Probing a Nucleon Spin Structure at TESLA by the Real Polarized Gamma Beam

The recent proposals concerning the usage of the real polarized gamma beam, obtained by the Compton backscattering of the laser photons off the electron beams from either the linear or circular accelerators were considered. The heavy quark photoproduction process giving a unique opportunity to measure polarized gluon distribution was investigated.Comment: 16 pages, LATEX, 6 figures (EPS

Effect of PAF on polyrnorphonuclear leucocyte plasma membrane polarity: a fluorescence study

The effect of PAF on the plasma membrane polarity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) was investigated by measuring the steady-state fluorescence emission spectra of 2-dimethylamino(6-1auroyl) naphthalene (Laurdan), which is known to be incorporated at the hydrophobic-hydrophilic interface of the bilayer, displaying spectral sensitivity to the polarity of its surrounding. Laurdan shows a marked steady-state emission blue-shift in non-polar solvents, with respect to polar solvents. Our results demonstrate that PAF (10−7 M) induces a blue shift of the fluorescence emission spectra of Laurdan. These changes are blocked in the presence of the PAF antagonist, L-659,989. Our data indicate that the interaction between PAF and PMNs is accompanied by a decrease in polarity in the hydrophobic-hydrophilic interface of the plasma membrane

Conservation and Use of the North American Plant Cornucopia: The Way Forward

The pages of this extensive book document the potential of a great many North American plants to enhance the productivity, sustainability, and nutritional quality of crops or to be further developed into important cultivated species in their own right. But this potential can only be realized if the plants are adequately conserved to ensure their survival and availability for research, invested in to promote their development, and marketed so as to be attractive to producers and consumers. We outline some of the key steps needed to boost the conservation and use of our regional cornucopia. In situ and ex situ conservation of North America’s useful plants are being accomplished by a variety of institutions with different mandates, but habitat destruction and other threats to wild populations continue to negatively impact many species. Information sharing, coordinating efforts, filling research gaps for wild plants, and increasing support for conservation will be necessary to more comprehensively safeguard these plants and to make them available for use. Technologies enabling more efficient exploration of the diversity within these species are rapidly advancing and offer the potential to contribute to quick advances in improvement of cultivars, but considerable further research and partnerships are needed to generate and share the results widely. Marketing of new crops can take advantage of the increasing public interest in diverse and nutritious foods, learning from successful collaborations between producers, researchers, and consumers. As a whole, North America already possesses a strong foundation from which the conservation and use of its flora can be enhanced. This includes many protected areas, strong conservation institutions, innovative research, and the willingness to collaborate across fields, institutions, and borders. There are still many silos that need to be broken down and reorganized through innovative partnerships to better conserve and benefit from the North American cornucopia. But given the incredible diversity of interesting and useful plants in the region, the remarkable efforts for many decades by many organizations to care for these plants and share them with humanity, and the increasing public interest in more diverse, healthy, and resilient food and agricultural systems, there is reason for hope

Unique and conserved MicroRNAs in wheat chromosome 5D revealed by next-generation sequencing

MicroRNAs are a class of short, non-coding, single-stranded RNAs that act as post-transcriptional regulators in gene expression. miRNA analysis of Triticum aestivum chromosome 5D was performed on 454 GS FLX Titanium sequences of flow sorted chromosome 5D with a total of 3,208,630 good quality reads representing 1.34x and 1.61x coverage of the short (5DS) and long (5DL) arms of the chromosome respectively. In silico and structural analyses revealed a total of 55 miRNAs; 48 and 42 miRNAs were found to be present on 5DL and 5DS respectively, of which 35 were common to both chromosome arms, while 13 miRNAs were specific to 5DL and 7 miRNAs were specific to 5DS. In total, 14 of the predicted miRNAs were identified in wheat for the first time. Representation (the copy number of each miRNA) was also found to be higher in 5DL (1,949) compared to 5DS (1,191). Targets were predicted for each miRNA, while expression analysis gave evidence of expression for 6 out of 55 miRNAs. Occurrences of the same miRNAs were also found in Brachypodium distachyon and Oryza sativa genome sequences to identify syntenic miRNA coding sequences. Based on this analysis, two other miRNAs: miR1133 and miR167 were detected in B. distachyon syntenic region of wheat 5DS. Five of the predicted miRNA coding regions (miR6220, miR5070, miR169, miR5085, miR2118) were experimentally verified to be located to the 5D chromosome and three of them : miR2118, miR169 and miR5085, were shown to be 5D specific. Furthermore miR2118 was shown to be expressed in Chinese Spring adult leaves. miRNA genes identified in this study will expand our understanding of gene regulation in bread wheat

Effect of Nedocromil Sodium on Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte Plasma Membrane

The effect of nedocromil sodium on the plasma membrane fluidity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) was investigated by measuring steady-state fluorescence anisotropy of 1-[4-trimethylammonium-phenyl]-6-phenyl- 1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH) incorporated in the membrane. Our results show that nedocromil sodium 300 μM significantly decreased membrane fluidity of PMNs. The decrease in membrane fluidity of PMNs induced by fMLP was abolished in the presence of nedocromil sodium. These data suggest that nedocromil sodium interferes with the plasma membranes of PMNs and modulates their activities

ANALYSIS OF AGE, BODY WEIGHT AND ANTLER SPREAD OF BULL MOOSE HARVESTED IN MAINE, 1980-2009

Age, field-dressed body weight, and antler spread data collected from 11,566 harvested moose (Alces alces) were analyzed to assess whether temporal change has occurred in the physical characteristics of bull moose from 1980–2009 in Maine. The annual proportion and antler spread of trophy bulls (spread ≥ 137 cm; n = 851) were also analyzed. There was no evidence of a measurable decline in the body weight or antler spread of adult bull moose (≥1.5 years old), similar to findings in Vermont and New Hampshire in a recent >20 year temporal analysis. There was a slight increase in physical characteristics of yearlings that contrasted with the trend in New Hampshire and Vermont where it is speculated that parasitism by winter ticks (Dermacentor albipictus) reduces growth rate and recruitment by yearlings. The proportion of trophy bulls in the harvest declined proportionally ∼26% (9.3 to 6.9%) as harvest increased >2x from 1980–1987 to 2005–2009; however, the mean spread of trophy bulls declined by only 2% (P = 0.002). Additionally, there were no differences (P > 0.05) in the proportion of harvested bulls within each age class between 1980–1987 and 2005–2009, and the relatively stable proportion of mature bulls (>5 years old) in the harvest across time periods (30–44%) does not suggest selective harvest of older, trophy bulls. In the face of the declining regional population, continued monitoring of harvested moose is warranted to best manage the largest and longest harvested population in the northeastern United States

ANALYSIS OF AGE, BODY WEIGHT AND ANTLER SPREAD OF BULL MOOSE HARVESTED IN MAINE, 1980-2009

Age, field-dressed body weight, and antler spread data collected from 11,566 harvested moose (Alces alces) were analyzed to assess whether temporal change has occurred in the physical characteristics of bull moose from 1980–2009 in Maine. The annual proportion and antler spread of trophy bulls (spread ≥ 137 cm; n = 851) were also analyzed. There was no evidence of a measurable decline in the body weight or antler spread of adult bull moose (≥1.5 years old), similar to findings in Vermont and New Hampshire in a recent >20 year temporal analysis. There was a slight increase in physical characteristics of yearlings that contrasted with the trend in New Hampshire and Vermont where it is speculated that parasitism by winter ticks (Dermacentor albipictus) reduces growth rate and recruitment by yearlings. The proportion of trophy bulls in the harvest declined proportionally ∼26% (9.3 to 6.9%) as harvest increased >2x from 1980–1987 to 2005–2009; however, the mean spread of trophy bulls declined by only 2% (P = 0.002). Additionally, there were no differences (P > 0.05) in the proportion of harvested bulls within each age class between 1980–1987 and 2005–2009, and the relatively stable proportion of mature bulls (>5 years old) in the harvest across time periods (30–44%) does not suggest selective harvest of older, trophy bulls. In the face of the declining regional population, continued monitoring of harvested moose is warranted to best manage the largest and longest harvested population in the northeastern United States

USING AERIAL SURVEY OBSERVATIONS TO IDENTIFY WINTER HABITAT USE OF MOOSE IN NORTHERN MAINE

Winter habitat use by moose (Alces alces) is typically comprised of regenerating forest and softwood cover in the northeastern United States, and globally, high winter densities are of concern relative to forest damage. Habitat variables associated with winter locations of moose collected during aerial surveys in Maine in 2011 and 2012 were compared to available habitat at multiple landscape scales. Mixed forest was the most used land cover type at both the location and 5 ha scales (35.1% and 31.3%, respectively). Although regenerating forest habitat was used only in proportion to availability, the proximity to recent clearcuts, light partial cuts, and heavy partial cuts was an important predictor of moose location. The used proportion of coarse habitat variables (i.e., mature and regenerating forest) were similar to those available in each aerial survey block, indicating that heterogeneous and productive moose habitat is widely available across the commercial forest landscape of northern Maine. Moose locations derived from aerial surveys can provide insight about spatial distribution and habitat use across the landscape, identify local density in areas where forest regeneration is of concern, and monitor population responses to commercial forest management practices