Comparison of production systems for potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) minituber production with different cultivars : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Applied Science in Nursery Production

The purpose of these studies is to determine the effect of different production systems (Aeroponic (AP), Deep flow (DF), Nutrition film technique (NFT) and Bark) on production of first generation (prebasic) potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) minitubers with different cultivars (Russet Burbank, Rua, Kenebec, Atlantic and Diésrée). Prebasic tubers usually multiplied in a greenhouse in a bark medium. Replacing the bark based system by a highly intensive aeroponic system is viable. The aeroponic system significantly produced higher tuber numbers per plant and produced a higher percentage (82%) of 1 -2g size tuber than other systems evaluated. In aeroponic and deep flow systems, the time to tuberization is higher. When tuberization is delayed, stolons grow continuously in the deep flow and aeroponic systems. In hydroponic systems a developing stolons did not encounter sufficient mechanical resistance to limit growth, they grew extremely vigorously and very wide of diameter (1.92- 2.42 mm). When roots and stolons filled the aeroponic and deep flow containers some root rustication occurred then tubers were initiated. Acid treatment efficiently synchronised tuberization in the aeroponic systems, tubers were visible four days after acid treatment. Optimum acid treatment depends on the specific cultivar or stage of stolon development. Rua produced the highest yield per plant and highest tuber number per plant. The pH and treatment time significantly affected the tuber number per plant. Acid treatment at pH 3.5 produced the highest tuber number (19.8) per plant. Minitubers show a dormant period immediately after they are harvested. Application of GA is a useful method to break minituber dormancy. Fifty percentage of the GA treated tubers sprouted within 20 days after treatment, while untreated control took 37 days. Overall, sprouting was highest for 100 ppm treatment, but was not significantly different from 30 ppm. The highest and lowest sprouting cultivars were Russet Burbank and Atlantic respectively. Potato cuttings can be propagated in an aeroponic system. Application of IBA treatment at 0.1 to 0.3% significantly induced root formation and root growth. About 80% of the IBA treated cuttings rooted and produced longer roots than untreated cuttings. From these studies we found the aeroponic system to be suitable for minituber production as well as the propagation of potato cuttings. Production of high tuber number per plant in aeroponic systems will reduced the production cost and reduce the number of field multiplications required before final cropping

Explicit congestion control algorithms for available bit rate services in asynchronous transfer mode networks

Congestion control of available bit rate (ABR) services in asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) networks has been the recent focus of the ATM Forum. The focus of this dissertation is to study the impact of queueing disciplines on ABR service congestion control, and to develop an explicit rate control algorithm. Two queueing disciplines, namely, First-In-First-Out (FIFO) and per-VC (virtual connection) queueing, are examined. Performance in terms of fairness, throughput, cell loss rate, buffer size and network utilization are benchmarked via extensive simulations. Implementation complexity analysis and trade-offs associated with each queueing implementation are addressed. Contrary to the common belief, our investigation demonstrates that per-VC queueing, which is costlier and more complex, does not necessarily provide any significant improvement over simple FIFO queueing. A new ATM switch algorithm is proposed to complement the ABR congestion control standard. The algorithm is designed to work with the rate-based congestion control framework recently recommended by the ATM Forum for ABR services. The algorithm\u27s primary merits are fast convergence, high throughput, high link utilization, and small buffer requirements. Mathematical analysis is done to show that the algorithm converges to the max-min fair allocation rates in finite time, and the convergence time is proportional to the distinct number of fair allocations and the round-trip delays in the network. At the steady state, the algorithm operates without causing any oscillations in rates. The algorithm does not require any parameter tuning, and proves to be very robust in a large ATM network. The impact of ATM switching and ATM layer congestion control on the performance of TCP/IP traffic is studied and the results are presented. The study shows that ATM layer congestion control improves the performance of TCP/IP traffic over ATM, and implementing the proposed switch algorithm drastically reduces the required switch buffer requirements. In order to validate claims, many benchmark ATM networks are simulated, and the performance of the switch is evaluated in terms of fairness, link utilization, response time, and buffer size requirements. In terms of performance and complexity, the algorithm proposed here offers many advantages over other proposed algorithms in the literature

Interaktive Lerninhalte mit „genially": Erstellung von digitalen EduBreakouts im Chemieunterricht

Der EduBreakout ist eine Methode, die das Konzept von Escape Rooms im Unterricht nutzt, um das Lernen auf eine interaktive Weise zu ermöglichen. Die spielerische und visuell gestaltete Lernumgebung erhöht das Interesse am Lerngegenstand und der kollaborativen Zusammenarbeit innerhalb der Lerngruppe. Im Beitrag wird gezeigt, wie durch die Kombination der Tools „genial.ly“ und „LearningApps“ schnell und einfach EduBreakouts erstellt werden können

Downregulation of selective microRNAs in trigeminal ganglion neurons following inflammatory muscle pain

Active regulation of gene expression in the nervous system plays an important role in the development and/or maintenance of inflammatory pain. MicroRNA (miRNA) negatively regulates gene expression via posttranscriptional or transcriptional inhibition of specific genes. To explore the possible involvement of miRNA in gene regulation during inflammatory pain, we injected complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) unilaterally into the rat masseter muscle and quantified changes in neuron-specific mature miRNAs in the trigeminal ganglion (TG). Real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction revealed significant, but differential, downregulation of mature miR-10a, -29a, -98, -99a, -124a, -134, and -183 in the ipsilateral mandibular division (V3) of the TG within 4 hr after CFA. In contrast, levels of tested miRNAs did not change significantly in the contralateral V3 or the ipsilateral ophthalmic and maxillary divisions of the TG from inflamed rats, nor in the ipsilateral V3 of saline-injected animals. The downregulated miRNAs recovered differentially to a level equal to or higher than that in naive animals. Full recovery time varied with miRNA species but was at least 4 days. Expression and downregulation of some miRNAs were further confirmed by in situ hybridization of TG neurons that innervate the inflamed muscle. Although neurons of all sizes expressed these miRNAs, their signals varied between neurons. Our results indicate that miRNA species specific to neurons are quickly regulated following inflammatory muscle pain

Imprinting.

Imprinting is a type of learning by which an animal restricts its social preferences to an object after exposure to that object. Filial imprinting occurs shortly after birth or hatching and sexual imprinting, around the onset of sexual maturity; both have sensitive periods. This review is concerned mainly with filial imprinting. Filial imprinting in the domestic chick is an effective experimental system for investigating mechanisms underlying learning and memory. Extensive evidence implicates a restricted part of the chick forebrain, the intermediate and medial mesopallium (IMM), as a memory store for visual imprinting. After imprinting to a visual stimulus, neuronal responsiveness in IMM is specifically biased toward the imprinting stimulus. Both this bias and the strength of imprinting measured behaviorally depend on uninterrupted sleep shortly after training. When learning-related changes in IMM are lateralized they occur predominantly or completely on the left side. Ablation experiments indicate that the left IMM is responsible for long-term storage of information about the imprinting stimulus; the right side is also a store but additionally is necessary for extra storage outside IMM, in a region necessary for flexible use of information acquired through imprinting. Auditory imprinting gives rise to biochemical, neuroanatomical, and electrophysiological changes in the medio-rostral nidopallium/mesopallium, anterior to IMM. Auditory imprinting has not been shown to produce learning-related changes in IMM. Imprinting may be facilitated by predispositions. Similar predispositions for faces and biological motion occur in domestic chicks and human infants. WIREs Cogn Sci 2013, 4:375-390. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1231 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.This review is written in memory of the late Sir Gabriel Horn, in recognition of his pioneering work on the neurobiology of imprinting. I am indebted to Robert Levin, Alister Nicol, Revaz Solomonia, Rie Suge, and two anonymous referees for valuable comments on a draft manuscript. The review was written while in receipt of a project grant from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/wcs.123

Promoting conservation of fireflies in Kuala Lumpur’s urban park through experiential learning

Kuala Lumpur is a megacity beaming in streetlights, but few are aware of nature's light show—the fireflies. Bukit Kiara, an urban park in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, is home to eight species of fireflies. Among them is an unidentified species of the enigmatic genus Lamprigera, of which the females are large and wingless but the winged males have a crepuscular courtship period. The larvae are noteworthy for their green glow. However, with highway and housing developments bordering Bukit Kiara, fireflies in the area are potentially at risk from the increasing impact of human activities.During March–May 2023, six students of Monash University Malaysia's School of Science, in collaboration with Friends of Bukit Kiara—a non-profit organization working on long-term conservation of the park—conducted undergraduate research projects on the fireflies of Bukit Kiara. The projects received support from the Department of National Landscape, the park administrator of the area. The goal of the projects was to understand how firefly distribution and abundance can change in response to biotic and abiotic factors, such as the effects of artificial light at night, microhabitat types and plant species composition. We also designed a study to verify the accuracy of the firefly larval measurement data that volunteers have collected through the Friends of Bukit Kiara's citizen science flagship programme, Magical Mysteries at Bukit Kiara.After the 3 months of experiential learning, students who had never worked in limited light conditions or handled nocturnal insects could identify firefly species from their flashing patterns. After all projects concluded in late May, we co-organized a guided firefly walk for the public to celebrate World Firefly Day on 1 July 2023. About 60 participants aged 5 years and above took part, guided by 20 Citizen Science Ambassadors, which included Monash University Malaysia students who received training to conduct the firefly survey. Following the walk, we hosted a public webinar on 5 July featuring three talks, including one student project on the impact of light pollution on fireflies. We plan to continue this experiential learning with future students and volunteers and to collaborate with other organizations to improve firefly conservation in Malaysia

Agronomic and economic viability of Miscanthus x giganteus as a novel biofuel in the Maryland climate

Gemstone Team BiofuelsOur study examined the effects of land quality and water-absorbent polymer on the growth of Miscanthus x giganteus. Our goal was to help utilize previously uncultivable land efficiently and meet U.S. energy goals. Currently, most U.S. biofuel is produced from corn, which requires arable land for growth and therefore significantly disrupts the production of food crops. We predicted that M. x giganteus would be able to thrive on marginal land, unlike corn, with the aid of a water-absorbing polymer. After growing M. x giganteus on both arable and marginal land, with and without the application of a polymer, we found that our crop grew better on the arable land. We also found that the presence of the water-absorbing polymer in the soil did not affect the growth of M. x giganteus. Finally, an economic cost-benefit analysis showed that growing M. x giganteus would not be a viable commercial enterprise, without the use of a commercial fertilizer and based on existing revenue and expense scenarios