The plenary address: A rhetorical analysis

In terms of structure, style, content and intended audience, Genre Analysis 58, this thesis presents a rhetorical analysis of the plenary address as a genre. Four examples of the opening plenary were analyzed because they represent the opening plenary lecture-keynote speech type, the most common presented at conferences: Mina Shaughnessy and the teaching of writing, Keynote address, Literacy after the revolution and The uneasy partnership between grammar and writing instruction

Eriophyoidea (Acari) on computer database

Bibliographical information on most eriophyoid mites is scattered in obscure journals and pub- lications, making literature search difficult and discouraging researchers from studying this taxon. Technical difficulties due to slide mounting methods also deter study and cause delays in identifi- cation. In the past, some researchers published catalogues or species indexes (NALEPA, 1929; KEIFER, 1952; FARKAS, 1965; DAVIS et al., 1982; AMRINE STASNY, 1994; BAKER et al., 1996) whose advantages and disadvantages are discussed. The authors of this paper developed a computerized database for eriophyoids [following the DAVIS et al. (1982) format, in part] in which all references are linked to the species, which is useful to help researchers quickly find all available known information on these mites. The present paper gives a preliminary account on this database, running on Windows and Macintosh systems, and which will be available on CD-ROM. The database is a Filemaker ProTM 3.0 file (©Claris Corporation) and contains about 3200 records. Each record is assigned to a single named species and is composed of several fields recording data on the species name, author(s), date, synonymies, host names, symptoms, geographical distribution, references, drawings and so on which are arranged in several appropriate layouts. A search can be made in most fields which can then be sorted alphabetically, studied on the screen and then printed. Key words: biodiversity, mites, Eriophyoidea, species-reference linkage, Filemaker ProTM 3.0, CD-ROM, Macintosh, Windows, phytophagy, relational database, world fauna, software. ERIOPHYOIDEA (ACARI) IN UN DATABASE COMPUTERIZZATO Le informazioni bibliografiche sulla maggiorparte degli eriofioidei e distribuita in riviste e pub- blicazioni di non facile reperibilità, rendendo la ricerca bibliografica difficile e scoraggiando i ri- cercatori che si avvicinano a questo gruppo. Le difficoltà tecniche nell’allestimento di preparati microscopici sono anch’esse causa deterrente nello studio del gruppo e ritardano le identifi- cazioni. I vantaggi e svantaggi dei cataloghi e degli indici delle specie già pubblicati sono eviden- ziati (NALEPA, 1929; KEIFER, 1952; FARKAS, 1965; DAVIS et al., 1982; AMRINE STASNY, 1994; BAKER et al., 1996). Gli autori del presente lavoro hanno sviluppato un database informatico sugli eriofioidei partendo dallo schema adottato da DAVIS et al. (1982); in questo database si è avuto cura di associare tutti i riferimenti bibliografici disponibili al nome di specie. Il presente lavoro illustra il database disponibile per Windows e per i sistemi Macintosh e che potrà essere disponibile in versione CD-rom. Utilizza l’applicativo Filemaker ProTM 3.0 (©Claris Corporation) e contiene circa 3200 records. Ogni record identifica un nome di specie e contiene numerosi campi relativi al nome di genere, specie, autore(i), anno, sininimie, nome dell’ospite tipo e di quelli alternativi, sintomi, distribuzione geografica, riferimenti bibliografici, disegni e altro. Questi campi sono organizzati in appropriate schede; è possibile eseguire una ricerca per ogni campo singolarmente o combinati fra loro, ordinare alfabeticamente i dati, vederli a video e stamparli. Parole chiave: biodiversità, acari, correlazione tra specie e riferimenti bibliografici, Filemaker ProTM 3.0, CD-Rom, Macintosh, Windows, fitofagia, database relazionale, fauna mondiale, applicativi.

ntegrated Pest Management of Longan (Sapindales: Sapindaceae) in Vietnam

This paper describes the current state of pests and diseases of longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) and their management in Vietnam. Longan is the third most cultivated fruit crop and second major fruit crop exported from Vietnam. Brief descriptions of arthropod pests Eriophyes dimocarpi Kuang (Acari: Eriophyidae), Conogethes punctiferalis Guenée (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), Conopomorpha sinensis Bradley (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), Conopomorpha litchiella Bradley (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), Tessaratoma papillosa Drury (Hemiptera: Tessaratomidae), Eudocima phalonia L. comb. (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel (Diptera: Tephretidae), Planococcus lilacinus Cockerell (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), Drepanococcus chiton Green (Hemiptera: Coccidae), and Cornegenapsylla sinica Yang & Li (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) and fungal diseases Phytophthora palmivora Butler (Peronosporales: Peronosporaceae), Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. (Incertaesedis: Glomerellaceae), and Ceratocystis fimbriata Ellis & Halsted (Microascales: Ceratocystidaceae) affecting longan are given. The longan witches’ broom syndrome is a major factor causing 50–86% annual crop loss in Vietnam and it has been considered the primary constraint in production. The causative agent of this syndrome has been identified as the eriophyid mite E. dimocarpi. Deployment of Integrated Pest Management strategies for longan production in Vietnam is outlined

Adjusted Tornado Probabilities

Tornado occurrence rates computed from the available reports are biased low relative to the unknown true rates. To correct for this low bias, the authors demonstrate a method to estimate the annual probability of being struck by a tornado that uses the average report density estimated as a function of distance from nearest city/town center. The method is demonstrated on Kansas and then applied to 15 other tornado-prone states from Nebraska to Tennessee. States are ranked according to their adjusted tornado rate and comparisons are made with raw rates published elsewhere. The adjusted rates, expressed as return periods, arestates, including Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. The expected annual number of people exposed to tornadoes is highest for Illinois followed by Alabama and Indiana. For the four states with the highest tornado rates, exposure increases since 1980 are largest for Oklahoma (24%) and Alabama (23%)

Distinctive expansion of gene families associated with plant cell wall degradation, secondary metabolism, and nutrient uptake in the genomes of grapevine trunk pathogens

BackgroundTrunk diseases threaten the longevity and productivity of grapevines in all viticulture production systems. They are caused by distantly-related fungi that form chronic wood infections. Variation in wood-decay abilities and production of phytotoxic compounds are thought to contribute to their unique disease symptoms. We recently released the draft sequences of Eutypa lata, Neofusicoccum parvum and Togninia minima, causal agents of Eutypa dieback, Botryosphaeria dieback and Esca, respectively. In this work, we first expanded genomic resources to three important trunk pathogens, Diaporthe ampelina, Diplodia seriata, and Phaeomoniella chlamydospora, causal agents of Phomopsis dieback, Botryosphaeria dieback, and Esca, respectively. Then we integrated all currently-available information into a genome-wide comparative study to identify gene families potentially associated with host colonization and disease development.ResultsThe integration of RNA-seq, comparative and ab initio approaches improved the protein-coding gene prediction in T. minima, whereas shotgun sequencing yielded nearly complete genome drafts of Dia. ampelina, Dip. seriata, and P. chlamydospora. The predicted proteomes of all sequenced trunk pathogens were annotated with a focus on functions likely associated with pathogenesis and virulence, namely (i) wood degradation, (ii) nutrient uptake, and (iii) toxin production. Specific patterns of gene family expansion were described using Computational Analysis of gene Family Evolution, which revealed lineage-specific evolution of distinct mechanisms of virulence, such as specific cell wall oxidative functions and secondary metabolic pathways in N. parvum, Dia. ampelina, and E. lata. Phylogenetically-informed principal component analysis revealed more similar repertoires of expanded functions among species that cause similar symptoms, which in some cases did not reflect phylogenetic relationships, thereby suggesting patterns of convergent evolution.ConclusionsThis study describes the repertoires of putative virulence functions in the genomes of ubiquitous grapevine trunk pathogens. Gene families with significantly faster rates of gene gain can now provide a basis for further studies of in planta gene expression, diversity by genome re-sequencing, and targeted reverse genetic approaches. The functional validation of potential virulence factors will lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of pathogenesis and virulence, which ultimately will enable the development of accurate diagnostic tools and effective disease management

Genetic Characterization of North American Populations of the Wheat Curl Mite and Dry Bulb Mite

The wheat curl mite, Aceria tosichella Keifer, transmits at least three harmful viruses, wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV), high plains virus (HPV), and Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV) to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) throughout the Great Plains. This virus complex is considered to be the most serious disease of winter wheat in the western Great Plains. One component of managing this disease has been developing mite resistance in wheat; however, identification of mite biotypes has complicated deployment and stability of resistance. This biotypic variability in mites and differential virus transmission by different mite populations underscores the need to better understand mite identity. However, A. tosichella has a history of serious taxonomic confusion, especially as it relates to A. tulipae Keifer, the dry bulb mite. Molecular techniques were used to genetically characterize multiple A. tosichella populations and compare them to populations of A. tulipae. DNA from these populations was polymerase chain reaction amplified and the ribosomal ITS2 region sequenced and compared. These results indicated limited variability between these two species, but two distinct types within A. tosichella were found that corresponded to previous work with Australian mite populations. Further work using sequencing of several mitochondrial DNA genes also demonstrated two distinct types of A. tosichella populations. Furthermore, the separation between these two A. tosichella types is comparable to their separation with A. tulipae, suggesting that species scale differences exist between these two types of A. tosichella. These genetic differences correspond to important biological differences between the types (e.g., biotypic and virus transmission differences). In light of these differences, it is important that future studies on biological response differences account for these mite differences