Oilseed rape (Brassica napus) as a resource for farmland insect pollinators: quantifying floral traits in conventional varieties and breeding systems

This is the final version of the article. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Oilseed rape (OSR; Brassica napus L.) is a major crop in temperate regions and provides an important source ofnutrition to many of the yield-enhancing insect flower visitors that consume floral nectar. The manipulation ofmechanisms that control various crop plant traits for the benefit of pollinators has been suggested in the bid toincrease food security, but little is known about inherent floral trait expression in contemporary OSR varieties orthe breeding systems used in OSR breeding programmes. We studied a range of floral traits in glasshouse-grown, certified conventional varieties of winter OSR to test for variation among and within breeding systems.We measured 24-h nectar secretion rate, amount, concentration and ratio of nectar sugars per flower, and sizesand number of flowers produced per plant from 24 varieties of OSR representing open-pollinated (OP), genicmale sterility (GMS) hybrid and cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) hybrid breeding systems. Sugar concentrationwas consistent among and within the breeding systems; however, GMS hybrids produced more nectar and moresugar per flower than CMS hybrid or OP varieties. With the exception of ratio of fructose/glucose in OP vari-eties, we found that nectar traits were consistent within all the breeding systems. When scaled, GMS hybridsproduced 1.73 times more nectar resource per plant than OP varieties. Nectar production and amount of nectarsugar in OSR plants were independent of number and size of flowers. Our data show that floral traits of glass-house-grown OSR differed among breeding systems, suggesting that manipulation and enhancement of nectarrewards for insect flower visitors, including pollinators, could be included in future OSR breeding programmes.This work was fundedby the BBSRC, including support from an Insect Pollinators Ini-tiative grant awarded to GAW (BB/I000968/1) that was jointlyfunded by the BBSRC, NERC, the Wellcome Trust, Defra, andthe Scottish Government. Support was also received from HighWycombe Beekeepers’ Association. Rothamsted Researchreceives strategic funding from the Biotechnology and BiologicalSciences Research Council (BBSRC) of the UK

Flight performance of actively foraging honey bees is reduced by a common pathogen

ArticleSudden and severe declines in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony health in the US and Europe have been attributed, in part, to emergent microbial pathogens, however, the mechanisms behind the impact are unclear. Using roundabout flight mills, we measured the flight distance and duration of actively foraging, healthy-looking honey bees sampled from standard colonies, before quantifying the level of infection by Nosema ceranae and Deformed Wing Virus complex (DWV) for each bee. Neither the presence nor quantity of N. ceranae at low, natural levels of infection had any effect on flight distance or duration, but presence of DWV reduced flight distance by two thirds and duration by one half. Quantity of DWV was shown to have a significant, but weakly positive relation with flight distance and duration, however, the low amount of variation that was accounted for suggests further investigation by dose-response assays is required. We conclude that widespread, naturally occurring levels of infection by DWV weaken the flight ability of honey bees and high levels of within-colony prevalence are likely to reduce efficiency and increase the cost of resource acquisition. Predictions of implications of pathogens on colony health and function should take account of sub-lethal effects on flight performance.This work was funded by the Insect Pollinators Initiative (IPI) grants BB/I000100/1, BB/I000097/1 and BB/I000097/2, C.B. Dennis British Beekeepers' Research Trust and the High Wycombe Beekeepers’ Association. The IPI is funded jointly by the BBSRC, Defra, NERC, The Scottish Government and The Wellcome Trust, under the LWEC Partnership. Rothamsted Research is a national institute of bioscience strategically funded by the BBSRC

Possible thermochemical disequilibrium in the atmosphere of the exoplanet GJ 436b

The nearby extrasolar planet GJ 436b--which has been labelled as a 'hot Neptune'--reveals itself by the dimming of light as it crosses in front of and behind its parent star as seen from Earth. Respectively known as the primary transit and secondary eclipse, the former constrains the planet's radius and mass, and the latter constrains the planet's temperature and, with measurements at multiple wavelengths, its atmospheric composition. Previous work using transmission spectroscopy failed to detect the 1.4-\mu m water vapour band, leaving the planet's atmospheric composition poorly constrained. Here we report the detection of planetary thermal emission from the dayside of GJ 436b at multiple infrared wavelengths during the secondary eclipse. The best-fit compositional models contain a high CO abundance and a substantial methane (CH4) deficiency relative to thermochemical equilibrium models for the predicted hydrogen-dominated atmosphere. Moreover, we report the presence of some H2O and traces of CO2. Because CH4 is expected to be the dominant carbon-bearing species, disequilibrium processes such as vertical mixing and polymerization of methane into substances such as ethylene may be required to explain the hot Neptune's small CH4-to-CO ratio, which is at least 10^5 times smaller than predicted

Exoplanet Atmosphere Measurements from Transmission Spectroscopy and other Planet-Star Combined Light Observations

It is possible to learn a great deal about exoplanet atmospheres even when we cannot spatially resolve the planets from their host stars. In this chapter, we overview the basic techniques used to characterize transiting exoplanets - transmission spectroscopy, emission and reflection spectroscopy, and full-orbit phase curve observations. We discuss practical considerations, including current and future observing facilities and best practices for measuring precise spectra. We also highlight major observational results on the chemistry, climate, and cloud properties of exoplanets.Comment: Accepted review chapter; Handbook of Exoplanets, eds. Hans J. Deeg and Juan Antonio Belmonte (Springer-Verlag). 22 pages, 6 figure

Genetic Improvement of Rice for Multiple Stress Tolerance in Unfavorable Rainfed Ecology

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2019 international consensus on cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care science with treatment recommendations : summary from the basic life support; advanced life support; pediatric life support; neonatal life support; education, implementation, and teams; and first aid task forces

The International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation has initiated a continuous review of new, peer-reviewed, published cardiopulmonary resuscitation science. This is the third annual summary of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations. It addresses the most recent published resuscitation evidence reviewed by International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation Task Force science experts. This summary addresses the role of cardiac arrest centers and dispatcher-assisted cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the role of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in adults and children, vasopressors in adults, advanced airway interventions in adults and children, targeted temperature management in children after cardiac arrest, initial oxygen concentration during resuscitation of newborns, and interventions for presyncope by first aid providers. Members from 6 International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation task forces have assessed, discussed, and debated the certainty of the evidence on the basis of the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria, and their statements include consensus treatment recommendations. Insights into the deliberations of the task forces are provided in the Justification and Evidence to Decision Framework Highlights sections. The task forces also listed priority knowledge gaps for further research

Gastrointestinal stromal tumour and hypoglycemia in a Fjord pony: Case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Neoplasia may cause hypoglycemia in different species including the horse, but hypoglycemia has not previously been reported in the horse associated with gastrointestinal stromal tumours.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A case of a gastrointestinal stromal tumour in a Fjord pony with severe recurrent hypoglycemia is presented. The mechanism causing the hypoglycemia was not established.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This case indicates that a gastrointestinal stromal tumour may cause hypoglycemia also in the horse.</p

An association between unrecognized gastroesophageal reflux disease and excessive daytime sleepiness in Taiwanese subjects suspected to have liver disease: a pilot study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In traditional Chinese culture, liver disease is believed to underlie excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Consequently, Chinese patients with complaints of EDS and physicians who treat them suspect that a liver abnormality is present. If liver disease is ruled out, these patients are often discharged without treatment. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common disorder also associated with EDS. This pilot study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of GERD among Taiwanese patients with complaints of EDS suspected to be related to liver disease but in whom no evidence for the latter was found.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>From July 2009 to December 2009, 121 outpatients who presented to or were referred to the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology of the Chiayi Gung Memorial Hospital for evaluation of a complaint of EDS thought to be due to liver disease were examined. Demographic data were collected, and physical examinations and liver function tests were performed. Forty-eight patients had liver disease and were excluded. The Chinese Epworth Sleepiness Scale questionnaire (Chinese ESS) and the Chinese Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire (CGERDQ) were then administered to 73 included patients.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>More than half (56.2%) of the included patients were found to suffer from GERD. Patients with symptoms of GERD had higher mean CGERDQ scores than patients without symptoms of the disorder (18.88 ± 5.49 and 5.56 ± 3.57, respectively; <it>P </it>< 0.001). Patients with symptoms of GERD also had higher mean Chinese ESS scores than patients without symptoms (8.80 ± 5.49 and 3.13 ± 3.50, respectively; <it>P </it>< 0.001). Chinese ESS scores indicative of EDS were observed in 48.8% of patients with symptoms of GERD and in 3.1% of those without symptoms (<it>P </it>< 0.001). Differences between the two groups retained their significance after controlling for potential confounders.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A significant percentage of Taiwanese patients who complained of EDS and were admitted to our Hepatology/Gastroenterology Department due to a suspicion of liver disease actually had symptoms of GERD. Further studies are needed to ascertain whether treatment of GERD will effectively resolve EDS in these patients.</p

A chemical survey of exoplanets with ARIEL

Thousands of exoplanets have now been discovered with a huge range of masses, sizes and orbits: from rocky Earth-like planets to large gas giants grazing the surface of their host star. However, the essential nature of these exoplanets remains largely mysterious: there is no known, discernible pattern linking the presence, size, or orbital parameters of a planet to the nature of its parent star. We have little idea whether the chemistry of a planet is linked to its formation environment, or whether the type of host star drives the physics and chemistry of the planet’s birth, and evolution. ARIEL was conceived to observe a large number (~1000) of transiting planets for statistical understanding, including gas giants, Neptunes, super-Earths and Earth-size planets around a range of host star types using transit spectroscopy in the 1.25–7.8 μm spectral range and multiple narrow-band photometry in the optical. ARIEL will focus on warm and hot planets to take advantage of their well-mixed atmospheres which should show minimal condensation and sequestration of high-Z materials compared to their colder Solar System siblings. Said warm and hot atmospheres are expected to be more representative of the planetary bulk composition. Observations of these warm/hot exoplanets, and in particular of their elemental composition (especially C, O, N, S, Si), will allow the understanding of the early stages of planetary and atmospheric formation during the nebular phase and the following few million years. ARIEL will thus provide a representative picture of the chemical nature of the exoplanets and relate this directly to the type and chemical environment of the host star. ARIEL is designed as a dedicated survey mission for combined-light spectroscopy, capable of observing a large and well-defined planet sample within its 4-year mission lifetime. Transit, eclipse and phase-curve spectroscopy methods, whereby the signal from the star and planet are differentiated using knowledge of the planetary ephemerides, allow us to measure atmospheric signals from the planet at levels of 10–100 part per million (ppm) relative to the star and, given the bright nature of targets, also allows more sophisticated techniques, such as eclipse mapping, to give a deeper insight into the nature of the atmosphere. These types of observations require a stable payload and satellite platform with broad, instantaneous wavelength coverage to detect many molecular species, probe the thermal structure, identify clouds and monitor the stellar activity. The wavelength range proposed covers all the expected major atmospheric gases from e.g. H2O, CO2, CH4 NH3, HCN, H2S through to the more exotic metallic compounds, such as TiO, VO, and condensed species. Simulations of ARIEL performance in conducting exoplanet surveys have been performed – using conservative estimates of mission performance and a full model of all significant noise sources in the measurement – using a list of potential ARIEL targets that incorporates the latest available exoplanet statistics. The conclusion at the end of the Phase A study, is that ARIEL – in line with the stated mission objectives – will be able to observe about 1000 exoplanets depending on the details of the adopted survey strategy, thus confirming the feasibility of the main science objectives.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Concentrated oat β-glucan, a fermentable fiber, lowers serum cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic adults in a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Soluble fibers lower serum lipids, but are difficult to incorporate into products acceptable to consumers. We investigated the physiological effects of a concentrated oat β-glucan on cardiovascular disease (CVD) endpoints in human subjects. We also compared the fermentability of concentrated oat β-glucan with inulin and guar gum in a model intestinal fermentation system. METHODS: Seventy-five hypercholesterolemic men and women were randomly assigned to one of two treatments: 6 grams/day concentrated oat β-glucan or 6 grams/day dextrose (control). Fasting blood samples were collected at baseline, week 3, and week 6 and analyzed for total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, insulin, homocysteine and C-reactive protein (CRP). To estimate colonic fermentability, 0.5 g concentrated oat β-glucan was incubated in a batch model intestinal fermentation system, using human fecal inoculum to provide representative microflora. Fecal donors were not involved with the β-glucan feeding trial. Inulin and guar gum were also incubated in separate serum bottles for comparison. RESULTS: Oat β-glucan produced significant reduction from baseline in total cholesterol (-0.3 ± 0.1 mmol/L) and LDL cholesterol (-0.3 ± 0.1 mmol/L), and the reduction in LDL cholesterol were significantly greater than in the control group (p = 0.03). Concentrated oat β-glucan was a fermentable fiber and produced total SCFA and acetate concentrations similar to inulin and guar gum. Concentrated oat β-glucan produced the highest concentrations of butyrate at 4, 8, and 12 hours. CONCLUSION: Six grams concentrated oat β-glucan per day for six weeks significantly reduced total and LDL cholesterol in subjects with elevated cholesterol, and the LDL cholesterol reduction was greater than the change in the control group. Based on a model intestinal fermentation, this oat β-glucan was fermentable, producing higher amounts of butyrate than other fibers. Thus, a practical dose of β-glucan can significantly lower serum lipids in a high-risk population and may improve colon health