A novel superior factor widely controlling the rice grain quality

Synthesis of storage starch and protein accumulation is the main action of endosperm organogenesis in term of the economic importance of rice. This event is strongly disturbed by abiotic stresses such as high temperature; thus, the upcoming global warming will cause a crisis with a great impact on food production^1,2^. The enzymes for the protein storage and starch synthesis pathway should work in concert to carry out the organogenesis of rice endosperm^3-5^, but the regulatory mechanism is largely unknown. Here we show that a novel regulatory factor, named OsCEO1, acts as the conductor of endosperm organogenesis during the rice grain filling stage. The physiological properties of _floury-endosperm-2_ (_flo2_) mutants showed many similarities to symptoms of grains developed under high-temperature conditions, suggesting important roles of the responsible gene in sensitivity to high-temperature stress. Our map-based cloning identified the responsible gene for the _flo2_ mutant, _OsCEO1_, which has no homology to any genes of known function. The _OsCEO1_ belongs to a novel conserved gene family and encodes a protein composed of 1,720 amino acid residues containing a TPR (tetratricopeptide repeat) motif, which is considered to mediate a protein-protein interaction. The yeast two-hybrid analysis raised an unknown protein showing homology to a late embryogenesis abundant protein and a putative basic helix-loop-helix protein as candidates for the direct interactor for _OsCEO1_, whereas no enzyme genes for the synthesis of storage substances were detected. The _flo2_ mutant exhibited reduced expression of several genes for putative regulatory proteins as well as many enzymes involved in storage starch and proteins. These results suggest that _OsCEO1_ is a superior conductor of the novel regulatory cascade of endosperm organogenesis and may have important roles in the response to high-temperature stress

Comparisons Between Movement Onset Identification Methods Used in Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull Test

This dissertation aimed to explore the usefulness of using force derivatives for onset detection in the isometric mid-thigh pull test. First, we examined applications of three differential calculus principles, first and second derivative, and curvature using visual detection as a reference under different baseline conditions. Second, we compared the best derivative method to a threshold-based method using visual detection as a reference. Results of our first investigation showed trivial differences between many differential calculus methods and visual detection. However, statistical differences exceeding a trivial effect was observed when instantaneous force and rate of force develop were examined. Through the first investigation, first and second derivative emerged as possible viable methods for baseline with a countermovement and for all other baseline conditions, respectively. Results of the second investigation showed similarities to the first investigation with respect to onset time. However, examination of instantaneous force and rate of force development indicated that a threshold-based method tended to overestimate compared to visual detection and a first and second derivative combined method. In fact, the difference between visual detection and the first and second derivative combined method ranged from trivial to moderate under all baseline conditions while the threshold-based method often reached a large difference. Overestimation by the threshold-method was more pronounced for rate of force development. In conclusion, while not perfect, the first and second derivative 3 combined method appears to hold possible practical potential and may be used as an assistant method for entry-level sport scientist plus using visual detection for obvious erroneous values

Purification and biochemical properties of a cytochrome bc complex from the aerobic hyperthermophilic archaeon Aeropyrum pernix

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The bioenergetics of Archaea with respect to the evolution of electron transfer systems is very interesting. In contrast to terminal oxidases, a canonical <it>bc</it>₁complex has not yet been isolated from Archaea. In particular, <it>c</it>-type cytochromes have been reported only for a limited number of species.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here, we isolated a <it>c</it>-type cytochrome-containing enzyme complex from the membranes of the hyperthermophilic archaeon, <it>Aeropyrum pernix</it>, grown aerobically. The redox spectrum of the isolated <it>c</it>-type cytochrome showed a characteristic α-band peak at 553 nm corresponding to heme C. The pyridine hemochrome spectrum also revealed the presence of heme B. In non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the cytochrome migrated as a single band with an apparent molecular mass of 80 kDa, and successive SDS-PAGE separated the 80-kDa band into 3 polypeptides with apparent molecular masses of 40, 30, and 25 kDa. The results of mass spectrometry indicated that the 25-kDa band corresponded to the hypothetical cytochrome <it>c </it>subunit encoded by the ORF <it>APE_1719.1</it>. In addition, the <it>c</it>-type cytochrome-containing polypeptide complex exhibited menaquinone: yeast cytochrome <it>c </it>oxidoreductase activities.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In conclusion, we showed that <it>A. pernix</it>, a hyperthemophilic archaeon, has a "full" <it>bc </it>complex that includes a <it>c</it>-type cytochrome, and to the best of our knowledge, <it>A. pernix </it>is the first archaea from which such a <it>bc </it>complex has been identified. However, an electron donor candidates for cytochrome <it>c </it>oxidase, such as a blue copper protein, have not yet been identified in the whole genome data of this archaeon. We are currently trying to identify an authentic substrate between a <it>bc </it>complex and terminal oxidase.</p

University-Industry Technology Transfer: Empirical Findings from Chinese Industrial Firms

The knowledge and innovation generated by researchers at universities is transferred to industries through patent licensing, leading to the commercialization of academic output. In order to investigate the development of Chinese university-industry technology transfer and whether this kind of collaboration may affect a firm's innovation output, we collected approximately 6400 license contracts made between more than 4000 Chinese firms and 300 Chinese universities for the period between 2009 and 2014. This is the first study on Chinese university-industry knowledge transfer using a bipartite social network analysis (SNA) method, which emphasizes centrality estimates. We are able to investigate empirically how patent license transfer behavior may affect each firm's innovative output by allocating a centrality score to each firm in the university-firm technology transfer network. We elucidate the academic-industry knowledge by visualizing flow patterns for different regions with the SNA tool, Gephi. We find that innovation capabilities, R&D resources, and technology transfer performance all vary across China, and that patent licensing networks present clear small-world phenomena. We also highlight the Bipartite Graph Reinforcement Model (BGRM) and BiRank centrality in the bipartite network. Our empirical results reveal that firms with high BGRM and BiRank centrality scores, long history, and fewer employees have greater innovative output