Optimizing Germination of Papaya Seeds

Field germination of papaya seeds can be greatly improved by soaking them before planting in an aqueous solution of potassium nitrate (KNO3). Germination percentage of both fresh and dried seeds can be increased with this method. The time to germination after the soaking treatment is reduced, and maximum germination is achieved sooner than when untreated seeds are planted

An extracellular transglutaminase is required for apple pollen tube growth

An extracellular form of the calcium-dependent protein-crosslinking enzyme TGase (transglutaminase) was demonstrated to be involved in the apical growth of Malus domestica pollen tube. Apple pollen TGase and its substrates were co-localized within aggregates on the pollen tube surface, as determined by indirect immunofluorescence staining and the in situ cross-linking of fluorescently labelled substrates. TGase-specific inhibitors and an anti-TGase monoclonal antibody blocked pollen tube growth, whereas incorporation of a recombinant fluorescent mammalian TGase substrate (histidine-tagged green fluorescent protein:His6– Xpr–GFP) into the growing tube wall enhanced tube length and germination, consistent with a role of TGase as a modulator of cell wall building and strengthening. The secreted pollen TGase catalysed the cross-linking of both PAs (polyamines) into proteins (released by the pollen tube) and His6-Xpr-GFP into endogenous or exogenously added substrates. A similar distribution of TGase activitywas observed in planta on pollen tubes germinating inside the style, consistent with a possible additional role for TGase in the interaction between the pollen tube and the style during fertilization

Studies of aerosol at a coastal site using two aerosol mass spectrometry instruments and identification of biogenic particle types

International audienceDuring August 2004 an Aerosol Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (TSI ATOFMS Model 3800-100) and an Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) were deployed at Mace Head during the NAMBLEX campaign. Single particle data (size, positive and negative mass spectra) from the ATOFMS were imported into ART 2a, a neural network algorithm, which assigns individual particles to clusters on the basis of their mass spectral similarities. Results are very consistent with previous time consuming manual classifications (Dall'Osto et al., 2004). Three broad classes were found: sea-salt, dust and carbon-containing particles, with a number of sub-classes within each. The Aerodyne (AMS) instrument was also used during NAMBLEX, providing online, real time measurements of the mass of non-refractory components of aerosol particles as function of their size. The ATOFMS detected a type of particle not identified in our earlier analysis, with a strong signal at m/z 24, likely due to magnesium. This type of particle was detected during the same periods as pure unreacted sea salt particles and is thought to be biogenic, originating from the sea surface. AMS data are consistent with this interpretation, showing an additional organic peak in the corresponding size range at times when the Mg-rich particles are detected. The work shows the ATOFMS and AMS to be largely complementary, and to provide a powerful instrumental combination in studies of atmospheric chemistry

Triaxial deformation in 10Be

The triaxial deformation in $^{10}$Be is investigated using a microscopic $\alpha+\alpha+n+n$ model. The states of two valence neutrons are classified based on the molecular-orbit (MO) model, and the $\pi$-orbit is introduced about the axis connecting the two $\alpha$-clusters for the description of the rotational bands. There appear two rotational bands comprised mainly of $K^\pi = 0^+$ and $K^\pi = 2^+$, respectively, at low excitation energy, where the two valence neutrons occupy $K^\pi = 3/2^-$ or $K^\pi = 1/2^-$ orbits. The triaxiality and the $K$-mixing are discussed in connection to the molecular structure, particularly, to the spin-orbit splitting. The extent of the triaxial deformation is evaluated in terms of the electro-magnetic transition matrix elements (Davydov-Filippov model, Q-invariant model), and density distribution in the intrinsic frame. The obtained values turned out to be $\gamma = 15^o \sim 20^o$.Comment: 15 pages, latex, 3 figure

Important role of the spin-orbit interaction in forming the 1/2^+ orbital structure in Be isotopes

The structure of the second 0^+ state of ^{10}Be is investigated using a microscopic $\alpha+\alpha+n+n$ model based on the molecular-orbit (MO) model. The second 0^+ state, which has dominantly the (1/2^+)^2 configuration, is shown to have a particularly enlarged $\alpha-\alpha$ structure. The kinetic energy of the two valence neutrons occupying along the $\alpha-\alpha$ axis is reduced remarkably due to the strong $\alpha$ clustering and, simultaneously, the spin-orbit interaction unexpectedly plays important role to make the energy of this state much lower. The mixing of states with different spin structure is shown to be important in negative-parity states. The experimentally observed small-level spacing between 1^- and 2^- (~ 300 keV) is found to be an evidence of this spin-mixing effect. ^{12}{Be} is also investigated using $\alpha+\alpha+4n$ model, in which four valence neutrons are considered to occupy the (3/2^-)^2(1/2^+)^2 configuration. The energy surface of ^{12}Be is shown to exhibit similar characteristics, that the remarkable $\alpha$ clustering and the contribution of the spin-orbit interaction make the binding of the state with (3/2^-)^2(1/2^+)^2 configuration properly stronger in comparison with the closed p-shell (3/2^-)^2(1/2^-)^2 configuration.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

Grassmannian flows and applications to nonlinear partial differential equations

We show how solutions to a large class of partial differential equations with nonlocal Riccati-type nonlinearities can be generated from the corresponding linearized equations, from arbitrary initial data. It is well known that evolutionary matrix Riccati equations can be generated by projecting linear evolutionary flows on a Stiefel manifold onto a coordinate chart of the underlying Grassmann manifold. Our method relies on extending this idea to the infinite dimensional case. The key is an integral equation analogous to the Marchenko equation in integrable systems, that represents the coodinate chart map. We show explicitly how to generate such solutions to scalar partial differential equations of arbitrary order with nonlocal quadratic nonlinearities using our approach. We provide numerical simulations that demonstrate the generation of solutions to Fisher--Kolmogorov--Petrovskii--Piskunov equations with nonlocal nonlinearities. We also indicate how the method might extend to more general classes of nonlinear partial differential systems.Comment: 26 pages, 2 figure

Structure of the mirror nuclei 9^9Be and 9^9B in a microscopic cluster model

The structure of the mirror nuclei $^9$Be and $^9$B is studied in a microscopic $\alpha+ \alpha+ n$ and $\alpha+ \alpha+ p$ three-cluster model using a fully antisymmetrized 9-nucleon wave function. The two-nucleon interaction includes central and spin-orbit components and the Coulomb potential. The ground state of $^9$Be is obtained accurately with the stochastic variational method, while several particle-unbound states of both $^9$Be and $^9$B are investigated with the complex scaling method.The calculation for $^9$Be supports the recent identification for the existence of two broad states around 6.5 MeV, and predicts the $\frac{3}{2}^{-}_2$ and $\frac{5}{2}^{-}_2$ states at about 4.5 MeV and 8 MeV, respectively. The similarity of the calculated spectra of $^9$Be and $^9$B enables one to identify unknown spins and parities of the $^9$B states. Available data on electromagnetic moments and elastic electron scatterings are reproduced very well. The enhancement of the $E$1 transition of the first excited state in $^9$Be is well accounted for. The calculated density of $^9$Be is found to reproduce the reaction cross section on a Carbon target. The analysis of the beta decay of $^9$Li to $^9$Be clearly shows that the wave function of $^9$Be must contain a small component that cannot be described by the simple $\alpha+ \alpha+ n$ model. This small component can be well accounted for by extending a configuration space to include the distortion of the $\alpha$-particle to $t+p$ and $h+n$ partitions.Comment: 24 page

An L319F mutation in transmembrane region 3 (TM3) selectively reduces sensitivity to okaramine B of the Bombyx mori L-glutamate-gated chloride channel

Okaramines produced by Penicillium simplicissimum AK-40 activate l-glutamate-gated chloride channels (GluCls) and thus paralyze insects. However, the okaramine binding site on insect GluCls is poorly understood. Sequence alignment shows that the equivalent of residue Leucine319 of the okaramine B sensitive Bombyx mori (B. mori) GluCl is a phenylalanine in the okaramine B insensitive B. mori γ-aminobutyric acid-gated chloride channel of the same species. This residue is located in the third transmembrane (TM3) region, a location which in a nematode GluCl is close to the ivermectin binding site. The B. mori GluCl containing the L319F mutation retained its sensitivity to l-glutamate, but responses to ivermectin were reduced and those to okaramine B were completely blocked

Attractant and Repellent Signaling Conformers of Sensory Rhodopsin−Transducer Complexes†

ABSTRACT: Attractant and repellent signaling conformers of the dual-signaling phototaxis receptor sensory rhodopsin I and its transducer subunit (SRI-HtrI) have recently been distinguished experimentally by the opposite connection of their retinylidene protonated Schiff bases to the outwardly located periplasmic side and inwardly located cytoplasmic side. Here we show that the pKa of the outwardly located Asp76 counterion in the outwardly connected conformer is lowered by ∼1.5 units from that of the inwardly connected conformer. The pK a difference enables quantitative determination of the relative amounts of the two conformers in wild-type cells and behavioral mutants prior to photoexcitation, comparison of their absorption spectra, and determination of their relative signaling efficiency. We have shown that the onephoton excitation of the SRI-HtrI attractant conformer causes a Schiff base connectivity switch from inwardly connected to outwardly connected states in the attractant signaling photoreaction. Conversely, a second near-UV photon drives the complex back to the inwardly connected conformer in the repellent signaling photoreaction. The results suggest a model of the color-discriminating dual-signaling mechanism in which phototaxis responses (his-kinase modulation) result from the photointerconversion of the two oppositely connected SRI-HtrI conformers by one-photon and two-photon activation. Furthermore, we find that the related repellent phototaxis SRII-HtrII receptor complex has an outwardly connecte