Cultivar differences in the grain protein accumulation ability in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

AbstractThe demand for rice grain protein content (GPC) differs in different regions of the world. Despite large differences in GPC among cultivars, evaluation of the effects of genotype on GPC is difficult because GPC is influenced not only by cultivar traits (such as nitrogen uptake ability, sink size and heading date) but also by the environment. We hypothesized that grain protein accumulation ability (GPA) also affects GPC. The objective of this study was to clarify the differences in GPA among six lodging-tolerant, high-yielding Japanese cultivars: Bekoaoba, Habataki, Takanari, Hokuriku193, Momiroman, and Akenohoshi. To produce a wide variation in nitrogen availability per unit sink capacity (Nav), we used nitrogen topdressing at heading and spikelet-thinning treatment. In each cultivar, we found a logarithmic relation between GPC and Nav: GPC=A×Ln(Nav)+B, where A is the regression coefficient and B is a constant. A highly significant difference in regression coefficients among cultivars was found (P<0.01). The regression coefficient was considered to be a measure of GPA; it varied from 0.969 in Bekoaoba to 1.820 in Takanari. This relation suggests that GPC is determined by Nav and GPA and that the environment affects GPC through Nav. GPA is a good criterion for evaluation of the effects of genotype on GPC. Nitrogen harvest index was highly significantly explained by multiple regression with GPA and the ratio of sink capacity to total dry matter production as independent variables, suggesting the influence of GPA on plant nitrogen dynamics during the grain-filling period. Therefore, it would be useful to determine the cultivars’ GPA values for optimizing nitrogen management

Milton\u27s thought on science in Paradise Lost and Of Education

It is notable that the pious epic, Paradise Lost (1667), is full of many references to science. The seventeenth century marked an epoch in scientific history. Great scientists such as Galileo and Kepler constructed a new universe through their astronomical accomplishments, laying the foundations for modern science. On the other hand, however, it was the heated, longrunning and widespread debates between the scientists and the Paracelsians, a school of Mysticism or Hermeticism, that was characteristic of science in Milton’s day. While scientists used mathematics in their researches, the Paracelsians’ method of inquiry was alchemy. The Paracelsians thought themselves to be alchemical natural philosophers and earnestly sought to construct a universal philosophy of nature which conformed to religious truth. Therefore, they had to learn Holy Scripture through reading, and study the Book of Nature through their own observations and analyses. In Paradise Lost, Milton takes a great interest in the Paracelsian debates and obviously shows his viewpoint. He criticizes the scientists for their methodology, and supports the Paracelsians, sharing the ancient Platonic universe with them. In this ways, Milton expresses his belief in the possibility of pragmatic science ― which Francis Bacon has advocated ― for pursuit of the unlimited improvement of material life. He is convinced that this possibility is great enough as to recover the Fall of Man; therefore, the very advancement of pragmatic science should be the object of education. He presents his ideal plan for this education in Of Education (1644)

A quantitative measure for assimilate partitioning efficiency in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

AbstractGrain filling in rice is determined by the balance between sink size and source supply. Partially filled or unfilled spikelets is produced when source supply per spikelet is insufficient. Cultivars with high assimilate partitioning efficiency, which produce fewer partially filled spikelets, would be preferable because the grains of partially filled spikelets have low market value. However, it is unclear whether there is a genotypic difference in assimilate partitioning efficiency, and there is no quantitative measure for this parameter. The objective of this study was to develop such a measure from the relation between grain-filling percentage (GFP) and percentage of filled spikelets (PFS) of cultivars with various grain-filling abilities. GFP is a dry-weight-based grain filling degree, i.e. the ratio of total hulled grain yield to the sink capacity. PFS is a spikelet-number-based grain filling degree, i.e. the proportion of the number of filled spikelets to the total number of spikelets per area. We investigated the factors associated with partitioning efficiency based on grain weight distribution during grain filling. We also determined the filling potential of empty spikelets, which are indistinguishable from unfertilized ones, under limited assimilate supply. Cultivars with a large (indica-dominant Takanari, japonica-dominant Momiroman) or moderate sink size (indica Kasalath, japonica Koshihikari) were grown in a paddy field and defoliated at full heading to limit assimilate supply. Grain weight distribution was investigated at 10, 20, and 30days after anthesis. Yield, yield components, and shoot dry matter were measured at maturity. We found an exponential relation between GFP and PFS, which can be transformed to Ln(PFS)=B +A×GFP, with regression coefficients A varying among cultivars. A lower regression coefficient shows a higher assimilate partitioning efficiency and production of fewer partially filled spikelets. In indica and indica-dominant cultivars, which have lower regression coefficients, the difference in the weight of fast- and slowly-growing grains was larger than in japonica and japonica-dominant cultivars, suggesting an association between assimilate partitioning efficiency and the initial grain growth rate of fast-growing superior spikelets. We found that empty spikelets caused by low assimilate supply were fertilized and had a filling potential. In conclusion, the results suggest the regression coefficient between GFP and Ln(PFS) differs among cultivars with different grain filling abilities, and could be used as a quantitative measure of assimilate partitioning efficiency in rice breeding

On a system of qq-partial differential equations with applications to qq-series

Using the theory of functions of several variables and $q$-calculus, we prove an expansion theorem for the analytic function in several variables which satisfies a system of $q$-partial differential equations. Some curious applications of this expansion theorem to $q$-series are discussed. In particular, an extension of Andrews' transformation formula for the $q$-Lauricella function is given.Comment: 15 pages, accepted for the proceedings of the Alladi 60th birthday conferenc

Estimation of Genetic Parameters, and Genetic and Environmental Effects on Progeny Carcass Traits of a Nucleus Breeding Population in Japanese Black Cattle

Genetic parameters of body weight at the start of fattening (BSF), carcass weight (CWT), subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT), rib thickness (RBT), meat quality grade (MQG), beef marbling score (BMS) and rib eye area (REA) in Japanese Black cattle were estimated. The effects of genetic and environmental factors on fattening performance and carcass quality traits of the progeny were also analyzed. The averages of BSF, CWT, SFT, RBT and REA were 189 kg, 408 kg, 24.9 mm, 69.3 mm and 47.5 cm^2, respectively. CWT was significantly affected (p<0.01) by sire, while BSF (p<0.01), CWT (p<0.01), SFT (p<0.01), RBT (p<0.01) and REA (p<0.05) were significantly affected by dam, indicating the scope of the applicability of selective breeding for improving the dam population for producing beef cattle with greater genetic ability to carcass traits. The sex of the calf had a significant (p<0.01 or p<0.05) effect on all the traits studied except REA. BSF, RBT, MQG and BMS were significantly (p<0.01) affected by the year and season of the birth of calves. The fattening farm exerted a significant influence (p<0.01) on BSF, CWT, MQG and BMS. The heritability estimates for BMS, CWT, RBT, BSF and MQG were 0.36, 0.34, 0.31, 0.26 and 0.23, respectively. Genetically, REA correlated negatively with BSF (-0.57) and SFT (-0.69), as did BMS with CWT (-0.35), SFT (-0.50) and RBT (-0.44). All the other traits correlated positively with one another

Effects of sugar scrub skin care On low birth weight infants in NICU -- Enhanced barrier function --

The skin of low birth weight infants (LBWIs) admitted to the neonatal infant care unit (NICU) has a very thin keratinous layer and is vulnerable to external irritation due to sparse connective tissues, which causes skin disorder easily. A bath using sugar scrub (formulation made of beet sugar and essential oil) has the mildest impact on babies, keeps the skin clean, increases the sebum content, and is expected to enhance the barrier function. The purposes of this study were to clarify the effectiveness of sugar scrub skin care on newborns by comparing a baby soap group and sugar scrub group, and to consider better skin care methods. The subjects were newborns who are born lighter than 2,500 g in NICU & GCU, having a conceptual age of 36 weeks or older. Baby soap was used for control group of six and sugar scrub for experimental group of eight. All were given a bath in the same manner. Data on the sebum content of the chest was collected by a Sebumeter (Sebumeter(R) SM 815; Courage + Khazaka) before and ten minutes after the bath for comparison. The sebum content of the soap group was 3.27+-3.18 (mean+-SD) before the care and 2.30+-2.75 after the care. That of the sugar group was 7.37+-10.77 before the care and 61.60+-15.83 after the care. A significant increase was identified. The difference in sebum content before and after the care was -97+-0.49 for the soap group and 54.23+-21.75 for the sugar group. The sugar group showed a significant increase. The sugar scrub skin care will contribute to an enhanced barrier function by increasing the sebum content

モダン デザイン ノ ハイケイ オ サグル : 1920-30ネンダイ ショジジョウ ソノ 8 : アールデコ サイコウ

1920-30年代の社会背景からデザイン史を読み解くシリーズの8稿目である。今稿で取り上げるアールデコ様式とは、はっきりした特徴を持つ造形様式というより総括的で、建築や造形デザインのほとんどを呑込む様式である。デザイン的には伝統様式とモダンデザインの折衷の産物であり、それが故に広く受容され、両大戦間に世界的現象となる。芸術・建築・インテリアやプロダクトデザイン以外にも広範囲にその足跡を残した。その背景的要因として、この様式の象徴的地位を誇る1925年パリ博が、対ドイツ戦略として市場の地位の確保をねらった贅沢品の殿堂であったことがあげられる。それは必然的に衒示的消費を喚起し、パリ博にはエンドユーザーを意識した商業主義という宿命が伴うことになる。この要因は同時に、アヴァンギャルドデザインの持つ政治的メッセージや攻撃力をそぎ落とし、中庸化し、装飾の伝統との融和を促す。すなわちモダンデザイン波及の大きな動力を呈したのである。This paper, 9 th issue of the serial work, Behind the Evolution of Modern Design, reports social and cultural circumstances surrounding the 1925 Paris international exposition, so called Art Deco Exposition; Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes. Successfully organized with commercialism toward luxury high market, this exposition consequently won the leading position to visualize the multiple images of the fashionable Art Deco Style. This style, ranging widely over architecture to household utensil since 1900\u27s, however, has no specific features in fact, but rather quite opposite connotations, for example decorative VS simple, local VS urban or even traditional VS modern thanks to the various origins of this style. Naturally this ambiguous complexity also came from its commercialization itself; simple modern design had no established market since those pure and radical modernism never met welcome in mass society but hostility. There inevitably existed an incentive to compromise with each opposite connotations. As a result the visitors were to see a lot of decorative simple designs or traditional modernistic designs i.e. ART DECO at this exposition. That is to say commercialism came out to soften the hostile attitude toward avant garde modernism. This Paris expo commercialism has its origin in deep-rooted anti-German feelings. One of them is the economic nationalism; the fear, faced with this rapidly progressing nation the notion France would have surely lost her national prestige in retail market is the powerful driving force as well as anti German ideology, first and foremost, behind the French Art Deco exposition

モダン デザイン ノ ハイケイ オ サグル : 1920ネンダイ アバンギャルド ジュウタク タンジョウ ニオケル クライアントゾウ ソノ1

モダンデザインの発展経過を観るに、歴史様式の混乱状態に始まり、さまざまな運動や思潮やデザインが、1920年代後半には現在に直結するメインストリームに収束されていく。この過程の20年代の代表的住宅作品のいくつかを観ると、ある共通した施主像が検証される。革新的な自身の社会的政治的立場を住宅デザインで表明しようとする姿勢であり、従来的な家族観とは相容れない変則的な家族像である。彼らは伝統に逆らう強い意志で、社会改革など独自の社会的な目的を持ち、建築家と協同しモダンデザインの住宅を出現せしめたのである。公共建築とは違い、ユーザーの同意がなくては作品は生まれない。モダンデザインの代表的作品とされる住宅の、施主像と設計プログラム、その結実を分析することで、モダンデザインの住宅誕生の必然的背景を探りたい。併せて、アバンギャルドな住宅が、奇異な存在から社会へ受容され、30年代には早くもCM シーンに利用されるに至る経過を、アバンギャルド住宅の施主像の変化から明らかにしたい