Evaluation and comparative performance of six loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) varieties under Punjab conditions

Evaluation and comparative performance of six loquat Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. cultivars viz. selections, pathankot, tanaka, golden yellow, pale yellow and improved golden yellow was studied under Punjab conditions in 2012-13 and 2013-14. The main objective of the study was to evaluate and recommend the loquat variety with higher yield potential and better fruit quality for the growers of Punjab. Among the six varieties of loquat, cv. Tanaka was found most promising on the basis of the maximum fruit weight (23.5g), fruits per cluster (12), fruit length (4.5cm) fruit breadth (3.64 cm) Pulp weight (29.52g) fruit yield (34.0g),TSS (11.03%.) with minimum acidity (1.12%), seed weight and seed number. Moreover ‘Tanaka’ fruits had higher consumer acceptance (7.83 out of 9) as compared to other loquat varieties under comparison. These varieties were compared with recommended varieties as standard check. The study indicate that cv Tanaka has the potential to excel under Punjab conditions as compared with the prior existing cultivation

Reactivity of dolomitizing fluids and Mg source evaluation of fault-controlled dolomitization at the Benicàssim outcrop analogue (Maestrat Basin, E Spain)

Peer reviewedPostprin

Le peuplement herpétologique d'un massif du Haut-Languedoc. 1 – Inventaire et répartition altitudinale des espèces

The amphibia and reptilia of a mountain range in Southern France (the north-eastern slope of "La Montagne Noire" in Languedoc) have been studied for three consecutive years. The community consists of seven amphibian species, six lizard species and nine snake species. The altitudinal distribution of each species is discussed particularly that of Coluber viridiflavus, Coronella girondica and Malpodon m. monspessulanus, whose altitudinal limits in the area studied differ from what is commonly observed elsewhere in Europe. Species richness is high for such a small study are a (ca 70 km2) ; however, it decreases as altitude increases. The Shannon Weaver index reaches its highest value at an altitude of 500 to 600 m. The occurence of melanism increases with altitud

The Jabal Akhdar Dome in the Oman Mountains : evolution of a dynamic fracture system

Acknowledgments: This study was carried out within the framework of DGMK (German Society for Petroleum and Coal Science and Technology) research project 718 “Mineral Vein Dynamics Modelling,” which is funded by the companies ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH, GDF SUEZ E&P Deutschland GmbH, RWE Dea AG and Wintershall Holding GmbH, within the basic research program of the WEG Wirtschaftsverband Erdo¨l- und Erdgasgewinnung e.V. We thank the companies for their financial support and their permission to publish these results. The German University of Technology in Oman (GU-Tech) is acknowledged for its logistic support. We gratefully acknowledge the reviewers Andrea Billi and Jean-Paul Breton, whose constructive reviews greatly improved the manuscriptPeer reviewedPreprin

Genetic and environmental contributions to population group differences on the Raven's Progressive Matrices estimated from twins reared together and apart

We carried out two studies to test the hypothesis that genetic and environmental influences explain population group differences in general mental ability just as they do individual differences within a group. We estimated the heritability and environmentality of scores on the diagrammatic puzzles of the Raven's Coloured and/or Standard Progressive Matrices (CPM/SPM) from two independent twin samples and correlated these estimates with group differences on the same items. In Study 1, 199 pairs of 5- to 7-year-old monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins reared together provided estimates of heritability and environmentality for 36 puzzles from the CPM. These estimates correlated with the differences between the twins and 94 Serbian Roma (both rs=0.32; Ns=36; ps<0.05). In Study 2, 152 pairs of adult MZ and DZ twins reared apart provided estimates of heritability and environmentality for 58 puzzles from the SPM. These estimates correlated with the differences among 11 diverse samples including (i) the reared-apart twins, (ii) another sample of Serbian Roma, and (iii) East Asian, White, South Asian, Coloured and Black high school and university students in South Africa. In 55 comparisons, group differences were more pronounced on the more heritable and on the more environmental items (mean rs=0.40 and 0.47, respectively; Ns=58; ps<0.05). After controlling for measurement reliability and variance in item pass rates, the heritabilities still correlated with the group differences, although the environmentalities did not. Puzzles found relatively difficult (or easy) by the twins were those found relatively difficult (or easy) by the others (mean r=0.87). These results suggest that population group differences are part of the normal variation expected within a universal human cognition

No evidence that polymorphisms of brain regulator genes Microcephalin and ASPM are associated with general mental ability, head circumference or altruism

We test the hypothesis that polymorphisms of the brain regulator genes MCPH1 and ASPM contribute to variations in human brain size and its correlates. We measured general mental ability, head circumference and social intelligence in 644 Canadian adults (496 Caucasians, 36 Orientals, 84 Mixed Race/Other and 28 Blacks; 257 men and 387 women). The gene polymorphisms were assessed from buccal DNA; mental ability by Wonderlic Personnel Test and Multidimensional Aptitude Battery; head circumference by stretchless tape; and social intelligence by prosocial attitude questionnaires. Although all measures were construct valid and the allele frequencies showed expected population differences, no relationship was found between the genes and any of the criteria. Among Caucasian 18–25 year olds, for example, the two mental ability tests correlated with each other (r=0.78, N=476, p<0.001), with head circumference (r=0.17, N=182, p<0.05) and with prosocial attitudes (r=0.23, N=182, p<0.001)

Greenland Ice Sheet - Higher non-linearity of ice flow significantly reduces estimated basal motion

In times of warming in polar regions, the prediction of ice sheet discharge is of utmost importance to society, because of its impact on sea level rise. In simulations the flow rate of ice is usually implemented as proportional to the differential stress to the power of the exponent n=3. This exponent influences the softness of the modeled ice, as higher values would produce faster flow under equal stress. We show that the stress exponent, which best fits the observed state of the Greenland Ice Sheet, equals n=4. Our results, which are not dependent on a possible basal sliding component of flow, indicate that most of the interior northern ice sheet is currently frozen to bedrock, except for the large ice streams and marginal ice. Ice in the polar ice sheets flows towards the oceans under its own weight. Knowing how fast the ice flows is of crucial importance to predict future sea level rise. The flow has two components: (1) internal shearing flow of ice and (2) basal motion, which is sliding along the base of ice sheets, especially when the ice melts at this base. To determine the first component we need to know how "soft" the ice is. By considering the flow velocities at the surface of the northern Greenland Ice Sheet and calculating the stresses that cause the flow, we determined that the ice is effectively softer than is usually assumed. Previous studies indicated that the base of the ice is thawed in large parts (up to about 50%) of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Our study shows that that is probably overestimated, because these studies assumed ice to be harder than it actually is. Our new assessment reduces the area with basal motion and thus melting to about 6-13% in the Greenland study area

Seismic Anisotropy of Temperate Ice in Polar Ice Sheets

We present a series of simple shear numerical simulations of dynamic recrystallization of two‐phase nonlinear viscous materials that represent temperate ice. First, we investigate the effect of the presence of water on the resulting microstructures and, second, how water influences on P wave (Vp) and fast S wave (Vs) velocities. Regardless the water percentage, all simulations evolve from a random fabric to a vertical single maximum. For a purely solid aggregate, the highest Vp quickly aligns with the maximum c‐axis orientation. At the same time, the maximum c‐axis development reduces Vs in this orientation. When water is present, the developed maximum c‐axis orientation is less intense, which results in lower Vp and Vs. At high percentage of water, Vp does not align with the maximum c‐axis orientation. If the bulk modulus of ice is assumed for the water phase (i.e., implying that water is at high pressure), we find a remarkable decrease of Vs while Vp remains close to the value for purely solid ice. These results suggest that the decrease in Vs observed at the base of the ice sheets could be explained by the presence of water at elevated pressure, which would reside in isolated pockets at grain triple junctions. Under these conditions water would not favor sliding between ice grains. However, if we consider that deformation dominates over recrystallization, water pockets get continuously stretched, allowing water films to be located at grain boundaries. This configuration would modify and even overprint the maximum c‐axis‐dependent orientation and the magnitude of seismic anisotropy