Evaluation of Rice Cultivars for Resistance to \u3ci\u3eCnaphalocrocis medinalis\u3c/i\u3e Guenée (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Greenhouse screening of 17,914 accessions of rice, Oryza sativa L., from 62 countries identified 115 accessions from 10 countries having resistant or moderately resistant reactions to Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenée. Of 264 wild rices (Oryza spp.) screened, 10 (3.7%) were resistant. Several breeding lines having “Ptb33” and “W1263” as donor parents were moderately resistant. All of the resistant accessions are from regions where C. medinalis is an important pest, except for one accession from Italy, which is beyond the range of C. medinalis distribution

Response of Lowland Rice Plants to Simulated Insect Defoliation in West Africa

Field experiments were conducted to investigate the impact of simulated insect-caused defoliation on irrigated rice. Defoliation levels tested were 0% (control), 25% defoliation at 21 days after transplanting (dat), 25% defoliation at 41 dat, 25% defoliation at 21 and 42 dat, 50% defoliation at 21 dat, 50% defoliation at 42 dat, 75% defoliation at 21 dat, 75% defoliation at 42 dat, 75% defoliation at 21 and 42 dat, 100% defoliation at 21 dat, and 100% defoliation at 21 and 42 dat. Tiller height, total number of tillers, percent panicle-bearing tillers, weight of 100 grains, and grain yields were recorded. The rice plant when defoliated just before tillering or in the tillering stage has the ability to compensate for defoliation damage. No yield losses occurred at 25% defoliation. Defoliation of 100% had a significant effect on the total number of tillers and on grain yield. Yield losses at 100% defoliation over the 3 years of the study averaged 40% in the 21 dat treatment and 55% in the 21 and 42 dat treatment. The implications of the development of cultural practices to manage lowland rice defoliating insects are discussed

Integrated dynamic analysis simulation of space stations with controllable solar array

A methodology is formulated and presented for the integrated structural dynamic analysis of space stations with controllable solar arrays and non-controllable appendages. The structural system flexibility characteristics are considered in the dynamic analysis by a synthesis technique whereby free-free space station modal coordinates and cantilever appendage coordinates are inertially coupled. A digital simulation of this analysis method is described and verified by comparison of interaction load solutions with other methods of solution. Motion equations are simulated for both the zero gravity and artificial gravity (spinning) orbital conditions. Closed loop controlling dynamics for both orientation control of the arrays and attitude control of the space station are provided in the simulation by various generic types of controlling systems. The capability of the simulation as a design tool is demonstrated by utilizing typical space station and solar array structural representations and a specific structural perturbing force. Response and interaction load solutions are presented for this structural configuration and indicate the importance of using an integrated type analysis for the predictions of structural interactions

Absence of localization in a disordered one-dimensional ring threaded by an Aharonov-Bohm flux

Absence of localization is demonstrated analytically to leading order in weak disorder in a one-dimensional Anderson model of a ring threaded by an Aharonov-Bohm (A-B) flux. The result follows from adapting an earlier perturbation treatment of disorder in a superconducting ring subjected to an imaginary vector potential proportional to a depinning field for flux lines bound to random columnar defects parallel to the axis of the ring. The absence of localization in the ring threaded by an A-B flux for sufficiently weak disorder is compatible with large free electron type persistent current obtained in recent studies of the above model

Transmission, reflection and localization in a random medium with absorption or gain

We study reflection and transmission of waves in a random tight-binding system with absorption or gain for weak disorder, using a scattering matrix formalism. Our aim is to discuss analytically the effects of absorption or gain on the statistics of wave transport. Treating the effects of absorption or gain exactly in the limit of no disorder, allows us to identify short- and long lengths regimes relative to absorption- or gain lengths, where the effects of absorption/gain on statistical properties are essentially different. In the long-lengths regime we find that a weak absorption or a weak gain induce identical statistical corrections in the inverse localization length, but lead to different corrections in the mean reflection coefficient. In contrast, a strong absorption or a strong gain strongly suppress the effect of disorder in identical ways (to leading order), both in the localization length and in the mean reflection coefficient.Comment: Important revisions and expansion caused by a crucial property of $\hat Q

A hybrid keyboard-guitar interface using capacitive touch sensing and physical modeling

This paper was presented at the 9th Sound and Music Computing Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark.This paper presents a hybrid interface based on a touch- sensing keyboard which gives detailed expressive control over a physically-modeled guitar. Physical modeling al- lows realistic guitar synthesis incorporating many expres- sive dimensions commonly employed by guitarists, includ- ing pluck strength and location, plectrum type, hand damp- ing and string bending. Often, when a physical model is used in performance, most control dimensions go unused when the interface fails to provide a way to intuitively con- trol them. Techniques as foundational as strumming lack a natural analog on the MIDI keyboard, and few digital controllers provide the independent control of pitch, vol- ume and timbre that even novice guitarists achieve. Our interface combines gestural aspects of keyboard and guitar playing. Most dimensions of guitar technique are control- lable polyphonically, some of them continuously within each note. Mappings are evaluated in a user study of key- boardists and guitarists, and the results demonstrate its playa- bility by performers of both instruments

Attachment style moderates the effects of oxytocin on social behaviors and cognitions during social rejection: applying an RDoC framework to social anxiety

Whereas the DSM categorizes individuals with similar self-reported symptoms, the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) offers a new approach for classifying mental disorders based on dimensions of observable behaviors and neurobiological measures. The objective of this proof-of-concept study is to adopt this approach by distinguishing individuals based on disorder-related personality traits during an experimental manipulation that targeted a disorder-related biological mechanism. Specifically, we examined whether attachment style moderated the effect of oxytocin administration on social behaviors and cognitions during a social exclusion test in individuals with social anxiety disorder. When receiving oxytocin compared to placebo, only individuals with low attachment avoidance displayed more social affiliation and cooperation, and only those with high attachment avoidance showed faster detection of disgust and neutral faces. Thus, attachment style moderated oxytocin's effects among individuals who shared the same DSM diagnosis. We conclude that neurobiological tests can inform new classification strategies by adopting an RDoC framework.R01 AT007257 - NCCIH NIH HHS; R01 MH078308 - NIMH NIH HH

Rice Insects: The Role of Host Plant Resistance in Integrated Management Systems

Insects are among the most important abiotic and biotic constraints to rice production. National rice research programs are in various stages in the development and implementation of integrated pest management (IPM) stratagies for rice insect control. Among the various control tactics, insect resistant cultivars are sought as the major tactic in rice IPM. Through the activities of interdisciplinary teams of scientists significant progress has been made in the development and release of insect resistant cultivars to farmers. Because of its compatibility with other control tactics insect resistance has proven to fit well into the IPM approach to rice insect control agents and minimize the need for insecticide applications. The development of biotypes which overcome the resistance in rice plants has been a significant constraint in the breeding of rice for resistance to insects. Most notable examples in Asia are the green leafhopper, Nephotettix virescens, brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens and the Asian rice gall midge, Orseolia oryzae. The current breeding stratege is to develop rice cultivars with durable resistance on which virulent biotypes cannot adapt. In spite of the significant progress made in the breeding of insect resistant cultivars there are still numerous important rice insect species for which host plant resistance as a control tactic has not been fully utilized. Advances in biotechnology provide promise of solving some of the problems that have limited the use of host plant resistance as a major tactic in the integrated management of rice insect pests

Variable Resistance to Homopterans in Rice Cultivars

Rice-breeding programs in Asia have successfully provided farmers with cultivars that have genetic resistance to the major insect pests, including the leafhoppers and planthoppers. The widespread planting of resistant cultivars has resulted in the selection of hopper populations that have overcome the resistance factor(s) in the plant. Procedures to measure the degree and rate of selection for virulence on resistant cultivars have been developed, and rice-breeding strategies to increase the stability of hopper-resistant cultivars have been implemented. Resistant cultivars have been widely and successfully used in Asia and Central and South America in the management of certain rice homopterans. Rice-breeding lines with resistance to additional homopteran species are in the pipeline. To most successfully utilize the diversity of insect-resistant germplasm requires novel rice-breeding techniques and the integration of the resistant cultivars into rice insect management programs so as to provide an increased level of stability

A New Paradigm for Implementing Ecologically – Based Participatory IPM in a Global Context: The IPM CRSP Model

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a key component in the development of sustainable agro ecosystems. The Integrated Pest Management Collaborative Research Support Program (IPM CRSP) is a USAID funded project that is a consortium of U.S. universities working with host country national programs and other stakeholders to promote IPM globally. The IPM CRSP model is based on a Participatory Integrated Pest Management (PIPM) process that has as its goals to help reduce: agricultural losses due to pests, damage to natural eco-systems including loss of biodiversity, and pollution and contamination of food and water supplies. The IPM CRSP participatory model is based on networking, institution building, private sector interaction, research-technology development and technology transfer. The new IPM CRSP beginning in 2005 will build on the experience of the previous IPM CRSP (1992-2004). The technical approach of the New IPM CRSP is to implement an ecologically-based, participatory IPM (EP-IPM) program with a carefully-conceived strategy for local, national, regional, and global diffusion of IPM capacity and knowledge. Broad participation and communication are critical components of the strategy, along with a competitive process and a management plan designed to ensure high quality research and accountability. The approach is based on a competitive process open to U.S. universities who are expected to partner with host country national programs and other stakeholders in the development of Regional IPM Centers and on five Global IPM Themes including invasive species, insect transmitted viruses, regional diagnostic laboratories, information technologies and databases, and impact assessment. O Manejo Integrado de Pragas (MIP) é um componente essencial no desenvolvimento de agroecossistemas sustentáveis. O Programa Colaborativo de Suporte a Pesquisa em Manejo Integrado de Pragas (IPM CRSP) é financiado pela USAID, que constitui um consórcio de universidades americanas colaborando com programas nacionais de países parceiros e seus apoiadores para promover o MIP globalmente. É baseado no Manejo Integrado de Pragas Participativo (PIPM), processo que visa minimizar: perdas agrícolas devido a pragas, danos a ecossistemas naturais incluindo perda da biodiversidade, poluição e contaminação dos alimentos e água. O modelo participativo IPM CRSP é baseado em trabalho em rede, criando interações entre instituições e o setor privado, desenvolvendo e transferindo pesquisa e tecnologia. O IPM CRSP que se inicia em 2005 será baseado na experiência do IPM CRSP anterior (1992-2004). Seu objetivo é implementar um manejo integrado de pragas participativo com bases ecológicas (EP-IPM) com a estratégia concebida para difundir a capacitação e conhecimento em MIP. Participação ampla e comunicação são componentes críticos da estratégia, juntamente com um processo competitivo e um plano de gerenciamento concebido para garantir pesquisa de alta qualidade e que se justifique. O programa é aberto para as universidades americanas, as quais devem procurar parceiros nos países envolvidos através dos programas nacionais e apoiadores locais no desenvolvimento de Centros Regionais em MIP envolvidos em cinco temas globais, incluindo: espécies invasoras, viroses transmitidas por insetos, laboratórios regionais de diagnósticos, tecnologia de informação e banco de dados, e avaliação de impactos