RAPD analysis of interspecific relationships in presumably apomictic Cotoneaster species

A few of the approximately 300 Cotoneaster species described are diploid but the majority appear to be polyploid. The occurrence of apomixis inpolyploid Cotoneaster species has been reported but never proven with genetic markers. We have used 76 polymorphic RAPD markers to investigate the breeding system and phenetic grouping of some critical taxa, including a total of 19 plant accessions representing 13 mostly European species in the series Cotoneaster. Three to four individual plants, raised from seed from the same original plant, were analyzed for each of three accessions to investigate the possible occurrence of apomictic seed set. Absolutely congruent RAPD profiles were encountered among seedlings from one accession, whereas we found one or two marker differences among seedlings from the other two accessions. Genetic similarities among the different accessions were analyzed with a UPGMA-derived dendrogram. The most deviant taxon was the Chinese C. albokermesinus. A group withC. soczavianus and C. tomentosus was rather isolated from the remainder, as was also C. kullensis. Among the remaining taxa, two well supported clusters were found: (1) C. antoninae and C. uralensis, and (2) C. integerrimus and C. raboutensis, whereas the other five species (C. canescens, C. niger, C. scandinavicus, C. juranus, C. cambricus) formed a poorly supported cluster with no clear substructuring. A principal coordinate analysis yielded results that were in good correspondence with the dendrogram. Again C. albokermesinus appears to be totally isolated from the other species. In addition, two well-defined and rather isolated groups were found: (1) C. tomentosus and C. soczavianus, and (2) C. antoninae and C. uralensis, with the remainder comprising a loosely defined group. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Zur Variabilität des Rohproteingehalts im Gaterslebener Maissortiment

Zusammenfassung Im Laufe von 16 Jahren (1968–1983) wurden für Rohproteinanalysen des Korns aus dem Gaterslebener Maissortiment zufällige Stichproben von etwa 40 bis 80 Stämmen jährlich entnommen. Für die Mittelwerte und Varianzen der Stichproben wurden die 95 %-Vertrauensbereiche geschätzt (Abb. 1 und 3). Die meisten Jahresmittelwerte für den Gehalt an Rohprotein (RP %) liegen zwischen 11,4 und 12,1 % (ohne Puff- und Zuckermais). Signifikante Abweichungen wurden nur selten beobachtet. Die jährlichen Variabilitätskoeffizienten liegen hier bei etwa 12 %, bei vielen anderen Merkmalen dagegen um 30 %. Die Schätzung der Korrelation zwischen RP % und TKM im Durchschnitt von 13 Jahren (wieder ohne Puff- und Zuckermaise) ergab einen nicht signifikanten Wert vonr _s =-0,04. Ferner wurden zahlreiche Varianzanalysen (Modell II) mit Schätzung von Varianzkomponenten (auch in %) für die Faktoren Stamm und Jahr durchgeführt, die dafür sprechen, daß für eine befriedigende Erfassung von RP %-Variabilität 3 bis 4 Kolben je Stamm in 3 bis 4 Jahren nötig sind. Am Schluß sind 40 Gaterslebener Sortimentsnummern mit mindestens vierjährigen Rohprotein-Mittelwerten über 12 % und den dazugehörigen 95 %-Vertrauensbereichen angeführt.

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Variability of the curde protein content in the Gatersleben maize collection

Summary Random samples of a number between 40 and 80 strains out of the Gatersleben maize collection were taken every of 16 years (1968–1983) for analyses of grain crude protein. For both means and variances, 95 % confidence intervals were estimated (Figs. 1 and 3). Most of the annual means of the crude protein content are between 11.4 and 12.1 per cent (except pop and sweet corn). Significant deviations were only seldom observed. The annual coefficients of variability are here around 12 %, whereas those of many other characters are around 30 %. For the correlation between crude protein content and thousand grain weight for an average of 13 years (again except pop and sweet corn), a non-significant value of r _s =–0.04 was estimated. Furthermore, numerous analysis of variance (Model II) were made, with estimation of the components of variance (also in per cent) for the factors strain and year. They suggest that 3 to 4 ears per strain for every of 3 to 4 years are necessary, in order to ascertain satisfactorily the variability of the crude protein content. Finally, 40 strains of the Gatersleben collection are listed, which gave crude protein means above 12 % for at least four years; the corresponding 95 % confidence intervals are included.

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16 (1968–1983) 40 80 . 95 %- (. 1 3). ( %) 11,4 12,1 % ( ). . ( 12 %), 30 %. % 1000 13 (. =–0,04). ( ) () , % 3 4 3–4 . 40 »« , 12 % ( 4-) 95 %- .

     

NMR imaging of catalytic hydrogenation in microreactors with the use of para-hydrogen

Catalysis is vital to industrial chemistry, and the optimization of catalytic reactors attracts considerable resources. It has proven challenging to correlate the active regions in heterogeneous catalyst beds with morphology and to monitor multistep reactions within the bed. We demonstrate techniques, using magnetic resonance imaging and para-hydrogen (p-H2) polarization, that allow direct visualization of gas-phase flow and the density of active catalyst in a packed-bed microreactor, as well as control over the dynamics of the polarized state in space and time to facilitate the study of subsequent reactions. These procedures are suitable for characterizing reactors and reactions in microfluidic devices where low sensitivity of conventional magnetic resonance would otherwise be the limiting factor.     

Two-dimensional nanosheets produced by liquid exfoliation of layered materials

If they could be easily exfoliated, layered materials would become a diverse source of two-dimensional crystals whose properties would be useful in applications ranging from electronics to energy storage. We show that layered compounds such as MoS(2), WS(2), MoSe(2), MoTe(2), TaSe(2), NbSe(2), NiTe(2), BN, and Bi(2)Te(3) can be efficiently dispersed in common solvents and can be deposited as individual flakes or formed into films. Electron microscopy strongly suggests that the material is exfoliated into individual layers. By blending this material with suspensions of other nanomaterials or polymer solutions, we can prepare hybrid dispersions or composites, which can be cast into films. We show that WS(2) and MoS(2) effectively reinforce polymers, whereas WS(2)/carbon nanotube hybrid films have high conductivity, leading to promising thermoelectric properties.     

Long-term satellite record reveals likely recent aerosol trend

Analysis of the long-term Global Aerosol Climatology Project data set reveals a likely decrease of the global optical thickness of tropospheric aerosols by as much as 0.03 during the period from 1991 to 2005. This recent trend mirrors the concurrent global increase in solar radiation fluxes at Earth's surface and may have contributed to recent changes in surface climate.     

Increasing river discharge to the Arctic Ocean

Synthesis of river-monitoring data reveals that the average annual discharge of fresh water from the six largest Eurasian rivers to the Arctic Ocean increased by 7% from 1936 to 1999. The average annual rate of increase was 2.0 +/- 0.7 cubic kilometers per year. Consequently, average annual discharge from the six rivers is now about 128 cubic kilometers per year greater than it was when routine measurements of discharge began. Discharge was correlated with changes in both the North Atlantic Oscillation and global mean surface air temperature. The observed large-scale change in freshwater flux has potentially important implications for ocean circulation and climate.     

High-throughput mapping of a dynamic signaling network in mammalian cells

Signaling pathways transmit information through protein interaction networks that are dynamically regulated by complex extracellular cues. We developed LUMIER (for luminescence-based mammalian interactome mapping), an automated high-throughput technology, to map protein-protein interaction networks systematically in mammalian cells and applied it to the transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta) pathway. Analysis using self-organizing maps and k-means clustering identified links of the TGFbeta pathway to the p21-activated kinase (PAK) network, to the polarity complex, and to Occludin, a structural component of tight junctions. We show that Occludin regulates TGFbeta type I receptor localization for efficient TGFbeta-dependent dissolution of tight junctions during epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitions.