SNP-based genetic diversity assessment among hungarian bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes

World’s food supply will be a great challenge due to the rapid growth of human population. Therefore, wheat breeders are facing a great task to improve further the crop quality and quantity. Genetic improvement could be the key in this progression, which is based on the exploitation of genetic resources. So it is important to hold exact information about the wheat population structure, especially the genetic diversity of elite crop germplasm. Here, we provide the characterisation of 85 Hungarian wheat varieties from 3 different Hungarian breeding programmes (Szeged, Martonvásár and Karcag) trough Competitive Allele-Specific PCR (KASP) technique. Population structure of these accessions were examined by STRUCTURE software and the ΔK values were calculating by the STRUCTURE HARVESTER. These investigations revealed 3 subgroups in our wheat population with 21, 19 and 45 genotypes in GrI, GrII and GrIII, respectively. We could conclude that the GrI and GrIII subgroups contained genotypes from all three origins while GrII contained genotypes only from Szeged. We also examined the allele distribution of the Xgwm261 locus since the 192 bp allele is reported to be linked to semi-dwarfing gene Rht8, which has important role in the breeding process. Altogether we could observe 5 size variant products, but the 174 bp (22.35%), 192 bp (55.29%), and 198 bp (12.94%) long fragments could be found the most frequently. The present study confirms that population structure and genotype relatedness, based on molecular data, are consistent with the geography origin and available pedigree data. Moreover, this study could be the starting point of a following association mapping work

Probing the interaction of Rh, Co and bimetallic Rh–Co nanoparticles with the CeO2 support: catalytic materials for alternative energy generation

The interaction of CeO2-supported Rh, Co and bimetallic Rh–Co nanoparticles, which are active catalysts in hydrogen production via steam reforming of ethanol, a process related to renewable energy generation, was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and low energy ion scattering (LEIS). Furthermore, diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS) of adsorbed CO as a probe molecule was used to characterize the morphology of metal particles. At small loadings (0.1%), Rh is in a much dispersed state on ceria, while at higher contents (1–5%), Rh forms 2–8 nm particles. Between 473–673 K pronounced oxygen transfer from ceria to Rh is observed and at 773 K significant agglomeration of Rh occurs. On reduced ceria, XPS indicates a possible electron transfer from Rh to ceria. The formation of smaller ceria crystallites upon loading with Co was concluded from XRD and HRTEM; for 10% Co, the CeO2 particle size decreased from 27.6 to 10.7 nm. A strong dissolution of Co into ceria and a certain extent of encapsulation by ceria were deduced by XRD, XPS and LEIS. In the bimetallic system, the presence of Rh enhances the reduction of cobalt and ceria. During thermal treatments, reoxidation of Co occurs, and Rh agglomeration as well as oxygen migration from ceria to Rh are hindered in the presence of cobalt

Vegetation-based landscape regions of Hungary.

he first version of the map of the Hungarian vegetation-based landscape regions were prepared at the scale of 1 : 200,000 (1 km or higher resolution). The primary goal of the map was to provide an exact background for the presentation and evaluation of the data of theMÉTA database. Secondly, we intended to give an up-to-date and detailed vegetation-based division of Hungary with a comprehensive nomenclature of the regions. Regions were primarily defined on the basis of their present zonal vegetation, or their dominant extrazonal or edaphic vegetation. Where this was not possible, abiotic factors that influence the potential vegetation, the flora were taken into consideration, thus, political and economical factors were ignored. All region borders were defined by local expert botanists, mainly based on their field knowledge. The map differs in many features from the currently used, country- wide, flora- or geography-based divisions in many features. We consider our map to be temporary (i.e. a work map), and we plan to refine and improve it after 5 years of testing

Acute effect of cigarette smoking on placental circulation — a study by carbon-monoxide measurement and Doppler assessment

Objective . Carbon-monoxide (CO) decreases placental vascular impedance. We assessed the consequences of smoking-induced temporary maternal CO-increase on fetal and placental circulation.  Study design . In a prospective study twenty-nine smoking pregnant women and their fetuses were evaluated. We determined the changes in maternal blood CO levels after smoking, and the concomitant changes in maternal and fetal circulation. Changes in fetal heart rate, uterine artery (UTA), middle cerebral artery (MCA), and descending aorta (DA) flow were measured by Doppler velocimetry. Changes in maternal CO level and umbilical flow value were assessed by paired t-test. The correlation between CO level and placental flow was assessed by partial correlation test.  Results . CO level increased (mean±SD 1.7±0.65% vs. 2.36±0.89, p<0.0001). Nicotine-related maternal circulatory parameters changed significantly, but uterine flow values remained unchanged. Fetal heart rate increased, while flow in MCA and DA showed no change. CO-dependent umbilical artery impedance remained unchanged (Pulsatility Index: 0.956±0.18 vs. 0.948±0.21). Partial correlation between CO level and umbilical arterial impedance showed no significance (r:−0.324).  Conclusion . Despite significant CO elevation, the mainly CO-regulated placental flow remained unchanged

Creep-induced anisotropy in amorphous glass-covered wires

Results on the creep-induced anisotropy in CoFeSiB amorphous glass-covered wires with nearly zero magnetostriction and in such wires after glass removal are reported for the first time. The particular characteristics of such magnetic materials determine particular aspects of this anisotropy induced by stress-annealing. For the experimental investigation of the creep-induced anisotropy we used for the first time magneto-impedance-based measurements. Stress-annealed wires after glass removal behave similar to conventional in-rotating-water quenched amorphous wires with the same composition. The glass-covered wires display a specific behavior originating in the presence of the glass cover

Reversible isomerization of an azobenzene derivative adsorbed on Au(111): Analysis using vibrational spectroscopy

High resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS) is employed to analyze reversible changes in the geometrical structure of the molecular switch di-methoxy- tetra-tert-butyl-azobenzene (diM-TBA) adsorbed on Au(111), which are induced by UV-light and thermal activation. While for one monolayer (ML) coverage no changes in the vibrational structure due to UV-light exposure at 3.5 eV are observed, illumination of 2 ML of diM-TBA leads to a pronounced modication of the vibrational spectra, which we assign to a trans → cis isomerization. The reverse process, i.e., the cis → trans isomerization, can be stimulated by thermal activation.We propose that the photoisomerization is driven by a direct (intramolecular) electronic excitation of the adsorbed diM-TBA molecules in the second ML analogous to diM-TBA in the liquid phase

Adsorption and switching properties of a N-benzylideneaniline based molecular switch on a Au(111) surface

High resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy is employed to analyze the adsorption geometry and the photoisomerization ability of the molecular switch carboxy-benzylideneaniline (CBA) adsorbed on Au(111). CBA adopts on the Au(111) surface a planar (trans) configuration in the first monolayer (ML) as well as for higher coverages (up to 6 ML), contrary to the geometry in solution, which is strongly non-planar. Illumination with UV light of CBA in direct contact with the Au(111) surface (≤ 1 ML) caused no changes in the vibrational structure, whereas at higher coverages ( > 1 ML) pronounced modifications of vibrational features are observed, which we assign to a trans → cis isomerization. Thermal activation induced the back reaction to trans-CBA. We propose that the photoisomerization is driven by a direct (intramolecular) electronic excitation of the adsorbed CBA molecules in the second ML (and above) analogous to CBA in the liquid phase