67 research outputs found
Characterization of Alstroemeria species and cultivars using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis
1997 Fall.Covers not scanned.Includes bibliographical references.The characterization of Alstroemeria has not been effective through the use of conventional morphological markers. This is mainly due to the confused status of many of the species. Breeding of Alstroemeria has involved interspecific crosses as well as the use of mutagens and chromosome doubling for the creation of cultivars. Through the use of molecular techniques, in particular random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis, it is possible to uniquely characterize the species and cultivars. Fifteen species and hybrids along with 25 cultivars were examined using RAPD analysis. Four primers were eventually used for the analysis. All amplification products were separated using a 5% polyacrylamide gel and stained with silver nitrate for maximum differentiation of the fragments. The four primers yielded 73 amplification products which were polymorphic. When analysed using cluster analysis, all species and cultivars were uniquely characterized and putative parentages of many of the cultivars were determined
The technical institutes in Hong Kong 1969 to 1980 : a study of their development
This study explores the development of the technical
institutes in Hong Kong,from the mid 1960s, when the first
one was planned, to August 31, 1980, and places on record
some of the experience gained in the process. The thesis
includes a short history of technical education in Hong Kong
and examines the rapidly changing industrial and social
background, and the way in which it affected the technical
institutes.
The rate of development in student numbers and build up
of staff has been rapid and these factors, together with
the number of female students and the size of classes, are
examined and comparisons are made with other countries such
as Britain and Singapore. There have also been developments
in Hong Kong in areas such as secondary education, higher
education, apprenticeships, industrial-training centres, levy
schemes, credit-units and handicapped students which, have
affected the technical institutes and these too are examined.
The different types and levels of courses are then reviewed
and reasons are given why emphasis has been placed on part time
day studies.
This thesis goes on to examine the standard of education
provided in the technical institutes. This is done by analysing attitudes towards technical education, by examining
various surveys and by looking at other "indicators of
excellence". These include the demand for student places
and employment prospects; the views of educationalists,
employers, students, parents and the general public; and the
recognition of technical institute courses by overseas bodies.
The study is reviewed in Chapter 7 and the general conclusion
arrived at is that despite the very rapid development of the
technical institutes they have provided a satisfactory
standard of education which has risen over the years. The
postscript (Chapter 8) looks briefly at important events which
have taken place from the end of the period covered in this
thesis to February 1982
Applying Principles of Crossbreeding to Maximize Hybrid Vigor
This fact sheet explains how crossbreeding can be a powerful tool to improve the productivity and profitability of a beef cattle operation when it is used correctly
Rod Outer Segment Structure Influences the Apparent Kinetic Parameters of Cyclic GMP Phosphodiesterase
Cyclic GMP hydrolysis by the phosphodiesterase (PDE) of retinal rod outer segments (ROS) is a key amplification step in phototransduction. Definitive estimates of the turnover number, kcat, and of the Km are crucial to quantifying the amplification contributed by the PDE. Published estimates for these kinetic parameters vary widely; moreover, light-dependent changes in the Km of PDE have been reported. The experiments and analyses reported here account for most observed variations in apparent Km, and they lead to definitive estimates of the intrinsic kinetic parameters in amphibian rods. We first obtained a new and highly accurate estimate of the ratio of holo-PDE to rhodopsin in the amphibian ROS, 1:270. We then estimated the apparent kinetic parameters of light-activated PDE of suspensions of disrupted frog ROS whose structural integrity was systematically varied. In the most severely disrupted ROS preparation, we found Km = 95 microM and kcat = 4,400 cGMP.s-1. In suspensions of disc-stack fragments of greater integrity, the apparent Km increased to approximately 600 microM, though kcat remained unchanged. In contrast, the Km for cAMP was not shifted in the disc stack preparations. A theoretical analysis shows that the elevated apparent Km of suspensions of disc stacks can be explained as a consequence of diffusion with hydrolysis in the disc stack, which causes active PDEs nearer the center of the stack to be exposed to a lower concentration of cyclic GMP than PDEs at the disc stack rim. The analysis predicts our observation that the apparent Km for cGMP is elevated with no accompanying decrease in kcat. The analysis also predicts the lack of a Km shift for cAMP and the previously reported light dependence of the apparent Km for cGMP. We conclude that the intrinsic kinetic parameters of the PDE do not vary with light or structural integrity, and are those of the most severely disrupted disc stacks
Linking goniometer measurements to hyperspectral and multi-sensor imagery for retrieval of beach properties and coastal characterization
In June 2011, a multi-sensor airborne remote sensing campaign was flown at the Virginia Coast Reserve Long Term Ecological Research site with coordinated ground and water calibration and validation (cal/val) measurements. Remote sensing imagery acquired during the ten day exercise included hyperspectral imagery (CASI-1500), topographic LiDAR, and thermal infra-red imagery, all simultaneously from the same aircraft. Airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data acquisition for a smaller subset of sites occurred in September 2011 (VCR\u2711). Focus areas for VCR\u2711 were properties of beaches and tidal flats and barrier island vegetation and, in the water column, shallow water bathymetry. On land, cal/val emphasized tidal flat and beach grain size distributions, density, moisture content, and other geotechnical properties such as shear and bearing strength (dynamic deflection modulus), which were related to hyperspectral BRDF measurements taken with the new NRL Goniometer for Outdoor Portable Hyperspectral Earth Reflectance (GOPHER). This builds on our earlier work at this site in 2007 related to beach properties and shallow water bathymetry. A priority for VCR\u2711 was to collect and model relationships between hyperspectral imagery, acquired from the aircraft at a variety of different phase angles, and geotechnical properties of beaches and tidal flats. One aspect of this effort was a demonstration that sand density differences are observable and consistent in reflectance spectra from GOPHER data, in CASI hyperspectral imagery, as well as in hyperspectral goniometer measurements conducted in our laboratory after VCR\u2711
Hes3 regulates cell number in cultures from glioblastoma multiforme with stem cell characteristics
Tumors exhibit complex organization and contain a variety of cell populations. The realization that the regenerative properties of a tumor may be largely confined to a cell subpopulation (cancer stem cell) is driving a new era of anti-cancer research. Cancer stem cells from Glioblastoma Multiforme tumors express markers that are also expressed in non-cancerous neural stem cells, including nestin and Sox2. We previously showed that the transcription factor Hes3 is a marker of neural stem cells, and that its expression is inhibited by JAK activity. Here we show that Hes3 is also expressed in cultures from glioblastoma multiforme which express neural stem cell markers, can differentiate into neurons and glia, and can recapitulate the tumor of origin when transplanted into immunocompromised mice. Similar to observations in neural stem cells, JAK inhibits Hes3 expression. Hes3 RNA interference reduces the number of cultured glioblastoma cells suggesting a novel therapeutic strategy
Angiogenic Factors Stimulate Growth of Adult Neural Stem Cells
The ability to grow a uniform cell type from the adult central nervous system (CNS) is valuable for developing cell therapies and new strategies for drug discovery. The adult mammalian brain is a source of neural stem cells (NSC) found in both neurogenic and non-neurogenic zones but difficulties in culturing these hinders their use as research tools.Here we show that NSCs can be efficiently grown in adherent cell cultures when angiogenic signals are included in the medium. These signals include both anti-angiogenic factors (the soluble form of the Notch receptor ligand, Dll4) and pro-angiogenic factors (the Tie-2 receptor ligand, Angiopoietin 2). These treatments support the self renewal state of cultured NSCs and expression of the transcription factor Hes3, which also identifies the cancer stem cell population in human tumors. In an organotypic slice model, angiogenic factors maintain vascular structure and increase the density of dopamine neuron processes.We demonstrate new properties of adult NSCs and a method to generate efficient adult NSC cultures from various central nervous system areas. These findings will help establish cellular models relevant to cancer and regeneration
Cholera Toxin Regulates a Signaling Pathway Critical for the Expansion of Neural Stem Cell Cultures from the Fetal and Adult Rodent Brains
Background: New mechanisms that regulate neural stem cell (NSC) expansion will contribute to improved assay systems and the emerging regenerative approach that targets endogenous stem cells. Expanding knowledge on the control of stem cell self renewal will also lead to new approaches for targeting the stem cell population of cancers. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here we show that Cholera toxin regulates two recently characterized NSC markers, the Tie2 receptor and the transcription factor Hes3, and promotes the expansion of NSCs in culture. Cholera toxin increases immunoreactivity for the Tie2 receptor and rapidly induces the nuclear localization of Hes3. This is followed by powerful cultured NSC expansion and induction of proliferation both in the presence and absence of mitogen. Conclusions/Significance: Our data suggest a new cell biological mechanism that regulates the self renewal and differentiation properties of stem cells, providing a new logic to manipulate NSCs in the context of regenerative disease and cancer
EXPORTS Measurements and Protocols for the NE Pacific Campaign
EXport Processes in the Ocean from Remote Sensing (EXPORTS) is a large-scale NASA-led and NSF co-funded field campaign that will provide critical information for quantifying the export and fate of upper ocean net primary production (NPP) using satellite information and state of the art technology
Clinical outcomes of different treatments and risk factors in patients with otogenic brain abscess, a real-world evidence-based retrospective study
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