Aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) on Winter Wheat: Predicting Maximum Abundance of Metopolophium dirhodum

In Central Europe, the most abundant aphid infesting the leaves of small grain cereals is Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker) (Homoptera: Aphididae). Annual variation in its seasonal dynamics was evaluated using a 25-yr series of standardized weekly censuses of winter wheat plots. M. dirhodum made up >50 % of the aphids on the foliage. Date of immigration (8 May–3 July), length of period of population increase (0–9 wk), and date of attaining maximum abundance (28 May–22 July) varied greatly. For the prediction, we regressed maximum numbers/tiller on numbers recorded in the first week after heading. The regression of maximum abundance on nonzero aphid counts revealed a critical number of ≥1.50 aphids/tiller, which if exceeded resulted in a harmful maximum abundance of ≥10 aphids/tiller at the peak. Zero aphid counts resulted in 10% of cases with a harmful maximum abundance. Using this regression for prediction will result in 18% of the recorded cases being false negatives and 9% false positives. Parallel annual variation in the average maximum numbers of M. dirhodum, Sitobion avenae (Fabricius) (Homoptera: Aphididae), and Rhopalosiphum padi (Linné) (Homoptera: Aphididae) indicated the following factors that affected their abundance: temperature in winter and host plant quality. The predictions apply only in areas where M. dirhodum is holocyclic and aphids do not overwinter in wheat stands

Bioorthogonal Modification of the Major Sheath Protein of Bacteriophage M13: Extending the Versatility of Bionanomaterial Scaffolds

This document is the unedited Author’s version of a Submitted Work that was subsequently accepted for publication in Biconjugate Chemistry, copyright © American Chemical Society after peer review. To access the final edited and published work see http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.6b00460With a mass of ~1.6 x 107 Daltons and com- posed of approximately 2700 proteins, bacteriophage M13 has been employed as a molecular scaffold in bionanomaterials fabrication. In order to extend the versatility of M13 in this area, residue-specific unnatural amino acid incorporation was employed to successfully display azide functionalities on specific solvent-exposed positions of the pVIII major sheath protein of this bacteriophage. Employing a combination of engineered mutants of the gene coding for the pVIII protein, the methionine (Met) analog, L-azidohomoalanine (Aha), and a suitable Escherichia coli Met auxotroph for phage pro- duction, conditions were developed to produce M13 bacteri- ophage labeled with over 350 active azides (estimated by fluorescent dye labeling utilizing a strain-promoted azide- alkyne cycloaddition) and capable of azide-selective attach- ment to 5 nm gold nanoparticles as visualized by transmis- sion electron microscopy. The capability of this system to undergo dual labeling utilizing both chemical acylation and bioorthogonal cycloaddition reactions was also verified. The above stratagem should prove particularly advantageous in the preparation of assemblies of larger and more complex molecular architectures based on the M13 building block.Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council University of Waterloo NSERC Canadian Graduate Scholarship (CGS-M) Ontario Graduate Scholarship Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology Nanofellowshi

Nonnatural amino acid incorporation into the methionine 214 position of the metzincin Pseudomonas aeruginosa alkaline protease

BACKGROUND: The alkaline protease from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (AprA) is a member of the metzincin superfamily of metalloendoproteases. A key feature of these proteases is a conserved methionine-containing 1,4-tight β turn at the base of the active site zinc binding region. RESULTS: To explore the invariant methionine position in this class of protease, incorporation of a nonnatural fluorinated methionine, L-difluoromethionine (DFM), into this site was accomplished. Although overproduction of the N-terminal catalytic fragment of AprA resulted in protein aggregates which could not be resolved, successful heterologous production of the entire AprA was accomplished in the presence and absence of the nonnatural amino acid. DFM incorporation was found to only slightly alter the enzyme kinetics of AprA. In addition, differential scanning calorimetry indicated no significant alteration in the thermal stability of the modified enzyme. CONCLUSION: Although invariant in all metzincin proteases, the methionine 214 position in AprA can be successfully replaced by the nonnatural amino acid DFM resulting in little effect on protein structure and function. This study indicates that the increased size of the methyl group by the introduction of two fluorines is still sufficiently non-sterically demanding, and bodes well for the application of DFM to biophysical studies of protein structure and function in this class of protease

APPLICATION OF PHYSICALLY-BASED EROSION 3D MODEL IN SMALL CATCHMENT

The scope of this study is the application of a new approach for the estimation of potential soil erosion using a physically-based erosion model Erosion 3D for modelling potential erosion in the Myjava River basin, Slovakia. Erosion 3D is a physically-based model for predicting soil erosion by water on agricultural land (Schmidt, 1996). The model is predominantly based on physical principles and it simulates surface runoff, erosion, deposition and the detachment of soil particles for single events, and provides good tool to simulate and quantify soil erosion, but has not been established in Slovakian basins yet. The soil system of Erosion 3D is based on the fourth edition of the soil classification of “Bodenkundliche Kartieranleitung” („KA 4“, AG Boden, 1994). Because of different soil classification it was required in the first step to create an overplot of KA 4 textural system with the USDA textural system used in Slovakia. The model requires three input parameter - relief, precipitation and soil parameters. The first two parameters are easy to obtain but soil input parameters are more complicated mainly for different areas where the model was calibrated and validated. In this study we focused to creation of the soil input data sets for Slovak condition including establishment of Parameter catalogue for every soil input parameters. The catalogue has been configured based on overplotted textural triangle. The Erosion 3D model was applied to a small catchment Tura Luka situated in the Myjava Hill Land which is known for its quick runoff response and related muddy floods. Four scenarios of initial moisture parameter, which is considered as the most sensitive soil input parameter, were applied in fallow and winter wheat. Simulations were done for 100-year design rainfall of 60 minutes duration. The results of potential erosion are well-capable to point to the spatial and temporal variability of the rainfall event with the wide range of the values

The application of two physically-based erosion models in small catchments: A case study of the Myjava Hill Land, Slovakia

Modelling of water erosion to identify areas which are endangered of potential soil loss and to estimate the intensity of processes at different scales. Evaluation of potential soil water erosion in two small catchment using eight scenarios of initial soil moisture for three different crops – fallow, silage corn and winter wheat. Estimate the potential soil water erosion during the real measured rainfall event. Taking advanatge of two physically-based erosion models Erosion-2D and Erosion-3D and compare the calculations

„bo ciągle jeszcze potrafię rozsypać cię i pozbierać”. O poezji Romana Honeta

The article “(…) for I am still able to scatter and collect myself”. On the poetry of Roman Honet is not a compilation of texts written so far on the output of the author of piąte królestwo. Neither is it an attempt at general analysis of his poetry. In this poetry, a significant motif (since the collection „serce”) is loss – it is a point of departure to take up considerations and show how it functions in the poetry of Roman Honet. The author of the sketch focuses mainly on three poem collections: „serce”, baw się… and piąte królestwo. These are author interpretations

Angiogenesis modulates obesity and insulin sensitivity

Both white and brown fat are highly vascularized tissues and vascular functions in adipose tissues remain largely unknown. In this thesis work, we aimed to study blood vessels in modulation of adipose tissue functions under physiological conditions. To achieve these goals, we have used genetic mouse models in combination with pharmacological approaches as powerful tools to investigate adipose vascularization in modulation of adipose tissue functions and metabolism. We have developed unique in vitro and in vivo methods and techniques to functionally and mechanistically address the interactions between endothelial cells (ECs) and adipocytes (ACs). These novel methods and findings may potentially pave new avenues for development of therapeutics for treatment of obesity and metabolic diseases by targeting the adipose vasculature. In paper I, we describe novel methods to induce browning and angiogenic phenotypes in white adipose tissues (WAT) by exposing mice to cold ambient temperature (4°C). We have also defined methodologies to measure basal and non-shivering thermogenesis-related metabolism in mice. Several immunohistological methods that are coupled to confocal microscopy analysis were established to accurately quantify expression of gene products that are associated with thermogenesis and angiogenesis. These model systems and methodologies have provided a fundamental basis for subsequent projects within and outside our laboratory to study adipogenesis and metabolism. With the available methods developed in paper I, in paper II we have studied the age-related vascular effects in modulation of fat mass, AC functions, blood lipid profiles and insulin sensitivity. Notably, Vegf expression levels in various WATs underwent continuous changes in different age populations. Anti-VEGF and anti-VEGFR2 treatment showed marked variations of vascular regression, with middle-aged mice exhibiting modest sensitivity. Interestingly, anti-VEGF treatment produced opposing effects on WAT AC sizes in different age populations and affected vascular density and AC sizes in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Consistent with changes of vasculatures and AC sizes, anti-VEGF treatment significantly increased insulin sensitivity in all groups, except for a rather modest improvement of insulin sensitivity in the middle-aged group. Similar to healthy mice, anti-VEGF treatment substantially improved insulin sensitivity in obese mice on a high fat diet. Our findings demonstrate that adipose vasculatures show differential responses to anti-VEGF treatment in various age populations and have therapeutic implications for treatment of obesity and diabetes with anti-VEGF-based drugs. In paper III, we studied the paracrine regulation of AC functions by angiogenic ECs following cold- or pharmacologically induced adrenergic activation. We have found that ECs play an essential role in modulating AC functions during WAT browning. This paracrine effect is mediated by EC-derived PDGF-CC, which acts on progenitor cells to induce differentiation into ACs. Deletion of the Pdgfc gene in mice or blocking of PDGFRα largely impairs the paracrine regulation of AC functions during WAT browning. In paper IV, we have developed an effective and reliable lymphangiogenesis assay that allows us to study the lymphangiogenic capacity of various factors in the absence of pre-existing lymphatics and other angiogenic stimuli. We took advantage of the avascular nature of the cornea to study the lymphangiogenic effect of any given factor or combination of factors. To this end, we have tested several angiogenic factors that are commonly present in adipose tissues and quantitatively studied corneal lymphangiogenesis

"(…) for I am still able to scatter and collect myself" : on the poetry of Roman Honet

Artykuł "(…) bo ciągle jeszcze potrafi ę rozsypać się i pozbierać". O poezji Romana Honeta nie jest kompilacją tekstów, które dotychczas powstały o twórczości autora piątego królestwa. Nie jest również próbą ogólnej analizy jego poezji. W owej poezji znaczący jest (począwszy od tomu "serce") motyw utraty - stanowi on punkt wyjścia do podjęcia rozważań i ukazania, w jaki sposób funkcjonuje w twórczości Romana Honeta. Autorka szkicu skupia się głównie na trzech tomach: "sercu", baw się… oraz piątym królestwie. Są to autorskie interpretacje.The article "(…) for I am still able to scatter and collect myself". On the poetry of Roman Honet is not a compilation of texts written so far on the output of the author of piąte królestwo. Neither is it an attempt at general analysis of his poetry. In this poetry, a signifi cant motif (since the collection "serce") is loss - it is a point of departure to take up considerations and show how it functions in the poetry of Roman Honet. The author of the sketch focuses mainly on three poem collections: "serce", baw się… and piąte królestwo. These are author interpretations

IN-CYLINDER MASS FLOW ESTIMATION AND MANIFOLD PRESSURE DYNAMICS FOR STATE PREDICTION IN SI ENGINES

The aim of this paper is to present a simple model of the intake manifold dynamics of a spark ignition (SI) engine and its possible application for estimation and control purposes. We focus on pressure dynamics, which may be regarded as the foundation for estimating future states and for designing model predictive control strategies suitable for maintaining the desired air fuel ratio (AFR). The flow rate measured at the inlet of the intake manifold and the in-cylinder flow estimation are considered as parts of the proposed model. In-cylinder flow estimation is crucial for engine control, where an accurate amount of aspired air forms the basis for computing the manipulated variables. The solutions presented here are based on the mean value engine model (MVEM) approach, using the speed-density method. The proposed in-cylinder flow estimation method is compared to measured values in an experimental setting, while one-step-ahead prediction is illustrated using simulation results