Primordia initiation of mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) strains on axenic casing materials

The mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) has a requirement for a ‘‘casing layer’’ that has specific physical, chemical and microbiological properties which stimulate and promote the initiation of primordia. Some of these primordia then may develop further into sporophores, involving differentiation of tissue. Wild and commercial strains of A. bisporus were cultured in axenic and nonaxenic microcosms, using a rye grain substrate covered by a range of organic and inorganic casing materials. In axenic culture, A. bisporus (commercial strain A15) was capable of producing primordia and mature sporophores on charcoal (wood and activated), anthracite coal, lignite and zeolite, but not on bark, coir, peat, rockwool, silica or vermiculite. Of six strains tested, only the developmental variant mutant, B430, produced rudimentary primordia on axenic peat-based casing material. However, none of these rudimentary primordia developed differentiated tissues or beyond 4 mm diameter, either on axenic casing material in the microcosms or in larger-scale culture. In larger-scale, nonaxenic culture, strain B430 produced severely malformed but mature sporophores in similar numbers to those of other strains. Typically, 3–6% of primordia developed into mature sporophores, but significant differences in this proportion, as well as in the numbers of primordia produced, were recorded between 12 A. bisporus strains

Transitioning in higher education: An exploration of psychological and contextual factors affecting student satisfaction

© 2017 UCU. In view of recent changes in the higher education sector, such as increased tuition fees, a greater focus has been placed on widening participation initiatives and monitoring student satisfaction. The aims of the current study were twofold: (1) to explore whether pre-entry programmes foster successful transition to higher education, and (2) to examine longitudinally the factors associated with course satisfaction. Eighty-eight first-year psychology students completed a questionnaire measuring academic self-efficacy, social identity and student satisfaction at the start (Time 1, November 2015) and end (Time 2, March 2016) of the academic year. Findings indicated that students who participated in a pre-entry programme reported higher academic self-efficacy and satisfaction compared to typical route students. Moreover, academic self-efficacy predicted student satisfaction at the start of the academic year, whereas in-group affect (a facet of social identity) predicted this at the end of the academic year. The current findings indicate that pre-entry programmes may have a positive impact on students’ sense of academic self-efficacy. On a more general level, the findings also suggest that academic self-efficacy and social identity may be key indicators of student satisfaction. This highlights the complexities of the concept of ‘student satisfaction’, and demonstrates the utility of examining multiple factors relating to student satisfaction across different time points

General Electric Atomic Power Equipment Department Report GEAP-4566

Quarterly report describing progress on the EVESR Nuclear Superheat Fuel Development Project

Effect of Wavefunction Renormalisation in N-Flavour Qed3 at Finite Temperature

A recent study of dynamical chiral symmetry breaking in N-flavour QED$_3$ at finite temperature is extended to include the effect of fermion wavefunction renormalisation in the Schwinger-Dyson equations. The simple ``zero-frequency'' truncation previously used is found to lead to unphysical results, especially as $T \to 0$. A modified set of equations is proposed, whose solutions behave in a way which is qualitatively similar to the $T=0$ solutions of Pennington et al. [5-8] who have made extensive studies of the effect of wavefunction renormalisation in this context, and who concluded that there was no critical $N_c$ (at T=0) above which chiral symmetry was restored. In contrast, we find that our modified equations predict a critical $N_c$ at $T \not= 0$, and an $N-T$ phase diagram very similar to the earlier study neglecting wavefunction renormalisation. The reason for the difference is traced to the different infrared behaviour of the vacuum polarisation at $T=0$ and at $T \not= 0$.Comment: 17 pages + 13 figures (available upon request), Oxford preprint OUTP-93-30P, IFUNAM preprint FT94-39, LaTe

String Theory and Water Waves

We uncover a remarkable role that an infinite hierarchy of non-linear differential equations plays in organizing and connecting certain {hat c}<1 string theories non-perturbatively. We are able to embed the type 0A and 0B (A,A) minimal string theories into this single framework. The string theories arise as special limits of a rich system of equations underpinned by an integrable system known as the dispersive water wave hierarchy. We observe that there are several other string-like limits of the system, and conjecture that some of them are type IIA and IIB (A,D) minimal string backgrounds. We explain how these and several string-like special points arise and are connected. In some cases, the framework endows the theories with a non-perturbative definition for the first time. Notably, we discover that the Painleve IV equation plays a key role in organizing the string theory physics, joining its siblings, Painleve I and II, whose roles have previously been identified in this minimal string context.Comment: 49 pages, 4 figure

2+1 Dimensional QED and a Novel Phase Transition

We investigate the chiral phase transition in 2+1 dimensional QED. Previous gap equation and lattice Monte-Carlo studies of symmetry breaking have found that symmetry breaking ceases to occur when the number of fermion flavors exceeds a critical value. Here we focus on the order of the transition. We find that there are no light scalar degrees of freedom present as the critical number of flavors is approached from above (in the symmetric phase). Thus the phase transition is not second order, rendering irrelevant the renormalization group arguments for a fluctuation induced transition. However, the order parameter vanishes continuously in the broken phase, so this transition is also unlike a conventional first order phase transition.Comment: 11 pages, Late

Taxonomic revision of Garcinia section Garcinia (Clusiaceae)

Species of Garcinia sect. Garcinia are typically understorey trees in rain forest and are distributed from eastern India to Malesia. A taxonomic revision of Garcinia section Garcinia (Clusiaceae) has resulted in the recognition of 13 species, two of which have three varieties each. Several species are excluded from Garcinia section Garcinia, reported as insufficiently known, or reduced to synonymy. Five species, G. acuticosta, G. discoidea, G. exigua, G. ochracea and G. sangudsangud, and two varieties, G. diospyrifolia var. minor and G. mangostana var. borneensis, are newly described. Morphological characters that are important for sectional delimitation are terminally attached inflorescences of simple cymes, stamen bundles 4 or 4-angled, and fruits with a smooth surface. Species limits are defined on the basis of a combination of characters of the male flower (i.e. shape of stamens, presence of pistillode), type of fruit, and characters of the leaf (shape and size, venation pattern and glandular lines)

Effects of canopy architecture and microclimate on grapevine health in two training systems

Semi minimal pruned hedge (SMPH) is a time and cost saving grapevine training system, which is becoming more and more popular in German viticulture. In this study we compared the canopy architecture and its effect on the microclimate of SMPH trained grapevines with those of plants trained in vertical shoot positioning (VSP). We detected a 3 % points higher humidity and a 0.9 °C lower mean temperature within the complex canopy architecture of SMPH trained vines compared to VSP. Moreover, we investigated the influence of the differing microclimate, canopy and bunch architecture, as well as berry skin characteristics of the two training systems on the incidence of the major fungal grapevine diseases Downy Mildew, Powdery Mildew and Botrytis Bunch Rot, as well as on the occurrence and damage of the invasive insect pest Drosophila suzukii. We demonstrate that SMPH trained vines can be more susceptible to Downy Mildew and Powdery Mildew than VSP trained vines. The incidence of Botrytis Bunch Rot can be higher in the latter system, even if berry skin characteristics are the same in both training systems. We trapped a higher number of D. suzukii in SMPH canopies, however no increased berry damage was observed. Based on our results we recommend a more adapted plant protection regime for SMPH trained vines due to their higher susceptibility to the major fungal diseases. Furthermore, we propose a combination of SMPH and fungal resistant grapevine cultivars, e.g. 'Reberger', to achieve a more competitive, environmentally friendly and high quality grapevine production

Observation of the Higgs Boson of strong interaction via Compton scattering by the nucleon

It is shown that the Quark-Level Linear $\sigma$ Model (QLL$\sigma$M) leads to a prediction for the diamagnetic term of the polarizabilities of the nucleon which is in excellent agreement with the experimental data. The bare mass of the $\sigma$ meson is predicted to be $m_\sigma=666$ MeV and the two-photon width $\Gamma(\sigma\to\gamma\gamma)=(2.6\pm 0.3)$ keV. It is argued that the mass predicted by the QLL$\sigma$M corresponds to the $\gamma\gamma\to\sigma\to NN$ reaction, i.e. to a $t$-channel pole of the $\gamma N\to N\gamma$ reaction. Large -angle Compton scattering experiments revealing effects of the $\sigma$ meson in the differential cross section are discussed. Arguments are presented that these findings may be understood as an observation of the Higgs boson of strong interaction while being part of the constituent quark.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figure

Delimiting floristic biogeographic districts in the Cerrado and assessing their conservation status

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer via the DOI in this recordThe Cerrado is a biodiversity hotspot in central Brazil that represents the largest expanse of savanna in the Neotropics. Here, we aim to identify and delimit biogeographic districts within the Cerrado, to provide a geographic framework for conservation planning and scientific research prioritisation. We used data from 588 sites with tree species inventories distributed across the entire Cerrado. To identify districts, we clustered sites based on their similarity in tree species composition. To investigate why districts differ in composition, we 1) determined the proportion of tree species in different districts that derive from other biomes, to assess the influence of neighbouring biomes upon geographically marginal districts and 2) assayed key climatic differences between districts, to test the effect of environmental factors upon compositional differences. We found seven biogeographic districts within the Cerrado. Marginal districts have a large proportion of tree species characteristic of Amazonia and Atlantic Forest, but the Cerrado endemic species are also important. Further, districts differed significantly for multiple climatic variables. Finally, to provide a preliminary conservation assessment of the different districts, we assessed their rate of land conversion and current coverage by protected areas. We found that districts in the south and southwest of the Cerrado have experienced the greatest land conversion and are the least protected, while those in the north and northeast are less impacted and better protected. Overall, our results show how biogeographic analyses can contribute to conservation planning by giving clear guidelines on which districts merit greater conservation and management attention.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível SuperiorConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológic