A preliminary report on work conducted in 1985 to evaluate Plantago ovata as a potential crop in the Ord River irrigation area

This paper reports on the first year of a 3 year programme aimed at developing P. ovata as a crop in the Ord River Irrigation Area (O.R.I.A.) of Kimberley region of Western Australia. The data from one year of trials indicate that Plantago ovata is highly suited to mechanisation and the Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA). Machine harvested yields of up to 1.2 t/ha off 0.12 ha were achieved (after cleaning). The maximum hand harvested yield was 2.1 t/ha, 60 per cent higher than any other published value. Cununurra clays proved the best soil type for growth of the crop and this corresponds with an underutilised, developed resource of 14,000 ha

Prediction of Canopy Photosynthesis for Cocksfoot Pastures Grown Under Different Light Regimes

Plants in field environments can experience frequent fluctuations in irradiance from full sun to shade caused by cloud cover, overstory shading (e.g. silvopastoral systems) and within canopy shading. Research with widely spaced radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) has suggested that due to its shade tolerance cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) is a suitable grass for silvopastoral systems. However, there is limited explanation of the physiological basis for the responses, and consequently no predictive capacity. This limits the application of results to environments, sites and seasons outside of those in which they were measured. The objectives of this study were to simulate net daily canopy photosynthesis rates incorporating the leaf photosynthesis models into a canopy photosynthesis model when only shade was limiting, and to determine the optimum net canopy photosynthesis and LAI for each light regime

The Electrosphere of Macroscopic "Quark Nuclei": A Source for Diffuse MeV Emissions from Dark Matter

Using a Thomas-Fermi model, we calculate the structure of the electrosphere of the quark antimatter nuggets postulated to comprise much of the dark matter. This provides a single self-consistent density profile from ultrarelativistic densities to the nonrelativistic Boltzmann regime that use to present microscopically justified calculations of several properties of the nuggets, including their net charge, and the ratio of MeV to 511 keV emissions from electron annihilation. We find that the calculated parameters agree with previous phenomenological estimates based on the observational supposition that the nuggets are a source of several unexplained diffuse emissions from the Galaxy. As no phenomenological parameters are required to describe these observations, the calculation provides another nontrivial verification of the dark-matter proposal. The structure of the electrosphere is quite general and will also be valid at the surface of strange-quark stars, should they exist.Comment: 20 Pages, REVTeX4.

WMAP Haze: Directly Observing Dark Matter?

In this paper we show that dark matter in the form of dense matter/antimatter nuggets could provide a natural and unified explanation for several distinct bands of diffuse radiation from the core of the Galaxy spanning over 12 orders of magnitude in frequency. We fix all of the phenomenological properties of this model by matching to x-ray observations in the keV band, and then calculate the unambiguously predicted thermal emission in the microwave band, at frequencies smaller by 10 orders of magnitude. Remarkably, the intensity and spectrum of the emitted thermal radiation are consistent with--and could entirely explain--the so-called "WMAP haze": a diffuse microwave excess observed from the core of our Galaxy by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP). This provides another strong constraint of our proposal, and a remarkable nontrivial validation. If correct, our proposal identifies the nature of the dark matter, explains baryogenesis, and provides a means to directly probe the matter distribution in our Galaxy by analyzing several different types of diffuse emissions.Comment: 16 pages, REVTeX4. Updated to correspond with published version: includes additional appendices discussing finite-size effect

Optimizing Yield and Quality of Orchardgrass Pasture in Temperate Silvipastoral Systems

The objective of this study was to provide grazing management recommendations for a silvipastoral system by determining the effects of shade and nitrogen (N) on the pattern of dry matter accumulation and nutritive value of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata) in a subhumid temperate environment. Orchardgrass in open pasture (100% transmittance) and under 10 year old Pinus radiata tree shade (60% transmittance) at 200 stems/ha was used as the main plot and nitrogen (0 and 300 kg N/ha as synthetic urine) was the subplot factor. Dry matter (DM) production of orchardgrass in the first 60-day spring rotation was similar in open and shade conditions (2.6 t/ha) but approximately doubled by the application of N. In the 60- day summer rotation, DM production was about 22% lower in the shaded plots and was increased by about 60% by the addition of N. Crude protein and organic matter digestibility declined with herbage age and the onset of reproductive tiller growth. It was concluded that to maximise DM production without compromising pasture quality, grazing management of orchardgrass should be similar in open and shaded pastures in spring (30-35 day regrowth) but a shorter regrowth length used for open (20 days) than silvipastoral (25-30 days) systems in summer

Fc-receptor-mediated phagocytosis occurs in macrophages without an increase in average [Ca++]i

The calcium ion has been implicated as a cytosolic signal or regulator in phagocytosis. Using the Ca++-sensitive photoprotein aequorin we have measured intracellular free Ca++ ion concentration ([Ca++]i) in thioglycolate-elicited mouse peritoneal macrophages during phagocytosis and IgG-induced spreading. Macrophages plated on glass were loaded with aequorin and [Ca++]i was then measured from cell populations, both as previously described (McNeil, P. L., and D. L. Taylor, 1985, Cell Calcium, 6:83-92). Aequorin indicated a resting [Ca++]i in adherent macrophages of 84 nM and was responsive to changes in [Ca++]i induced by the addition of Mg-ATP (0.1 mM) or serum to medium. However, during the 15 min required for phagocytosis of seven or eight IgG-coated erythrocytes per macrophage loaded with aequorin, we measured no change in [Ca++]i. Similarly, the ligation of Fc-receptors that occurs when macrophages spread on immune complex-coated coverslips did not change macrophage [Ca++]i. In contrast, a rise in [Ca++]i of macrophages was measured during phagocytosis occurring in a serum-free saline of pH 7.85, and as a consequence of incubation with quin2 A/M. We estimate that had a change in [Ca++]i occurred during phagocytosis, aequorin would have detected a rise from 0.1 to 1.0 microM taking place in as little as 2% of the macrophage's cytoplasmic volume. We therefore suggest that either Ca++ is not involved as a cytoplasmic signal for phagocytosis or that increases in [Ca++]i during phagocytosis are confined to such small regions of cytoplasm as to be below the limits of detection by our cellular averaging method. Our data emphasizes, moreover, the need for well-defined, nonperturbing conditions in such measurements of [Ca++]i

Dry Matter Production and Nutritive Value of Alfalfa (\u3ci\u3eMedicago sativa\u3c/i\u3e L.) and Orchardgrass (\u3ci\u3eDactylis glomerata\u3c/i\u3e L.) under Different Light Regimes

Spring and summer alfalfa dry matter and nitrogen production rates were greater than orchardgrass in open pasture and under three shade levels. Ten years old Pinus radiata allowed 60% light transmissivity. The addition of artificial shade resulted in 45% and 25% transmissivity. Orchardgrass pastures were nitrogen deficient and water stressed. In contrast, alfalfa was not stressed and it was more light responsive than orchardgrass. Differences in nutritive value were relatively small between species and between light regimes. Sheep liveweight gain on alfalfa was greater than on orchardgrass. Orchardgrass demonstrated shade tolerance, but alfalfa was more productive even at 25% transmissivity. Conventional concepts of shade tolerance may not be appropriate when screening pasture species for silvipastoral systems

Building Connections in Co-Production Environments

With the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic felt around the globe, consumers look forward to once again being able to engage in communal experiences where relationships with other customers and with service providers are integral parts of ongoing service experiences. The purpose of this study is to provide a framework for service establishments to better understand the communal approach to becoming a service co-creator, helping service providers create more meaningful relationships between their customers when customers are engaging in the service experience in a group and as an individual. We distinguish individual versus group influences that emerge as a result of this unique but growing class of service offerings. We extend knowledge in this area by uncovering the nontangible elements of a co-production experience found to deepen the customer-service provider relationship, which ultimately impacts repeat patronage. We examined these influences in two different co-production environments and subsequently laid the foundation for the need for further research in this area, with the goal of identifying common practices that can enhance co-creation across varied industries