating various abiotic stresses such as salt, drought, desiccation, heat, cold, and freezing on a popular rice cv. Saryu-52 under hydroponic growth conditions. Apart from this, seedlings were also exogenously supplied with abscisic acid (ABA, salicylic acid (SA, jasmonic acid (JA and ethephon (ET to study the role of SN13 in phytohormone-induced stress tolerance as well as its role in abiotic and biotic stress cross-talk. All abiotic stresses and phytohormone treatments significantly affected various physiological and biochemical parameters like membrane integrity and osmolyte accumulation. SN13 also positively modulated stress-responsive gene expressions under various abiotic stresses and phytohormone treatments suggesting its multifaceted role in cross-talk among stresses and phytohormones in response to PGPR. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on detailed analysis of plant growth promotion and stress alleviation by a

A significant abiotic pathway for the formation of unknown nitrogen in nature

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Jokic, A.; Schulten, H.-R.; Cutler, J. N.; Schnitzer, M.; Huang, P. M.

2004-03-01

The global nitrogen cycle is of prime importance in natural ecosystems. However, the origin and nature of up to one-half of total soil N remains obscure despite all attempts at elucidation. Our data provide, for the first time, unequivocal evidence that the promoting action of Mn (IV) oxide on the Maillard reaction (sugar-amino acid condensation) under ambient conditions results in the abiotic formation of heterocyclic N compounds, which are often referred to as unknown nitrogen, and of amides which are apparently the dominant N moieties in nature. The information presented is of fundamental significance in understanding the role of mineral colloids in abiotic transformations of organic N moieties, the incorporation of N in the organic matrix of fossil fuels, and the global N cycle.

Review of Abiotic Degradation of Chlorinated Solvents by Reactive Iron Minerals

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Abiotic degradation of chlorinated solvents by reactive iron minerals such as iron sulfides, magnetite, green rust, and other Fe(II)-containing minerals has been observed in both laboratory and field conditions. These reactive iron minerals typically form under iron and sulfate ...

Alcohol dehydrogenase 1 (ADH1) confers both abiotic and biotic stress resistance in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Haitao; Liu, Wen; Yao, Yue; Wei, Yunxie; Chan, Zhulong

2017-09-01

Although the transcriptional regulation and upstream transcription factors of AtADH1 in response to abiotic stress are widely revealed, the in vivo roles of AtADH1 remain unknown. In this study, we found that the expression of AtADH1 was largely induced after salt, drought, cold and pathogen infection. Further studies found that AtADH1 overexpressing plants were more sensitive to abscisic acid (ABA) in comparison to wide type (WT), while AtADH1 knockout mutants showed no significant difference compared with WT in ABA sensitivity. Consistently, AtADH1 overexpressing plants showed improved stress resistance to salt, drought, cold and pathogen infection than WT, but the AtADH1 knockout mutants had no significant difference in abiotic and biotic stress resistance. Moreover, overexpression of AtADH1 expression increased the transcript levels of multiple stress-related genes, accumulation of soluble sugars and callose depositions. All these results indicate that AtADH1 confers enhanced resistance to both abiotic and biotic stresses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrologic, abiotic and biotic interactions: plant density, windspeed, leaf size and groundwater all affect oak water use efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Darin J. Law; Deborah M. Finch

2011-01-01

Plant water use in drylands can be complex due to variation in hydrologic, abiotic and biotic factors, particularly near ephemeral or intermittent streams. Plant use of groundwater may be important but is usually uncertain. Disturbances like fire contribute to complex spatiotemporal heterogeneity. Improved understanding of how such hydrologic, abiotic, and biotic...

Regulation of Translation Initiation under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses

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Ana B. Castro-Sanz

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Plants have developed versatile strategies to deal with the great variety of challenging conditions they are exposed to. Among them, the regulation of translation is a common target to finely modulate gene expression both under biotic and abiotic stress situations. Upon environmental challenges, translation is regulated to reduce the consumption of energy and to selectively synthesize proteins involved in the proper establishment of the tolerance response. In the case of viral infections, the situation is more complex, as viruses have evolved unconventional mechanisms to regulate translation in order to ensure the production of the viral encoded proteins using the plant machinery. Although the final purpose is different, in some cases, both plants and viruses share common mechanisms to modulate translation. In others, the mechanisms leading to the control of translation are viral- or stress-specific. In this paper, we review the different mechanisms involved in the regulation of translation initiation under virus infection and under environmental stress in plants. In addition, we describe the main features within the viral RNAs and the cellular mRNAs that promote their selective translation in plants undergoing biotic and abiotic stress situations.

ATP Supply May Contribute to Light-Enhanced Calcification in Corals More Than Abiotic Mechanisms

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Giovanni Galli

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Zooxanthellate corals are known to increase calcification rates when exposed to light, a phenomenon called light-enhanced calcification that is believed to be mediated by symbionts' photosynthetic activity. There is controversy over the mechanism behind this phenomenon, with hypotheses coarsely divided between abiotic and biologically-mediated mechanisms. At the same time, accumulating evidence shows that calcification in corals relies on active ion transport to deliver the skeleton building blocks into the calcifying medium, making it is an energetically costly activity. Here we build on generally accepted conceptual models of the coral calcification machinery and conceptual models of the energetics of coral-zooxanthellae symbiosis to develop a model that can be used to isolate the biologically-mediated and abiotic effects of photosynthesis, respiration, temperature, and seawater chemistry on coral calcification rates and related metabolic costs. We tested this model on data from the Mediterranean scleractinian Cladocora caespitosa, an acidification resistant species. We concluded that most of the variation in calcification rates due to photosynthesis, respiration and temperature can be attributed to biologically-mediated mechanisms, in particular to the ATP supplied to the active ion transports. Abiotic effects are also present but are of smaller magnitude. Instead, the decrease in calcification rates caused by acidification, albeit small, is sustained by both abiotic and biologically-mediated mechanisms. However, there is a substantial extra cost of calcification under acidified conditions. Based on these findings and on a literature review we suggest that the energy aspect of coral calcification might have been so far underappreciated.

Abiotic and Biotic Formation of Amino Acids in the Enceladus Ocean.

Science.gov (United States)

Steel, Elliot L; Davila, Alfonso; McKay, Christopher P

2017-09-01

The active plume at Enceladus' south pole makes the indirect sampling of its global ocean possible. The partially resolved chemistry of the plume, which points to conditions that are seemingly compatible with life, has made orbital sampling missions a priority. We present a conceptual model of energy flux, hydrothermal H 2 production, and both abiotic and biotic production of amino acids. Based on the energy flux observed at the south pole and the inferred internal hydrothermal activity, we estimate an H 2 production of 0.6-34 mol/s from serpentinization, sufficient to sustain abiotic and biotic amino acid synthesis of 1.6-87 and 1-44 g/s, respectively. Two-dimensional (2D) numerical simulations of the hydrothermal vent suggest that the vent fluids could reach the ice-water boundary in less than 11-55 days for a 50 km deep ocean diluted by ambient ocean water 10 to 1. Concentrations of glycine, alanine, α-amino isobutyric acid, and glutamic acid in the plume and in the ambient ocean could all be above 0.01 μM just due to abiotic production. Biological synthesis, if occurring, could produce a maximum of 90 μM concentrations of amino acids based on a methanogenic ecosystem consuming H 2 and CO 2 . Racemization timescales in the ocean are short compared with production timescales. Thus, no enantiomeric excess is expected in the ambient ocean, and if biology is present, enantiomeric excess at the vent fluids is expected to be less than 10% in the plume. From vent H 2 concentrations of 7.8 mM (e.g., Lost City) and assuming complete H 2 use and conversion to chemical energy by methanogens, cell production is estimated. Annual biomass production in the methanogenic-based biology model is 4 × 10 4 -2 × 10 6 kg/year. This corresponds to cell concentrations ∼10 9 cells/cm 3 in the vents and ∼10 8 cells/cm 3 in the plume, and when diluted into the ambient ocean, we predict cell concentrations of 80-4250 cells/cm 3 . Key Words: Abiotic organic

Chromium (VI) reduction in acetate- and molasses-amended natural media: empirical model development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hansen, Scott [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Boukhalfa, Hakim [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Karra, Satish [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Wang, Dongping [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Vesselinov, Velimir Valentinov [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-11-21

Stimulating indigenous microbes to reduce heavy metals from highly toxic oxidized species to more benign reduced species is a promising groundwater remediation technique that has already seen successful field applications. Designing such a bio-remediation scheme requires a model incorporating the kinetics of nonlinear bio-geochemical interactions between multiple species. With this motivation, we performed a set of microcosm experiments in natural sediments and their indigenous pore water and microbes, generating simultaneous time series for concentrations of Cr(VI), an electron donor (both molasses and acetate were considered), and biomass. Molasses was found to undergo a rapid direct abiotic reaction which eliminated all Cr(VI) before any biomass had time to grow. This was not found in the acetate microcosms, and a distinct zero-order bio-reduction process was observed. Existing models were found inappropriate and a new set of three coupled governing equations representing these process dynamics were developed and their parameters calibrated against the time series from the acetate-amended microcosms. Cell suspension batch experiments were also performed to calibrate bio-reduction rates in the absence of electron donor and sediment. The donor used to initially grow the cells (molasses or acetate) was found not to impact the reduction rate constants in suspension, which were orders of magnitude larger than those explaining the natural media microcosm experiments. This suggests the limited utility of kinetics determined in suspension for remedial design. Scoping studies on the natural media microcosms were also performed, suggesting limited impact of foreign abiotic material and minimal effect of diffusion limitation in the vertical dimension. These analyses may be of independent value to future researchers.

Microarray meta-analysis to explore abiotic stress-specific gene expression patterns in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Po-Chih; Hour, Ai-Ling; Liu, Li-Yu Daisy

2017-12-01

Abiotic stresses are the major limiting factors that affect plant growth, development, yield and final quality. Deciphering the underlying mechanisms of plants' adaptations to stresses using few datasets might overlook the different aspects of stress tolerance in plants, which might be simultaneously and consequently operated in the system. Fortunately, the accumulated microarray expression data offer an opportunity to infer abiotic stress-specific gene expression patterns through meta-analysis. In this study, we propose to combine microarray gene expression data under control, cold, drought, heat, and salt conditions and determined modules (gene sets) of genes highly associated with each other according to the observed expression data. By analyzing the expression variations of the Eigen genes from different conditions, we had identified two, three, and five gene modules as cold-, heat-, and salt-specific modules, respectively. Most of the cold- or heat-specific modules were differentially expressed to a particular degree in shoot samples, while most of the salt-specific modules were differentially expressed to a particular degree in root samples. A gene ontology (GO) analysis on the stress-specific modules suggested that the gene modules exclusively enriched stress-related GO terms and that different genes under the same GO terms may be alternatively disturbed in different conditions. The gene regulatory events for two genes, DREB1A and DEAR1, in the cold-specific gene module had also been validated, as evidenced through the literature search. Our protocols study the specificity of the gene modules that were specifically activated under a particular type of abiotic stress. The biplot can also assist to visualize the stress-specific gene modules. In conclusion, our approach has the potential to further elucidate mechanisms in plants and beneficial for future experiments design under different abiotic stresses.

Roles of arabidopsis WRKY18, WRKY40 and WRKY60 transcription factors in plant responses to abscisic acid and abiotic stress

OpenAIRE

Chen Zhixiang; Xiao Yong; Shi Junwei; Lai Zhibing; Chen Han; Xu Xinping

2010-01-01

Abstract Background WRKY transcription factors are involved in plant responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses. Arabidopsis WRKY18, WRKY40, and WRKY60 transcription factors interact both physically and functionally in plant defense responses. However, their role in plant abiotic stress response has not been directly analyzed. Results We report that the three WRKYs are involved in plant responses to abscisic acid (ABA) and abiotic stress. Through analysis of single, double, and triple muta...

Stable carbon isotope analysis to distinguish biotic and abiotic degradation of 1,1,1-trichloroethane in groundwater sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Broholm, Mette Martina; Hunkeler, Daniel; Tuxen, Nina

2014-01-01

not appear to be reductive dechlorination via 1,1-DCA. In the biotic microcosms, the degradation of 1,1,1-TCA occurred under iron and sulfate reducing conditions. Biotic reduction of iron and sulfate likely resulted in formation of FeS, which can abiotically degrade 1,1,1-TCA. Hence, abiotic degradation of 1...

Assessment of derelict soil quality: Abiotic, biotic and functional approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Quentin; Auclerc, Apolline; Beguiristain, Thierry; Leyval, Corinne

2018-02-01

The intensification and subsequent closing down of industrial activities during the last century has left behind large surfaces of derelict lands. Derelict soils have low fertility, can be contaminated, and many of them remain unused. However, with the increasing demand of soil surfaces, they might be considered as a resource, for example for non-food biomass production. The study of their physico-chemical properties and of their biodiversity and biological activity may provide indications for their potential re-use. The objective of our study was to investigate the quality of six derelict soils, considering abiotic, biotic, and functional parameters. We studied (i) the soil bacteria, fungi, meso- and macro-fauna and plant communities of six different derelict soils (two from coking plants, one from a settling pond, two constructed ones made from different substrates and remediated soil, and an inert waste storage one), and (ii) their decomposition function based on the decomposer trophic network, enzyme activities, mineralization activity, and organic pollutant degradation. Biodiversity levels in these soils were high, but all biotic parameters, except the mycorrhizal colonization level, discriminated them. Multivariate analysis showed that biotic parameters co-varied more with fertility proxies than with soil contamination parameters. Similarly, functional parameters significantly co-varied with abiotic parameters. Among functional parameters, macro-decomposer proportion, enzyme activity, average mineralization capacity, and microbial polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degraders were useful to discriminate the soils. We assessed their quality by combining abiotic, biotic, and functional parameters: the compost-amended constructed soil displayed the highest quality, while the settling pond soil and the contaminated constructed soil displayed the lowest. Although differences among the soils were highlighted, this study shows that derelict soils may provide a

Phytoplankton and some abiotic features of El-Bardawil Lake, Sinai ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Phytoplankton and some abiotic features of El-Bardawil Lake, Sinai, Egypt. H Touliabah, HM Safik, MM Gab-Allah, WD Taylor. Abstract. El-Bardawil Lake is a large coastal lagoon on the Mediterranean coast of Sinai, Egypt. Although it is shallow and oligotrophic, it is one of the most important lakes in Egypt as a source of ...

Influence of abiotic stresses on the winter wheat sprouting plants

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bláha, L.; Hnilička, F.; Kadlec, P.; Smrčková-Jankovská, P.; Macháčková, Ivana; Sychrová, E.; Kohout, Ladislav

2008-01-01

Roč. 3, č. 3 (2008), s. 389-390 ISSN 1125-4718. [Congress of the European Society for Agronomy /10./. 15.09.2008-19.09.2008, Bologna] R&D Projects: GA MZe QF3056 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511; CEZ:AV0Z40550506 Keywords : brassinosteroids * abiotic stress * emergency Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry

Abiotic and biotic drivers of biomass change in a Neotropical forest

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sande, van der M.T.; Pena Claros, M.; Ascarrunz, Nataly; Arets, E.J.M.M.; Licona, J.C.; Toledo, Marisol; Poorter, L.

2017-01-01

Summary
1. Tropical fores ts play an important role in the global carbon cycle, but the drivers of net forest biomass change (i.e. net carbon sequestration) are poorly understood. Here, we evaluate how abiotic factors (soil co nditions and disturbance) and biotic factors (forest structure,

Poaceae vs. Abiotic Stress: Focus on Drought and Salt Stress, Recent Insights and Perspectives

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Simone Landi

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Poaceae represent the most important group of crops susceptible to abiotic stress. This large family of monocotyledonous plants, commonly known as grasses, counts several important cultivated species, namely wheat (Triticum aestivum, rice (Oryza sativa, maize (Zea mays, and barley (Hordeum vulgare. These crops, notably, show different behaviors under abiotic stress conditions: wheat and rice are considered sensitive, showing serious yield reduction upon water scarcity and soil salinity, while barley presents a natural drought and salt tolerance. During the green revolution (1940–1960, cereal breeding was very successful in developing high-yield crops varieties; however, these cultivars were maximized for highest yield under optimal conditions, and did not present suitable traits for tolerance under unfavorable conditions. The improvement of crop abiotic stress tolerance requires a deep knowledge of the phenomena underlying tolerance, to devise novel approaches and decipher the key components of agricultural production systems. Approaches to improve food production combining both enhanced water use efficiency (WUE and acceptable yields are critical to create a sustainable agriculture in the future. This paper analyzes the latest results on abiotic stress tolerance in Poaceae. In particular, the focus will be directed toward various aspects of water deprivation and salinity response efficiency in Poaceae. Aspects related to cell wall metabolism will be covered, given the importance of the plant cell wall in sensing environmental constraints and in mediating a response; the role of silicon (Si, an important element for monocots' normal growth and development, will also be discussed, since it activates a broad-spectrum response to different exogenous stresses. Perspectives valorizing studies on landraces conclude the survey, as they help identify key traits for breeding purposes.

Differentiating biotic from abiotic methane genesis in hydrothermally active planetary surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Oze, Christopher; Jones, L Camille; Goldsmith, Jonas I; Rosenbauer, Robert J

2012-06-19

Molecular hydrogen (H(2)) is derived from the hydrothermal alteration of olivine-rich planetary crust. Abiotic and biotic processes consume H(2) to produce methane (CH(4)); however, the extent of either process is unknown. Here, we assess the temporal dependence and limit of abiotic CH(4) related to the presence and formation of mineral catalysts during olivine hydrolysis (i.e., serpentinization) at 200 °C and 0.03 gigapascal. Results indicate that the rate of CH(4) production increases to a maximum value related to magnetite catalyzation. By identifying the dynamics of CH(4) production, we kinetically model how the H(2) to CH(4) ratio may be used to assess the origin of CH(4) in deep subsurface serpentinization systems on Earth and Mars. Based on our model and available field data, low H(2)/CH(4) ratios (less than approximately 40) indicate that life is likely present and active.

A comparison between acoustic properties and heat effects in biogenic (magnetosomes) and abiotic magnetite nanoparticle suspensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Józefczak, A.; Leszczyński, B.; Skumiel, A.; Hornowski, T.

2016-01-01

Magnetic nanoparticles show unique properties and find many applications because of the possibility to control their properties using magnetic field. Magnetic nanoparticles are usually synthesized chemically and modification of the particle surface is necessary. Another source of magnetic nanoparticles are various magnetotactic bacteria. These biogenic nanoparticles (magnetosomes) represent an attractive alternative to chemically synthesized iron oxide particles because of their unique characteristics and a high potential for biotechnological and biomedical applications. This work presents a comparison between acoustic properties of biogenic and abiotic magnetite nanoparticle suspensions. Experimental studies have shown the influence of a biological membrane on the ultrasound properties of magnetosomes suspension. Finally the heat effect in synthetic and biogenic magnetite nanoparticles is also discussed. The experimental study shows that magnetosomes present good heating efficiency. - Highlights: • A biogenic and abiotic magnetite nanoparticle suspensions are investigated. • A comparison between ultrasonic properties and heat effects is presented. • Magnetosomes and abiotic magnetite nanoparticles exhibit good heating efficiency.

The wheat transcription factor, TabHLH39, improves tolerance to multiple abiotic stressors in transgenic plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhai, Yiqian; Zhang, Lichao; Xia, Chuan; Fu, Silu; Zhao, Guangyao; Jia, Jizeng; Kong, Xiuying

2016-05-13

Although bHLH transcription factors play important roles regulating plant development and abiotic stress response and tolerance, few functional studies have been performed in wheat. In this study, we isolated and characterized a bHLH gene, TabHLH39, from wheat. The TabHLH39 gene is located on wheat chromosome 5DL, and the protein localized to the nucleus and activated transcription. TabHLH39 showed variable expression in roots, stems, leaves, glumes, pistils and stamens and was induced by polyethylene glycol, salt and cold treatments. Further analysis revealed that TabHLH39 overexpression in Arabidopsis significantly enhanced tolerance to drought, salt and freezing stress during the seedling stage, which was also demonstrated by enhanced abiotic stress-response gene expression and changes to several physiological indices. Therefore, TabHLH39 has potential in transgenic breeding applications to improve abiotic stress tolerance in crops. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in transgenic tomatoes by constitutive expression of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Hazarika, Pranjal; Rajam, Manchikatla Venkat

2011-04-01

Recent findings have implicated the role of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) in stress tolerance. Therefore, the present work was carried out with the goal of generating transgenic tomato plants with human S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (samdc) gene, a key gene involved in biosynthesis of polyamines, viz. spermidine and spermine and evaluating the transgenic plants for tolerance to both biotic and abiotic stresses. Several putative transgenic tomato plants with normal phenotype were obtained, and the transgene integration and expression was validated by PCR, Southern blot analysis and RT-PCR analysis, respectively. The transgenic plants exhibited high levels of polyamines as compared to the untransformed control plants. They also showed increased resistance against two important fungal pathogens of tomato, the wilt causing Fusarium oxysporum and the early blight causing Alternaria solani and tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses such as salinity, drought, cold and high temperature. These results suggest that engineering polyamine accumulation can confer tolerance to both biotic and abiotic stresses in plants.

Titania may produce abiotic oxygen atmospheres on habitable exoplanets

OpenAIRE

Norio Narita; Takafumi Enomoto; Shigeyuki Masaoka; Nobuhiko Kusakabe

2015-01-01

The search for habitable exoplanets in the Universe is actively ongoing in the field of astronomy. The biggest future milestone is to determine whether life exists on such habitable exoplanets. In that context, oxygen in the atmosphere has been considered strong evidence for the presence of photosynthetic organisms. In this paper, we show that a previously unconsidered photochemical mechanism by titanium (IV) oxide (titania) can produce abiotic oxygen from liquid water under near ultraviolet ...

Using biotechnology and genomics to improve biotic and abiotic stress in apple

Science.gov (United States)

Genomic sequencing, molecular biology, and transformation technologies are providing valuable tools to better understand the complexity of how plants develop, function, and respond to biotic and abiotic stress. These approaches should complement but not replace a solid understanding of whole plant ...

Compositions and methods for providing plants with tolerance to abiotic stress conditions

KAUST Repository

Hirt, Heribert; De Zelicourt, Axel; Saad, Maged

2017-01-01

It has been discovered that the desert endophytic bacterium SA187 SA187 can provide resistance or tolerance to abiotic stress conditions to seeds or plants. Compositions containing SA187 can be used to enhance plant development and yield under

Genetics and regulation of combined abiotic and biotic stress tolerance in tomato

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kissoudis, C.

2016-01-01

Projections on the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity foresee prolonged and/or increased stress intensities and enlargement of a significant number of pathogens habitats. This significantly raises the occurrence probability of (new) abiotic and biotic stress combinations. With

Cytosine methylation alteration in natural populations of Leymus chinensis induced by multiple abiotic stresses.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yingjie Yu

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Human activity has a profound effect on the global environment and caused frequent occurrence of climatic fluctuations. To survive, plants need to adapt to the changing environmental conditions through altering their morphological and physiological traits. One known mechanism for phenotypic innovation to be achieved is environment-induced rapid yet inheritable epigenetic changes. Therefore, the use of molecular techniques to address the epigenetic mechanisms underpinning stress adaptation in plants is an important and challenging topic in biological research. In this study, we investigated the impact of warming, nitrogen (N addition, and warming+nitrogen (N addition stresses on the cytosine methylation status of Leymus chinensis Tzvel. at the population level by using the amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP, methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP and retrotransposon based sequence-specific amplification polymorphism (SSAP techniques. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Our results showed that, although the percentages of cytosine methylation changes in SSAP are significantly higher than those in MSAP, all the treatment groups showed similar alteration patterns of hypermethylation and hypomethylation. It meant that the abiotic stresses have induced the alterations in cytosine methylation patterns, and the levels of cytosine methylation changes around the transposable element are higher than the other genomic regions. In addition, the identification and analysis of differentially methylated loci (DML indicated that the abiotic stresses have also caused targeted methylation changes at specific loci and these DML might have contributed to the capability of plants in adaptation to the abiotic stresses. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results demonstrated that abiotic stresses related to global warming and nitrogen deposition readily evoke alterations of cytosine methylation, and which may provide a molecular basis for rapid

Cytosine Methylation Alteration in Natural Populations of Leymus chinensis Induced by Multiple Abiotic Stresses

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Yingjie; Yang, Xuejiao; Wang, Huaying; Shi, Fengxue; Liu, Ying; Liu, Jushan; Li, Linfeng; Wang, Deli; Liu, Bao

2013-01-01

Background Human activity has a profound effect on the global environment and caused frequent occurrence of climatic fluctuations. To survive, plants need to adapt to the changing environmental conditions through altering their morphological and physiological traits. One known mechanism for phenotypic innovation to be achieved is environment-induced rapid yet inheritable epigenetic changes. Therefore, the use of molecular techniques to address the epigenetic mechanisms underpinning stress adaptation in plants is an important and challenging topic in biological research. In this study, we investigated the impact of warming, nitrogen (N) addition, and warming+nitrogen (N) addition stresses on the cytosine methylation status of Leymus chinensis Tzvel. at the population level by using the amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) and retrotransposon based sequence-specific amplification polymorphism (SSAP) techniques. Methodology/Principal Findings Our results showed that, although the percentages of cytosine methylation changes in SSAP are significantly higher than those in MSAP, all the treatment groups showed similar alteration patterns of hypermethylation and hypomethylation. It meant that the abiotic stresses have induced the alterations in cytosine methylation patterns, and the levels of cytosine methylation changes around the transposable element are higher than the other genomic regions. In addition, the identification and analysis of differentially methylated loci (DML) indicated that the abiotic stresses have also caused targeted methylation changes at specific loci and these DML might have contributed to the capability of plants in adaptation to the abiotic stresses. Conclusions/Significance Our results demonstrated that abiotic stresses related to global warming and nitrogen deposition readily evoke alterations of cytosine methylation, and which may provide a molecular basis for rapid adaptation by

Functional Characterization of TaSnRK2.8 Promoter in Response to Abiotic Stresses by Deletion Analysis in Transgenic Arabidopsis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongying Zhang

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Drought, salinity, and cold are the major factors limiting wheat quality and productivity; it is thus highly desirable to characterize the abiotic-stress-inducible promoters suitable for the genetic improvement of plant resistance. The sucrose non-fermenting 1-related protein kinase 2 (SnRK2 family genes show distinct regulatory properties in response to abiotic stresses. The present study characterized the approximately 3000-bp upstream sequence (the 313 bp upstream of the ATG was the transcription start site of the Triticum aestivum TaSnRK2.8 promoter under abscisic acid (ABA and abiotic stresses. Four different-length 5′ deletion fragments of TaSnRK2.8 promoter were fused with the GUS reporter gene and transformed into Arabidopsis. Tissue expression analysis showed that the TaSnRK2.8 promoter region from position -1481 to -821 contained the stalk-specific elements, and the region from position -2631 to -1481 contained the leaf- and root-specific elements. In the ABA-treated seedlings, the deletion analysis showed that the TaSnRK2.8 promoter region from position -821 to -2631 contained ABA response elements. The abiotic stress responses of the TaSnRK2.8 promoter derivatives demonstrated that they harbored abiotic-stress response elements: the region from position -821 to -408 harbored the osmotic-stress response elements, whereas the region from position -2631 to -1481 contained the positive regulatory motifs and the region from position -1481 to -821 contained the leaf- and stalk-specific enhancers. Further deletion analysis of the promoter region from position -821 to -408 indicated that a 125-bp region from position -693 to -568 was required to induce an osmotic-stress response. These results contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of TaSnRK2.8 in response to abiotic stresses, and the TaSnRK2.8 promoter seems to be a candidate for regulating the expression of abiotic stress response genes in transgenic plants.

Compositions and methods for providing plants with tolerance to abiotic stress conditions

KAUST Repository

Hirt, Heribert

2017-07-27

It has been discovered that the desert endophytic bacterium SA187 SA187 can provide resistance or tolerance to abiotic stress conditions to seeds or plants. Compositions containing SA187 can be used to enhance plant development and yield under environmental stress conditions.

The Importance of Biotic vs. Abiotic Drivers of Local Plant Community Composition Along Regional Bioclimatic Gradients.

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Kari Klanderud

Full Text Available We assessed if the relative importance of biotic and abiotic factors for plant community composition differs along environmental gradients and between functional groups, and asked which implications this may have in a warmer and wetter future. The study location is a unique grid of sites spanning regional-scale temperature and precipitation gradients in boreal and alpine grasslands in southern Norway. Within each site we sampled vegetation and associated biotic and abiotic factors, and combined broad- and fine-scale ordination analyses to assess the relative explanatory power of these factors for species composition. Although the community responses to biotic and abiotic factors did not consistently change as predicted along the bioclimatic gradients, abiotic variables tended to explain a larger proportion of the variation in species composition towards colder sites, whereas biotic variables explained more towards warmer sites, supporting the stress gradient hypothesis. Significant interactions with precipitation suggest that biotic variables explained more towards wetter climates in the sub alpine and boreal sites, but more towards drier climates in the colder alpine. Thus, we predict that biotic interactions may become more important in alpine and boreal grasslands in a warmer future, although more winter precipitation may counteract this trend in oceanic alpine climates. Our results show that both local and regional scales analyses are needed to disentangle the local vegetation-environment relationships and their regional-scale drivers, and biotic interactions and precipitation must be included when predicting future species assemblages.

Herboxidiene triggers splicing repression and abiotic stress responses in plants

KAUST Repository

Alshareef, Sahar

2017-03-27

Background Constitutive and alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs from multiexonic genes controls the diversity of the proteome; these precisely regulated processes also fine-tune responses to cues related to growth, development, and stresses. Small-molecule inhibitors that perturb splicing provide invaluable tools for use as chemical probes to uncover the molecular underpinnings of splicing regulation and as potential anticancer compounds. Results Here, we show that herboxidiene (GEX1A) inhibits both constitutive and alternative splicing. Moreover, GEX1A activates genome-wide transcriptional patterns involved in abiotic stress responses in plants. GEX1A treatment -activated ABA-inducible promoters, and led to stomatal closure. Interestingly, GEX1A and pladienolide B (PB) elicited similar cellular changes, including alterations in the patterns of transcription and splicing, suggesting that these compounds might target the same spliceosome complex in plant cells. Conclusions Our study establishes GEX1A as a potent splicing inhibitor in plants that can be used to probe the assembly, dynamics, and molecular functions of the spliceosome and to study the interplay between splicing stress and abiotic stresses, as well as having potential biotechnological applications.

Variations in abiotic conditions of water quality of River Osun, Osun ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Otoigiakih

Full Length Research Paper. Variations in abiotic conditions of water quality of River. Osun, Osun State, Nigeria. Farombi, A. G.1*, Adebayo, O. R.2, Olagunju E. O.1 and Oyekanmi A. M.2. 1Science Laboratory Technology Department, Faculty of Science, Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Osun State, Nigeria. 2Applied Science ...

SEASONALITY OF THE LEAF MINER, LEVEL OF PREDATION AND TEMPORAL OCCURRENCE OF RUST CORRELATED TO ABIOTIC FACTORS

OpenAIRE

B. M. R. Melo; F. B. S. Botelho; J. S. M. Silva; D. F. F. Lima; E. R. Moreira

2018-01-01

The coffee leaf miner and a rust are considered as major diseases that are able to reduce productivity in coffee plantations. These agents are influenced by abiotic factors, and their occurrence may suffer oscillation over the years. The objective of this study was to evaluate the seasonal fluctuation of the coffee leaf miner, incidence of coffee prediction and rust, correlated with abiotic factors. The study was performed IFSULDEMINAS-Campus Inconfidentes, in a coffee crop of the cultivar Ru...

The Calcium Sensor CBL-CIPK Is Involved in Plant’s Response to Abiotic Stresses

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S. M. Nuruzzaman Manik

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Abiotic stress halts the physiological and developmental process of plant. During stress condition, CBL-CIPK complex is identified as a primary element of calcium sensor to perceive environmental signals. Recent studies established that this complex regulates downstream targets like ion channels and transporters in adverse stages conditions. Crosstalks between the CBL-CIPK complex and different abiotic stresses can extend our research area, which can improve and increase the production of genetically modified crops in response to abiotic stresses. How this complex links with environmental signals and creates adjustable circumstances under unfavorable conditions is now one of the burning issues. Diverse studies are already underway to delineate this signalling mechanism underlying different interactions. Therefore, up to date experimental results should be concisely published, thus paving the way for further research. The present review will concisely recapitulate the recent and ongoing research progress of positive ions (Mg2+, Na+, and K+, negative ions (NO3-, PO4-, and hormonal signalling, which are evolving from accumulating results of analyses of CBL and CIPK loss- or gain-of-function experiments in different species along with some progress and perspectives of our works. In a word, this review will give one step forward direction for more functional studies in this area.

Abiotic environmental conditions for germination and development of gametophytes of Cyathea phalerata Mart. (Cyatheaceae

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Catiuscia Marcon

Full Text Available ABSTRACT In order to successfully establish themselves in their natural environment, ferns need habitats with abiotic conditions that are suitable for spore germination and gametophyte development. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of abiotic factors on the initial development of Cyathea phalerata cultivated in vitro. Spore germination and gametophyte development were assessed under varying conditions of surface sterilization, pH, temperature and photoperiod. Exogenous contamination was eliminated by sterilizing spores with 2.5 % NaClO for 15 min and sowing them into a culture medium supplemented with nystatin. Spores germinated at all pHs tested. Gametophytic development was faster in acidic pHs. Cultures at 25 °C exhibited the highest percentages of germination and laminar gametophytes. The species produced its highest percentages of gametophytes in cultures with photoperiods between 6 and 18 h. The optimal abiotic conditions found here for in vitro development of C. phalerata are similar to those found in its natural habitat. The southern limit of this species to north of the 30th parallel in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, may be because further south spores do not encounter the ideal combined conditions of temperature, pH and photoperiod determined in the laboratory.

The Arabidopsis PLAT domain protein1 is critically involved in abiotic stress tolerance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hyun, Tae Kyung; van der Graaff, Eric; Albacete, Alfonso

2014-01-01

. Abiotic stress treatments induced PLAT1 expression and caused expansion of its expression domain. The ABF/ABRE transcription factors, which are positive mediators of abscisic acid signalling, activate PLAT1 promoter activity in transactivation assays and directly bind to the ABRE elements located...... in this promoter in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. This suggests that PLAT1 represents a novel downstream target of the abscisic acid signalling pathway. Thus, we showed that PLAT1 critically functions as positive regulator of abiotic stress tolerance, but also is involved in regulating plant growth...

Correlation between macrobenthic structure (biotic) and water-sediment characteristics (abiotic) adjacent aquaculture areas at Tembelas Island, indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Sharani, Jeanny; Hidayat, Jafron W.; Putro, Sapto P.

2018-05-01

Macrobenthic community play important role in sedimentary habitats as a part of food chain. Their structure may be influenced by environmental characteristic spatially and temporally. The purpose of this study is to access the correlation between macrobenthic structure (biotic) and water-sediment characteristics (abiotic) adjacent aquaculture areas at Tembelas Island, Indonesia. Water and sediments samples were taken twice, where the first and second sampling time were taken in June and October 2016, respectively. Samples were taken in the area of fish farming at coastal area of policulture/IMTA (as Location I), site of 1 km away from fish farming area as a reference site (as Location II), and monoculture sites (as Location III), with three stations for each location. Data of abiotic parameters included the composition of sediment substrate and DO, pH, salinity, temperature, and. Sediment samples were taken using Ekman grab. The organisms were 1 mm -size sieved and fixed using 10% formalin for further analysis, i.e. sorting, preserving, enumerating, identifying, and grouping. The relationship between biotics (macrobentos) and abiotics (physical-chemical factors) was assessed using a non-parametric multivariate procedure (BIOENV). This study found 61 species consisting of 46 families and 5 classes of macrobenthos. The most common classes were member of Mollusca and Polychaeta. Total nitrogen, silt, and clay were the abiotic factors most influencing macrobenthic structure (BIO-ENV; r = 0.46; R2 = 21.16%).

A database of annotated tentative orthologs from crop abiotic stress transcripts.

Science.gov (United States)

Balaji, Jayashree; Crouch, Jonathan H; Petite, Prasad V N S; Hoisington, David A

2006-10-07

A minimal requirement to initiate a comparative genomics study on plant responses to abiotic stresses is a dataset of orthologous sequences. The availability of a large amount of sequence information, including those derived from stress cDNA libraries allow for the identification of stress related genes and orthologs associated with the stress response. Orthologous sequences serve as tools to explore genes and their relationships across species. For this purpose, ESTs from stress cDNA libraries across 16 crop species including 6 important cereal crops and 10 dicots were systematically collated and subjected to bioinformatics analysis such as clustering, grouping of tentative orthologous sets, identification of protein motifs/patterns in the predicted protein sequence, and annotation with stress conditions, tissue/library source and putative function. All data are available to the scientific community at http://intranet.icrisat.org/gt1/tog/homepage.htm. We believe that the availability of annotated plant abiotic stress ortholog sets will be a valuable resource for researchers studying the biology of environmental stresses in plant systems, molecular evolution and genomics.

Asymmetric biotic interactions and abiotic niche differences revealed by a dynamic joint species distribution model.

Science.gov (United States)

Lany, Nina K; Zarnetske, Phoebe L; Schliep, Erin M; Schaeffer, Robert N; Orians, Colin M; Orwig, David A; Preisser, Evan L

2018-05-01

A species' distribution and abundance are determined by abiotic conditions and biotic interactions with other species in the community. Most species distribution models correlate the occurrence of a single species with environmental variables only, and leave out biotic interactions. To test the importance of biotic interactions on occurrence and abundance, we compared a multivariate spatiotemporal model of the joint abundance of two invasive insects that share a host plant, hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA; Adelges tsugae) and elongate hemlock scale (EHS; Fiorina externa), to independent models that do not account for dependence among co-occurring species. The joint model revealed that HWA responded more strongly to abiotic conditions than EHS. Additionally, HWA appeared to predispose stands to subsequent increase of EHS, but HWA abundance was not strongly dependent on EHS abundance. This study demonstrates how incorporating spatial and temporal dependence into a species distribution model can reveal the dependence of a species' abundance on other species in the community. Accounting for dependence among co-occurring species with a joint distribution model can also improve estimation of the abiotic niche for species affected by interspecific interactions. © 2018 by the Ecological Society of America.

Role of Biotic and Abiotic Processes on Soil CO2 Dynamics in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

Science.gov (United States)

Risk, D. A.; Macintyre, C. M.; Lee, C.; Cary, C.; Shanhun, F.; Almond, P. C.

2016-12-01

In the harsh conditions of the Antarctic Dry Valleys, microbial activity has been recorded via measurements of soil carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and surface efflux. However, high temporal resolution studies in the Dry Valleys have also shown that abiotic solubility-driven processes can strongly influence (and perhaps even dominate) the CO2 dynamics in these low flux environments and suggests that biological activity may be lower than previously thought. In this study, we aim to improve our understanding of CO2 dynamics (biotic and abiotic) in Antarctic Dry Valley soils using long-term automated measurements of soil CO2 surface flux and soil profile concentration at several sites, often at sub-diel frequency. We hypothesize that soil CO2 variations are driven primarily by environmental factors affecting CO2 solubility in soil solution, mainly temperature, and that these processes may even overprint biologic production in representative Dry Valley soils. Monitoring of all sites revealed only one likely biotic CO2 production event, lasting three weeks during the Austral summer and reaching fluxes of 0.4 µmol/m2/s. Under more typical low flux conditions (sampling campaigns. Subsurface CO2 monitoring and a lab-controlled Antarctic soil simulation experiment confirmed that abiotic processes are capable of dominating soil CO2 variability. Diel temperature cycles crossing the freezing boundary revealed a dual abiotic cycle of solubility cycling and gas exclusion from ice formation observed only by high temporal frequency measurements (30 min). This work demonstrates a need for a numerical model to partition the dynamic abiotic processes underlying any biotic CO2 production in order to understand potential climate-change induced increases in microbial productivity in terrestrial Antarctica.

Differential contributions to the transcriptome of duplicated genes in response to abiotic stresses in natural and synthetic polyploids.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Shaowei; Adams, Keith L

2011-06-01

Polyploidy has occurred throughout plant evolution and can result in considerable changes to gene expression when it takes place and over evolutionary time. Little is known about the effects of abiotic stress conditions on duplicate gene expression patterns in polyploid plants. We examined the expression patterns of 60 duplicated genes in leaves, roots and cotyledons of allotetraploid Gossypium hirsutum in response to five abiotic stress treatments (heat, cold, drought, high salt and water submersion) using single-strand conformation polymorphism assays, and 20 genes in a synthetic allotetraploid. Over 70% of the genes showed stress-induced changes in the relative expression levels of the duplicates under one or more stress treatments with frequent variability among treatments. Twelve pairs showed opposite changes in expression levels in response to different abiotic stress treatments. Stress-induced expression changes occurred in the synthetic allopolyploid, but there was little correspondence in patterns between the natural and synthetic polyploids. Our results indicate that abiotic stress conditions can have considerable effects on duplicate gene expression in a polyploid, with the effects varying by gene, stress and organ type. Differential expression in response to environmental stresses may be a factor in the preservation of some duplicated genes in polyploids. © 2011 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2011 New Phytologist Trust.

Abiotic and biotic transformations of 1,1,1-trichloroethane under methanogenic conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vogel, T.M.; McCarty, P.L.

1987-01-01

A common industrial solvent, 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA), is one of the most frequently found contaminants in ground water. The fate of TCA in ground water is complicated by the different possible abiotic and biotic transformations that it may undergo. Abiotic transformation of TCA can result in a mixture of 1,1-dichloro-ethylene (1,1-DCE) and acetic acid, as shown by others. This study confirms that TCA can be biotransformed by reductive dehalogenation to 1,1-dichloroethane (1,1-DCA) and chloroethane (CA) under methanogenic conditions. Also, reductive dehalogenation of 1,1-DCE to vinyl chloride (VC) is confirmed. This study demonstrates that these transformations can occur stoichiometrically. In addition, [ 14 C]TCA, [ 14 C]-1,1-DCA, [ 14 C]-1,1-DCE, [ 14 C]CA, and [ 14 C]VC were at least partially mineralized to 14 CO 2 under similar methanogenic conditions.23 references, 3 figures, 4 tables

DISTINGUISHING A HYPOTHETICAL ABIOTIC PLANET–MOON SYSTEM FROM A SINGLE INHABITED PLANET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Tong; Tian, Feng; Wei, Wanjing; Huang, Xiaomeng; Wang, Yuwei

2016-01-01

It has recently been suggested that an exomoon with a CH 4 atmosphere, orbiting an abiotic Earth-mass planet with an O 2 -rich atmosphere, can produce a false positive biosignature at a low–moderate spectral resolution (R = λ/Δλ ≤ 2000). If this were true, inferring the presence of life on exoplanets will be beyond our reach in the next several decades. Here we use a line-by-line radiative transfer model to compute the relevant reflection spectrum between 1 and 3.3 μm. We show that it is possible to separate the combined spectra of such planet–moon systems from an inhabited planet by multiple-band NIR observations. We suggest that future observations near the 2.3 μm CH 4 absorption band at a resolution of 100 and an SNR of 10 or more may be a good way to distinguish an abiotic planet–moon system from a inhabited single planet

Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress Regulated by Histone Deacetylases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming Luo

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In eukaryotic cells, histone acetylation and deacetylation play an important role in the regulation of gene expression. Histone acetylation levels are modulated by histone acetyltransferases and histone deacetylases (HDACs. Recent studies indicate that HDACs play essential roles in the regulation of gene expression in plant response to environmental stress. In this review, we discussed the recent advance regarding the plant HDACs and their functions in the regulation of abiotic stress responses. The role of HDACs in autophagy was also discussed.

The inner Danish waters as suitable seaweed cultivation area- evaluation of abiotic factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grandorf Bak, Urd; Holdt, Susan Løvstad

conditions showed, that light conditions are sufficient to meet the light saturation level of both algae, but large seasonal and a site specific variations in light attenuation determine optimal cultivation depth. Water temperatures were found to exceed the tolerance level for P. palmata in July, August......Increased production of macroalgae may contribute to solving e.g. the demand for food globally. Palmaria palmata and Saccharina latissima are at present demanded and cultivated in European waters, and can potentially be cultivated at even larger scale. The present study investigated suitable...... cultivation areas in Danish waters for these two algal species in regard to a variation in the abiotic conditions: light, temperature, and the unusual salinity gradient through the inner Danish waters towards the Baltic Sea. Published tolerance levels of the abiotic conditions of the species were reviewed...

Hydroxylated PCBs in abiotic environmental matrices. Precipitation and surface waters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Darling, C.; Alaee, M.; Campbell, L.; Pacepavicius, G.; Ueno, D.; Muir, D. [National Water Research Institute, Burlington, ON (Canada)

2004-09-15

Hydroxylated PCBs (OH-PCBs) are of great interest environmentally because of their potential thyroidogenic effects. OH-PCBs can compete with thyroxine for binding sites on transthyretin, one of the three main thyroid hormone transport proteins in mammals1. The chemical structures of some OH-PCBs with a para OH group and adjacent chlorine atoms, particularly 4-OH-CB109, 4- OH-CB146, and 4-OH-CB187, share a similar structure to the thyroid hormones (T3 and T4), which have a para OH with adjacent iodine atoms. A number of OH-PCBs have been identified in the blood of humans and biota during the last 5 to 10 years, however, reports on the identity, presence and levels of OH-PCBs are limited. This presentation describes preliminary studies on the presence of OH-PCBs in abiotic samples and comparisons of congener patterns with biological samples. We have previously shown that OHPCBs were present in lake trout from the Great Lakes and nearby large lakes as well as in nearshore environments. We hypothesized that some of the OH-PCB present in fish might be from abiotic formation in water or the atmosphere, or from microbial oxidation of PCBs and/or deconjugation of PCB metabolites in waste treatment plants.

Flowering phenology, growth forms, and pollination syndromes in tropical dry forest species: Influence of phylogeny and abiotic factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Cortés-Flores, Jorge; Hernández-Esquivel, Karen Beatriz; González-Rodríguez, Antonio; Ibarra-Manríquez, Guillermo

2017-01-01

Analyses of the influence of temporal variation in abiotic factors on flowering phenology of tropical dry forest species have not considered the possible response of species with different growth forms and pollination syndromes, while controlling for phylogenetic relationships among species. Here, we investigated the relationship between flowering phenology, abiotic factors, and plant functional attributes, while controlling for phylogenetic relationship among species, in a dry forest community in Mexico. We characterized flowering phenology (time and duration) and pollination syndromes of 55 tree species, 49 herbs, 24 shrubs, 15 lianas, and 11 vines. We tested the influence of pollination syndrome, growth form, and abiotic factors on flowering phenology using phylogenetic generalized least squares. We found a relationship between flowering duration and time. Growth form was related to flowering time, and the pollination syndrome had a more significant relationship with flowering duration. Flowering time variation in the community was explained mainly by abiotic variables, without an important phylogenetic effect. Flowering time in lianas and trees was negatively and positively correlated with daylength, respectively. Functional attributes, environmental cues, and phylogeny interact with each other to shape the diversity of flowering patterns. Phenological differentiation among species groups revealed multiples strategies associated with growth form and pollination syndromes that can be important for understanding species coexistence in this highly diverse plant community. © 2017 Botanical Society of America.

Evolution and Adaptation of Wild Emmer Wheat Populations to Biotic and Abiotic Stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Lin; Raats, Dina; Sela, Hanan; Klymiuk, Valentina; Lidzbarsky, Gabriel; Feng, Lihua; Krugman, Tamar; Fahima, Tzion

2016-08-04

The genetic bottlenecks associated with plant domestication and subsequent selection in man-made agroecosystems have limited the genetic diversity of modern crops and increased their vulnerability to environmental stresses. Wild emmer wheat, the tetraploid progenitor of domesticated wheat, distributed along a wide range of ecogeographical conditions in the Fertile Crescent, has valuable "left behind" adaptive diversity to multiple diseases and environmental stresses. The biotic and abiotic stress responses are conferred by series of genes and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that control complex resistance pathways. The study of genetic diversity, genomic organization, expression profiles, protein structure and function of biotic and abiotic stress-resistance genes, and QTLs could shed light on the evolutionary history and adaptation mechanisms of wild emmer populations for their natural habitats. The continuous evolution and adaptation of wild emmer to the changing environment provide novel solutions that can contribute to safeguarding food for the rapidly growing human population.

Abiotic and biotic controls over biogeochemical cycles in drylands: Insights from climate change and nitrogen deposition experiments on the Colorado Plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, S.; Ferrenberg, S.; Tucker, C.; Rutherford, W. A.; Wertin, T. M.; McHugh, T. A.; Morrissey, E.; Kuske, C.; Mueller, R.; Belnap, J.

2016-12-01

As for all ecosystems, biogeochemical cycling in drylands represents numerous intricate connections between biotic and abiotic controls. However, patterns of many fundamental ecosystem processes that generally hold across global gradients fall apart at the arid and semiarid end of the spectrum, and data point to an exceptionally strong role for abiotic controls in explaining these patterns. Further, there are multiple dryland characteristics - such as extreme aridity and high UV radiation, as well as specialized biological communities - which can point to a conclusion that "drylands are different". Indeed, drylands are often characterized by their harsh environment, by the diverse classes of biota representing a range of traits aimed at surviving such harsh conditions, and, more recently, by the suggestion of dramatic biotic responses to seemingly subtle changes in abiotic factors. In this talk, we will explore a range of biotic and abiotic controls over fundamental biogeochemical cycling in drylands using data from a suite of manipulation experiments on the Colorado Plateau, USA. We will present results from field treatments that speak to the effects of increasing temperature, altered precipitation regimes, increased nitrogen availability via deposition, and the effects of altered litterfall inputs. Biogeochemical processes we explore will include plant photosynthesis, soil photosynthesis and respiration (with a focus on biological soil crusts), litter decomposition, and nutrient cycling. In addition, we will assess how treatments alter dryland community composition, as well as the resultant feedbacks of community shifts to environmental change. Taken together we will use these diverse datasets to ask questions about what makes drylands different or, instead, if a holistic joining of biotic and abiotic perspectives suggests they are not so different after all. These data will not only lend insight into the partitioning of and balance between biotic and abiotic

Life without water: cross-resistance of anhydrobiotic cell line to abiotic stresses

Science.gov (United States)

Gusev, Oleg

2016-07-01

Anhydrobiosis is an intriguing phenomenon of natural ability of some organisms to resist water loss. The larvae of Polypedilum vanderplanki, the sleeping chironomid is the largest and most complex anhydrobionts known to date. The larvae showed ability to survive variety of abiotic stresses, including outer space environment. Recently cell line (Pv11) derived from the embryonic mass of the chironomid was established. Initially sensitive to desiccation cells, are capable to "induced" anhydrobiosis, when the resistance to desiccation can be developed by pre-treatment of the cells with trehalose followed by quick desiccation. We have further conducted complex analysis of the whole genome transcription response of Pv11 cells to different abiotic stresses, including oxidative stress and irradiation. Comparative analysis showed that the gene set, responsible for formation of desiccation resistance (ARID regions in the genome) is also activated in response to other types of stresses and likely to contribute to general enhancing of the resistance of the cells to harsh environment. We have further demonstrated that the cells are able to protect recombinant proteins from harmful effect of desiccation

Using Phenomic Analysis of Photosynthetic Function for Abiotic Stress Response Gene Discovery

KAUST Repository

Rungrat, Tepsuda

2016-09-09

Monitoring the photosynthetic performance of plants is a major key to understanding how plants adapt to their growth conditions. Stress tolerance traits have a high genetic complexity as plants are constantly, and unavoidably, exposed to numerous stress factors, which limits their growth rates in the natural environment. Arabidopsis thaliana, with its broad genetic diversity and wide climatic range, has been shown to successfully adapt to stressful conditions to ensure the completion of its life cycle. As a result, A. thaliana has become a robust and renowned plant model system for studying natural variation and conducting gene discovery studies. Genome wide association studies (GWAS) in restructured populations combining natural and recombinant lines is a particularly effective way to identify the genetic basis of complex traits. As most abiotic stresses affect photosynthetic activity, chlorophyll fluorescence measurements are a potential phenotyping technique for monitoring plant performance under stress conditions. This review focuses on the use of chlorophyll fluorescence as a tool to study genetic variation underlying the stress tolerance responses to abiotic stress in A. thaliana.

Abiotic mechanism for the formation of atmospheric nitrous oxide from ammonium nitrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubasinghege, Gayan; Spak, Scott N; Stanier, Charles O; Carmichael, Gregory R; Grassian, Vicki H

2011-04-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an important greenhouse gas and a primary cause of stratospheric ozone destruction. Despite its importance, there remain missing sources in the N2O budget. Here we report the formation of atmospheric nitrous oxide from the decomposition of ammonium nitrate via an abiotic mechanism that is favorable in the presence of light, relative humidity and a surface. This source of N2O is not currently accounted for in the global N2O budget. Annual production of N2O from atmospheric aerosols and surface fertilizer application over the continental United States from this abiotic pathway is estimated from results of an annual chemical transport simulation with the Community Multiscale Air Quality model (CMAQ). This pathway is projected to produce 9.3(+0.7/-5.3) Gg N2O annually over North America. N2O production by this mechanism is expected globally from both megacities and agricultural areas and may become more important under future projected changes in anthropogenic emissions.

S-Nitrosylated proteins in pea (Pisum sativum L.) leaf peroxisomes: changes under abiotic stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortega-Galisteo, Ana P; Rodríguez-Serrano, María; Pazmiño, Diana M; Gupta, Dharmendra K; Sandalio, Luisa M; Romero-Puertas, María C

2012-03-01

Peroxisomes, single-membrane-bounded organelles with essentially oxidative metabolism, are key in plant responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. Recently, the presence of nitric oxide (NO) described in peroxisomes opened the possibility of new cellular functions, as NO regulates diverse biological processes by directly modifying proteins. However, this mechanism has not yet been analysed in peroxisomes. This study assessed the presence of S-nitrosylation in pea-leaf peroxisomes, purified S-nitrosylated peroxisome proteins by immunoprecipitation, and identified the purified proteins by two different mass-spectrometry techniques (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization tandem time-of-flight and two-dimensional nano-liquid chromatography coupled to ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry). Six peroxisomal proteins were identified as putative targets of S-nitrosylation involved in photorespiration, β-oxidation, and reactive oxygen species detoxification. The activity of three of these proteins (catalase, glycolate oxidase, and malate dehydrogenase) is inhibited by NO donors. NO metabolism/S-nitrosylation and peroxisomes were analysed under two different types of abiotic stress, i.e. cadmium and 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D). Both types of stress reduced NO production in pea plants, and an increase in S-nitrosylation was observed in pea extracts under 2,4-D treatment while no total changes were observed in peroxisomes. However, the S-nitrosylation levels of catalase and glycolate oxidase changed under cadmium and 2,4-D treatments, suggesting that this post-translational modification could be involved in the regulation of H(2)O(2) level under abiotic stress.

Cloning and expression analysis of 14 lipid transfer protein genes from Tamarix hispida responding to different abiotic stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chao; Yang, Chuanping; Gao, Caiqiu; Wang, Yucheng

2009-12-01

Plant lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) are ubiquitous lipid-binding proteins that are involved in various stress responses. In this study, we cloned 14 unique LTP genes (ThLTP 1-14) from Tamarix hispida Willd. (Tamaricaceae) to investigate their roles under various abiotic stress conditions. The expression profiles of the 14 ThLTPs in response to NaCl, polyethylene glycol (PEG), NaHCO(3), CdCl(2) and abscisic acid (ABA) exposure in root, stem and leaf tissues were investigated using real-time RT-PCR. The results showed that all 14 ThLTPs were expressed in root, stem and leaf tissues under normal growth conditions. However, under normal growth conditions, ThLTP abundance varied in each organ, with expression differences of 9000-fold in leaves, 540-fold in stems and 3700-fold in roots. These results indicated that activity and/or physiological importance of these ThLTPs are quite different. Differential expression of the 14 ThLTPs was observed (> 2-fold) for NaCl, PEG, NaHCO(3) and CdCl(2) in at least one tissue indicating that they were all involved in abiotic stress responses. All ThLTP genes were highly induced (> 2-fold) under ABA treatment in roots, stems and/or leaves, and particularly in roots, suggesting that ABA-dependent signaling pathways regulated ThLTPs. We hypothesize that ThLTP expression constitutes an adaptive response to abiotic stresses in T. hispida and plays an important role in abiotic stress tolerance.

The Arabidopsis PLAT domain protein1 promotes abiotic stress tolerance and growth in tobacco

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hyun, T.K.; Albacete, A.; van der Graaff, E.; Eom, S. H.; Großkinsky, D.K.; Böhm, H.; Janschek, U.; Rim, Y.; Ali, W.; Kim, S.Y.; Roitsch, Thomas

2015-01-01

Roč. 24, č. 4 (2015), s. 651-663 ISSN 0962-8819 Institutional support: RVO:67179843 Keywords : Abiotic stress * Biotic stress * Plant growth * AtPLAT1 gene * Tobacco Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 2.054, year: 2015

Alternative Splicing Control of Abiotic Stress Responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Laloum, Tom; Martín, Guiomar; Duque, Paula

2018-02-01

Alternative splicing, which generates multiple transcripts from the same gene, is an important modulator of gene expression that can increase proteome diversity and regulate mRNA levels. In plants, this post-transcriptional mechanism is markedly induced in response to environmental stress, and recent studies have identified alternative splicing events that allow rapid adjustment of the abundance and function of key stress-response components. In agreement, plant mutants defective in splicing factors are severely impaired in their response to abiotic stress. Notably, mounting evidence indicates that alternative splicing regulates stress responses largely by targeting the abscisic acid (ABA) pathway. We review here current understanding of post-transcriptional control of plant stress tolerance via alternative splicing and discuss research challenges for the near future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mud, Macrofauna and Microbes: An ode to benthic organism-abiotic interactions at varying scales

Science.gov (United States)

Benthic environments are dynamic habitats, subject to variable sources and rates of sediment delivery, reworking from the abiotic and biotic processes, and complex biogeochemistry. These activities do not occur in a vacuum, and interact synergistically to influence food webs, bi...

Transcriptome Analysis of Sunflower Genotypes with Contrasting Oxidative Stress Tolerance Reveals Individual- and Combined- Biotic and Abiotic Stress Tolerance Mechanisms.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vemanna S Ramu

Full Text Available In nature plants are often simultaneously challenged by different biotic and abiotic stresses. Although the mechanisms underlying plant responses against single stress have been studied considerably, plant tolerance mechanisms under combined stress is not understood. Also, the mechanism used to combat independently and sequentially occurring many number of biotic and abiotic stresses has also not systematically studied. From this context, in this study, we attempted to explore the shared response of sunflower plants to many independent stresses by using meta-analysis of publically available transcriptome data and transcript profiling by quantitative PCR. Further, we have also analyzed the possible role of the genes so identified in contributing to combined stress tolerance. Meta-analysis of transcriptomic data from many abiotic and biotic stresses indicated the common representation of oxidative stress responsive genes. Further, menadione-mediated oxidative stress in sunflower seedlings showed similar pattern of changes in the oxidative stress related genes. Based on this a large scale screening of 55 sunflower genotypes was performed under menadione stress and those contrasting in oxidative stress tolerance were identified. Further to confirm the role of genes identified in individual and combined stress tolerance the contrasting genotypes were individually and simultaneously challenged with few abiotic and biotic stresses. The tolerant hybrid showed reduced levels of stress damage both under combined stress and few independent stresses. Transcript profiling of the genes identified from meta-analysis in the tolerant hybrid also indicated that the selected genes were up-regulated under individual and combined stresses. Our results indicate that menadione-based screening can identify genotypes not only tolerant to multiple number of individual biotic and abiotic stresses, but also the combined stresses.

Spatially dependent biotic and abiotic factors drive survivorship and physical structure of green roof vegetation.

Science.gov (United States)

Aloisio, Jason M; Palmer, Matthew I; Giampieri, Mario A; Tuininga, Amy R; Lewis, James D

2017-01-01

Plant survivorship depends on biotic and abiotic factors that vary at local and regional scales. This survivorship, in turn, has cascading effects on community composition and the physical structure of vegetation. Survivorship of native plant species is variable among populations planted in environmentally stressful habitats like urban roofs, but the degree to which factors at different spatial scales affect survivorship in urban systems is not well understood. We evaluated the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on survivorship, composition, and physical structure of two native perennial species assemblages, one characterized by a mixture of C 4 grasses and forbs (Hempstead Plains, HP) and one characterized by a mixture of C 3 grasses and forbs (Rocky Summit, RS), that were initially sown at equal ratios of growth forms (5:1:4; grass, N-fixing forb and non-N-fixing forb) in replicate 2-m 2 plots planted on 10 roofs in New York City (New York, USA). Of 24 000 installed plants, 40% survived 23 months after planting. Within-roof factors explained 71% of variation in survivorship, with biotic (species identity and assemblage) factors accounting for 54% of the overall variation, and abiotic (growing medium depth and plot location) factors explaining 17% of the variation. Among-roof factors explained 29% of variation in survivorship and increased solar radiation correlated with decreased survivorship. While growing medium properties (pH, nutrients, metals) differed among roofs there was no correlation with survivorship. Percent cover and sward height increased with increasing survivorship. At low survivorship, cover of the HP assemblage was greater compared to the RS assemblage. Sward height of the HP assemblage was about two times greater compared to the RS assemblage. These results highlight the effects of local biotic and regional abiotic drivers on community composition and physical structure of green roof vegetation. As a result, initial green roof plant

Coordinated Actions of Glyoxalase and Antioxidant Defense Systems in Conferring Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirza Hasanuzzaman

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Being sessile organisms, plants are frequently exposed to various environmental stresses that cause several physiological disorders and even death. Oxidative stress is one of the common consequences of abiotic stress in plants, which is caused by excess generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS. Sometimes ROS production exceeds the capacity of antioxidant defense systems, which leads to oxidative stress. In line with ROS, plants also produce a high amount of methylglyoxal (MG, which is an α-oxoaldehyde compound, highly reactive, cytotoxic, and produced via different enzymatic and non-enzymatic reactions. This MG can impair cells or cell components and can even destroy DNA or cause mutation. Under stress conditions, MG concentration in plants can be increased 2- to 6-fold compared with normal conditions depending on the plant species. However, plants have a system developed to detoxify this MG consisting of two major enzymes: glyoxalase I (Gly I and glyoxalase II (Gly II, and hence known as the glyoxalase system. Recently, a novel glyoxalase enzyme, named glyoxalase III (Gly III, has been detected in plants, providing a shorter pathway for MG detoxification, which is also a signpost in the research of abiotic stress tolerance. Glutathione (GSH acts as a co-factor for this system. Therefore, this system not only detoxifies MG but also plays a role in maintaining GSH homeostasis and subsequent ROS detoxification. Upregulation of both Gly I and Gly II as well as their overexpression in plant species showed enhanced tolerance to various abiotic stresses including salinity, drought, metal toxicity, and extreme temperature. In the past few decades, a considerable amount of reports have indicated that both antioxidant defense and glyoxalase systems have strong interactions in conferring abiotic stress tolerance in plants through the detoxification of ROS and MG. In this review, we will focus on the mechanisms of these interactions and the coordinated

Coordinated Actions of Glyoxalase and Antioxidant Defense Systems in Conferring Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants

Science.gov (United States)

Hasanuzzaman, Mirza; Nahar, Kamrun; Hossain, Md. Shahadat; Mahmud, Jubayer Al; Rahman, Anisur; Inafuku, Masashi; Oku, Hirosuke; Fujita, Masayuki

2017-01-01

Being sessile organisms, plants are frequently exposed to various environmental stresses that cause several physiological disorders and even death. Oxidative stress is one of the common consequences of abiotic stress in plants, which is caused by excess generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Sometimes ROS production exceeds the capacity of antioxidant defense systems, which leads to oxidative stress. In line with ROS, plants also produce a high amount of methylglyoxal (MG), which is an α-oxoaldehyde compound, highly reactive, cytotoxic, and produced via different enzymatic and non-enzymatic reactions. This MG can impair cells or cell components and can even destroy DNA or cause mutation. Under stress conditions, MG concentration in plants can be increased 2- to 6-fold compared with normal conditions depending on the plant species. However, plants have a system developed to detoxify this MG consisting of two major enzymes: glyoxalase I (Gly I) and glyoxalase II (Gly II), and hence known as the glyoxalase system. Recently, a novel glyoxalase enzyme, named glyoxalase III (Gly III), has been detected in plants, providing a shorter pathway for MG detoxification, which is also a signpost in the research of abiotic stress tolerance. Glutathione (GSH) acts as a co-factor for this system. Therefore, this system not only detoxifies MG but also plays a role in maintaining GSH homeostasis and subsequent ROS detoxification. Upregulation of both Gly I and Gly II as well as their overexpression in plant species showed enhanced tolerance to various abiotic stresses including salinity, drought, metal toxicity, and extreme temperature. In the past few decades, a considerable amount of reports have indicated that both antioxidant defense and glyoxalase systems have strong interactions in conferring abiotic stress tolerance in plants through the detoxification of ROS and MG. In this review, we will focus on the mechanisms of these interactions and the coordinated action of

Spatial variability of biotic and abiotic tree establishment constraints across a treeline ecotone in the Alaska range.

Science.gov (United States)

Stueve, Kirk M; Isaacs, Rachel E; Tyrrell, Lucy E; Densmore, Roseann V

2011-02-01

Throughout interior Alaska (U.S.A.), a gradual warming trend in mean monthly temperatures occurred over the last few decades (approximatlely 2-4 degrees C). The accompanying increases in woody vegetation at many alpine treeline (hereafter treeline) locations provided an opportunity to examine how biotic and abiotic local site conditions interact to control tree establishment patterns during warming. We devised a landscape ecological approach to investigate these relationships at an undisturbed treeline in the Alaska Range. We identified treeline changes between 1953 (aerial photography) and 2005 (satellite imagery) in a geographic information system (GIS) and linked them with corresponding local site conditions derived from digital terrain data, ancillary climate data, and distance to 1953 trees. Logistic regressions enabled us to rank the importance of local site conditions in controlling tree establishment. We discovered a spatial transition in the importance of tree establishment controls. The biotic variable (proximity to 1953 trees) was the most important tree establishment predictor below the upper tree limit, providing evidence of response lags with the abiotic setting and suggesting that tree establishment is rarely in equilibrium with the physical environment or responding directly to warming. Elevation and winter sun exposure were important predictors of tree establishment at the upper tree limit, but proximity to trees persisted as an important tertiary predictor, indicating that tree establishment may achieve equilibrium with the physical environment. However, even here, influences from the biotic variable may obscure unequivocal correlations with the abiotic setting (including temperature). Future treeline expansion will likely be patchy and challenging to predict without considering the spatial variability of influences from biotic and abiotic local site conditions.

RING E3 ligases: key regulatory elements are involved in abiotic stress responses in plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Seok Keun; Ryu, Moon Young; Kim, Jong Hum; Hong, Jeong Soo; Oh, Tae Rin; Kim, Woo Taek; Yang, Seong Wook

2017-08-01

Plants are constantly exposed to a variety of abiotic stresses, such as drought, heat, cold, flood, and salinity. To survive under such unfavorable conditions, plants have evolutionarily developed their own resistant-mechanisms. For several decades, many studies have clarified specific stress response pathways of plants through various molecular and genetic studies. In particular, it was recently discovered that ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS), a regulatory mechanism for protein turn over, is greatly involved in the stress responsive pathways. In the UPS, many E3 ligases play key roles in recognizing and tethering poly-ubiquitins on target proteins for subsequent degradation by the 26S proteasome. Here we discuss the roles of RING ligases that have been defined in related to abiotic stress responses in plants. [BMB Reports 2017; 50(8): 393-400].

Genome-wide characterization of the WRKY gene family in radish (Raphanus sativus L.) reveals its critical functions under different abiotic stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Karanja, Bernard Kinuthia; Fan, Lianxue; Xu, Liang; Wang, Yan; Zhu, Xianwen; Tang, Mingjia; Wang, Ronghua; Zhang, Fei; Muleke, Everlyne M'mbone; Liu, Liwang

2017-11-01

The radish WRKY gene family was genome-widely identified and played critical roles in response to multiple abiotic stresses. The WRKY is among the largest transcription factors (TFs) associated with multiple biological activities for plant survival, including control response mechanisms against abiotic stresses such as heat, salinity, and heavy metals. Radish is an important root vegetable crop and therefore characterization and expression pattern investigation of WRKY transcription factors in radish is imperative. In the present study, 126 putative WRKY genes were retrieved from radish genome database. Protein sequence and annotation scrutiny confirmed that RsWRKY proteins possessed highly conserved domains and zinc finger motif. Based on phylogenetic analysis results, RsWRKYs candidate genes were divided into three groups (Group I, II and III) with the number 31, 74, and 20, respectively. Additionally, gene structure analysis revealed that intron-exon patterns of the WRKY genes are highly conserved in radish. Linkage map analysis indicated that RsWRKY genes were distributed with varying densities over nine linkage groups. Further, RT-qPCR analysis illustrated the significant variation of 36 RsWRKY genes under one or more abiotic stress treatments, implicating that they might be stress-responsive genes. In total, 126 WRKY TFs were identified from the R. sativus genome wherein, 35 of them showed abiotic stress-induced expression patterns. These results provide a genome-wide characterization of RsWRKY TFs and baseline for further functional dissection and molecular evolution investigation, specifically for improving abiotic stress resistances with an ultimate goal of increasing yield and quality of radish.

Media Education Initiatives by Media Organizations: The Uses of Media Literacy in Hong Kong Media

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Donna; Lee, Alice Y. L.

2014-01-01

As more media organizations have engaged in media education, this paper investigates the goals and practices of these activities. This article coins media education initiatives by media organizations with the term "media-organization media literac"y (MOML). Four MOML projects in Hong Kong were selected for examination. Built on critical…

Abiotic Formation of Methyl Halides in the Terrestrial Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Keppler, F.

2011-12-01

Methyl chloride and methyl bromide are the most abundant chlorine and bromine containing organic compounds in the atmosphere. Since both compounds have relatively long tropospheric lifetimes they can effectively transport halogen atoms from the Earth's surface, where they are released, to the stratosphere and following photolytic oxidation form reactive halogen gases that lead to the chemical destruction of ozone. Methyl chloride and methyl bromide account for more than 20% of the ozone-depleting halogens delivered to the stratosphere and are predicted to grow in importance as the chlorine contribution to the stratosphere from anthropogenic CFCs decline. Today methyl chloride and methyl bromide originate mainly from natural sources with only a minor fraction considered to be of anthropogenic origin. However, until as recently as 2000 most of the methyl chloride and methyl bromide input to the atmosphere was considered to originate from the oceans, but investigations in recent years have clearly demonstrated that terrestrial sources such as biomass burning, wood-rotting fungi, coastal salt marshes, tropical vegetation and organic matter degradation must dominate the atmospheric budgets of these trace gases. However, many uncertainties still exist regarding strengths of both sources and sinks, as well as the mechanisms of formation of these naturally occurring halogenated gases. A better understanding of the atmospheric budget of both methyl chloride and methyl bromide is therefore required for reliable prediction of future ozone depletion. Biotic and abiotic methylation processes of chloride and bromide ion are considered to be the dominant pathways of formation of these methyl halides in nature. In this presentation I will focus on abiotic formation processes in the terrestrial environment and the potential parameters that control their emissions. Recent advances in our understanding of the abiotic formation pathway of methyl halides will be discussed. This will

Abiotic degradation of plastic films

Science.gov (United States)

Ángeles-López, Y. G.; Gutiérrez-Mayen, A. M.; Velasco-Pérez, M.; Beltrán-Villavicencio, M.; Vázquez-Morillas, A.; Cano-Blanco, M.

2017-01-01

Degradable plastics have been promoted as an option to mitigate the environmental impacts of plastic waste. However, there is no certainty about its degradability under different environmental conditions. The effect of accelerated weathering (AW), natural weathering (NW) and thermal oxidation (TO) on different plastics (high density polyethylene, HDPE; oxodegradable high density polyethylene, HDPE-oxo; compostable plastic, Ecovio ® metalized polypropylene, PP; and oxodegradable metalized polypropylene, PP-oxo) was studied. Plastics films were exposed to AW per 110 hours; to NW per 90 days; and to TO per 30 days. Plastic films exposed to AW and NW showed a general loss on mechanical properties. The highest reduction in elongation at break on AW occurred to HDPE-oxo (from 400.4% to 20.9%) and was higher than 90% for HDPE, HDPE-oxo, Ecovio ® and PP-oxo in NW. No substantial evidence of degradation was found on plastics exposed to TO. Oxo-plastics showed higher degradation rates than their conventional counterparts, and the compostable plastic was resistant to degradation in the studied abiotic conditions. This study shows that degradation of plastics in real life conditions will vary depending in both, their composition and the environment.

SERDP ER-1376 Enhancement of In Situ Bioremediation of Energetic Compounds by Coupled Abiotic/Biotic Processes:Final Report for 2004 - 2006

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szecsody, James E.; Comfort, Steve; Fredrickson, Herbert L.; Boparai, Hardiljeet K.; Devary, Brooks J.; Thompson, Karen T.; Phillips, Jerry L.; Crocker, Fiona H.; Girvin, Donald C.; Resch, Charles T.; Shea, Patrick; Fischer, Ashley E.; Durkin, Lisa M.

2007-08-07

This project was initiated by SERDP to quantify processes and determine the effectiveness of abiotic/biotic mineralization of energetics (RDX, HMX, TNT) in aquifer sediments by combinations of biostimulation (carbon, trace nutrient additions) and chemical reduction of sediment to create a reducing environment. Initially it was hypothesized that a balance of chemical reduction of sediment and biostimulation would increase the RDX, HMX, and TNT mineralization rate significantly (by a combination of abiotic and biotic processes) so that this abiotic/biotic treatment may be a more efficient for remediation than biotic treatment alone in some cases. Because both abiotic and biotic processes are involved in energetic mineralization in sediments, it was further hypothesized that consideration for both abiotic reduction and microbial growth was need to optimize the sediment system for the most rapid mineralization rate. Results show that there are separate optimal abiotic/biostimulation aquifer sediment treatments for RDX/HMX and for TNT. Optimal sediment treatment for RDX and HMX (which have chemical similarities and similar degradation pathways) is mainly chemical reduction of sediment, which increased the RDX/HMX mineralization rate 100 to150 times (relative to untreated sediment), with additional carbon or trace nutrient addition, which increased the RDX/HMX mineralization rate an additional 3 to 4 times. In contrast, the optimal aquifer sediment treatment for TNT involves mainly biostimulation (glucose addition), which stimulates a TNT/glucose cometabolic degradation pathway (6.8 times more rapid than untreated sediment), degrading TNT to amino-intermediates that irreversibly sorb (i.e., end product is not CO2). The TNT mass migration risk is minimized by these transformation reactions, as the triaminotoluene and 2,4- and 2,6-diaminonitrotoluene products that irreversibly sorb are no longer mobile in the subsurface environment. These transformation rates are increased

Regulation of abiotic and biotic stress responses by plant hormones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grosskinsky, Dominik Kilian; van der Graaff, Eric; Roitsch, Thomas Georg

2016-01-01

Plant hormones (phytohormones) are signal molecules produced within the plant, and occur in very low concentrations. In the present chapter, the current knowledge on the regulation of biotic and biotic stress responses by plant hormones is summarized with special focus on the novel insights...... into the complex hormonal crosstalk of classical growth stimulating plant hormones within the naturally occurring biotic and abiotic multistress environment of higher plants. The MAPK- and phytohormone-cascades which comprise a multitude of single molecules on different signalling levels, as well as interactions...

Abscisic Acid and Gibberellins Antagonistically Mediate Plant Development and Abiotic Stress Responses

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Kai Shu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Phytohormones regulate numerous important biological processes in plant development and biotic/abiotic stress response cascades. More than 50 and 100 years have passed since the initial discoveries of the phytohormones abscisic acid (ABA and gibberellins (GA, respectively. Over the past several decades, numerous elegant studies have demonstrated that ABA and GA antagonistically regulate many plant developmental processes, including seed maturation, seed dormancy and germination, root initiation, hypocotyl and stem elongation, and floral transition. Furthermore, as a well-established stress hormone, ABA plays a key role in plant responses to abiotic stresses, such as drought, flooding, salinity and low temperature. Interestingly, recent evidence revealed that GA are also involved in plant response to adverse environmental conditions. Consequently, the complex crosstalk networks between ABA and GA, mediated by diverse key regulators, have been extensively investigated and documented. In this updated mini-review, we summarize the most recent advances in our understanding of the antagonistically regulatory roles of ABA and GA in different stages of plant development and in various plant–environment interactions, focusing on the crosstalk between ABA and GA at the levels of phytohormone metabolism and signal transduction.

Isolation and characterization of a catalase gene "HuCAT3" from pitaya (Hylocereus undatus) and its expression under abiotic stress.

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Nie, Qiong; Gao, Guo-Li; Fan, Qing-jie; Qiao, Guang; Wen, Xiao-Peng; Liu, Tao; Peng, Zhi-Jun; Cai, Yong-Qiang

2015-05-25

Abiotic stresses usually cause H2O2 accumulation, with harmful effects, in plants. Catalase may play a key protective role in plant cells by detoxifying this excess H2O2. Pitaya (Hylocereus undatus) shows broad ecological adaptation due to its high tolerance to abiotic stresses, e.g. drought, heat and poor soil. However, involvement of the pitaya catalase gene (HuCAT) in tolerance to abiotic stresses is unknown. In the present study, a full-length HuCAT3 cDNA (1870 bp) was isolated from pitaya based on our previous microarray data and RACE method. The cDNA sequence and deduced amino acid sequence shared 73-77% and 75-80% identity with other plant catalases, respectively. HuCAT3 contains conserved catalase family domain and catalytic sites. Pairwise comparison and phylogenetic analysis indicated that HuCAT3 is most similar to Eriobotrya japonica CAT, followed by Dimocarpus longan CAT and Nicotiana tabacum CAT1. Expression profile analysis demonstrated that HuCAT3 is mainly expressed in green cotyledons and mature stems, and was regulated by H2O2, drought, cold and salt stress, whereas, its expression patterns and maximum expression levels varied with stress types. HuCAT activity increased as exposure to the tested stresses, and the fluctuation of HuCAT activity was consistent with HuCAT3 mRNA abundance (except for 0.5 days upon drought stress). HuCAT3 mRNA elevations and HuCAT activities changes under cold stress were also in conformity with the cold tolerances among the four genotypes. The obtained results confirmed a major role of HuCAT3 in abiotic stress response of pitaya. This may prove useful in understanding pitaya's high tolerance to abiotic stresses at molecular level. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal 14-3-3 Proteins Are Involved in Arbuscule Formation and Responses to Abiotic Stresses During AM Symbiosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Zhongfeng; Song, Jiabin; Xin, Xi'an; Xie, Xianan; Zhao, Bin

2018-01-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are soil-borne fungi belonging to the ancient phylum Glomeromycota and are important symbionts of the arbuscular mycorrhiza, enhancing plant nutrient acquisition and resistance to various abiotic stresses. In contrast to their significant physiological implications, the molecular basis involved is poorly understood, largely due to their obligate biotrophism and complicated genetics. Here, we identify and characterize three genes termed Fm201 , Ri14-3-3 and RiBMH2 that encode 14-3-3-like proteins in the AM fungi Funneliformis mosseae and Rhizophagus irregularis , respectively. The transcriptional levels of Fm201 , Ri14-3-3 and RiBMH2 are strongly induced in the pre-symbiotic and symbiotic phases, including germinating spores, intraradical hyphae- and arbuscules-enriched roots. To functionally characterize the Fm201 , Ri14-3-3 and RiBMH2 genes, we took advantage of a yeast heterologous system owing to the lack of AM fungal transformation systems. Our data suggest that all three genes can restore the lethal Saccharomyces cerevisiae bmh1 bmh2 double mutant on galactose-containing media. Importantly, yeast one-hybrid analysis suggests that the transcription factor RiMsn2 is able to recognize the STRE (CCCCT/AGGGG) element present in the promoter region of Fm201 gene. More importantly, Host-Induced Gene Silencing of both Ri14-3-3 and RiBMH2 in Rhizophagus irregularis impairs the arbuscule formation in AM symbiosis and inhibits the expression of symbiotic PT4 and MST2 genes from plant and fungal partners, respectively. We further subjected the AM fungus- Medicago truncatula association system to drought or salinity stress. Accordingly, the expression profiles in both mycorrhizal roots and extraradical hyphae reveal that these three 14-3-3-like genes are involved in response to drought or salinity stress. Collectively, our results provide new insights into molecular functions of the AM fungal 14-3-3 proteins in abiotic stress responses and

Recent advances in utilizing transcription factors to improve plant abiotic stress tolerance by transgenic technology

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Hongyan eWang

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Agricultural production and quality are adversely affected by various abiotic stresses worldwide and this will be exacerbated by the deterioration of global climate. To feed a growing world population, it is very urgent to breed stress-tolerant crops with higher yields and improved qualities against multiple environmental stresses. Since conventional breeding approaches had marginal success due to the complexity of stress tolerance traits, the transgenic approach is now being popularly used to breed stress-tolerant crops. So identifying and characterizing the the critical genes involved in plant stress responses is an essential prerequisite for engineering stress-tolerant crops. Far beyond the manipulation of single functional gene, engineering certain regulatory genes has emerged as an effective strategy now for controlling the expression of many stress-responsive genes. Transcription factors (TFs are good candidates for genetic engineering to breed stress-tolerant crop because of their role as master regulators of many stress-responsive genes. Many TFs belonging to families AP2/EREBP, MYB, WRKY, NAC, bZIP have been found to be involved in various abiotic stresses and some TF genes have also been engineered to improve stress tolerance in model and crop plants. In this review, we take five large families of TFs as examples and review the recent progress of TFs involved in plant abiotic stress responses and their potential utilization to improve multiple stress tolerance of crops in the field conditions.

Media Komunitas dan Media Literacy

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Pawito .

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract:This essay deals with community media in relation to media literacy. After a short discussion on a number of community media characters is made the essay goes further with somewhat detail theoretical presumptions of the roles of media community with respect primarily to the development as Amartya Sen mentioned about. The author suggests that community media may play some significant roles in the development including (a disseminating information (from varieties of perspective, (b facilitating public discussion, (c helping to reach solutions of problems, (d encouraging participations, and (e encouraging the development of media literacy. Regarding the last point the author remarks that media community may have a dual-roles i.e facilitating community’s member in media participation and facilitating community’s member in media education.

Potato crop growth as influenced by potato cyst nematodes (Globodera pallida) and abiotic factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruijter, de F.

1998-01-01

The objective of the research described in this thesis was to determine the major mechanisms by which potato cyst nematodes reduce potato crop growth and to explain interactions known to occur with cultivar and abiotic factors. Understanding of these interactions may lead to strategies that

The Tyrosyl-DNA Phosphodiesterase 1β (Tdp1β Gene Discloses an Early Response to Abiotic Stresses

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Maria Elisa Sabatini

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1 (Tdp1 is involved in DNA repair pathways as it mends the topoisomerase I—DNA covalent complexes. In plants, a small Tdp1 gene family, composed by Tdp1α and Tdp1β genes, was identified, but the roles of these genes in abiotic stress responses are not fully understood. To investigate their specific stress response patterns, the present study made use of bioinformatic and molecular tools to look into the Tdp1β gene function, so far described only in the plant kingdom, and compare it with Tdp1α gene coding for the canonical, highly conserved α isoform. The expression profiles of Tdp1α and Tdp1β genes were examined under abiotic stress conditions (cold, heat, high osmolarity, salt, and UV-B in two model species, Arabidopsis thaliana and Medicago truncatula. The two isoforms of topoisomerase I (TOP1α and TOP1β were also taken into consideration in view of their known roles in DNA metabolism and cell proliferation. Data relative to gene expression in Arabidopsis were retrieved from the AtGenExpress microarray dataset, while quantitative Real-Time PCR was carried out to evaluate the stress response in M. truncatula cell cultures. These analyses revealed that Tdp1β gene expression was enhanced during the first hour of treatment, whereas Tdp1α enhanced expression succeeded at subsequent timepoints. In agreement with the gene-specific responses to abiotic stress conditions, the promoter regions of Tdp1α and Tdp1β genes are well equipped with stress-related cis-elements. An in-depth bioinformatic characterization of the HIRAN motif, a distinctive feature of the Tdp1β protein, showed its wide distribution in chromatin remodeling and DNA repair proteins. The reported data suggests that Tdp1β functions in the early response to abiotic stresses.

Column study of enhanced Cr(VI) removal and longevity by coupled abiotic and biotic processes using Fe⁰ and mixed anaerobic culture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhong, Jiawei; Yin, Weizhao; Li, Yongtao

2017-01-01

In this study, Fe(0) and mixed anaerobic culture were integrated in one column to investigate the coupled abiotic and biotic effects on hexa-valent chromium (Cr(VI)) removal and column longevity with an abiotic Fe(0) column in the control experiments. According to the breakthrough study, a slower...

Abiotic Hydrolysis of Fluorotelomer-Based Polymers as a Source of Perfluorocarboxylates at the Global Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Fluorotelomer-based polymers (FTPs) are the main product of the fluorotelomer industry. For nearly 10 years, whether FTPs degrade to form perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorocarboxylate (PFCA) homologues has been vigorously contested. Here we show that circum-neutral abiotic h...

Roots Withstanding their Environment: Exploiting Root System Architecture Responses to Abiotic Stress to Improve Crop Tolerance

Science.gov (United States)

Koevoets, Iko T.; Venema, Jan Henk; Elzenga, J. Theo. M.; Testerink, Christa

2016-01-01

To face future challenges in crop production dictated by global climate changes, breeders and plant researchers collaborate to develop productive crops that are able to withstand a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses. However, crop selection is often focused on shoot performance alone, as observation of root properties is more complex and asks for artificial and extensive phenotyping platforms. In addition, most root research focuses on development, while a direct link to the functionality of plasticity in root development for tolerance is often lacking. In this paper we review the currently known root system architecture (RSA) responses in Arabidopsis and a number of crop species to a range of abiotic stresses, including nutrient limitation, drought, salinity, flooding, and extreme temperatures. For each of these stresses, the key molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the RSA response are highlighted. To explore the relevance for crop selection, we especially review and discuss studies linking root architectural responses to stress tolerance. This will provide a first step toward understanding the relevance of adaptive root development for a plant’s response to its environment. We suggest that functional evidence on the role of root plasticity will support breeders in their efforts to include root properties in their current selection pipeline for abiotic stress tolerance, aimed to improve the robustness of crops. PMID:27630659

Salt lakes of Western Australia - Natural abiotic formation of volatile organic compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Krause, T.; Studenroth, S.; Mulder, I.; Tubbesing, C.; Kotte, K.; Ofner, J.; Junkermann, W.; Schöler, H. F.

2012-04-01

Western Australia is a semi-/arid region that is heavily influenced by global climate change and agricultural land use. The area is known for its many ephemeral saline and hypersaline lakes with a wide range of hydrogeochemical parameters that have gradually changed over the last fifty years. Historically, the region was covered by eucalyptus trees and shrubs, but was cleared mainly within 10 years after WWII to make room for wheat and live stock. After the clearance of the deep rooted native plants the groundwater started to rise, bringing increased amounts of dissolved salts and minerals to the surface and discharging them into streams and lakes. Thus most of Western Australia is influenced by secondary salinisation (soil salting) [1]. Another problem is that the discharged minerals affect the pH of ground and surface water, which ranges from acidic to slightly basic. During the 2011 campaign surface water was measured with a pH between 2.5 and 7.1. Another phenomenon in Western Australia is the decrease of rainfall over the last decades assumed to be linked to the secondary salinisation. The rising saline and mineral rich groundwater increases the biotical and abiotical activity of the salt lakes. Halogenated and non-halogenated volatile organic compounds emitted from those lakes undergo fast oxidation and chemical reactions to form small particles modifying cloud microphysics and thus suppressing rain events [2]. Our objective is to gain a better understanding of this extreme environment with its hypersaline acidic lakes with regard to the potential abiotic formation of volatile organic compounds and its impact on the local climate. In spring 2011 fifty-three sediment samples from ten salt lakes in the Lake King region where taken, freeze-dried and ground. In order to simulate the abiotic formation of volatile organic compounds the soil samples were resuspended with water in gas-tight headspace vials. The headspace was measured using a purge and trap GC

EXPRESSION OF CALCIUM-DEPENDENT PROTEIN KINASE (CDPK GENES IN VITIS AMURENSIS UNDER ABIOTIC STRESS CONDITIONS

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Dubrovina A.S.

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abiotic stresses, such as extreme temperatures, soil salinity, or water deficit, are one of the major limiting factors of crop productivity worldwide. Examination of molecular and genetic mechanisms of abiotic stress tolerance in plants is of great interest to plant biologists. Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs, which are the most important Ca2+ sensors in plants, are known to play one of the key roles in plant adaptation to abiotic stress. CDPK is a multigene family of enzymes. Analysis of CDPK gene expression under various abiotic stress conditions would help identify those CDPKs that might play important roles in plant adaptation to abiotic stress. We focused on studying CDPK gene expression under osmotic, water deficit, and temperature stress conditions in a wild-growing grapevine Vitis amurensis Rurp., which is native to the Russian Far East and is known to possess high adaptive potential and high level of resistance against adverse environmental conditions. Healthy V. amurensis cuttings (excised young stems with one healthy leaf were used for the treatments. For the non-stress treatment, we placed the cuttings in distilled water for 12 h at room temperature. For the water-deficit stress, detached cuttings were laid on a paper towel for 12 h at room temperature. For osmotic stress treatments, the cuttings were placed in 0.4 М NaCl and 0.4 М mannitol solutions for 12 h at room temperature. To examine temperature stress tolerance, the V. amurensis cuttings were placed in a growth chamber at +10oC and +37oC for 12 h. The total expression of VaCDPK genes was examined by semiquantitative RT-PCR with degenerate primers designed to the CDPK kinase domain. The total level of CDPK gene expression increased under salt and decreased under low temperature stress conditions. We sequenced 300 clones of the amplified part of different CDPK transcripts obtained from the analyzed cDNA probes. Analysis of the cDNA sequences identified 8 different

The net effect of abiotic conditions and biotic interactions in a semi-arid ecosystem NE Spain: implications for the management and restoration.

Science.gov (United States)

Pueyo, Yolanda; Arroyo, Antonio I.; Saiz, Hugo; Alados, Concepción L.

2014-05-01

Degradation in arid and semiarid lands can be irreversible without human intervention, due to a positive plant-soil feedback where the loss of vegetation cover leads to soil degradation, which in turn hampers plant establishment. Human intervention in restoration actions usually involves the amendment of the degraded abiotic conditions, revegetation of bare areas, or both. However, abiotic amelioration is often expensive and too intrusive, and revegetation is not successful in many cases. Biotic interactions between plants, and more specifically facilitation by a "nurse" plant, have been proposed as a new via to take profit of improved abiotic conditions without intervention, and to increase the success rate of revegetation actions. But "nurse" plants can also interfere with others (i.e. by competition for resources or the release of allelopathic compounds), and the net balance between facilitation and interference could depend on plant types involved. We present recent observational and experimental studies performed in the semiarid ecosystems of the Middle Ebro Valley (NE Spain) about the role of abiotic conditions and biotic interactions in the productivity, dynamics and diversity of plant communities under different stress conditions (aridity and grazing). We found that all plant types studied (shrubs and perennial grasses) improved abiotic conditions (soil temperature and water availability for plants) with respect to open areas. However, only some shrubs (mainly Salsola vermiculata) had a positive net balance in the biotic interactions between plants, while other shrubs (Artemisia herba-alba) and perennial grasses (Lygeum spartum) showed interference with other plants. Moreover, the net balance between facilitation and interference among plants in the community shifted from competitive to neutral or from neutral to facilitative with increasing aridity. Grazing status did not strongly change the net biotic interactions between plants. Our results suggest that

From Augmentation Media to Meme Media.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Yuzuru

Computers as meta media are now evolving from augmentation media vehicles to meme media vehicles. While an augmentation media system provides a seamlessly integrated environment of various tools and documents, meme media system provides further functions to edit and distribute tools and documents. Documents and tools on meme media can easily…

Transcriptome-Based Analysis of Dof Family Transcription Factors and Their Responses to Abiotic Stress in Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis

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Hui Li

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Tea plant (Camellia sinensis (L. O. Kuntze is affected by abiotic stress during its growth and development. DNA-binding with one finger (Dof transcription factors (TFs play important roles in abiotic stress tolerance of plants. In this study, a total of 29 putative Dof TFs were identified based on transcriptome of tea plant, and the conserved domains and common motifs of these CsDof TFs were predicted and analyzed. The 29 CsDof proteins were divided into 7 groups (A, B1, B2, C1, C2.1, C2.2, and D2, and the interaction networks of Dof proteins in C. sinensis were established according to the data in Arabidopsis. Gene expression was analyzed in “Yingshuang” and “Huangjinya” under four experimental stresses by qRT-PCR. CsDof genes were expressed differentially and related to different abiotic stress conditions. In total, our results might suggest that there is a potential relationship between CsDof factors and tea plant stress resistance.

Predicting macropores in space and time by earthworms and abiotic controls

Science.gov (United States)

Hohenbrink, Tobias Ludwig; Schneider, Anne-Kathrin; Zangerlé, Anne; Reck, Arne; Schröder, Boris; van Schaik, Loes

2017-04-01

Macropore flow increases infiltration and solute leaching. The macropore density and connectivity, and thereby the hydrological effectiveness, vary in space and time due to earthworms' burrowing activity and their ability to refill their burrows in order to survive drought periods. The aim of our study was to predict the spatiotemporal variability of macropore distributions by a set of potentially controlling abiotic variables and abundances of different earthworm species. We measured earthworm abundances and effective macropore distributions using tracer rainfall infiltration experiments in six measurement campaigns during one year at six field sites in Luxembourg. Hydrologically effective macropores were counted in three soil depths (3, 10, 30 cm) and distinguished into three diameter classes (6 mm). Earthworms were sampled and determined to species-level. In a generalized linear modelling framework, we related macropores to potential spatial and temporal controlling factors. Earthworm species such as Lumbricus terrestris and Aporrectodea longa, local abiotic site conditions (land use, TWI, slope), temporally varying weather conditions (temperature, humidity, precipitation) and soil moisture affected the number of effective macropores. Main controlling factors and explanatory power of the models (uncertainty and model performance) varied depending on the depth and diameter class of macropores. We present spatiotemporal predictions of macropore density by daily-resolved, one year time series of macropore numbers and maps of macropore distributions at specific dates in a small-scale catchment with 5 m resolution.

Social media management and media environment

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Šiđanin Iva

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with the system of services that social media management can offer to a variety of users. As social media systems are emerging, social media management can strengthen teams in social media and help to manage numerous social channels and distribution of social information from one place. Social media management is a system of procedures that are used to manage the flow of information in the environment of social media. This involves connecting with social media like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Ecademy, YouTube and many others, then the aggregation and management of social data. Social media management services are analysed through various fields, such as managing multiple social media profiles, mail scheduling and filtering, reporting and analytics. Social media management enables managing personal business through social media, which contributes to a significant reduction in expenditures. The paper also discusses the importance of social media management in marketing activities and various forms of social promotion, which allow companies to easily reach their customers.

Abiotic synthesis of porphyrins and other oligopyrroles on the early Earth and Earth-like planets

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, S.; Strasdeit, H.

2013-09-01

It is generally accepted that abiotically formed amino acids existed on Earth in the late Hadean and early Archean (four billion years ago). They were mainly dissolved in a salty primordial ocean. At that time, volcanic islands were much more abundant than today. It is therefore reasonable to assume that, at hot volcanic coasts, amino acids could have been thermally transformed into other organic molecules. Based on this scenario, we conducted laboratory experiments that simulated the interaction between amino acid-containing sea water and hot lava. In these experiments, a large number of different volatile products were formed, among them pyrroles. It was also possible to obtain porphyrins and other oligopyrroles from pyrroles under simulated conditions of primordial volcanic islands. All experiments were conducted under plausible prebiotic conditions. Our results reveal an abiotic pathway to possible precursors of oligopyrrole-type biomolecules, such as heme and chlorophylls.

Exchange of adsorbed serum proteins during adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus to an abiotic surface and Candida albicans hyphae--an AFM study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ovchinnikova, Ekaterina S; van der Mei, Henny C; Krom, Bastiaan P; Busscher, Henk J

2013-10-01

Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans are the second and third most commonly isolated microorganisms in hospital-related-infections, that are often multi-species in nature causing high morbidity and mortality. Here, adhesion forces between a S. aureus strain and abiotic (tissue-culture-polystyrene, TCPS) or partly biotic (TCPS with adhering hyphae of C. albicans) surfaces were investigated in presence of fetal-bovine-serum or individual serum proteins and related with staphylococcal adhesion. Atomic-force-microscopy was used to measure adhesion forces between S. aureus and the abiotic and biotic surfaces. Adsorption of individual serum proteins like albumin and apo-transferrin to abiotic TCPS surfaces during 60min, impeded development of strong adhesion forces as compared to fibronectin, while 60min adsorption of proteins from fetal-bovine-serum yielded a decrease in adhesion force from -5.7nN in phosphate-buffered-saline to -0.6nN. Adsorption of albumin and apo-transferrin also decreased staphylococcal adhesion forces to hyphae as compared with fibronectin. During 60min exposure to fetal-bovine-serum however, initial (5min protein adsorption) staphylococcal adhesion forces were low (-1.6nN), but strong adhesion forces of around -5.5nN were restored within 60min. This suggests for the first time that in whole fetal-bovine-serum exchange of non-adhesive proteins by fibronectin occurs on biotic C. albicans hyphal surfaces. No evidence was found for such protein exchange on abiotic TCPS surfaces. Staphylococcal adhesion of abiotic and biotic surfaces varied in line with the adhesion forces and was low on TCPS in presence of fetal-bovine-serum. On partly biotic TCPS, staphylococci aggregated in presence of fetal-bovine-serum around adhering C. albicans hyphae. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transgenic banana plants overexpressing a native plasma membrane aquaporin MusaPIP1;2 display high tolerance levels to different abiotic stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Sreedharan, Shareena; Shekhawat, Upendra K S; Ganapathi, Thumballi R

2013-10-01

Water transport across cellular membranes is regulated by a family of water channel proteins known as aquaporins (AQPs). As most abiotic stresses like suboptimal temperatures, drought or salinity result in cellular dehydration, it is imperative to study the cause-effect relationship between AQPs and the cellular consequences of abiotic stress stimuli. Although plant cells have a high isoform diversity of AQPs, the individual and integrated roles of individual AQPs in optimal and suboptimal physiological conditions remain unclear. Herein, we have identified a plasma membrane intrinsic protein gene (MusaPIP1;2) from banana and characterized it by overexpression in transgenic banana plants. Cellular localization assay performed using MusaPIP1;2::GFP fusion protein indicated that MusaPIP1;2 translocated to plasma membrane in transformed banana cells. Transgenic banana plants overexpressing MusaPIP1;2 constitutively displayed better abiotic stress survival characteristics. The transgenic lines had lower malondialdehyde levels, elevated proline and relative water content and higher photosynthetic efficiency as compared to equivalent controls under different abiotic stress conditions. Greenhouse-maintained hardened transgenic plants showed faster recovery towards normal growth and development after cessation of abiotic stress stimuli, thereby underlining the importance of these plants in actual environmental conditions wherein the stress stimuli is often transient but severe. Further, transgenic plants where the overexpression of MusaPIP1;2 was made conditional by tagging it with a stress-inducible native dehydrin promoter also showed similar stress tolerance characteristics in in vitro and in vivo assays. Plants developed in this study could potentially enable banana cultivation in areas where adverse environmental conditions hitherto preclude commercial banana cultivation. © 2013 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons

Safety in online media – freedom of the media; safety of media actors and media education

OpenAIRE

Moeller, Ch

2013-01-01

In this paper, prepared for the international conference ‘Mass Media – Society – Education: Media Safety Problems’ at the Chelyabinsk State University’s Department for Journalism and Media Education from September 30 – October 3, 2013, I would like to address three dimensions of media safety and security in online media.

Multiple abiotic stress tolerance of the transformants yeast cells and the transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing a novel durum wheat catalase.

Science.gov (United States)

Feki, Kaouthar; Kamoun, Yosra; Ben Mahmoud, Rihem; Farhat-Khemakhem, Ameny; Gargouri, Ali; Brini, Faiçal

2015-12-01

Catalases are reactive oxygen species scavenging enzymes involved in response to abiotic and biotic stresses. In this study, we described the isolation and functional characterization of a novel catalase from durum wheat, designed TdCAT1. Molecular Phylogeny analyses showed that wheat TdCAT1 exhibited high amino acids sequence identity to other plant catalases. Sequence homology analysis showed that TdCAT1 protein contained the putative calmodulin binding domain and a putative conserved internal peroxisomal targeting signal PTS1 motif around its C-terminus. Predicted three-dimensional structural model revealed the presence of four putative distinct structural regions which are the N-terminal arm, the β-barrel, the wrapping and the α-helical domains. TdCAT1 protein had the heme pocket that was composed by five essential residues. TdCAT1 gene expression analysis showed that this gene was induced by various abiotic stresses in durum wheat. The expression of TdCAT1 in yeast cells and Arabidopsis plants conferred tolerance to several abiotic stresses. Compared with the non-transformed plants, the transgenic lines maintained their growth and accumulated more proline under stress treatments. Furthermore, the amount of H2O2 was lower in transgenic lines, which was due to the high CAT and POD activities. Taken together, these data provide the evidence for the involvement of durum wheat catalase TdCAT1 in tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses in crop plants. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Comparative physiological, metabolomic, and transcriptomic analyses reveal mechanisms of improved abiotic stress resistance in bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L). Pers.] by exogenous melatonin

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Haitao; Jiang, Chuan; Ye, Tiantian; Tan, Dun-xian; Reiter, Russel J.; Zhang, Heng; Liu, Renyi; Chan, Zhulong

2015-01-01

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine), a well-known animal hormone, is also involved in plant development and abiotic stress responses. In this study, it is shown that exogenous application of melatonin conferred improved salt, drought, and cold stress resistances in bermudagrass. Moreover, exogenous melatonin treatment alleviated reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst and cell damage induced by abiotic stress; this involved activation of several antioxidants. Additionally, melatonin-pre-treated plants exhibited higher concentrations of 54 metabolites, including amino acids, organic acids, sugars, and sugar alcohols, than non-treated plants under abiotic stress conditions. Genome-wide transcriptomic profiling identified 3933 transcripts (2361 up-regulated and 1572 down-regulated) that were differentially expressed in melatonin-treated plants versus controls. Pathway and gene ontology (GO) term enrichment analyses revealed that genes involved in nitrogen metabolism, major carbohydrate metabolism, tricarboxylic acid (TCA)/org transformation, transport, hormone metabolism, metal handling, redox, and secondary metabolism were over-represented after melatonin pre-treatment. Taken together, this study provides the first evidence of the protective roles of exogenous melatonin in the bermudagrass response to abiotic stresses, partially via activation of antioxidants and modulation of metabolic homeostasis. Notably, metabolic and transcriptomic analyses showed that the underlying mechanisms of melatonin could involve major reorientation of photorespiratory and carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism. PMID:25225478

NMR and GC-MS based metabolic profiling and free-radical scavenging activities of Cordyceps pruinosa mycelia cultivated under different media and light conditions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taek-Joo Oh

Full Text Available Variation of metabolic profiles in Cordyceps pruinosa mycelia cultivated under various media and light conditions was investigated using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR analysis and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS with multivariate statistical analysis. A total of 71 metabolites were identified (5 alcohols, 21 amino acids, 15 organic acids, 4 purines, 3 pyrimidines, 7 sugars, 11 fatty acids, and 5 other metabolites by NMR and GC-MS analysis. The mycelia grown in nitrogen media and under dark conditions showed the lowest growth and ergosterol levels, essential to a functional fungal cell membrane; these mycelia, however, had the highest levels of putrescine, which is involved in abiotic stress tolerance. In contrast, mycelia cultivated in sabouraud dextrose agar with yeast extract (SDAY media and under light conditions contained relatively higher levels of fatty acids, including valeric acid, stearic acid, lignoceric acid, myristic acid, oleic acid, palmitoleic acid, hepadecenoic acid, and linoleic acid. These mycelia also had the highest phenolic content and antioxidant activity, and did not exhibit growth retardation due to enhanced asexual development caused by higher levels of linoleic acid. Therefore, we suggested that a light-enriched environment with SDAY media was more optimal than dark condition for cultivation of C. pruinosa mycelia as biopharmaceutical or nutraceutical resources.

Media Literacy in Times of Media Divides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaja Žuran

2013-12-01

Full Text Available We live in a post-modern society, an information society, a society based around knowledge and participation, and above all in a media society. In a media culture where media holds a dominant position, we cannot overlook the emerging idea of a ‘media divide’ within the frame of media education, media literate individuals and the expansion of the traditional concept of media literacy. Firstly, we are in an era of technological revolution, and it is time to consider the meaning and function of media and how we experience it in our everyday life. Secondly, as a society we are subject to intense media invasion and we all need to learn how to use it to our benefit and apply a critical and autonomous perspective towards selecting media content. Otherwise the media divide between the media literate and illiterate will widen; but is there even a chance to overcome the supposed divide between those who are formally media educated and those who are not?

Plant abiotic stress tolerance analysis in cauliflower using a curd micropropagation system

OpenAIRE

Rihan, HZ; Al-Issawi, M; Al-Shamari, M; Elmahrouk, M; Fuller, MP

2015-01-01

© 2015 ISHS. An effective protocol for cauliflower micropropagation was optimised and developed which enabled the production of tens of thousands of cauliflower microshoots from one cauliflower curd. The large number of microshoots that can be produced per culture unit facilitates the use of this protocol to analyse both the physiological and molecular components of abiotic stress tolerance. The protocol was used for cauliflower cold tolerance analysis and it was demonstrated that low tempera...

Assessing and Exploiting Functional Diversity in Germplasm Pools to Enhance Abiotic Stress Adaptation and Yield in Cereals and Food Legumes

Science.gov (United States)

Dwivedi, Sangam L.; Scheben, Armin; Edwards, David; Spillane, Charles; Ortiz, Rodomiro

2017-01-01

There is a need to accelerate crop improvement by introducing alleles conferring host plant resistance, abiotic stress adaptation, and high yield potential. Elite cultivars, landraces and wild relatives harbor useful genetic variation that needs to be more easily utilized in plant breeding. We review genome-wide approaches for assessing and identifying alleles associated with desirable agronomic traits in diverse germplasm pools of cereals and legumes. Major quantitative trait loci and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with desirable agronomic traits have been deployed to enhance crop productivity and resilience. These include alleles associated with variation conferring enhanced photoperiod and flowering traits. Genetic variants in the florigen pathway can provide both environmental flexibility and improved yields. SNPs associated with length of growing season and tolerance to abiotic stresses (precipitation, high temperature) are valuable resources for accelerating breeding for drought-prone environments. Both genomic selection and genome editing can also harness allelic diversity and increase productivity by improving multiple traits, including phenology, plant architecture, yield potential and adaptation to abiotic stresses. Discovering rare alleles and useful haplotypes also provides opportunities to enhance abiotic stress adaptation, while epigenetic variation has potential to enhance abiotic stress adaptation and productivity in crops. By reviewing current knowledge on specific traits and their genetic basis, we highlight recent developments in the understanding of crop functional diversity and identify potential candidate genes for future use. The storage and integration of genetic, genomic and phenotypic information will play an important role in ensuring broad and rapid application of novel genetic discoveries by the plant breeding community. Exploiting alleles for yield-related traits would allow improvement of selection efficiency and

Assessing and Exploiting Functional Diversity in Germplasm Pools to Enhance Abiotic Stress Adaptation and Yield in Cereals and Food Legumes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sangam L. Dwivedi

2017-08-01

Full Text Available There is a need to accelerate crop improvement by introducing alleles conferring host plant resistance, abiotic stress adaptation, and high yield potential. Elite cultivars, landraces and wild relatives harbor useful genetic variation that needs to be more easily utilized in plant breeding. We review genome-wide approaches for assessing and identifying alleles associated with desirable agronomic traits in diverse germplasm pools of cereals and legumes. Major quantitative trait loci and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs associated with desirable agronomic traits have been deployed to enhance crop productivity and resilience. These include alleles associated with variation conferring enhanced photoperiod and flowering traits. Genetic variants in the florigen pathway can provide both environmental flexibility and improved yields. SNPs associated with length of growing season and tolerance to abiotic stresses (precipitation, high temperature are valuable resources for accelerating breeding for drought-prone environments. Both genomic selection and genome editing can also harness allelic diversity and increase productivity by improving multiple traits, including phenology, plant architecture, yield potential and adaptation to abiotic stresses. Discovering rare alleles and useful haplotypes also provides opportunities to enhance abiotic stress adaptation, while epigenetic variation has potential to enhance abiotic stress adaptation and productivity in crops. By reviewing current knowledge on specific traits and their genetic basis, we highlight recent developments in the understanding of crop functional diversity and identify potential candidate genes for future use. The storage and integration of genetic, genomic and phenotypic information will play an important role in ensuring broad and rapid application of novel genetic discoveries by the plant breeding community. Exploiting alleles for yield-related traits would allow improvement of selection

Supplementary Material for: Herboxidiene triggers splicing repression and abiotic stress responses in plants

KAUST Repository

Alshareef, Sahar; Ling, Yu; Butt, Haroon; Mariappan, Kiruthiga; Benhamed, Moussa; Mahfouz, Magdy

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Constitutive and alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs from multiexonic genes controls the diversity of the proteome; these precisely regulated processes also fine-tune responses to cues related to growth, development, and stresses. Small-molecule inhibitors that perturb splicing provide invaluable tools for use as chemical probes to uncover the molecular underpinnings of splicing regulation and as potential anticancer compounds. Results Here, we show that herboxidiene (GEX1A) inhibits both constitutive and alternative splicing. Moreover, GEX1A activates genome-wide transcriptional patterns involved in abiotic stress responses in plants. GEX1A treatment -activated ABA-inducible promoters, and led to stomatal closure. Interestingly, GEX1A and pladienolide B (PB) elicited similar cellular changes, including alterations in the patterns of transcription and splicing, suggesting that these compounds might target the same spliceosome complex in plant cells. Conclusions Our study establishes GEX1A as a potent splicing inhibitor in plants that can be used to probe the assembly, dynamics, and molecular functions of the spliceosome and to study the interplay between splicing stress and abiotic stresses, as well as having potential biotechnological applications.

Genome-wide identification and analysis of biotic and abiotic stress regulation of small heat shock protein (HSP20) family genes in bread wheat.

Science.gov (United States)

Muthusamy, Senthilkumar K; Dalal, Monika; Chinnusamy, Viswanathan; Bansal, Kailash C

2017-04-01

Small Heat Shock Proteins (sHSPs)/HSP20 are molecular chaperones that protect plants by preventing protein aggregation during abiotic stress conditions, especially heat stress. Due to global climate change, high temperature is emerging as a major threat to wheat productivity. Thus, the identification of HSP20 and analysis of HSP transcriptional regulation under different abiotic stresses in wheat would help in understanding the role of these proteins in abiotic stress tolerance. We used sequences of known rice and Arabidopsis HSP20 HMM profiles as queries against publicly available wheat genome and wheat full length cDNA databases (TriFLDB) to identify the respective orthologues from wheat. 163 TaHSP20 (including 109 sHSP and 54 ACD) genes were identified and classified according to the sub-cellular localization and phylogenetic relationship with sequenced grass genomes (Oryza sativa, Sorghum bicolor, Zea mays, Brachypodium distachyon and Setaria italica). Spatio-temporal, biotic and abiotic stress-specific expression patterns in normalized RNA seq and wheat array datasets revealed constitutive as well as inductive responses of HSP20 in different tissues and developmental stages of wheat. Promoter analysis of TaHSP20 genes showed the presence of tissue-specific, biotic, abiotic, light-responsive, circadian and cell cycle-responsive cis-regulatory elements. 14 TaHSP20 family genes were under the regulation of 8 TamiRNA genes. The expression levels of twelve HSP20 genes were studied under abiotic stress conditions in the drought- and heat-tolerant wheat genotype C306. Of the 13 TaHSP20 genes, TaHSP16.9H-CI showed high constitutive expression with upregulation only under salt stress. Both heat and salt stresses upregulated the expression of TaHSP17.4-CI, TaHSP17.7A-CI, TaHSP19.1-CIII, TaACD20.0B-CII and TaACD20.6C-CIV, while TaHSP23.7-MTI was specifically induced only under heat stress. Our results showed that the identified TaHSP20 genes play an important role under

Cross-family translational genomics of abiotic stress-responsive genes between Arabidopsis and Medicago truncatula.

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Daejin Hyung

Full Text Available Cross-species translation of genomic information may play a pivotal role in applying biological knowledge gained from relatively simple model system to other less studied, but related, genomes. The information of abiotic stress (ABS-responsive genes in Arabidopsis was identified and translated into the legume model system, Medicago truncatula. Various data resources, such as TAIR/AtGI DB, expression profiles and literatures, were used to build a genome-wide list of ABS genes. tBlastX/BlastP similarity search tools and manual inspection of alignments were used to identify orthologous genes between the two genomes. A total of 1,377 genes were finally collected and classified into 18 functional criteria of gene ontology (GO. The data analysis according to the expression cues showed that there was substantial level of interaction among three major types (i.e., drought, salinity and cold stress of abiotic stresses. In an attempt to translate the ABS genes between these two species, genomic locations for each gene were mapped using an in-house-developed comparative analysis platform. The comparative analysis revealed that fragmental colinearity, represented by only 37 synteny blocks, existed between Arabidopsis and M. truncatula. Based on the combination of E-value and alignment remarks, estimated translation rate was 60.2% for this cross-family translation. As a prelude of the functional comparative genomic approaches, in-silico gene network/interactome analyses were conducted to predict key components in the ABS responses, and one of the sub-networks was integrated with corresponding comparative map. The results demonstrated that core members of the sub-network were well aligned with previously reported ABS regulatory networks. Taken together, the results indicate that network-based integrative approaches of comparative and functional genomics are important to interpret and translate genomic information for complex traits such as abiotic stresses.

MicroRNA Regulation of Abiotic Stress Response in 7B-1 Male-Sterile Tomato Mutant

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Omidvar, Vahid; Mohorianu, I.; Dalmay, T.; Fellner, Martin

2015-01-01

Roč. 8, č. 3 (2015), s. 1-13 ISSN 1940-3372 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1204 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : 7B-1 mutant * abiotic stress * miRNAs Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 3.509, year: 2015

Concentrations of Radionuclides and Trace Elements in Environmantal Media arond te Dual-Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test Facilit at Los Alamos National Laboratory during 2005

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

G.J.Gonzales; P.R. Fresquez; C.D.Hathcock; D.C. Keller

2006-05-15

The Mitigation Action Plan (MAP) for the Dual-Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test (DARHT) facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory requires that samples of biotic and abiotic media be collected after operations began to determine if there are any human health or environmental impacts. The DARHT facility is the Laboratory's principal explosive test facility. To this end, samples of soil and sediment, vegetation, bees, and birds were collected around the facility in 2005 and analyzed for concentrations of {sup 3}H, {sup 137}Cs, {sup 90}Sr, {sup 238}Pu, {sup 239,240}Pu, {sup 241}Am, {sup 234}U, {sup 235}U, {sup 238}U, Ag, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, and Tl. Bird populations have also been monitored. Contaminant results, which represent up to six sample years since the start of operations, were compared with (1) baseline statistical reference levels (BSRLs) established over a four-year preoperational period before DARHT facility operations, (2) screening levels (SLs), and (3) regulatory standards. Most radionuclides and trace elements were below BSRLs and those few samples that contained radionuclides and trace elements above BSRLs were below SLs. Concentrations of radionuclides and nonradionuclides in biotic and abiotic media around the DARHT facility do not pose a significant human health hazard. The total number of birds captured and number of species represented were similar in 2003 and 2004, but both of these parameters increased substantially in 2005. Periodic interruption of the scope and schedule identified in the MAP generally should have no impact on meeting the intent of the MAP. The risk of not sampling one of the five media in any given year is that if a significant impact to contaminant levels were to occur there would exist a less complete understanding of the extent of the change to the baseline for these media and to the ecosystem as a whole. Since the MAP is a requirement that was established under the regulatory framework of

Redox Evolution via Gravitational Differentiation on Low-mass Planets: Implications for Abiotic Oxygen, Water Loss, and Habitability

Science.gov (United States)

Wordsworth, R. D.; Schaefer, L. K.; Fischer, R. A.

2018-05-01

The oxidation of rocky planet surfaces and atmospheres, which arises from the twin forces of stellar nucleosynthesis and gravitational differentiation, is a universal process of key importance to habitability and exoplanet biosignature detection. Here we take a generalized approach to this phenomenon. Using a single parameter to describe the redox state, we model the evolution of terrestrial planets around nearby M stars and the Sun. Our model includes atmospheric photochemistry, diffusion and escape, line-by-line climate calculations, and interior thermodynamics and chemistry. In most cases, we find abiotic atmospheric {{{O}}}2 buildup around M stars during the pre-main-sequence phase to be much less than calculated previously, because the planet’s magma ocean absorbs most oxygen liberated from {{{H}}}2{{O}} photolysis. However, loss of noncondensing atmospheric gases after the mantle solidifies remains a significant potential route to abiotic atmospheric {{{O}}}2 subsequently. In all cases, we predict that exoplanets that receive lower stellar fluxes, such as LHS1140b and TRAPPIST-1f and g, have the lowest probability of abiotic {{{O}}}2 buildup and hence may be the most interesting targets for future searches for biogenic {{{O}}}2. Key remaining uncertainties can be minimized in future by comparing our predictions for the atmospheres of hot, sterile exoplanets such as GJ1132b and TRAPPIST-1b and c with observations.

Resilience of Penicillium resedanum LK6 and exogenous gibberellin in improving Capsicum annuum growth under abiotic stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Abdul Latif; Waqas, Muhammad; Lee, In-Jung

2015-03-01

Understanding how endophytic fungi mitigate abiotic stresses in plants will be important in a changing global climate. A few endophytes can produce phytohormones, but their ability to induce physiological changes in host plants during extreme environmental conditions are largely unexplored. In the present study, we investigated the ability of Penicillium resedanum LK6 to produce gibberellins and its role in improving the growth of Capsicum annuum L. under salinity, drought, and heat stresses. These effects were compared with exogenous application of gibberellic acid (GA3). Endophyte treatment significantly increased shoot length, biomass, chlorophyll content, and the photosynthesis rate compared with the uninfected control during abiotic stresses. The endophyte and combined endophyte + GA3 treatments significantly ameliorated the negative effects of stresses compared with the control. Stress-responsive endogenous abscisic acid and its encoding genes, such as zeaxanthin epoxidase, 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase 3, and ABA aldehyde oxidase 3, were significantly reduced in endophyte-treated plants under stress. Conversely, salicylic acid and biosynthesis-related gene (isochorismate synthase) had constitutive expressions while pathogenesis related (PR1 and PR5) genes showed attenuated responses during endophyte treatment under abiotic stresses. The present findings suggest that endophytes have effects comparable to those of exogenous GA3; both can significantly increase plant growth and yield under changing environmental conditions by reprogramming the host plant's physiological responses.

[Chronic otitis mediaChronic Otitis Media].

Science.gov (United States)

Kohles, N; Schulz, T; Eßer, D

2015-11-01

There are 2 different kinds of chronic otitis media: Otitis media chronica mesotympanalis and otitis media chronica epitympanalis (cholesteatoma). The incidence of chronic otitis media as reported in literature differs in a wide range. The incidence rates vary between 0.45 and 46%. Both, otitis media chronica mesotympanalis and cholesteatoma, lead to eardrum perforation due to lengthy and recurring inflammations. Furthermore, chronic otitis media is characterized by frequently recurring otorrhea and conductive hearing loss. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Reference Gene Selection for qRT-PCR Normalization Analysis in kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L. under Abiotic Stress and Hormonal Stimuli

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Xiaoping Niu

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L., an environmental friendly and economic fiber crop, has a certain tolerance to abiotic stresses. Identification of reliable reference genes for transcript normalization of stress responsive genes expression by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR is important for exploring the molecular mechanisms of plants response to abiotic stresses. In this study, nine candidate reference genes were cloned, and their expression stabilities were assessed in 132 abiotic stress and hormonal stimuli samples of kenaf using geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper algorithms. Results revealed that HcPP2A (Protein phosphatase 2A and HcACT7 (Actin 7 were the optimum reference genes across all samples; HcUBC (Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme like protein was the worst reference gene for transcript normalization. The reliability of the selected reference genes was further confirmed by evaluating the expression profile of HcWRKY28 gene at different stress durations. This work will benefit future studies on discovery of stress-tolerance genes and stress-signaling pathways in this important fiber crop.

Intra-Specific Latitudinal Clines in Leaf Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus and their Underlying Abiotic Correlates in Ruellia Nudiflora.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdala-Roberts, Luis; Covelo, Felisa; Parra-Tabla, Víctor; Terán, Jorge C Berny Mier Y; Mooney, Kailen A; Moreira, Xoaquín

2018-01-12

While plant intra-specific variation in the stoichiometry of nutrients and carbon is well documented, clines for such traits have been less studied, despite their potential to reveal the mechanisms underlying such variation. Here we analyze latitudinal variation in the concentration of leaf nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), carbon (C) and their ratios across 30 populations of the perennial herb Ruellia nudiflora. In addition, we further determined whether climatic and soil variables underlie any such latitudinal clines in leaf traits. The sampled transect spanned 5° latitude (ca. 900 km) and exhibited a four-fold precipitation gradient and 2 °C variation in mean annual temperature. We found that leaf P concentration increased with precipitation towards lower latitudes, whereas N and C did not exhibit latitudinal clines. In addition, N:P and C:P decreased towards lower latitudes and latitudinal variation in the former was weakly associated with soil conditions (clay content and cation exchange capacity); C:N did not exhibit a latitudinal gradient. Overall, these results emphasize the importance of addressing and disentangling the simultaneous effects of abiotic factors associated with intra-specific clines in plant stoichiometric traits, and highlight the previously underappreciated influence of abiotic factors on plant nutrients operating under sharp abiotic gradients over smaller spatial scales.

Strategies for Distinguishing Abiotic Chemistry from Martian Biochemistry in Samples Returned from Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Glavin, D. P.; Burton, A. S.; Callahan, M. P.; Elsila, J. E.; Stern, J. C.; Dworkin, J. P.

2012-01-01

A key goal in the search for evidence of extinct or extant life on Mars will be the identification of chemical biosignatures including complex organic molecules common to all life on Earth. These include amino acids, the monomer building blocks of proteins and enzymes, and nucleobases, which serve as the structural basis of information storage in DNA and RNA. However, many of these organic compounds can also be formed abiotically as demonstrated by their prevalence in carbonaceous meteorites [1]. Therefore, an important challenge in the search for evidence of life on Mars will be distinguishing between abiotic chemistry of either meteoritic or martian origin from any chemical biosignatures from an extinct or extant martian biota. Although current robotic missions to Mars, including the 2011 Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) and the planned 2018 ExoMars rovers, will have the analytical capability needed to identify these key classes of organic molecules if present [2,3], return of a diverse suite of martian samples to Earth would allow for much more intensive laboratory studies using a broad array of extraction protocols and state-of-theart analytical techniques for bulk and spatially resolved characterization, molecular detection, and isotopic and enantiomeric compositions that may be required for unambiguous confirmation of martian life. Here we will describe current state-of-the-art laboratory analytical techniques that have been used to characterize the abundance and distribution of amino acids and nucleobases in meteorites, Apollo samples, and comet- exposed materials returned by the Stardust mission with an emphasis on their molecular characteristics that can be used to distinguish abiotic chemistry from biochemistry as we know it. The study of organic compounds in carbonaceous meteorites is highly relevant to Mars sample return analysis, since exogenous organic matter should have accumulated in the martian regolith over the last several billion years and the

Understanding the Interaction of Peptides and Proteins with Abiotic Surfaces: Towards Water-Free Biologics

Science.gov (United States)

2018-02-03

engineering , materials, spectroscopy, laser techniques, chemical biology, computational chemistry, and nanoscience and nanotechnology . We have regular bi...water-free biologics” based on engineered abiotic/biotic interfaces. Using knowledge gained from studies in Aim 1, we aim to a) engineer peptides...universities. The research is highly interdisciplinary, covering many research areas in biology, chemistry, engineering , and physics. The

Abiotic versus biotic iron mineral transformation studied by a miniaturized backscattering Mössbauer spectrometer (MIMOS II), X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Markovski, C.; Byrne, J. M.; Lalla, E.; Lozano-Gorrín, A. D.; Klingelhöfer, G.; Rull, F.; Kappler, A.; Hoffmann, T.; Schröder, C.

2017-11-01

Searching for biomarkers or signatures of microbial transformations of minerals is a critical aspect for determining how life evolved on Earth, and whether or not life may have existed in other planets, including Mars. In order to solve such questions, several missions to Mars have sought to determine the geochemistry and mineralogy on the Martian surface. This research includes the two miniaturized Mössbauer spectrometers (MIMOS II) on board the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which have detected a variety of iron minerals on Mars, including magnetite (Fe2+Fe3+2O4) and goethite (α-FeO(OH)). On Earth, both minerals can derive from microbiological activity (e.g. through dissimilatory iron reduction of ferrihydrite by Fe(III)-reducing bacteria). Here we used a lab based MIMOS II to characterize the mineral products of biogenic transformations of ferrihydrite to magnetite by the Fe(III)-reducing bacteria Geobacter sulfurreducens. In combination with Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD), we observed the formation of magnetite, goethite and siderite. We compared the material produced by biogenic transformations to abiotic samples in order to distinguish abiotic and biotic iron minerals by techniques that are or will be available onboard Martian based laboratories. The results showed the possibility to distinguish the abiotic and biotic origin of the minerals. Mossbauer was able to distinguish the biotic/abiotic magnetite with the interpretation of the geological context (Fe content mineral assemblages and accompanying minerals) and the estimation of the particle size in a non-destructive way. The Raman was able to confirm the biotic/abiotic principal peaks of the magnetite, as well as the organic principal vibration bands attributed to the bacteria. Finally, the XRD confirmed the particle size and mineralogy.

A bHLH gene from Tamarix hispida improves abiotic stress tolerance by enhancing osmotic potential and decreasing reactive oxygen species accumulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Xiaoyu; Nie, Xianguang; Liu, Yujia; Zheng, Lei; Zhao, Huimin; Zhang, Bing; Huo, Lin; Wang, Yucheng

2016-02-01

Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) leucine-zipper transcription factors play important roles in abiotic stress responses. However, their specific roles in abiotic stress tolerance are not fully known. Here, we functionally characterized a bHLH gene, ThbHLH1, from Tamarix hispida in abiotic stress tolerance. ThbHLH1 specifically binds to G-box motif with the sequence of 'CACGTG'. Transiently transfected T. hispida plantlets with transiently overexpressed ThbHLH1 and RNAi-silenced ThbHLH1 were generated for gain- and loss-of-function analysis. Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana lines overexpressing ThbHLH1 were generated to confirm the gain- and loss-of-function analysis. Overexpression of ThbHLH1 significantly elevates glycine betaine and proline levels, increases Ca(2+) concentration and enhances peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities to decrease reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Additionally, ThbHLH1 regulates the expression of the genes including P5CS, BADH, CaM, POD and SOD, to activate the above physiological changes, and also induces the expression of stress tolerance-related genes LEAs and HSPs. These data suggest that ThbHLH1 induces the expression of stress tolerance-related genes to improve abiotic stress tolerance by increasing osmotic potential, improving ROS scavenging capability and enhancing second messenger in stress signaling cascades. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Arabidopsis cysteine-rich receptor-like kinase 45 functions in the responses to abscisic acid and abiotic stresses

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Xiujuan; Yang, Guanyu; Shi, Rui; Han, Xiaomin; Qi, Liwang; Wang, Ruigang; Xiong, Liming; Li, Guojing

2013-01-01

The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) regulates seed germination, plant growth and development, and response to abiotic stresses such as drought and salt stresses. Receptor-like kinases are well known signaling components that mediate plant responses

Comparative physiological, metabolomic, and transcriptomic analyses reveal mechanisms of improved abiotic stress resistance in bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L). Pers.] by exogenous melatonin.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Haitao; Jiang, Chuan; Ye, Tiantian; Tan, Dun-Xian; Reiter, Russel J; Zhang, Heng; Liu, Renyi; Chan, Zhulong

2015-02-01

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine), a well-known animal hormone, is also involved in plant development and abiotic stress responses. In this study, it is shown that exogenous application of melatonin conferred improved salt, drought, and cold stress resistances in bermudagrass. Moreover, exogenous melatonin treatment alleviated reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst and cell damage induced by abiotic stress; this involved activation of several antioxidants. Additionally, melatonin-pre-treated plants exhibited higher concentrations of 54 metabolites, including amino acids, organic acids, sugars, and sugar alcohols, than non-treated plants under abiotic stress conditions. Genome-wide transcriptomic profiling identified 3933 transcripts (2361 up-regulated and 1572 down-regulated) that were differentially expressed in melatonin-treated plants versus controls. Pathway and gene ontology (GO) term enrichment analyses revealed that genes involved in nitrogen metabolism, major carbohydrate metabolism, tricarboxylic acid (TCA)/org transformation, transport, hormone metabolism, metal handling, redox, and secondary metabolism were over-represented after melatonin pre-treatment. Taken together, this study provides the first evidence of the protective roles of exogenous melatonin in the bermudagrass response to abiotic stresses, partially via activation of antioxidants and modulation of metabolic homeostasis. Notably, metabolic and transcriptomic analyses showed that the underlying mechanisms of melatonin could involve major reorientation of photorespiratory and carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Resistance Responses of Potato to Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi under Varying Abiotic Phosphorus Levels.

Science.gov (United States)

McArthur, D A; Knowles, N R

1992-09-01

In mycorrhizal symbioses, susceptibility of a host plant to infection by fungi is influenced by environmental factors, especially the availability of soil phosphorus. This study describes morphological and biochemical details of interactions between a vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus and potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv Russet Burbank) plants, with a particular focus on the physiological basis for P-induced resistance of roots to infection. Root infection by the VAM fungus Glomus fasciculatum ([Thaxt. sensu Gerdemann] Gerdemann and Trappe) was extensive for plants grown with low abiotic P supply, and plant biomass accumulation was enhanced by the symbiosis. The capacity of excised roots from P-deficient plants to produce ethylene in the presence or absence of exogenous 1-amino cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) was markedly reduced by VAM infection. This apparent inhibition of ACC oxidase (ACC(ox)) activity was localized to areas containing infected roots, as demonstrated in split-root studies. Furthermore, leachate from VAM roots contained a potent water-soluble inhibitor of ethylene generation from exogenous ACC by nonmycorrhizal (NM) roots. The leachate from VAM-infected roots had a higher concentration of phenolics, relative to that from NM roots. Moreover, the rates of ethylene formation and phenolic concentration in leachates from VAM roots were inversely correlated, suggesting that this inhibitor may be of a phenolic nature. The specific activity of extracellular peroxidase recovered in root leachates was not stimulated by VAM infection, although activity on a fresh weight basis was significantly enhanced, reflecting the fact that VAM roots had higher protein content than NM roots. Polyphenol oxidase activity of roots did not differ between NM and VAM roots. These results characterize the low resistance response of P-deficient plants to VAM infection. When plants were grown with higher abiotic P supply, the relative benefit of the VAM symbiosis

FATE OF PAH COMPOUNDS IN TWO SOIL TYPES: INFLUENCE OF VOLATILIZATION, ABIOTIC LOSS, AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY

Science.gov (United States)

The fate of 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds was evaluated with regard to interphase transfer potential and mechanisms of treatment in soil under unsaturated conditions. Volatilization and abiotic and biotic fate of the PAHs were determined using two soils not p...

ABIOTIC DEHALOGENATION OF 1,2-DICHLOROETHANE AND 1,2-DIBROMETHANE IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONTAINING HYDROGEN SULFIDE

Science.gov (United States)

The detection of significant levels of halogenated ali- phatic contaminants in groundwater resources in the U- nited States (1, 2) has spurred a considerable effort to understand the various mechanisms-both microbiological and abiotic-by which these compounds may be trans- formed...

Surface physicochemistry and ionic strength affects eDNA's role in bacterial adhesion to abiotic surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Regina, Viduthalai R.; Lokanathan, Arcot R.; Modrzynski, Jakub Jan

2014-01-01

Extracellular DNA (eDNA) is an important structural component of biofilms formed by many bacteria, but few reports have focused on its role in initial cell adhesion. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of eDNA in bacterial adhesion to abiotic surfaces, and determine to which extent ...

Age-related Decline of Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Young Drosophila melanogaster Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Colinet, Hervé; Chertemps, Thomas; Boulogne, Isabelle; Siaussat, David

2016-12-01

Stress tolerance generally declines with age as a result of functional senescence. Age-dependent alteration of stress tolerance can also occur in early adult life. In Drosophila melanogaster, evidence of such a decline in young adults has only been reported for thermotolerance. It is not known whether early adult life entails a general stress tolerance reduction and whether the response is peculiar to thermal traits. The present work was designed to investigate whether newly eclosed D melanogaster adults present a high tolerance to a range of biotic and abiotic insults. We found that tolerance to most of the abiotic stressors tested (desiccation, paraquat, hydrogen peroxide, deltamethrin, and malathion) was high in newly eclosed adults before dramatically declining over the next days of adult life. No clear age-related pattern was found for resistance to biotic stress (septic or fungal infection) and starvation. These results suggest that newly eclosed adults present a culminating level of tolerance to extrinsic stress which is likely unrelated to immune process. We argue that stress tolerance variation at very young age is likely a residual attribute from the previous life stage (ontogenetic carryover) or a feature related to the posteclosion development. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Roots withstanding their environment : Exploiting root system architecture responses to abiotic stress to improve crop tolerance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koevoets, Iko T; Venema, Jan Henk; Elzenga, J Theo M; Testerink, Christa

2016-01-01

To face future challenges in crop production dictated by global climate changes, breeders and plant researchers collaborate to develop productive crops that are able to withstand a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses. However, crop selection is often focused on shoot performance alone, as

Molecular Analysis of Rice CIPKs Involved in Both Biotic and Abiotic Stress Responses

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

CHEN Xi-feng; Gu Zhi-min; LIU Feng; MA Bo-jun; ZHANG Hong-sheng

2011-01-01

Plant calcineurin B-like (CBL) proteins have been proposed as important Ca2+ sensors and specifically interact with CBL-interacting protein kinases (CIPKs) in plant-specific calcium signaling.Here,we identified and isolated 15 CIPK genes in a japonica rice variety Nipponbare based on the predicted sequences of rice CIPK gene family.Gene structure analysis showed that these 15 genes were divided into intron-less and intron-rich groups,and OsCIPK3 and OsCIPK24 exhibited alternative splicing in their mature process.The phylogenetic analyses indicated that rice CIPKs shared an ancestor with Arabidopsis and poplar CIPKs.Analyses of gene expression showed that these OsCIPK genes were differentially induced by biotic stresses such as bacterial blight and abiotic stresses (heavy metal such as Hg2+,high salinity,cold and ABA).Interestingly,five OsCIPK genes,OsCIPK1,2,10,11 and 12,were transcriptionally up-regulated after bacterial blight infection whereas four OsCIPK genes,OsCIPK2,10,11 and 14,were induced by all treatments,indicating that some of OsCIPK genes are involved in multiple stress response pathways in plants.Our finding suggests that CIPKs play a key role in both biotic and abiotic stress responses.

Transgenic Alfalfa Plants Expressing the Sweetpotato Orange Gene Exhibit Enhanced Abiotic Stress Tolerance

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhi; Ke, Qingbo; Kim, Myoung Duck; Kim, Sun Ha; Ji, Chang Yoon; Jeong, Jae Cheol; Lee, Haeng-Soon; Park, Woo Sung; Ahn, Mi-Jeong; Li, Hongbing; Xu, Bingcheng; Deng, Xiping; Lee, Sang-Hoon; Lim, Yong Pyo; Kwak, Sang-Soo

2015-01-01

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), a perennial forage crop with high nutritional content, is widely distributed in various environments worldwide. We recently demonstrated that the sweetpotato Orange gene (IbOr) is involved in increasing carotenoid accumulation and enhancing resistance to multiple abiotic stresses. In this study, in an effort to improve the nutritional quality and environmental stress tolerance of alfalfa, we transferred the IbOr gene into alfalfa (cv. Xinjiang Daye) under the control of an oxidative stress-inducible peroxidase (SWPA2) promoter through Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Among the 11 transgenic alfalfa lines (referred to as SOR plants), three lines (SOR2, SOR3, and SOR8) selected based on their IbOr transcript levels were examined for their tolerance to methyl viologen (MV)-induced oxidative stress in a leaf disc assay. The SOR plants exhibited less damage in response to MV-mediated oxidative stress and salt stress than non-transgenic plants. The SOR plants also exhibited enhanced tolerance to drought stress, along with higher total carotenoid levels. The results suggest that SOR alfalfa plants would be useful as forage crops with improved nutritional value and increased tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses, which would enhance the development of sustainable agriculture on marginal lands. PMID:25946429

Study of a new alternative antioxidant in soybean plants subjected to abiotic stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zilli, C.; Santa Cruz, D.; Caggiano, E.; Romanello, M.; Tomaro, M.; Balestrasse, K.

2010-01-01

We have recently, demonstrated that the induction of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) plays a protective role for soybean plants against oxidative stress produced by cadmium and UV-B radiation. At this moment we propose to investigate if the enzyme has the same capacity against another type of abiotic stress, such as drought, for to demonstrate that heme oxygenase acts as an enzyme of plant antioxidant defense system under several different stress situations, as occur in mammalian tissues. To carry out this objective we propose to study, in leaf, root and nodule of soybean plants, the oxidative stress generation; the behavior of classical antioxidant system; the behavior of HO-1 activity and protein and gene expression; the effect of its reaction products and inhibitors on the oxidative stress parameters; the signaling mechanism that produce HO-1 induction and the immunohistochemistry localization of the enzyme in the different plant tissues. The results obtained let us undoubtedly demonstrate the involvement of HO-1 in the antioxidant defense system in plants. This finding will allow the increase in the knowledge of the defense mechanisms in interesting economic plants for our country, such as soybean, and against drought, an abiotic stress considered one of the most important factors limiting plant performance and yield worldwide. (authors)

Identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs at candidate genes involved in abiotic stress in two Prosopis species of hybrids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria F. Pomponio

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Aim of the study: Identify and compare SNPs on candidate genes related to abiotic stress in Prosopis chilensis, Prosopis flexuosa and interspecific hybridsArea of the study: Chaco árido, Argentina. Material and Methods: Fragments from 6 candidate genes were sequenced in 60 genotypes. DNA polymorphisms were analyzed.Main Results: The analysis revealed that the hybrids had the highest rate of polymorphism, followed by P. flexuosa and P. chilensis, the values found are comparable to other forest tree species.Research highlights: This approach will help to study genetic diversity variation on natural populations for assessing the effects of environmental changes.Keywords: SNPs; abiotic stress; interspecific variation; molecular markers. 

Biotic, abiotic, and management controls on the net ecosystem CO2 exchange of European mountain grassland ecosystems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wohlfahrt, Georg; Anderson-Dunn, Margaret; Bahn, Michael

2008-01-01

The net ecosystem carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange (NEE) of nine European mountain grassland ecosystems was measured during 2002-2004 using the eddy covariance method. Overall, the availability of photosynthetically active radiation (PPFD) was the single most important abiotic influence factor for NEE....... Its role changed markedly during the course of the season, PPFD being a better predictor for NEE during periods favorable for CO2 uptake, which was spring and autumn for the sites characterized by summer droughts (southern sites) and (peak) summer for the Alpine and northern study sites. This general...... pattern was interrupted by grassland management practices, that is, mowing and grazing, when the variability in NEE explained by PPFD decreased in concert with the amount of aboveground biomass (BMag). Temperature was the abiotic influence factor that explained most of the variability in ecosystem...

Global Transcriptome Analysis of Combined Abiotic Stress Signaling Genes Unravels Key Players in Oryza sativa L.: An In silico Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pandiyan Muthuramalingam

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Combined abiotic stress (CAbS affects the field grown plants simultaneously. The multigenic and quantitative nature of uncontrollable abiotic stresses complicates the process of understanding the stress response by plants. Considering this, we analyzed the CAbS response of C3 model plant, Oryza sativa by meta-analysis. The datasets of commonly expressed genes by drought, salinity, submergence, metal, natural expression, biotic, and abiotic stresses were data mined through publically accessible transcriptomic abiotic stress (AbS responsive datasets. Of which 1,175, 12,821, and 42,877 genes were commonly expressed in meta differential, individual differential, and unchanged expressions respectively. Highly regulated 100 differentially expressed AbS genes were derived through integrative meta-analysis of expression data (INMEX. Of this 30 genes were identified from AbS gene families through expression atlas that were computationally analyzed for their physicochemical properties. All AbS genes were physically mapped against O. sativa genome. Comparative mapping of these genes demonstrated the orthologous relationship with related C4 panicoid genome. In silico expression analysis of these genes showed differential expression patterns in different developmental tissues. Protein–protein interaction of these genes, represented the complexity of AbS. Computational expression profiling of candidate genes in response to multiple stresses suggested the putative involvement of OS05G0350900, OS02G0612700, OS05G0104200, OS03G0596200, OS12G0225900, OS07G0152000, OS08G0119500, OS06G0594700, and Os01g0393100 in CAbS. These potential candidate genes need to be studied further to decipher their functional roles in AbS dynamics.

Managing Media: Segmenting Media Through Consumer Expectancies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matt Eastin

2014-04-01

Full Text Available It has long been understood that consumers are motivated to media differently. However, given the lack of comparative model analysis, this assumption is without empirical validation, and thus, the orientation of segmentation from a media management perspective is without motivational grounds. Thus, evolving the literature on media consumption, the current study develops and compares models of media segmentation within the context of use. From this study, six models of media expectancies were constructed so that motivational differences between media (i.e., local and national newspapers, network and cable television, radio, and Internet could be observed. Utilizing higher order statistical analyses the data indicates differences across a model comparison approach for media motivations. Furthermore, these differences vary across numerous demographic factors. Results afford theoretical advancement within the literature of consumer media consumption as well as provide media planners’ insight into consumer choices.

The physicochemical process of bacterial attachment to abiotic surfaces: Challenges for mechanistic studies, predictability and the development of control strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yi; Lee, Sui Mae; Dykes, Gary

2015-01-01

Bacterial attachment to abiotic surfaces can be explained as a physicochemical process. Mechanisms of the process have been widely studied but are not yet well understood due to their complexity. Physicochemical processes can be influenced by various interactions and factors in attachment systems, including, but not limited to, hydrophobic interactions, electrostatic interactions and substratum surface roughness. Mechanistic models and control strategies for bacterial attachment to abiotic surfaces have been established based on the current understanding of the attachment process and the interactions involved. Due to a lack of process control and standardization in the methodologies used to study the mechanisms of bacterial attachment, however, various challenges are apparent in the development of models and control strategies. In this review, the physicochemical mechanisms, interactions and factors affecting the process of bacterial attachment to abiotic surfaces are described. Mechanistic models established based on these parameters are discussed in terms of their limitations. Currently employed methods to study these parameters and bacterial attachment are critically compared. The roles of these parameters in the development of control strategies for bacterial attachment are reviewed, and the challenges that arise in developing mechanistic models and control strategies are assessed.

Utilizing genetic resources and precision agriculture to enhance resistance to biotic and abiotic stress in watermelon

Science.gov (United States)

Originally from Africa, watermelon is a staple crop in South Carolina and rich source of important phytochemicals that promote human health. As a result of many years of domestication and selection for desired fruit quality, modern watermelon cultivars are susceptible to biotic and abiotic stress. T...

The influence of abiotic factors present in the Rio de la Plata over the chromium genotoxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez, L.C.; Moretton, J.

1997-01-01

The alterations suffered by the well-known environmental genotoxic agent, Cr(V I), were studied. Cr(V I) salts were dissolved in water effluent river receptors waters such as from the Rio de la Plata. The influence of abiotic factors present in this kind of water was evaluated using the Rec. assay in Bacillus subtilis. The results detected a soluble fraction that potentiated Cr(V I) genotoxicity. This substance (or group of substances) is sensible to sterilization by heat and UV radiation, and its activity seems to decrease with particulate matter. Its genotoxicity was not affected by high concentrations of particulate matter in the Rio de la Plata water. In samples where chromium salts were added to raw river water, abiotic interference due to sterilization process occurred. A decrease in genotoxicity was found after filtration through inorganic filters (0.22 μ m) and an increase was noticed after exposure to UV radiation. (Author)

The Zinc-Finger Thylakoid-Membrane Protein FIP Is Involved With Abiotic Stress Response in Arabidopsis thaliana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karina L. Lopes

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Many plant genes have their expression modulated by stress conditions. Here, we used Arabidopsis FtsH5 protease, which expression is regulated by light stress, as bait in a yeast two-hybrid screen to search for new proteins involved in the stress response. As a result, we found FIP (FtsH5 Interacting Protein, which possesses an amino proximal cleavable transit peptide, a hydrophobic membrane-anchoring region, and a carboxyl proximal C4-type zinc-finger domain. In vivo experiments using FIP fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP showed a plastid localization. This finding was corroborated by chloroplast import assays that showed FIP inserted in the thylakoid membrane. FIP expression was down-regulated in plants exposed to high light intensity, oxidative, salt, and osmotic stresses, whereas mutant plants expressing low levels of FIP were more tolerant to these abiotic stresses. Our data shows a new thylakoid-membrane protein involved with abiotic stress response in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Overexpression of a Pathogenesis-Related Protein 10 Enhances Biotic and Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Rice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingni Wu

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Pathogenesis-related proteins play multiple roles in plant development and biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. Here, we characterize a rice defense related gene named “jasmonic acid inducible pathogenesis-related class 10” (JIOsPR10 to gain an insight into its functional properties. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed up-regulation of JIOsPR10 under salt and drought stress conditions. Constitutive over-expression JIOsPR10 in rice promoted shoot and root development in transgenic plants, however, their productivity was unaltered. Further experiments exhibited that the transgenic plants showed reduced susceptibility to rice blast fungus, and enhanced salt and drought stress tolerance as compared to the wild type. A comparative proteomic profiling of wild type and transgenic plants showed that overexpression of JIOsPR10 led to the differential modulation of several proteins mainly related with oxidative stresses, carbohydrate metabolism, and plant defense. Taken together, our findings suggest that JIOsPR10 plays important roles in biotic and abiotic stresses tolerance probably by activation of stress related proteins.

Abiotic stress and antioxidant enzymes expression in sunflower leaf discs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yannarelli, G.G.; Azpilicueta, C.E.; Gallego, S.M.; Benavides, M.P.; Tomaro, M.L.

2004-01-01

Full text: Overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) occur in plants under abiotic stress conditions. Although ROS act as mediators of oxidative damage, a signalling role for O 2 - and H 2 O 2 has been proposed. In the present work, the effect of cadmium (300 and 500 μM CdCl 2 ) or UVB radiation (30 KJ/m 2 ) on expression of Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (sod3) and catalase (cat1 and cat3) was evaluated in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) leaf discs. Samples were collected at 0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 h of Cd treatments or white light recuperation after UVB treatment. RNA extractions and semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis were performed. Treatment of 300 μM Cd induced 6.4, 2.9 and 6 fold the expression of sod3, cat1 and cat3 over the controls, respectively, after 8 h of treatment, but 500 μM Cd showed lesser induction levels. Immediately after UVB irradiation, the mRNA of the three enzymes decreased. After 8 h of white light recovery, cat1 and cat3 were induced (1.9 and 3.5 fold, respectively) and the maximum sod3 expression was observed at 12 h (7 fold), respect to control. In conclusion, the balance between superoxide dismutase and peroxidases activities in cells is crucial for determining the steady-state level of O 2 - and H 2 O 2 . In our assay conditions, sod3, cat1 and cat3 were induced in response to abiotic stress at a late phase (8-12 h). The main induction of cat3 suggests that core-catalases of peroxisomes might play a key regulatory role in controlling H 2 O 2 level. (author)

Media relations after the introduction of social media

OpenAIRE

Mesila, Helin

2010-01-01

In the light of the popularity of social media on one hand, and the contradictive relationships between journalists and public relations practitioners on the other hand, the thesis studies media relations after the introduction of social media. The study focuses on media relations in Estonian public relations scenery. The research answers to the questions: - What are media relations today? - What are the functions of social media and media relations in organizational communication? ...

Anoxic conditions are beneficial for abiotic diclofenac removal from water with manganese oxide (MnO2)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liu, Wenbo; Sutton, Nora B.; Rijnaarts, Huub H.M.; Langenhoff, Alette A.M.

2018-01-01

This is the first study examining pharmaceutical removal under anoxic conditions with MnO2. This study compares the abiotic removal of seven pharmaceuticals with reactive MnO2 particles in the presence of oxygen (oxic conditions) and in the absence of oxygen (anoxic conditions). Due to the novelty

The role of abiotic factors in ecological strategies of Gravettian hunter–gatherers within Moravia, Czech Republic

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Lisá, Lenka; Škrdla, Petr; Havlín Nováková, D.; Bajer, A.; Čejchan, Petr; Nývltová Fišáková, Miriam; Lisý, Pavel

2013-01-01

Roč. 294, 29 April (2013), s. 71-81 ISSN 1040-6182 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516; CEZ:AV0Z80010507 Institutional support: RVO:67985831 ; RVO:68081758 Keywords : Gravettian * geoarchaeology * archaeology * abiotic factors Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology Impact factor: 2.128, year: 2013

Soil respiration in the cold desert environment of the Colorado Plateau (USA): Abiotic regulators and thresholds

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez, D.P.; Neff, J.C.; Belnap, J.; Reynolds, R.L.

2006-01-01

Decomposition is central to understanding ecosystem carbon exchange and nutrient-release processes. Unlike mesic ecosystems, which have been extensively studied, xeric landscapes have received little attention; as a result, abiotic soil-respiration regulatory processes are poorly understood in xeric environments. To provide a more complete and quantitative understanding about how abiotic factors influence soil respiration in xeric ecosystems, we conducted soil- respiration and decomposition-cloth measurements in the cold desert of southeast Utah. Our study evaluated when and to what extent soil texture, moisture, temperature, organic carbon, and nitrogen influence soil respiration and examined whether the inverse-texture hypothesis applies to decomposition. Within our study site, the effect of texture on moisture, as described by the inverse texture hypothesis, was evident, but its effect on decomposition was not. Our results show temperature and moisture to be the dominant abiotic controls of soil respiration. Specifically, temporal offsets in temperature and moisture conditions appear to have a strong control on soil respiration, with the highest fluxes occurring in spring when temperature and moisture were favorable. These temporal offsets resulted in decomposition rates that were controlled by soil moisture and temperature thresholds. The highest fluxes of CO2 occurred when soil temperature was between 10 and 16??C and volumetric soil moisture was greater than 10%. Decomposition-cloth results, which integrate decomposition processes across several months, support the soil-respiration results and further illustrate the seasonal patterns of high respiration rates during spring and low rates during summer and fall. Results from this study suggest that the parameters used to predict soil respiration in mesic ecosystems likely do not apply in cold-desert environments. ?? Springer 2006.

Exploring biotic vs. abiotic controls on syngenetic carbonate and clay mineral precipitation

Science.gov (United States)

Nascimento, Gabriela S.; McKenzie, Judith A.; Martinez Ruiz, Francisca; Bontognali, Tomaso R. R.; Vasconcelos, Crisogono

2016-04-01

A possible syngenetic relationship between carbonate and clay mineral precipitation has been reported for sedimentary rocks deposited in both lacustrine and marine sedimentary environments throughout the geological record. In particular, the mineral dolomite is often found associated with Mg-rich clays, such as stevensite. It is notable that this carbonate/clay association has been recorded in numerous samples taken from modern dolomite precipitating environments; for example, the Coorong lakes, South Australia, coastal sabkhas, Abu Dhabi, UAE and coastal hypersaline lagoons (Lagoa Vermelha and Brejo do Espinho) east of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. An HRTEM study of samples from these three locations indicates a possible physical/chemical association between the Ca-dolomite and Mg-rich clays, demonstrating a probable co-precipitation. To test this hypothesis, we have conducted a series of biotic and abiotic laboratory experiments. If this syngenesis actually occurs in nature, what, if any, are the biogeochemical processes controlling these precipitation reactions? Our experiments were designed to determine the extent of the biotic versus abiotic component influencing the mineral precipitation and, in the case of a biotic influence, to understand the mechanism through which microorganisms might mediate the formation of clay minerals. The experiments were carried out in the Geomicrobiology Laboratory of ETH Zürich using cultures of living microbes and artificial organic compounds that simulate functional groups present in natural biofilms formed under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. In addition, pure inorganic experiments were designed to understand possible physico-chemical conditions for diagenetic processes that could induce dissolution of Mg-carbonates and precipitation of Mg-rich clays. Our results show a remarkable biotic influence during the formation of clay minerals. Specifically, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), released by microbes in their

Genetically engineered Rice with transcription factor DREB genes for abiotic stress tolerance(abstract)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Datta, S.K.; Datta, K.

2005-01-01

Water stress (drought and Salinity) is the most severe limitation to rice productivity. Several breeding approaches (MAS, QTL) applied to suitable genotypes are in place at IRRI and elsewhere. Phenotyping of water stress tolerance is in progress with potential predictability. Dr. Shinozaki's group has cloned a number of transcription factor genes, which have been shown to work in Arabidopsis to achieve drought, cold, and salinity tolerant plants. None of these genes have as yet displayed their potential functioning in rice. Genetic engineering aims at cross talk between different stress signaling pathways leading to stress tolerance. Osmotic Adjustment (OA) is an effective component of abiotic stress (drought and salinity) tolerance in many plants including rice. When plant experiences water stress, OA contributes to turgor maintenance of both shoots and roots. Conventional breeding could not achieve the OA in rice excepting a few rice cultivars, which are partially adapted to water-stress conditions. Several stress-related genes have now been cloned and transferred in to enhance the osmolytes and some transgenic lines showed increased tolerance to osmotic stress. A few strategies could be effectively deployed for a better understanding of water-stress tolerance in rice and to develop transgenic rice, which can survive for a critical period of water-stress conditions: 1) Switching on of transcription factor regulating the expression of several genes related to abiotic stress, 2) Use of a suitable stress inducible promoter driving the target gene for an efficient and directed expression in plants, 3) Understanding of phenotyping and GxE in a given environment, 4) Selection of a few adaptive rice cultivars suitable in drought/salinity prone areas, 5) Microarray, proteomics, QTL and MAS may expedite the cloning and characterizing the stress induced genes, and 6) Finally, the efficient transformation system for generating a large number of transgenic rice of different

Unravelling chemical priming machinery in plants: the role of reactive oxygen-nitrogen-sulfur species in abiotic stress tolerance enhancement.

Science.gov (United States)

Antoniou, Chrystalla; Savvides, Andreas; Christou, Anastasis; Fotopoulos, Vasileios

2016-10-01

Abiotic stresses severely limit crop yield and their detrimental effects are aggravated by climate change. Chemical priming is an emerging field in crop stress management. The exogenous application of specific chemical agents before stress events results in tolerance enhancement and reduction of stress impacts on plant physiology and growth. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the remarkable effects of chemical priming on plant physiology remain to be elucidated. Reactive oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur species (RONSS) are molecules playing a vital role in the stress acclimation of plants. When applied as priming agents, RONSS improve stress tolerance. This review summarizes the recent knowledge on the role of RONSS in cell signalling and gene regulation contributing to abiotic stress tolerance enhancement. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SOCIAL MEDIA

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RESPONSIBILITY CENTCOM COALITION MEDIA SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS ARTICLES PRESS RELEASES IMAGERY VIDEOS TRANSCRIPTS VISITORS AND PERSONNEL FAMILY CENTER FAMILY READINESS CENTCOM WEBMAIL SOCIAL MEDIA SECURITY ACCOUNTABILITY HomeMEDIASOCIAL MEDIA Social Media CENTCOM'S ENGLISH SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS There are many U.S. military commands

An unified framework to integrate biotic, abiotic processes and human activities in spatially explicit models of agricultural landscapes

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Fabrice eVinatier

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Recent concern over possible ways to sustain ecosystem services has triggered important research worldwide on ecosystem processes at the landscape scale. Understanding this complexity of landscape functioning calls for coupled and spatially-explicit modelling approaches. However, disciplinary boundaries have limited the number of multi-process studies at the landscape scale, and current progress in coupling processes at this scale often reveals strong imbalance between biotic and abiotic processes, depending on the core discipline of the modellers. We propose a spatially-explicit, unified conceptual framework that allows researchers from different fields to develop a shared view of agricultural landscapes. In particular,we distinguish landscape elements that are mobile in space and represent biotic or abiotic objects (for example water, fauna or flora populations, and elements that are immobile and represent fixed landscape elements with a given geometry (for example ditch section or plot. The shared representation of these elements allows setting common objects and spatio-temporal process boundaries that may otherwise differ between disciplines. We present guidelines and an assessment of the applicability of this framework to a virtual landscape system with realistic properties. This framework allows the complex system to be represented with a limited set of concepts but leaves the possibility to include current modelling strategies specific to biotic or abiotic disciplines. Future operational challenges include model design, space and time discretization, and the availability of both landscape modelling platforms and data.

CLASSICAL MEDIA RELATIONS AND NEW MEDIA RELATIONS IN SPORT

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Alexandru Lucian MIHAI

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Media relations in sport mean maintenance of networks and positive relationships with people in the media to obtain positive media exposure for a sport product (informal and formal information sessions with media representatives. Because of the pervasive influence the media has on marketing success, sport marketers must make concerted efforts to create a positive relationship between their sport event and the media. They may accomplish this by providing the media with press releases, having news conferences, having media-day events (in which the media are invited to interact with the players, coaches, and administrators, providing media guides for the respective sport events and so on. Each of these activities promotes active involvement from the media, which will subsequently contribute to relationship building with the community.

De novo transcriptome sequence assembly and identification of AP2/ERF transcription factor related to abiotic stress in parsley (Petroselinum crispum.

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Meng-Yao Li

Full Text Available Parsley is an important biennial Apiaceae species that is widely cultivated as herb, spice, and vegetable. Previous studies on parsley principally focused on its physiological and biochemical properties, including phenolic compound and volatile oil contents. However, little is known about the molecular and genetic properties of parsley. In this study, 23,686,707 high-quality reads were obtained and assembled into 81,852 transcripts and 50,161 unigenes for the first time. Functional annotation showed that 30,516 unigenes had sequence similarity to known genes. In addition, 3,244 putative simple sequence repeats were detected in curly parsley. Finally, 1,569 of the identified unigenes belonged to 58 transcription factor families. Various abiotic stresses have a strong detrimental effect on the yield and quality of parsley. AP2/ERF transcription factors have important functions in plant development, hormonal regulation, and abiotic response. A total of 88 putative AP2/ERF factors were identified from the transcriptome sequence of parsley. Seven AP2/ERF transcription factors were selected in this study to analyze the expression profiles of parsley under different abiotic stresses. Our data provide a potentially valuable resource that can be used for intensive parsley research.

De novo transcriptome sequence assembly and identification of AP2/ERF transcription factor related to abiotic stress in parsley (Petroselinum crispum).

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Meng-Yao; Tan, Hua-Wei; Wang, Feng; Jiang, Qian; Xu, Zhi-Sheng; Tian, Chang; Xiong, Ai-Sheng

2014-01-01

Parsley is an important biennial Apiaceae species that is widely cultivated as herb, spice, and vegetable. Previous studies on parsley principally focused on its physiological and biochemical properties, including phenolic compound and volatile oil contents. However, little is known about the molecular and genetic properties of parsley. In this study, 23,686,707 high-quality reads were obtained and assembled into 81,852 transcripts and 50,161 unigenes for the first time. Functional annotation showed that 30,516 unigenes had sequence similarity to known genes. In addition, 3,244 putative simple sequence repeats were detected in curly parsley. Finally, 1,569 of the identified unigenes belonged to 58 transcription factor families. Various abiotic stresses have a strong detrimental effect on the yield and quality of parsley. AP2/ERF transcription factors have important functions in plant development, hormonal regulation, and abiotic response. A total of 88 putative AP2/ERF factors were identified from the transcriptome sequence of parsley. Seven AP2/ERF transcription factors were selected in this study to analyze the expression profiles of parsley under different abiotic stresses. Our data provide a potentially valuable resource that can be used for intensive parsley research.

Column study of enhanced Cr(VI) removal and longevity by coupled abiotic and biotic processes using Fe0 and mixed anaerobic culture.

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Zhong, Jiawei; Yin, Weizhao; Li, Yongtao; Li, Ping; Wu, Jinhua; Jiang, Gangbiao; Gu, Jingjing; Liang, Hao

2017-10-01

In this study, Fe 0 and mixed anaerobic culture were integrated in one column to investigate the coupled abiotic and biotic effects on hexa-valent chromium (Cr(VI)) removal and column longevity with an abiotic Fe 0 column in the control experiments. According to the breakthrough study, a slower Cr(VI) breakthrough rate of 0.19 cm/PV was observed in the biotic Fe 0 column whereas the value in the abiotic Fe 0 column was 0.30 cm/PV, resulting in 64% longer life-span and 62% higher Cr(VI) removal capacity in the biotic Fe 0 column than the abiotic one. The solid phase characterization by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed that this enhancement was attributed to the higher consumption of iron and greater production of diverse reactive minerals (e.g., green rust, magnetite and lepidocrocite) induced by the synergistic interaction of Fe 0 and anaerobic culture, providing more reactive sites for Cr(VI) adsorption, reduction and co-precipitation. Furthermore, the decreasing breakthrough rates and growing iron corrosion along the biotic Fe 0 column demonstrated an inhomogeneous distribution of reactive zones in the column and its latter 3/5 section was considered to be the most reactive area for Cr(VI) removal. These results indicate that the inoculation of microorganisms in Fe 0 -based permeable reactive barriers will enable this technology a higher removal capacity and longer life-span for the remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated groundwater. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exogenous application of hydrogen sulfide donor sodium hydrosulfide enhanced multiple abiotic stress tolerance in bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L). Pers.).

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Shi, Haitao; Ye, Tiantian; Chan, Zhulong

2013-10-01

As a gaseous molecule, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been recently found to be involved in plant responses to multiple abiotic stress. In this study, salt (150 and 300 mM NaCl), osmotic (15% and 30% PEG6000) and cold (4 °C) stress treatments induced accumulation of endogenous H2S level, indicating that H2S might play a role in bermudagrass responses to salt, osmotic and cold stresses. Exogenous application of H2S donor (sodium hydrosulfide, NaHS) conferred improved salt, osmotic and freezing stress tolerances in bermudagrass, which were evidenced by decreased electrolyte leakage and increased survival rate under stress conditions. Additionally, NaHS treatment alleviated the reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst and cell damage induced by abiotic stress, via modulating metabolisms of several antioxidant enzymes [catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and GR (glutathione reductase)] and non-enzymatic glutathione antioxidant pool and redox state. Moreover, exogenous NaHS treatment led to accumulation of osmolytes (proline, sucrose and soluble total sugars) in stressed bermudagrass plants. Taken together, all these data indicated the protective roles of H2S in bermudagrass responses to salt, osmotic and freezing stresses, via activation of the antioxidant response and osmolyte accumulation. These findings might be applicable to grass and crop engineering to improve abiotic stress tolerance. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Media education and media influence on youth

OpenAIRE

LILÁK, Karel

2011-01-01

Bachelor´s work is focused on the questions of the medial education and the medias themselves. This work also investigate with the influence of the action of medias to the students of apprenticeship. The first part of the theoretical work has generally explains what is media education, what is its significance for society and for the benefit of education in school. They are given functions, types and objectives of media education and communications capabilities via the media. The second part ...

Integrated physiological and molecular approaches to improvement of abiotic stress tolerance in two pulse crops of the semi-arid tropics

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Arbind K. Choudhary

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. and pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan L. (Millsp.] play an important role in mitigating protein malnutrition for millions of poor vegetarians living in regions of the semi-arid tropics. Abiotic stresses such as excess and limited soil moisture (water-logging and drought, heat and chilling (high and low temperature stresses, soil salinity, and acidity are major yield constraints, as these two crops are grown mostly under rainfed conditions in risk-prone marginal and degraded lands with few or no inputs. Losses due to such stresses vary from 30% to 100% depending on their severity. The literature abounds in basic information concerning screening techniques, physiological mechanisms, and genetics of traits associated with resistance/tolerance to abiotic stresses in these two crops. However, the final outcome in terms of resistant/tolerant varieties has been far from satisfactory. This situation calls for improving selection efficiency through precise phenotyping and genotyping under high-throughput controlled conditions using modern tools of genomics. In this review, we suggest that an integrated approach combining advances from genetics, physiology, and biotechnology needs to be used for higher precision and efficiency of breeding programs aimed at improving abiotic stress tolerance in both chickpea and pigeonpea.

Roles of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Soil Abiotic Conditions in the Establishment of a Dry Grassland Community

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Knappová, Jana; Pánková, Hana; Münzbergová, Zuzana

2016-01-01

Roč. 11, č. 7 (2016), s. 1-24 E-ISSN 1932-6203 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA15-11635S Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : AMF * dry grassland commnunity * soil abiotic conditions Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 2.806, year: 2016

Fate and Transport of Mercury in Environmental Media and Human Exposure

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Kim, Moon-Kyung

2012-01-01

Mercury is emitted to the atmosphere from various natural and anthropogenic sources, and degrades with difficulty in the environment. Mercury exists as various species, mainly elemental (Hg0) and divalent (Hg2+) mercury depending on its oxidation states in air and water. Mercury emitted to the atmosphere can be deposited into aqueous environments by wet and dry depositions, and some can be re-emitted into the atmosphere. The deposited mercury species, mainly Hg2+, can react with various organic compounds in water and sediment by biotic reactions mediated by sulfur-reducing bacteria, and abiotic reactions mediated by sunlight photolysis, resulting in conversion into organic mercury such as methylmercury (MeHg). MeHg can be bioaccumulated through the food web in the ecosystem, finally exposing humans who consume fish. For a better understanding of how humans are exposed to mercury in the environment, this review paper summarizes the mechanisms of emission, fate and transport, speciation chemistry, bioaccumulation, levels of contamination in environmental media, and finally exposure assessment of humans. PMID:23230463

Ecological relevance of strigolactones in nutrient uptake and other abiotic stresses, and in plant-microbe interactions below ground

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Andreo Jimenez, B.; Ruyter-Spira, C.P.; Bouwmeester, H.J.; Lopez-Raez, J.A.

2015-01-01

Background Plants are exposed to ever changing and often unfavourable environmental conditions, which cause both abiotic and biotic stresses. They have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to flexibly adapt themselves to these stress conditions. To achieve such adaptation, they need to control and

Earth, wind, and fire: Abiotic factors and the impacts of global environmental change on forest health

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J.E. Lundquist; A.E. Camp; M.L. Tyrell; S.J. Seybold; P. Cannon; D.J. Lodge

2011-01-01

Trees do not just die; there is always a primary cause, and often contributing factors. Trees need adequate quantities of water, heat, light, nutrients, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and other abiotic resources to sustain life, growth, and reproduction. When these factors are deficient or excessive, they cause mortality. According to the concept of baseline mortality (...

Identification and Expression Profiling of the Auxin Response Factors in Dendrobium officinale under Abiotic Stresses.

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Chen, Zhehao; Yuan, Ye; Fu, Di; Shen, Chenjia; Yang, Yanjun

2017-05-04

Auxin response factor (ARF) proteins play roles in plant responses to diverse environmental stresses by binding specifically to the auxin response element in the promoters of target genes. Using our latest public Dendrobium transcriptomes, a comprehensive characterization and analysis of 14 DnARF genes were performed. Three selected DnARFs , including DnARF1 , DnARF4 , and DnARF6 , were confirmed to be nuclear proteins according to their transient expression in epidermal cells of Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Furthermore, the transcription activation abilities of DnARF1 , DnARF4 , and DnARF6 were tested in a yeast system. Our data showed that DnARF6 is a transcriptional activator in Dendrobium officinale . To uncover the basic information of DnARF gene responses to abiotic stresses, we analyzed their expression patterns under various hormones and abiotic treatments. Based on our data, several hormones and significant stress responsive DnARF genes have been identified. Since auxin and ARF genes have been identified in many plant species, our data is imperative to reveal the function of ARF mediated auxin signaling in the adaptation to the challenging Dendrobium environment.

The Novel Wheat Transcription Factor TaNAC47 Enhances Multiple Abiotic Stress Tolerances in Transgenic Plants.

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Zhang, Lina; Zhang, Lichao; Xia, Chuan; Zhao, Guangyao; Jia, Jizeng; Kong, Xiuying

2015-01-01

NAC transcription factors play diverse roles in plant development and responses to abiotic stresses. However, the biological roles of NAC family members in wheat are not well understood. Here, we reported the isolation and functional characterization of a novel wheat TaNAC47 gene. TaNAC47 encoded protein, localizing in the nucleus, is able to bind to the ABRE cis-element and transactivate transcription in yeast, suggesting that it likely functions as a transcriptional activator. We also showed that TaNAC47 is differentially expressed in different tissues, and its expression was induced by the stress treatments of salt, cold, polyethylene glycol and exogenous abscisic acid. Furthermore, overexpression of TaNAC47 in Arabidopsis resulted in ABA hypersensitivity and enhancing tolerance of transgenic plants to drought, salt, and freezing stresses. Strikingly, overexpression of TaNAC47 was found to activate the expression of downstream genes and change several physiological indices that may enable transgenic plants to overcome unfavorable environments. Taken together, these results uncovered an important role of wheat TaNAC47 gene in response to ABA and abiotic stresses.

Media identities and media-influenced indentifications Visibility and identity recognition in the media

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Víctor Fco. Sampedro Blanco

2004-10-01

Full Text Available The media establish, in large part, the patterns of visibility and public recognition of collective identities. We define media identities as those that are the object of production and diffusion by the media. From this discourse, the communities and individuals elaborate media-influenced identifications; that is, processes of recognition or banishment; (rearticulating the identity markers that the media offer with other cognitive and emotional sources. The generation and appropriation of the identities are subjected to a media hierarchisation that influences their normalisation or marginalisation. The identities presented by the media and assumed by the audience as part of the official, hegemonic discourse are normalised, whereas the identities and identifications formulated in popular and minority terms are marginalised. After presenting this conceptual and analytical framework, this study attempts to outline the logics that condition the presentation, on the one hand, andthe public recognition, on the other hand, of contemporary identities.

Abiotic and bioaugmented granular activated carbon for the treatment of 1,4-dioxane-contaminated water.

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Myers, Michelle A; Johnson, Nicholas W; Marin, Erick Zerecero; Pornwongthong, Peerapong; Liu, Yun; Gedalanga, Phillip B; Mahendra, Shaily

2018-06-04

1,4-Dioxane is a probable human carcinogen and an emerging contaminant that has been detected in surface water and groundwater resources. Many conventional water treatment technologies are not effective for the removal of 1,4-dioxane due to its high water solubility and chemical stability. Biological degradation is a potentially low-cost, energy-efficient approach to treat 1,4-dioxane-contaminated waters. Two bacterial strains, Pseudonocardia dioxanivorans CB1190 (CB1190) and Mycobacterium austroafricanum JOB5 (JOB5), have been previously demonstrated to break down 1,4-dioxane through metabolic and co-metabolic pathways, respectively. However, both CB1190 and JOB5 have been primarily studied in laboratory planktonic cultures, while most environmental microbes grow in biofilms on surfaces. Another treatment technology, adsorption, has not historically been considered an effective means of removing 1,4-dioxane due to the contaminant's low K oc and K ow values. We report that the granular activated carbon (GAC), Norit 1240, is an adsorbent with high affinity for 1,4-dioxane as well as physical dimensions conducive to attached bacterial growth. In abiotic batch reactor studies, 1,4-dioxane adsorption was reversible to a large extent. By bioaugmenting GAC with 1,4-dioxane-degrading microbes, the adsorption reversibility was minimized while achieving greater 1,4-dioxane removal when compared with abiotic GAC (95-98% reduction of initial 1,4-dioxane as compared to an 85-89% reduction of initial 1,4-dioxane, respectively). Bacterial attachment and viability was visualized using fluorescence microscopy and confirmed by amplification of taxonomic genes by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and an ATP assay. Filtered samples of industrial wastewater and contaminated groundwater were also tested in the bioaugmented GAC reactors. Both CB1190 and JOB5 demonstrated 1,4-dioxane removal greater than that of the abiotic adsorbent controls. This study suggests that

A proposed abiotic reaction scheme for hydroxylamine and monochloramine under chloramination relevant drinking water conditions.

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Wahman, David G; Speitel, Gerald E; Machavaram, Madhav V

2014-09-01

Drinking water monochloramine (NH2Cl) use may promote ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). AOB use (i) ammonia monooxygenase for biological ammonia (NH3) oxidation to hydroxylamine (NH2OH) and (ii) hydroxylamine oxidoreductase for NH2OH oxidation to nitrite. NH2Cl and NH2OH may react, providing AOB potential benefits and detriments. The NH2Cl/NH2OH reaction would benefit AOB by removing the disinfectant (NH2Cl) and releasing their growth substrate (NH3), but the NH2Cl/NH2OH reaction would also provide a possible additional inactivation mechanism besides direct NH2Cl reaction with cells. Because biological NH2OH oxidation supplies the electrons required for biological NH3 oxidation, the NH2Cl/NH2OH reaction provides a direct mechanism for NH2Cl to inhibit NH3 oxidation, starving the cell of reductant by preventing biological NH2OH oxidation. To investigate possible NH2Cl/NH2OH reaction implications on AOB, an understanding of the underlying abiotic reaction is first required. The present study conducted a detailed literature review and proposed an abiotic NH2Cl/NH2OH reaction scheme (RS) for chloramination relevant drinking water conditions (μM concentrations, air saturation, and pH 7-9). Next, RS literature based kinetics and end-products were evaluated experimentally between pHs 7.7 and 8.3, representing (i) the pH range for future experiments with AOB and (ii) mid-range pHs typically found in chloraminated drinking water. In addition, a (15)N stable isotope experiment was conducted to verify nitrous oxide and nitrogen gas production and their nitrogen source. Finally, the RS was slightly refined using the experimental data and an AQUASIM implemented kinetic model. A chloraminated drinking water relevant RS is proposed and provides the abiotic reaction foundation for future AOB biotic experiments. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

GhWRKY25, a group I WRKY gene from cotton, confers differential tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses in transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana.

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Liu, Xiufang; Song, Yunzhi; Xing, Fangyu; Wang, Ning; Wen, Fujiang; Zhu, Changxiang

2016-09-01

WRKY transcription factors are involved in various processes, ranging from plant growth to abiotic and biotic stress responses. Group I WRKY members have been rarely reported compared with group II or III members, particularly in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). In this study, a group I WRKY gene, namely, GhWRKY25, was cloned from cotton and characterized. Expression analysis revealed that GhWRKY25 can be induced or deduced by the treatments of abiotic stresses and multiple defense-related signaling molecules. Overexpression of GhWRKY25 in Nicotiana benthamiana reduced plant tolerance to drought stress but enhanced tolerance to salt stress. Moreover, more MDA and ROS accumulated in transgenic plants after drought treatment with lower activities of SOD, POD, and CAT. Our study further demonstrated that GhWRKY25 overexpression in plants enhanced sensitivity to the fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea by reducing the expression of SA or ET signaling related genes and inducing the expression of genes involved in the JA signaling pathway. These results indicated that GhWRKY25 plays negative or positive roles in response to abiotic stresses, and the reduced pathogen resistance may be related to the crosstalk of the SA and JA/ET signaling pathways.

The core regulatory network of the abscisic acid pathway in banana: genome-wide identification and expression analyses during development, ripening, and abiotic stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Wei; Yan, Yan; Shi, Haitao; Liu, Juhua; Miao, Hongxia; Tie, Weiwei; Ding, Zehong; Ding, XuPo; Wu, Chunlai; Liu, Yang; Wang, Jiashui; Xu, Biyu; Jin, Zhiqiang

2017-08-29

Abscisic acid (ABA) signaling plays a crucial role in developmental and environmental adaptation processes of plants. However, the PYL-PP2C-SnRK2 families that function as the core components of ABA signaling are not well understood in banana. In the present study, 24 PYL, 87 PP2C, and 11 SnRK2 genes were identified from banana, which was further supported by evolutionary relationships, conserved motif and gene structure analyses. The comprehensive transcriptomic analyses showed that banana PYL-PP2C-SnRK2 genes are involved in tissue development, fruit development and ripening, and response to abiotic stress in two cultivated varieties. Moreover, comparative expression analyses of PYL-PP2C-SnRK2 genes between BaXi Jiao (BX) and Fen Jiao (FJ) revealed that PYL-PP2C-SnRK2-mediated ABA signaling might positively regulate banana fruit ripening and tolerance to cold, salt, and osmotic stresses. Finally, interaction networks and co-expression assays demonstrated that the core components of ABA signaling were more active in FJ than in BX in response to abiotic stress, further supporting the crucial role of the genes in tolerance to abiotic stress in banana. This study provides new insights into the complicated transcriptional control of PYL-PP2C-SnRK2 genes, improves the understanding of PYL-PP2C-SnRK2-mediated ABA signaling in the regulation of fruit development, ripening, and response to abiotic stress, and identifies some candidate genes for genetic improvement of banana.

Komunikasi Krisis di Era New Media dan Social Media

OpenAIRE

Prastya, Narayana Mahendra

2016-01-01

New media and social media have changed the practice of public relations. One area that changed is crisis communication. Because of these new technologies, crisis can be more complex. The pace of information, the uncertainty, and the rumors, are increasing. Public relations practitioners should include the new media and social media use in their crisis communication plan. Before doing that, public relations practitioners should change their mindset about social media and new media. The first ...

Disentangling effects of abiotic factors and biotic interactions on cross-taxon congruence in species turnover patterns of plants, moths and beetles.

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Duan, Meichun; Liu, Yunhui; Yu, Zhenrong; Baudry, Jacques; Li, Liangtao; Wang, Changliu; Axmacher, Jan C

2016-04-01

High cross-taxon congruence in species diversity patterns is essential for the use of surrogate taxa in biodiversity conservation, but presence and strength of congruence in species turnover patterns, and the relative contributions of abiotic environmental factors and biotic interaction towards this congruence, remain poorly understood. In our study, we used variation partitioning in multiple regressions to quantify cross-taxon congruence in community dissimilarities of vascular plants, geometrid and arciinid moths and carabid beetles, subsequently investigating their respective underpinning by abiotic factors and biotic interactions. Significant cross-taxon congruence observed across all taxon pairs was linked to their similar responses towards elevation change. Changes in the vegetation composition were closely linked to carabid turnover, with vegetation structure and associated microclimatic conditions proposed causes of this link. In contrast, moth assemblages appeared to be dominated by generalist species whose turnover was weakly associated with vegetation changes. Overall, abiotic factors exerted a stronger influence on cross-taxon congruence across our study sites than biotic interactions. The weak congruence in turnover observed particularly between plants and moths highlights the importance of multi-taxon approaches based on groupings of taxa with similar turnovers, rather than the use of single surrogate taxa or environmental proxies, in biodiversity assessments.

Glutathione S-Transferases: Role in Combating Abiotic Stresses Including Arsenic Detoxification in Plants

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Smita Kumar

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Arsenic (As, naturally occurring metalloid and a potential hazardous material, is found in low concentrations in the environment and emerges from natural sources and anthropogenic activities. The presence of As in ground water, which is used for irrigation, is a matter of great concern since it affects crop productivity and contaminates food chain. In plants, As alters various metabolic pathways in cells including the interaction of substrates/enzymes with the sulfhydryl groups of proteins and the replacement of phosphate in ATP for energy. In addition, As stimulates the generation of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS, resulting in oxidative stress. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs quench reactive molecules with the addition of glutathione (GSH and protect the cell from oxidative damage. GSTs are a multigene family of isozymes, known to catalyze the conjugation of GSH to miscellany of electrophilic and hydrophobic substrates. GSTs have been reported to be associated with plant developmental processes and are responsive to multitude of stressors. In past, several studies suggested involvement of plant GST gene family in As response due to the requirement of sulfur and GSH in the detoxification of this toxic metalloid. This review provides updated information about the role of GSTs in abiotic and biotic stresses with an emphasis on As uptake, metabolism, and detoxification in plants. Further, the genetic manipulations that helped in enhancing the understanding of the function of GSTs in abiotic stress response and heavy metal detoxification has been reviewed.

Identification of abiotic and biotic reductive dechlorination in a chlorinated ethene plume after thermal source remediation by means of isotopic and molecular biology tools

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Badin, Alice; Broholm, Mette Martina; Jacobsen, Carsten S.

2016-01-01

-Cl isotope analysis together with the almost absent VC 13C depletion in comparison to cDCE 13C depletion suggested that cDCE was subject to abiotic degradation due to the presence of pyrite, possible surface-bound iron (II) or reduced iron sulphides in the downgradient part of the plume. This interpretation...... reduced redox conditions which favor active reductive dechlorination and/or may lead to a series of redox reactions which may consecutively trigger biotically induced abiotic degradation. Finally, this study illustrates the valuable complementary application of compound-specific isotopic analysis combined...

Media education and media enlightenment as attributes of information society

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Лилия Борисовна Белоглазова

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the problem of the functioning of media-education and media-enlightenment in modern society. Focuses on the impact of this socio-cultural phenomenon on consciousness of members of the Information Society. Are the main characteristics of media-education and media-education and media-enlightenment. Concludes that media-education and media-enlightenment forms unscientific and anti-scientific thinking and style speech.

Metabolomics reveals biotic and abiotic elicitor effects on the soft coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi terpenoid content

OpenAIRE

Farag, Mohamed A.; Al-Mahdy, Dalia A.; Meyer, Achim; Westphal, Hildegard; Wessjohann, Ludger A.

2017-01-01

The effects of six biotic and abiotic elicitors, i.e. MeJA (methyl jasmonate), SA (salicylic acid), ZnCl2, glutathione and ?-glucan BG (fungal elicitor), and wounding, on the secondary metabolite accumulation in the soft coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi were assessed. Upon elicitation, metabolites were extracted and analysed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). Except for MeJA, no differences in photosynthetic efficiency were observed after treatments, suggestin...

Auxin Response Factors (ARFs are potential mediators of auxin action in tomato response to biotic and abiotic stress (Solanum lycopersicum.

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Sarah Bouzroud

Full Text Available Survival biomass production and crop yield are heavily constrained by a wide range of environmental stresses. Several phytohormones among which abscisic acid (ABA, ethylene and salicylic acid (SA are known to mediate plant responses to these stresses. By contrast, the role of the plant hormone auxin in stress responses remains so far poorly studied. Auxin controls many aspects of plant growth and development, and Auxin Response Factors play a key role in the transcriptional activation or repression of auxin-responsive genes through direct binding to their promoters. As a mean to gain more insight on auxin involvement in a set of biotic and abiotic stress responses in tomato, the present study uncovers the expression pattern of SlARF genes in tomato plants subjected to biotic and abiotic stresses. In silico mining of the RNAseq data available through the public TomExpress web platform, identified several SlARFs as responsive to various pathogen infections induced by bacteria and viruses. Accordingly, sequence analysis revealed that 5' regulatory regions of these SlARFs are enriched in biotic and abiotic stress-responsive cis-elements. Moreover, quantitative qPCR expression analysis revealed that many SlARFs were differentially expressed in tomato leaves and roots under salt, drought and flooding stress conditions. Further pointing to the putative role of SlARFs in stress responses, quantitative qPCR expression studies identified some miRNA precursors as potentially involved in the regulation of their SlARF target genes in roots exposed to salt and drought stresses. These data suggest an active regulation of SlARFs at the post-transcriptional level under stress conditions. Based on the substantial change in the transcript accumulation of several SlARF genes, the data presented in this work strongly support the involvement of auxin in stress responses thus enabling to identify a set of candidate SlARFs as potential mediators of biotic and abiotic

Sensitive Media

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Malinowska Anna

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The paper engages with what we refer to as “sensitive media,” a concept associated with developments in the overall media environment, our relationships with media devices, and the quality of the media themselves. Those developments point to the increasing emotionality of the media world and its infrastructures. Mapping the trajectories of technological development and impact that the newer media exert on human condition, our analysis touches upon various forms of emergent affect, emotion, and feeling in order to trace the histories and motivations of the sensitization of “the media things” as well as the redefinition of our affective and emotional experiences through technologies that themselves “feel.”

Social Media Sites

Science.gov (United States)

Media Sites Site Registration Contact Us Search AF.mil: Home > AF Sites > Social Media Sites Social Media Welcome to the Air Force social media directory! The directory is a one-stop shop of official Air Force social media pages across various social media sites. Social media is all about

Stereotypes in media and media literacy among young people

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Đerić Ivana

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Young people, the most common consumers of media content, bear out the view that media shapes people’s lives. Therefore we must not underestimate the effect media exerts on young people’s values and behavioral patterns. Television is the medium which draws children and young people for the greatest part of their free time. Regardless whether television programs are described as positive or negative, whether they abound with stereotypes or not, it is important that young people develop a critical attitude towards them so that they may resist different forms of media manipulation. The paper discusses how stereotypes are generated and used by media and the manners in which stereotypical concepts affect young people’s attitudes. It highlights the importance of the development of media literacy which implies a critical attitude towards media images and discourses, the development of criteria for the selection and evaluation of information broadcast by media, the development of skills in interpreting and understanding stereotypical concepts and familiarity with alternative forms of media culture. The paper draws special attention to the issue of media education. The conclusion is that schools should offer media literacy as part of their curriculum and in it possible solutions to the problems discussed. .

Impact of phenolic compounds and related enzymes in Sorghum varieties for resistance and susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stresses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dicko, M.H.; Gruppen, H.; Barro, C.; Traore, A.S.; Berkel, van W.J.H.; Voragen, A.G.J.

2005-01-01

Contents of phenolic compounds and related enzymes before and after sorghum grain germination were compared between varieties either resistant or susceptible to biotic (sooty stripe, sorghum midge, leaf anthracnose, striga, and grain molds) and abiotic (lodging, drought resistance, and photoperiod

Detection of Abiotic Methane in Terrestrial Continental Hydrothermal Systems: Implications for Methane on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Socki, Richard A.; Niles, Paul B.; Gibson, Everett K., Jr.; Romanek, Christopher S.; Zhang, Chuanlun L.; Bissada, Kadry K.

2008-01-01

The recent detection of methane in the Martian atmosphere and the possibility that its origin could be attributed to biological activity, have highlighted the importance of understanding the mechanisms of methane formation and its usefulness as a biomarker. Much debate has centered on the source of the methane in hydrothermal fluids, whether it is formed biologically by microorganisms, diagenetically through the decomposition of sedimentary organic matter, or inorganically via reduction of CO2 at high temperatures. Ongoing research has now shown that much of the methane present in sea-floor hydrothermal systems is probably formed through inorganic CO2 reduction processes at very high temperatures (greater than 400 C). Experimental results have indicated that methane might form inorganically at temperatures lower still, however these results remain controversial. Currently, methane in continental hydrothermal systems is thought to be formed mainly through the breakdown of sedimentary organic matter and carbon isotope equilibrium between CO2 and CH4 is thought to be rarely present if at all. Based on isotopic measurements of CO2 and CH4 in two continental hydrothermal systems, we suggest that carbon isotope equilibration exists at temperatures as low as 155 C. This would indicate that methane is forming through abiotic CO2 reduction at lower temperatures than previously thought and could bolster arguments for an abiotic origin of the methane detected in the martian atmosphere.

Minerals Masquerading As Enzymes: Abiotic Oxidation Of Soil Organic Matter In An Iron-Rich Humid Tropical Forest Soil

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, S. J.; Silver, W. L.

2010-12-01

Oxidative reactions play an important role in decomposing soil organic matter fractions that resist hydrolytic degradation, and fundamentally affect the cycling of recalcitrant soil carbon across ecosystems. Microbial extracellular oxidative enzymes (e.g. lignin peroxidases and laccases) have been assumed to provide a dominant role in catalyzing soil organic matter oxidation, while other potential oxidative mechanisms remain poorly explored. Here, we show that abiotic reactions mediated by the oxidation of ferrous iron (Fe(II)) could explain high potential oxidation rates in humid tropical forest soils, which often contain high concentrations of Fe(II) and experience rapid redox fluctuations between anaerobic and aerobic conditions. These abiotic reactions could provide an additional mechanism to explain high rates of decomposition in these ecosystems, despite frequent oxygen deficits. We sampled humid tropical forest soils in Puerto Rico, USA from various topographic positions, ranging from well-drained ridges to riparian valleys that experience broad fluctuations in redox potential. We measured oxidative activity by adding the model humic compound L-DOPA to soil slurries, followed by colorimetric measurements of the supernatant solution over time. Dilute hydrogen peroxide was added to a subset of slurries to measure peroxidative activity. We found that oxidative and peroxidative activity correlated positively with soil Fe(II) concentrations, counter to prevailing theory that low redox potential should suppress oxidative enzymes. Boiling or autoclaving sub-samples of soil slurries to denature any enzymes present typically increased peroxidative activity and did not eliminate oxidative activity, further suggesting the importance of an abiotic mechanism. We found substantial differences in the oxidation products of the L-DOPA substrate generated by our soil slurries in comparison with oxidation products generated by a purified enzyme (mushroom tyrosinase

Media evolution and ‘epi-technic’ digital media: Media as cultural selection mechanisms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olesen, Mogens

2016-01-01

The explosive development of new digital media technologies is often described as a media evolution but hardly ever is the concept of ‘media evolution’ taken at face value. This article takes up that challenge by combining cultural evolution theories with medium theory. The article argues that bi...

The novel wheat transcription factor TaNAC47 enhances multiple abiotic stress tolerances in transgenic plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Na eZhang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available NAC transcription factors play diverse roles in plant development and responses to abiotic stresses. However, the biological roles of NAC family members in wheat are not well understood. Here, we reported the isolation and functional characterization of a novel wheat TaNAC47 gene. TaNAC47 encoded protein, localizing in the nucleus, is able to bind to the ABRE cis-element and transactivate transcription in yeast, suggesting that it likely functions as a transcriptional activator. We also showed that TaNAC47 is differentially expressed in different tissues, and its expression was induced by the stress treatments of salt, cold, polyethylene glycol (PEG and exogenous abscisic acid (ABA. Furthermore, overexpression of TaNAC47 in Arabidopsis resulted in ABA hypersensitivity and enhancing tolerance of transgenic plants to drought, salt and freezing stresses. Strikingly, overexpression of TaNAC47 was found to activate the expression of downstream genes and change several physiological indices that may enable transgenic plants to overcome unfavorable environments. Taken together, these results uncovered an important role of wheat TaNAC47 gene in response to ABA and abiotic stresses.

When bad guys become good ones: the key role of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide in the plant responses to abiotic stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernanda Dos Santos Farnese

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The natural environment of plants is composed of a complex set of abiotic stresses and their ability to respond to these stresses is highly flexible and finely balanced through the interaction between signaling molecules. In this review, we highlight the integrated action between reactive oxygen species (ROS and reactive nitrogen species (RNS, particularly nitric oxide (NO, involved in the acclimation to different abiotic stresses. Under stressful conditions, the biosynthesis transport and the metabolism of ROS and NO influence plant response mechanisms. The enzymes involved in ROS and NO synthesis and scavenging can be found in different cells compartments and their temporal and spatial locations are determinant for signaling mechanisms. Both ROS and NO are involved in long distances signaling (ROS wave and GSNO transport, promoting an acquired systemic acclimation to abiotic stresses. The mechanisms of abiotic stresses response triggered by ROS and NO involve some general steps, as the enhancement of antioxidant systems, but also stress-specific mechanisms, according to the stress type (drought, hypoxia, heavy metals, etc, and demand the interaction with other signaling molecules, such as MAPK, plant hormones and calcium. The transduction of ROS and NO bioactivity involves post-translational modifications of proteins, particularly S-glutathionylation for ROS, and S-nitrosylation for NO. These changes may alter the activity, stability, and interaction with other molecules or subcellular location of proteins, changing the entire cell dynamics and contributing to the maintenance of homeostasis. However, despite the recent advances about the roles of ROS and NO in signaling cascades, many challenges remain, and future studies focusing on the signaling of these molecules in planta are still necessary.

When Bad Guys Become Good Ones: The Key Role of Reactive Oxygen Species and Nitric Oxide in the Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Farnese, Fernanda S; Menezes-Silva, Paulo E; Gusman, Grasielle S; Oliveira, Juraci A

2016-01-01

The natural environment of plants is composed of a complex set of abiotic stresses and their ability to respond to these stresses is highly flexible and finely balanced through the interaction between signaling molecules. In this review, we highlight the integrated action between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), particularly nitric oxide (NO), involved in the acclimation to different abiotic stresses. Under stressful conditions, the biosynthesis transport and the metabolism of ROS and NO influence plant response mechanisms. The enzymes involved in ROS and NO synthesis and scavenging can be found in different cells compartments and their temporal and spatial locations are determinant for signaling mechanisms. Both ROS and NO are involved in long distances signaling (ROS wave and GSNO transport), promoting an acquired systemic acclimation to abiotic stresses. The mechanisms of abiotic stresses response triggered by ROS and NO involve some general steps, as the enhancement of antioxidant systems, but also stress-specific mechanisms, according to the stress type (drought, hypoxia, heavy metals, etc.), and demand the interaction with other signaling molecules, such as MAPK, plant hormones, and calcium. The transduction of ROS and NO bioactivity involves post-translational modifications of proteins, particularly S-glutathionylation for ROS, and S-nitrosylation for NO. These changes may alter the activity, stability, and interaction with other molecules or subcellular location of proteins, changing the entire cell dynamics and contributing to the maintenance of homeostasis. However, despite the recent advances about the roles of ROS and NO in signaling cascades, many challenges remain, and future studies focusing on the signaling of these molecules in planta are still necessary.

Transcriptional regulation of Arabidopsis MIR168a and argonaute1 homeostasis in abscisic acid and abiotic stress responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wei; Cui, Xiao; Meng, Zhaolu; Huang, Xiahe; Xie, Qi; Wu, Heng; Jin, Hailing; Zhang, Dabing; Liang, Wanqi

2012-03-01

The accumulation of a number of small RNAs in plants is affected by abscisic acid (ABA) and abiotic stresses, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. The miR168-mediated feedback regulatory loop regulates ARGONAUTE1 (AGO1) homeostasis, which is crucial for gene expression modulation and plant development. Here, we reveal a transcriptional regulatory mechanism by which MIR168 controls AGO1 homeostasis during ABA treatment and abiotic stress responses in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Plants overexpressing MIR168a and the AGO1 loss-of-function mutant ago1-27 display ABA hypersensitivity and drought tolerance, while the mir168a-2 mutant shows ABA hyposensitivity and drought hypersensitivity. Both the precursor and mature miR168 were induced under ABA and several abiotic stress treatments, but no obvious decrease for the target of miR168, AGO1, was shown under the same conditions. However, promoter activity analysis indicated that AGO1 transcription activity was increased under ABA and drought treatments, suggesting that transcriptional elevation of MIR168a is required for maintaining a stable AGO1 transcript level during the stress response. Furthermore, we showed both in vitro and in vivo that the transcription of MIR168a is directly regulated by four abscisic acid-responsive element (ABRE) binding factors, which bind to the ABRE cis-element within the MIR168a promoter. This ABRE motif is also found in the promoter of MIR168a homologs in diverse plant species. Our findings suggest that transcriptional regulation of miR168 and posttranscriptional control of AGO1 homeostasis may play an important and conserved role in stress response and signal transduction in plants.

Trolling new media: violent extremist groups recruiting through social media

OpenAIRE

Chang, Mark D.

2015-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited With the advent and subsequent growth of several new media technologies, violent extremist groups have incorporated social media into recruiting strategies. How are violent extremist groups using social media for recruiting? This thesis explores several new media technologies—websites, blogs, social media, mobile phones, and online gaming—to determine if violent extremist groups rely on social media for recruiting. By comparing the com...

Expression of an engineered heterologous antimicrobial peptide in potato alters plant development and mitigates normal abiotic and biotic responses.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ravinder K Goyal

Full Text Available Antimicrobial cationic peptides (AMPs are ubiquitous small proteins used by living cells to defend against a wide spectrum of pathogens. Their amphipathic property helps their interaction with negatively charged cellular membrane of the pathogen causing cell lysis and death. AMPs also modulate signaling pathway(s and cellular processes in animal models; however, little is known of cellular processes other than the pathogen-lysis phenomenon modulated by AMPs in plants. An engineered heterologous AMP, msrA3, expressed in potato was previously shown to cause resistance of the transgenic plants against selected fungal and bacterial pathogens. These lines together with the wild type were studied for growth habits, and for inducible defense responses during challenge with biotic (necrotroph Fusarium solani and abiotic stressors (dark-induced senescence, wounding and temperature stress. msrA3-expression not only conferred protection against F. solani but also delayed development of floral buds and prolonged vegetative phase. Analysis of select gene transcript profiles showed that the transgenic potato plants were suppressed in the hypersensitive (HR and reactive oxygen species (ROS responses to both biotic and abiotic stressors. Also, the transgenic leaves accumulated lesser amounts of the defense hormone jasmonic acid upon wounding with only a slight change in salicylic acid as compared to the wild type. Thus, normal host defense responses to the pathogen and abiotic stressors were mitigated by msrA3 expression suggesting MSRA3 regulates a common step(s of these response pathways. The stemming of the pathogen growth and mitigating stress response pathways likely contributes to resource reallocation for higher tuber yield.

Media education.

Science.gov (United States)

Strasburger, Victor C

2010-11-01

The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes that exposure to mass media (eg, television, movies, video and computer games, the Internet, music lyrics and videos, newspapers, magazines, books, advertising) presents health risks for children and adolescents but can provide benefits as well. Media education has the potential to reduce the harmful effects of media and accentuate the positive effects. By understanding and supporting media education, pediatricians can play an important role in reducing harmful effects of media on children and adolescents.

Linking Species Traits to the Abiotic Template of Flowing Waters: Contrasting Eco physiologies Underlie Displacement of Zebra Mussels by Quagga Mussels in a Large River-Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Casper, A. F.

2005-05-01

The St. Lawrence River-Estuary was the gateway of entry for dreissenids to North America and holds some of the oldest populations. The St. Lawrence also has four distinct physical-chemical water masses (a regional scale abiotic template) that both species inhabit. Despite their ecological similarities, quagga mussels are supplanting zebra mussels in much of their shared range. In order to try to better understand the changing distributions of these two species we compared glycogen, shell mass and tissue biomass in each of the water masses. This comparative physiological combined with experimental approaches (estuarine salinity experiments and reciprocal transplants) showed that while quagga mussels should dominate in most habitats, that abiotic/bioenergetic constraints in two regions (the Ottawa River plume and the freshwater-marine transition zone) might prevent them from dominating these locations. These findings are an example of how the interaction of landscape scale abiotic heterogeneity and a species-specific physiology can have strong impacts of distribution of biota large rivers.

Abiotic/biotic coupling in the rhizosphere: a reactive transport modeling analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, Corey R.; Steefel, Carl; Maher, Kate

2014-01-01

A new generation of models is needed to adequately simulate patterns of soil biogeochemical cycling in response changing global environmental drivers. For example, predicting the influence of climate change on soil organic matter storage and stability requires models capable of addressing complex biotic/abiotic interactions of rhizosphere and weathering processes. Reactive transport modeling provides a powerful framework simulating these interactions and the resulting influence on soil physical and chemical characteristics. Incorporation of organic reactions in an existing reactive transport model framework has yielded novel insights into soil weathering and development but much more work is required to adequately capture root and microbial dynamics in the rhizosphere. This endeavor provides many advantages over traditional soil biogeochemical models but also many challenges.

Episodic abiotic stress and Phytophthora ramorum blight in rhododendron: impacts on root infection, symptom expression and chemical management

Science.gov (United States)

Tatiana Roubtsova; Richard Bostock

2013-01-01

Of concern for disease management and certification programs in nursery ornamentals is that roots, when colonized by Phytophthora ramorum, may serve as a potential reservoir of inoculum. An additional complication is that the above ground portion of plants with root infections may be asymptomatic. Our central hypothesis is that mild abiotic...

An endoplasmic reticulum-localized Coffea arabica BURP domain-containing protein affects the response of transgenic Arabidopsis plants to diverse abiotic stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinh, Sy Nguyen; Kang, Hunseung

2017-11-01

The Coffea arabica BURP domain-containing gene plays an important role in the response of transgenic Arabidopsis plants to abiotic stresses via regulating the level of diverse proteins. Although the functions of plant-specific BURP domain-containing proteins (BDP) have been determined for a few plants, their roles in the growth, development, and stress responses of most plant species, including coffee plant (Coffea arabica), are largely unknown. In this study, the function of a C. arabica BDP, designated CaBDP1, was investigated in transgenic Arabidopsis plants. The expression of CaBDP1 was highly modulated in coffee plants subjected to drought, cold, salt, or ABA. Confocal analysis of CaBDP1-GFP fusion proteins revealed that CaBDP1 is localized in the endoplasmic reticulum. The ectopic expression of CaBDP1 in Arabidopsis resulted in delayed germination of the transgenic plants under abiotic stress and in the presence of ABA. Cotyledon greening and seedling growth of the transgenic plants were inhibited in the presence of ABA due to the upregulation of ABA signaling-related genes like ABI3, ABI4, and ABI5. Proteome analysis revealed that the levels of several proteins are modulated in CaBDP1-expressing transgenic plants. The results of this study underscore the importance of BURP domain proteins in plant responses to diverse abiotic stresses.

Abiotic and biotic factors responsible for antimonite oxidation in Agrobacterium tumefaciens GW4

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jingxin; Yang, Birong; Shi, Manman; Yuan, Kai; Guo, Wei; Wang, Qian; Wang, Gejiao

2017-03-01

Antimonite [Sb(III)]-oxidizing bacteria can transform the toxic Sb(III) into the less toxic antimonate [Sb(V)]. Recently, the cytoplasmic Sb(III)-oxidase AnoA and the periplasmic arsenite [As(III)] oxidase AioAB were shown to responsible for bacterial Sb(III) oxidation, however, disruption of each gene only partially decreased Sb(III) oxidation efficiency. This study showed that in Agrobacterium tumefaciens GW4, Sb(III) induced cellular H2O2 content and H2O2 degradation gene katA. Gene knock-out/complementation of katA, anoA, aioA and anoA/aioA and Sb(III) oxidation and growth experiments showed that katA, anoA and aioA were essential for Sb(III) oxidation and resistance and katA was also essential for H2O2 resistance. Furthermore, linear correlations were observed between cellular H2O2 and Sb(V) content in vivo and chemical H2O2 and Sb(V) content in vitro (R2 = 0.93 and 0.94, respectively). These results indicate that besides the biotic factors, the cellular H2O2 induced by Sb(III) also catalyzes bacterial Sb(III) oxidation as an abiotic oxidant. The data reveal a novel mechanism that bacterial Sb(III) oxidation is associated with abiotic (cellular H2O2) and biotic (AnoA and AioAB) factors and Sb(III) oxidation process consumes cellular H2O2 which contributes to microbial detoxification of both Sb(III) and cellular H2O2.

Interfacial photochemistry of biogenic surfactants: a major source of abiotic volatile organic compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Brüggemann, Martin; Hayeck, Nathalie; Bonnineau, Chloé; Pesce, Stéphane; Alpert, Peter A; Perrier, Sébastien; Zuth, Christoph; Hoffmann, Thorsten; Chen, Jianmin; George, Christian

2017-08-24

Films of biogenic compounds exposed to the atmosphere are ubiquitously found on the surfaces of cloud droplets, aerosol particles, buildings, plants, soils and the ocean. These air/water interfaces host countless amphiphilic compounds concentrated there with respect to in bulk water, leading to a unique chemical environment. Here, photochemical processes at the air/water interface of biofilm-containing solutions were studied, demonstrating abiotic VOC production from authentic biogenic surfactants under ambient conditions. Using a combination of online-APCI-HRMS and PTR-ToF-MS, unsaturated and functionalized VOCs were identified and quantified, giving emission fluxes comparable to previous field and laboratory observations. Interestingly, VOC fluxes increased with the decay of microbial cells in the samples, indicating that cell lysis due to cell death was the main source for surfactants and VOC production. In particular, irradiation of samples containing solely biofilm cells without matrix components exhibited the strongest VOC production upon irradiation. In agreement with previous studies, LC-MS measurements of the liquid phase suggested the presence of fatty acids and known photosensitizers, possibly inducing the observed VOC production via peroxy radical chemistry. Up to now, such VOC emissions were directly accounted to high biological activity in surface waters. However, the results obtained suggest that abiotic photochemistry can lead to similar emissions into the atmosphere, especially in less biologically-active regions. Furthermore, chamber experiments suggest that oxidation (O 3 /OH radicals) of the photochemically-produced VOCs leads to aerosol formation and growth, possibly affecting atmospheric chemistry and climate-related processes, such as cloud formation or the Earth's radiation budget.

Abiotic and biotic controls on local spatial distribution and performance of Boechera stricta

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

KUSUM J NAITHANI

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the relative influence of biotic and abiotic factors on community dynamics using an integrated approach and highlights the influence of space on genotypic and phenotypic traits in plant community structure. We examined the relative influence of topography, environment, spatial distance, and intra- and interspecific interactions on spatial distribution and performance of Boechera stricta (rockcress, a close perennial relative of model plant Arabidopsis. First, using Bayesian kriging, we mapped the topography and environmental gradients and explored the spatial distribution of naturally occurring rockcress plants and two neighbors, Taraxacum officinale (dandelion and Solidago missouriensis (goldenrod found in close proximity within a typical diverse meadow community across topographic and environmental gradients. We then evaluated direct and indirect relationships among variables using Mantel path analysis and developed a network displaying abiotic and biotic interactions in this community. We found significant spatial autocorrelation among rockcress individuals, either because of common microhabitats as displayed by high density of individuals at lower elevation and high soil moisture area, or limited dispersal as shown by significant spatial autocorrelation of naturally occurring inbred lines, or a combination of both. Goldenrod and dandelion density around rockcress does not show any direct relationship with rockcress fecundity, possibly due to spatial segregation of resources. However, dandelion density around rockcress shows an indirect negative influence on rockcress fecundity via herbivory, indicating interspecific competition. Overall, we suggest that common microhabitat preference and limited dispersal are the main drivers for spatial distribution. However, intra-specific interactions and insect herbivory are the main drivers of rockcress performance in the meadow community.

Media Framing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Rasmus T.

2017-01-01

The concept of media framing refers to the way in which the news media organize and provide meaning to a news story by emphasizing some parts of reality and disregarding other parts. These patterns of emphasis and exclusion in news coverage create frames that can have considerable effects on news...... consumers’ perceptions and attitudes regarding the given issue or event. This entry briefly elaborates on the concept of media framing, presents key types of media frames, and introduces the research on media framing effects....

Media Entrepreneurship

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khajeheian, Datis

2017-01-01

Media Entrepreneurship has been an ambiguous, unclear and controversial concept and despite of growing academic efforts in the last decade, it is still a poorly defined subject. This paper is an effort to fill this gap by providing a comprehensive definition of media entrepreneurship. Firstly......, a literature review conducted and entrepreneurship, media, opportunity and innovation as building blocks of media entrepreneurship explained. Then by using of a mixed of bibliographic method and a Delphi method with multi-stage analysis process, a consensual definition of media entrepreneurship proposed...... entrepreneurship....

Kinetics of abiotic nitrous oxide production via oxidation of hydroxylamine by particulate metals in seawater

Science.gov (United States)

Cavazos, A. R.; Taillefert, M.; Glass, J. B.

2016-12-01

The oceans are a significant of nitrous oxide (N2O) to the atmosphere. Current models of global oceanic N2­O flux focus on microbial N2O cycling and often ignore abiotic reactions, such as the thermodynamically favorable oxidation of the nitrification intermediate hydroxylamine (NH2OH) by Mn(IV) or Fe(III). At circumneutral pH, NH2OH oxidation is more thermodynamically favorable via Mn(IV) than Fe(III) reduction. We characterized the kinetics of NH2OH oxidation in synthetic ocean water at pH 5.1-8.8 using microsensor electrodes to measure real-time N2O production. N2O production rates and yield were greater when NH2OH was oxidized by Mn(IV) than Fe(III). Accordingly, the reduction of Mn(IV) was first order with respect to NH2OH whereas the reduction of Fe(III) was zero order with respect to NH2OH. Interestingly, the order of the reaction with respect to Mn(IV) appears to be negative whereas the reaction is second order with respect to Fe(III). The inverse order with respect to Mn(IV) may be due to the aggregation of particles in seawater, which decreases their surface area and changes their reactivity. Finally, the reaction is first order with respect to protons with Fe(III) as the oxidant but zero order with Mn(IV). The stronger effect of the pH on the reaction with Fe(III) as the oxidant compared to Mn(IV) reflects the stoichiometry of these two reactions, as each mole of N2O produced by Fe(III) reduction consumes eight protons while each mole of N2O produced with Mn(IV) as the oxidant requires only four protons. Our data show that abiotic NH2OH oxidation by Mn(IV) or Fe(III) particles may represent a significant source of N2O in seawater. These findings suggest that abiotic N2O production in marine waters may be significant in areas of the oceans where particulate metals originating from aerosols, dust, or rivers may react with NH2OH released from ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms.

New media technologies and mass media reform processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomić Boban

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper reviews and assesses the chances for survival and development of the media in Serbia and ib the region, from the perspective of new information and communication technologies (ICT applied in media business. In the paper theoretical method is used and harmonized with the needs of describing the problems and the observed processes and phenomena, as well as empirical method which is used for collecting and interpreting concrete facts and data on the observed processes and phenomena. The starting point lies in the fact that modern media is definitely, more and more, dependent on new technologies. A part of the new technologies is used in the process of collecting, selecting and editing media content, while the other part of the technology is used in the process of dissemination and propulsion of media content to the mass audience, and also in the feedback function as well. The technology revolution, which we describe, started with mp3, jpg and avi files, and continues with internet broadcasting, social networks, cloud technologies and new digital platforms which are used by today's media for distribution of media content. The particularity of the media in the region lies in the fact that they operating in the societes with delay of political and economic transition, so all the productive resources of society, due to this backlog, are slower adapted to the new conditions of business in the digital era. The consequences that have arisen from such dynamics of development make many media in Serbia and the region quite dysfunctional, especially those who were exposed during this transition to long-standing legal, economic and program crises. That is why most of the existing media in Serbia, especially small ones, are unprepared for modernization and they are not ready for re-modeling in accordance with the new technological circumstances.

[Media for 21st century--towards human communication media].

Science.gov (United States)

Harashima, H

2000-05-01

Today, with the approach of the 21st century, attention is focused on multi-media communications combining computer, visual and audio technologies. This article discusses the communication media target and the technological problems constituting the nucleus of multi-media. The communication media is becoming an environment from which no one can escape. Since the media has such a great power, what is needed now is not to predict the future technologies, but to estimate the future world and take to responsibility for future environments.

Media Ecology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Ašković

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Does the trend in which electronic media are gradually becoming extension of human body have to move towards full enslavement of a human and his personality, or the same human will unpredictably, with the aid of his personal media literacy, exit the whirls of media and technological censorships? Personality crisis is closely related to the crisis of language no matter how contradicted to global ideology of transnational transhumanism it may seem. Considering the fact that recent media presentations of the world are based on commercialization of environmentalism, philosophical and aesthetic thought appears as an important subject of ecology. As media mediates, the scenery of civilized living increasingly becomes more appealing even though it derives from commercial and political background. Consequently, the future of humanity depends by large on the philosophy of media. Media have to truly ecologise returning the humanum to its essence making it into the extension of the natural world.

Media Education and Media Criticism in the Educational Process in Russia

Science.gov (United States)

Fedorov, Alexander; Levitskaya, Anastasia

2017-01-01

Media criticism and media education have a lot in common. For example, both media education and media criticism attach great importance to the development of analytical thinking of the audience. Indeed, one of the most important tasks of media education is precisely to teach the audience not only to analyze media texts of any types, but also to…

Mediterranean coastal dune systems: Which abiotic factors have the most influence on plant communities?

Science.gov (United States)

Ruocco, Matteo; Bertoni, Duccio; Sarti, Giovanni; Ciccarelli, Daniela

2014-08-01

Mediterranean coastal dunes are dynamic and heterogeneous ecosystems characterised by a strong interaction between abiotic and biotic factors. The present study aimed to adopt a multidisciplinary approach - integrating data on dune morphology, sediment texture and soil parameters as well as shoreline trend - in order to define which are the abiotic factors that most affect the distribution and composition of Mediterranean plant dune communities. The study was carried out in two protected areas, located in central Italy, subjected to different shoreline trends in recent years. 75 plots were identified along eleven randomly positioned cross-shore transects, starting from the beach continuing up to the plant communities of the backdunes. In each plot floristic and environmental data - such as distance to the coastline, plot altitude, inclination, shoreline trend, mean grain-size, sorting, pH, conductivity and organic matter concentration - were collected. The analyses revealed significant changes of vegetational cover, dune morphology and geopedological features along the coast-to-inland gradient. Relationships between vegetation composition and environmental factors were investigated through Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). Four factors - distance to the coastline, mean grain-size, shoreline trend and organic matter - were found to be closely correlated with the floristic composition of plant communities. Finally, soil properties were highlighted as the most determinant factors of community zonation in these Mediterranean coastal dune ecosystems. These results could be taken into account by local managers in conservation actions such as protecting the eroding foredunes as well as in artificial dune reconstructions.

Abiotic nitrogen fixation on terrestrial planets: reduction of NO to ammonia by FeS.

Science.gov (United States)

Summers, David P; Basa, Ranor C B; Khare, Bishun; Rodoni, David

2012-02-01

Understanding the abiotic fixation of nitrogen and how such fixation can be a supply of prebiotic nitrogen is critical for understanding both the planetary evolution of, and the potential origin of life on, terrestrial planets. As nitrogen is a biochemically essential element, sources of biochemically accessible nitrogen, especially reduced nitrogen, are critical to prebiotic chemistry and the origin of life. Loss of atmospheric nitrogen can result in loss of the ability to sustain liquid water on a planetary surface, which would impact planetary habitability and hydrological processes that shape the surface. It is known that NO can be photochemically converted through a chain of reactions to form nitrate and nitrite, which can be subsequently reduced to ammonia. Here, we show that NO can also be directly reduced, by FeS, to ammonia. In addition to removing nitrogen from the atmosphere, this reaction is particularly important as a source of reduced nitrogen on an early terrestrial planet. By converting NO directly to ammonia in a single step, ammonia is formed with a higher product yield (~50%) than would be possible through the formation of nitrate/nitrite and subsequent conversion to ammonia. In conjunction with the reduction of NO, there is also a catalytic disproportionation at the mineral surface that converts NO to NO₂ and N₂O. The NO₂ is then converted to ammonia, while the N₂O is released back in the gas phase, which provides an abiotic source of nitrous oxide.

[Effect of abiotic and biotic factors on the structural and functional organization of the saline lake ecosystems in Crimea].

Science.gov (United States)

Balushkina, E V; Golubkov, S M; Golubkov, M S; Litvinchuk, L F; Shadrin, N V

2009-01-01

Decrease of both zooplankton and zoobenthos species richness and a trend toward decrease of their biomass with the salinity increase was recorded in the hypersaline lakes of Crimea. The most of structural and functional characteristics of macrobenthos is positively correlated with abiotic and biotic characteristics of those lakes. Abundance, biomass, productivity of macrobenthos and ration of non-predating macrozoobenthos decrease with salinity increase, while they increase with the depth and growth of amount of chlorophyll a and primary production. Macrozoobenthos portion in the total zooplankton and macrozoobenthos biomass decreases with both salinity and depth increase. Zooplankton community is less controlled by abiotic factors as compared to macrozoobenthos, while the former's species number significantly decrease with salinity increase. Effect of salinity on zooplankton biomass is slightly significant, unlike that of macrozoobenthos. Comparison of total amount of rations of zooplankton and macrozoobenthos with amount of primary production indicates intense trophic interactions in the lakes under study.

Geographic Media Literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Lukinbeal, Chris

2014-01-01

While the use of media permeates geographic research and pedagogic practice, the underlying literacies that link geography and media remain uncharted. This article argues that geographic media literacy incorporates visual literacy, information technology literacy, information literacy, and media literacy. Geographic media literacy is the ability…

SOCIAL MEDIA SECURITY

Science.gov (United States)

RESPONSIBILITY CENTCOM COALITION MEDIA SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS ARTICLES PRESS RELEASES IMAGERY VIDEOS TRANSCRIPTS VISITORS AND PERSONNEL FAMILY CENTER FAMILY READINESS CENTCOM WEBMAIL SOCIAL MEDIA SECURITY ACCOUNTABILITY HomeVISITORS AND PERSONNELSOCIAL MEDIA SECURITY FAQ on Security for Social Media Due to the widespread use of

Genome-wide analysis of WRKY gene family in the sesame genome and identification of the WRKY genes involved in responses to abiotic stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Donghua; Liu, Pan; Yu, Jingyin; Wang, Linhai; Dossa, Komivi; Zhang, Yanxin; Zhou, Rong; Wei, Xin; Zhang, Xiurong

2017-09-11

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is one of the world's most important oil crops. However, it is susceptible to abiotic stresses in general, and to waterlogging and drought stresses in particular. The molecular mechanisms of abiotic stress tolerance in sesame have not yet been elucidated. The WRKY domain transcription factors play significant roles in plant growth, development, and responses to stresses. However, little is known about the number, location, structure, molecular phylogenetics, and expression of the WRKY genes in sesame. We performed a comprehensive study of the WRKY gene family in sesame and identified 71 SiWRKYs. In total, 65 of these genes were mapped to 15 linkage groups within the sesame genome. A phylogenetic analysis was performed using a related species (Arabidopsis thaliana) to investigate the evolution of the sesame WRKY genes. Tissue expression profiles of the WRKY genes demonstrated that six SiWRKY genes were highly expressed in all organs, suggesting that these genes may be important for plant growth and organ development in sesame. Analysis of the SiWRKY gene expression patterns revealed that 33 and 26 SiWRKYs respond strongly to waterlogging and drought stresses, respectively. Changes in the expression of 12 SiWRKY genes were observed at different times after the waterlogging and drought treatments had begun, demonstrating that sesame gene expression patterns vary in response to abiotic stresses. In this study, we analyzed the WRKY family of transcription factors encoded by the sesame genome. Insight was gained into the classification, evolution, and function of the SiWRKY genes, revealing their putative roles in a variety of tissues. Responses to abiotic stresses in different sesame cultivars were also investigated. The results of our study provide a better understanding of the structures and functions of sesame WRKY genes and suggest that manipulating these WRKYs could enhance resistance to waterlogging and drought.

The bZIP protein from Tamarix hispida, ThbZIP1, is ACGT elements binding factor that enhances abiotic stress signaling in transgenic Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Xiaoyu; Liu, Guifeng; Liu, Yujia; Zheng, Lei; Nie, Xianguang; Wang, Yucheng

2013-10-04

Tamarix spp. are woody halophyte, which are very tolerant to abiotic stresses such as salinity and drought, but little is known about their specific stress response systems. Basic leucine zipper proteins (bZIPs) play important roles in the ability of plants to withstand adverse environmental conditions. However, their exact roles in abiotic stress tolerance are still not fully known. In the current study, we functionally characterized a bZIP gene (ThbZIP1) from Tamarix hispida in response to abiotic stresses. We addressed the regulatory network of ThbZIP1 in three levels, i.e. its upstream regulators, the cis-acting elements recognized by ThbZIP1, and its downstream target genes. Two MYCs were found to bind to E-box, in the promoter of ThbZIP1 to activate its expression. Expression of ThbZIP1 is induced by ABA, salt, drought, methyl viologen and cold. ThbZIP1 can specifically bind to ACGT elements, with the highest binding affinity to the C-box, followed by the G-box and lastly the A-box. Compared with wild-type (Col-0) Arabidopsis, transgenic plants expressing ThbZIP1 had an increased tolerance to drought and salt, but had an increased sensitivity to ABA during seed germination and root growth; meanwhile, ROS level, cell death and water loss rate in transgenic plants were significantly reduced. Microarray analyses showed that many ROS scavenging genes were up-regulated by ThbZIP1 under salt stress conditions. Based on these data, we suggest that ThbZIP1 confers abiotic stress tolerance through activating stress tolerance genes to modulate ROS scavenging ability and other physiological changes involved in stress tolerance, and plays an important role in the ABA-mediated stress response of T. hispida.

ANALISIS CATEGORY ADVERTISING EXPENDITURE DAN CONSUMER MEDIA HABIT DI MEDIA TELEVISI DAN MEDIA CETAK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zifwen Zifwen

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 The purpose of the study is to identify the category of advertising expenditure and media habit on media advertising, especially on television and print ad such as newspapers, magazines and tabloids. The Data were collected  from Nielsen Media Research (NMR data base from a number of cities in Indonesia, such as Jakarta,Surabaya, Bandung, Semarang, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Bali, Medan,Palembang and Makassar. There are three different type of data used to acquire the secondary data for the study: (1  Telescope (data collected for rating analysis January 1st, 2005 to March 31st, 2005, (2 Print scope (data collected from the readership of magazines, tabloids and newspaper January 1st, 2004 to December 31st, 2004 and (3 Ad quest (data collected from advertising expenditure for all categories. The data were collected, calculated and analyzed from January 1st, 2002 to December 31st, 2004. The purpose of the study is to uncover the trend of advertising budget from all categories on the television and print ads, in order to describe the consumption tendency of the people within advertising media. Index analysis and Biplot were used to analyze the data. Based on the result of advertising expenditure analysis of data, showing that all categories were completely different in the utilization of the media for advertisement. Some categories used mix media to support their campaign and others used a single media. Characteristic of the categories were strongly involved in the decision making in way of choosing and using the advertising media. The result of consumer media analysis found that the people habit were completely different and unique in media consumption. Different of age, sex and social economic status can create a different habit in term of hobbies and desire within the channel, programme, newspaper, magazines and the tabloids. Finally, to create an effective and efficient advertising activity

Role of miRNAs and siRNAs in biotic and abiotic stress responses of plants

KAUST Repository

Khraiwesh, Basel

2012-02-01

Small, non-coding RNAs are a distinct class of regulatory RNAs in plants and animals that control a variety of biological processes. In plants, several classes of small RNAs with specific sizes and dedicated functions have evolved through a series of pathways. The major classes of small RNAs include microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which differ in their biogenesis. miRNAs control the expression of cognate target genes by binding to reverse complementary sequences, resulting in cleavage or translational inhibition of the target RNAs. siRNAs have a similar structure, function, and biogenesis as miRNAs but are derived from long double-stranded RNAs and can often direct DNA methylation at target sequences. Besides their roles in growth and development and maintenance of genome integrity, small RNAs are also important components in plant stress responses. One way in which plants respond to environmental stress is by modifying their gene expression through the activity of small RNAs. Thus, understanding how small RNAs regulate gene expression will enable researchers to explore the role of small RNAs in biotic and abiotic stress responses. This review focuses on the regulatory roles of plant small RNAs in the adaptive response to stresses. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Plant gene regulation in response to abiotic stress. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

ThWRKY4 from Tamarix hispida Can Form Homodimers and Heterodimers and Is Involved in Abiotic Stress Responses

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Liuqiang Wang

2015-11-01

Full Text Available WRKY proteins are a large family of transcription factors that are involved in diverse developmental processes and abiotic stress responses in plants. However, our knowledge of the regulatory mechanisms of WRKYs participation in protein–protein interactions is still fragmentary, and such protein–protein interactions are fundamental in understanding biological networks and the functions of proteins. In this study, we report that a WRKY protein from Tamarix hispida, ThWRKY4, can form both homodimers and heterodimers with ThWRKY2 and ThWRKY3. In addition, ThWRKY2 and ThWRKY3 can both bind to W-box motif with binding affinities similar to that of ThWRKY4. Further, the expression patterns of ThWRKY2 and ThWRKY3 are similar to that of ThWRKY4 when plants are exposed to abscisic acid (ABA. Subcellular localization shows that these three ThWRKY proteins are nuclear proteins. Taken together, these results demonstrate that ThWRKY4 is a dimeric protein that can form functional homodimers or heterodimers that are involved in abiotic stress responses.

Effects of soil abiotic factors on the plant morphology in an intertidal salt marsh, Yellow River Delta, China

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shanze; Cui, Baoshan; Bai, Junhong; Xie, Tian; Yan, Jiaguo; Wang, Qing; Zhang, Shuyan

2018-02-01

Plant morphology plays important role in studying biogeography in many ecosystems. Suadea salsa, as a native plant community of northern China and an important habitat for diversity of waterbirds and macrobenthos, has often been overlooked. Nowadays, S. salsa community is facing great loss due to coastal reclamation activities and natural disturbances. To maintain and restore S. salsa community, it's important to address the plant morphology across marsh zones, as well as its relationships with local soil abiotic conditions. In our studied intertidal salt marsh, we found that less flood disturbance frequency, softer soil conditions, rich soil organic matter, total carbon and total nitrogen, lower water depth and water content, less species competition will benefit S. salsa plant in the morphology of high coverage, above-ground biomass, shoot height and leaf length. Lower soil porewater salinity will benefit the below-ground biomass of S. salsa. Thus, we recommend managers help alleviate soil abiotic stresses in the intertidal salt marshes, making the soil conditions more suitable for S. salsa growth and succession.

ThWRKY4 from Tamarix hispida Can Form Homodimers and Heterodimers and Is Involved in Abiotic Stress Responses.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Liuqiang; Zheng, Lei; Zhang, Chunrui; Wang, Yucheng; Lu, Mengzhu; Gao, Caiqiu

2015-11-13

WRKY proteins are a large family of transcription factors that are involved in diverse developmental processes and abiotic stress responses in plants. However, our knowledge of the regulatory mechanisms of WRKYs participation in protein-protein interactions is still fragmentary, and such protein-protein interactions are fundamental in understanding biological networks and the functions of proteins. In this study, we report that a WRKY protein from Tamarix hispida, ThWRKY4, can form both homodimers and heterodimers with ThWRKY2 and ThWRKY3. In addition, ThWRKY2 and ThWRKY3 can both bind to W-box motif with binding affinities similar to that of ThWRKY4. Further, the expression patterns of ThWRKY2 and ThWRKY3 are similar to that of ThWRKY4 when plants are exposed to abscisic acid (ABA). Subcellular localization shows that these three ThWRKY proteins are nuclear proteins. Taken together, these results demonstrate that ThWRKY4 is a dimeric protein that can form functional homodimers or heterodimers that are involved in abiotic stress responses.

Brassinosteroid Mediated Cell Wall Remodeling in Grasses under Abiotic Stress

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Xiaolan Rao

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Unlike animals, plants, being sessile, cannot escape from exposure to severe abiotic stresses such as extreme temperature and water deficit. The dynamic structure of plant cell wall enables them to undergo compensatory changes, as well as maintain physical strength, with changing environments. Plant hormones known as brassinosteroids (BRs play a key role in determining cell wall expansion during stress responses. Cell wall deposition differs between grasses (Poaceae and dicots. Grass species include many important food, fiber, and biofuel crops. In this article, we focus on recent advances in BR-regulated cell wall biosynthesis and remodeling in response to stresses, comparing our understanding of the mechanisms in grass species with those in the more studied dicots. A more comprehensive understanding of BR-mediated changes in cell wall integrity in grass species will benefit the development of genetic tools to improve crop productivity, fiber quality and plant biomass recalcitrance.

An insertional mutagenesis programme with an enhancer trap for the identification and tagging of genes involved in abiotic stress tolerance in the tomato wild-related species Solanum pennellii

OpenAIRE

Atarés Huerta, Alejandro; Moyano, Elena; Morales, Belén; Schleicher, Peter; García Abellán, José Osvaldo; ANTÓN MARTÍNEZ, MARÍA TERESA; García Sogo, Begoña; Pérez Martin, Fernando; Lozano, Rafael; Borja Flores, Francisco; Moreno Ferrero, Vicente; BOLARIN JIMENEZ, MARIA DEL CARMEN; Pineda Chaza, Benito José

2011-01-01

[EN] Salinity and drought have a huge impact on agriculture since there are few areas free of these abiotic stresses and the problem continues to increase. In tomato, the most important horticultural crop worldwide, there are accessions of wild-related species with a high degree of tolerance to salinity and drought. Thus, the finding of insertional mutants with other tolerance levels could lead to the identification and tagging of key genes responsible for abiotic stress tolerance. To this en...

Media Culture and Media Education in Modern School

Science.gov (United States)

Tolic, Mirela

2011-01-01

Culture is no longer conceivable without the media and/or new phenomena called. "Cyber" culture. The article discusses issues in what respect the different media, like TV, film and Internet are with different cultures, how it changes everyday life under influence of various forms of sophisticated communications media and what…

Abiotic factors in colony formation: effects of nutrition and light on extracellular polysaccharide production and cell aggregates of Microcystis aeruginosa

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Zhen; Kong, Fanxiang

2013-07-01

Colony morphology is important for Microcystis to sustain a competitive advantage in eutrophic lakes. The mechanism of colony formation in Microcystis is currently unclear. Extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) has been reported to play an important role in cell aggregate formation of some phytoplankton. Microcystis aeruginosa was cultivated under varied abiotic conditions, including different nutrient, light, and temperature conditions, to investigate their effects on EPS production and morphological change. The results show that nutrient concentration and light intensity have great effects on EPS productionin M. aeruginosa. There was a considerable increase in EPS production after M. aeruginosa was cultivated in adjusted culture conditions similar to those present in the field (28.9 mg C/L, 1.98 mg N/L, 0.65 mg P/L, light intensity: 100 μmol/(m2 · s)). These results indicate that abiotic factors might be one of the triggers for colony formation in Microcystis.

Effects of Abiotic and Biotic Stresses on the Internalization and Dissemination of Human Norovirus Surrogates in Growing Romaine Lettuce.

Science.gov (United States)

DiCaprio, Erin; Purgianto, Anastasia; Li, Jianrong

2015-07-01

Human norovirus (NoV) is the major causative agent of fresh-produce-related outbreaks of gastroenteritis; however, the ecology and persistence of human NoV in produce systems are poorly understood. In this study, the effects of abiotic and biotic stresses on the internalization and dissemination of two human NoV surrogates (murine norovirus 1 [MNV-1] and Tulane virus [TV]) in romaine lettuce were determined. To induce abiotic stress, romaine lettuce was grown under drought and flood conditions that mimic extreme weather events, followed by inoculation of soil with MNV-1 or TV. Independently, lettuce plants were infected with lettuce mosaic virus (LMV) to induce biotic stress, followed by inoculation with TV. Plants were grown for 14 days, and viral titers in harvested tissues were determined by plaque assays. It was found that drought stress significantly decreased the rates of both MNV-1 and TV internalization and dissemination. In contrast, neither flood stress nor biotic stress significantly impacted viral internalization or dissemination. Additionally, the rates of TV internalization and dissemination in soil-grown lettuce were significantly higher than those for MNV-1. Collectively, these results demonstrated that (i) human NoV surrogates can be internalized via roots and disseminated to shoots and leaves of romaine lettuce grown in soil, (ii) abiotic stress (drought) but not biotic stress (LMV infection) affects the rates of viral internalization and dissemination, and (iii) the type of virus affects the efficiency of internalization and dissemination. This study also highlights the need to develop effective measures to eliminate internalized viruses in fresh produce. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Plant survival in a changing environment: the role of nitric oxide in plant responses to abiotic stress

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Marcela eSimontacchi

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Nitric oxide in plants may originate endogenously or come from surrounding atmosphere and soil. Interestingly, this gaseous free radical is far from having a constant level and varies greatly among tissues depending on a given plant´s ontogeny and environmental fluctuations.Proper plant growth, vegetative development, and reproduction require the integration of plant hormonal activity with the antioxidant network, as well as the maintenance of concentration of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species within a narrow range. Plants are frequently faced with abiotic stress conditions such as low nutrient availability, salinity, drought, high ultraviolet (UV radiation and extreme temperatures, which can influence developmental processes and lead to growth restriction making adaptive responses the plant´s priority. The ability of plants to respond and survive under environmental-stress conditions involves sensing and signalling events where nitric oxide becomes a critical component mediating hormonal actions, interacting with reactive oxygen species, and modulating gene expression and protein activity. This review focuses on the current knowledge of the role of nitric oxide in adaptive plant responses to some specific abiotic stress conditions, particularly low mineral nutrient supply, drought, salinity and high UV-B radiation.

Plant Survival in a Changing Environment: The Role of Nitric Oxide in Plant Responses to Abiotic Stress

Science.gov (United States)

Simontacchi, Marcela; Galatro, Andrea; Ramos-Artuso, Facundo; Santa-María, Guillermo E.

2015-01-01

Nitric oxide in plants may originate endogenously or come from surrounding atmosphere and soil. Interestingly, this gaseous free radical is far from having a constant level and varies greatly among tissues depending on a given plant’s ontogeny and environmental fluctuations. Proper plant growth, vegetative development, and reproduction require the integration of plant hormonal activity with the antioxidant network, as well as the maintenance of concentration of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species within a narrow range. Plants are frequently faced with abiotic stress conditions such as low nutrient availability, salinity, drought, high ultraviolet (UV) radiation and extreme temperatures, which can influence developmental processes and lead to growth restriction making adaptive responses the plant’s priority. The ability of plants to respond and survive under environmental-stress conditions involves sensing and signaling events where nitric oxide becomes a critical component mediating hormonal actions, interacting with reactive oxygen species, and modulating gene expression and protein activity. This review focuses on the current knowledge of the role of nitric oxide in adaptive plant responses to some specific abiotic stress conditions, particularly low mineral nutrient supply, drought, salinity and high UV-B radiation. PMID:26617619

Post Media Literacy: Menyaksikan Kuasa Media Bersama Michel Foucault

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Iswandi Syahputra

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This article would like to present Michel Foucault’s idea concerning Knowledge and Power in media industry. As a contemporary intellectual, Foucault’s thought has a unique style of postmodernism. His thought had gone beyond traditional critical theory whose trying to disclose the relation of power and economic behind the ideology of media. Foucault’s thought had given new perspective in understanding how the media produce truth under tightly control process into something that seems normal. With the assumption of media has the power to create mass culture, which has to be studied critically by media literacy approach, Foucault’s thought had given new space of discursive. An alternative thought on how to estimate the work of mass media as supervisor of truth and creator of information trough normalization practice.

Locative media

CERN Document Server

Wilken, Rowan

2014-01-01

Not only is locative media one of the fastest growing areas in digital technology, but questions of location and location-awareness are increasingly central to our contemporary engagements with online and mobile media, and indeed media and culture generally. This volume is a comprehensive account of the various location-based technologies, services, applications, and cultures, as media, with an aim to identify, inventory, explore, and critique their cultural, economic, political, social, and policy dimensions internationally. In particular, the collection is organized around the perception that the growth of locative media gives rise to a number of crucial questions concerning the areas of culture, economy, and policy.

Differential expression of poplar sucrose nonfermenting1-related protein kinase 2 genes in response to abiotic stress and abscisic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xiang; Takebayashi, Arika; Demura, Taku; Ohtani, Misato

2017-09-01

Knowledge on the responses of woody plants to abiotic stress can inform strategies to breed improved tree varieties and to manage tree species for environmental conservation and the production of lignocellulosic biomass. In this study, we examined the expression patterns of poplar (Populus trichocarpa) genes encoding members of the sucrose nonfermenting1-related protein kinase 2 (SnRK2) family, which are core components of the abiotic stress response. The P. trichocarpa genome contains twelve SnRK2 genes (PtSnRK2.1- PtSnRK2.12) that can be divided into three subclasses (I-III) based on the structures of their encoded kinase domains. We found that PtSnRK2s are differentially expressed in various organs. In MS medium-grown plants, all of the PtSnRK2 genes were significantly upregulated in response to abscisic acid (ABA) treatment, whereas osmotic and salt stress treatments induced only some (four and seven, respectively) of the PtSnRK2 genes. By contrast, soil-grown plants showed increased expression of most PtSnRK2 genes under drought and salt treatments, but not under ABA treatment. In soil-grown plants, drought stress induced SnRK2 subclass II genes in all tested organs (leaves, stems, and roots), whereas subclass III genes tended to be upregulated in leaves only. These results suggest that the PtSnRK2 genes are involved in abiotic stress responses, are at least partially activated by ABA, and show organ-specific responses.

On Media Education

Science.gov (United States)

Fedorov, Alexander

2008-01-01

This monograph analyzes the theory and practice of media education and media literacy. The book also includes the list of Russian media education literature and addresses of websites of the associations for media education.

A novel ethylene-responsive factor from Tamarix hispida, ThERF1, is a GCC-box- and DRE-motif binding protein that negatively modulates abiotic stress tolerance in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Liuqiang; Qin, Liping; Liu, Wenjin; Zhang, Daoyuan; Wang, Yucheng

2014-09-01

Ethylene-responsive factor (ERF) family is one of the largest families of plant-specific transcription factor that can positively or negatively regulate abiotic stress tolerance. However, their functions in regulating abiotic stress tolerance are still not fully understood. In this study, we characterized the functions of an ERF gene from Tamarix hispida, ThERF1, which can negatively regulate abiotic stress tolerance. The expression of ThERF1 was induced by salinity, PEG-simulated drought and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments. ThERF1 can specifically bind to GCC-box and DRE motifs. Overexpression of ThERF1 in transgenic Arabidopsis plants showed inhibited seed germination, and decreased fresh weight gain and root growth compared with wild-type (WT) plants. In addition, the transcript levels of several superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) genes in transgenic plants were significantly inhibited compared with in WT plants, resulting in decreased SOD and POD activities in transgenic plants under salt and drought stress conditions. Furthermore, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and cell membrane damage in ThERF1-transformed plants were all highly increased relative to WT plants. Our results suggest that ThERF1 negatively regulates abiotic stress tolerance by strongly inhibiting the expression of SOD and POD genes, leading to decreased ROS-scavenging ability. © 2014 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

Assessing the effects of abiotic stress and livestock grazing disturbance on an alpine grassland with CSR model

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jun; Luo, Peng; Mou, Chengxiang; Yang, Hao; Mo, Li; Luo, Chuan; Kattge, Jens

2016-04-01

How the abiotic factors represented by cold environment and biotic factors represented by livestock grazing will affect the vegetation structure of alpine grassland is a core issue in understanding the cause of biodiversity change on Tibetan Plateau. Past studies on changes of floristic composition, growth forms did not adequately answer question. Given the fact that the response of plant to environment change depend on its life strategy, a synthetical method that based on plant life strategy may deepen our understanding of the mechanism. Using Grime's concept of CSR plant classification, we carried out a vegetation survey along a gradient (three levels) of graze intensity on the south-east of Tibet Plateau, in order to evaluate the role and mechanism of abiotic stress and grazing disturbance in driving plant diversity change, by analyzing the plant life strategy compositions in each of the community and by comparing the characteristic of the strategy compositions along the graze gradient. When the graze intensity was relative low, the dominant plant life strategy gathered in the stress tolerance corner, which conformed the theory of environmental filter, indicating that the ideal top plant community may be dominated by the species with stress tolerant strategy. We also found that the response of strategy dominance to graze intensity increase is positively correlated with the competitive capacity (R 2=0.671; Pstrategy (R 2=0.047; P=0.42). This reflected a general shift of plant strategy from stress tolerant to competitive (rather than ruderal as expected) and suggested that the mechanism of graze to affect plant community is different from that of other disturbance like fire, clipping, till, etc. The particular selective foraging and escaping from feces may provide more opportunities for competitive than ruderal strategy to dominant the community. This study demonstrated that CSR plant strategy be a useful tool to evaluate the effects of abiotic and biotic factors

More Media, More People—On Social & Multimodal Media Intelligence

OpenAIRE

Degerstedt, Lars; Pelle, Snickars

2017-01-01

The purpose of this article is to address some challenges facing media intelligence in general, and competitive intelligence in particular within an altered information landscape. To understand this new situation, the notion of social and multimodal media intelligence are introduced. With cases taken primarily from the Swedish media intelligence sector, we argue that data driven media intelligence today needs to pay increasing attention to new forms of (A.) crowd-oriented and (B.) multimedia-...

PENGEMBANGAN MEDIA PEMBELAJARAN FILM ANIMASI SEBAGAI MEDIA PEMBELAJARAN KONSEP FOTOSINTESIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Umrotul Hasanah

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The research aims to develop animation film as a learning media in photosynthesis concept learning and to know the results of the assessment of the learning media expert test the concept of photosynthesis animated films. This research is Research and Development (R&D. The research used questionnaire  Aspects of assessment in terms of the media covering aspects of technical quality, narration, and music/sound effects. Aspects of the assessment of the suitability of the material terms covering the material aspects of the curriculum, the clarity of the material, the order of the material, communicative, suitability of the material with the purpose of learning, material relationship with the students’ critical thinking skill, and material relationship with motivation. Media expert test against “Cahaya dan Fotosintesis” animated film made by media experts with a percentage of 80,6% with the as good category, and  92,5% are material expert excellent category. Based on the “Cahaya dan Fotosintesis” animated film expert test to students can be tasted on a limited basis, after the media deficiencies corrected. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengembangkan media pembelajaran film animasi pada konsep fotosintesis dan untuk mengetahui hasil penilaian uji ahli terhadap media pembelajaran film animasi pada konsep fotosintesis. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian research and development (R & D. Teknik pengumpulan data dengan menggunakan angket. Aspek penilaian dari segi media meliputi aspek kualitas teknik, narasi dan musik/efek suara. Aspek penilaian dari segi materi meliputi aspek kesesuaian materi dengan kurikulum, kejelasan materi, urutan materi, komunikatif, kesesuaian soal evaluasi, kesesuaian materi dengan tujuan pembelajaran, hubungan materi dengan kemampuan berpikir kritis dan hubungan materi dengan motivasi. Uji ahli terhadap media film animasi “Cahaya dan Fotosintesis” dilakukan oleh ahli media dengan perolehan persentse 80,6% dengan

Utilizing genetic diversity in the desert watermelon citrullus colocynthis for enhancing watermelon cultivars for resistance to biotic and abiotic stress

Science.gov (United States)

Wide genetic diversity exists among the desert watermelon Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad. (CC) accessions collected in the deserts of northern Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Because of their resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, there can be a viable source of genes used for enhancing wa...

The C-terminal region (640-967) of Arabidopsis CPL1 interacts with the abiotic stress- and ABA-responsive transcription factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bang, Woo Young; Kim, Se Won; Jeong, In Sil; Koiwa, Hisashi; Bahk, Jeong Dong

2008-01-01

Proteins in CPL1 family are unique to plants and contain a phosphatase catalytic domain and double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-binding motifs (DRMs) in a single peptide. Though DRMs are important for the function of Arabidopsis CPL1 in vivo, the role of CPL1 DRM has been obscure. We have isolated two transcription factors, ANAC019 (At1g52890) and AtMYB3 (At1g22640), which specifically interact with the C-terminal region (640-967) of AtCPL1 containing two DRMs. Detailed interaction analysis indicated that AtMYB3 specifically interacted with the first DRM but not with the second DRM in CPL1 C-terminal fragment. GFP-fusion analysis indicated that AtMYB3 localized in nuclei-like CPL1, and its expression is induced by abiotic stress and ABA treatment. These results suggest that AtMYB3 function in abiotic stress signaling in concert with CPL1

Maternal, social and abiotic environmental effects on growth vary across life stages in a cooperative mammal.

Science.gov (United States)

English, Sinead; Bateman, Andrew W; Mares, Rafael; Ozgul, Arpat; Clutton-Brock, Tim H

2014-03-01

Resource availability plays a key role in driving variation in somatic growth and body condition, and the factors determining access to resources vary considerably across life stages. Parents and carers may exert important influences in early life, when individuals are nutritionally dependent, with abiotic environmental effects having stronger influences later in development as individuals forage independently. Most studies have measured specific factors influencing growth across development or have compared relative influences of different factors within specific life stages. Such studies may not capture whether early-life factors continue to have delayed effects at later stages, or whether social factors change when individuals become nutritionally independent and adults become competitors for, rather than providers of, food. Here, we examined variation in the influence of the abiotic, social and maternal environment on growth across life stages in a wild population of cooperatively breeding meerkats. Cooperatively breeding vertebrates are ideal for investigating environmental influences on growth. In addition to experiencing highly variable abiotic conditions, cooperative breeders are typified by heterogeneity both among breeders, with mothers varying in age and social status, and in the number of carers present. Recent rainfall had a consistently marked effect on growth across life stages, yet other seasonal terms only influenced growth during stages when individuals were growing fastest. Group size and maternal dominance status had positive effects on growth during the period of nutritional dependence on carers, but did not influence mass at emergence (at 1 month) or growth at independent stages (>4 months). Pups born to older mothers were lighter at 1 month of age and subsequently grew faster as subadults. Males grew faster than females during the juvenile and subadult stage only. Our findings demonstrate the complex ways in which the external environment

Abiotic systems for the catalytic treatment of solvent-contaminated water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Betterton, E.A.; Arnold, R.G.; Liu, Zhijie; Hollan, N. [Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States)] [and others

1996-12-31

Three abiotic systems are described that catalyze the reductive dehalogenation of heavily halogenated environmental pollutants, including carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethene, and perchloroethene. These systems include (a) an electrolytic reactor in which the potential on the working electrode (cathode) is fixed by using a potentiostat, (b) a light-driven system consisting of a semiconductor and (covalently attached) macrocycle that can accept light transmitted via an optical fiber, and a light-driven, two-solvent (isopropanol/acetone) system that promotes dehalogenation reactions via an unknown mechanism. Each is capable of accelerating reductive dehalogenation reactions to very high rates under laboratory conditions. Typically, millimolar concentrations of aqueous-phase targets can be dehalogenated in minutes to hours. The description of each system includes the elements of reaction mechanism (to the extent known), typical kinetic data, and a discussion of the feasibility of applying this technology for the in situ destruction of hazardous compounds. 14 refs., 11 figs., 2 tabs.

Social Media Reputation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Etter, Michael Andreas; Ravasi, Davide; Colleoni, Elanor

motivational drivers and contextual conditions associated with the formation of narratives in traditional news media and social media influence their content, diffusion, and impact significantly. Our analysis suggests that current theories of media reputation may provide an incomplete representation......Social media enable millions of users to create and disseminate narratives about organizations that increase their public exposure and shape public perceptions. In this paper, we draw on the sociology of news production and research on computer-mediated communication to discuss how different...... of the phenomenon, and highlight theoretically relevant differences and interrelationships between reputational dynamics involving news media and social media....

AMAMM - All Media Are Mixed Media

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

All Media Are Mixed Media Alle medier er blandingsmedier. Alle kunstarter er kompositte. Alle sanser er sammensatte. Alle medialiteter er miksede og mangfoldige. Alle er AMAMM. Denne påstand står centralt i ord-, billed- og medie-teoretikeren W.J.T. Mitchells forfatterskab. I hosstående bog tager...

Physiological and transcriptomic responses in the seed coat of field-grown soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) to abiotic stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Leisner, Courtney P; Yendrek, Craig R; Ainsworth, Elizabeth A

2017-12-12

Understanding how intensification of abiotic stress due to global climate change affects crop yields is important for continued agricultural productivity. Coupling genomic technologies with physiological crop responses in a dynamic field environment is an effective approach to dissect the mechanisms underpinning crop responses to abiotic stress. Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr. cv. Pioneer 93B15) was grown in natural production environments with projected changes to environmental conditions predicted for the end of the century, including decreased precipitation, increased tropospheric ozone concentrations ([O 3 ]), or increased temperature. All three environmental stresses significantly decreased leaf-level photosynthesis and stomatal conductance, leading to significant losses in seed yield. This was driven by a significant decrease in the number of pods per node for all abiotic stress treatments. To understand the underlying transcriptomic response involved in the yield response to environmental stress, RNA-Sequencing analysis was performed on the soybean seed coat, a tissue that plays an essential role in regulating carbon and nitrogen transport to developing seeds. Gene expression analysis revealed 49, 148 and 1,576 differentially expressed genes in the soybean seed coat in response to drought, elevated [O 3 ] and elevated temperature, respectively. Elevated [O 3 ] and drought did not elicit substantive transcriptional changes in the soybean seed coat. However, this may be due to the timing of sampling and does not preclude impacts of those stresses on different tissues or different stages in seed coat development. Expression of genes involved in DNA replication and metabolic processes were enriched in the seed coat under high temperate stress, suggesting that the timing of events that are important for cell division and proper seed development were altered in a stressful growth environment.

Parents and the media: causes and consequences of parental media socialization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Notten, N.J.W.R.

2011-01-01

Media literacy is an important part of socialization and with media use becoming ever more essential in modern society, research on parental media socialization is vital. This study proposes the intergenerational transmission of parent’s media competencies, as a specific kind of cultural

Media Literacy Bibliography.

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, Barry

1989-01-01

Provides an up-to-date bibliography of resources available for teaching media literacy. Groups resources into the areas of media education methodology, mass media texts, general background, television, film, the news and medium of print, advertising, gender and the media, popular culture, popular music and rock video, periodicals, and…

Could abiotic stress tolerance in wild relatives of rice be used to improve Oryza sativa?

Science.gov (United States)

Atwell, Brian J; Wang, Han; Scafaro, Andrew P

2014-02-01

Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima have been selected to acquire and partition resources efficiently as part of the process of domestication. However, genetic diversity in cultivated rice is limited compared to wild Oryza species, in spite of 120,000 genotypes being held in gene banks. By contrast, there is untapped diversity in the more than 20 wild species of Oryza, some having been collected from just a few coastal locations (e.g. Oryza schlechteri), while others are widely distributed (e.g. Oryza nivara and Oryza rufipogon). The extent of DNA sequence diversity and phenotypic variation is still being established in wild Oryza, with genetic barriers suggesting a vast range of morphologies and function even within species, such as has been demonstrated for Oryza meridionalis. With increasing climate variability and attempts to make more marginal land arable, abiotic and biotic stresses will be managed over the coming decades by tapping into the genetic diversity of wild relatives of O. sativa. To help create a more targeted approach to sourcing wild rice germplasm for abiotic stress tolerance, we have created a climate distribution map by plotting the natural occurrence of all Oryza species against corresponding temperature and moisture data. We then discuss interspecific variation in phenotype and its significance for rice, followed by a discussion of ways to integrate germplasm from wild relatives into domesticated rice. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A seed preferential heat shock transcription factor from wheat provides abiotic stress tolerance and yield enhancement in transgenic Arabidopsis under heat stress environment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harsh Chauhan

Full Text Available Reduction in crop yield and quality due to various abiotic stresses is a worldwide phenomenon. In the present investigation, a heat shock factor (HSF gene expressing preferentially in developing seed tissues of wheat grown under high temperatures was cloned. This newly identified heat shock factor possesses the characteristic domains of class A type plant HSFs and shows high similarity to rice OsHsfA2d, hence named as TaHsfA2d. The transcription factor activity of TaHsfA2d was confirmed through transactivation assay in yeast. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing TaHsfA2d not only possess higher tolerance towards high temperature but also showed considerable tolerance to salinity and drought stresses, they also showed higher yield and biomass accumulation under constant heat stress conditions. Analysis of putative target genes of AtHSFA2 through quantitative RT-PCR showed higher and constitutive expression of several abiotic stress responsive genes in transgenic Arabidopsis plants over-expressing TaHsfA2d. Under stress conditions, TaHsfA2d can also functionally complement the T-DNA insertion mutants of AtHsfA2, although partially. These observations suggest that TaHsfA2d may be useful in molecular breeding of crop plants, especially wheat, to improve yield under abiotic stress conditions.

The WRKY transcription factors in the diploid woodland strawberry Fragaria vesca: Identification and expression analysis under biotic and abiotic stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Wei; Hu, Yang; Han, Yong-Tao; Zhang, Kai; Zhao, Feng-Li; Feng, Jia-Yue

2016-08-01

WRKY proteins comprise a large family of transcription factors that play important roles in response to biotic and abiotic stresses and in plant growth and development. To date, little is known about the WRKY gene family in strawberry. In this study, we identified 62 WRKY genes (FvWRKYs) in the wild diploid woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca, 2n = 2x = 14) accession Heilongjiang-3. According to the phylogenetic analysis and structural features, these identified strawberry FvWRKY genes were classified into three main groups. In addition, eight FvWRKY-GFP fusion proteins showed distinct subcellular localizations in Arabidopsis mesophyll protoplasts. Furthermore, we examined the expression of the 62 FvWRKY genes in 'Heilongjiang-3' under various conditions, including biotic stress (Podosphaera aphanis), abiotic stresses (drought, salt, cold, and heat), and hormone treatments (abscisic acid, ethephon, methyl jasmonate, and salicylic acid). The expression levels of 33 FvWRKY genes were upregulated, while 12 FvWRKY genes were downregulated during powdery mildew infection. FvWRKY genes responded to drought and salt treatment to a greater extent than to temperature stress. Expression profiles derived from quantitative real-time PCR suggested that 11 FvWRKY genes responded dramatically to various stimuli at the transcriptional level, indicating versatile roles in responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Interaction networks revealed that the crucial pathways controlled by WRKY proteins may be involved in the differential response to biotic stress. Taken together, the present work may provide the basis for future studies of the genetic modification of WRKY genes for pathogen resistance and stress tolerance in strawberry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Transcriptional Regulation of Arabidopsis MIR168a and ARGONAUTE1 Homeostasis in Abscisic Acid and Abiotic Stress Responses1[W

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wei; Cui, Xiao; Meng, Zhaolu; Huang, Xiahe; Xie, Qi; Wu, Heng; Jin, Hailing; Zhang, Dabing; Liang, Wanqi

2012-01-01

The accumulation of a number of small RNAs in plants is affected by abscisic acid (ABA) and abiotic stresses, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. The miR168-mediated feedback regulatory loop regulates ARGONAUTE1 (AGO1) homeostasis, which is crucial for gene expression modulation and plant development. Here, we reveal a transcriptional regulatory mechanism by which MIR168 controls AGO1 homeostasis during ABA treatment and abiotic stress responses in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Plants overexpressing MIR168a and the AGO1 loss-of-function mutant ago1-27 display ABA hypersensitivity and drought tolerance, while the mir168a-2 mutant shows ABA hyposensitivity and drought hypersensitivity. Both the precursor and mature miR168 were induced under ABA and several abiotic stress treatments, but no obvious decrease for the target of miR168, AGO1, was shown under the same conditions. However, promoter activity analysis indicated that AGO1 transcription activity was increased under ABA and drought treatments, suggesting that transcriptional elevation of MIR168a is required for maintaining a stable AGO1 transcript level during the stress response. Furthermore, we showed both in vitro and in vivo that the transcription of MIR168a is directly regulated by four abscisic acid-responsive element (ABRE) binding factors, which bind to the ABRE cis-element within the MIR168a promoter. This ABRE motif is also found in the promoter of MIR168a homologs in diverse plant species. Our findings suggest that transcriptional regulation of miR168 and posttranscriptional control of AGO1 homeostasis may play an important and conserved role in stress response and signal transduction in plants. PMID:22247272

Photolysis of sulfamethoxypyridazine in various aqueous media: Aerobic biodegradation and identification of photoproducts by LC-UV–MS/MS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khaleel, Nareman D.H., E-mail: drndahshan@yahoo.com [Sustainable Chemistry and Material Resources, Institute of Sustainable and Environmental Chemistry, Leuphana University Lüneburg, C13, DE-21335 Lüneburg (Germany); Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522 (Egypt); Mahmoud, Waleed M.M. [Sustainable Chemistry and Material Resources, Institute of Sustainable and Environmental Chemistry, Leuphana University Lüneburg, C13, DE-21335 Lüneburg (Germany); Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522 (Egypt); Hadad, Ghada M.; Abdel-Salam, Randa A. [Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522 (Egypt); Kümmerer, Klaus, E-mail: Klaus.Kuemmerer@uni.leuphana.de [Sustainable Chemistry and Material Resources, Institute of Sustainable and Environmental Chemistry, Leuphana University Lüneburg, C13, DE-21335 Lüneburg (Germany)

2013-01-15

Highlights: ► Sulfonamides are one of the most extensively used antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine. ► Sulfamethoxypyridazine (SMP) underwent photodegradation in three different media. ► SMP was not readily biodegradable. ► SMP and some of its degradation products were identified by LC-UV–MS/MS. -- Abstract: Sulfonamides are one of the most frequently used antibiotics worldwide. Therefore, mitigation processes such as abiotic or biotic degradation are of interest. Photodegradation and biodegradation are the potentially significant removal mechanisms for pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments. The photolysis of sulfamethoxypyridazine (SMP) using a medium pressure Hg-lamp was evaluated in three different media: Millipore water pH 6.1 (MW), effluent from sewage treatment plant pH 7.6 (STP), and buffered demineralized water pH 7.4 (BDW). Identification of transformation products (TPs) was performed by LC-UV–MS/MS. The biodegradation of SMP using two tests from the OECD series was studied: Closed Bottle test (OECD 301 D), and Manometric Respirometry test (OECD 301 F). In biodegradation tests, it was found that SMP was not readily biodegradable so it may pose a risk to the environment. The results showed that SMP was removed completely within 128 min of irradiation in the three media, and the degradation rate was different for each investigated type of water. However, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was not removed in BDW and only little DOC removal was observed in MW and STP, thus indicating the formation of TPs. Analysis by LC-UV–MS/MS revealed new TPs formed. The hydroxylation of SMP represents the main photodegradation pathway.

Photolysis of sulfamethoxypyridazine in various aqueous media: Aerobic biodegradation and identification of photoproducts by LC-UV–MS/MS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khaleel, Nareman D.H.; Mahmoud, Waleed M.M.; Hadad, Ghada M.; Abdel-Salam, Randa A.; Kümmerer, Klaus

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Sulfonamides are one of the most extensively used antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine. ► Sulfamethoxypyridazine (SMP) underwent photodegradation in three different media. ► SMP was not readily biodegradable. ► SMP and some of its degradation products were identified by LC-UV–MS/MS. -- Abstract: Sulfonamides are one of the most frequently used antibiotics worldwide. Therefore, mitigation processes such as abiotic or biotic degradation are of interest. Photodegradation and biodegradation are the potentially significant removal mechanisms for pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments. The photolysis of sulfamethoxypyridazine (SMP) using a medium pressure Hg-lamp was evaluated in three different media: Millipore water pH 6.1 (MW), effluent from sewage treatment plant pH 7.6 (STP), and buffered demineralized water pH 7.4 (BDW). Identification of transformation products (TPs) was performed by LC-UV–MS/MS. The biodegradation of SMP using two tests from the OECD series was studied: Closed Bottle test (OECD 301 D), and Manometric Respirometry test (OECD 301 F). In biodegradation tests, it was found that SMP was not readily biodegradable so it may pose a risk to the environment. The results showed that SMP was removed completely within 128 min of irradiation in the three media, and the degradation rate was different for each investigated type of water. However, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was not removed in BDW and only little DOC removal was observed in MW and STP, thus indicating the formation of TPs. Analysis by LC-UV–MS/MS revealed new TPs formed. The hydroxylation of SMP represents the main photodegradation pathway

Parenting and Digital Media.

Science.gov (United States)

Coyne, Sarah M; Radesky, Jenny; Collier, Kevin M; Gentile, Douglas A; Linder, Jennifer Ruh; Nathanson, Amy I; Rasmussen, Eric E; Reich, Stephanie M; Rogers, Jean

2017-11-01

Understanding the family dynamic surrounding media use is crucial to our understanding of media effects, policy development, and the targeting of individuals and families for interventions to benefit child health and development. The Families, Parenting, and Media Workgroup reviewed the relevant research from the past few decades. We find that child characteristics, the parent-child relationship, parental mediation practices, and parents' own use of media all can influence children's media use, their attitudes regarding media, and the effects of media on children. However, gaps remain. First, more research is needed on best practices of parental mediation for both traditional and new media. Ideally, this research will involve large-scale, longitudinal studies that manage children from infancy to adulthood. Second, we need to better understand the relationship between parent media use and child media use and specifically how media may interfere with or strengthen parent-child relationships. Finally, longitudinal research on how developmental processes and individual child characteristics influence the intersection between media and family life is needed. The majority of children's media use takes place within a wider family dynamic. An understanding of this dynamic is crucial to understanding child media use as a whole. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Social Media, Traditional Media and Marketing Communication of Public Relations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khajeheian, Datis; Mirahmadi, Fereshteh

2015-01-01

Public relations are undertaking more important role in the marketing communication and advertising. The present paper reports a survey conducted in three Iranian banks’ public relations departments to understand how they use different media in their marketing communications and other related...... functions. A classification of public relations functions including fourteen functions in three categories has taken as research framework and by using a questionnaire, eight media have been asked to rank for each function, includes Television, Radio, Newspaper, Magazine, Classified Ads, Internet Websites......, Social media and finally Mobile and SMS ads. Findings show that traditional media still play a dominant role in media consumption of public relations, while new Web2.0 media consist of Mobile communications and Social networks, have never ranked better than fifth from eight. Some reasons have been argues...

Media - Our friends (improving our relationship with media)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stiopol, Mihaela; Bilegan, Iosif Constantin

2000-01-01

The paper will present the principles, goals and the steps followed in establishing media relationships. It will highlight the company' s activity developed over this year within the Romanian Public Information Programme in the nuclear field, in order to establish friendly relationship with media, as well as the conclusions we have reached in performing such an activity. In this moment, the way public receives the real information has a great impact on the future development of this alternative and the role of media is an essential one. So, we consider that the utility mission is to act promptly to transmit to the public complete and honest information with the help of this important segment which is media

Molecular responses of genetically modified maize to abiotic stresses as determined through proteomic and metabolomic analyses.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Fonseca Benevenuto

Full Text Available Some genetically modified (GM plants have transgenes that confer tolerance to abiotic stressors. Meanwhile, other transgenes may interact with abiotic stressors, causing pleiotropic effects that will affect the plant physiology. Thus, physiological alteration might have an impact on the product safety. However, routine risk assessment (RA analyses do not evaluate the response of GM plants exposed to different environmental conditions. Therefore, we here present a proteome profile of herbicide-tolerant maize, including the levels of phytohormones and related compounds, compared to its near-isogenic non-GM variety under drought and herbicide stresses. Twenty differentially abundant proteins were detected between GM and non-GM hybrids under different water deficiency conditions and herbicide sprays. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that most of these proteins are assigned to energetic/carbohydrate metabolic processes. Among phytohormones and related compounds, different levels of ABA, CA, JA, MeJA and SA were detected in the maize varieties and stress conditions analysed. In pathway and proteome analyses, environment was found to be the major source of variation followed by the genetic transformation factor. Nonetheless, differences were detected in the levels of JA, MeJA and CA and in the abundance of 11 proteins when comparing the GM plant and its non-GM near-isogenic variety under the same environmental conditions. Thus, these findings do support molecular studies in GM plants Risk Assessment analyses.

Media:Time card stack

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Annemarie Wennekers; Jos de Haan; Frank Huysmans

2016-01-01

Original title: Media:Tijd in kaart The Dutch spend a daily average of 8 hours 33 minutes using media. Men and people aged over 50 spend most time using media, at an average of 9 hours per day. Older media users prefer traditional media and devices over new media and modern devices. Young and

Making Media Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Gauntlett

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This podcast is a recording of a research seminar that took place on December 3, 2015, at the University of Westminster's Communication and Media Research Institute (CAMRI. In this contribution, David Gauntlett discusses his new book, Making Media Studies, and other new work. In Making Media Studies (Peter Lang, 2015, Gauntlett proposes a vision of media studies based around doing and making – not about the acquisition of skills, as such, but an experience of building knowledge and understanding through creative hands-on engagement with all kinds of media. Gauntlett suggests that media studies scholars have failed to recognise the significance of everyday creativity – the vital drive of people to make, exchange, and learn together, supported by online networks. He argues that we should think about media in terms of conversations, inspirations, and making things happen. Media studies can be about genuine social change, he suggests, if we recognise the significance of everyday creativity, work to transform our tools, and learn to use them wisely. David Gauntlett is a Professor in the School of Media, Arts and Design at the University of Westminster, where he is also the School's Co-Director of Research. He is the author of several books, including: Creative Explorations (2007, Media, Gender and Identity: An Introduction (2nd edition 2008, Making is Connecting (2011, and Making Media Studies (2015. He has made a number of popular online resources, videos and playthings, and has pioneered creative research and workshop methods. He is external examiner for Information Experience Design at the Royal College of Art, London.

Genome-wide identification of VQ motif-containing proteins and their expression profiles under abiotic stresses in maize

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weibin eSong

2016-01-01

Full Text Available VQ motif-containing proteins play crucial roles in abiotic stress responses in plants. Recent studies have shown that some VQ proteins physically interact with WRKY transcription factors to activate downstream genes. In the present study, we identified and characterized genes encoding VQ motif-containing proteins using the most recent version of the maize genome sequence. In total, 61VQ genes were identified. In a cluster analysis, these genes clustered into nine groups together with their homologous genes in rice and Arabidopsis. Most of the VQ genes (57 out of 61 numbers identified in maize were found to be single-copy genes. Analyses of RNA-seq data obtained using seedlings under long-term drought treatment showed that the expression levels of most ZmVQ genes (41 out of 61 members changed during the drought stress response. Quantitative real-time PCR analyses showed that most of the ZmVQ genes were responsive to NaCl treatment. Also, approximately half of the ZmVQ genes were co-expressed with ZmWRKY genes. The identification of these VQ genes in the maize genome and knowledge of their expression profiles under drought and osmotic stresses will provide a solid foundation for exploring their specific functions in the abiotic stress responses of maize.

Review of Microbial Responses to Abiotic Environmental Factors in the Context of the Proposed Yucca Mountain Repository

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meike, A.; Stroes-Gascoyne, S.

2000-01-01

A workshop on Microbial Activities at Yucca Mountain (May 1995, Lafayette, CA) was held with the intention to compile information on all pertinent aspects of microbial activity for application to a potential repository at Yucca Mountain. The findings of this workshop set off a number of efforts intended to eventually incorporate the impacts of microbial behavior into performance assessment models. One effort was to expand an existing modeling approach to include the distinctive characteristics of a repository at Yucca Mountain (e.g., unsaturated conditions and a significant thermal load). At the same time, a number of experimental studies were initiated as well as a compilation of relevant literature to more thoroughly study the physical, chemical and biological parameters that would affect microbial activity under Yucca Mountain-like conditions. This literature search (completed in 1996) is the subject of the present document. The collected literature can be divided into four categories: (1) abiotic factors, (2) community dynamics and in-situ considerations, (3) nutrient considerations and (4) transport of radionuclides. The complete bibliography represents a considerable resource, but is too large to be discussed in one document. Therefore, the present report focuses on the first category, abiotic factors, and a discussion of these factors in order to facilitate the development of a model for Yucca Mountain

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analyses of Aquaporin Gene Family during Development and Abiotic Stress in Banana

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Wei; Hou, Xiaowan; Huang, Chao; Yan, Yan; Tie, Weiwei; Ding, Zehong; Wei, Yunxie; Liu, Juhua; Miao, Hongxia; Lu, Zhiwei; Li, Meiying; Xu, Biyu; Jin, Zhiqiang

2015-01-01

Aquaporins (AQPs) function to selectively control the flow of water and other small molecules through biological membranes, playing crucial roles in various biological processes. However, little information is available on the AQP gene family in bananas. In this study, we identified 47 banana AQP genes based on the banana genome sequence. Evolutionary analysis of AQPs from banana, Arabidopsis, poplar, and rice indicated that banana AQPs (MaAQPs) were clustered into four subfamilies. Conserved motif analysis showed that all banana AQPs contained the typical AQP-like or major intrinsic protein (MIP) domain. Gene structure analysis suggested the majority of MaAQPs had two to four introns with a highly specific number and length for each subfamily. Expression analysis of MaAQP genes during fruit development and postharvest ripening showed that some MaAQP genes exhibited high expression levels during these stages, indicating the involvement of MaAQP genes in banana fruit development and ripening. Additionally, some MaAQP genes showed strong induction after stress treatment and therefore, may represent potential candidates for improving banana resistance to abiotic stress. Taken together, this study identified some excellent tissue-specific, fruit development- and ripening-dependent, and abiotic stress-responsive candidate MaAQP genes, which could lay a solid foundation for genetic improvement of banana cultivars. PMID:26307965

Ageing in media: rethinking the studying of media use in later life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Givskov, Cecilie

in the realms of politics and commerce – and, of course, media. Ageing populations are key drivers of media sales, especially in the areas of mobile and online media, and they are the dominant audience groups following the news. At the same time, social institutions realign their relations with (older) citizens...... characterized by chronological life phase and generational perspectives, to some extent influenced by medicalised images of old age where ageing after the 60s gets correlated with a loss of intellectual and creative resources, a decline of social life and physical health, and with regard to media, a lack...... through digital media. In spite of this inversion of the age pyramid and their significance as media users and active citizens, older people’s media use is rarely the focus of media producers or communication scholars. What research does get carried out involving older people’s media use is generally...

Media violence in the information society in the context of media anthropology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. A. Mazorenko

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The article discusses media violence as special case of deviant manifestations of the individual and collective social body. It’s stated that in the late 20th century emphasis had shifted from the sociological and ethnographic works towards a more wide format of a man and the media studies. According to the author, it was caused by the forming of the media anthropology as human­oriented paradigm of the postmodern media. The place of media violence in problematic field of the media anthropology field is defined. It’s considered as a result of the somatic transformations in the media and the cultural space of the information society. Mass media have been products of culture and social life and at the same time factors of the identity’s construction. Such characteristic properties require more conscious of morality and responsibility. Media need to understand and represent new modes of physicality / spirituality and rationality / irrationality in the media and socio­political life. Due to weakening or decline of spiritual and intellectual component in the psycho­somatic existence threatens to turn society into collective grotesque body, and media that exploit these social strain, into media spectacle, distorted and grotesque in the worst sense of the word. In this article, the method of anthropological reduction, and elements of cultural­historical and structural­functional analysis have been used.

Detection of Free Polyamines in Plants Subjected to Abiotic Stresses by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Xiaoqing; Liu, Ji-Hong

2017-01-01

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is a sensitive, rapid, and accurate technique to detect and characterize various metabolites from plants. The metabolites are extracted with different solvents and eluted with appropriate mobile phases in a designed HPLC program. Polyamines are known to accumulate under abiotic stress conditions in various plant species and thought to provide protection against oxidative stress by scavenging reactive oxygen species. Here, we describe a common method to detect the free polyamines in plant tissues both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Radiographic contrast media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golman, K.; Holtz, E.; Almen, T.

1987-01-01

Contrast media are used in diagnostic radiology to enhance the X-ray attenuation between a body structure of interest and the surrounding tissue. A detail becomes perceptible on a roentgenogram only when its contrast exceeds a minimum value in relation to the background. Small areas of interest must have higher contrast than the background. The contrast effect depends on concentration of the contrast media with the body. A high contrast media concentration difference thus gives rise to more morphological details in the radiographs. Contrast media can be divided into negative contrast media such as air and gas which attenuate X-rays less than the body tissues, and positive contrast materials which attenuate X-rays more than the body tissues. The positive contrast media all contain either iodine (atomic number 53) or barium (atomic number 56) and can be divided into water-insoluble and water-soluble contrast media

The Media Mixer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard, Vitus; Mortensen, Christian Hviid

2011-01-01

content. The media content is created by the user in the museum's physical environment, but it can be mixed with material from web archives. It is the intention that the users learn about media through participatory and creative processes with media where the borders between producing, playing......We explore how remixing and content sharing can be used as a means for user participation in a digital museum age. Remix culture is seen as a culture that allows and encourages the production of derivative works; works that are based on already existing works. This cultural practice thrives...... throughout the Internet, most notably on web 2.0 sites like YouTube. The Media Museum has embraced the remix paradigm with the development of an interactive media experience centre called the Media Mixer. Here the museum users can produce, deconstruct, reconstruct and finally publish and share digital media...

Media work as public affairs: moving beyond media savvy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trapp, Leila; Laursen, Bo

Much research exists which examines how politically-motivated organizations adapt their communication practices to suit the news media’s routines and values to gain media coverage and thereby exert political influence. The mediatization literature describes these adaptation processes as constantly...... evolving, with professional communicators exhibiting an ever-growing amount of media savvy. The purpose of this study is to gain up-to-date insights into current forms of media adaptation in political organizations through interviews with professional press contact staff in 52 Danish interest groups....... The interviews reveal that media work is considered an effective, though potentially risky, form of public affairs. Indeed, media work is said to damage, or even ruin, an organization’s lobbying efforts or relationships with political actors. The study’s key finding is that in order to deal with these risks...

Unpacking New Media Literacy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Der-Thanq “victor” Chen

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The 21st century has marked an unprecedented advancement of new media. New media has become so pervasive that it has penetrated into every aspect of our society. New media literacy plays an essential role for any citizen to participate fully in the 21st century society. Researchers have documented that literacy has evolved historically from classic literacy (reading-writing-understanding to audiovisual literacy to digital literacy or information literacy and recently to new media literacy. A review of literature on media literacy reveals that there is a lack of thorough analysis of unique characteristics of new media and its impacts upon the notion of new media literacy. The purpose of the study is to unpack new media literacy and propose a framework for a systematic investigation of new media literacy.

Media Activism and the Academy, Three Cases: Media Democracy Day, Open Media, and NewsWatch Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Skinner

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In Canada, there is a relatively strong tradition of activist scholarship in media and communication studies. However, very little research has been undertaken on how working in the university may contextualize the ways in which academic workers participate in activist media projects. Focusing on three such projects – Media Democracy Day, Open Media, and NewsWatch Canada – this article draws upon elements of political economy and Bourdieu’s field theory to consider how the different characters of the academic and activist fields work to enable and constrain the abilities of faculty to engage with them.

Kesadaran Kritis Mahasiswa Terhadap Media Sosial (Studi Deskriptif Kualitatif Literasi Media Tentang Kesadaran Kritis Mahasiswa Ilmu Komunikasi USU Terhadap Media Sosial)

OpenAIRE

Nurhaliza, Ade

2017-01-01

This study entitled “Critical Awareness of Communication Student in Social Media”. This study aimed to find out how student’s critical awareness in social media in media literacy context. The Theories used in this study are media literacy theory, critical awareness theory, new media and digital media literacy, and social media. The method used in this study is qualitative descriptive which describes the condition on the ground, reality, and the situation or some phenomenones. The result showe...

Cross-talk between abscisic acid-dependent and abscisic acid-independent pathways during abiotic stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Roychoudhury, Aryadeep; Paul, Saikat; Basu, Supratim

2013-07-01

Salinity, drought and low temperature are the common forms of abiotic stress encountered by land plants. To cope with these adverse environmental factors, plants execute several physiological and metabolic responses. Both osmotic stress (elicited by water deficit or high salt) and cold stress increase the endogenous level of the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA). ABA-dependent stomatal closure to reduce water loss is associated with small signaling molecules like nitric oxide, reactive oxygen species and cytosolic free calcium, and mediated by rapidly altering ion fluxes in guard cells. ABA also triggers the expression of osmotic stress-responsive (OR) genes, which usually contain single/multiple copies of cis-acting sequence called abscisic acid-responsive element (ABRE) in their upstream regions, mostly recognized by the basic leucine zipper-transcription factors (TFs), namely, ABA-responsive element-binding protein/ABA-binding factor. Another conserved sequence called the dehydration-responsive element (DRE)/C-repeat, responding to cold or osmotic stress, but not to ABA, occurs in some OR promoters, to which the DRE-binding protein/C-repeat-binding factor binds. In contrast, there are genes or TFs containing both DRE/CRT and ABRE, which can integrate input stimuli from salinity, drought, cold and ABA signaling pathways, thereby enabling cross-tolerance to multiple stresses. A strong candidate that mediates such cross-talk is calcium, which serves as a common second messenger for abiotic stress conditions and ABA. The present review highlights the involvement of both ABA-dependent and ABA-independent signaling components and their interaction or convergence in activating the stress genes. We restrict our discussion to salinity, drought and cold stress.

Intermediality and media change

OpenAIRE

2012-01-01

This book is about intermediality as an approach to analysing and understanding media change. Intermediality and Media Change is critical of technological determinism that characterises 'new media discourse' about the ongoing digitalization, framed as a revolution and creating sharp contrasts between old and new media. Intermediality instead emphasises paying attention to continuities between media of all types and privileges a comparative perspective on technological changes in media over ti...

Media exposure and health in Europe: Mediators and moderators of media systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blom, N.; Zanden, R. van der; Buijzen, M.A.; Scheepers, P.L.H.

2016-01-01

This study examined media exposure as an explanatory factor for individual and cross-national differences in self-assessed general health. In studying media exposure, traditional media (television, radio, and newspapers) and contemporary media (internet) were separately considered. Aside from

Media violence.

Science.gov (United States)

Cantor, J

2000-08-01

Research on the effects of media violence is not well understood by the general public. Despite this fact, there is an overwhelming consensus in the scientific literature about the unhealthy effects of media violence. Meta-analyses show that media-violence viewing consistently is associated with higher levels of antisocial behavior, ranging from the trivial (imitative violence directed against toys) to the serious (criminal violence), with many consequential outcomes in between (acceptance of violence as a solution to problems, increased feelings of hostility, and the apparent delivery of painful stimulation to another person). Desensitization is another well-documented effect of viewing violence, which is observable in reduced arousal and emotional disturbance while witnessing violence, the reduced tendency to intervene in a fight, and less sympathy for the victims of violence. Although there is evidence that youth who are already violent are more likely to seek out violent entertainment, there is strong evidence that the relationship between violence viewing and antisocial behavior is bidirectional. There is growing evidence that media violence also engenders intense fear in children which often lasts days, months, and even years. The media's potential role in solutions to these problems is only beginning to be explored, in investigations examining the uses and effects of movie ratings, television ratings, and the V-chip, and the effects of media literacy programs and public education efforts. Future research should explore important individual differences in responses to media violence and effective ways to intervene in the negative effects.

Social media visibility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Uldam, Julie

2018-01-01

of activists remains under-researched. This article examines BP’s surveillance of activists who criticise the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme as ‘greenwashing’. In this way, it goes beyond corporations’ uses of big data and instead explores how they monitor and discuss strategies......As activists move from alternative media platforms to commercial social media platforms, they face increasing challenges in protecting their online security and privacy. While government surveillance of activists is well-documented in scholarly research and the media, corporate surveillance...... for responding to the activities of individual activists in social media. It shows that while social media afford an unprecedented level of visibility for activists, it comes with the risk of being monitored by corporations. Theoretically, it draws on conceptions of visibility in social sciences and media...

Internal Social Media

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Vibeke Thøis

2018-01-01

Internal social media is a web-based communication arena that provides all organizational members with a communication opportunity. The media has emerged in organizations since 2004, and is increasingly seen as a way of giving employees a voice in organizations which can benefit the organization...... in terms of knowledge sharing, collaboration, and employee participation and engagement. The first wave of studies of internal social media was primarily from an information-systems perspective and focused more on its adoption, its affordances, and the outcome of its introduction. The second wave...... of studies was more concerned with studying the dynamics of communication on internal social media, in order to understand coworkers as strategic communicators and how communication on internal social media can constitute the organization. With a successful introduction of internal social media, coworkers...

Akun Resmi Media Sosial IMAJINASI FISIP USU Sebagai Media Pencarian Informasi (Studi Deskriptif Kuantitatif Penggunaan Akun Resmi Media Sosial IMAJINASI FISIP USU)

OpenAIRE

Nurdiningrum, Nurul

2017-01-01

130904171 Penelitian ini berjudul Akun Resmi Media Sosial IMAJINASI FISIP USU sebagai Media Pencarian Informasi (Studi Deskriptif Kuantitatif Penggunaan Akun Resmi Media Sosial IMAJINASI FISIP USU sebagai Media Pencarian Informasi pada Mahasiswa Ilmu Komunikasi).Tujuan penelitian adalah untuk mengetahui peranan akun resmi media sosial IMAJINASI FISIP USU sebagai media pencarian informasi pada mahasiswa Departemen Ilmu Komunikasi FISIP USU, untuk mengetahui jenis-jenis informasi yang dibagi...

'Frozen' media subsidies during a time of media change

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Rasmus Kleis

2014-01-01

documents and secondary sources, I show that media subsidies have largely remained frozen in their late-20th century form. The absence of major reform means that media subsidies are increasingly subject to policy drift, a process by which the operations and effectiveness of policies change not because......Media systems around the world have changed in significant ways in the early 21st century. In this article, I analyse how various forms of media subsidies have changed in response to these transformations in a sample of six different affluent democracies. On the basis of interviews, official......) a perceived shortage of desirable, cost-effective, and governable alternatives to existing policies....

Harnessing the landscape of microbial culture media to predict new organism–media pairings

Science.gov (United States)

Oberhardt, Matthew A.; Zarecki, Raphy; Gronow, Sabine; Lang, Elke; Klenk, Hans-Peter; Gophna, Uri; Ruppin, Eytan

2015-01-01

Culturing microorganisms is a critical step in understanding and utilizing microbial life. Here we map the landscape of existing culture media by extracting natural-language media recipes into a Known Media Database (KOMODO), which includes >18,000 strain–media combinations, >3300 media variants and compound concentrations (the entire collection of the Leibniz Institute DSMZ repository). Using KOMODO, we show that although media are usually tuned for individual strains using biologically common salts, trace metals and vitamins/cofactors are the most differentiating components between defined media of strains within a genus. We leverage KOMODO to predict new organism–media pairings using a transitivity property (74% growth in new in vitro experiments) and a phylogeny-based collaborative filtering tool (83% growth in new in vitro experiments and stronger growth on predicted well-scored versus poorly scored media). These resources are integrated into a web-based platform that predicts media given an organism's 16S rDNA sequence, facilitating future cultivation efforts. PMID:26460590

Arabidopsis Raf-Like Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase Kinase Gene Raf43 Is Required for Tolerance to Multiple Abiotic Stresses.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nasar Virk

Full Text Available Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK cascades are critical signaling modules that mediate the transduction of extracellular stimuli into intracellular response. A relatively large number of MAPKKKs have been identified in a variety of plant genomes but only a few of them have been studied for their biological function. In the present study, we identified an Arabidopsis Raf-like MAPKKK gene Raf43 and studied its function in biotic and abiotic stress response using a T-DNA insertion mutant raf43-1 and two Raf43-overexpressing lines Raf43-OE#1 and Raf43-OE#13. Expression of Raf43 was induced by multiple abiotic and biotic stresses including treatments with drought, mannitol and oxidative stress or defense signaling molecule salicylic acid and infection with necrotrophic fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea. Seed germination and seedling root growth of raf43-1 were significantly inhibited on MS medium containing mannitol, NaCl, H2O2 or methyl viologen (MV while seed germination and seedling root growth of the Raf43-OE#1 and Raf43-OE#13 lines was similar to wild type Col-0 under the above stress conditions. Soil-grown raf43-1 plants exhibited reduced tolerance to MV, drought and salt stress. Abscisic acid inhibited significantly seed germination and seedling root growth of the raf43-1 line but had no effect on the two Raf43-overexpressing lines. Expression of stress-responsive RD17 and DREB2A genes was significantly down-regulated in raf43-1 plants. However, the raf43-1 and Raf43-overexpressing plants showed similar disease phenotype to the wild type plants after infection with B. cinerea or Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000. Our results demonstrate that Raf43, encoding for a Raf-like MAPKKK, is required for tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses in Arabidopsis.

Media Pembelajaran Global Warming

OpenAIRE

Tham, Fikri Jufri; Liliana, Liliana; Purba, Kristo Radion

2016-01-01

Computer based learning media is one of the media has an important role in learning. Learning media will be attractive when packaged through interactive media , such as interactive media created in paper manufacture " instructional media global warming" . The advantage gained is that it can increase knowledge, generally educate people to be more concerned about the environment , and also can be a means of entertainment. This application is focused to learn about global warming and packaged in...

Potential Role of Nitrite for Abiotic Fe(II) Oxidation and Cell Encrustation during Nitrate Reduction by Denitrifying Bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Klueglein, Nicole; Zeitvogel, Fabian; Stierhof, York-Dieter; Floetenmeyer, Matthias; Konhauser, Kurt O.; Obst, Martin

2014-01-01

Microorganisms have been observed to oxidize Fe(II) at neutral pH under anoxic and microoxic conditions. While most of the mixotrophic nitrate-reducing Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria become encrusted with Fe(III)-rich minerals, photoautotrophic and microaerophilic Fe(II) oxidizers avoid cell encrustation. The Fe(II) oxidation mechanisms and the reasons for encrustation remain largely unresolved. Here we used cultivation-based methods and electron microscopy to compare two previously described nitrate-reducing Fe(II) oxidizers ( Acidovorax sp. strain BoFeN1 and Pseudogulbenkiania sp. strain 2002) and two heterotrophic nitrate reducers (Paracoccus denitrificans ATCC 19367 and P. denitrificans Pd 1222). All four strains oxidized ∼8 mM Fe(II) within 5 days in the presence of 5 mM acetate and accumulated nitrite (maximum concentrations of 0.8 to 1.0 mM) in the culture media. Iron(III) minerals, mainly goethite, formed and precipitated extracellularly in close proximity to the cell surface. Interestingly, mineral formation was also observed within the periplasm and cytoplasm; intracellular mineralization is expected to be physiologically disadvantageous, yet acetate consumption continued to be observed even at an advanced stage of Fe(II) oxidation. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) were detected by lectin staining with fluorescence microscopy, particularly in the presence of Fe(II), suggesting that EPS production is a response to Fe(II) toxicity or a strategy to decrease encrustation. Based on the data presented here, we propose a nitrite-driven, indirect mechanism of cell encrustation whereby nitrite forms during heterotrophic denitrification and abiotically oxidizes Fe(II). This work adds to the known assemblage of Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria in nature and complicates our ability to delineate microbial Fe(II) oxidation in ancient microbes preserved as fossils in the geological record. PMID:24271182

Measuring News Media Literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Maksl, Adam; Ashley, Seth; Craft, Stephanie

2015-01-01

News media literacy refers to the knowledge and motivations needed to identify and engage with journalism. This study measured levels of news media literacy among 500 teenagers using a new scale measure based on Potter's model of media literacy and adapted to news media specifically. The adapted model posits that news media literate individuals…

Making Dutch pupils media conscious: preadolescents' self-assessment of possible media risks and the need for media education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Küter-Luks, Theresa; Heuvelman, A.; Peters, O.

2011-01-01

Despite clear European and Dutch policies about media education, there is currently no media education curriculum in Dutch schools. A survey among preadolescents (n = 257) in six primary schools in the Netherlands included questions regarding media access, fears, risks, parental mediation of

Overexpression of a cytosolic abiotic stress responsive universal stress protein (SbUSP mitigates salt and osmotic stress in transgenic tobacco plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pushpika eUdawat

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The Universal Stress Protein (USP is a ubiquitous protein and plays an indispensable role in plant abiotic stress tolerance. The genome of Salicornia brachiata contains two homologues of intron less SbUSP gene which encodes for salt and osmotic responsive universal stress protein. In vivo localization reveals that SbUSP is a membrane bound cytosolic protein. The role of the gene was functionally validated by developing transgenic tobacco and compared with control (wild type and vector control plants under different abiotic stress condition. Transgenic lines (T1 exhibited higher chlorophyll, relative water, proline, total sugar, reducing sugar, free amino acids, polyphenol contents, osmotic potential, membrane stability and lower electrolyte leakage and lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde content under stress treatments than control (WT and VC plants. Lower accumulation of H2O2 and O2- radicals was also detected in transgenic lines compared to control plants under stress conditions. Present study confers that overexpression of the SbUSP gene enhances plant growth, alleviates ROS buildup, maintains ion homeostasis and improves the physiological status of the plant under salt and osmotic stresses. Principal component analysis (PCA exhibited a statistical distinction of plant response to salinity stress, and a significant response was observed for transgenic lines under stress, which provides stress endurance to the plant. A possible signaling role is proposed that some downstream genes may get activated by abiotic stress responsive cytosolic SbUSP, which leads to the protection of cell from oxidative damages. The study unveils that ectopic expression of the gene mitigates salt or osmotic stress by scavenging ROS and modulating the physiological process of the plant.

Overexpression of a Cytosolic Abiotic Stress Responsive Universal Stress Protein (SbUSP) Mitigates Salt and Osmotic Stress in Transgenic Tobacco Plants

Science.gov (United States)

Udawat, Pushpika; Jha, Rajesh K.; Sinha, Dinkar; Mishra, Avinash; Jha, Bhavanath

2016-01-01

The universal stress protein (USP) is a ubiquitous protein and plays an indispensable role in plant abiotic stress tolerance. The genome of Salicornia brachiata contains two homologs of intron less SbUSP gene which encodes for salt and osmotic responsive USP. In vivo localization reveals that SbUSP is a membrane bound cytosolic protein. The role of the gene was functionally validated by developing transgenic tobacco and compared with control [wild-type (WT) and vector control (VC)] plants under different abiotic stress condition. Transgenic lines (T1) exhibited higher chlorophyll, relative water, proline, total sugar, reducing sugar, free amino acids, polyphenol contents, osmotic potential, membrane stability, and lower electrolyte leakage and lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde content) under stress treatments than control (WT and VC) plants. Lower accumulation of H2O2 and O2− radicals was also detected in transgenic lines compared to control plants under stress conditions. Present study confers that overexpression of the SbUSP gene enhances plant growth, alleviates ROS buildup, maintains ion homeostasis and improves the physiological status of the plant under salt and osmotic stresses. Principal component analysis exhibited a statistical distinction of plant response to salinity stress, and a significant response was observed for transgenic lines under stress, which provides stress endurance to the plant. A possible signaling role is proposed that some downstream genes may get activated by abiotic stress responsive cytosolic SbUSP, which leads to the protection of cell from oxidative damages. The study unveils that ectopic expression of the gene mitigates salt or osmotic stress by scavenging ROS and modulating the physiological process of the plant. PMID:27148338

Educational Potential of New Media

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Yu. Kazak

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Digitalization of the mass media, which has radically changed the information environment, creates new opportunities for self-education and upgrowth of the audience. The paper defines the communicative and cultural status of new media, characterizes the socio-cultural and technological aspects of their dynamics; substantiates the necessity of elaborating mechanisms for systematization of heterogeneous information flows and elaborating criteria for their evaluation in the era of globalization of the media sphere, what implies a qualitatively different level of media competence of the audience, provided with such factors as media education, media coverage, media criticism. The definition of concepts "media competence", "media enlightenment", "media education", "media criticism" is given and their functional areas are delineated. Social networks are considered as an important tool for media enlightenment which provides significant opportunities for promoting cultural achievements in the new media environment.

Solution of Media Risk and Social Responsibility Governance of Social Media

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Yuan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The rapid development of media technology makes the modern society become a “social media” or even “over social media”, the rise of social media makes it beyond the tool attribute, and become an important force in the reconstruction of contemporary society, the risk of concomitant. The anomie and breach of Social media regularly staged, weakened its positive social function, forcing us to think about the social responsibility of social media,which are reflections on the lack of responsibility, but also positive response of resolving the media risk and ask for moral strength.

Adolescents and media literacy.

Science.gov (United States)

McCannon, Robert

2005-06-01

In the face of media industry consolidation, fewer people control media content which makes it harder for parents and citizens to know the research about media-related issues, such as video game violence, nutrition, and sexual risk-taking. Media literacy offers a popular and potentially successful way to counter the misinformation that is spread by Big Media public relations.

Fra massemedier til mediesystem - om kodediskussionen i systemteoretisk medieforskning [From mass media to media system - code discussions in systems theoretical media research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mikkel Fugl Eskjær

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Systems theoretical media research raises the question whether the mass media constitute a unified institution, or whether the media, due to their internal differences, should be considered individually and independent of each other. By inscribing the media in a general social theory, systems theory conceptualises the media as an autonomous functional system. This intention is most clearly illustrated by the efforts to identify a shared code for the entire media system. Based on the media theory of Niklas Luhmann, this paper offers a critical presentation of the code discussion within systems theoretical media research. The first part of the paper briefly introduces the systems theoretical notion of a code as well as Luhmann’s definition of the media system as organised and regulated by the code of information. The second part presents a number of alternative suggestions and definitions of the media system’s code, which both indicate the scope of systems theoretical media research, but also point to some of the limitations in the systems theoretical approach. In the last part, the paper takes a critical look at the systems theoretical code discussion by arguing that a too narrow focus on code definitions is blocking a more productive investigation of the conditions, evolution, and autonomy of the media system.

Overexpression of GmHsp90s, a heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90 gene family cloning from soybean, decrease damage of abiotic stresses in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinyan Xu

Full Text Available Hsp90 is one of the most conserved and abundant molecular chaperones and is an essential component of the protective stress response; however, its roles in abiotic stress responses in soybean (Glycine max remain obscure. Here, 12 GmHsp90 genes from soybean were identified and found to be expressed and to function differentially under abiotic stresses. The 12 GmHsp90 genes were isolated and named GmHsp90A1-GmHsp90A6, GmHsp90B1, GmHsp90B2, GmHsp90C1.1, GmHsp90C1.2, GmHsp90C2.1 and GmHsp90C2.2 based on their characteristics and high homology to other Hsp90s according to a new nomenclature system. Quantitative real-time PCR expression data revealed that all the genes exhibited higher transcript levels in leaves and could be strongly induced under heat, osmotic and salt stress but not cold stress. Overexpression of five typical genes (GmHsp90A2, GmHsp90A4, GmHsp90B1, GmHsp90C1.1 and GmHsp90C2.1 in Arabidopsis thaliana provided useful evidences that GmHsp90 genes can decrease damage of abiotic stresses. In addition, an abnormal accumulation of proline was detected in some transgenic Arabidopsis plants suggested overexpressing GmHsp90s may affect the synthesis and response system of proline. Our work represents a systematic determination of soybean genes encoding Hsp90s, and provides useful evidence that GmHsp90 genes function differently in response to abiotic stresses and may affect the synthesis and response system of proline.

Media multitasking and implicit learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Kathleen S; Shin, Myoungju

2017-07-01

Media multitasking refers to the simultaneous use of different forms of media. Previous research comparing heavy media multitaskers and light media multitaskers suggests that heavy media multitaskers have a broader scope of attention. The present study explored whether these differences in attentional scope would lead to a greater degree of implicit learning for heavy media multitaskers. The study also examined whether media multitasking behaviour is associated with differences in visual working memory, and whether visual working memory differentially affects the ability to process contextual information. In addition to comparing extreme groups (heavy and light media multitaskers) the study included analysis of people who media multitask in moderation (intermediate media multitaskers). Ninety-four participants were divided into groups based on responses to the media use questionnaire, and completed the contextual cueing and n-back tasks. Results indicated that the speed at which implicit learning occurred was slower in heavy media multitaskers relative to both light and intermediate media multitaskers. There was no relationship between working memory performance and media multitasking group, and no relationship between working memory and implicit learning. There was also no evidence for superior performance of intermediate media multitaskers. A deficit in implicit learning observed in heavy media multitaskers is consistent with previous literature, which suggests that heavy media multitaskers perform more poorly than light media multitaskers in attentional tasks due to their wider attentional scope.

Media Flow

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kabel, Lars

2016-01-01

News and other kinds of journalistic stories, 16-17 hours a day, all year round, on all platforms, also the moderated social media. The key research thesis behind this article is that the continuous and speedy stream of news stories and media content now is becoming the centre of the production...... processes and the value creation in converged multimedia newsrooms. The article identify new methods and discuss editorial challenges in handling media flow....

Nucleotide Selectivity in Abiotic RNA Polymerization Reactions

Science.gov (United States)

Coari, Kristin M.; Martin, Rebecca C.; Jain, Kopal; McGown, Linda B.

2017-09-01

In order to establish an RNA world on early Earth, the nucleotides must form polymers through chemical rather than biochemical reactions. The polymerization products must be long enough to perform catalytic functions, including self-replication, and to preserve genetic information. These functions depend not only on the length of the polymers, but also on their sequences. To date, studies of abiotic RNA polymerization generally have focused on routes to polymerization of a single nucleotide and lengths of the homopolymer products. Less work has been done the selectivity of the reaction toward incorporation of some nucleotides over others in nucleotide mixtures. Such information is an essential step toward understanding the chemical evolution of RNA. To address this question, in the present work RNA polymerization reactions were performed in the presence of montmorillonite clay catalyst. The nucleotides included the monophosphates of adenosine, cytosine, guanosine, uridine and inosine. Experiments included reactions of mixtures of an imidazole-activated nucleotide (ImpX) with one or more unactivated nucleotides (XMP), of two or more ImpX, and of XMP that were activated in situ in the polymerization reaction itself. The reaction products were analyzed using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to identify the lengths and nucleotide compositions of the polymerization products. The results show that the extent of polymerization, the degree of heteropolymerization vs. homopolymerization, and the composition of the polymeric products all vary among the different nucleotides and depend upon which nucleotides and how many different nucleotides are present in the mixture.

Nucleotide Selectivity in Abiotic RNA Polymerization Reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Coari, Kristin M; Martin, Rebecca C; Jain, Kopal; McGown, Linda B

2017-09-01

In order to establish an RNA world on early Earth, the nucleotides must form polymers through chemical rather than biochemical reactions. The polymerization products must be long enough to perform catalytic functions, including self-replication, and to preserve genetic information. These functions depend not only on the length of the polymers, but also on their sequences. To date, studies of abiotic RNA polymerization generally have focused on routes to polymerization of a single nucleotide and lengths of the homopolymer products. Less work has been done the selectivity of the reaction toward incorporation of some nucleotides over others in nucleotide mixtures. Such information is an essential step toward understanding the chemical evolution of RNA. To address this question, in the present work RNA polymerization reactions were performed in the presence of montmorillonite clay catalyst. The nucleotides included the monophosphates of adenosine, cytosine, guanosine, uridine and inosine. Experiments included reactions of mixtures of an imidazole-activated nucleotide (ImpX) with one or more unactivated nucleotides (XMP), of two or more ImpX, and of XMP that were activated in situ in the polymerization reaction itself. The reaction products were analyzed using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to identify the lengths and nucleotide compositions of the polymerization products. The results show that the extent of polymerization, the degree of heteropolymerization vs. homopolymerization, and the composition of the polymeric products all vary among the different nucleotides and depend upon which nucleotides and how many different nucleotides are present in the mixture.

An immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann model for biofilm growth and its impact on the NAPL dissolution in porous media

Science.gov (United States)

Benioug, M.; Yang, X.

2017-12-01

The evolution of microbial phase within porous medium is a complex process that involves growth, mortality, and detachment of the biofilm or attachment of moving cells. A better understanding of the interactions among biofilm growth, flow and solute transport and a rigorous modeling of such processes are essential for a more accurate prediction of the fate of pollutants (e.g. NAPLs) in soils. However, very few works are focused on the study of such processes in multiphase conditions (oil/water/biofilm systems). Our proposed numerical model takes into account the mechanisms that control bacterial growth and its impact on the dissolution of NAPL. An Immersed Boundary - Lattice Boltzmann Model (IB-LBM) is developed for flow simulations along with non-boundary conforming finite volume methods (volume of fluid and reconstruction methods) used for reactive solute transport. A sophisticated cellular automaton model is also developed to describe the spatial distribution of bacteria. A series of numerical simulations have been performed on complex porous media. A quantitative diagram representing the transitions between the different biofilm growth patterns is proposed. The bioenhanced dissolution of NAPL in the presence of biofilms is simulated at the pore scale. A uniform dissolution approach has been adopted to describe the temporal evolution of trapped blobs. Our simulations focus on the dissolution of NAPL in abiotic and biotic conditions. In abiotic conditions, we analyze the effect of the spatial distribution of NAPL blobs on the dissolution rate under different assumptions (blobs size, Péclet number). In biotic conditions, different conditions are also considered (spatial distribution, reaction kinetics, toxicity) and analyzed. The simulated results are consistent with those obtained from the literature.

The development of children's language and ethical media competences and media skills

OpenAIRE

Valli, Raine; Hautaviita, Janika; Meriläinen, Merja

2015-01-01

The children's developing media competences and media skills are evaluated in this article on the basis of the evaluation indicator developed by Hautaviita (2012). The indicator has been developed for measuring the 6–9-year-old children's (the preschoolers and the pupils in grades 1-2) media competences. In it, the children's developing media skills are divided into practical, social, language and ethical media competences, of which this article concentrates on the last two, language and ethi...

Applying East Asian Media Diplomacy Models to African Media: A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The last two decades have seen the extensive expansion of South African and Nigerian media on the African continent. However, while the link between media and diplomacy, and the role of media in visualising the state for foreign audiences have received a lot of scholarly attention internationally, relatively little work has ...

Need for Orientation, Media Uses and Gratifications, and Media Effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Weaver, David

In order to study the influence of need for orientation and media gratifications on media use and media effects in political communication, two previous surveys were studied to compare the causal modeling approach and the contingent conditions approach. In the first study, 339 personal interviews were conducted with registered voters during a…

Media Pluralism and Diversity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

In the western world, a diverse and pluralistic media landscape is deemed essential for democracy. But how universal is media pluralism as a concept underpinning media policies? To what extent do normative approaches, regulatory dimensions and monitoring systems differ throughout the world......? Adopting a truly global, theoretical and multidisciplinary perspective, Media Pluralism and Diversity advances our understanding of media pluralism across the globe. It compares metrics developed in different parts of the world to assess levels of, or threats to, media pluralism. It identifies common...

Expression of a finger millet transcription factor, EcNAC1, in tobacco confers abiotic stress-tolerance.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Venkategowda Ramegowda

Full Text Available NAC (NAM, ATAF1-2, and CUC2 proteins constitute one of the largest families of plant-specific transcription factors and have been shown to be involved in diverse plant processes including plant growth, development, and stress-tolerance. In this study, a stress-responsive NAC gene, EcNAC1, was isolated from the subtracted stress cDNA library generated from a drought adapted crop, finger millet, and characterized for its role in stress-tolerance. The expression analysis showed that EcNAC1 was highly induced during water-deficit and salt stress. EcNAC1 shares high amino acid similarity with rice genes that have been phylogenetically classified into stress-related NAC genes. Our results demonstrated that tobacco transgenic plants expressing EcNAC1 exhibit tolerance to various abiotic stresses like simulated osmotic stress, by polyethylene glycol (PEG and mannitol, and salinity stress. The transgenic plants also showed enhanced tolerance to methyl-viologen (MV induced oxidative stress. Reduced levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS and ROS-induced damage were noticed in pot grown transgenic lines under water-deficit and natural high light conditions. Root growth under stress and recovery growth after stress alleviation was more in transgenic plants. Many stress-responsive genes were found to be up-regulated in transgenic lines expressing EcNAC1. Our results suggest that EcNAC1 overexpression confers tolerance against abiotic stress in susceptible species, tobacco.

The Potential of an Alliance of Media Literacy Education and Media Criticism in Russia

Science.gov (United States)

Levitskaya, Anastasia

2015-01-01

Media criticism and media literacy education have much in common. For example, media literacy education and media criticism attaches great importance to the development of analytical thinking audience. Indeed, one of the most important tasks of media literacy education is precisely to teach the audience not only to analyze media texts of any kinds…

Mass Media: The Invisible Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Glessing, Robert J.; White, William P.

This anthology for students of media consists of essays and articles grouped under four topics: media forms, media content, media environments, and "the last word." Media forms deals with the nature of these kinds of media: electronic, print, film, music, and comics, graffiti, and clothing. Media content contains articles on the news, advertising,…

Procedural Media Representation

OpenAIRE

Henrysson, Anders

2002-01-01

We present a concept for using procedural techniques to represent media. Procedural methods allow us to represent digital media (2D images, 3D environments etc.) with very little information and to render it photo realistically. Since not all kind of content can be created procedurally, traditional media representations (bitmaps, polygons etc.) must be used as well. We have adopted an object-based media representation where an object can be represented either with a procedure or with its trad...

The Media Mixer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard, Vitus; Mortensen, Christian Hviid

In recent years many museums have experimented with different approaches to involving users through digital media. We explore how remixing and content sharing can be used as a means for user participation. Remix culture is seen as a culture that allows and encourages the production of derivative...... works; works that are based on already existing works. This cultural practice thrives throughout the Internet, most notably on web2.0 sites like YouTube. The Media Museum has embraced the remix paradigm with the development of an interactive media experience centre called the Media Mixer. Here...... the museum users can produce, deconstruct, reconstruct and finally publish and share digital media content. The media content is created by the user in the museums physical environment, but it can be mixed with material from local or global archives. In that way the gap between the analogue and the digital...

Roles of abiotic losses, microbes, plant roots, and root exudates on phytoremediation of PAHs in a barren soil.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Tian-Ran; Cang, Long; Wang, Quan-Ying; Zhou, Dong-Mei; Cheng, Jie-Min; Xu, Hui

2010-04-15

Phytoremediation is an emerging technology for the remediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In this study, pot experiments were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of phytoremediation of phenanthrene and pyrene in a typical low organic matter soil (3.75 g kg(-1)), and the contribution proportions of abiotic losses, microbes, plant roots, and root exudates were ascertained during the PAHs dissipation. The results indicated that contribution of abiotic losses from this soil was high both for phenanthrene (83.4%) and pyrene (57.2%). The contributions of root-exudates-enhanced biodegradation of phenanthrene (15.5%) and pyrene (21.3%) were higher than those of indigenous microbial degradation. The role of root exudates on dissipation of phenanthrene and pyrene was evident in this experiment. By the way, with the increasing of ring numbers in PAHs structures, the root-exudates-enhanced degradation became more and more important. BIOLOG-ECO plate analysis indicated that microbial community structure of the soil receiving root exudates had changed. The removal efficiency and substrate utilization rate in the treatment with plant roots were lower than the treatment only with root exudates, which suggested that possible competition between roots and microbes for nutrients had occurred in a low organic matter soil. 2009. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Abiotic stress growth conditions induce different responses in kernel iron concentration across genotypically distinct maize inbred varieties

Science.gov (United States)

Kandianis, Catherine B.; Michenfelder, Abigail S.; Simmons, Susan J.; Grusak, Michael A.; Stapleton, Ann E.

2013-01-01

The improvement of grain nutrient profiles for essential minerals and vitamins through breeding strategies is a target important for agricultural regions where nutrient poor crops like maize contribute a large proportion of the daily caloric intake. Kernel iron concentration in maize exhibits a broad range. However, the magnitude of genotype by environment (GxE) effects on this trait reduces the efficacy and predictability of selection programs, particularly when challenged with abiotic stress such as water and nitrogen limitations. Selection has also been limited by an inverse correlation between kernel iron concentration and the yield component of kernel size in target environments. Using 25 maize inbred lines for which extensive genome sequence data is publicly available, we evaluated the response of kernel iron density and kernel mass to water and nitrogen limitation in a managed field stress experiment using a factorial design. To further understand GxE interactions we used partition analysis to characterize response of kernel iron and weight to abiotic stressors among all genotypes, and observed two patterns: one characterized by higher kernel iron concentrations in control over stress conditions, and another with higher kernel iron concentration under drought and combined stress conditions. Breeding efforts for this nutritional trait could exploit these complementary responses through combinations of favorable allelic variation from these already well-characterized genetic stocks. PMID:24363659

PENGEMBANGAN MEDIA PEMBELAJARAN FILM ANIMASI SEBAGAI MEDIA PEMBELAJARAN KONSEP FOTOSINTESIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Umrotul Hasanah

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The research aims to develop animation film as a learning media in photosynthesis concept learning and to know the results of the assessment of the learning media expert test the concept of photosynthesis animated films. This research is Research and Development (R&D. The research used questionnaire Aspects of assessment in terms of the media covering aspects of technical quality, narration, and music/sound effects. Aspects of the assessment of the suitability of the material terms covering the material aspects of the curriculum, the clarity of the material, the order of the material, communicative, suitability of the material with the purpose of learning, material relationship with the students’ critical thinking skill, and material relationship with motivation. Media expert test against “Cahaya dan Fotosintesis” animated film made by media experts with a percentage of 80,6% with the as good category, and 92,5% are material expert excellent category. Based on the “Cahaya dan Fotosintesis” animated film expert test to students can be tasted on a limited basis, after the media deficiencies corrected.

Media Outlook 2016: A Survey of UK Media Trends and Firm Capabilities

OpenAIRE

Oliver, John James

2016-01-01

The aim of this survey is to understand the changing nature of the UK media environment, emerging trends and the management practices of media executives. This is the fourth year that the survey has run, and already we are seeing immense changes in the way media firms are adapting to a changing competitive landscape. This year, the focus of the survey has been on assessing media firm capabilities and the ability to adapt media strategy, business models and capabilities to new industry dynamic...

75 FR 77670 - SuperMedia, LLC, Formerly Known as Idearc Media, LLC, a Subsidiary of SuperMedia Information...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-13

... Known as Idearc Media, LLC, a Subsidiary of SuperMedia Information Services, LLC Publishing Group, Troy... Subsidiary of SuperMedia Information Services, LLC, Troy, New York, to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance..., Publishing Group, Troy, New York, who became totally or partially separated from employment on or after...

Advocates' Experiences With Media and the Impact of Media on Human Trafficking Advocacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Houston-Kolnik, Jaclyn D; Soibatian, Christina; Shattell, Mona M

2017-02-01

The present qualitative study explores advocates' opinions of misinformation about human trafficking in the media and describes advocates' strategies to counter the misinformation presented by the media. Thus, 15 advocates who work against human trafficking in Chicago-based nonprofit organizations participated in semistructured interviews about their opinions and strategies. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The present study identifies specific misperceptions of human trafficking in the media, highlights advocates' opinions of this misinformation, and discusses advocates' strategies to counteract inaccurate media, adding support to the role of media advocacy. Advocates note how media images shape and perpetuate stereotypes of trafficking through glamorizing sex work and sensationalizing stories that are most often international depictions of trafficking. Advocates report media generally shares only a piece of the story, simplifying the stories of survivors and the issue of human trafficking. Advocates critique media perpetuating these misperceptions for how they may contribute to policies and programs which fail to address structural factors that create vulnerabilities to be trafficked and the multisystem needs of survivors. However, advocates also note misperceptions can be counteracted by producing sensitive, informed media through social platforms. Advocates share their strategies counteracting misinformation through engaging in informative conversations, utilizing social media to educate, and promoting media messages of survivor agency. Research, clinical, and policy implications are also discussed. The present study emphasizes the importance of decision makers and service providers being critical consumers of media and to assess how media portrayals may (or may not) inform their understanding and response to the issue.

Open Media Science

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martiny, Kristian Møller Moltke; Pedersen, David Budtz; Hansted, Alfred Birkegaard

2016-01-01

and extend into a fully-fledged Open Media movement engaging with new media and non-traditional formats of science communication. We discuss two cases where experiments with open media have driven new collaborations between scientists and documentarists. We use the cases to illustrate different advantages...

DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS’ MEDIA LITERACY IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING SCHOOL MEDIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julia Rybina

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, a rapid development of information and communication technologies enables combine a number of formats for presenting information into one communication unit. That is why the media (Internet especially is not just tools for young generation for learning the modern world. Children enjoy in dealing with modern technologies. However not everyone has sufficient skills to objectively assess the true meaning of the information received. That is why children are more inclined for their mind to be manipulated and they are more inclined for blind imitating of attractive images. Owning to the above, the most priority-driven of modern education is the usage of information and communication technologies and media education for forming the skills of students' orientation in the information field and for forming the development of media immunity of the personality which makes the personality able to resist to the aggressive media space. Teachers face the challenge of introducing media education in middle and high schools. To implement the media education at the municipal institution regional specialized residential school “Giftedness” the pedagogical experiment was carried out there. The basis of the experiment is the generalized model of media literacy development for students that was used during for making and functioning the school newspaper «D.A.R-media». Theoretical aspects of the implementation of media education in the teaching and educational process of a specialized educational institution are considered in this study. A model for the development of the media literacy of students in the process of creating a school printed publication is proposed. Some results of research on the level of media literacy of students are highlighted and prospects for work on introducing media education of teachers and teachers are outlined.

Making Dutch Pupils Media Conscious: Preadolescents' Self-Assessment of Possible Media Risks and the Need for Media Education

Science.gov (United States)

Kuter-Luks, Theresa; Heuvelman, Ard; Peters, Oscar

2011-01-01

Despite clear European and Dutch policies about media education, there is currently no media education curriculum in Dutch schools. A survey among preadolescents (n = 257) in six primary schools in the Netherlands included questions regarding media access, fears, risks, parental mediation of television and the internet, and the need for media…

Asian Media Productions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

This work consists of 12 essays on different aspects of Asian media by Japanese, European, and American scholars, many of whom have themselves been involved in the production of media forms. Working in the fields of anthropology, media and cultural studies, and on the basis of hands-on research, ......, they have written a book on the social practices and cultural attitudes of people producing, reading, watching and listening to different kinds of media in Japan, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and India....

The social media revolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Dubose, Cheryl

2011-01-01

The growing popularity and use of social media tools such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, blogging, and wikis have led to a social media revolution. Given this widespread influence, it is important for educators, administrators, and technologists to understand the risks of using social media in the classroom and workplace. To investigate popular social media sites and their effect on radiologic technology education and business practices. A comprehensive search of literature was performed to examine social media and its applications in education, health care, and business. Social media use is on the rise, affecting all aspects of mainstream society. Leaders in the radiologic sciences should be familiar with social media and cognizant of its risks. Future studies regarding social media use in the radiologic sciences are necessary to determine its effect on the radiologic science community. ©2011 by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists.

MODERN MEDIA EDUCATION MODELS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Fedorov

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The author supposed that media education models can be divided into the following groups:- educational-information models (the study of the theory, history, language of media culture, etc., based on the cultural, aesthetic, semiotic, socio-cultural theories of media education;- educational-ethical models (the study of moral, religions, philosophical problems relying on the ethic, religious, ideological, ecological, protectionist theories of media education;- pragmatic models (practical media technology training, based on the uses and gratifications and ‘practical’ theories of media education;- aesthetical models (aimed above all at the development of the artistic taste and enriching the skills of analysis of the best media culture examples. Relies on the aesthetical (art and cultural studies theory; - socio-cultural models (socio-cultural development of a creative personality as to the perception, imagination, visual memory, interpretation analysis, autonomic critical thinking, relying on the cultural studies, semiotic, ethic models of media education.

Pengguna Media Interaktif Sebagai Kenyataan Maya: Studi Resepsi Khalayak Suarasurabaya.net Sebagai Media Interaktif

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ido Prijana Hadi

2011-07-01

Full Text Available My aim in writing this paper is to describe that in this fast-changing world, media in Indonesia has undergone a rapid transformation. Digital technology continues to reshape the mass media landscape using internet technology. Internet brings a technical communication revolution, a fundamental change takes place in the structure of connections, artificial memories and the reproduction of their content. Internet technology has made communication much easier and less expensive. It has attracted many people and has penetrated into people’s daily lives. The mass media also have accepted the internet. Almost all forms of traditional media (old media in local media, such as radio, television, and newspaper have extended their work into this new field. The internet and the World Wide Web have both significantly influenced modern journalism. In online media allows readers to enjoy browsing their product and service of contents, such as news feed, podcasts, desktop alert, news on mobile phones, PDA and others mobile devices. Online media offer not only text but also digital images , audio file, moving images (video, internet radio and internet t v. The interactive features of the internet seemingly imply that online media have more advantages than traditional media forms (old media. So, the internet have dramatically evolved become new media with characteristic multimedia, hypertext, interactivity, archives , and virtuality. The most important structural new media characteristic is the integration of telecommunications, data communications and mass communication in a single medium – it is the convergence. It should be pointed out that the trend toward digital is affecting the various media and brings the local media in East Java to become a global media, where breaking news from Surabaya or anywhere in East Java is transmitted to around the world in a matter of minutes . The research was carried out to find out how user reception on convergence media

Foxtail millet NF-Y families: genome-wide survey and evolution analyses identified two functional genes important in abiotic stresses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhi-Juan eFeng

2015-12-01

Full Text Available It was reported that Nuclear Factor Y (NF-Y genes were involved in abiotic stress in plants. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica, an elite stress tolerant crop, provided an impetus for the investigation of the NF-Y families in abiotic responses. In the present study, a total of 39 NF-Y genes were identified in foxtail millet. Synteny analyses suggested that foxtail millet NF-Y genes had experienced rapid expansion and strong purifying selection during the process of plant evolution. De novo transcriptome assembly of foxtail millet revealed 11 drought up-regulated NF-Y genes. SiNF-YA1 and SiNF-YB8 were highly activated in leaves and/or roots by drought and salt stresses. Abscisic acid (ABA and H2O2 played positive roles in the induction of SiNF-YA1 and SiNF-YB8 under stress treatments. Transient luciferase (LUC expression assays revealed that SiNF-YA1 and SiNF-YB8 could activate the LUC gene driven by the tobacco (Nicotiana tobacam NtERD10, NtLEA5, NtCAT, NtSOD or NtPOD promoter under normal or stress conditions. Overexpression of SiNF-YA1 enhanced drought and salt tolerance by activating stress-related genes NtERD10 and NtCAT1 and by maintaining relatively stable relative water content (RWC and contents of chlorophyll, superoxide dismutase (SOD, peroxidase (POD, catalase (CAT and malondialdehyde (MDA in transgenic lines under stresses. SiNF-YB8 regulated expression of NtSOD, NtPOD, NtLEA5 and NtERD10 and conferred relatively high RWC and chlorophyll contents and low MDA content, resulting in drought and osmotic tolerance in transgenic lines under stresses. Therefore, SiNF-YA1 and SiNF-YB8 could activate stress-related genes and improve physiological traits, resulting in tolerance to abiotic stresses in plants. All these results will facilitate functional characterization of foxtail millet NF-Ys in future studies.

Selection and Evaluation of Media for Behavioral Health Interventions Employing Critical Media Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Patrick A; Cherenack, Emily M; Jadwin-Cakmak, Laura; Harper, Gary W

2018-01-01

Although a growing number of psychosocial health promotion interventions use the critical analysis of media to facilitate behavior change, no specific guidelines exist to assist researchers and practitioners in the selection and evaluation of culturally relevant media stimuli for intervention development. Mobilizing Our Voices for Empowerment is a critical consciousness-based health enhancement intervention for HIV-positive Black young gay/bisexual men that employs the critical analysis of popular media. In the process of developing and testing this intervention, feedback on media stimuli was collected from youth advisory board members (n = 8), focus group participants (n = 19), intervention participants (n = 40), and intervention facilitators (n = 6). A thematic analysis of qualitative data resulted in the identification of four key attributes of media stimuli and participants' responses to media stimuli that are important to consider when selecting and evaluating media stimuli for use in behavioral health interventions employing the critical analysis of media: comprehension, relevance, emotionality, and action. These four attributes are defined and presented as a framework for evaluating media, and adaptable tools are provided based on this framework to guide researchers and practitioners in the selection and evaluation of media for similar interventions.

Cross-media advertising: brand promotion in an age of media convergence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Voorveld, H.; Smit, E.; Neijens, P.; Diehl, S.; Karmasin, M.

2013-01-01

Cross-media advertising, in which more than one medium platform is used to communicate related brand content, has become widespread. Several reasons for cross-media strategies can be distinguished: target group extension, complementary effects, repetition, and synergy. Media synergy—the added value

The impacts of post-media networks on the traditional media

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dr. Francisco Campos Freire

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The fast and successful penetration in society of the so-called social networks in the past two or three years has alarmed the traditional media. The new phenomenon reaches a wider audience, enhances advertising, achieves customization, and breaches some of the barriers of traditional media. The new communication channel is used already by millions of Internet users as their main source of information and entertainment. This research paper analyses the structure of eleven global social networks, which feature contents in Spanish and other languages, in relation to the electronic version (e-version of the main Spanish newspapers. The aim is to prove if the so-called social networks are a new type of media, a new platform for social relationships and post-media contents, which look more like the audiovisual media than the traditional newspapers.

Comprehension of digital media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Ju Hwan

2008-11-01

This book is divided four parts. The first part describes media and mark on sign and media, what is the sign?, interpretation of sign and semiotics. The second part is for production sign theory and origin of digital revolution such as the problem of origin of digital revolution, homogeneity of producing goods and sign : triple triangle model for production sign theory, triple triangle model for producing goods, triple triangle model of producing sign and triple triangle model of art works. The third parts deals with development of the media and meaning of digital revolution with four changes : invention of letter, appearance of printed media and establishment modernity, appearance electronic media and mess media and appearance of digital media. The last part mentions ontology of world wide web.

Comprehension of digital media

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Ju Hwan

2008-11-15

This book is divided four parts. The first part describes media and mark on sign and media, what is the sign?, interpretation of sign and semiotics. The second part is for production sign theory and origin of digital revolution such as the problem of origin of digital revolution, homogeneity of producing goods and sign : triple triangle model for production sign theory, triple triangle model for producing goods, triple triangle model of producing sign and triple triangle model of art works. The third parts deals with development of the media and meaning of digital revolution with four changes : invention of letter, appearance of printed media and establishment modernity, appearance electronic media and mess media and appearance of digital media. The last part mentions ontology of world wide web.

Abiotic nitrate reduction in the presence of steel material and hydrogen in cementitious environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Truche, L.; Berger, G.; Albrecht, A.

2012-01-01

Document available in extended abstract form only. Abiotic nitrate reduction induced by different electron donors represents a major reaction of interest in the context of disposal of nuclear waste containing such oxyanions (Honda et al., 2006; Katsounaros et al., 2009). These wastes are characterized, amongst others by the coexistence of oxyanions (nitrate, phosphate, sulfate...) and potentially reducing agents such as organic matter, native metals and hydrogen gas formed or from package material via radiolysis or anaerobic corrosion. In addition to the large number of reactants present in the waste itself, the medium-level long-lived (MAVL) waste concept is based on large masses of concrete and steel in part used for primary waste containers as well as armored cement over pack and engineered barrier; a concept that guarantees the mechanical stability of both the waste container and the waste cell. In this experimental study we evaluate the consequences of steel material (carbon steel and 316L stainless steel) from waste canisters and construction material (concrete and Callovo- Oxfordian argillite), as well as magnetite as their possible corrosion by-products, on the reduction of aqueous nitrate in the presence of hydrogen. A parametric study (0 2 ) - ] 2+ , Fe 2+ ) that can act as electron donors. This experimental study demonstrates that abiotic nitrate reduction induced by the combination of steel materials and hydrogen is a likely process under waste cell conditions, thus applicable to cases where nitrate-bearing waste (i.e. nuclear) is disposed in near-surface or in deep geological settings. Depending on the nature of the steel, the reaction may exhibit different kinetic features that would require dedicated assessment. An increase in nitrate concentrat ions above the steel saturation level of 10 mM (Fig. 1; beyond the range of the current study) may also have an influence on reaction processes and kinetics and thus influence nitrate reactivity. (authors)

Post Media Literacy: Menyaksikan Kuasa Media Bersama Michel Foucault

OpenAIRE

Iswandi Syahputra

2017-01-01

This article would like to present Michel Foucault’s idea concerning Knowledge and Power in media industry. As a contemporary intellectual, Foucault’s thought has a unique style of postmodernism. His thought had gone beyond traditional critical theory whose trying to disclose the relation of power and economic behind the ideology of media. Foucault’s thought had given new perspective in understanding how the media produce truth under tightly control process into something that seems normal. ...

Biotic and a-biotic Mn and Fe cycling in deep sediments across a gradient of sulfate reduction rates along the California margin

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider-Mor, A.; Steefel, C.; Maher, K.

2011-12-01

The coupling between the biological and a-biotic processes controlling trace metals in deep marine sediments are not well understood, although the fluxes of elements and trace metals across the sediment-water interface can be a major contribution to ocean water. Four marine sediment profiles (ODP leg 167 sites 1011, 1017, 1018 and 1020)were examined to evaluate and quantify the biotic and abiotic reaction networks and fluxes that occur in deep marine sediments. We compared biogeochemical processes across a gradient of sulfate reduction (SR) rates with the objective of studying the processes that control these rates and how they affect major elements as well as trace metal redistribution. The rates of sulfate reduction, methanogenesis and anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO) were constrained using a multicomponent reactive transport model (CrunchFlow). Constraints for the model include: sediment and pore water concentrations, as well as %CaCO3, %biogenic silica, wt% carbon and δ13C of total organic carbon (TOC), particulate organic matter (POC) and mineral associated carbon (MAC). The sites are distinguished by the depth of AMO: a shallow zone is observed at sites 1018 (9 to 19 meters composite depth (mcd)) and 1017 (19 to 30 mcd), while deeper zones occur at sites 1011 (56 to 76 mcd) and 1020 (101 to 116 mcd). Sulfate reduction rates at the shallow AMO sites are on the order 1x10-16 mol/L/yr, much faster than rates in the deeper zone sulfate reduction (1-3x10-17 mol/L/yr), as expected. The dissolved metal ion concentrations varied between the sites, with Fe (0.01-7 μM) and Mn (0.01-57 μM) concentrations highest at Site 1020 and lowest at site 1017. The highest Fe and Mn concentrations occurred at various depths, and were not directly correlated with the rates of sulfate reduction and the maximum alkalinity values. The main processes that control cycling of Fe are the production of sulfide from sulfate reduction and the distribution of Fe-oxides. The Mn distribution

Turkish Press in Social Media

OpenAIRE

AYTEN, Adem

2013-01-01

Social media, is one of the most researched facts today by the commications fellows. To get in use by Web 2.0 social media becomes common due to the rise of using mobile technologies. Instead of competing with traditional media and being an alternative media, social media is a new media that traditional media can transfer its content to it and can benefit its advantages. Indeed,the traditional media carried its content to the websites to access of their readers/listeners/watchers to compete ...

Children's Media Policy

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Amy B.

2008-01-01

Amy Jordan addresses the need to balance the media industry's potentially important contributions to the healthy development of America's children against the consequences of excessive and age-inappropriate media exposure. Much of the philosophical tension regarding how much say the government should have about media content and delivery stems…

Youth media lifestyles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Kruistum, Claudia; Leseman, Paul Pm; de Haan, Mariëtte

2014-01-01

In this article, the concept of "media lifestyles" is adopted in order to develop a comprehensive approach toward youth engagement in communication media. We explore how 503 Dutch eighth grade students with full access to new technology combine a broad range of media by focusing on their engagement

The parental media mediation context of young children’s media use

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Piotrowski, J.T.; Barr, R.; Linebarger, D.N.

2017-01-01

Researchers widely agree that how children spend their time is an important predictor of the development of their skills, relationships, attitudes, and behavior patterns. And while media estimates indicate that media play a considerable presence in the daily life of most youngsters today, media use

Understanding Social Media Logic

OpenAIRE

José van Dijck; Thomas Poell

2013-01-01

Over the past decade, social media platforms have penetrated deeply into the mech­anics of everyday life, affecting people's informal interactions, as well as institutional structures and professional routines. Far from being neutral platforms for everyone, social media have changed the conditions and rules of social interaction. In this article, we examine the intricate dynamic between social media platforms, mass media, users, and social institutions by calling attention to social media log...

The abiotic environment of the interstitial of a small Swiss river in the foothills of the Alps and its influence on gravel spawning brown trout (Salmo trutta L.)

Science.gov (United States)

Schindler, Yael; Michel, Christian; Holm, Patricia; Alewell, Christine

2010-05-01

The hyporheic zone can be characterized by multiple abiotic parameters (e.g. bulk density, texture, temperature, oxygen, ammonium, nitrate) which are all influenced directly or indirectly by the exchange processes between surface water and groundwater. These processes can vary both in time and space and are mainly driven by river discharge, ground water level and flow patterns. The input of fine sediment particles can change water-riverbed interactions through river bed clogging potentially affecting the embryonal development and survival of gravel spawning fish, such as brown trout (Salmo trutta L.). With our investigations we aim to understand these complex interactions spatially and temporally on a relevant small scale, i.e. within individual artificial brown trout redds. We designed an experimental field setup to directly investigate i) the influence of the abiotic river and redd environment on brown trout embryo development and ii) the hydrological dynamics affecting the abiotic environment in artificial brown trout. Additionally, our setup allows investigating the temporal dynamics of i) fine-sediment infiltration into the artificial redds and ii) embryo survival to two distinct developmental stages (i.e. eyed stage and hatch) The experiment was conducted in three sites of a typical Swiss river (Enziwigger, Canton of Luzern) with a strongly modified morphology. Individual sites represented a high, medium and low fine-sediment load. In each site, six artificial redds (18 in total) were built and data were collected during the entire incubation phase. Redds were located in places where natural spawning of brown trout is present. We adapted multiple established methods to the smaller scale of our river to study the dynamics of the most relevant abiotic parameters potentially affecting embryo development: Oxygen content and temperature was monitored continuously in different depths, fine sediment (bedload, suspended sediment load and its input in the river bed

MediaTracker system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sandoval, D. M. (Dana M.); Strittmatter, R. B. (Richard B.); Abeyta, J. D. (Joline D.); Brown, J. (John); Marks, T. (Thomas), Jr.; Martinez, B. J. (Benny J.); Jones, D. B. (Dana Benelli); Hsue, W.

2004-01-01

The initial objectives of this effort were to provide a hardware and software platform that can address the requirements for the accountability of classified removable electronic media and vault access logging. The Media Tracker system software assists classified media custodian in managing vault access logging and Media Tracking to prevent the inadvertent violation of rules or policies for the access to a restricted area and the movement and use of tracked items. The MediaTracker system includes the software tools to track and account for high consequence security assets and high value items. The overall benefits include: (1) real-time access to the disposition of all Classified Removable Electronic Media (CREM), (2) streamlined security procedures and requirements, (3) removal of ambiguity and managerial inconsistencies, (4) prevention of incidents that can and should be prevented, (5) alignment with the DOE's initiative to achieve improvements in security and facility operations through technology deployment, and (6) enhanced individual responsibility by providing a consistent method of dealing with daily responsibilities. In response to initiatives to enhance the control of classified removable electronic media (CREM), the Media Tracker software suite was developed, piloted and implemented at the Los Alamos National Laboratory beginning in July 2000. The Media Tracker software suite assists in the accountability and tracking of CREM and other high-value assets. One component of the MediaTracker software suite provides a Laboratory-approved media tracking system. Using commercial touch screen and bar code technology, the MediaTracker (MT) component of the MediaTracker software suite provides an efficient and effective means to meet current Laboratory requirements and provides new-engineered controls to help assure compliance with those requirements. It also establishes a computer infrastructure at vault entrances for vault access logging, and can

MediaTracker system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandoval, D.M.; Strittmatter, R.B.; Abeyta, J.D.; Brown, J.; Marks, T. Jr.; Martinez, B.J.; Jones, D.B.; Hsue, W.

2004-01-01

The initial objectives of this effort were to provide a hardware and software platform that can address the requirements for the accountability of classified removable electronic media and vault access logging. The Media Tracker system software assists classified media custodian in managing vault access logging and Media Tracking to prevent the inadvertent violation of rules or policies for the access to a restricted area and the movement and use of tracked items. The MediaTracker system includes the software tools to track and account for high consequence security assets and high value items. The overall benefits include: (1) real-time access to the disposition of all Classified Removable Electronic Media (CREM), (2) streamlined security procedures and requirements, (3) removal of ambiguity and managerial inconsistencies, (4) prevention of incidents that can and should be prevented, (5) alignment with the DOE's initiative to achieve improvements in security and facility operations through technology deployment, and (6) enhanced individual responsibility by providing a consistent method of dealing with daily responsibilities. In response to initiatives to enhance the control of classified removable electronic media (CREM), the Media Tracker software suite was developed, piloted and implemented at the Los Alamos National Laboratory beginning in July 2000. The Media Tracker software suite assists in the accountability and tracking of CREM and other high-value assets. One component of the MediaTracker software suite provides a Laboratory-approved media tracking system. Using commercial touch screen and bar code technology, the MediaTracker (MT) component of the MediaTracker software suite provides an efficient and effective means to meet current Laboratory requirements and provides new-engineered controls to help assure compliance with those requirements. It also establishes a computer infrastructure at vault entrances for vault access logging, and can accommodate

Solution of Media Risk and Social Responsibility Governance of Social Media

OpenAIRE

Zhang Yuan; Li Ming-De; Zhang Hong-Bang

2017-01-01

The rapid development of media technology makes the modern society become a “social media” or even “over social media”, the rise of social media makes it beyond the tool attribute, and become an important force in the reconstruction of contemporary society, the risk of concomitant. The anomie and breach of Social media regularly staged, weakened its positive social function, forcing us to think about the social responsibility of social media,which are reflections on the lack of responsibility...

Understanding Social Media Logic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José van Dijck

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Over the past decade, social media platforms have penetrated deeply into the mech­anics of everyday life, affecting people's informal interactions, as well as institutional structures and professional routines. Far from being neutral platforms for everyone, social media have changed the conditions and rules of social interaction. In this article, we examine the intricate dynamic between social media platforms, mass media, users, and social institutions by calling attention to social media logic—the norms, strategies, mechanisms, and economies—underpin­ning its dynamics. This logic will be considered in light of what has been identified as mass me­dia logic, which has helped spread the media's powerful discourse outside its institutional boundaries. Theorizing social media logic, we identify four grounding principles—programmabil­ity, popularity, connectivity, and datafication—and argue that these principles become increas­ingly entangled with mass media logic. The logic of social media, rooted in these grounding principles and strategies, is gradually invading all areas of public life. Besides print news and broadcasting, it also affects law and order, social activism, politics, and so forth. Therefore, its sustaining logic and widespread dissemination deserve to be scrutinized in detail in order to better understand its impact in various domains. Concentrating on the tactics and strategies at work in social media logic, we reassess the constellation of power relationships in which social practices unfold, raising questions such as: How does social media logic modify or enhance ex­isting mass media logic? And how is this new media logic exported beyond the boundaries of (social or mass media proper? The underlying principles, tactics, and strategies may be relat­ively simple to identify, but it is much harder to map the complex connections between plat­forms that distribute this logic: users that employ them, technologies that

Survival and development of reintroduced Cattleya intermedia plants related to abiotic factors and herbivory at the edge and in the interior of a forest fragment in South Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Delio Endres Júnior

2018-06-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Biotic and abiotic factors, such as luminosity, temperature, air humidity, and herbivory, can affect the establishment of reintroduced plants in natural habitats. This study evaluated the effects of these factors on the survival and growth of Cattleya intermedia plants reintroduced into a forest fragment in South Brazil. Plants of C. intermedia were obtained from in vitro seed germination in asymbiotic culture. Eighty-eight plants were reintroduced at both the forest edge and forest interior. Plants with greater shoot heights and number of leaves and pseudobulbs suffered more damage from herbivores at the edge. There were no significant differences in morphometric parameters between damaged and non-damaged plants in the interior. Tenthecoris bicolor, Helionothrips errans, Ithomiola nepos, Molomea magna and Coleoptera larvae damaged C. intermedia. Luminosity was higher at the edge, while air humidity and temperature were the same in both environments. Herbivory associated with abiotic factors increased plant mortality in the interior, while abiotic factors were determinative of plant survival at the edge. Luminosity is important to the survival of reintroduced epiphytic orchids, and herbivory affects the success of reintroduction.

Responses of transgenic Arabidopsis plants and recombinant yeast cells expressing a novel durum wheat manganese superoxide dismutase TdMnSOD to various abiotic stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaouthar, Feki; Ameny, Farhat-Khemakhem; Yosra, Kamoun; Walid, Saibi; Ali, Gargouri; Faiçal, Brini

2016-07-01

In plant cells, the manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) plays an elusive role in the response to oxidative stress. In this study, we describe the isolation and functional characterization of a novel Mn-SOD from durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. Durum), named TdMnSOD. Molecular phylogeny analysis showed that the durum TdMnSOD exhibited high amino acids sequence identity with other Mn-SOD plants. The three-dimensional structure showed that TdMnSOD forms a homotetramer and each subunit is composed of a predominantly α-helical N-terminal domain and a mixed α/β C-terminal domain. TdMnSOD gene expression analysis showed that this gene was induced by various abiotic stresses in durum wheat. The expression of TdMnSOD enhances tolerance of the transformed yeast cells to salt, osmotic, cold and H2O2-induced oxidative stresses. Moreover, the analysis of TdMnSOD transgenic Arabidopsis plants subjected to different environmental stresses revealed low H2O2 and high proline levels as compared to the wild-type plants. Compared with the non-transformed plants, an increase in the total SOD and two other antioxidant enzyme activities including catalase (CAT) and peroxidases (POD) was observed in the three transgenic lines subjected to abiotic stress. Taken together, these data provide evidence for the involvement of durum wheat TdMnSOD in tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses in crop plants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Differences in Competitive Ability between Plants from Nonnative and Native Populations of a Tropical Invader Relates to Adaptive Responses in Abiotic and Biotic Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Zhi-Yong; Zhang, Ru; Barclay, Gregor F.; Feng, Yu-Long

2013-01-01

The evolution of competitive ability of invasive plant species is generally studied in the context of adaptive responses to novel biotic environments (enemy release) in introduced ranges. However, invasive plants may also respond to novel abiotic environments. Here we studied differences in competitive ability between Chromolaena odorata plants of populations from nonnative versus native ranges, considering biogeographical differences in both biotic and abiotic environments. An intraspecific competition experiment was conducted at two nutrient levels in a common garden. In both low and high nutrient treatments, C. odorata plants from nonnative ranges showed consistently lower root to shoot ratios than did plants from native ranges grown in both monoculture and competition. In the low nutrient treatment, C. odorata plants from nonnative ranges showed significantly lower competitive ability (competition-driven decreases in plant height and biomass were more), which was associated with their lower root to shoot ratios and higher total leaf phenolic content (defense trait). In the high nutrient treatment, C. odorata plants from nonnative ranges showed lower leaf toughness and cellulosic contents (defense traits) but similar competitive ability compared with plants from native ranges, which was also associated with their lower root to shoot ratios. Our results indicate that genetically based shifts in biomass allocation (responses to abiotic environments) also influence competitive abilities of invasive plants, and provide a first potential mechanism for the interaction between range and environment (environment-dependent difference between ranges). PMID:23977140

The Media Reader.

Science.gov (United States)

Valdes, Joan; Crow, Jeanne

An anthology of readings in the media correlates chapter-by-chapter to the authors' textbook, "The Media Works." Fifteen chapters cover the study of newspapers, magazines, comics, popular music, television, movies, and advertising. The authors included represent varied perspectives on the media. The selections were chosen with the help of a…

Juggling with media : The consequences of media multitasking for adolescent development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Schuur, W.A.

2018-01-01

More than ever, adolescents juggle with media. They use multiple media simultaneously, for example, they send text messages to their friends while watching a movie. In addition, they use media during academic and social activities, such as watching YouTube videos while doing homework. Although this

Mixed-Media File Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bosch, H.G.P.

1999-01-01

This thesis addresses the problem of implementing mixed-media storage systems. In this work a mixed-media file system is defined to be a system that stores both conventional (best-effort) file data and real-time continuous-media data. Continuous-media data is usually bulky, and servers storing and

PERIKLANAN DALAM MEDIA BARU (Advertising In The New Media )

OpenAIRE

Errika Dwi Setya Watie

2016-01-01

Advertising is currently getting a huge challenge. the number of ads , it is realized or not, effects on saturation of advertising. New era media presents new communications media to the community. This condition should be recognized by anyone working in the advertising, because the development of advertising is in line with a new media movement, so the expectansy of the intended market segment will be achieved better. Today, the challenge of a new style of advertising has been answered b...

Measuring media multitasking : Development of a short measure of media multitasking for adolescents

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baumgartner, Susanne E.; Lemmens, Jeroen S.; Weeda, Wouter D.; Huizinga, Mariette

2017-01-01

Although media multitasking is an increasingly occurring form of media use, there are currently no validated, short instruments to measure media multitasking among adolescents. The aim of the present study, therefore, was to develop a short media multitasking measure for adolescents (MMM-S). Two

Promoting Media Literacy’ as Practicing “Media Reform”: Reflecting on Personal Experiences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui-Ju Tsai

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This paper assesses conceptions and practices in critical media literacy. In particular, it focuses on teaching experience and the processes which combine the educator’s reflection of theories of the ‘public sphere’, ‘media literacy’, and ‘communication civil rights’. The paper is divided into three main parts. The first of four sections will briefly cover the history of media reform and the relationship between the media reform movement and critical media literacy lessons in community colleges. It will connect this to the idea of ‘turn to the public’. The meaning and position of ‘media literacy’ in the broad media reform movement will also be analyzed. Following this, in the second section, conceptualizations of the ‘public sphere’, ‘public pedagogy’, and ‘critical media literacy pedagogy’ will be developed. Finally, three stages of the lesson design and practical interactions will be examined dialectically. In particular, the community college field research on my teaching experience will be described in the third section, and the suggestions, reflections and conclusions from the research will be examined in the last section.

Bacterial and abiotic decay in waterlogged archaeological Picea abies (L.) Karst studied by confocal Raman imaging and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Nanna Bjerregaard; Gierlinger, Notburga; Thygesen, Lisbeth Garbrecht

2015-01-01

Waterlogged archaeological Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst] poles were studied by means of confocal Raman imaging (CRI) and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) analysis to determine lignin and polysaccharide composition and distribution in the cell......, and minor oxidation of the lignin polymer compared to recent reference material. This is evidence for abiotic decay in the course of waterlogging....

Mediating social media use : connecting parents mediation strategies and social media literacy

OpenAIRE

Daneels, Rowan; Vanwynsberghe, Hadewijch

2017-01-01

Abstract: Increasingly complex and multipurpose social media platforms require digital competences from parents and adolescents alike. While adolescents grow up with social media, parents have more difficulties with them, leading to uncertainties regarding their adolescents social media mediation. This study contributes to parental mediation research by (1) investigating whether mediation strategies defined by previous research are also relevant for social media use, and (2) exploring whether...

Children's media policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Amy B

2008-01-01

Amy Jordan addresses the need to balance the media industry's potentially important contributions to the healthy development of America's children against the consequences of excessive and age-inappropriate media exposure. Much of the philosophical tension regarding how much say the government should have about media content and delivery stems from the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment protection against government interference in free speech, including commercial speech. Courts, Jordan says, have repeatedly had to weigh the rights of commercial entities to say what they please against the need to protect vulnerable citizens such as children. This balancing act is complicated even further, she says, because many government regulations apply only to broadcast television and not to non-broadcast media such as the Internet or cable television, though Congress has addressed the need to protect children's privacy online. The need to protect both free speech and children has given rise to a fluid media policy mix of federal mandates and industry self-regulation. Jordan describes the role of the three branches of the federal government in formulating and implementing media policy. She also notes the jockeying for influence in policymaking by industry lobbies, child advocacy groups, and academic researchers. The media industry itself, says Jordan, is spurred to self-regulation when public disapproval grows severe enough to raise the possibility of new government action. Jordan surveys a range of government and industry actions, from legislatively required parental monitoring tools, such as the V-Chip blocking device on television sets, to the voluntary industry ratings systems governing television, movies, and video games, to voluntary social website disclosures to outright government bans, such as indecency and child privacy information collection. She considers the success of these efforts in limiting children's exposure to damaging content and in improving parents

Study of organic chlorine in soils and formation in biotic and abiotic conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osswald, Aurelie

2016-01-01

Chlorine has long been considered as the predominantly chlorine form present in the environment. However, recent studies have shown that chlorine is retained in the soil as an organic form and is formed by a natural process of chlorination mainly from the microbial activity of the soil still poorly documented. The aim of this study is to estimate the organic and inorganic forms of chlorine in contrasting soil and highlight the evolution of these forms according to certain environmental parameters or terms of incubations and to the activity of microorganisms. For this, the organo-mineral horizons of contrasting soil were studied (i) in situ: The amounts of chlorine and physico-chemical and microbiological parameters of soil were measured; (ii) in two experimental devices incubations under different conditions. Measurements of chlorine levels between the beginning and the end of the first experiment were measured by AOX analyzer. For the second experiment, the soil was previously enriched with Na 37 Cl and 37 Cl levels were measured by HR ICP MS. Soil samples from these incubations were analyzed by Xanes spectrometry to identify the speciation of chlorine forms in soils. Soil non-extractable organic chlorine contents represent almost all of the chlorine. The parameters that influence the distribution of chlorine contents in soils correspond to vegetation cover, pH, organic carbon content and quantities of microorganisms. The chlorine contents measured by AOX analyzer and by HR ICP MS highlight an organic chlorine formation over time in relation to the microorganisms in the soil. The measures carried out by HR ICP MS show also an organic chlorine formation in abiotic conditions. Conversely, XANES spectrometry measurements have shown any organic chlorine formation. In conclusion, the parameters that influence the distribution of chlorine contents in soils have been targeted. Similarly, the microbial origin of the chlorination process has been demonstrated, although a

Heterologous expression of Anabaena PCC 7120 all3940 (a Dps family gene) protects Escherichia coli from nutrient limitation and abiotic stresses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narayan, Om Prakash; Kumari, Nidhi; Rai, Lal Chand

2010-01-01

This study presents first hand data on the cloning and heterologous expression of Anabaena PCC 7120 all3940 (a dps family gene) in combating nutrients limitation and multiple abiotic stresses. The Escherichia coli transformed with pGEX-5X-2-all3940 construct when subjected to iron, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus limitation and carbofuron, copper, UV-B, heat, salt and cadmium stress registered significant increase in growth over the cells transformed with empty vector under iron (0%), carbon (0.05%), nitrogen (3.7 mM) and phosphorus (2 mM) limitation and carbofuron (0.025 mg ml -1 ), CuCl 2 (1 mM), UV-B (10 min), heat (47 o C), NaCl (6% w/v) and CdCl 2 (4 mM) stress. Enhanced expression of all3940 gene measured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR at different time points under above mentioned treatments clearly demonstrates its role in tolerance against aforesaid abiotic stresses. This study opens the gate for developing transgenic cyanobacteria capable of growing successfully under above mentioned stresses.

Abiotic controls of emergent macrophyte density in a bedrock channel - The Cahaba River, AL (USA)

Science.gov (United States)

Vaughn, Ryan S.; Davis, Lisa

2015-10-01

Research examining bedrock channels is growing. Despite this, biotic-abiotic interactions remain a topic mostly addressed in alluvial systems. This research identified hydrogeomorphic factors operating at the patch-scale (100-102 m) in bedrock shoals of the Cahaba River (AL) that help determine the distribution of the emergent aquatic macrophyte, Justicia americana. Macrophyte patch density (number of stems/m2) and percent bedrock void surface area (rock surface area/m2 occupied by joints, fractures, and potholes) were measured (n = 24 within two bedrock shoals) using stem counts and underwater photography, respectively. One-dimensional hydrologic modeling (HEC-RAS 4.1.0) was completed for a section within a shoal to examine velocity and channel depth as controlling variables for macrophyte patch density. Results from binary logistic regression analysis identified depth and velocity as good predictors of the presence or absence of Justicia americana within shoal structures (depth p = 0.001, velocity p = 0.007), which is a similar finding to previous research conducted in alluvial systems. Correlation analysis between bedrock surface void area and stem density demonstrated a statistically significant positive correlation (r = 0.665, p = 0.01), elucidating a link between abiotic-biotic processes that may well be unique to bedrock channels. These results suggest that the amount of void space present in bedrock surfaces, in addition to localized depth and velocity, helps control macrophyte patch density in bedrock shoal complexes. The utility of geomorphology in explaining patch-scale habitat heterogeneity in this study highlights geomorphology's potential to help understand macrophyte habitat heterogeneity at the reach scale, while also demonstrating its promise for mapping and understanding habitat heterogeneity at the system scale.

Comprehensive expression profiling of rice tetraspanin genes reveals diverse roles during development and abiotic stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Balaji eM

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Tetraspanin family is comprised of evolutionarily conserved integral membrane proteins. The incredible ability of tetraspanins to form ‘micro domain complexes’ and their preferential targeting to membranes emphasizes their active association with signal recognition and communication with neighboring cells, thus acting as key modulators of signaling cascades. In animals, tetraspanins are associated with multitude of cellular processes. Unlike animals, the biological relevance of tetraspanins in plants has not been well investigated. In Arabidopsis tetraspanins are known to contribute in important plant development processes such as leaf morphogenesis, root and floral organ formation. In the present study we investigated the genomic organization, chromosomal distribution, phylogeny and domain structure of 15 rice tetraspanin proteins (OsTETs. OsTET proteins had similar domain structure and signature ‘GCCK/R’ motif as reported in Arabidopsis. Comprehensive expression profiling of OsTET genes suggested their possible involvement during rice development. While OsTET9 and 10 accumulated predominantly in flowers, OsTET5, 8 and 12 were preferentially expressed in root tissues. Noticeably, seven OsTETs exhibited more than 2-fold up regulation at early stages of flag leaf senescence in rice. Furthermore, several OsTETs were differentially regulated in rice seedlings exposed to abiotic stresses, exogenous treatment of hormones and nutrient deprivation. Transient subcellular localization studies of eight OsTET proteins in tobacco epidermal cells showed that these proteins localized in plasma membrane. The present study provides valuable insights into the possible roles of tetraspanins in regulating development and defining response to abiotic stresses in rice. Targeted proteomic studies would be useful in identification of their interacting partners under different conditions and ultimately their biological function in plants

Balancing media environments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olesen, Mogens

The paper examines how students in Danish upper secondary schools experience the uses and effects of the digital environment in relation to their school activities. Theoretically a media ecological perspective (Strate 2006) is applied which understands teaching and learning practices as shaped...... by the interrelation between teacher, student and the media technologies. According to this perspective, media creates an environment that shapes our possibilities for acting and communicating. In a basic sense, teaching and learning is a communicative situation where, traditionally, the teacher sends information...... to the receiving students through a medium (e.g. speech, blackboard, book or online learning platform). Digital media challenge this situation due to their affordances (Gibson 1979) for interactivity. Affordance has become an increasingly popular term within media studies for describing a complementary...

Social media influencer marketing

OpenAIRE

Isosuo, Heli

2016-01-01

The marketing field is changing simultaneously with the digital world. Social media is getting more and more important to marketers, and there is a need to stand out in the social media noise. Social media influencer marketing could be a good alternative to other types of marketing. A need from the consignor and the interest of the author were the motivations for conducting the study. Sääskilahti Consulting has a social media influencer network Somevaikuttajat, which is offering social media ...

Media Convergence: the Culture Dimensions of Thinking%Media Convergence:the Culture Dimensions of Thinking

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Shen Diao; Lan Ju

2017-01-01

In the process of meida Convergence,many researchers paid excessive attention to media technology,industry and management,and ignored the culture dimensions of media convergence.Therefore,to transcend media convergence technology,industrial thinking and more to the particularity attach importance to cultural media,it is a right way to achieve media convergence.But in the context of China's culture,media convergence should value the cultural uniqueness and the imbalance of the realistic problems,to reach innovation and breakthrough.

Impact of European Media Education Strategies on Russian Media Education Development

Science.gov (United States)

Mikhaleva, Galina V.

2015-01-01

The article attempts to examine the impact of European media education theories and approaches on Russian media education evolution basing on a comparative analysis of Russian and European media literacy promotion strategies in the historical context. This influence resulted in the appearance and development of socio-cultural models of media…

Pengembangan Media Pembelajaran Berupa Komik Fisika Berbantuan Sosial Media Instagram sebagai Alternatif Pembelajaran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irwandani Irwandani

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The development trend of technology and information at this time should be used by the world of education to make it as a learning tool, both outside and inside the classroom. One trend that is emerging now is the use of social media as a medium of learning. Social media will be focused to develop is a media Instagram, in which can contain images and text content. The study was conducted with the aim of producing instructional media products that meet the necessary criteria. The research is the research and development method undertaken by several stages, a preliminary investigation, gathering information, product design, product validation, testing is limited to the user, and product revision. Based on the stages that made learning media product obtained declared fit and is needed by learners after validating and testing the product. Validation linguists gained 84%, the design of 82.67%, 86.67% materials, and media gained 87.14%. Meanwhile, based on the scoring is obtained 90.83%. Tren perkembangan teknologi dan informasi saat ini seharusnya bisa dimanfaatkan oleh dunia pendidikan untuk menjadikannya sebagai sarana pembelajaran, baik itu di luar maupun di dalam kelas. Salah satu tren yang sedang muncul saat ini adalah pemanfaatan media sosial sebagai media pembelajaran. Media sosial yang akan difokuskan untuk dikembangkan adalah media instagram, yang di dalamnya bisa memuat konten gambar dan tulisan. Penelitian dilakukan dengan tujuan menghasilkan produk media pembelajaran yang memenuhi kriteria yang dibutuhkan. Penelitian yang digunakan adalah penelitian dan pengembangan yang dilakukan dengan beberapa tahap yaitu melakukan penelitian pendahuluan, mengumpulkan informasi, desain produk, validasi produk, ujicoba terbatas kepada pengguna, kemudian revisi produk. Berdasarkan tahapan-tahapan yang dilakukan diperoleh produk media pembelajaran yang dinyatakan layak dan sangat dibutuhkan oleh peserta didik setelah melakukan validasi

From hybrid-media system to hybrid-media politicians

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blach-Ørsten, Mark; Eberholst, Mads Kæmsgaard; Burkal, Rasmus

2017-01-01

’ media use is changing rapidly; 15%–16% of Danish candidates used Twitter in 2011 but 68% in 2015. In this large-sample content analysis, party leaders have high traditional-news-media and low Twitter presence, and younger candidates visa-versa, but some politicians have high presence in both. Hybrid...

Your Media Speak So Loud I Can't Hear a Word You're Saying: Impact of Media and Media Selection on Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Hassell, Martin

2013-01-01

With the proliferation of communication media and technologies available, it is important for teams to understand the influence of these media on the performance of their communications. Additionally, it is important for researchers to understand how teams choose and use media. Literature on communication media impacts and communication…

Critical Media Literacy in Action: Uniting Theory, Practice and Politics in Media Education

Science.gov (United States)

Thevenin, Benjamin Joseph

2012-01-01

As media literacy is a growing field, there exist a number of distinct approaches to media education with varied political significance. Approaches such as protectionism, media arts education, and critical media literacy draw upon diverse theoretical traditions. Often overlooked in these traditions is the Critical Theory of the Frankfurt School.…

Abortion in the media.

Science.gov (United States)

Conti, Jennifer A; Cahill, Erica

2017-12-01

To review updates in how abortion care is depicted and analysed though various media outlets: news, television, film, and social media. A surge in recent media-related abortion research has recognized several notable and emerging themes: abortion in the news media is often inappropriately sourced and politically motivated; abortion portrayal in US film and television is frequently misrepresented; and social media has a new and significant role in abortion advocacy. The portrayal of abortion onscreen, in the news, and online through social media has a significant impact on cultural, personal, and political beliefs in the United States. This is an emerging field of research with wide spread potential impact across several arenas: medicine, policy, public health.

A Model of Continental Growth and Mantle Degassing Comparing Biotic and Abiotic Worlds

Science.gov (United States)

Höning, D.; Hansen-Goos, H.; Spohn, T.

2012-12-01

While examples for interaction of the biosphere with the atmosphere can be easily cited (e.g., production and consumption of O2), interaction between the biosphere and the solid planet and its interior is much less established. It has been argued (e.g., Rosing et al. 2006; Sleep et al, 2012) that the formation of continents could be a consequence of bioactivity harvesting solar energy through photosynthesis to help build the continents and that the mantle should carry a chemical biosignature. We present an interaction model that includes mantle convection, mantle water vapor degassing at mid-oceanic ridges and regassing through subduction zones, continental crust formation and erosion and water storage and transport in a porous oceanic crust that includes hydrous mineral phases. The mantle viscosity in this model depends on the water concentration in the mantle. We use boundary layer theory of mantle convection to parameterize the mantle convection flow rate and assume that the plate speed equals the mantle flow rate. The biosphere enters the calculation through the assumption that the continental erosion rate is enhanced by a factor of several through bioactivity and through an assumed reduction of the kinetic barrier to diagenetic and metamorphic reactions (e.g., Kim et al. 2004) in the sedimentary basins in subduction zones that would lead to increased water storage capacities. We further include a stochastic model of continent-to-continent interactions that limits the effective total length of subduction zones. We use present day parameters of the Earth and explore a phase plane spanned by the percentage of surface coverage of the Earth by continents and the total water content of the mantle. We vary the ratio of the erosion rate in a postulated abiotic Earth to the present Earth, as well as the activation barrier to diagenetic and metamorphic reactions that affect the water storage capacity of the subducting crust. We find stable and unstable fixed points in

Media Anthropology: A Theoretical Framework

Science.gov (United States)

Eiselein, E. B.; Topper, Martin

1976-01-01

Media anthropology, a diverse field, has involved nearly all the major subdisciplines of anthropology and most of the major media in five different areas of interaction: the study of media, reaching the public, gathering data, teaching with media, and applied media anthropology. (NQ)

Potentials of Social Media as Media Facility of Tourism Promotion Based on Community Participation

OpenAIRE

Romadhan, Mohammad Insan; Rusmana, Dewi Sri Andika

2018-01-01

The potential of social media as a media of tourism promotion is vastly massive. Nevertheless, the problem is on how to get social media can be widely known and has abundant followers for the publicized content could be accepted by the crowd. Normally, social media of a tourism promotion is integrated with conventional media like television, radio and newspapers. What if a region does not have large funds to interact with the conventional media, such issue be overcome with community participa...

Media multitasking in adolescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Cain, Matthew S; Leonard, Julia A; Gabrieli, John D E; Finn, Amy S

2016-12-01

Media use has been on the rise in adolescents overall, and in particular, the amount of media multitasking-multiple media consumed simultaneously, such as having a text message conversation while watching TV-has been increasing. In adults, heavy media multitasking has been linked with poorer performance on a number of laboratory measures of cognition, but no relationship has yet been established between media-multitasking behavior and real-world outcomes. Examining individual differences across a group of adolescents, we found that more frequent media multitasking in daily life was associated with poorer performance on statewide standardized achievement tests of math and English in the classroom, poorer performance on behavioral measures of executive function (working memory capacity) in the laboratory, and traits of greater impulsivity and lesser growth mindset. Greater media multitasking had a relatively circumscribed set of associations, and was not related to behavioral measures of cognitive processing speed, implicit learning, or manual dexterity, or to traits of grit and conscientiousness. Thus, individual differences in adolescent media multitasking were related to specific differences in executive function and in performance on real-world academic achievement measures: More media multitasking was associated with poorer executive function ability, worse academic achievement, and a reduced growth mindset.

Assay of Plasma Membrane H+-ATPase in Plant Tissues under Abiotic Stresses.

Science.gov (United States)

Janicka, Małgorzata; Wdowikowska, Anna; Kłobus, Grażyna

2018-01-01

Plasma membrane (PM) H + -ATPase, which generates the proton gradient across the outer membrane of plant cells, plays a fundamental role in the regulation of many physiological processes fundamental for growth and development of plants. It is involved in the uptake of nutrients from external solutions, their loading into phloem and long-distance transport, stomata aperture and gas exchange, pH homeostasis in cytosol, cell wall loosening, and cell expansion. The crucial role of the enzyme in resistance of plants to abiotic and biotic stress factors has also been well documented. Such great diversity of physiological functions linked to the activity of one enzyme requires a suitable and complex regulation of H + -ATPase. This regulation comprises the transcriptional as well as post-transcriptional levels. Herein, we describe the techniques that can be useful for the analysis of the plasma membrane proton pump modifications at genetic and protein levels under environmental factors.

Enhanced biotic and abiotic transformation of Cr(vi) by quinone-reducing bacteria/dissolved organic matter/Fe(iii) in anaerobic environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Bin; Gu, Lipeng; He, Huan; Xu, Zhixiang; Pan, Xuejun

2016-09-14

This study investigated the simultaneous transformation of Cr(vi) via a closely coupled biotic and abiotic pathway in an anaerobic system of quinone-reducing bacteria/dissolved organic matters (DOM)/Fe(iii). Batch studies were conducted with quinone-reducing bacteria to assess the influences of sodium formate (NaFc), electron shuttling compounds (DOM) and the Fe(iii) on Cr(vi) reduction rates as these chemical species are likely to be present in the environment during in situ bioremediation. Results indicated that the concentration of sodium formate and anthraquinone-2-sodium sulfonate (AQS) had apparently an effect on Cr(vi) reduction. The fastest decrease in rate for incubation supplemented with 5 mM sodium formate and 0.8 mM AQS showed that Fe(iii)/DOM significantly promoted the reduction of Cr(vi). Presumably due to the presence of more easily utilizable sodium formate, DOM and Fe(iii) have indirect Cr(vi) reduction capability. The coexisting cycles of Fe(ii)/Fe(iii) and DOM(ox)/DOM(red) exhibited a higher redox function than the individual cycle, and their abiotic coupling action can significantly enhance Cr(vi) reduction by quinone-reducing bacteria.

Including Media in Field Research and Becoming Part of the Science Media

Science.gov (United States)

Pelto, M. S.

2015-12-01

There are two primary strategies that I have pursued over the last decade to engage the media, policy makers, and public; after two decades of typical scientific publication methods. An effective method to engage the media with our ongoing 32 year glacier field research program has been to invite media members to join us in the field. From climate videographers to traditional reporters we have had a member of the media with us in nine of the last ten field seasons; two in 2015. The resulting stories have led to several awards for the journalists and an ongoing relationship with our research program. The second part of this science research communication strategy is to have readily available material on specific topics for the media to utilize; this requires social media outreach. The primary outlet media find is the AGU Blog: From a Glacier's Perspective. This blog pubishes two articles a week on a specific glacier's response to climate change. The blog yields on average a media contact on every fourth blog post in 2015. The contacts revolve around specific local glacier information published on the blog. The goal of each blog post is to tell a story about how each glacier is impacted by climate change.

Open Media Science

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller Moltke Martiny, Kristian; Pedersen, David Budtz; Hansted, Allan Alfred Birkegaard

2016-01-01

In this article, we present three challenges to the emerging Open Science (OS) movement: the challenge of communication, collaboration and cultivation of scientific research. We argue that to address these challenges OS needs to include other forms of data than what can be captured in a text...... and extend into a fully-fledged Open Media movement engaging with new media and non-traditional formats of science communication. We discuss two cases where experiments with open media have driven new collaborations between scientists and documentarists. We use the cases to illustrate different advantages...... of using open media to face the challenges of OS....

Developing an Ethics of Youth Media Production Using Media Literacy, Identity, and Modality

Science.gov (United States)

Gibbons, Damiana

2012-01-01

This critical, theoretical paper conceptualizes what determines an ethics for youth media production. Through discussions of media literacy, identity, and multimodality, I attempt to shift the question away from "What are the ethical ways in which youth use media?" toward the question "What are the ethics we have created as media literacy…

Simultaneous influence of indigenous microorganism along with abiotic factors controlling arsenic mobilization in Brahmaputra floodplain, India

Science.gov (United States)

Sathe, Sandip S.; Mahanta, Chandan; Mishra, Pushpanjali

2018-06-01

In the dynamic cycling of oxic and anoxic aqueous alluvial aquifer environments, varying Arsenic (As) concentrations are controlled by both abiotic and biotic factors. Studies have shown a significant form of toxic As (III) being released through the reductive dissolution of iron-oxy/hydroxide minerals and microbial reduction mechanisms, which leads to a serious health concern. The present study was performed in order to assess the abiotic and biotic factors influencing As release into the alluvial aquifer groundwater in Brahmaputra floodplain, India. The groundwater chemistry, characterization of the sediments, isolation, identification and characterization of prominent As releasing indigenous bacterium were conducted. The measured solid and liquid phases of total As concentration were ranged between 0.02 and 17.2 mg kg-1 and 8 to 353 μg L-1, respectively. The morphology and mineralogy showed the presence of detrital and authigenic mineral assemblages whereas primary and secondary As bearing Realgar and Claudetite minerals were identified, respectively. Furthermore, significant non-labile As fraction was found associated with the amorphous oxides of Fe, Mn and Al. The observed groundwater chemistry and sediment color, deduced a sub-oxic reducing aquifer conditions in As-contaminated regions. In addition, 16S rDNA sequencing results of the isolated bacterium showed the prominent Pseudomonas aeruginosa responsible for the mobilization of As, reducing condition, biomineralization and causing grey color to the sediments at the shallower and deeper aquifers in the study area. These findings suggest that microbial metabolic activities are equally responsible in iron-oxy/hydroxide reductive dissolution, controlling As mobilization in dynamic fluvial flood plains.

Variability in connectivity patterns of fish with ontogenetic migrations: Modelling effects of abiotic and biotic factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susanne Eva Tanner

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Connectivity is a critical property of marine fish populations as it drives population replenishment, determines colonization patterns and the resilience of populations to harvest. Understanding connectivity patterns is particularly important in species that present ontogenetic migrations and segregated habitat use during their life history, such as marine species with estuarine nursery areas. Albeit challenging, fish movement can be estimated and quantified using different methodologies depending on the life history stages of interest (e.g. biophysical modelling, otolith chemistry, genetic markers. Relative contributions from estuarine nursery areas to the adult coastal populations were determined using otolith elemental composition and maximum likelihood estimation for four commercially important species (Dicentrarchus labrax, Plathichtys flesus, Solea senegalensis and Solea solea and showed high interannual variability. Here, the effects of abiotic and biotic factors on the observed variability in connectivity rates and extent between estuarine juvenile and coastal adult subpopulations are investigated using generalized linear models (GLM and generalized mixed models (GMM. Abiotic factors impacting both larval and juvenile life history stages are included in the models (e.g. wind force and direction, NAO, water temperature while biotic factors relative to the estuarine residency of juvenile fish are evaluated (e.g. juvenile density, food availability. Factors contributing most to the observed variability in connectivity rates are singled out and compared among species. General trends are identified and results area discussed in the general context of identifying potential management frameworks applicable to different life stages and which may prove useful for ontogenetically migrating species.

Silencing of dehydrin CaDHN1 diminishes tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses in Capsicum annuum L.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ru-gang; Jing, Hua; Guo, Wei-li; Wang, Shu-Bin; Ma, Fang; Pan, Bao-Gui; Gong, Zhen-Hui

2015-12-01

We cloned a dehydrins gene CaDHN1 from pepper and the expression of CaDHN1 was markedly upregulated by cold, salt, osmotic stresses and salicylic acid (SA) treatment. Dehydrins (DHNs) are a subfamily of group 2 late embryogenesis-abundant (LEA) proteins that are thought to play an important role in enhancing abiotic stress tolerance in plants. In this study, a DHN EST (Expressed Sequence Tag) was obtained from 6 to 8 true leaves seedlings of pepper cv P70 (Capsicum annuum L.) by our laboratory. However, the DHN gene in pepper was not well characterized. According to this EST sequence, we isolated a DHN gene, designated as CaDHN1, and investigated the response and expression of this gene under various stresses. Our results indicated that CaDHN1 has the DHN-specific and conserved K- and S- domain and encodes 219 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis showed that CaDHN1 belonged to the SKn subgroup. Tissue expression profile analysis revealed that CaDH N1 was expressed predominantly in fruits and flowers. The expression of CaDHN1 was markedly upregulated in response to cold, salt, osmotic stresses and salicylic acid (SA) treatment, but no significant change by abscisic acid (ABA) and heavy metals treatment. Loss of function of CaDHN1 using the virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) technique led to decreased tolerance to cold-, salt- and osmotic-induced stresses. Overall, these results suggest that CaDHN1 plays an important role in regulating the abiotic stress resistance in pepper plants.

Transnational orientations in a global media landscape: Youth, media, war and conflict

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisabeth Eide

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This article reflects on the role of media in the re-imagination and reproduction (reconstruction of Norwegian identities and communities with a particular focus on how young people within diasporas follow news on war and conflict in their (or their parents’ countries of origin. The research employs focus groups with young people from the Pakistani, Afghan, and Tamil Diasporas, and also online surveys. The three groups share the experience of trying to build a life in another country (Norway, while their family and friends in the “homeland” experience political violence and civil war. We identify a notable sense of frustration and skepticism towards Norwegian media. The informants actively use international media and media from the homeland, and often find these more reliable and providing more relevant information than Norwegian media. They also voice a strong critique of the ways in which the media react when “the others” are victims of violence, and several participants react negatively towards the neglect of positive reporting from their respective homelands, and to media hostility towards Muslims.

Social Media as Collaborative Media in Workplace Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Kristopher J.; Akdere, Mesut

2013-01-01

As a result of rapid changes in technology, much is discussed about the use of social media in branding, marketing, and in general corporate communications. The intensity with which social media tools--blogs, wikis, Twitter, instant messaging (IM) and Facebook, among others--have proliferated is staggering. Increasingly important is the role of…

Transport in Stochastic Media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haran, O.; Shvarts, D.; Thieberger, R.

1998-01-01

Classical transport of neutral particles in a binary, scattering, stochastic media is discussed. It is assumed that the cross-sections of the constituent materials and their volume fractions are known. The inner structure of the media is stochastic, but there exist a statistical knowledge about the lump sizes, shapes and arrangement. The transmission through the composite media depends on the specific heterogeneous realization of the media. The current research focuses on the averaged transmission through an ensemble of realizations, frm which an effective cross-section for the media can be derived. The problem of one dimensional transport in stochastic media has been studied extensively [1]. In the one dimensional description of the problem, particles are transported along a line populated with alternating material segments of random lengths. The current work discusses transport in two-dimensional stochastic media. The phenomenon that is unique to the multi-dimensional description of the problem is obstacle bypassing. Obstacle bypassing tends to reduce the opacity of the media, thereby reducing its effective cross-section. The importance of this phenomenon depends on the manner in which the obstacles are arranged in the media. Results of transport simulations in multi-dimensional stochastic media are presented. Effective cross-sections derived from the simulations are compared against those obtained for the one-dimensional problem, and against those obtained from effective multi-dimensional models, which are partially based on a Markovian assumption

Social Media Reputation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Etter, Michael; Colleoni, Elanor; Ravasi, Davide

directly to corporate performance and actions. Secondly, prominent reputation measurements couple stakeholders´ believes to reputation drivers through the use of predefined scales and items. We argue that with the rise of social media a company´s reputation has increasingly become autonomous from corporate...... actions, which demands a greater decoupling of stakeholders´ perceptions from corporate signals or actions in corporate reputation research. We develop the concept of social media reputation as the overall evaluation of a company presented in social media and present a new approach of measuring reputation...... based on social media data that accounts for the autonomy of stakeholder´s perception of a firm. We compare and contrast this novel social media reputation measure (SMRM) with traditional reputation measurements and find that SMRM is a valuable measurement to capture the autonomy of the stakeholders...

Internet and Cross Media Productions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Anja Bechmann

2006-01-01

, the Internet continues to play a minor role when compared to older media. The content of the cross media concepts and organizations' history are crucial elements in deciding the priority and use of platforms. Methodologically, the article approaches cross media and the roles of the Internet on a micro......Convergence is one of the hot topics in Internet studies. Recently, however, media organizations have turned their focus to cross media communication. Media organizations are interested in optimizing communication across platforms such as TV, radio, websites, mobile telephones and newspapers....... The aim of this article is to examine the roles of the Internet when emphasis is put on cross media rather than convergence. This article proposes not one unidirectional convergent tendency but manifold roles of the Internet in cross media communication. Inside the media organizations, however...

Social Media Marketing in Russia

OpenAIRE

Olgskaya, Kristina

2017-01-01

Social media marketing involves the use of social media for connecting with prospective consumers. The study focuses on explaining such notions like social media marketing (SMM), types of SMM, differences between social media and traditional marketing, social media marketing plan, development ways of strategic social media marketing plan and why strategy may fail. This thesis also presents research in Russian social network – Vkontakte, where promotion of Mechanical Engineering programme ...

Identification and Expression Profiling of the Auxin Response Factors in Capsicum annuum L. under Abiotic Stress and Hormone Treatments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chenliang Yu

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Auxin response factors (ARFs play important roles in regulating plant growth and development and response to environmental stress. An exhaustive analysis of the CaARF family was performed using the latest publicly available genome for pepper (Capsicum annuum L.. In total, 22 non-redundant CaARF gene family members in six classes were analyzed, including chromosome locations, gene structures, conserved motifs of proteins, phylogenetic relationships and Subcellular localization. Phylogenetic analysis of the ARFs from pepper (Capsicum annuum L., tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L., Arabidopsis and rice (Oryza sativa L. revealed both similarity and divergence between the four ARF families, and aided in predicting biological functions of the CaARFs. Furthermore, expression profiling of CaARFs was obtained in various organs and tissues using quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR. Expression analysis of these genes was also conducted with various hormones and abiotic treatments using qRT-PCR. Most CaARF genes were regulated by exogenous hormone treatments at the transcriptional level, and many CaARF genes were altered by abiotic stress. Systematic analysis of CaARF genes is imperative to elucidate the roles of CaARF family members in mediating auxin signaling in the adaptation of pepper to a challenging environment.

Alternative Oxidase: A Mitochondrial Respiratory Pathway to Maintain Metabolic and Signaling Homeostasis during Abiotic and Biotic Stress in Plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Greg C. Vanlerberghe

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Alternative oxidase (AOX is a non-energy conserving terminal oxidase in the plant mitochondrial electron transport chain. While respiratory carbon oxidation pathways, electron transport, and ATP turnover are tightly coupled processes, AOX provides a means to relax this coupling, thus providing a degree of metabolic homeostasis to carbon and energy metabolism. Beside their role in primary metabolism, plant mitochondria also act as “signaling organelles”, able to influence processes such as nuclear gene expression. AOX activity can control the level of potential mitochondrial signaling molecules such as superoxide, nitric oxide and important redox couples. In this way, AOX also provides a degree of signaling homeostasis to the organelle. Evidence suggests that AOX function in metabolic and signaling homeostasis is particularly important during stress. These include abiotic stresses such as low temperature, drought, and nutrient deficiency, as well as biotic stresses such as bacterial infection. This review provides an introduction to the genetic and biochemical control of AOX respiration, as well as providing generalized examples of how AOX activity can provide metabolic and signaling homeostasis. This review also examines abiotic and biotic stresses in which AOX respiration has been critically evaluated, and considers the overall role of AOX in growth and stress tolerance.

ISOLATION OF MESOPHYLL PROTOPLASTS FROM MEDITERRANEAN WOODY PLANTS FOR THE STUDY OF DNA INTEGRITY UNDER ABIOTIC STRESS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Kuzminsky

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Abiotic stresses have considerable negative impact on Mediterranean plant ecosystems and better comprehension of the genetic control of response and adaptation of trees to global changes is urgently needed. The Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis assay could be considered a good estimator of DNA damage in an individual eukaryotic cell. This method has been mainly employed in animal tissues, because the plant cell wall represents an obstacle for the extraction of nuclei; moreover, in Mediterranean woody species, especially in the sclerophyll plants, this procedure can be quite difficult because of the presence of sclerenchyma and hardened cells. On the other hand, these plants represent an interesting material to be studied because of the ability of these plants to tolerate abiotic stress. For instance, holm oak (Quercus ilex L. has been selected as the model plant to identify critical levels of O3 for Southern European forests. Consequently, a quantitative method for the evaluation of cell injury of leaf tissues of this species is required. Optimal conditions for high-yield nuclei isolation were obtained by using protoplast technology and a detailed description of the method is provided and discussed. White poplar (Populus alba L. was used as an internal control for protoplast isolation. Such a method has not been previously reported in newly fully developed leaves of holm oak. This method combined with Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis assay represents a new tool for testing the DNA integrity of leaf tissues in higher plants under stress conditions.

Ectopic Expression of Pumpkin NAC Transcription Factor CmNAC1 Improves Multiple Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Arabidopsis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haishun Cao

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Drought, cold and salinity are the major environmental stresses that limit agricultural productivity. NAC transcription factors regulate the stress response in plants. Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata is an important cucurbit vegetable crop and it has strong resistance to abiotic stress; however, the biological functions of stress-related NAC genes in this crop are largely unknown. This study reports the function of CmNAC1, a stress-responsive pumpkin NAC domain protein. The CmNAC1-GFP fusion protein was transiently expressed in tobacco leaves for subcellular localization analysis, and we found that CmNAC1 is localized in the nucleus. Transactivation assay in yeast cells revealed that CmNAC1 functions as a transcription activator, and its transactivation domain is located in the C-terminus. CmNAC1 was ubiquitously expressed in different organs, and its transcript was induced by salinity, cold, dehydration, H2O2, and abscisic acid (ABA treatment. Furthermore, the ectopic expression (EE of CmNAC1 in Arabidopsis led to ABA hypersensitivity and enhanced tolerance to salinity, drought and cold stress. In addition, five ABA-responsive elements were enriched in CmNAC1 promoter. The CmNAC1-EE plants exhibited different root architecture, leaf morphology, and significantly high concentration of ABA compared with WT Arabidopsis under normal conditions. Our results indicated that CmNAC1 is a critical factor in ABA signaling pathways and it can be utilized in transgenic breeding to improve the abiotic stress tolerance of crops.

Breaking Open the Black Boxes: media archaeology, anarchaeology and media materiality

OpenAIRE

Goddard, M.

2015-01-01

An essay on the emergent methodology of media archaeology, in realtion to the material turn in approaches to digital media. In particular, this article advocates taking up Siegfried Zielinski's concept of 'anarchaeology', but in a different sense to the way it was originally proposed, in order to emphasise the political potentials of a media (an)archaeological methodological approach.

Effects of Abiotic Factors on the Geographic Distribution of Body Size Variation and Chromosomal Polymorphisms in Two Neotropical Grasshopper Species (Dichroplus: Melanoplinae: Acrididae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudio J. Bidau

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We review the effects of abiotic factors on body size in two grasshopper species with large geographical distributions: Dichroplus pratensis and D. vittatus, inhabiting Argentina in diverse natural habitats. Geographical spans for both species provide an opportunity to study the effects of changes in abiotic factors on body size. The analyses of body size distribution in both species revealed a converse Bergmannian pattern: body size is positively correlated with latitude, altitude, and seasonality that influences time available for development and growth. Allen’s rule is also inverted. Morphological variability increases towards the ends of the Bergmannian clines and, in D. pratensis, is related with a central-marginal distribution of chromosomal variants that influence recombination. The converse Bergmannian patterns influence sexual size dimorphism in both species but in different fashions. Body size variation at a microspatial scale in D. pratensis is extremely sensitive to microclimatic clines. We finally compare our results with those for other Orthopteran species.

ABI-like transcription factor gene TaABL1 from wheat improves multiple abiotic stress tolerances in transgenic plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Dong-Bei; Gao, Shi-Qing; Ma, You-Zhi; Xu, Zhao-Shi; Zhao, Chang-Ping; Tang, Yi-Miao; Li, Xue-Yin; Li, Lian-Cheng; Chen, Yao-Feng; Chen, Ming

2014-12-01

The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays crucial roles in adaptive responses of plants to abiotic stresses. ABA-responsive element binding proteins (AREBs) are basic leucine zipper transcription factors that regulate the expression of downstream genes containing ABA-responsive elements (ABREs) in promoter regions. A novel ABI-like (ABA-insensitive) transcription factor gene, named TaABL1, containing a conserved basic leucine zipper (bZIP) domain was cloned from wheat. Southern blotting showed that three copies were present in the wheat genome. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that TaABL1 belonged to the AREB subfamily of the bZIP transcription factor family and was most closely related to ZmABI5 in maize and OsAREB2 in rice. Expression of TaABL1 was highly induced in wheat roots, stems, and leaves by ABA, drought, high salt, and low temperature stresses. TaABL1 was localized inside the nuclei of transformed wheat mesophyll protoplast. Overexpression of TaABL1 enhanced responses of transgenic plants to ABA and hastened stomatal closure under stress, thereby improving tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses. Furthermore, overexpression of TaABL1 upregulated or downregulated the expression of some stress-related genes controlling stomatal closure in transgenic plants under ABA and drought stress conditions, suggesting that TaABL1 might be a valuable genetic resource for transgenic molecular breeding.

Tantangan Literasi Era Media Digital (Analisa Pengguna Media berdasarkan Model Kemungkinan Elaborasi)

OpenAIRE

Yudha, Reza Praditya

2017-01-01

Negative content is a common thing encountered in social media. Not resolved yet, precisely social media is used as reference or source by mass media. In fact, media literacy has been put into practice and exposed the dangers of negative content since long time ago. Two interesting phenomena are; negative content that predicted would be soar on Jakarta Governor Election, April 2017, was missed. Those negative content still exists, organized, even commodified nowdays. The second phenomenon, th...

Brand innovation and social media: knowledge acquisition from social media, market orientation, and the moderating role of social media strategic capability

OpenAIRE

Nguyen, Bang; Xiaoyu, Yu; Melewar, T. C.; Chen, Junsong

2015-01-01

The study examines the relationships between knowledge acquisition from social media, two forms of market orientation (proactive and reactive), social media strategic capability, and brand innovation strategy in the context of China’s online technology industry. Analysis of 357 online technology ventures, created during the past 6 years, suggests that brand innovation is affected by both knowledge acquisition from social media and market orientation. Social media strategic capability positive...