Multiple QTL for horticultural traits and quantitative resistance to Phytophthora infestans linked on Solanum habrochaites chromosome 11.

Previously, a Phytophthora infestans resistance QTL from Solanum habrochaites chromosome 11 was introgressed into cultivated tomato (S. lycopersicum). Fine mapping of this resistance QTL using near-isogenic lines (NILs) revealed some co-located QTL with undesirable effects on plant size, canopy density, and fruit size traits. Subsequently, higher-resolution mapping with sub-NILs detected multiple P. infestans resistance QTL within this 9.4-cM region of chromosome 11. In our present study, these same sub-NILs were also evaluated for 17 horticultural traits, including yield, maturity, fruit size and shape, fruit quality, and plant architecture traits in replicated field experiments over 2 years. The horticultural trait QTL originally detected by fine mapping each fractionated into two or more QTL at higher resolution. A total of 34 QTL were detected across all traits, with 14% exhibiting significant QTL × environment interactions (QTL × E). QTL for many traits were co-located, suggesting either pleiotropic effects or tight linkage among genes controlling these traits. Recombination in the pericentromeric region of the introgression between markers TG147 and At4g10050 was suppressed to approximately 29.7 Mbp per cM, relative to the genomewide average of 750 kbp per cM. The genetic architecture of many of the horticultural and P. infestans resistance traits that mapped within this chromosome 11 S. habrochaites region is complex. Complicating factors included fractionation of QTL, pleiotropy or tight linkage of QTL for multiple traits, pericentromeric chromosomal location(s), and/or QTL × E. High-resolution mapping of QTL in this region would be needed to determine which specific target QTL could be useful in breeding cultivated tomato

Nitrogen oxides and PAN in plumes from boreal fires during ARCTAS-B and their impact on ozone: an integrated analysis of aircraft and satellite observations

We determine enhancement ratios for NO_x, PAN, and other NO_y species from boreal biomass burning using aircraft data obtained during the ARCTAS-B campaign and examine the impact of these emissions on tropospheric ozone in the Arctic. We find an initial emission factor for NO_x of 1.06 g NO per kg dry matter (DM) burned, much lower than previous observations of boreal plumes, and also one third the value recommended for extratropical fires. Our analysis provides the first observational confirmation of rapid PAN formation in a boreal smoke plume, with 40% of the initial NO_x emissions being converted to PAN in the first few hours after emission. We find little clear evidence for ozone formation in the boreal smoke plumes during ARCTAS-B in either aircraft or satellite observations, or in model simulations. Only a third of the smoke plumes observed by the NASA DC8 showed a correlation between ozone and CO, and ozone was depleted in the plumes as often as it was enhanced. Special observations from the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) also show little evidence for enhanced ozone in boreal smoke plumes between 15 June and 15 July 2008. Of the 22 plumes observed by TES, only 4 showed ozone increasing within the smoke plumes, and even in those cases it was unclear that the increase was caused by fire emissions. Using the GEOS-Chem atmospheric chemistry model, we show that boreal fires during ARCTAS-B had little impact on the median ozone profile measured over Canada, and had little impact on ozone within the smoke plumes observed by TES

Paraoxonase gene polymorphisms and haplotype analysis in a stroke population

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

THE EFFECTS OF INDUSTRY STRUCTURE ON PRICE: A CASE IN THE BEEF INDUSTRY

This study estimates the influence of concentration and other structural variables on the price of slaughter cattle. Cross-sectional data were used to estimate a single equation model which included, in addition to traditional factor demand variables, packer concentration and a measure of market power exerted by feedlots. Results suggest that packer concentration has had a significant and increasing negative impact on fed cattle prices during the years of analysis, 1972 and 1977.Industrial Organization, Livestock Production/Industries,

Expressive vocabulary predicts non-verbal executive function: a 2-year longitudinal study of deaf and hearing children

Numerous studies suggest an association between language and executive function (EF), but evidence of a developmental relationship remains inconclusive. Data were collected from 75 deaf/hard-of-hearing (DHH) children and 82 hearing age-matched controls. Children were 6-11 years old at first time of testing, and completed a battery of nonverbal EF tasks and a test of expressive vocabulary. These tasks were completed again two years later. Both groups improved their scores on all tasks over this period. DHH children performed significantly less well than hearing peers on some EF tasks and the vocabulary test at both time points. Cross-lagged panel models showed that vocabulary at Time 1 predicted change in EF scores for both DHH and hearing children but not the reverse

Probable changes in lake chemistry in Canada's Atlantic Provinces under proposed North American emission reductions

International audienceAtlantic Canada, located in the extreme north-eastern portion of North America, receives acid precipitation from all major acid emission sources on the eastern part of the continent. The region was glaciated and has thin soils over a generally poorly acid buffering bedrock. Because of regional topography, large groupings of lakes occur in a number of regions. Environment Canada and the Government of New Brunswick have operated lake sampling networks in trend detection studies and have concentrated their work on these lake groupings. The MAGIC model has been applied to these lakes and their catchments to see: a) what initial water chemistry conditions existed before acidification began, b) what the chemistry was like during the worst of regional acid deposition, and c) what it would be like under deposition conditions predicted for new Canadian and US emission reduction proposals. While pH, sulphate, acid neutralisation capacity (ANC) and the sum of the base cations (SBC) of all lakes have been significantly affected by acid deposition, water chemistry conditions are now considerably better than they were in 1975, at the worst of the deposition. However, a 50% reduction in acid deposition from Year 2000 deposition amounts will not return water chemistry to original conditions in most of the region. Keywords: Atlantic Canada, monitoring networks, acidification, predictions, MAGI

Global and regional effects of the photochemistry of CH_3O_2NO_2: evidence from ARCTAS

Using measurements from the NASA Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites (ARCTAS) experiment, we show that methyl peroxy nitrate (CH_3O_2NO_2) is present in concentrations of ~5–15 pptv in the springtime arctic upper troposphere. We investigate the regional and global effects of CH_3O_2NO_2 by including its chemistry in the GEOS-Chem 3-D global chemical transport model. We find that at temperatures below 240 K inclusion of CH_3O_2NO_2 chemistry results in decreases of up to ~20 % in NO_x, ~20 % in N_2O_5, ~5 % in HNO3, ~2 % in ozone, and increases in methyl hydrogen peroxide of up to ~14 %. Larger changes are observed in biomass burning plumes lofted to high altitude. Additionally, by sequestering NO_x at low temperatures, CH_3O_2NO_2 decreases the cycling of HO_2 to OH, resulting in a larger upper tropospheric HO_2 to OH ratio. These results may impact some estimates of lightning NO_x sources as well as help explain differences between models and measurements of upper tropospheric composition

In Our Own Backyard: When a Less Inclusive Community Challenges Organizational Inclusion

Purpose: This paper aims to build insight into how the local community impacts an organization’s ability to develop an inclusive culture. The paper offers a framework of inclusion discontinuities between an organization and its community, then using the case of teaching hospitals, aims to empirically demonstrate how individuals and organizations perceive and deal with inconsistencies in responses to diversity at the organizational-and community-levels. Design/methodology/approach: A multi-method qualitative study was conducted in hospitals located in the same city. Focus groups were conducted with 11 medical trainees from underrepresented backgrounds and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 hospital leaders involved with diversity efforts at two hospitals. Data analysis followed an iterative approach built from Miles and Huberman (1994). Findings: The findings demonstrate how discontinuity between the organizations efforts to create an inclusive environment and the community’s response to diversity and difference creates challenges for leaders in retaining and supporting minority individuals, and for trainees in feeling like they could build a life within, and outside of, their organizations. Based on findings from the data, the paper offers insights into how organizations can build their capacity to address these challenges. Research limitations/implications: Future research should build upon this work by further examining how inclusion discontinuities between communities and organizations impact individuals and organizations. Practical implications: The paper includes in-depth insight into how organizations can build their capacity to address such a deep-rooted challenge that comes from a less inclusive community. Originality/value: This paper contributes to an understanding of how forces from the community outside an organization can shape internal efforts toward fostering inclusion

An Energy Accounting Evaluation of Several Alternatives for Hydropower and Geothermal Development

Alternative management strategies for hydropower and geothermal development are myriad. This study does not attempt to evaluate or even summarize the many schemes which are possible. In an era of plentiful natural resources, economic analysis procedures for selecting a particular alternative have been developed which traditionally have tended to optimize on the basis of capital and labor. The approach taken in this study is based on the notion of optimum deployment of finite resources. A legitimate question which this study has attempted to address is: Does the construction of large water management facilities, such as hydropower dams, which involve huge amounts of energy, concrete, and steel, constitute an efficient use of basic resources? An energy accounting analysis technique is proposed, and using this procedure energy resource inputs are examined and compared for specific hydropower dams and geothermal power plants. The technique, though promising, still contains certain problems, and further development is needed in order to establish a consistent and uniform methodology. The energy accounting technique indicates that construction of hydropower facilities is a relatively efficient use of basic energy resources. However, because of large evaporation losses from storage reservoirs, water consumption per unit of power produced tends to be high. An analysis subsequent to the energy accounting approach suggests that combining once-through cooling of thermal power plants with pumped storage hydropower facilities could produce large water savings per unit of generated power. Further study of this configuration is recommended. The energy accounting technique also clearly identifies the high efficiency of geothermal power plants in terms of resource deployment. However, warm water geothermal resources of the type generally available in the intermountain region present formidable problems in utilization. The report proposes a he at exchange r system design which is capable of utilizing warm and highly mineralized waters, and recommends that the design be constructed and tested on a demonstration basis

Editorial: From Pedagogic Research to Embedded E-Learning

This Special Issue of Reflecting Education arises from the work of the PREEL project (From Pedagogic Research to Embedded e-Learning) at the Institute of Education from 2006-2008. This project was one of nine HEA/JISC (Higher Education Academy and Joint Information Systems Committee) Pilot Pathfinder Projects and followed on from our involvement in the Pilot Benchmarking of e-Learning Programme. In the benchmarking exercise we identified a lack of coordination between research and practice in e-learning at the IoE as one of our crucial weaknesses, and so our Pilot Pathfinder project concentrated on this theme of building links between e-learning research and practice