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A TiN/Al2O3-reinforced composite coating was fabricated on 45# steel substrate by reactive nitrogen-arc cladding process with Ti-Al2O3-Fe-Ni60A powder blends as cladding materials and pure nitrogen as reactive and protective gas. The microstructure, microhardness, and wear behavior of the composite coating were investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), microhardness tester, and the friction abrasion testing machine. The formation mechanism of the phases in the composite coating was discussed. Results show that the composite coating consists of primary TiN/Al2O3 as the reinforcing phase. The ceramic composite coating is metallurgically bonded to the 45# steel substrate. The ceramic composite coating has high hardness and excellent wear resistance.

Spiral plating technique is reliable, repeatable, and more efficient than dilution plating methods in studying the efficacy of antimicrobial products. In this method, the concentration of chemicals can be varied at different positions on agar plates, but its calculation requires using a commercial software. To establish a user-friendly and cost-free platform, the R package ECX was developed to calculate chemical concentrations in spiral plating technique. Mathematical models were established for calculating dispensed volume on agar plates using variables (molecular weight and agar height) that affect diffusion. In addition to the R packages, the web-based Shiny extensions ECX, multi, and ppm were developed to provide a graphical interface for calculating individual concentrations, multiple concentrations, and stock concentrations, respectively. No significant differences were observed (P > 0.05) when ECX was compared with the commercial software. The ability to import and process large datasets makes the ECX package a better option for spiral plating technique studies. Furthermore, the multiplatform nature of the ECX package overcomes limitations presented in other software. Therefore, these ECX characteristics can increase the use of the spiral plating technique for sensitivity studies. Accepted for publication 21 June 2016.

Corrosion is not just among the most important reasons for material loss and energy consumption, it also one of the main causes for the failure of mechanical parts [1-2].Using excellent surface strengthening technology and, performing anti-corrosion coating on metallic material surfaces can not only improve the reliability and service life of products, it can also reduce product repair and replacement. In addition, surface-strengthening technology can also save material and energy, which contributes to the protection of the environment and aligns with a sustainable development strategy. This paper utilizes tungsten argon arc surface welding technology to study the corrosion resistance of titanium carbide(TiC) coating. Graphite powder, titanium(TiC) powder, and iron(Fe) powder as pre-applied powders were put on 45 steel surfaces to prepare TiC/Fe matrix composite coating using in-situ synthesis technology. The microstructure and properties of the coating were investigated by measuring the open circuit potential, polarization curve in 3.5% sodium chloride (NaCl) solution, 5% sulfuric acid (H2O4)solution. The conclusions were verified using weight loss method. The results of the experiment show that in 3.5% sodium chloride solution, the stable corrosion potential of TiC coating is higher than 45 steel. Other effects include a decrease in the thermodynamic trend of corrosion reaction and a reduction in the possibility of corrosion. However it did not change obviously in 5% sulfuric acid solution. Thus the corrosion rate of TiC coating is higher than 45 steel in 3.5% sodium chloride solution and 5% sulfuric acid solution. KeywordsTungsten ArgonArc Surfacing Welding; Composite Coating; TiC; Corrosion Resistance

Although seed size is one of the most important agronomic traits in plants, the genetic and molecular mechanisms that set the final size of seeds are largely unknown. We previously identified the ubiquitin receptor DA1 as a negative regulator of seed size, and the Arabidopsis thaliana da1-1 mutant produces larger seeds than the wild type. Here, we describe a B3 domain transcriptional repressor NGATHA-like protein (NGAL2), encoded by the suppressor of da1-1 (SOD7), which acts maternally to regulate seed size by restricting cell proliferation in the integuments of ovules and developing seeds. Overexpression of SOD7 significantly decreases seed size of wild-type plants, while the simultaneous disruption of SOD7 and its closest homolog DEVELOPMENT-RELATED PcG TARGET IN THE APEX4 (DPA4/NGAL3) increases seed size. Genetic analyses indicate that SOD7 and DPA4 act in a common pathway with the seed size regulator KLU to regulate seed growth, but do so independently of DA1. Further results show that SOD7 directly binds to the promoter of KLUH (KLU) in vitro and in vivo and represses the expression of KLU. Therefore, our findings reveal the genetic and molecular mechanisms of SOD7, DPA4, and KLU in seed size regulation and suggest that they are promising targets for seed size improvement in crops.

Cotton leaf spot (Alternaria macrospora) is a widespread disease that occurs in the main cotton-producing area of China. In managing this disease, a novel chitosan-based biopesticide, an amphiphilic N-alkyl-O-carboxymethyl chitosan derivative, was prepared. The product was selected from variations of chitosan with different molecular structures, which were obtained via a two-step reaction. First, carboxymethyl chitosans with varying molecular sizes were obtained by etherification with chloroacetic acid; then the carboxymethyl chitosan was alkylated with C4–C12 fatty aldehyde through a Schiff-base reaction. This procedure resulted in derivatives of amphiphilic N-alkyl-O-carboxymethyl chitosan, which showed strong antifungal activities against A. macrospora, and the efficacy was determined by its molecular structure.

Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) is a seed-borne pathogen that causes bacterial canker disease of tomato. Cmm is typically detected in tomato seeds using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) combined with culture-based isolation. The viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state of Cmm may result in the underestimation or false negative detection of the pathogen. In the present study, propidium monoazide (PMA) and its improved structure PMAxx were used to pretreat Cmm prior to DNA extraction, followed by qPCR. Both PMA and PMAxx could bind to the chromosomal DNA of dead bacterial cells and therefore block DNA amplification by PCR. This effect, however, does not occur in living bacterial cells, as the chemicals cannot penetrate through the undamaged cell membrane. Both viable and dead Cmm cells were treated with PMA and PMAxx at various concentrations. With this treatment, the range of the cell population was determined for effective detection. PMAxx showed a better discrimination effect than PMA on the viable and dead cells of Cmm and was therefore used throughout the present study. VBNC cells of Cmm (108 CFU mL-1) was induced by 50 μM copper sulfate, which was detected at different sampling times up to a month by using both PMAxx-qPCR and flow cytometry assays. The optimal PMAxx concentration was 20 μM for detecting membrane-intact Cmm cells. High specificity and sensitivity were obtained at Cmm concentrations ranging from 103 to 107 CFU mL-1. The accurate and robust results of PMAxx-qPCR were confirmed by flow cytometry method to detect viable Cmm cells. Furthermore, the PMAxx-qPCR assay was successfully used in detecting VBNC Cmm cells in tomato seeds with as few as 10 seeds per set.

The study was carried out on the basis of the flowering period of mung bean (Phaseolus radiatus). The polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG6000) was used to stimulate water stress. Four mung bean varieties with different drought resistances were used as materials in this experiment, in which the physiological indexes of mung bean for the identification of drought resistance were selected, and the response analysis of seven physiological indexes to different degrees of drought stress was measured by using polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG6000) on different concentrations of 5%, 10% and 20%. The physiological mechanism was analysed on drought tolerance of mung beans. This test was to set up identification system for drought tolerance of flowering mung bean. The results showed that the relative conductivity after 6 days of 5% PEG treatment, the SOD activity after 6 days of 5% PEG treatment, the POD activity after 6 days of 10% PEG treatment and the ABA content after 6 days of 10% PEG treatment could be used as drought-tolerant identification for mung beans at flowering period. These four physiological indexes and drought-resistant index weighted grey correlation analysis results showed that the correlation order was successively SOD activity (0.8589) > ABA content (0.8290) > conductivity (0.7160) > POD activity (0.6637); and the grey correlation degree was greater than 0.6500 among the four physiological indexes.

With the development and progress of computer technology, data computing has been moving from traditional computing to cloud computing gradually. Cloud storage technology is an important part of cloud computing technology, and the replica technology is the key technology in the cloud storage system. According to the thinking of replica technology, this paper presents a new model of cloud storage problem, links the storage reliability to the physical performance of the underlying storage disk by modeling. Use the optimization algorithm to obtain the optimal solution. At the same time, we propose a new data block storage strategy. The MATLAB simulation results show that the new strategy can get the similar solution and reduce the operation time greatly compared to the optimization algorithm.

Cotton leaf spot (Alternaria macrospora) is a widespread disease that occurs in the main cotton-producing area of China. In managing this disease, a novel chitosan-based biopesticide, an amphiphilic N-alkyl-O-carboxymethyl chitosan derivative, was prepared. The product was selected from variations of chitosan with different molecular structures, which were obtained via a two-step reaction. First, carboxymethyl chitosans with varying molecular sizes were obtained by etherification with chloroacetic acid; then the carboxymethyl chitosan was alkylated with C4–C12 fatty aldehyde through a Schiff-base reaction. This procedure resulted in derivatives of amphiphilic N-alkyl-O-carboxymethyl chitosan, which showed strong antifungal activities against A. macrospora, and the efficacy was determined by its molecular structure.

Applying manure to row-crop systems can reduce inorganic fertilizer dependence and enhance soil biology and crop yields. However, it remains unclear whether low manure application rates or semi-annual application rates can provide these benefits. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of variable rates and timing of manure application on soil microbial processes and crop performance in a potato-corn cropping system. We tested the effects of five manure application rates of 0.0 (Ctrl), 1.54 (T1), 3.08 (T2), 6.16 (T3), and 12.32 (T4) Mg C ha−1 on potato productivity, severity of common scab, and soil biological processes. The highest rates of manure application consistently increased crop yields but even the lowest rate (1.54 Mg C ha−1) increased potato and corn yields. The severity of common scab incidence on daughter tubers was reduced by treatments T2, T3, and T4 in year one but was unaffected by any treatment in year two. Yield increases and reduced common scab severity were related to increased activities of C- and N-acquiring enzymes and microbial biomass C and N. Manure application rates of

Fistular onion stalk is used as a traditional herbal medicine, and its extract exhibits certain beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease. In this study, the effects of fistular onion stalk extract on the pathological features, circulating inflammatory cytokines, local renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and signaling pathway activities were examined using an in vivo model of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis of the aorta was induced by loading Sprague Dawley rats with a high-fat diet and vitamin D2. Fistular onion stalk extract administration began five weeks after the induction of atherosclerosis and continued for 12 weeks. Rats treated with fistular onion stalk extract showed a significant reduction in the pathological region compared with the vehicle-treated controls. Inhibition of atherosclerosis was associated with preservation of the vascular wall and immune cell infiltration. The extract also reduced the levels of the local inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and tumor necrosis factor-α. Furthermore, the extract downregulated the local activity of the RAAS. In addition, extract treatment inhibited several inflammatory signaling pathways by preventing phosphorylation, including the nuclear factor κB, Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. These data indicate that fistular onion stalk extract may be useful for the attenuation of atherosclerosis, and the mechanism includes the regulation of the local inflammatory response.

2-Allylphenol is a biomimetic synthetic fungicide that mimics the compound ginkgol found in gingko fruit (Gingko biloba L.). This systemic fungicide can effectively suppress a wide range of plant diseases, including wheat sharp eyespot (Rhizoctonia cerealis). However, its degradation in environment after application is still unknown. To understand this fungicide degradation, major metabolites of 2-allylphenol in R. cerealis were examined. The parent and metabolites of 2-allylphenol were detected and quantified in the mycelia and liquid medium. Results showed that 2-allylphenol was metabolized and bio-transformed by R. cerealis, and four metabolites were found, including 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl) acetic acid (M1), 2-(2, 3-dihydroxypropyl) phenol (M2), 2-(2-hydroxypropyl)-phenol (M3) and 2-(3-hydroxypropyl)-phenol (M4). Based on the results, we propose that the biodegradation pathway is that 2-allylphenol is rapidly oxidized into metabolite M2 and hydrolyzed into M3 and M4, which formed M2, and carboxylation of M2 to 2-hydroxy-3-(2׳-hydroxyphenyl) propionic acid which undergo hydrolyzation and decarboxylation to form M1. 2-Allylphenol can be bio-transformed to new compounds by R. cerealis, suggesting the existence of microbe metabolic pathways for 2-allylphenol.

phytophthora root rot (prr) is a devastating disease in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production. Michigan elite soybean E00003 is resistant to Phytophthora sojae and has been used as a resistance source in breeding. Genetic control of prr resistance in this source is unknown. To facilitate marker-assisted selection (MAS), the prr resistance loci in E00003 and their map locations need to be determined. In this study, a genetic mapping approach was used to identify major prr-resistant loci in E00003. The mapping population consists of 240 F4–derived lines developed by crossing E00003 with the P. sojae susceptible line pI 567543C. In 2009 and 2010, the mapping population was evaluated in the greenhouse for prr resistance against P. sojae races 1, 4, and 7, using modified rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain inoculation method. The population was genotyped with seven simple sequence repeat (SSr) and three single nucleotide polymorphism (SNp) markers derived from bulk segregant analysis. The heritability of resistance in the population ranged from 83 to 94%. A major locus, contributing 50 to 76% of the phenotypic variation, was mapped within a 3 cM interval in the Rps1 region. The interval was further saturated with more BArCSoY SSrs and SNps with TaqMan assays. Two SSrs and three SNps within the Rps1k gene were highly associated with prr resistance in the mapping population. The major resistance gene in E00003 is either allelic or tightly linked to Rps1k.The molecular markers located in the Rps1k gene can be used to improve MAS for prr resistance. Z. Zhang, J. Hao, J. Yuan, C. Gu, and D. Wang, Dep. of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI 48824; Q.J. Song, D.L. Hyten, and P.B. Cregan, USDA –ARS Soybean Genomics and Improvement Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705; G. Zhang, Agricultural Research Center–Hays, Kansas State Univ., Hays, KS 67601; M. Li, Division of Biostatistics, Dep. of Pediatrics, Univ. of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72202. Received 12 Nov. 2013. *Corresponding author (wangdech@msu.edu). Abbreviations: BSA, bulked segregant analysis; CIM, composite interval mapping; GI, germination index; LOD, logarithm of odds; MAS, marker-assisted selection; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; PRR, Phytophthora root rot; QTL, quantitative trait loci; RIL, recombinant inbred line; SI, survival index; ∆SI, adjusted survival index; SNP, single nucleotide polymorphism; SSR, simple sequence repeat. Published in Crop Sci. 54:492–499 (2014). doi: 10.2135/cropsci2012.11.0631 © Crop Science Society of America | 5585 Guilford Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Permission for printing and for reprinting the material contained herein has been obtained by the publisher.

Living in a prediabetes state significantly increases a patient's risk for both diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Tianqi capsule, containing 10 Chinese herbal medicines, is used in China for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).The purpose of this study was to assess whether Tianqi prevented T2DM in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) over the course of a 12-month treatment.Individuals with IGT were randomly allocated in a double-blind manner to receive Tianqi (n = 210) or a placebo (n = 210) for 12 months. Oral glucose tolerance tests were conducted every 3 months to assess the development of diabetes or restoration to normal glucose tolerance. All subjects received the same lifestyle education. The primary endpoint was the conversion of IGT to T2DM. Body weight and body mass index were observed. Adverse effects were monitored.Of the 420 enrolled subjects with IGT, 389 completed the trial (198 in the Tianqi group and 191 in the placebo group). At the end of the 12-month trial, 36 subjects in the Tianqi group (18.18%) and 56 in the placebo group (29.32%) had developed diabetes (P = .01). There was a significant difference in the number of subjects who had normal glucose tolerance at the end of the study between the Tianqi and placebo groups (n = 125, 63.13%, and n = 89, 46.60%, respectively; P = .001). Cox's proportional hazards model analysis showed that Tianqi reduced the risk of diabetes by 32.1% compared with the placebo. No severe adverse events occurred in the trial. There were no statistical differences in body weight and body mass index changes between the Tianqi group and the placebo group during the 12-month trial.Treatment with a Tianqi capsule for 12 months significantly decreased the incidence of T2DM in subjects with IGT, and this herbal drug was safe to use.

Physical layer network coding (PNC) exploits the broadcast nature of wireless channels to obtain transmission efficiency gains over traditional network coding schemes. Nevertheless, most PNC schemes are proposed for the two-way relay network where a terminal node is not only a source but also a destination. This paper proposes a joint network coding and modulation (JNCM) scheme under a more general one-way relay network. The JNCM scheme is operated over hybrid field. It is able to adjust its transmission rate according to the channel condition, and enables a reliable transmission of different throughput under different signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The proposed scheme achieves a better transmission efficiency than the PNC scheme based on the structure codes and a better symbol error rate (SER) performance than the complex field network coding. The excellent performances of JNCM are proved by our simulation results.

The throughput gain obtained by linear network coding (LNC) grows as the generation size increases, while the decoding complexity also grows exponentially. High decoding complexity makes the decoder to be the bottleneck for high speed and large data transmissions. In order to reduce the decoding complexity of network coding, a segment linear network coding (SLNC) scheme is proposed. SLNC provides a general coding structure for the generation-based network coding. By dividing a generation into several segments and restraining the coding coefficients of the symbols within the same segment, SLNC splits a high-rank matrix inversion into several low-rank matrix inversions, therefore reduces the decoding complexity dramatically. In addition, two coefficient selection strategies are proposed for both centrally controlled networks and distributed networks respectively. The theoretical analysis and simulation results prove that SLNC achieves a fairly low decoding complexity at a cost of rarely few extra transmissions.

Streptomyces spp. cause scab in plants like potato and radish. To effectively control this disease, biolog- ically based materials were examined for their efficacies. In greenhouse or growth chamber tests, potting mix was infested with Streptomyces scabies (10 6

Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) is transmitted mechanically in cucurbits, but whether it is transmittedvia pollen to healthy plants and onto the subsequent generation of seedlings is unknown. Greenhouse experiments wereconducted to investigate the importance of this route of infection. Cucumber seedlings at the 3-true-leaf stage weremechanically inoculated with CGMMV. At anthesis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to verify the presence of CGMMV. Pollen was collected from the flow-ers of the infected plants and used to fertilize non-inoculated plants. The rate of CGMMV transmission to the resultingfruits ranged from 17 1to51 2% compared with 33 3–100% for mechanically inoculated plants. Seeds were harvestedfrom the cucumber fruits of both treatments and tested for the presence of CGMMV by RT-PCR. The CGMMV-posi-tive seeds harvested from the two treatments were sown separately. The seed transmission rates for the inoculated andnon-inoculated plants were 16 7–100% and 12 8–76 7%, respectively. It was concluded that CGMMV can be trans-mitted both horizontally via cucumber pollen and vertically, to the next generation, in infected seeds. In addition therate of seed transmission was much higher than previous reports. These findings have important implications for thedisease management of CGMMV.Keywords: Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus, pollen transmission, pollination, seed transmission, tobamovirus,transmission rate

Aiming at the problem of complex control, power interference and master-slave friction plates wore seriously of dual-clutch transmission, a novel dual-clutch transmission with one-way clutches was designed. The structural characteristics and shift principle of the novel dual-clutch transmission had been analyzed and through force analysis on the shifting process, the dynamic models of the transmission system were established. Finally, the dynamic characteristics of shifting process were analyzed based on computer simulation. The simulation results indicated that the dual-clutch transmission with one-way clutches was not only steady during the overall shifting process but also can ensure excellent acceleration performance and avoid power interference, meeting the requirement of vehicle comfort and dynamic performance.

Nowadays, with the increasing usage of the internet, the movie ratings on the SNS website related to movies influence our choice of movies remarkably. However, a newly released film has insufficient rating counts to reflect the quality of the movie, and it can not avoid the influence of malicious rating by some people. Therefore, this paper proposes a method of rating prediction based on Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM), enabled by imitating rating behavior of audience. Meanwhile, this model can avoid the influence of malicious rating because GMM is not sensitive to exception. In GMM, 4 features of the movies are taken into consideration. In order to verify the validity of our model, data from Douban website is used in the implementation. Experimental results exhibit the effectiveness of the method and an improved performance of rating prediction is achieved compared with the benchmark of linear regression.

2-Allylphenol (2-AP) is an effective fungicide against a number of plant pathogens, which can be metabolized and bio-transformed to four chemical compounds by Rhizoctonia cerealis. To determine if its degradation affects antifungal activity, two major metabolites derived from 2-AP including 2-(2-hydroxypropyl) phenol and 2-(3-hydroxypropyl) phenol were synthesized. Inhibition of mycelial growth of several plant pathogens by the metabolites was evaluated, and structures of two metabolites were determined by hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). Among these metabolites, only 2-(2-hydroxypropyl) phenol inhibited test pathogens effectively. EC50 values of 2-(2-hydroxypropyl) phenol for inhibition of mycelial growth of R. cerealis, Pythium aphanidermatum, Valsa mali and Botrytis cinerea ranged from 1.0 to 23.5μg/ml, which were lower than the parental fungicide 2-AP that ranged from 8.2 to 48.8μg/ml. Hyphae of R. cerealis and P. aphanidermatum treated with 2-(2-hydroxypropyl) phenol were twisted. Newly developed hyphae were slender, twisted and swollen on the tip, while old hyphae were hollow and ruptured. This is the first report indicating the formation of 2-(2-hydroxypropyl) phenol may have contributed to toxicity of 2-allylphenol in control of plant pathogens.

A survey of seed potato tubers in Michigan seed production storage facilities was carried out during 2009 and 2010. Fusarium spp. associated with tuber dry rot symptoms were identified to species and tested for sensitivity to difenoconazole, fludioxonil, and thiabendazole. Symptomatic tubers (n = 370) were collected from a total of 51 seed lots, from which 228 isolates of Fusarium were recovered and identified to 11 species. Fusarium oxysporum was the most commonly isolated species (30.3%), followed by F. equiseti (19.3%). F. sambucinum and F. avenaceum were third most prevalent (each at 13.6%). Less prevalent species (each at 4 to 10%) included F. cerealis, F. solani, and F. acuminatum; and species present at ≤3% included F. sporotrichioides, F. torulosum, F. tricinctum, and F. graminearum. Representative isolates of all species were pathogenic when inoculated onto seed tubers (‘Dark Red Norland’). Isolates of F. sambucinum were the most virulent. All 228 isolates of Fusarium were sensitive to difenoconazole (effective fungicide concentration that caused 50% inhibition of mycelial growth [EC50] < 5 mg/liter). Insensitivity to fludioxonil (EC50 > 100 mg/liter) was detected only for F. sambucinum and F. oxysporum isolates at 8.9 and 20.4%, respectively. All isolates were sensitive to thiabendazole (EC50 < 5 mg/liter), except for those of F. sambucinum (EC50 > 100 mg/liter). Therefore, knowledge of what Fusarium spp. are present in seed potato storage facilities in Michigan may be important if using fludioxonil or thiabendazole for seed piece treatment but not when using difenoconazole.

In this paper, a new l1-graph regularized semi-supervised manifold learning (LRSML) method is proposed for indoor localization. Due to noise corruption and non-linearity of received signal strength (RSS), traditional approaches always fail to deliver accurate positioning results. The l1-graph is constructed by sparse representation of each sample with respect to remaining samples. Noise factor is considered in the construction process of l1-graph, leading to more robustness compared to traditional k-nearest-neighbor graph (KNN-graph). The KNN-graph construction is supervised, while the l1-graph is assumed to be unsupervised without harnessing any data label information and uncovers the underlying sparse relationship of each data. Combining KNN-graph and l1-graph, both labeled and unlabeled information are utilized, so the LRSML method has the potential to convey more discriminative information compared to conventional methods. To overcome the non-linearity of RSS, kernel-based manifold learning method (K-LRSML) is employed through mapping the original signal data to a higher dimension Hilbert space. The efficiency and superiority of LRSML over current state of art methods are verified with extensive experiments on real data.

Aims To identify and characterize a bacterial strain BAC03, evaluate its biological control activity against potato common scab (Streptomyces spp.) and characterize an antimicrobial substance produced by BAC03. Methods and Results Bacterial strain BAC03, isolated from potato common scab suppressive soil, was identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens by analysing sequences of fragments of the recA, recN, cheA and gyrA genes. BAC03 displayed an antagonistic activity against Streptomyces spp. on agar plates using a co-culture method. In glasshouse assays, BAC03 applied in potting mix significantly reduced common scab severity (P

Bi, Y., Jiang, H., Hausbeck, M. K., and Hao, J. J. 2012. Inhibitory effects of essential oils for controlling Phytophthora capsici. Plant Dis. 96:797803. Essential oils (EOs) were studied in vitro and in vivo for inhibiting Phytophthora capsici. Mycelial growth of P. capsici was examined on EO-amended media or after exposing it to EO volatiles. The efficacy of EOs was determined by estimating the effective concentration for 50% inhibition of P. capsici mycelial growth (EC50). Among 14 tested commercial products, oregano, palmarosa, and red thyme EOs had the lowest EC50 values (

Potato common scab, caused by Streptomyces spp., is an annual production problem for potato growers, and not effectively controlled by current methods. A field with naturally occurring common scab suppression has been identified in Michigan, and confirmed to have a biological basis for this disease suppression. This field and an adjacent scab nursery conducive to disease were studied using pyrosequencing to compare the two microbial communities. Total DNA was extracted from both the disease-conducive and -suppressive soils. A phylogenetically taxon-informative region of the 16S rRNA gene was used to establish operational taxonomic units (OTUs) to characterize bacterial community richness and diversity. In total, 1,124 OTUs were detected and 565 OTUs (10% dissimilarity) were identified in disease-conducive soil and 859 in disease-suppressive soil, including 300 shared both between sites. Common phyla based on relative sequence abundance were Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes. Sequences of Lysobacter were found in significantly higher numbers in the disease-suppressive soil, as were sequences of group 4 and group 6 Acidobacteria. The relative abundance of sequences identified as the genus Bacillus was significantly higher by an order of magnitude in the disease-conducive soil.

Biological control agents (BCAs) were evaluated for their efficacy on reducing the number of sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary in the soil and on Sclerotinia stem rot in soybean production systems in Michigan. BCAs included Coniothyrium minitans CON/M/91–08 (Product name: Contans®WG), Streptomyces lydicus WYEC 108 (Actinovate®AG), Trichoderma harzianum T-22 (PlantShield®HC), and Bacillus subtilis QST 713 (Serenade®MAX). At two field locations, soil artificially infested with S. sclerotiorum sclerotia, was treated by incorporating the above BCAs in the topsoil before planting and boscalid was applied as a foliar fungicide at growth stage R1 as a positive control. C. minitans was the most effective BCA and reduced the disease severity index (DSI) by 68.5% and the number of sclerotia of S. sclerotiorum in the soil by 95.3%. S. lydicus and T. harzianum reduced DSI by 43.1% and 38.5% and sclerotia in soil by 90.6% and 70.8%, respectively. B. subtilis only had a marginal effect on S. sclerotiorum. Populations of Bacillus, Streptomyces, Trichoderma spp., and C. minitans collected from soil samples and at 3, 28, 71, and 169 days after BCA application indicated that the population of Streptomyces, Trichoderma spp., and C. minitans did not change significantly throughout the season, which may be the reason for their effectiveness.

Biological control agents (BCAs) Bacillus subtilis QST 713, Coniothyrium minitans CON/M/91-08, Streptomyces lydicus WYEC 108, and Trichoderma harzianum T-22 were evaluated for their efficacy in the reduction of survival of sclerotia and production of apothecia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum under controlled environments. A growth chamber assay was conducted where 25 sclerotia were buried in pots containing potting soil, and BCAs were drenched into the soil at various concentrations, and five soybean seeds were planted in each pot. The presence and number of S. sclerotiorum apothecia were recorded daily. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum sclerotia were retrieved six weeks after seeding and viability was assessed on water agar plates. All BCAs were effective in reducing S. sclerotiorum inoculum at various efficacies. In general, efficacy was positively correlated with the rate of application. At the rate of application when the efficacy did not change significantly by increasing the rate, the BCAs had various reductions of apothecia and sclerotia. B. subtilis reduced apothecia and sclerotia by 91.2 and 29.6%, respectively; C. minitans reduced apothecia and sclerotia by 81.2 and 50%, respectively; Streptomyces lydicus reduced apothecia and sclerotia by 100 and 29.6%, respectively; Trichoderma harzianum reduced apothecia and sclerotia by 80.5 and 31.7%, respectively. In addition, the commercial strain of C. minitans CON/M/91-08, and a wild Michigan strain of C. minitans W09 were compared for their growth and sclerotial reduction. W09 had faster growth rate than the commercial strain, indicating potential diversities of biological control strains to be studied.

Introduction Dentin regeneration could be an ideal treatment option to restore tissue function. This study was conducted to evaluate the ability of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) impregnated within a collagen scaffold to regenerate dentin. Methods Simulated perforations were created in 18 dentin wafers made from freshly extracted human molars. Six groups were established. They were (1) empty wafers, (2) mineral trioxide aggregate, (3) collagen scaffold, (4) scaffold with DMP1, (5) scaffold with DPSCs, and (6) scaffold with DPSCs and DMP1. One sample was placed subcutaneously in each mouse with three mice in each group. After 12 weeks, the samples were subjected to radiographic, histological, and immunohistochemical evaluations. Results DPSCs impregnated within a collagen scaffold differentiated into odontoblast-like cells forming a highly cellular, vascular, and mineralized matrix in the presence of DMP1. Conclusions A triad consisting of DPSCs, DMP1, and a collagen scaffold promotes dentin regeneration in a simulated perforation repair model.

Baseline sensitivity to flumorph, a carboxylic acid amide (CAA) fungicide used to control some oomycetes, was examined using 83 Phytophthora capsici isolates, resulting in a unimodal distribution of effective concentration for 50% inhibition of mycelial growth ranging from 0·716 to 1·363, with a mean of 1·033 ± 0·129 μg mL−1. To assess the potential risk of developing flumorph resistance, 13 flumorph-resistant mutants of P. capsici were obtained using ultraviolet irradiation. Most of these mutants and their progeny had high levels of fitness, including mycelial growth, sporulation and virulence. The resistance to flumorph changed slightly, either increasing or decreasing, after 10 transfers on agar media. Cross-resistance was found between flumorph and other CAA fungicides (dimethomorph and iprovalicarb), but not between flumorph and non-CAA fungicides (cymoxanil, metalaxyl, azoxystrobin and cyazofamid). To investigate the genetics of the flumorph resistance, 619 progeny were obtained by self-crossing and sexual hybridization. Segregation of sensitivity to fungicide was measured as a ratio of sensitive (S) to resistant (R) isolates. Segregation of the progeny, from self-crossed isolate PCAS1 (flumorph resistant), was 1:15 in the first generation; and 0:1 or 1:15 in the second generation. In sexual hybridization, segregation of progeny was 0:1 and 1:7 for R × R hybridization; and 1:3 for R × S hybridization. Therefore, the resistance of P. capsici against flumorph was controlled by two dominant genes.

Mutations in FAM20C were recently identified as the cause of lethal osteosclerotic bone dysplasia, which highlighted the important role of this molecule in biomineralization. No systematic studies have been performed to evaluate the expression pattern of this relatively new molecule in the developmental processes of bone and tooth. In the present study, we analyzed in detail the expression profile of FAM20C during osteogenesis and odontogenesis using ISH and IHC approaches. The specimens analyzed were mouse tissues spanning embryonic day 13.5 (E13.5) to postnatal 8 weeks. The earliest presence of FAM20C was observed at E14.5. During osteogenesis, FAM20C mRNA was detected in the chondrocytes and osteoblasts of the long bone, whereas its protein was observed in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of bone and in the cytoplasm of the chondrocytes, osteoblasts, and osteocytes. During odontogenesis, FAM20C mRNA was detected in the ameloblasts, odontoblasts, cementoblasts, and periodontal ligament fibroblasts, whereas its protein was observed in the matrices of dentin, enamel, and alveolar bone and in the cytoplasm of the aforementioned cells. The temporospatial expression profile revealed in this study indicates that FAM20C is an ECM protein that may play an important role in controlling the mineralization of bone and tooth. (J Histochem Cytochem 58:957–967, 2010)

A novel strain of Streptomyces (named DS3024) was isolated from a potato field in Michigan in 2006. The taxonomy of the organism was determined by morphology, biochemistry, and genetic analysis. Analysis of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence indicated that the organism was most similar to an isolate of Streptomyces sp., ME02-6979.3a, which is not pathogenic to potato tubers but is distinct from other known pathogenic Streptomyces spp. Strain DS3024 has genes that encode thaxtomin synthetase (txtAB), which is required for pathogenicity and virulence, and tomatinase (tomA), which is a common marker for many pathogenic Streptomyces spp. However, the nec1 gene (associated with virulence in most pathogenic Streptomyces spp.) was not detected. The new strain was capable of growth at pH 4.5, caused necrosis on potato tuber slices, and produced thaxtomin A. In greenhouse experiments, DS3024 caused scab symptoms on potato tubers similar to those caused by Streptomyces scabies on tubers of potato cv. Atlantic, which is scab susceptible. We propose that DS3024 is a new strain of Streptomyces capable of causing common scab on potato tubers. The prevalence of this strain of Streptomyces in potato-producing areas in the north-central United States has not been determined.

Hao, J. J., Yang, M. E., and Davis, R. M. 2009. Effect of soil inoculum density of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum race 4 on disease development in cotton. Plant Dis. 93:1324-1328. The effect of soil inoculum density (0 to 106 conidia/g of potting mix) of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum race 4 on plant growth (weight, height, and number of nodes), Fusarium wilt symptoms, vascular discoloration, and number of CFU per gram of stem tissue was determined on five cotton cultivars grown in a greenhouse. In the susceptible cv. DP744, symptoms of wilt and reductions in plant growth occurred at inoculum levels of 103 conidia/g of potting mix and higher, whereas plant growth of the resistant Pima cv. Ph800 was not affected by any soil inoculum densities. Cvs. DP340, Ph72, and UltEF all responded similarly, with a relatively moderate negative growth response to soil inoculum densities generally beginning at 10 4 conidia/g of potting mix. F. oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum race 4 was recovered from the stems of all cultivars by plating macerated stem tissue on a semiselective medium. There was a significant positive correlation between CFU and inoculum density above 104 conidia/g of potting mix for DP744 and UltEF. The fungus was recovered relatively infrequently from stems of Ph 800 plants inoculated with any inoculum density of F. oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum. Fusarium wilt caused by F. oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum race 4 is an inoculum density- dependent disease; the disease was generally mild and the fungus was rarely recovered from stems at inoculum levels less than 104 conidia/g of potting mix.

Dentin Matrix Protein 1 (DMP1) plays a regulatory role in dentin mineralization and can also function as a signaling molecule. MMP-2 (matrix metalloproteinase-2) is a predominant protease in the dentin matrix that plays a prominent role in tooth formation and a potential role during the carious process. The possibility that MMP-2 can cleave DMP1 to release biologically active peptides was investigated in this study. DMP1, both in the recombinant form and in its native state within the dentin matrix, was shown to be a substrate for MMP-2. Proteolytic processing of DMP1 by MMP-2 produced two major peptides, one that contains the C-terminal region of the protein known to carry both the ASARM (aspartic acid and serine rich domain) domain involved in biomineralization and the DNA binding site of DMP1. In vitro experiments with recombinant N- and C-terminal polypeptides mimicking the MMP-2 cleavage products of DMP1 demonstrated an effect of the C-polypeptide on the differentiation of dental pulp stem/progenitor cells to a putative odontoblast phenotype. In vivo implantation of this peptide in a rat injured pulp model induced a rapid formation of a homogeneous dentin bridge covered by a palisade of orientated cells expressing dentin sialoprotein (DSP) and DMP1, attesting an efficient repair process. These data suggest that a peptide generated through the proteolytic processing of DMP1 by MMP-2 can regulate the differentiation of mesenchymal cells during dentinogenesis and thus sustain reparative dentin formation in pathological situations such as carious decay. In addition, these data open a new therapeutic possibility of using this peptide to regenerate dentin after an injury.

Michael Albazzaz, Karthikeyan Narayanan, Jianjun Hao, Roma Andheri, Amsaveni Ramachandran, Sriram Ravindran, Anne GeorgeBrodie Tooth Development Genetics and Regenerative Medicine Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USAAbstract: Dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) is a noncollagenous protein expressed in mineralized tissues such as bone, dentin, and cartilage. To investigate the role of DMP1 during bone formation, transgenic mice overexpressing DMP1 under the control of the CMV promoter were generated. These mice displayed an increased mineralization phenotype in bone. In addition, accelerated terminal differentiation of the epiphyseal growth plate chondrocytes were also observed. To investigate the potential role of DMP1 in osteoblast differentiation, bone marrow stem cells were stimulated with DMP1 and assayed for “early” and “late” markers for osteoblast differentiation. DMP1 treatment increased the expression of CBFA1, BMP2, COL1, and OCN within two days. An in vitro mineralized nodule formation assay demonstrated that the bone marrow stem cells could differentiate and form a mineralized matrix in the presence of DMP1. Together, these results support a model whereby DMP1 functions as a key regulatory molecule that is required for normal growth and development of bone and cartilage.Keywords: dentin matrix protein 1, mineralization, osteoblast, chondrocytes, transgenic mice

Background 2-Allylphenol is a registered fungicide in China to control fungal diseases on tomato, strawberry and apple. It is synthetic and structurally resembles the active ingredient ginkgol isolated from Ginkgo biloba L. bark. 2-Allylphenol has been used in China for 10 years. However, its biochemical mode of action remains unclear. An in vitro study was conducted on the biochemical mechanism of 2-allyphenol inhibiting Botrytis cinerea (Pers. ex Fr.). Results The inhibition was approximately 3 times stronger when the fungus was grown on non-fermentable source, glycerol, than that on a fermentable carbon source, glucose. Inhibition of B. cinerea and Magnaporthe oryzae (Hebert) Barr mycelial growth was markedly potentiated in the presence of salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM), an inhibitor of mitochondrial alternative oxidase. Furthermore, at 3 h after treatment with 2-allylphenol, oxygen consumption had recovered, but respiration was resistant to potassium cyanide and sensitive to SHAM, indicating that 2-allylphenol had the ability to induce cyanide-resistant respiration. The mycelium inhibited in the presence of 2-allylphenol grew vigorously after being transferred to a fungicide-free medium, indicating that 2-allylphenol is a fungistatic compound. Adenine nucleotide assay showed that 2-allylphenol depleted ATP content and decreased the energy charge values, which confirmed that 2-allylphenol is involved in the impairment of the ATP energy generation system. Conclusion These results suggested that 2-allylphenol induces cyanide-resistant respiration and causes ATP decrease, and inhibits respiration by an unidentified mechanism.

Dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1), a phosphorylated protein present in the mineral phase of both vertebrates and invertebrates, is a key regulatory protein during biogenic formation of mineral deposits. Previously we showed that DMP1 is localized in the nuclear compartment of preosteoblasts and preodontoblasts. In the nucleus DMP1 might play an important role in the regulation of genes that control osteoblast or odontoblast differentiation. Here, we show that cellular uptake of DMP1 occurs through endocytosis. Interestingly, this process is initiated by DMP1 binding to the glucose-regulated protein-78 (GRP-78) localized on the plasma membrane of preodontoblast cells. Binding of DMP1 to GRP-78 receptor was determined to be specific and saturable with a binding dissociation constant KD = 85 nm. We further depict a road map for the endocytosed DMP1 and demonstrate that the internalization is mediated primarily by caveolae and that the vesicles containing DMP1 are routed to the nucleus along microtubules. Immunohistochemical analysis and binding studies performed with biotin-labeled DMP1 confirm spatial co-localization of DMP1 and GRP-78 in the preodontoblasts of a developing mouse molar. Co-localization of DMP1 with GRP-78 was also observed in T4-4 preodontoblast cells, dental pulp stem cells, and primary preodontoblasts. By small interfering RNA techniques, we demonstrate that the receptor for DMP1 is GRP-78. Therefore, binding of DMP1 with GRP-78 receptor might be an important mechanism by which DMP1 is internalized and transported to the nucleus during bone and tooth development.

The presence of a perforation is known to significantly compromise the outcome of endodontic treatment. One potential use of regenerative endodontic therapy might be the repair of root canal perforations. In addition to nutrients and systemic in situ interactions, the 3 main components believed to be essential for tissue regeneration are stem cells, scaffold, and growth factors. This study investigated the role of each component of the tissue engineering triad in the organization and differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in a simulated furcal perforation site by using a mouse model. Collagen served as the scaffold, and dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) was the growth factor. Materials were placed in simulated perforation sites in dentin slices. Mineral trioxide aggregate was the control repair material. At 6 weeks, the animals were killed, and the perforation sites were evaluated by light microscopy and histologic staining. Organization of newly derived pulp tissue was seen in the group containing the triad of DPSCs, a collagen scaffold, and DMP1. The other 4 groups did not demonstrate any apparent tissue organization. Under the conditions of the present study, it might be concluded that the triad of DPSCs, a collagen scaffold, and DMP1 can induce an organized matrix formation similar to that of pulpal tissue, which might lead to hard tissue formation.

The ability of soil-applied garlic powder and diallyl disulfide to stimulate germination of sclerotia of Sclerotium cepivorum, the cause of white rot of onion and garlic, was evaluated in four field trials. Because sclerotia germinate in response to exudation of specific volatile sulfides and thiols from allium roots, sulfides applied to the ground in the absence of an allium crop cause death of the sclerotia after they germinate and exhaust nutrient reserves. In this study, garlic powder and a synthetic garlic oil, diallyl disulfide, were incorporated into the soil in commercial fields naturally infested with S. cepivorum. Methyl bromide was included as a chemical control. Within 3 months after treatment, over 90% of the sclerotia died in the plots treated with the germinationstimulants, which was similar to the reduction of viable sclerotia achieved with an application of methyl bromide. The degree of sclerotial mortality in plots treated with garlic powder at 112 kg/ha or more was almost equal to that achieved by diallyl disulfide at 0.5 ml/m2 or methyl bromide at 448 kg/ha. Despite the efficacy of the stimulants and methyl bromide to reduce populations of sclerotia, the pathogen caused substantial root rot and yield losses in subsequent garlic crops planted about a year after soil treatment. However, germination stimulants have utility because the reduction of the vast majority of sclerotia in a field reduces the risk of spread of the pathogen to neighboring fields.

Biogenic minerals found in teeth and bones are synthesized by precise cell-mediated mechanisms. They have superior mechanical properties due to their complex architecture. Control over biomineral properties can be accomplished by regulation of particle size, shape, crystal orientation, and polymorphic structure. In many organisms, biogenic minerals are assembled using a transient amorphous mineral phase. Here we report that organic constituents of bones and teeth, namely type I collagen and dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1), are effective crystal modulators. They control nucleation of calcium phosphate polymorphs and the assembly of hierarchically ordered crystalline composite material. Both full-length recombinant DMP1 and post-translationally modified native DMP1 were able to nucleate hydroxyapatite (HAP) in the presence of type I collagen. However, the N-terminal domain of DMP1 (amino acid residues 1-334) inhibited HAP formation and stabilized the amorphous phase that was formed. During the nucleation and growth process, the initially formed metastable amorphous calcium phosphate phase transformed into thermodynamically stable crystalline hydroxyapatite in a precisely controlled manner. The organic matrix-mediated controlled transformation of amorphous calcium phosphate into crystalline HAP was confirmed by x-ray diffraction, selected area electron diffraction pattern, Raman spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The mechanical properties of the protein-mediated HAP crystals were also determined as they reflect the material structure. Such understanding of biomolecule controls on biomineralization promises new insights into the controlled synthesis of crystalline structures.

Polymer-ceramic nanocomposites based on new concepts were developed for embedded capacitor applications. The dielectric constant was above 80 at 1 MHz and the specific capacitance was successfully achieved 8 nF/cm 2 . By use of this nanocomposites, multilayer printed wiring boards with embedded passive components were fabricated for prototypes. The following technologies would be reported in this conference. Firstly, based on the investigation of barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ) crystallites, various particles with the sizes from 17 to 100 nm were prepared by the two-step thermal decomposition method from barium titanyl oxalate (BaTiO(C 2 O 4 ) 2 ·4H 2 O). It was clarified that BaTiO 3 particles with a size of around 70 nm exhibited a maximum dielectric constant of over 15,000. Secondary, the BaTiO 3 surface modification based on a new concept was applied to improve the affinity between BaTiO 3 particles and polymer matrix. Thirdly, the blend polymer of an aromatic polyamide (PA) and an aromatic bismaleimide (BMI) was employed as the matrix from a view-point of both the processability during fabricating the substrates with embedded passive components and the thermal stability during assembling LSI chips. Finally, these technologies were combined and optimized for embedded capacitor materials.

A new method for analysing spatial patterns was designed based on the variance of moving window averages (VMWA), which can be directly calculated in geographical information systems or a spreadsheet program (e.g. MS Excel). Different types of artificial data were generated to test the method. Regardless of data types, the VMWA method correctly determined the mean cluster sizes. This method was also employed to assess spatial patterns in historical plant disease survey data encompassing both airborne and soilborne diseases. The results obtained using the VMWA method were generally different from those obtained with Lloyd's index of patchiness and beta-binomial distribution methods, were in partial agreement with the results from spatial analysis by distance indices, and were highly consistent with the results from semivariogram and spatial autocorrelation analysis methods. Results demonstrated that the VMWA method can be applied to many types of data, including binomial diseased or healthy plant counts, incidence, severity, and number of diseased plants or pathogen propagules although directional and edge effects may limit its application.

Polymer-ceramic nanocomposites based on new concepts were developed for embedded capacitor applications. The dielectric constant was above 80 at 1 MHz and the specific capacitance was successfully achieved 8 nF/cm2. By use of this nanocomposites, multilayer printed wiring boards with embedded passive components were fabricated for prototypes. High dielectric constant Barium titanate (BaTiO3) beads surface modification based on a new concept was applied to improve the affinity between BaTiO3 particles and polymer matrix. Next, the blend polymer of an aromatic polyamide (PA) and an aromatic bismaleimide (BMI) was employed as the matrix as from a view-point of both the processabilty during fabricating the substrates with embedded passive components and the thermal stability during assembling LSI chips. Finally, these technologies were combined and optimized for embedded capacitor materials.