Effects of rootstocks and irrigation levels on grape quality of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Shiraz

The influence of two rootstocks (SO4 and 1103P) on grape quality and berry chemical composition was studied in a factorial experiment, in field grown grapevines of cv. Shiraz (Vitis vinifera L.), subjected to five irrigation levels [0% (T1), 25% (T2), 50% (T3), 75% (T4) and 100% (T5) of irrigation depth (IW, mm): Class A pan evaporimeter (CPE)]. Spectrophotometric analyses of total anthocyanins (TA), total phenolics (TP) and total antioxidant activity (AA) in grape extracts were performed. Also, total soluble solids (TSS), total acidity, pH, total sugar content, ash, juice yield and color index of red grapes (CIRG) of berry samples were determined. TA, TP, AA, TSS, total sugar content, ash, and CIRG valuesdecreased together with increasing irrigation levels. On the contrary, T4 and T5 irrigation treatments increased total acidity, pH and juice yield of samples compared to the effects of T1, T2 and T3 irrigation treatments for both rootstocks. Moreover, T1 or T2 treatments caused an increase in TA, TP, AA, TSS, total sugar content, ash, and CIRG index values of grape samples in comparison to that of vines irrigated with T3, T4 and T5 levels. Grape quality response to irrigation levels was altered by rootstocksand quality of grapes harvested from vines grafted on SO4 was higher compared to those from 1103P under all irrigation treatments. Based on the findings, it was suggested that T2 irrigation level might be sufficient to guarantee Shiraz yield potential without significant loss in grape quality under the study conditions. Also, the results make it possible to recommend use of SO4 rootstock under non-limiting water conditions because of its positive on grape quality parameters, while 1103P might be better choice under water-limiting conditions

Mapping of QTLs for leaf area and the association with winter hardiness in fall-sown lentil

Variations in plant architecture are often associated with the ability of plants to survive cold stress during winter. In studies of winter hardiness in lentil, it appeared that small leaf area was associated with improved winter survival. Based on this observation, the inheritance of leaf area and the relationship with winter hardiness using an F6 - derived recombinant inbred line (RIL) population from the cross of WA8649090 x Precoz was investigated. The WA8649090 parent was winter hardy and had small leaves, while the Precoz parent was non-winter hardy and had large leaves. The 106 RILs and the parents were planted in a field in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Leaf area(cm2) of leaves from the fourth node was measured using a flatbed scanner and WinRHIZO software. Average leaf area for WA8649090 was 0.46 cm2, while leaf area for Precoz was 0.89 cm2. Average leaf area of the RILs was 0.63 cm2, and the frequency distribution was continuous, indicating the effects of more than one gene. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis using a 130-point linkage map revealed one major QTL on linkage group 6 which explained 20.45% of the phenotypic variation for leaf area. The location of QTL for leaf area mapped the same region where one of the QTL for winter hardiness was mapped and significant association (r2 = 0.750, P< 0.01) was found between leaf area and winter hardiness. These results indicated an association between winter hardiness and leaf area that provides information applicable to lentil breeding.Keywords: Leaf area, lentil, recombinant inbred line (RIL), QTL mapping, winter hardines

Superlinear Increase of Photocurrent due to Stimulated Scattering into a Polariton Condensate

We show that when a monopolar current is passed through an n-i-n structure, superlinear photocurrent response occurs when there is a polariton condensate. This is in sharp contrast to the previously observed behavior for a standard semiconductor laser. Theoretical modeling shows that this is due to a stimulated exciton-exciton scattering process in which one exciton relaxes into the condensate, while another one dissociates into an electron-hole pair.Comment: 17 pages with 10 figure

Development of a community of inquiry in online and blended learning contexts

AbstractThis paper discusses findings of a mixed method research project with the goal to study the development of a community of inquiry in online and blended learning environments. A graduate course delivered online and blended format was the focus of the study. Data was gathered from the Community of Inquiry Survey and transcript analysis of online discussions to explore the developmental differences on each presence (social, teaching and cognitive). The results showed: significant differences on social and cognitive presence between two course formats and higher perceptions of the presences in blended course

Immobilization of invertase in conducting polymer matrices

Cataloged from PDF version of article.This paper reports a novel approach in the electrode immobilization of an enzyme, invertase, by electrochemical polymerization of pyrrole in the presence of enzyme. The polypyrrolelinvertase and polyamide/polypyrrole/invertase electrodes were constructed by the entrapment of enzyme in conducting matrices during electrochemical polymerization of pyrrole. This study involves the preparation and characterization of polypyrrole/invertase and polyamidelpolypyrrolelinvertase electrodes under conditions compatible with the enzyme. It demonstrates the effects of pH and temperature on the properties of enzyme electrode. Enzyme leakage tests were carried out during reuse number studies. The preparation of enzyme electrodes was done in two different electrolyte/ solvent systems. The enzyme serves as a sucrose electrode and retains its activity for several months. (c) 1997 Elsevier Science Limited. All rights reserve

Addition of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) may further increase chemosensitive state in premenopausal node-positive breast cancer patients with induced angiogenesis after surgery

PubMe

Interleukin (IL)–12 and IL-23 Are Key Cytokines for Immunity against Salmonella in Humans

Patients with inherited deficiency of the interleukin (IL)–12/IL-23–interferon (IFN)–g axis show increased susceptibility to invasive disease caused by the intramacrophage pathogens salmonellae and mycobacteria. We analyzed data on 154 patients with such deficiency. Significantly more patients with IL-12/IL-23–component deficiency had a history of salmonella disease than did those with IFN-g–component deficiency. Salmonella disease was typically severe, extraintestinal, and caused by nontyphoidal serovars. These findings strongly suggest that IL-12/IL-23 is a key cytokine for immunity against salmonella in humans and that IL-12/IL-23 mediates this protective effect partly through IFN-g–independent pathways. Investigation of the IL-12/IL-23–IFN-g axis should be considered in patients with invasive salmonella disease

The stability and dispersion of carbon nanotube-polymer solutions: A molecular dynamics study

Carbon nanotubes have been explored to increase the mechanical properties and electrical conductivity of polymeric fibers through compounding with polymer to be extruded into fibers. However, this route creates major challenges because carbon nanotubes have strong cohesion and tend to aggregate and precipitate due to their poor interfacial interaction with polymers. In this study, classical molecular dynamics simulations are used to predict and characterize carbon nanotubes-polymer interface mechanism in two different polymer matrices: polyvinyl butyral and polystyrene-co-glycidyl methacrylate. The dominated interface mechanisms are discovered to shed light on carbon nanotubes dispersion in solvent based systems and to explore the prerequisites for stabilized nanofluids. Our results showed that π-stacking interactions between aromatic groups and graphene surfaces of carbon nanotubes as in polystyrene-co-glycidyl methacrylate systems, play an important role in dispersion of carbon nanotubes, whereas slight repulsions between carbon nanotubes and polyvinyl butyral chains lead to large morphological differences and carbon nanotubes bundles in many chain systems. Altogether, the results indicated that polymers with structures having strong interactions with the surfaces of carbon nanotubes through π–π interactions are more effective in dispersing carbon nanotubes and caused stabilized solutions in wet fiber processing