Production of triploid Sandersonia aurantiaca plants

Triploid plants of Sandersonia aurantiaca were produced by crossing diploid and tetraploid forms of S. aurantiaca. Enlarged ovules were transferred to in vitro culture 14–30 days after pollination. The triploid nature of the embryo derived plants was determined by flow cytometry and chromosome counts both of which showed that the triploid plants had features that were midway between those of the two parents. The mean nuclear DNA contents of 2C nuclei from diploid, triploid and tetraploid forms of S. aurantiaca were 6.86pg, 10.04pg and 13.55pg, respectively. The nuclear DNA content of 1C nuclei of sperm cells from pollen grains was 2.94pg. Mitotic chromosome counts from the three plants gave 2n = 24, 36 and 48 chromosomes for the diploid, triploid and tetraploid forms, respectively. Meiotic chromosome counts for the diploid and tetraploid plants were n = 12 and n = 24, respectively. The triploid showed mainly bivalents, but lagging chromosomes led to micronuclei and infertility in gametes. The morphological features of the various plants corroborated other evidence indicating that the triploid plants were the result of a cross between diploid and tetraploid plants

Investigation of the mode structure in the unstable resonator of an optically pumped FIR laser

Leucocytozoon coracinae sp. nov. is described from the avian family Campephagidae and Hepatozoon apodis sp. nov. from the Apodidae. The distribution of these parasites within their respective families is discussed

The celebrity entrepreneur on television: profile, politics and power

This article examines the rise of the ‘celebrity entrepreneur’ on television through the emergence of the ‘business entertainment format’ and considers the ways in which regular television exposure can be converted into political influence. Within television studies there has been a preoccupation in recent years with how lifestyle and reality formats work to transform ‘ordinary’ people into celebrities. As a result, the contribution of vocationally skilled business professionals to factual entertainment programming has gone almost unnoticed. This article draws on interviews with key media industry professionals and begins by looking at the construction of entrepreneurs as different types of television personalities and how discourses of work, skill and knowledge function in business shows. It then outlines how entrepreneurs can utilize their newly acquired televisual skills to cultivate a wider media profile and secure various forms of political access and influence. Integral to this is the centrality of public relations and media management agencies in shaping media discourses and developing the individual as a ‘brand identity’ that can be used to endorse a range of products or ideas. This has led to policy makers and politicians attempting to mobilize the media profile of celebrity entrepreneurs to reach out and connect with the public on business and enterprise-related issues