Diuron From Maui Sugarcane Field Runoff is Potentially Harmful to Local Coral Reefs

In a grassroots effort to identify stressors influencing the health of Maui’s coral reefs, samples for the pre- and post-emergent herbicide, Diuron, were taken in July–August 2013, prior to, during, and after the passage of Tropical Storm Flossie on the south central coast of Maui, Hawaii. Diuron is routinely used on sugarcane fields adjacent to Hawaiian coastal waters and is a component of the anti-fouling paint used on small boats. It inhibits photosynthesis of terrestrial plants at concentrations as low as 0.1 parts per billion and can be lethal to endosymbiotic dinoflagellates in corals at concentrations less than 3 parts per billion, a concentration measured in runoff samples taken during this study. While Diuron was not detected in samples taken beyond the coastal outfall or in an adjacent boat basin, this effort provides evidence that a detectable influx of Diuron into Maui’s coastal waters can result from a single rain event. Further, this study will inform efforts to support a ban on the use of Diuron in the wet season and guide monitoring efforts to better understand the effects of Diuron in coastal areas

Acoustic Investigation of Jet Mixing Noise in Dual Stream Nozzles

In an earlier study, a prediction model for jet noise in dual stream jets was proposed that is founded on velocity scaling laws in single stream jets and similarity features of the mean velocity and turbulent kinetic energy in dual stream flows. The model forms a composite spectrum from four component single-stream jets each believed to represent noise-generation from a distinct region in the actual flow. While the methodology worked effectively at conditions considered earlier, recent examination of acoustic data at some unconventional conditions indicate that further improvements are necessary in order to expand the range of applicability of the model. The present work demonstrates how these predictions compare with experimental data gathered by NASA and industry for the purpose of examining the aerodynamic and acoustic performance of such nozzles for a wide range of core and fan stream conditions. Of particular interest are jets with inverted velocity and temperature profiles and the appearance of a second spectral peak at small aft angles to the jet under such conditions. It is shown that a four-component spectrum succeeds in modeling the second peak when the aft angle refraction effects are properly incorporated into the model. A tradeoff of noise emission takes place between two turbulent regions identified as transition and fully mixed regions as the fan stream velocity exceeds that of the core stream. The effect of nozzle discharge coefficients will also be discussed

Factors Governing Pasting Properties of Waxy Wheat Flours

Citation: Purna, S. K. G., Shi, Y. C., Guan, L., Wilson, J. D., & Graybosch, R. A. (2015). Factors Governing Pasting Properties of Waxy Wheat Flours. Cereal Chemistry, 92(5), 529-535. doi:10.1094/cchem-10-14-0209-rWaxy wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) contains endosperm starch lacking in amylose. To realize the full potential of waxy wheat, the pasting properties of hard waxy wheat flours as well as factors governing the pasting properties were investigated and compared with normal and partial waxy wheat flours. Starches isolated from six hard waxy wheat flours had similar pasting properties, yet their corresponding flours had very different pasting properties. The differences in pasting properties were narrowed after endogenous alpha-amylase activity in waxy wheat flours was inhibited by silver nitrate. Upon treatment with protease, the extent of protein digestibility influenced the viscosity profile in waxy wheat flours. Waxy wheat starch granules swelled extensively when heated in water and exhibited a high peak viscosity, but they fragmented at high temperatures, resulting in more rapid breakdown in viscosity. The extensively swelled and fragmented waxy wheat starch granules were more susceptible to a-amylase degradation than normal wheat starch. A combination of endogenous a-amylase activity and protein matrix contributed to a large variation in pasting properties of waxy wheat flours

Effect of Human Disturbance on Small Mammal Communities in Itasca State Park, Minnesota

We determined effects of different levels of human disturbance on small mammal richness and relative abundance from live-trapping data obtained in Itasca State Park in northwestern Minnesota. We developed a quantitative measure of human disturbance based on disturbance units and trapped small mammals on three study sites, each reflecting a different level of disturbance. Our data revealed that small mammal diversity decreased with increasing human disturbance. Amount of ground cover and litter depth also appeared to be important in explaining differences in the demographic patterns of small mammals among sites

Genetics of Na(+) exclusion and salinity tolerance in Afghani durum wheat landraces

Bakground: Selecting for low concentration of Na⁺ in the shoot provides one approach for tackling salinity stress that adversely affects crop production. Novel alleles for Na⁺ exclusion can be identified and then introduced into elite crop cultivars. Results: We have identified loci associated with lower Na⁺ concentration in leaves of durum wheat landraces originating from Afghanistan. Seedlings of two F₂ populations derived from crossings between Australian durum wheat (Jandaroi) and two Afghani landraces (AUS-14740 and AUS-14752) were grown hydroponically and evaluated for Na⁺ and K⁺ concentration in the third leaf. High heritability was found for both third leaf Na⁺ concentration and the K⁺/Na⁺ ratio in both populations. Further work focussed on line AUS-14740. Bulk segregant analysis using 9 K SNP markers identified two loci significantly associated with third leaf Na⁺ concentration. Marker regression analysis showed a strong association between all traits studied and a favourable allele originating from AUS-14740 located on the long arm of chromosome 4B. Conclusions: The candidate gene in the relevant region of chromosome 4B is likely to be the high affinity K⁺ transporter B1 (HKT1;5-B1). A second locus associated with third leaf Na⁺ concentration was located on chromosome 3BL, with the favourable allele originating from Jandaroi; however, no candidate gene can be identified.Nawar Jalal Shamaya, Yuri Shavrukov, Peter Langridge, Stuart John Roy and Mark Teste

Mississippi River Flood Waters That Reached The Gulf Stream

Distributions of physical, biological, and chemical parameters in Florida Keys coastal waters seaward of the reef track were surveyed on September 9 to 13, 1993, as part of a coordinated multidisciplinary study of surface transport processes. A band of low-salinity water was observed along the shoreward side of the Florida Current over the downstream extent of the survey from Miami to Key West. Biological and chemical indicators within the band, together with its large volume, satellite imagery, and a surface drifter trajectory suggested the recent Mississippi River flood as the source

Transplantation of canine olfactory ensheathing cells producing chondroitinase ABC promotes chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan digestion and axonal sprouting following spinal cord injury

Olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC) transplantation is a promising strategy for treating spinal cord injury (SCI), as has been demonstrated in experimental SCI models and naturally occurring SCI in dogs. However, the presence of chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans within the extracellular matrix of the glial scar can inhibit efficient axonal repair and limit the therapeutic potential of OECs. Here we have used lentiviral vectors to genetically modify canine OECs to continuously deliver mammalian chondroitinase ABC at the lesion site in order to degrade the inhibitory chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans in a rodent model of spinal cord injury. We demonstrate that these chondroitinase producing canine OECs survived at 4 weeks following transplantation into the spinal cord lesion and effectively digested chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans at the site of injury. There was evidence of sprouting within the corticospinal tract rostral to the lesion and an increase in the number of corticospinal axons caudal to the lesion, suggestive of axonal regeneration. Our results indicate that delivery of the chondroitinase enzyme can be achieved with the genetically modified OECs to increase axon growth following SCI. The combination of these two promising approaches is a potential strategy for promoting neural regeneration following SCI in veterinary practice and human patients

Pleiotropic functions of the tumor- and metastasis-suppressing Matrix Metalloproteinase-8 in mammary cancer in MMTV-PyMT transgenic mice

Matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8; neutrophil collagenase) is an important regulator of innate immunity which has onco-suppressive actions in numerous tumor types

Excretion and folding of plasmalemma function to accommodate alterations in guard cell volume during stomatal closure in Vicia faba L.

Stomatal movement results in large and repetitive changes in cell volume and consequently surface area. While endocytosis has been extensively studied and is thought to be a major mechanism for accommodating the volume changes as evidenced mainly by fluorescent labelling and confocal imaging, studies at the ultrastructural level in intact guard cells of stomata regulated by natural factors have never been reported. Here, it is reported that excretion and folding of the plasmalemma are critical for accommodating the volume alterations in intact guard cells in Vicia faba L. Using transmission electron microscopy in combination with laser confocal microscopy, it was observed that in fully opened stomata the plasmalemma was smooth and tightly adhered to the cell walls while a whole large vacuole appeared in the cell. In the closed stomata, besides vacuole fragmentation, endocytosis of the tonoplast rather than the plasmalemma commonly occurred. Importantly, in stomata where pore closure was induced by circadian rhythm or CO2, numerous tiny vesicles were found outside the plasmalemma and, moreover, extensive folding of the plasmalemma could also be found in some regions of the cells. Additionally, an unknown structure was found at the interface between the plasmalemma and cell walls, especially in those areas of the cell where extensive folding occurred, suggesting that plasmalemma turnover is possibly associated with an interaction between the plasmalemma and cell walls. Collectively, the results strongly indicate that excretion and folding of the plasmalemma are critical for the accommodation of the cell volume alterations during stomatal movement