Evidence that wheat cultivars differ in their ability to build up inoculum of the take-all fungus, Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici, under a first wheat crop

The effect of wheat cultivar on the build-up of take-all inoculum during a first wheat crop was measured after harvest using a soil core bioassay in field experiments over five growing seasons (2003-2008). Cultivar differences in individual years were explored by analysis of variance and a cross-season Residual Maximum Likelihood (REML) variance components analysis was used to compare differences in those cultivars present in all years. Differences between cultivars in the build-up of inoculum were close to or at significance in two of the five trial years (2004 P < 0 center dot 05; 2006 P < 0 center dot 07), and current commercially listed cultivars were represented at both extremes of the range. In 2007 and 2008, when environmental conditions were most favourable for inoculum build-up, differences were not significant (P < 0 center dot 3). In 2005 the presence of Phialophora spp. at the trial site restricted the build-up of take-all inoculum under all cultivars. The cross season REML variance components analysis detected significant differences (range: 3 center dot 4-47 center dot 8% roots infected in the soil core bioassay; P < 0 center dot 01) between the nine cultivars present in all years (excluding 2005). This is the first evidence of relatively consistent differences between hexaploid wheat cultivars in their interactions with the take-all fungus, and this could give an indication of those cultivars that could be grown as a first wheat crop, in order to reduce the risk of damaging take-all in a second wheat crop. This phenomenon has been named the take-all inoculum build-up (TAB) trait

Experimental Effects of Pre-Drive Arousal on Teenage Simulated Driving Performance in the Presence of a Teenage Passenger

Teenage passengers increase teenage driving risk, but this may be conditional on events and emotions immediately preceding driving. An experimental simulation study evaluated the effect of pre-drive arousal on risky driving in the presence of a confederate teenage passenger. In a two-by-two between-subjects design, participants were randomized to high or low pre-drive arousal and passenger present or not present conditions. Prior to the drive participants played the Nintendo Wii video game, Rock BandTM. In the high-arousal condition participants stood while playing high-energy Beatles songs; in the low arousal condition participants sat while playing low-energy Beatles songs. The manipulation produced differences in arousal by group. Group differences in risky driving were in the expected direction, but were not statistically significant at p = .05 on any of the three outcome measures, which included Failed to Stop (failing to stop at signalized intersections in the dilemma zone), Percent Time in Red (in intersections), and Pass Slow Vehicle (electing to pass a slow vehicle)

Tuning coordination chemistry through the second sphere in designed metallocoiled coils

The metal hydration state within a designed coiled coil can be progressively tuned across the full integer range (3 → 0 aqua ligands), by careful choice of a second sphere terminal residue, including the lesser used Trp. Potential implications include a four-fold change in MRI relaxivity when applied to lanthanide coiled coils.</p

Failures in transport infrastructure embankments

To ensure that road and rail transport networks remain operational, both highway and railway embankments require continual maintenance and renewal to mitigate against ongoing deterioration and repair any sections damaged by realised failures. This paper provides a review of recent developments in the understanding of highway and railway embankment degradation and failure. Failures due to pore water pressure increase, seasonal shrink-swell deformation and progressive failure are considered. The material composition and construction of highway and railway embankments differ, which influences the dominant type and timing of embankment failure. There is evidence for highway embankment failures induced by pore water pressure increase, but not seasonal deformation and progressive failure. Some railway embankments are susceptible to pore water pressure increase, seasonal shrink-swell deformation and progressive failure due to the age and nature of the dumped clay fill used in their construction. The approaches used to measure and explore embankment failure mechanisms are compared and discussed. Field observations have been used to understand pore water pressure increase and seasonal shrink-swell deformation in embankments, while the investigation of progressive embankment failure has mainly utilised physical and numerical modelling approaches. Further field and laboratory investigation is required before the rigorous analysis of embankment failure can be routinely undertaken. However, progress is being made to empirically identify and evaluate the various risk factors affecting transport infrastructure embankment failure

The effects of strip cropping system, grass buffers strips and slope position on some physico-chemical properties at cambic chernozem from Iaşi county

The research was carried out on the sloping land from the Agricultural Research Station of Podu- Iloaiei, Iasi (47°12´ N latitude, 27°16´ E longitude) and the Experimental Farm of the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Ezareni (47°07´ N latitude, 27°30´ E longitude) on a cambic chernozem (SRTS-2003). The parameters analyzed were soil texture, bulk density, aggregate stability (physical characteristics) as well as soil pH, SOM, basic cations (Ca, Mg, K), N and P (chemical characteristics). The climatic conditions in the Moldavian Plain were characterized by annual mean temperature of 9.6oC and a mean rainfall amount, on 50 years, of 553.5 mm, of which 141.5 mm during September-December and 412.0 mm during January-August. At the beginning of the sampling, the study of the researched area was carried out and the GPS was used to identify the geographic location and the coordinate system in the researched areas. Data on soil properties were recorded on thematic maps, scale 1: 2000 and processed using the AutoCAD software. The results obtained on soil erosion indicate that from the total amount of precipitation recorded – 549.8 mm, 338.5 mm (61.6%) generated leaks that varied between 8.2 mm at perennial grasses in the second year of vegetation and 33.4- 35.9 mm at maize and sun flower crops. The annual soil losses due to erosion raged between 0.193 t/ha at perennial grasses in the second year of vegetation and 7.657-8.328 t/ha at maize and sunflower. The percent of hydrostable aggregates ranged between 65.5% at non-eroded soil from the base of the slope and 35.7 at highly eroded soil. Soil erosion caused a reduction in the percentage of aggregate by 14.5% to slightly eroded soil and 37.7% in the strongly eroded soil. The percentage of water stable aggregates was comprised between 73.5% in non-eroded soil, at the bottom of slope land and 45.7% at the highly eroded soil. Erosion influences soil fertility by removing along with the eroded soil, high amounts of mineral elements: 15.02 – 16.36 kg/ha nitrogen, 1.05 – 1.2 kg/ha phosphorus and 1.84 – 2.08 kg/ha potassium, in maize and sunflower crops. The crop structure, which determined the diminution in mean soil losses by erosion until 2.2 t/ha included 20 % straw cereals, 20% annual legumes, 20% row crops and 40 % perennial grasses and legumes. On land with a slope of 16%, lowering the percentage of weeding plants from 60% to 20% has reduced the amount of eroded soil by 47.1% (1.966 t/ha/y). At Ezareni, on the land with a 12% overall slope, given the agro-terraced process that appeared in time due to soil erosion and tillage, the slope of cultivated stripes decreased, depending on the slope of the land, to 7.40-10.78% and the slope of the taluses increased from 12.78 to 26.18%. At Podu-Iloaiei, on the land with a general slope of 13%, through the agro-terracing process, the slo

Serving in Nelson's navy: a social history of three Amazon class frigates utilising database technology

The aim of this thesis is to apply computer technology, specifically data management systems, (commonly referred to as computer databases) to the study of the social history of the Royal Navy of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1793-1815). The muster, and to a lesser extent, pay and log books of three British Royal Navy frigates of the period HMS Trent, Amazon and Glenmore have been transcribed onto a series of Microsoft Access databases. The databases have then been interrogated in order to produce statistical information that has been applied to specific questions relating to the social history of the Royal Navy of the period. The emphasis of the thesis is the men of the lower deck although one chapter looks specifically at commissioned officer development. The major questions addressed revolve around the duties of the ships and men (Chapter 2)recruitment of men to the three ships (Chapter 3), the use of child labour (Chapter 4), the recruitment and development of volunteers new to the sea (Chapter 5)and the development and career prospects of midshipmen. The thesis provides a unique view of the men and boys who served on board Royal Navy vessels of the period that is not reliant on controversial memoirs but concentrates on exploiting primary sources recorded on a day-to-day basis. The findings demonstrate that the use of computer databases is a powerful weapon in the naval historian's armoury and have made a significant contribution towards answering some important social questions regarding the lower deck of Nelson's navy