Mississippi State University

About: Mississippi State University is a education organization based out in Starkville, Mississippi, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catfish. The organization has 14115 authors who have published 28594 publications receiving 700030 citations. The organization is also known as: The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science & Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science.

Effects of Tropospheric O3 on Trembling Aspen and Interaction with CO2: Results from an O3-Gradient and a Face Experiment

Abstract: Over the years, a series of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) clones differing in O3 sensitivity have been identified from OTC studies. Three clones (216 and 271[(O3 tolerant] and 259 [O3 sensitive]) have been characterized for O3 sensitivity by growth and biomass responses, foliar symptoms, gas exchange, chlorophyll content, epicuticular wax characteristics, and antioxidant production. In this study we compared the responses of these same clones exposed to O3 under field conditions along a natural O3 gradient and in a Free-Air CO2 and O3 Enrichment (FACE) facility. In addition, we examined how elevated CO2 affected O3 symptom development. Visible O3 symptoms were consistently seen (5 out of 6 years) at two of the three sites along the O3 gradient and where daily one-hour maximum concentrations were in the range of 96 to 125 ppb. Clonal differences in O3 sensitivity were consistent with our OTC rankings Elevated CO2 (200 ppm over ambient and applied during daylight hours during the growing season) reduced visible foliar symptoms for all three clones from 31 to 96% as determined by symptom development in elevated O3 versus elevated O3 + CO2 treatments. Degradation of the epicuticular wax surface of all three clones was found at the two elevated O3 gradient sites. This degradation was quantified by a coefficient of occlusion which was a measure of stomatal occlusion by epicuticular waxes. Statistically significant increases in stomatal occlusion compared to controls were found for all three clones and for all treatments including elevated CO2, elevated O3, and elevated CO2 + O3. Our results provide additional evidence that current ambient O3 levels in the Great Lakes region are causing adverse effects on trembling aspen. Whether or not elevated CO2 in the future will alleviate some of these adverse effects, as occurred with visible symptoms but not with epicuticular wax degradation, is unknown.

The Community as A Social Field

Abstract: A field concept of social organization is proposed as an alternative to systems theory with special reference to the case of the community. Field notions in physics, biology, and psychology are shown to reflect a view of reality as emergent and dynamic. The concept of the field is distinguished from the method of field analysis. The assumptions of interactional theory are taken as a frame of reference for delineating characteristics of the social field. Contributions of ecological, cultural, and psychological factors are noted, but the social field is described as having a distinctive existence. Theoretical and methodological implications of conceptualizing the community as a social field are discussed, and the concept of the community field is elaborated.

Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering off the Neutron

Abstract: The three-dimensional structure of nucleons (protons and neutrons) is embedded in so-called generalized parton distributions, which are accessible from deeply virtual Compton scattering. In this process, a high-energy electron is scattered off a nucleon by exchanging a virtual photon. Then, a highly energetic real photon is emitted from one of the quarks inside the nucleon, which carries information on the quark’s transverse position and longitudinal momentum. By measuring the cross-section of deeply virtual Compton scattering, Compton form factors related to the generalized parton distributions can be extracted. Here, we report the observation of unpolarized deeply virtual Compton scattering off a deuterium target. From the measured photon-electroproduction cross-sections, we have extracted the cross-section of a quasifree neutron and a coherent deuteron. Due to the approximate isospin symmetry of quantum chromodynamics, we can determine the contributions from the different quark flavours to the helicity-conserved Compton form factors by combining our measurements with previous ones probing the proton’s internal structure. These results advance our understanding of the description of the nucleon structure, which is important to solve the proton spin puzzle. The internal structure of the neutron has now been probed by highly energetic photons scattering off it. Combined with previous results for protons, these measurements reveal the contributions of quark flavours to the nucleon structure.

The effect of elevated temperature on gene transcription and aflatoxin biosynthesis.

Abstract: The molecular regulation of aflatoxin biosynthesis is complex and influenced by several environmental conditions; one of these is temperature. Aflatoxins are produced optimally at 28-30 C, and production decreases as temperatures approach 37 C, the optimum temperature for fungal growth. To better characterize the influence of temperature on aflatoxin biosynthesis, we monitored the accumulation of aflatoxin and the expression of more than 5000 genes in Aspergillus flavus at 28 C and 37 C. A total of 144 genes were expressed differentially (P < 0.001) between the two temperatures. Among the 103 genes more highly expressed at 28 C, approximately 25% were involved in secondary metabolism and about 30% were classified as hypothetical. Genes encoding a catalase and superoxide dismutase were among those more highly expressed at 37 C. As anticipated we also found that all the aflatoxin biosynthetic genes were much more highly expressed at 28 C relative to 37 C. To our surprise expression of the pathway regulatory genes aflR and aflS, as well as aflR antisense, did not differ between the two temperatures. These data indicate that the failure of A. flavus to produce aflatoxin at 37 C is not due to lack of transcription of aflR or aflS. One explanation is that AFLR is nonfunctional at high temperatures. Regardless, the factor(s) sensing the elevated temperatures must be acute. When aflatoxin-producing cultures are transferred to 37 C they immediately stop producing aflatoxin.