A content analysis of how participatory decision making and teamwork affects employee satisfaction and employee commitment

Includes bibliographical references

A portable whole canopy gas exchange system for several mature field-grown grapevines

Six flow-through chambers (8 m3 volume) were built to measure gas exchange (CO2 and H2O) of whole vines under deficit irrigation regimes that imposed water stress at different stages of berry development. Chamber design and materials were selected to minimize environmental effects, and to accommodate the trellis of a mature, field-grown vine. A framed design allowed the chambers to withstand sustained winds up to 13 m s-1, overcoming one disadvantage of the balloon-type chambers. At mid-canopy height, 1.6 m, air temperature inside the chamber was no more than 2.5 °C higher than at the same height in the canopy of an unchambered vine. Over 24 h, solar radiation inside the chamber was 90 % of ambient. For vines irrigated according to standard industry practice, maximum values of net CO2 exchange approached 12 μmol m-2 s-1, whereas in water-stressed vines the maxima approached only 6.5 μmol m-2 s-1. Transpiration among water-stressed plants was reduced, with maximum rates at 1 mmol m-2 s-1 while vines under standard irrigation were at 2.5 mmol m-2 s-1. Apparent light saturation for canopy photosynthesis was approximately 1200 μmol m-2 s-1 PPFD (photosynthetic photon flux density) for vines under standard irrigation, and about 800 μmol m-2 s-1 PPFD for vines under water stress.

MODELING SEASONAL WINE GRAPE DEVELOPMENT USING A MIXTURE TECHNIQUE

Biological growth data typically display an increasing sigmoidal pattern over time. Grape development is no exception and shows a similar general trend. A detailed examination of the growth process in grapes, however, reveals a few systematic deviations from this pattern. Specifically, grape development is often characterized by localized areas of growth plateaus leading to an overall growth pattern referred to as a double sigmoidal curve. Capturing and characterizing these local changes in growth is important as they represent important phases in grape development such as veraison. This paper utilizes a model adapted from the technique of mixture models to estimate the growth curve of grapes. The resulting model provides a more accurate description of the growth process and has parameter estimates directly related to the various phases of grape development. The model is demonstrated using data collected from an experimental trellis tension monitoring system in the Chardonnay grape varietie

Midday measurements of leaf water potential and stomatal conductance are highly correlated with daily water use of Thompson Seedless grapevines

A study was conducted to determine the relationship between midday measurements of vine water status and daily water use of grapevines measured with a weighing lysimeter. Water applications to the vines were terminated on August 24th for 9 days and again on September 14th for 22 days. Daily water use of the vines in the lysimeter (ETLYS) was approximately 40 L vine−1 (5.3 mm) prior to turning the pump off, and it decreased to 22.3 L vine−1 by September 2nd. Pre-dawn leaf water potential (ΨPD) and midday Ψl on August 24th were −0.075 and −0.76 MPa, respectively, with midday Ψl decreasing to −1.28 MPa on September 2nd. Leaf g s decreased from ~500 to ~200 mmol m−2 s−1 during the two dry-down periods. Midday measurements of g s and Ψl were significantly correlated with one another (r = 0.96) and both with ETLYS/ETo (r = ~0.9). The decreases in Ψl, g s, and ETLYS/ETo in this study were also a linear function of the decrease in volumetric soil water content. The results indicate that even modest water stress can greatly reduce grapevine water use and that short-term measures of vine water status taken at midday are a reflection of daily grapevine water us

Transcription profiling reveals potential mechanisms of dysbiosis in the oral microbiome of rhesus macaques with chronic untreated SIV infection.

A majority of individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have inadequate access to antiretroviral therapy and ultimately develop debilitating oral infections that often correlate with disease progression. Due to the impracticalities of conducting host-microbe systems-based studies in HIV infected patients, we have evaluated the potential of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infected rhesus macaques to serve as a non-human primate model for oral manifestations of HIV disease. We present the first description of the rhesus macaque oral microbiota and show that a mixture of human commensal bacteria and "macaque versions" of human commensals colonize the tongue dorsum and dental plaque. Our findings indicate that SIV infection results in chronic activation of antiviral and inflammatory responses in the tongue mucosa that may collectively lead to repression of epithelial development and impact the microbiome. In addition, we show that dysbiosis of the lingual microbiome in SIV infection is characterized by outgrowth of Gemella morbillorum that may result from impaired macrophage function. Finally, we provide evidence that the increased capacity of opportunistic pathogens (e.g. E. coli) to colonize the microbiome is associated with reduced production of antimicrobial peptides

Sustain-Release of Various Drugs from Leucaena Leucocephala Polysaccharide

This study examines the sustained release behavior of both water-soluble (acetaminophen, caffeine, theophylline and salicylic acid) and water-insoluble (indomethacin) drugs from Leucaena leucocephala seed Gum isolated from Leucaena leucocephala kernel powder. It further investigates the effect of incorporation of diluents like microcrystalline cellulose and lactose on release of caffeine and partial cross-linking of the gum (polysaccharide) on release of acetaminophen. Applying exponential equation, the mechanism of release of soluble drugs was found to be anomalous. The insoluble drug showed near case II or zero-order release mechanism. The rate of release was in the decreasing order of caffeine, acetaminophen, theophylline, salicylic acid and indomethacin. An increase in release kinetics of drug was observed on blending with diluents. However, the rate of release varied with type and amount of blend in the matrix. The mechanism of release due to effect of diluents was found to be anomalous. The rate of release of drug decreased on partial cross-linking and the mechanism of release was found to be super case II

Identification of stable QTLs for vegetative and reproductive traits in the microvine (Vitis vinifera L.) using the 18 K Infinium chip

UMR AGAP - équipe DAAV - Diversité, adaptation et amélioration de la vigne[b]Background[/b] [br/]The increasing temperature associated with climate change impacts grapevine phenology and development with critical effects on grape yield and composition. Plant breeding has the potential to deliver new cultivars with stable yield and quality under warmer climate conditions, but this requires the identification of stable genetic determinants. This study tested the potentialities of the microvine to boost genetics in grapevine. A mapping population of 129 microvines derived from Picovine x Ugni Blanc flb, was genotyped with the Illumina® 18 K SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) chip. Forty-three vegetative and reproductive traits were phenotyped outdoors over four cropping cycles, and a subset of 22 traits over two cropping cycles in growth rooms with two contrasted temperatures, in order to map stable QTLs (Quantitative Trait Loci). [br/][b]Results[/b] [br/]Ten stable QTLs for berry development and quality or leaf area were identified on the parental maps. A new major QTL explaining up to 44 % of total variance of berry weight was identified on chromosome 7 in Ugni Blanc flb, and co-localized with QTLs for seed number (up to 76 % total variance), major berry acids at green lag phase (up to 35 %), and other yield components (up to 25 %). In addition, a minor QTL for leaf area was found on chromosome 4 of the same parent. In contrast, only minor QTLs for berry acidity and leaf area could be found as moderately stable in Picovine. None of the transporters recently identified as mutated in low acidity apples or Cucurbits were included in the several hundreds of candidate genes underlying the above berry QTLs, which could be reduced to a few dozen candidate genes when a priori pertinent biological functions and organ specific expression were considered. [br/][b]Conclusions[/b] [br/]This study combining the use of microvine and a high throughput genotyping technology was innovative for grapevine genetics. It allowed the identification of 10 stable QTLs, including the first berry acidity QTLs reported so far in a Vitis vinifera intra-specific cross. Robustness of a set of QTLs was assessed with respect to temperature variatio