Row width, plant population, and corn (Zea mays L) hybrid effects on canopy spectral characteristics, plant traits, and grain yield

Farmers are always looking for new management practices or enhancements to current cropping systems that will increase corn (Zea mays L.) grain yield per unit area. Improved plant genetics, fertility, plant populations, row widths, tillage practices, and pest management are some factors farmers have evaluated to determine if corn responds with increased grain yield. Corn has been produced in 0.76-m row widths for many years in North America. Much work has been done evaluating row width, plant population, and hybrid combinations over the years, but definitive answers remain elusive. Objectives of this research project were to compare corn response in 0.38- and 0.76-m row widths, to determine if plant populations and hybrids respond differently as row width narrows, and to look at the relationship of light quality in the canopy and grain yield. These results show that corn response to narrowing row widths from 0.76-m to 0.38-m had varying responses for grain yield and grain moisture. There was a trend for more consistent grain yield increases for corn grown in narrow rows and at higher plant populations in the NW region. In a given year within a region, the optimum plant populations for 0.38- and 0.76-m row widths were not different. Row width effects on the R:FR ratio were significant at one sampling date in each year. There was a trend for 0.76-m plots to have a higher R:FR ratio compared to 0.38-m plots across sampling dates. At all sampling dates in 1998 and 1999, the 93 860 plant ha-1 plots had lower R:FR ratio measurements. The erect-leaf hybrid, P3394, had higher R:FR ratio for most sampling dates when compared to the horizontal leaf-type hybrids, P3376 and P3618 in 1998 and 1999. These data suggest that canopy light quality is different for those hybrids that demonstrate upright leaf architecture compared to those with prostrate leaf architecture

Analysis of Convergence Networks Performance Using Software Network TrafficG

W artykule przedstawiono zagadnienia związane z wykorzystaniem programowych generatorów ruchu w celu dokonania analizy wydajności rzeczywistej infrastruktury sieciowej w odniesieniu do współcześnie występujących usług sieciowych o charakterze konwergentnym.The article presents the issues related to the use of the software traffic generator to analyze the performance of the real network infrastructure in relation to the contemporary existing converged network services

Certification Support of Internet Websites with Using Local Authorities Abstract

W artykule przedstawiono zagadnienia związane z problematyką technologii SSL wykorzystującej certyfikaty. Zaproponowano aplikację, która w znaczący sposób ułatwia wdrażanie technologii SSL. Aplikacja ta posiada wszystkie niezbędne funkcjonalności pozwalające na zarządzanie kluczami i certyfikatami w połączeniu z technologiami bazodanowymi.The article presents issues related to the SSL technology involving certificates. The appropriate internet application has been proposed, which significantly simplifies the deployment of SSL technology. The application has all the necessary functionality to manage keys and certificates, in conjunction with database-technologies

Possibilities of Using Scilab Software for Designing and Modeling Computer Networks

W artykule zaprezentowano możliwości wykorzystania środowiska open source Scilab do projektowania oraz modelowania sieci komputerowych. Środowisko to może być alternatywą dla komercyjnych rozwiązań w zakresie symulacji protokołów i algorytmów wykorzystywanych w sieciach komputerowych.The article presents the possibilities of using the Scilab open source environment for designing and modeling computer networks. This environment can be an alternative to commercial solutions in the field of simulation of protocols and algorithms used in computer networks

New molecular targets in Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells

Recent discoveries shed light on molecular mechanisms responsible for classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) development and progression, along with features of Hodgkin – Reed and Sternberg cells (HRS). Here, we summarize current knowledge on characteristic molecular alterations in HL, as well as existing targeted therapies and potential novel treatments for this disease. We discuss the importance of cluster of differentiation molecule 30 (CD30) and the programmed cell death-1 protein (PD-1) and ligands (PD-L1/2), and other molecules involved in immune modulation in HL. We highlight emerging evidence indicating that the altered function of SWI/SNF-type chromatin remodeling complexes, PRC2, and other epigenetic modifiers, contribute to variations in chromatin status, which are typical for HL. We postulate that despite of the existence of plentiful molecular data, the understanding of HL development remains incomplete. We therefore propose research directions involving analysis of reverse signaling in the PD-1/PD-L1 mechanism, chromatin remodeling, and epigenetics-related alterations, in order to identify HL features at the molecular level. Such attempts may lead to the identification of new molecular targets, and thus will likely substantially contribute to the future development of more effective targeted therapies

Quinol-cytochrome c Oxidoreductase and Cytochrome c4 Mediate Electron Transfer during Selenate Respiration in Thauera selenatis

Selenate reductase (SER) from Thauera selenatis is a periplasmic enzyme that has been classified as a type II molybdoenzyme. The enzyme comprises three subunits SerABC, where SerC is an unusual b-heme cytochrome. In the present work the spectropotentiometric characterization of the SerC component and the identification of redox partners to SER are reported. The mid-point redox potential of the b-heme was determined by optical titration (Em + 234 ± 10 mV). A profile of periplasmic c-type cytochromes expressed in T. selenatis under selenate respiring conditions was undertaken. Two c-type cytochromes were purified (∼24 and ∼6 kDa), and the 24-kDa protein (cytc-Ts4) was shown to donate electrons to SerABC in vitro. Protein sequence of cytc-Ts4 was obtained by N-terminal sequencing and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis, and based upon sequence similarities, was assigned as a member of cytochrome c4 family. Redox potentiometry, combined with UV-visible spectroscopy, showed that cytc-Ts4 is a diheme cytochrome with a redox potential of +282 ± 10 mV, and both hemes are predicted to have His-Met ligation. To identify the membrane-bound electron donors to cytc-Ts4, growth of T. selenatis in the presence of respiratory inhibitors was monitored. The specific quinol-cytochrome c oxidoreductase (QCR) inhibitors myxothiazol and antimycin A partially inhibited selenate respiration, demonstrating that some electron flux is via the QCR. Electron transfer via a QCR and a diheme cytochrome c4 is a novel route for a member of the DMSO reductase family of molybdoenzymes

BCL-2/IgH polymerase chain reaction status at the end of induction treatment is not predictive for progression-free survival in relapsed/resistant follicular lymphoma: results of a prospective randomized EORTC 20981 phase III intergroup study.

Item does not contain fulltextPURPOSE: The prognostic value of residual BCL2/immunoglobulin heavy chain (BCL2/IgH) -positive cells in peripheral blood (PB) or bone marrow (BM) after induction treatment in follicular lymphoma (FL) is still controversial. In a prospective randomized phase III intergroup trial of 465 patients with relapsed/resistant follicular lymphoma (FL), we showed that addition of rituximab to cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone induction results in increased overall and complete response rates, and that rituximab maintenance strongly improves median progression-free survival (PFS) as well as overall survival. Here, we studied whether BCL2/IgH major break point levels in PB/BM correlated with response rates/quality for the induction phase and PFS for the maintenance phase. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Samples were obtained before and after induction therapy and at the end of the 2 years maintenance/observation period. BCL2/IgH major break point-positive cells were quantified by genomic quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 792 samples from 238 patients. RESULTS: Pretreatment BCL2/IgH levels had no significant prognostic value for overall response or complete remission rates after induction treatment, but pretreatment positive BM results had an adverse prognostic value for PFS from first randomization (P = .023). Importantly, BCL2/IgH levels at the end of induction treatment had no prognostic value for PFS from second randomization. The highly significant improved PFS by rituximab maintenance was observed in both BCL2/IgH PB/BM-positive and -negative groups. CONCLUSION: Postinduction BCL2/IgH major break point status in BM/PB is not useful for decisions on subsequent therapy for patients with relapsed/resistant FL