A last glacial ice sheet on the Pacific Russian coast and catastrophic change arising from coupled ice–volcanic interaction

Controversy exists over the extent of glaciation in Eastern Asia at the Last Glacial Maximum: complete ice sheet cover vs. restricted mountain icefields (an area discrepancy equivalent to 3.7 Greenland Ice Sheets). Current arguments favour the latter. However, significant last glacial ice-rafted debris (IRD) exists in NW Pacific ocean cores, which must have been sourced from a major ice sheet somewhere bordering the North Pacific. The origin of this IRD is addressed through a combination of marine core analysis, iceberg trajectory modelling and remote sensing of glacial geomorphology. We find compelling evidence for two stages of glaciation centred on the Kamchatka area of maritime southeast Russia during the last glacial, with ice extent intermediate in size between previous maximum and minimum reconstructions. Furthermore, a significant increase in iceberg flux precedes, and accompanies, a substantial marine core ash deposit at around 40ka BP. We speculate that rapid decay of the first stage of the ice sheet may have triggered substantial volcanic activity

Adaptation of commercial wheat cultivars to fall-seeding

Non-Peer Reviewe

Molecular genetic variability, within a population of Mycosphaerella graminicola, cause of Septoria tritici leaf blotch of wheat

Non-Peer ReviewedThe pathogen Mycosphaerella graminicola (anamorph Septoria tritici), causes speckled leaf blotch of wheat and has worldwide distribution. Information about genetic variability of the pathogen population is useful for development of disease management strategies. In this study 90 isolates of M. graminicola were collected using a hierarchical sampling procedure from a single wheat field and the genomic DNA of isolates were extracted. RAPD analysis was conducted using 15 random primers, according to standard protocols. Forty molecular phenotypes were detected which phenotype 1 had the highest frequency within the population. The total genotypic diversity was estimated as 0.94.When it was partitioned into within and among location components, 91% of the genetic diversity occurred within locations and only 9% occurred among locations. Low degree of variability among locations and high degree of variability within locations, points that, most likely the source of primary inoculum was air-borne ascospores, which were dispersed evenly across the field. This finding suggests that, the sexual stage of M. graminicola, occurs in Saskatchewan, although it has not yet been reported from Canada. High degree of genetic variability implies that most likely the pathogen will adapt rapidly to single gene resistance sources, therefore, in breeding for disease resistance, emphasis should be given to non- race specific resistance

Identification of new sources of resistance to tan spot of wheat

Non-Peer ReviewedTan spot, caused by Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, is a major foliar disease of wheat in western Canada. Isolates of P. tritici-repentis are presently classified into 11 races based on their virulence on a set of wheat differential cultivars. In western Canada only 5 of these races have been identified. More than 1000 accessions of wheat including synthetics and wild relatives were evaluated for resistance against all the virulent races of P. tritici-repentis that are prevalent in western Canada. Disease screening was done under controlled environmental conditions at the seedling stage. High level resistance to P. tritici-repentis was observed in some accessions of Triticum monococum, T. turgidum, T. dicoccum, T. dicoccoides, T. timopheevii, and T. aestivum including synthetic wheat. These accessions also showed good resistance to the leaf spot disease stagnospora nodorum blotch. They will be studied further to determine the genetic basis of resistance and to transfer their resistance to adapted wheat and durum cultivars

Evaluation of a putatively very high yielding "miracle" spring wheat

Non-Peer ReviewedA supposedly very high yielding branched spike wheat (BSW) was shown to yield as much as 75 % less than standard Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) cultivars when severely infected with leaf and stem rust. With little or no disease pressure BSW still yielded 25-30% less than semi-dwarf wheat cultivars under both dryland and irrigated conditions. The BSW was very tall and later maturing than HY 320. Kernel and quality characteristics of BSW would appear to limit its market potential regardless of yield

Evaluation of a putatively very high yielding "miracle" spring wheat

Non-Peer ReviewedA supposedly very high yielding branched spike wheat (BSW) was shown to yield as much as 75 % less than standard Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) cultivars when severely infected with leaf and stem rust. With little or no disease pressure BSW still yielded 25-30% less than semi-dwarf wheat cultivars under both dryland and irrigated conditions. The BSW was very tall and later maturing than HY 320. Kernel and quality characteristics of BSW would appear to limit its market potential regardless of yield

A review of migratory behaviour of sea turtles off southeastern Africa

The survival of sea turtles is threatened by modern fishing methods, exploitation of eggs and habitat destruction. Forming keystone species in the ocean, their extinction would disrupt the marine food chain in ways as yet unknown. The Indian Ocean has many breeding areas for sea turtles, the southernmost ones being on the Maputaland coast of KwaZulu-Natal, where loggerhead and leatherback turtles nest in large numbers thanks to long-lasting protection programmes. For the leatherback this is the only known nesting site in the entire western Indian Ocean. At the end of the reproductive season, both loggerheads and leatherbacks undertake migrations towards disparate feeding areas. To contribute to their conservation, the migratory behaviour of these animals needs to be understood. Here we review 10 years studying this behaviour using transmitters that telemeter data via satellite. It emerges that these species frequent widely dispersed areas ranging from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mozambique Channel. The migratory behaviour of leatherback and loggerhead turtles is, however, very different, probably due to their differing food requirements. While loggerhead postnesting movements have a truly migratory nature, the large-scale wanderings of leatherbacks are better described as prolonged sojourns in extended feeding areas

Trends in sexually transmitted infections in general practice 1990-2000: population based study using data from the UK general practice research database

Objective: To describe the contribution of primary care to the diagnosis and management of sexually transmitted infections in the United Kingdom, 1990-2000, in the context of increasing incidence of infections in genitourinary medicine clinics. Design: Population based study. Setting: UK primary care. Participants: Patients registered in the UK general practice research database. Main outcome measures: Incidence of diagnosed sexually transmitted infections in primary care and estimation of the proportion of major such infections diagnosed in primary care. Results: An estimated 23.0% of chlamydia cases in women but only 5.3% in men were diagnosed and treated in primary care during 1998-2000, along with 49.2% cases of non-specific urethritis and urethral discharge in men and 5.7% cases of gonorrhoea in women and 2.9% in men. Rates of diagnosis in primary care rose substantially in the late 1990s. Conclusions: A substantial and increasing number of sexually transmitted infections are diagnosed and treated in primary care in the United Kingdom, with sex ratios differing from those in genitourinary medicine clinics. Large numbers of men are treated in primary care for presumptive sexually transmitted infections

The Impact of a 48-Hour Fast on Mitochondrial Biogenesis in Young Healthy Men

Please view abstract in the attached PDF fil