• Background and Aims Brachypodium distachyon is being widely investigated across the world as a model plant for temperate cereals. This annual plant has three cytotypes (2n = 10, 20, 30) that are ...still regarded as part of a single species. Here, a multidisciplinary study has been conducted on a representative sampling of the three cytotypes to investigate their evolutionary relationships and origins, and to elucidate if they represent separate species. • Methods Statistical analyses of 15 selected phenotypic traits were conducted in individuals from 36 lines or populations. Cytogenetic analyses were performed through flow cytometry, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with genomic (GISH) and multiple DNA sequences as probes, and comparative chromosome painting (CCP). Phylogenetic analyses were based on two plastid (ndhF, trnLF) and five nuclear (ITS, ETS, CAL, DGAT, GI) genes from different Brachypodium lineages, whose divergence times and evolutionary rates were estimated. • Key Results The phenotypic analyses detected significant differences between the three cytotypes and demonstrated stability of characters in natural populations. Genome size estimations, GISH, FISH and CCP confirmed that the 2n = 10 and 2n = 20 cytotypes represent two different diploid taxa, whereas the 2n = 30 cytotype represents the allotetraploid derived from them. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the 2n = 20 and 2n = 10 cytotypes emerged from two independent lineages that were, respectively, the maternal and paternal genome donors of the 2n = 30 cytotype. The 2n = 20 lineage was older and mutated significantly faster than the 2n = 10 lineage and all the core perennial Brachypodium species. • Conclusions The substantial phenotypic, cytogenetic and molecular differences detected among the three B. distachyon sensu lato cytotypes are indicative of major speciation processes within this complex that allow their taxonomic separation into three distinct species. We have kept the name B. distachyon for the 2n = 10 cytotype and have described two novel species as B. stacei and B. hybridum for, respectively, the 2n = 20 and 2n = 30 cytotypes.
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BFBNIB, IZUM, KILJ, NMLJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
In constructed wetlands, organic pollutants are mainly degraded via microbial processes. Helophytes, plants that are commonly used in these systems, provide oxygen and root exudates to the ...rhizosphere, stimulating microbial degradation. While the treatment performance of constructed wetlands can be remarkable, a mechanistic understanding of microbial degradation processes in the rhizosphere is still limited. We investigated microbial toluene removal in a constructed wetland model system combining 16S rRNA gene sequencing, metaproteomics and ¹³C‐toluene in situ protein‐based stable isotope probing (protein‐SIP). The rhizospheric bacterial community was dominated by Burkholderiales and Rhizobiales, each contributing about 20% to total taxon abundance. Protein‐SIP data revealed that the members of Burkholderiaceae, the proteins of which showed about 73% of ¹³C‐incorporation, were the main degraders of toluene in the planted system, while the members of Comamonadaceae were involved to a lesser extent in degradation (about 64% ¹³C‐incorporation). Among the Burkholderiaceae, one of the key players of toluene degradation could be assigned to Ralstonia pickettii. We observed that the main pathway of toluene degradation occurred via two subsequent monooxygenations of the aromatic ring. Our study provides a suitable approach to assess the key processes and microbes that are involved in the degradation of organic pollutants in complex rhizospheric ecosystems.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Parliamentary debates provide an arena where Members of Parliament (MPs) present, challenge, or defend public policies. However, the “plenary bottleneck” allows the party leadership to decide who ...participates in a debate. We argue that in this decision the timing of a debate matters: in proximity of elections, the leadership should be concerned with maintaining its brand name and therefore restrict floor access, in particular if the debate is salient for the respective party. We evaluate our hypotheses in a cross‐country study drawing on a novel data set covering all speeches given during one or two legislative terms in six European parliaments. We find that the electoral cycle matters for the distribution of speaking time: Party leaders do restrict parliamentary speechmaking to a smaller number of MPs at the end of the term. This has important implications for our understanding of parliaments as an electoral arena and for our understanding of intraparty politics.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, ODKLJ, OILJ, PRFLJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Juncus effusus L. (family: Juncaceae; order: Poales) is a helophytic rush growing in temperate damp or wet terrestrial habitats and is of almost cosmopolitan distribution. The species has been ...studied intensively with respect to its interaction with co-occurring plants as well as microbes being involved in major biogeochemical cycles. J. effusus has biotechnological value as component of Constructed Wetlands where the plant has been employed in phytoremediation of contaminated water. Its genome has not been sequenced.
In this study we carried out functional annotation and polymorphism analysis of de novo assembled RNA-Seq data from 18 genotypes using 249 million paired-end Illumina HiSeq reads and 2.8 million 454 Titanium reads. The assembly comprised 158,591 contigs with a mean contig length of 780 bp. The assembly was annotated using the dammit! annotation pipeline, which queries the databases OrthoDB, Pfam-A, Rfam, and runs BUSCO (Benchmarking Single-Copy Ortholog genes). In total, 111,567 contigs (70.3%) were annotated with functional descriptions, assigned gene ontology terms, and conserved protein domains, which resulted in 30,932 non-redundant gene sequences. Results of BUSCO and KEGG pathway analyses were similar for J. effusus as for the well-studied members of the Poales, Oryza sativa and Sorghum bicolor. A total of 566,433 polymorphisms were identified in transcribed regions with an average frequency of 1 polymorphism in every 171 bases.
The transcriptome assembly was of high quality and genome coverage was sufficient for global analyses. This annotated knowledge resource can be utilized for future gene expression analysis, genomic feature comparisons, genotyping, primer design, and functional genomics in J. effusus.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract Objective The aim of the present study was to analyze the relationship and differential validity of three constructs related to reduced emotional expression. Methods One hundred six patients ...of a psychosomatic clinic completed questionnaires assessing alexithymia (TAS-20, BVAQ), ambivalence over emotional expression (AEQ-G18), and social insecurity (UQ). Results A second-order principal component analysis with the scales of all questionnaires yielded three factors and revealed that the scale Competence Ambivalence assessed by the AEQ-G18 loaded on the same factor as the TAS-20 and BVAQ scales measuring Difficulties Describing and Identifying Feelings. A high correlation between the factor Social Insecurity (composed of all UQ scales) and the factor Difficulty Identifying and Describing Feelings (composed of BVAQ, TAS-20, and AEQ-G18 scales) was found. In contrast to this, the factor Emotionalizing and External Thinking showed only low correlations with the remaining factors. Conclusion The results of the present study did not support the view that the alexithymia facets related to difficulties identifying and describing feelings and Competence Ambivalence are distinct constructs, when measured by self-report. This might be explained by methodological problems with the assessment of alexithymia and ambivalence. Furthermore, the results indicate that social insecurity is strongly related with the “difficulty identifying and describing feelings” facets of alexithymia and with effect ambivalence.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Zusammenfassung
Welche Bedeutung messen die Landesparteien der Waldpolitik bei? Welche Waldfunktionen priorisieren sie? Inwieweit sind ihre Positionen von Parteiendifferenzen geprägt? Um diese ...Forschungsfragen zu adressieren, führen wir eine textanalytische Auswertung von Landtagswahlprogrammen durch, die im Zeitraum von 1990 bis 2019 veröffentlicht wurden. Unsere Analysen zeigen, dass die Positionen der Parteien nicht nur vom regionalen Kontext geprägt, sondern auch Ausdruck fundamental unterschiedlicher Perspektiven auf die Waldpolitik sind. Wir stellen fest, dass linke Parteien, insbesondere B’90/Grüne, eine schutzorientierte Politik befürworten, wohingegen CDU/CSU und FDP deren nutzorientierte Ausrichtung unterstützen. Bemerkenswert ist ferner, dass die Parteien sehr unterschiedliches Gewicht auf das Politikfeld legen. Während sich CDU/CSU, FDP und die Grünen umfangreich mit Waldpolitik beschäftigen, messen ihr Die Linke, die SPD und vor allem die AfD weniger Bedeutung bei. Veränderungen im Zeitverlauf zeigen sich nur begrenzt: zwar widmen sich die Parteien dem Thema häufiger, es ist aber keine Positionsverschiebung feststellbar, die eine sich verändernde Perspektive auf die Waldpolitik widerspiegeln würde.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are flame retardants added to a multitude of products to reduce flammability. PBDEs have been widely detected and quantified in biota and humans in many ...industrialised countries from the Northern Hemisphere. However data concerning the levels of these compounds in the Australian population and environment remain limited. The objectives of this study were to determine PBDE concentrations and congener profiles in Australian human milk and compare this to concentrations found in other countries.
Pooled human milk samples obtained from mothers residing in 12 regions of Australia were analysed by HRGC/HRMS for 18 PBDE congeners. In total, 157 human milk samples collected in 2002 and 2003 were divided into 17 regional pools. PBDEs were detected in all pools of human milk from Australia. The mean
±
standard deviation and median ∑PBDE concentrations were 11.1
±
3.2 and 11.0
ng
g
−1 lipid, respectively with a range of 6.1–18.7
ng
g
−1 lipid. The congener profile was dominated by BDE-47 followed by BDE-99, -100, -153, -154 and -183. Regional differences were evaluated, but no trends were observed. The data suggest regional differences are likely to be small if they exist at all. The concentrations of PBDEs found in Australian human milk were lower than those reported from North America but higher than those reported from Europe and Asia.
Our results suggest that the exposure pathways which contribute to the PBDE body burden in the Australian population require a better understanding in order to determine future policy regarding their use and disposal.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Since the first checklist of German Chalcidoidea and Mymarommatoidea was published over two decades ago, a revision of the status of these superfamilies in Germany is overdue. The previous list ...contained chalcidoid species mentioned in published papers up to 2000 and was cross-checked with the data compiled by Noyes in the Universal Chalcidoidea Database. Additional species, determined by the first author, were also included. Since then, revisions of several chalcidoid genera have been published synonymising species or describing new species. The previous checklist also contained several erroneous names and doubtful records that turned out to be incorrect placements or questionable citations and are corrected in the present version.
The updated critical checklist of German Chalcidoidea includes 1,610 species from 19 families.
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