Comparative analysis of Australian and Canadian barleys for seed dormancy and malting quality

The association between high malting quality and pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) susceptibility is a key challenge when developing new malting barley varieties. A new malting barley variety Baudin has successfully combined high malting quality and PHS tolerance. A doubled haploid population was developed for mapping PHS tolerance and seed dormancy from a cross of Baudin?×?AC Metcalfe using 233 molecular markers. Three QTLs were mapped for seed dormancy based on the standard germination test at 24, 48 and 72?h. One major QTL was mapped to the long arm of chromosome 5H controlling seed dormancy and PHS tolerance from Baudin. Two other minor QTLs were identified from Baudin on chromosomes 3 and 7H. QTL/QTL interaction was detected for seed dormancy between chromosomes 3 and 5H. The PHS tolerance allele of the 5H QTL from Baudin contributes to higher malt yield without significant impact on diastatic power, beta-glucan content and wort viscosity. QTL from Baudin provide new sources to integrate PHS tolerance and high malting quality.     

A reversible and higher-rate Li-O2 battery

The rechargeable nonaqueous lithium-air (Li-O(2)) battery is receiving a great deal of interest because, theoretically, its specific energy far exceeds the best that can be achieved with lithium-ion cells. Operation of the rechargeable Li-O(2) battery depends critically on repeated and highly reversible formation/decomposition of lithium peroxide (Li(2)O(2)) at the cathode upon cycling. Here, we show that this process is possible with the use of a dimethyl sulfoxide electrolyte and a porous gold electrode (95% capacity retention from cycles 1 to 100), whereas previously only partial Li(2)O(2) formation/decomposition and limited cycling could occur. Furthermore, we present data indicating that the kinetics of Li(2)O(2) oxidation on charge is approximately 10 times faster than on carbon electrodes.     

Water-mediated proton hopping on an iron oxide surface

The diffusion of hydrogen atoms across solid oxide surfaces is often assumed to be accelerated by the presence of water molecules. Here we present a high-resolution, high-speed scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) study of the diffusion of H atoms on an FeO thin film. STM movies directly reveal a water-mediated hydrogen diffusion mechanism on the oxide surface at temperatures between 100 and 300 kelvin. Density functional theory calculations and isotope-exchange experiments confirm the STM observations, and a proton-transfer mechanism that proceeds via an H(3)O(+)-like transition state is revealed. This mechanism differs from that observed previously for rutile TiO(2)(110), where water dissociation is a key step in proton diffusion.     

Effects of nutritional plane and selenium supply during gestation on visceral organ mass and indices of intestinal growth and vascularity in primiparous ewes at parturition and during early lactation

Objectives were to investigate effects of nutritional plane and Se supply during gestation on visceral organ mass and intestinal growth and vascularization in ewes at parturition and during early lactation. Primiparous Rambouillet ewes (n = 84) were allocated to 2 × 3 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Factors included dietary Se [adequate Se (ASe, 11.5 μg/kg BW) or high Se (HSe, 77.0 μg/kg BW)], nutritional plane [60% (restricted; RES), 100% (control; CON), or 140% (high; HIH)], and physiological stage at necropsy (parturition or d 20 of lactation). At parturition, lambs were removed and 42 ewes (7 per treatment) were necropsied. Remaining ewes were transitioned to a common diet which met lactation requirements and mechanically milked for 20 d. In the absence of interactions (P > 0.10), main effects are reported. At parturition, stomach complex and liver masses were greatest for HIH, intermediate for CON, and least for RES (P < 0.02). Small intestinal mass was greater (P ≤ 0.002) for HIH than RES and CON, and greater (P < 0.01) for ASe than HSe. During early lactation, RES and CON gastrointestinal masses increased disproportionally to BW (P < 0.05). At parturition, jejunal mucosal density was less (P ≤ 0.01) for RES than CON and HIH, whereas CON had greater (P < 0.003) jejunal mucosal RNA concentration and RNA:DNA than RES and HIH. Although there were no differences (P > 0.17) at parturition, jejunal cell percent proliferation was greatest in RES, intermediate in CON, and least in HIH (P ≤ 0.09) at d 20 lactation. At both stages, RES had less (P = 0.01) jejunal capillary area density than HIH and less (P ≤ 0.03) capillary surface density than CON and HIH. During lactation, jejunal capillary size was greater (P = 0.04) for ewes previously fed HSe compared with ASe. At parturition, ASe-HIH had greater (P < 0.02) jejunal mucosal endothelial nitric oxide synthase 3 mRNA than all other treatments and greater (P = 0.10) vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) than all treatments, except ASe-RES. In addition, CON had less (P ≤ 0.08) jejunal VEGF receptor-1 (FLT1) mRNA compared with RES and HIH, and ASe had greater (P = 0.003) FLT1 than HSe at parturition. Ewes fed HIH had greater (P = 0.04) jejunal VEGF receptor-2 mRNA compared with RES. Results indicate that maternal intestinal growth and vascularization are responsive to nutritional plane and dietary Se during gestation and undergo changes postpartum when under similar lactational management.     

Rearrangement patterns of the canine TCRγ locus in a distinct group of T cell lymphomas

The T cell antigen receptor chains are assembled through a rearrangement process that combines variable (V), diversity (D) and joining (J) region genes. Recently, the entire canine T cell receptor γ (TRG) locus was described. It is arranged in 8 cassettes with up to 3 V genes, 2 J genes and 1 C gene each. However, no data is available beyond the level of sequence analysis. The objective of this study was to identify rearranged genes of the canine TRG locus through experimental analysis and to assess gene usage and patterns of rearrangement in a series of canine T cell lymphomas. Rearranged genes were identified through computational analysis of recombination signal sequences (RSSs), a gene's potential to generate a polyclonal smear, and through sequencing of clonal rearrangements in a series of T cell lymphomas. Out of a total of 32 Vγ and Jγ genes, 21 genes were found to rearrange, 8 genes were considered not rearranged and 3 genes were suspected to rearrange but their status could not be determined definitely. Rearrangements of the canine TRG locus were assessed in a group of canine T cell lymphomas as well as 3 neoplastic T cell lines. An average of 4.6 rearrangements per lymphoma was found suggesting that canine T cells routinely rearrange multiple cassettes per allele. The most commonly rearranged Vγ genes belonged to subgroups Vγ2, Vγ3, and Vγ7. Genes in cassettes 2 and 3 preferentially rearranged within their respective cassettes, while Vγ genes in cassette 7 rearranged to a Jγ gene in cassette 8. There was a strong preference for Vγ2 genes to rearrange to a 3' Jγ gene and for Vγ3 and Vγ7 genes to rearrange to a 5' Jγ gene. This rearrangement pattern coincided with the conservation of the spacer sequence between V and J gene subgroups rather than the topologic location of genes. These data show that highly divergent spacer sequences allow for equally efficient recombination and suggest that spacer sequences can mediate compatibility between V and J genes.     

Establishment of diagnostic criteria for feline nonflea-induced hypersensitivity dermatitis

Hypersensitivity dermatitides (HD) are commonly seen in cats, and they are usually caused by environmental, food and/or flea allergens. Affected cats normally present with one of the following clinical reaction patterns: head and neck excoriations, usually symmetrical self-induced alopecia, eosinophilic skin lesions or miliary dermatitis. Importantly, none of these clinical presentations is considered to be pathognomonic for HD skin diseases, and the diagnosis of HD is usually based on the exclusion of other pruritic diseases and on a positive response to therapy. The objectives of this study were to propose sets of criteria for the diagnosis of nonflea-induced HD (NFHD). We recruited 501 cats with pruritus and skin lesions and compared clinical parameters between cats with NFHD (encompassing those with nonflea, nonfood HD and those with food HD), flea HD and other pruritic conditions. Using simulated annealing techniques, we established two sets of proposed criteria for the following two different clinical situations: (i) the diagnosis of NFHD in a population of pruritic cats; and (ii) the diagnosis of NFHD after exclusion of cats with flea HD. These criteria sets were associated with good sensitivity and specificity and may be useful for homogeneity of enrolment in clinical trials and to evaluate the probability of diagnosis of NFHD in clinical practice. Finally, these criteria were not useful to differentiate cats with NFHD from those with food HD.     

Use of thermal imaging to determine leaf conductance along a canopy gradient in European beech (Fagus sylvatica)

Using an infrared camera, we measured the leaf temperature across different canopy positions of a 23-m-tall deciduous forest tree (Fagus sylvatica L.) including typical sun and shade leaves as well as intermediate leaf forms, which differed significantly in specific leaf area (SLA). We calculated a temperature index (I(G)) and a crop water stress index (CWSI) using the surface temperatures of wet and dry reference leaves. Additional indices were computed using air temperature plus 5 °C (I(G)?+?5, CWSI?+?5) as dry references. The minimum temperature of the wet leaf and the maximum temperature of the dry leaf proved to be most suitable as reference values. We correlated the temperature indices with leaf area-related conductance to water vapor (g(L)) using porometry at the leaf level and using xylem sap flow at the branch level. At the leaf and at the branch level, I(G) and CWSI were equally well suited as proxies of g(L), whereas the relationships of I(G)?+?5 and CWSI?+?5 with g(L) were only weak or even insignificant. At the leaf level, the correlations of I(G) and CWSI with g(L) were significant in all parts of the crown. The slopes of g(L) vs. I(G) and CWSI did not differ significantly among the crown parts; this indicates that they were not influenced by SLA or irradiance. At the branch level, close correlations (r?>?0.8) were found between temperature indices and g(L) across the crown. These results demonstrate that satisfactory relationships between temperature indices and g(L) can be established in tall trees even in those canopy parts that are exposed to relatively low levels of irradiance and exhibit relatively low values of g(L).     

Pestivirus and alphaherpesvirus infections in Swedish reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.)

Herding semi-domesticated reindeer has economic and social value for Sami people in the northern territories of Fennoscandia. However, with the intensification of reindeer husbandry, interspecies transmission of pathogens between reindeer and domestic animals may become a problem, especially for countries such as Sweden, Norway, and Finland where pestivirus and alphaherpesvirus have been eradicated in domestic ruminants. This study, which included 1158 Swedish reindeer, showed relatively high prevalence of antibodies against bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) (32%) and bovine herpesvirus-1 (BoHV-1) (53%). Adult animals were more often seropositive for BVDV and BoHV-1 (50% and 78%, respectively) than were calves (18 and 11%, respectively). While the seroprevalence of alphaherpesvirus was similar in different herding districts, pestivirus seropositivity was highest in the South and diminished towards the North of the Swedish reindeer herding area. High correlation of the seropositivity against both pathogens at both individual and herd levels may indicate possible mutual synergetic effects and may be explained by the immunosuppressive nature of the viruses. While alphaherpesvirus seroprevalence was probably related to putative cervid herpesvirus 2 (CvHV-2), the pestivirus infecting reindeer remains undefined. The virus neutralisation test of reindeer sera using different pestivirus strains, revealed higher titres against Border disease virus strains like 137/4 (BDV-1) and Reindeer-1 (BDV-2) than against BVDV-1. However, the virus was not identified by real time RT-PCR in any of the samples (n=276) from seronegative reindeers. The study showed that pestivirus and alphaherpesvirus infections are endemic in the Swedish reindeer population.