Vitis vinifera (Vitales: Vitaceae) as a Reproductive Host of Spissistilus festinus (Hemiptera: Membracidae).

Feeding by the three-cornered alfalfa hopper, Spissistilus festinus (Say) (Hemiptera: Membracidae) results in girdling of grapevine petioles and shoots. Its significance as an economic pest of grape has increased since it was shown to transmit Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) in a greenhouse study. However, the status of grapevines as a reproductive host for S. festinus remained undetermined. Adult S. festinus were caged onto three regions of the grapevines: apical shoot, green shoot, and dormant cane. Their ability to reproduce was determined by weekly destructive sampling for 7 wk. Successful oviposition and nymphal emergence were observed on apical and green shoots, but not on dormant canes. However, insect development beyond the second nymphal instar did not occur. Knowledge of S. festinus reproduction on grapevines will be an important consideration in designing management guidelines to minimize the spread of GRBV in vineyards

A STUDY ON THE POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION STUDENT TEACHERS’ INCLINATION AND RELEVANT RESOURCES FOR ONLINE LEARNING

From the students’ side their inclination, possession of relevant resources and accessibility to the Internet are very important to learn through online. Furthermore, it would be useful if they can find extra time for online activities and fluency in English language. With the development of the information and communication technology, online learning is growing rapidly around the world. The Open University of Sri Lanka is also gradually moving into offering more online courses. The Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) programme is one of the oldest and major programmes offered by the Department of Secondary and Tertiary Education (STE) of the Faculty of Education. Now department is working to introduce online components into the PGDE programme too. This study has four objectives namely to find out the inclination of student teachers in distant areas to follow an online course, The possession of relevant resources by wise inclination and possession of the resources to follow an online course and the available facilities and resources at the centers to conduct an online course. The study was carried out through a survey. For this purpose two remote districts were selected as a purposive sample; Namely Ambalantota study centre and Badulla regional center. The samples of the PGDE student teachers were selected by using the random sampling technique. Seventy five (75) student teachers were selected from each center by random sampling technique. The two data collection instruments used - a questionnaire and a semi structured interview schedule. Data were analyzed by using both qualitative and quantitative analyzing methods. The study revealed that, Majority of the student teachers were somewhat willing to spend around 2 hours per-day on online course. The student teachers’ inclination to use the internet related communication tools were less than 41%. Majority of student teachers were willing to do online learning activities. Majority of students accessed the internet only through the mobile phones. Males’ inclination was higher than the females’ inclination to follow an online course. Majority of the male student teachers have more personal resources than the female student teachers. Availability of the printers was comparatively low among both male and female student teachers. Both centers have the Internet facility but the number of computers was not adequate for the PGDE student numbers in both centers. The study intended to guide the students’ considering their diverse learning needs, and the course designed and developed to be compatible with the mobile phones. The students should be given more opportunity to use available resources at the centers of the university in a more efficient and effective manner.  Article visualizations

APPLICATION OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY INTO THE CLASSROOM TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS BY THE IN-SERVICE GRADUATE TEACHERS IN SRI LANKA

Sri Lankan school system heavily depends on the government school system with the free education from primary school to university level (only for undergraduate level). By the end of the year 2016, the total number of government teachers in Sri Lanka was 232,555 and they were divided into several categories as graduate teachers (99,724), trained teachers (127,857), untrained teachers (2,426), trainee teachers (1887) and other teachers (661). The Ministry of Education is trying to promote modern technology in Sri Lankan education system in many ways. The objectives of the study were to check the gender wise in-service graduate teachers’ qualifications with regard to modern technology, find out gender wise graduate teachers’ resources related to modern technology, investigate the practical use of modern technology for classroom teaching- learning process and look into the possible challenges which may rise when in-service graduate teachers implement modern technology into classroom teaching. Data was collected by a questionnaire (whole sample 558 graduate teachers) and a semi structure interview schedule (10% of the total sample 56). Data was analyzed by using both methods qualitative (descriptive) and quantitative (percentages). Majority of the graduate teachers had followed at least one computer training programme. Majority of the teachers expressed their willingness to follow a computer course. Majority of the teachers possessed a mobile phone which could access the Internet. In addition to this many of them had own laptop or desktop. Majority of the graduate teachers used the Internet from home. Many teachers had used radio/ cassette recorders as modern technical devices. Many teachers said that they have electricity (87%) and computers (52%) in their schools. Even though, majority of the teachers said that, they were not given the phone (61%) or the Internet facilities (67%) from school. Following recommendations were made for the study; in-service graduate teachers should be given more opportunities and facilities for computer training, graduate teachers should be encouraged to use available modern technical devices for the classroom and they should be given necessary training to use them appropriately, teachers should be given more opportunities to use the Internet in schools.  Article visualizations

Synthesis, structure, solution behaviour and biological evaluation of oxidovanadium(IV/V) complexes: Substrate specific DMSO assisted methylation of a thiosemicarbazone

The synthesis and characterization of an oxidovanadium(IV) [VIVO(L)(acac)] (1) and of two dioxidovanadium(V) [VVO2(L')] (2) and [VVO2(L)] (2a) complexes of the Schiff base formed from the reaction of 4-(p-fluorophenyl) thiosemicarbazone with pyridine-2-aldehyde (HL) is described.The oxidovanadium(IV) species [VIVO(L)(acac)] (1) was synthesized by the reaction of VIVO(acac)2 with the thiosemicarbazone HL in refluxing ethanol. The recrystallization of [VIVO(L)(acac)] (1) in DMF, CH3CN or EtOH gave the same product i.e. the dioxidovanadium(V) complex [VVO2(L)] (2a); however, upon recrystallization of 1 in DMSO a distinct compound [VVO2(L')] (2) was formed, wherein the original ligand L- is transformed to a rearranged one, L’-. In the presence of DMSO the ligand in complex 1 is found to undergo methylation at the carbon centre attached to imine nitrogen (aldimine) and transformed to the corresponding V VO2- species through in situ reaction. The synthesized HL and the metal 2 complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV–Vis, NMR and EPR spectroscopy. The molecular structure of [VVO2(L')] (2) was determined by single crystal X–ray crystallography.The methylation of various other ligands and complexes prepared from different vanadium precursors under similar reaction conditions was also attempted and it was confirmed that the imine methylation observed is both ligand and metal precursor specific. Complexes 1 and 2 show in vitro insulin-like activity against insulin responsive L6 myoblast cells, with complex 1 being more potent. In addition, the in vitro cytotoxicity studies of HL, and of complexes 1 and 2 against the MCF–7 and Vero cell lines were also done. The ligand is not cytotoxic and complex 2 is significantly more cytotoxic than 1. DAPI staining experiments indicate that increase in time of incubation as well as increase of concentration of the complexes lead to increase in cell death

Characterization of grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 genetic variants and application towards RT-qPCR assay design

Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3) is the most widely prevalent and economically important of the complex of RNA viruses associated with grapevine leafroll disease (GLD). Phylogenetic studies have grouped GLRaV-3 isolates into nine different monophyletic groups and four supergroups, making GLRaV-3 a genetically highly diverse virus species. In addition, new divergent variants have been discovered recently around the world. Accurate identification of the virus is an essential component in the management and control of GLRaV-3; however, the diversity of GLRaV-3, coupled with the limited sequence information, have complicated the development of a reliable detection assay. In this study, GLRaV-3 sequence data available in GenBank and those generated at Foundation Plant Services, University of California-Davis, was used to develop a new RT-qPCR assay with the capacity to detect all known GLRaV-3 variants. The new assay, referred to as FPST, was challenged against samples that included plants infected with different GLRaV-3 variants and originating from 46 countries. The FPST assay detected all known GLRaV-3 variants, including the highly divergent variants, by amplifying a small highly conserved region in the 3' untranslated terminal region (UTR) of the virus genome. The reliability of the new RT-qPCR assay was confirmed by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that can detect all known GLRaV-3 variants characterized to date. Additionally, three new GLRaV-3 divergent variants, represented by four isolates, were identified using a hierarchical testing process involving the FPST assay, GLRaV-3 variant-specific assays and high-throughput sequencing analysis. These variants were distantly related to groups I, II, III, V, VI, VII and IX, but much similar to GLRaV-3 variants with no assigned group; thus, they may represent new clades. Finally, based on the phylogenetic analysis, a new GLRaV-3 subclade is proposed and named as group X.Alfredo Diaz-Lara, Vicki Klaassen, Kristian Stevens, Mysore R. Sudarshana, Adib Rowhani ... Nuredin Habili ... et al

Geminivirus-Mediated Delivery of Florigen Promotes Determinate Growth in Aerial Organs and Uncouples Flowering from Photoperiod in Cotton

This article discusses geminivirus-mediated delivery of florigen. Florigen acts as a general growth hormone, advancing determinate growth. The findings extend our understanding of florigen as a general growth hormone and could benefit crop management techniques

TEACHİNG - LEARNİNG STİMULATORS

This article is devoted to explain a novel concept “Teaching-Learning Stimulators” (TLs). This concept is somewhat similar to the concept Teaching-Learning Aids. In addition, the TLSs compare and contrast with the teaching-learning aids, resources & materials. Also, a classification has been developed for TLSs. According to this classification, TLSs had been divided into two major parts namely “single senses stimulators” and “multi senses stimulators”. Furthermore, the planning, preparation and usage of TLSs for classroom teaching-learning process is explained

Defense and carnivory: dual role of bracts in Passiflort foetida

Members of the genus Passiflora are reported to have evolved modifications which kill insects; they have however never been tested for carnivorous syndrome. The flowers of Passiflora foetida consists of highly reticulate bracts which cover and grow along with the buds and fruits. Removal of bracts from developing bud and fruit resulted in higher predatory damage compared to those where the bracts were intact. These bracts also possess a large number of minute glands which ooze sticky secretion. A variety of tiny insects were found trapped by the secretion of the bracts. The secretion of these glands show high proteases and acid phosphatase activity, two common digestive enzymes found in traps of true carnivorous plants. A high quantity of aminoacids were released from freshly freeze killed ants when incubated in buffer extract of bracts· [14C] phenylalanine smeared on the glandular surface of bracts was recovered from ovules suggesting potential for absorption of aminoacids. These results suggest a novel role for bracts where primary function is to minimize predatory damage to developing flowers and fruits. The bracts serve as insect traps and also possess the mechanism to digest the trapped insects to obtain free aminoacids