Introgression Pathway for Drought Tolerance in Peanut (Arachis hypogea L.)

In this study, a hybrid of the bridge species Arachis vallsii Krapov. and W.C. Greg. (VSW 9902-1) and A. dardani Krapov. and W.C. Greg. (GK12946) was created to initiate an introgression pathway for movement of possible drought tolerance genes into the cultivated peanut (A. hypogaea L.). A hybrid between the two species was successfully created and confirmed based on leaf morphology, pollen counts and intermediated leaf morphology. One-hundred and seventy-five attempts were made to double the chromosome complement using 3 methods at concentrations of 0.02% and 0.03% colchicine for exposure times ranging from 6 to 24 hours. No attempt has been successful to date. In addition, a greenhouse transcriptome study with 7 day-imposed drought was conducted on A. dardani (12946) and the reference species A. ipaënsis (Krapov. and W.C. Greg.) (KGBPScS-30076) (B genome donor of the cultivated peanut). Differential gene expression analysis (EdgeR Test) of the normalized RPKM (Reads Per Kilobase Million mapped reads) values was conducted with a fold value ≥ abs (2) at the p ≤ 0.05 level using CLC Genomics Workbench v8. Significant transcript levels associated with drought tolerance were found in relation to the putative drought species (A. dardani (12946)), which have not been reported previously. Transcripts were identified that were higher between physiological states and between species. In total, 40 genes were identified for further study

The Infectious Diseases BioBank at King's College London: archiving samples from patients infected with HIV to facilitate translational research

The King's College London (KCL) Infectious Diseases BioBank opened in 2007 and collects peripheral venous blood (PVB) from individuals infected with pathogens including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). PVBs are fractionated into plasmas, lymphocytes and DNA and are then frozen. All donations are from subjects who have given 'open consent' so samples can be used for virtually any type of biomedical research. The HIV component of the BioBank contains samples from over 400 donations from 138 HIV+ patients. Thus, the KCL Infectious Diseases BioBank - together with establishments such as the Spanish HIV BioBank - is likely to expedite translational research into this infection

Investment Incentives in Tradable Emissions Markets with Price Floors

Peer reviewedPostprin

Introgression Pathway for Drought Tolerance in Peanut (Arachis hypogea L.)

In this study, a hybrid of the bridge species Arachis vallsii Krapov. and W.C. Greg. (VSW 9902-1) and A. dardani Krapov. and W.C. Greg. (GK12946) was created to initiate an introgression pathway for movement of possible drought tolerance genes into the cultivated peanut (A. hypogaea L.). A hybrid between the two species was successfully created and confirmed based on leaf morphology, pollen counts and intermediated leaf morphology. One-hundred and seventy-five attempts were made to double the chromosome complement using 3 methods at concentrations of 0.02% and 0.03% colchicine for exposure times ranging from 6 to 24 hours. No attempt has been successful to date. In addition, a greenhouse transcriptome study with 7 day-imposed drought was conducted on A. dardani (12946) and the reference species A. ipaënsis (Krapov. and W.C. Greg.) (KGBPScS-30076) (B genome donor of the cultivated peanut). Differential gene expression analysis (EdgeR Test) of the normalized RPKM (Reads Per Kilobase Million mapped reads) values was conducted with a fold value ≥ abs (2) at the p ≤ 0.05 level using CLC Genomics Workbench v8. Significant transcript levels associated with drought tolerance were found in relation to the putative drought species (A. dardani (12946)), which have not been reported previously. Transcripts were identified that were higher between physiological states and between species. In total, 40 genes were identified for further study

Analyses of variant human papillomavirus type-16 E5 proteins for their ability to induce mitogenesis of murine fibroblasts

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) E5 protein co-operates with epidermal growth factor to stimulate mitogenesis of murine fibroblasts. Currently, little is known about which viral amino acids are involved in this process. Using sequence variants of HPV-16 E5 we have investigated their effects upon E5 transcription, cell-cycling and cell-growth of murine fibroblasts. RESULTS: We demonstrate that: (i) introduction of Thr(64 )into the reference E5 sequence of HPV-16 abrogates mitogenic activity: both were poorly transcribed in NIH-3T3 cells; (ii) substitution of Leu(44)Val(65 )or, Thr(37)Leu(44)Val(65 )into the HPV-16 E5 reference backbone resulted in high transcription in NIH-3T3 cells, enhanced cell-cycle progression and high cell-growth; and, (iii) inclusion of Tyr(8 )into the Leu(44)Val(65 )backbone inhibited E5 induced cell-growth and repression of p21 expression, despite high transcription levels. CONCLUSION: The effects of HPV-16 E5 variants upon mitosis help to explain why Leu(44)Val(65 )HPV-16 E5 variants are most prevalent in 'wild' pathogenic viral populations in the UK

Potential for Carbon Storage and Technology Transfer in the Southeastern United States

As the concern over global warming grows, interest in sequestering carbon in terrestrial ecosystems is expected to intensify. Nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) landowners in the southeastern United States can play a major role in sequestering atmospheric carbon. Sequestering carbon through reforestation/afforestation incentive programs requires participation by university Extension personnel to effectively communicate knowledge to landowners. This article discusses above and belowground carbon sequestration, carbon sequestration programs available to nonindustrial private forest landowners, and activities university Extension personnel may engage in to facilitate the implementation of such programs

Potential for Carbon Storage and Technology Transfer in the Southeastern United States

As the concern over global warming grows, interest in sequestering carbon in terrestrial ecosystems is expected to intensify. Nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) landowners in the southeastern United States can play a major role in sequestering atmospheric carbon. Sequestering carbon through reforestation/afforestation incentive programs requires participation by university Extension personnel to effectively communicate knowledge to landowners. This article discusses above and belowground carbon sequestration, carbon sequestration programs available to nonindustrial private forest landowners, and activities university Extension personnel may engage in to facilitate the implementation of such programs

Coordination and transfer

We study the ability of subjects to transfer principles between related coordination games. Subjects play a class of order statistic coordination games closely related to the well-known minimum (or weak-link) and median games (Van Huyck et al. in Am Econ Rev 80:234–248, 1990, Q J Econ 106(3):885–910, 1991). When subjects play a random sequence of games with differing order statistics, play is less sensitive to the order statistic than when a fixed order statistic is used throughout. This is consistent with the prediction of a simple learning model with transfer. If subjects play a series of similar stag hunt games, play converges to the payoff dominant equilibrium when a convention emerges, replicating the main result of Rankin et al. (Games Econ Behav 32:315–337, 2000). When these subjects subsequently play a random sequence of order statistic games, play is shifted towards the payoff dominant equilibrium relative to subjects without previous experience. The data is consistent with subjects absorbing a general principle, play of the payoff dominant equilibrium, and applying it in a new related setting