AFLP-analysis of genetic diversity in soybean [Glycine max (l.) Merr.] cultivars Russian and foreign selection

ArticleGenetic diversity of 11 cultivars of soybean (Glycine max) from a VIR (N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources) collection was analyzed by the AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) technique. From 18 tested primer combinations, both of them were selected for further analysis. From these two primer combinations (E32/M60 and E32/M59), 90 DNA fragments were obtained, 39 (43%) of them were polymorphic. Unique DNA fragments were found in accessions SibNIISHoz 6, Soer-4, Determinant. The Jaccard's similarity indices varied from 0.79 (between Sonata and Ugra) to 0.94 (between Ugra and Garmoniya) with an average of 0.775. Cluster analysis placed the cultivars into the several groups but separation in groups was not related to their origin or biological characteristics, even though cultivars Nordik and Soer-4 (cultivars recommended for Central Black Earth region of Russia) clustered together on the dendrogram. The obtained high values of Jaccard genetic similarity index and low level of polymorphism and differentiation illustrated a relatively low genetic diversity in our studied cultivars, which correlated with different other studies on soybean genetic diversity with AFLP-analysis

A new strategic framework to structure Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA)

Funding Information: This work was supported by Supergen Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Hub, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC EP/S000747/1) and the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy's (BEIS) offshore energy Strategic Environmental Assessment Programme. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, European Wave and Tidal Energy Conference. All rights reserved.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

A new strategic framework to structure cumulative impact assessment (CIA)

Funding Information: This work was supported by Supergen Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Hub, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC EP/S000747/1) and the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) offshore energy Strategic Environmental Assessment Programme.Peer reviewedPostprin

Synthesis of a Sterically Encumbered Pincer Au(III)−OH Complex

We report the synthesis and crystallographic characterization of a novel Au(III)−OH complex featuring a N^N^N-pincer ligand. Reactivity studies towards oxygen atom transfer (OAT), a type of reactivity previously reported for a Au(III)−OH complex, indicate that this complex provides both a sterically encumbered Au atom and a sterically poorly accessible OH group leading to no reactivity with a series of phosphines. The steric encumbrance sets this example apart from the known examples of Au(III)−OH (pincer) complexes, which commonly feature planar ligands that provide little control over steric accessibility of the Au and O atoms in these complexes. Implications for the mechanism of OAT from Au−OH complexes are briefly discussed

Molecular mechanisms of autism as a form of synaptic dysfunction

Autism spectrum disorders are a separate group of defects with a very high genetic component. Genetic screening has identified hundreds of mutations and other genetic variations associated with autism, and bioinformatic analysis of signaling pathways and gene networks has led to understanding that many of these mutational changes are involved in the functioning of synapses. A synapse is a site of electrochemical communication between neurons and an essential subunit for learning and memory. Interneuronal communicative relationships are plastic. The most prominent forms of synaptic plasticity are accompanied by changes in protein biosynthesis, both in neuron body and in dendrites. Protein biosynthesis or translation is a carefully regulated process, with a central role played by mTOR (mammalian or mechanistic target of rapamycin). Normally mTOR-regulated translation is slightly inhibited, and in most cases mutational damage to at least one of the links of the mTOR signaling pathway, increases translation and leads to impaired synaptic plasticity and behavior. Deregulation of the local translation in dendrites is connected with the following monogenic autism spectrum disorders: neurofibromatosis type 1, Noonan syndrome, Costello syndrome, Cowden syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, fragile X chromosome, syndrome, and Rett syndrome. The review considers the most important mutations leading to monogenic autism, as well as the possibility of a mechanism-based treatment of certain disorders of the autism spectrum

West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease: The first confirmed case in Bulgaria

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Microbial Enrichment of a Novel Growing Substrate and its Effect on Plant Growth

The quality of torrefied grass fibers (TGF) as a new potting soil ingredient was tested in a greenhouse experiment. TGF was colonized with previously selected microorganisms. Four colonization treatments were compared: (1) no inoculants, (2) the fungus Coniochaeta ligniaria F/TGF15 alone, (3) the fungus followed by inoculation with two selected bacteria, and (4) the fungus with seven selected bacteria. Cultivation-based and DNA-based methods, i.e., PCR-DGGE and BOX-PCR, were applied to assess the bacterial and fungal communities established in the TGF. Although colonization was not performed under sterile conditions, all inoculated strains were recovered from TGF up to 26 days incubation. Stable fungal and bacterial populations of 108 and 109 CFU/g TGF, respectively, were reached. As a side effect of the torrefaction process that aimed at the chemical stabilization of grass fibers, potentially phytotoxic compounds were generated. These phytotoxic compounds were cold-extracted from the fibers and analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Four of 15 target compounds that had previously been found in the extract of TGF were encountered, namely phenol, 2-methoxyphenol, benzopyran-2-one, and tetrahydro-5,6,7,7a-benzofuranone. The concentration of these compounds decreased significantly during incubation. The colonized TGF was mixed with peat (P) in a range of 100%:0%, 50%:50%, 20%:80%, and 0%:100% TGF/P (w/w), respectively, to assess suitability for plant growth. Germination of tomato seeds was assessed three times, i.e., with inoculated TGF that had been incubated for 12, 21, and 26 days. In these tests, 90–100% of the seeds germinated in 50%:50% and 20%:80% TGF/P, whereas on average only 50% of the seeds germinated in pure TGF. Germination was not improved by the microbial inoculants. However, plant fresh weight as well as leaf area of 28-day-old tomato plants were significantly increased in all treatments where C. ligniaria F/TGF15 was inoculated compared to the control treatment without microbial inoculants. Colonization with C. ligniaria also protected the substrate from uncontrolled colonization by other fungi. The excellent colonization of TGF by the selected plant-health promoting bacteria in combination with the fungus C. ligniaria offers the possibility to create disease suppressive substrate, meanwhile replacing 20% to 50% of peat in potting soil by TGF

Novel high-speed monolithic silicon detector for particle physics

This contribution presents simulation results, implementation, and first tests of a monolithic detector developed at KIT. It consists of a sensor diode tightly integrated with an analogue front-end based on SiGe (Silicon-Germanium) SG13G2 130 nm BiCMOS technology produced at the Leibniz Institute for High Performance Microelectronics (IHP). The pixel size is 100 μm × 100 μm, and the nwell charge collection node dimensions were reduced to 10 μm × 10 μm. We investigate the influence of this approach on sensor performance, spatial resolution via charge sharing and timing behaviour

Spectroscopic Manifestations and Implications for Catalysis of Quasi-d¹⁰ Configurations in Formal Gold(III) Complexes.

Several gold +I and +III complexes are investigated computationally and spectroscopically, focusing on the d-configuration and physical oxidation state of the metal center. Density functional theory calculations reveal the non-negligible electron-sharing covalent character of the metal-to-ligand σ-bonding framework. The bonding of gold(III) is shown to be isoelectronic to the formal CuIII complex [Cu(CF3)4]1- , in which the metal center tries to populate its formally unoccupied 3dx2-y2 orbital via σ-bonding, leading to a reduced d10 CuI description. However, Au L3-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy reveals excitation into the d-orbital of the AuIII species is still possible, showing that a genuine d10 configuration is not achieved. We also find an increased electron-sharing nature of the σ-bonds in the AuI species, relative to their AgI and CuI analogues, due to the low-lying 6s orbital. We propose that gold +I and +III complexes form similar bonds with substrates, owing primarily to participation of the 5dx2-y2 or 6s orbital, respectively, in bonding, indicating why AuI and AuIII complexes often have similar reactivity

An approach to assess flooding and erosion risk for open beaches in a changing climate

This paper examines the vulnerability to flooding and erosion of four open beach study sites in Europe. A framework for the quantitative estimation of present and future coastal flood and erosion risks is established using methods, data and tools from across a range of disciplines, including topographic and bathymetric data, climate data from observation, hindcast and model projections, statistical modelling of current and future climates and integrated risk analysis tools. Uncertainties in the estimation of future coastal system dynamics are considered, as are the consequences for the inland systems. Different implementations of the framework are applied to the study sites which have different wave, tidal and surge climate conditions. These sites are: Santander, Spain—the Atlantic Ocean; Bellocchio, Italy—the Adriatic Sea; Varna, Bulgaria—the Black Sea; and the Teign Estuary, UK—the northern Atlantic Ocean. The complexity of each system is first simplified by sub-division into coastal "impact units" defined by homogeneity in the local key forcing parameters: wave, wind, tide, river discharge, run-off, etc. This reduces the simulation to that of a number of simpler linear problems which are treated by applying the first two components of the Source–Pathway–Receptor–Consequence (S–P–R–C) approach. The case studies reveal the flexibility of this approach, which is found useful for the rapid assessment of the risks of flooding and erosion for a range of scenarios and the likely effectiveness of flood defences