Reciprocal recurrent selection for multitrait indices in maize

Summary Reciprocal recurrent selection was carried out with two populations of maize (Zea mays L.) having good combining ability. We selected for higher grain yield, early maturity, shorter plant height and lodging resistance. Two cycles were completed in two years (four seasons), by resorting to late planting of S1 lines for recombination in the main season in which top-cross families were assessed. Top-crosses and selfings were made in the off-season. The original and improved versions of the populations and their crosses were evaluated in multilocation trials. The superiority of the population hybrid was 10.3% for grain yield, 5.5% for plant height and 1.8 days to silk. The improved hybrid had delayed leaf senescence and better resistance to lodging and post-flowering stalk rots. Among the yield components, only ear girth showed improvement. Syn 2 of the improved population cross showed a yield reduction of 6.2% in comparison to Syn 1. Intrapopulation gains were not significant except for lodging resistance in one population.     

Bioconcentration of HCH isomers by the ciliate protozoan,Tetrahymena pyriformis under laboratory conditions

Tetrahymena pyriformis, a common freshwater ciliate concentrated the four common HCH (Hexachlorocyclohexane) isomers viz., α, β, δ, and γ to varied extent. Bioconcentration factor [as expressed by the ratio of cellular insecticide in ng mg^?1 (dry weight) to supernatant in ng μL^?1 ranged from 342 to 2260 for α-HCH, 37 to 831 for β-HCH, 326 to 2806 for δ-HCH and from 106 to 1214 ppm for γ-HCH.     

The Influence of Glutathione on Physiological Effects of Lead and its Accumulation in Moss Sphagnum Squarrosum

An attempt has been made to study the physiological andbiochemical responses and to evaluate the bioaccumulationpotential of moss Sphagnum to environmental lead. Supply of0.1 to 100 mM lead acetate caused a loss in chlorophyll andnitrogen content of moss and in nitrate reductase activity in themoss, although the peroxidase activity was increased. Partialrecovery in the above parameters was recorded upon simultaneoustreatment with glutathione. Results also indicate that treatmentwith glutathione increased the bioaccumulation potential bylowering the lead toxicity, which could be the result of inductionof metal binding capabilities of cells as the heavy metal alsoinduced the synthesis of phytochelatins. The moss accumulated asignificant amounts of Pb under both experimental and fieldconditions. The heavy metal accumulated by moss was positivelycorrelated to the soil metal content. The experiments demonstratethat Sphagnum is able to accumulate and tolerate higheramounts of Pb and therefore, it can be used as a bioindicator andphytoremediator of lead contaminated environment.     

The charnockite geotherm

Charnockite, a hypersthene-bearing granite, and other associated rocks of the charnockite series have a global distribution. These rocks, according to evidence from mineral-chemical and experimental phase equilibrium relations, formed or recrystallized at temperatures between 800 degrees and 900 degrees C and at relatively shallow depths of 6 to 12 kilometers. This evidence indicates the existence of geothermal gradients of 70 degrees to 100 degrees C per kilometer probably at various times, the latest being around 1300 x 10(6) years ago.     

Detection of a gonadotropin in rabbit blastocyst before implantation

A gonadotropin similar to human chorionic gonadotropin or luteinizing hormone has been demonstrated in rabbit blastocyst prior to implantation. The gonadotropin has been detected by a radioreceptor assay for human chorionic gonadotropin with the use of the plasma membranes of bovine corpora lutea obtained during the first trimester of pregnancy. The concentrations of the human chorionic gonadotropin or luteinizing hormone per milliliter of blastocyst fluid were tenfold higher than those in the blood of pregnant rabbits on days 5 and 6 after mating.     

Stability of Ferropericlase in the Lower Mantle

We have heated ferropericlases (Mg(0.60)Fe(0.40))O and (Mg(0.50)Fe(0.50))O to temperatures of 1000 kelvin at pressures of 86 gigapascals, simulating the stability of the solid solution at physical conditions relevant to Earth's lower mantle. The in situ x-ray study of the externally heated samples in a Mao-Bell-type diamond anvil cell shows that ferropericlase may dissociate into magnesium-rich and iron-rich oxide components. The result is important because the decomposition of ferropericlase into lighter and heavier phases will cause dynamic effects that could lead to mantle heterogeneity.     

Entropy Estimates for Some Silicates at 298{degrees}K from Molar Volumes

Third law entropies for silicates of Be, Mg, Ca, Zn, Na, and K containing the same anion group, for example, SiO(4) or SiO(3) or AlSi(3)O(8), are found to be linearly related to their molar volumes. The relationship between the molar volume and the entropy of silicates of Fe and Mn, atoms with unfilled d electron subshells, is different from that of other silicates. The linear correlations yield a useful method of estimating the entropies of ortho-, meta-, and framework silicates (feldspars and feld-spathoids). The estimated entropies of pyrope and almandine at 298 degrees K are 47.47 and 68.13 gibbs per mole, respectively.