scholarly journals Wolbachiaco-infection in a hybrid zone: discovery of horizontal gene transfers from twoWolbachiasupergroups into an animal genome

PeerJ ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. e1479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa J. Funkhouser-Jones ◽  
Stephanie R. Sehnert ◽  
Paloma Martínez-Rodríguez ◽  
Raquel Toribio-Fernández ◽  
Miguel Pita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Hybrid Zone ◽  
Horizontal Transfer ◽  
Nuclear Genome ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Hybrid Zones ◽  
Natural Hybrid ◽  
Microbial Symbionts ◽  
Insight Into

Hybrid zones and the consequences of hybridization have contributed greatly to our understanding of evolutionary processes. Hybrid zones also provide valuable insight into the dynamics of symbiosis since each subspecies or species brings its unique microbial symbionts, including germline bacteria such asWolbachia, to the hybrid zone. Here, we investigate a natural hybrid zone of two subspecies of the meadow grasshopperChorthippus parallelusin the Pyrenees Mountains. We set out to test whether co-infections of B and FWolbachiain hybrid grasshoppers enabled horizontal transfer of phage WO, similar to the numerous examples of phage WO transfer between A and BWolbachiaco-infections. While we found no evidence for transfer between the divergent co-infections, we discovered horizontal transfer of at least three phage WO haplotypes to the grasshopper genome. Subsequent genome sequencing of uninfected grasshoppers uncovered the first evidence for two discreteWolbachiasupergroups (B and F) contributing at least 448 kb and 144 kb of DNA, respectively, into the host nuclear genome. Fluorescentin situhybridization verified the presence ofWolbachiaDNA inC. paralleluschromosomes and revealed that some inserts are subspecies-specific while others are present in both subspecies. We discuss our findings in light of symbiont dynamics in an animal hybrid zone.

In-Situ Observations of the Effect of Electron Irradiation on the Defect Microstructure of Alumina

1997 ◽  
Vol 3 (S2) ◽  
pp. 601-602
Author(s):  
S.-J. Chen ◽  
U. Dahmen ◽  
D.G. Howitt
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Electron Irradiation ◽  
Shear Bands ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
High Velocity Impact ◽  
Dislocation Densities ◽  
In Situ Observations ◽  
Very High ◽  
Insight Into

The interaction of radiation produced point defects with a dislocation microstructure at high temperature is of considerable interest and careful high voltage microscopy experiments can provide valuable insight into the mechanisms. Veyssière and Westmacott carried out in-situ experiments monitoring the partial dislocation climbs in Ni3Al induced by thermal vacancies as well as by Frenkel pairs produced during irradiation.1 We report here the results of some preliminary experiments we performed on alumina (A12O3) single crystals with high dislocation densities to study the modification of the microstructure by electron irradiation at high temperature.The dislocation microstructures were produced by shock wave deformation using a high-velocity impact technique. The technique is capable of producing a very high density of defects consisting primarily of basal twins, and slips on the basal, pyramidal and rhombohedral planes in alumina. The dislocations are all of glide type, mostly forming shear bands. A typical microstructure prior to irradiation is shown in figure la.

scholarly journals Male territorial vocalizations and responses are decoupled in an avian hybrid zone

2008 ◽  
Vol 363 (1505) ◽  
pp. 2879-2889 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula M den Hartog ◽  
Hans Slabbekoorn ◽  
Carel ten Cate
Keyword(s):  
Hybrid Zone ◽  
Acoustic Signals ◽  
Hybrid Zones ◽  
Natural Hybrid ◽  
Individual Male ◽  
Individual Strategy ◽  
Intraspecific Communication ◽  
Selective Sensitivity ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Male Signals

A core area of speciation research concerns the coevolution of species-specific signals and the selective sensitivity to such signals. Signals and responses to them should be tuned to each other, to be effective in intraspecific communication. Hybrid zones are ideal to study the presence of such ‘behavioural coupling’ and the mechanisms governing it, and this has rarely been done. Our study examines acoustic signals of males and their response to them in the context of territorial interactions in a natural hybrid zone between two dove species, Streptopelia vinacea and Streptopelia capicola . Male signals are important in hybrid zone dynamics as they are essential for territory establishment, which is crucial for successful reproduction. We tested whether the response of individual male hybrids is linked to how similar their own signal is to the playback signal. We did not find evidence for behavioural coupling. The combined evidence from the low level of response to hybrid and heterospecific signals outside the hybrid zone and a lack of coupling within the hybrid zone suggests that perceptual learning may explain our results. Learning to respond to locally abundant signals may be the best individual strategy and is likely to contribute to the maintenance of a hybrid zone.

Three Buddhist Texts from Dunhuang

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 265-278
Author(s):  
Geoffrey C. Goble
Keyword(s):  
Ninth Century ◽  
Western China ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Folk Beliefs ◽  
Immoral Behavior ◽  
Textual Production ◽  
Divine Retribution ◽  
Composite Nature ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract“Three Buddhist Texts from Dunhuang” provides an introduction to and translation of texts that are representative of the larger genre of Chinese Buddhist medical literature. These examples are indigenous Chinese Buddhist scriptures dating to the early ninth century. They were recovered in the early twentieth century at Dunhuang in western China. Although they often draw from Indian Buddhist sources, these texts are local Chinese products and are characterized by etiologies and therapeutics drawn from both Indian Buddhist traditions and Chinese worldviews. In these texts, disease is alternately the result of personal immorality, divine retribution, and collective misconduct. The prescribed therapies are also multiple, but consistently social in nature. These include worshiping buddhas and Buddhist deities, performing repentance rituals, copying Buddhist scriptures, sponsoring meals, and refraining from immoral behavior. As manuscripts essentially discoveredin situ, these texts provide valuable insight into on-the-ground worldviews, concerns, practices, and institutions in far western China. With their composite nature, drawing from established Indian Buddhist scriptures, folk beliefs, and governmental fiats, they are also suggestive of the strategies behind indigenous textual production.

A compilation of soybean ESTs: generation and analysis

Genome ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 329-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randy Shoemaker ◽  
Paul Keim ◽  
Lila Vodkin ◽  
Ernest Retzel ◽  
Sandra W Clifton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Cdna Libraries ◽  
Sequence Length ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
Average Sequence Length ◽  
Expressed Sequence ◽  
Insight Into

Whole-genome sequencing is fundamental to understanding the genetic composition of an organism. Given the size and complexity of the soybean genome, an alternative approach is targeted random-gene sequencing, which provides an immediate and productive method of gene discovery. In this study, more than 120 000 soybean expressed sequence tags (ESTs) generated from more than 50 cDNA libraries were evaluated. These ESTs coalesced into 16 928 contigs and 17 336 singletons. On average, each contig was composed of 6 ESTs and spanned 788 bases. The average sequence length submitted to dbEST was 414 bases. Using only those libraries generating more than 800 ESTs each and only those contigs with 10 or more ESTs each, correlated patterns of gene expression among libraries and genes were discerned. Two-dimensional qualitative representations of contig and library similarities were generated based on expression profiles. Genes with similar expression patterns and, potentially, similar functions were identified. These studies provide a rich source of publicly available gene sequences as well as valuable insight into the structure, function, and evolution of a model crop legume genome.Key words: Glycine max, genome sequencing, functional genomics.

scholarly journals Revisiting a classic hybrid zone: rapid movement of the northern flicker hybrid zone in contemporary times

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stepfanie M Aguillon ◽  
Vanya G Rohwer
Keyword(s):  
Hybrid Zone ◽  
Evolutionary Process ◽  
Geographic Region ◽  
Hybrid Zones ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Natural Hybrid ◽  
Rapid Movement ◽  
Northern Flicker ◽  
Multispectral Photography ◽  
Over Time

Natural hybrid zones have provided important insights into the evolutionary process, and their geographic stability/instability over time can help to disentangle the underlying biological processes that maintain them. Here, we leverage replicated sampling of an identical transect across the hybrid zone between yellow-shafted and red-shafted flickers to assess its stability over ~60 years (1955-1957 to 2016-2018). Using a plumage scoring approach that we validate with independent multispectral photography, we identify a ~73 km westward shift in the hybrid zone center towards the range of the red-shafted flicker but no associated changes in width. By integrating previous work in the same geographic region, it appears likely that this movement has occurred rapidly in the years since the early 1980s, prior to which the hybrid zone had remained stable over the previous century. This recent, rapid movement may be related to changes in climate or land management in contemporary times.

Understanding strength and texture in Fe at planetary core pressures and temperatures: insights from laser compression experiments

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sébastien Merkel ◽  
Sovanndara Hok ◽  
Cynthia Bolme ◽  
Arianna Gleason ◽  
Wendy Mao
Keyword(s):  
Extreme Conditions ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Extreme Pressure ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
High Pressure And Temperature ◽  
X Ray ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Linac Coherent Light Source ◽  
Insight Into

<p>Determining the high pressure and temperature behavior of iron (Fe) provides valuable insight into the evolution and dynamics of the Earth’s core. Shock compression using lasers can achieve extreme pressure and temperature conditions simultaneously. The duration of the extreme conditions state is on the order of nanoseconds. This is a challenge for in situ measurements of the shocked material’s properties. In this work, we shock-compressed polycrystalline iron at the Matter in Extreme Conditions End Station at the Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and performed in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements with sub-picosecond time resolution. The final aim of these experiments is the study of stress of texure in Fe under extreme conditions of pressure and temperature. The presentation will highlight the strategies for such experiment and data processing and present our premilinary results.</p>

Addressing sustainable challenges in China

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaolin Zhai ◽  
Richard Reed ◽  
Anthony Mills
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Sustainable Construction ◽  
Residential Construction ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cheap Labour ◽  
Alternative Approach ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present an innovative approach to addressing increasing sustainable challenges facing China's built environment which are linked to a diverse range of factors including rapid economic and population growth. The research context includes mass urbanisation in and the Chinese construction industry's attitude towards adopting sustainable construction processes. The focus is placed on examining current on-site construction practices in China which have historically remained largely unchanged; this includes a high reliance on cheap labour accompanied by a substantial material waste. An alternative approach is to increase the uptake of off-site production in China's residential construction industry, however no previous studies have investigated the potential advantages and barriers of this alternative approach. Design/methodology/approach – In collaboration with an industry organisation a survey was completed by 110 construction professionals in China. The questionnaire referred to 21 individual factors relating to their perception about the current and potential future uptake of off-site production in construction processes in China. Findings – The results confirmed the existing level of off-site production in China's urban residential construction industry was relatively low. At present the cast-in-situ method was considered by stakeholders as the most effective approach. The findings also confirmed the benefits of off-site production are not fully understood by the housing construction industry in China. It is argued this knowledge gap reduces the Chinese construction industry's motivation levels when seeking to embrace the off-site production approach and adopt improved sustainable construction practices. Originality/value – This is an original study designed to address a gap in knowledge as there has been no previous research conducted into the use of off-site industrialised process in China. The results provide a valuable insight into the uptake of off-site production in the residential construction industry and will assist stakeholders and policymakers to increase the level of sustainability.

Study of the resistor material of an automotive spark plug by use of the charge-up effect along with elemental mapping in an electron microprobe

1991 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
pp. 742-743
Author(s):  
D. R. Liu ◽  
S. S. Shinozaki ◽  
J. S. Park ◽  
B. N. Juterbock
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microprobe ◽  
Present Report ◽  
Coated Sample ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Elemental Mapping ◽  
Spark Plug ◽  
Carbon Coated ◽  
Electron Image ◽  
Electron Imaging ◽  
Insight Into

The electric and thermal properties of the resistor material in an automotive spark plug should be stable during its service lifetime. Containing many elements and many phases, this material has a very complex microstructure. Elemental mapping with an electron microprobe can reveal the distribution of all relevant elements throughout the sample. In this work, it is demonstrated that the charge-up effect, which would distort an electron image and, therefore, is normally to be avoided in an electron imaging work, could be used to advantage to reveal conductive and resistive zones in a sample. Its combination with elemental mapping can provide valuable insight into the underlying conductivity mechanism of the resistor.This work was performed in a CAMECA SX-50 microprobe. The spark plug used in the present report was a commercial product taken from the shelf. It was sectioned to expose the cross section of the resistor. The resistor was known not to contain the precious metal Au as checked on the carbon coated sample. The sample was then stripped of carbon coating and re-coated with Au.

Quantum Mechanical Interpretation of the Ultra-Low Energy Methyl-Rotation Dynamics in Porous Metal-Organic Frameworks Probed by Low-Frequency Vibrational Spectroscopy and ab initio Simulations

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qi Li ◽  
Adam J. Zaczek ◽  
Timothy M. Korter ◽  
J. Axel Zeitler ◽  
Michael T. Ruggiero
Keyword(s):  
Ab Initio ◽  
Metal Organic Frameworks ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Rotor Dynamics ◽  
Quantum Mechanical ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Void Space ◽  
Ab Initio Simulations ◽  
Metal Organic ◽  
Insight Into

<div>Understanding the nature of the interatomic interactions present within the pores of metal-organic frameworks</div><div>is critical in order to design and utilize advanced materials</div><div>with desirable applications. In ZIF-8 and its cobalt analogue</div><div>ZIF-67, the imidazolate methyl-groups, which point directly</div><div>into the void space, have been shown to freely rotate - even</div><div>down to cryogenic temperatures. Using a combination of ex-</div><div>perimental terahertz time-domain spectroscopy, low-frequency</div><div>Raman spectroscopy, and state-of-the-art ab initio simulations,</div><div>the methyl-rotor dynamics in ZIF-8 and ZIF-67 are fully charac-</div><div>terized within the context of a quantum-mechanical hindered-</div><div>rotor model. The results lend insight into the fundamental</div><div>origins of the experimentally observed methyl-rotor dynamics,</div><div>and provide valuable insight into the nature of the weak inter-</div><div>actions present within this important class of materials.</div>

Spectro-mechanical Characterization of Aromaticity and Maturity of Kerogens in Oil Shale at 6 nm Spatial Resolution

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Devon Jakob ◽  
Le Wang ◽  
Haomin Wang ◽  
Xiaoji Xu
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Oil Shale ◽  
Infrared Imaging ◽  
Mechanical Characterization ◽  
Optical Diffraction ◽  
Chemical Compositions ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Eagle Ford Shale

<p>In situ measurements of the chemical compositions and mechanical properties of kerogen help understand the formation, transformation, and utilization of organic matter in the oil shale at the nanoscale. However, the optical diffraction limit prevents attainment of nanoscale resolution using conventional spectroscopy and microscopy. Here, we utilize peak force infrared (PFIR) microscopy for multimodal characterization of kerogen in oil shale. The PFIR provides correlative infrared imaging, mechanical mapping, and broadband infrared spectroscopy capability with 6 nm spatial resolution. We observed nanoscale heterogeneity in the chemical composition, aromaticity, and maturity of the kerogens from oil shales from Eagle Ford shale play in Texas. The kerogen aromaticity positively correlates with the local mechanical moduli of the surrounding inorganic matrix, manifesting the Le Chatelier’s principle. In situ spectro-mechanical characterization of oil shale will yield valuable insight for geochemical and geomechanical modeling on the origin and transformation of kerogen in the oil shale.</p>

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