Weak northern and strong tropical land carbon uptake from vertical profiles of atmospheric CO2

Measurements of midday vertical atmospheric CO2 distributions reveal annual-mean vertical CO2 gradients that are inconsistent with atmospheric models that estimate a large transfer of terrestrial carbon from tropical to northern latitudes. The three models that most closely reproduce the observed annual-mean vertical CO2 gradients estimate weaker northern uptake of -1.5 petagrams of carbon per year (Pg C year(-1)) and weaker tropical emission of +0.1 Pg C year(-1) compared with previous consensus estimates of -2.4 and +1.8 Pg C year(-1), respectively. This suggests that northern terrestrial uptake of industrial CO2 emissions plays a smaller role than previously thought and that, after subtracting land-use emissions, tropical ecosystems may currently be strong sinks for CO2.     

Effect of matrix viscosity on clay dispersion in preparation of polymer/organoclay nanocomposites

The viscosity effect of matrix polymer on melt exfoliation behavior of an organoclay in poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) was investigated. The viscosity of matrix polymer was controlled by changing the molecular weight of poly(ε-caprolactone), the processing temperature, and the rotor speed of a mini-molder. Applied shear stress facilitates the diffusion of polymer chains into the gallery of silicate layers by breaking silicate agglomerates down into smaller primary particles. When the viscosity of PCL is lower, silicate agglomerates are not perfectly broken into smaller primary particles. At higher viscosity, all of silicate agglomerates are broken down into primary particles, and finally into smaller nano-scale building blocks. It was also found that the degree of exfoliation of silicate layers is dependent upon not only the viscosity of matrix but thermodynamic variables.     

Milling and baking properties of field grown wheat expressing HMW subunit transgenes

Milling and baking tests were carried out on three transgenic wheat lines and their parental varieties grown in the field at two UK sites. The transgenic and control lines were essentially similar in their milling properties but the subunit 1Ax1 and 1Dx5 transgenes had different effects on breadmaking. The subunit 1Dx5 transgene resulted in a low loaf volume and poor crumb structure when expressed in lines with two or five endogenous HMW subunits, and this was accompanied by a greatly increased elastic modulus of the gel protein fraction. In contrast, the 1Ax1 transgene resulted in improved breadmaking quality and a more modest increase in the gel protein elastic modulus when expressed in the two subunit background. Blending of flour from a line expressing the 1Dx5 transgene with flour from a normal breadmaking wheat variety resulted in decreased breadmaking quality, even at a ratio of 1:9. The difference in the results obtained with the 1Ax1 and 1Dx5 transgenes may relate to the presence of an additional cysteine residue in the protein encoded by the latter, which promotes a more highly cross-linked glutenin network.     

Influence of airflow rate on chip potato storage management

Through-the-pile ventilation is a common practice for potatoes stored in bulk. Research was initiated in 1986 to study the influence of ventilation rate on the temperature, moisture and market quality of bulk stored chip potatoes. Ventilation rates up to 168 m³ hr^?1 t^?1 were used. All ventilation rates achieved the required temperature and humidity control. Fan operation time (hours) was not reduced proportional to the increased ventilation rate. The higher ariflow resulted in proportionally less time being spent to correct pile temperature differentials. The Atlantic variety potatoes were utilized for potato chip production in all three seasons studied. Market quality after storage, measured by tuber sugar content, chip color and chip defects, was similar for all ventilation rates. For the last two storage seasons studies, the potatoes were marketed from the storage research bins at high levels of quality following 115 to 142 days of storage. Average weight losses for the airflow rates used were not statistically different. However, potato weight loss uniformity was proportional to increased ventilation rates.     

Extreme resistance to infection by potato virus Y and potato virus X in an advanced hybridSolanum phureja — S. Stenotomum diploid potato population

Samples of 4285 individuals from a hybridSolanum phureja Juz. et Buk. —S. stenotomum Juz. (Phu-Stn) and 105 individuals ofSolanum phureja (Phu) diploid potato populations were twice inoculated with potato virus Y strain “o” (PVY°) using the air brush technique. After discarding seedlings with PVY visual symptoms both in the greenhouse and in the field, 1508 seedlings were judged to be resistant to PVY° (35.2%). Only 5.7% of the Phu seedlings were PVY° resistant compared to 35.2% of the Phu-Stn seedlings. At harvest, a mild selection pressure for yield and tuber appearance was applied and 602 Phu-Stn clones were chosen for further evaluation. Selected clones were re-evaluated for PVY° resistance in the greenhouse. Clones were mechanically inoculated twice with PVY°. Clones susceptible to PVY° were determined by visual observations, ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) tests, grafting of tobacco PVY° infected shoots on potato clones, and infectivity tests usingNicotiana tabacum as a PVY° plant indicator. In the process, 224 clones were found to be extreme resistant to infection by PVY°, with an overall frequency for PVY° extreme resistance of 5.2%. In another experiment, the first year Phu-Stn PVY° resistant clones (554 clones) were mechanically inoculated twice with “common” strain of potato virus X (PVX). Similarly, we discarded clones susceptible to PVX by combining visual evaluation and ELISA with PVX re-inoculation of negative clones and an infectivity test, usingGomphrena globosa as a PVX plant indicator. After this process, seven extreme resistant and eight resistant clones to infection by PVX were found; the overall frequency of PVX extreme resistance was 1.3%. Five clones were extreme resistant to both PVY° and PVX.     

Quantum phase extraction in isospectral electronic nanostructures

Quantum phase is not directly observable and is usually determined by interferometric methods. We present a method to map complete electron wave functions, including internal quantum phase information, from measured single-state probability densities. We harness the mathematical discovery of drum-like manifolds bearing different shapes but identical resonances, and construct quantum isospectral nanostructures with matching electronic structure but divergent physical structure. Quantum measurement (scanning tunneling microscopy) of these "quantum drums"-degenerate two-dimensional electron states on the copper(111) surface confined by individually positioned carbon monoxide molecules-reveals that isospectrality provides an extra topological degree of freedom enabling robust quantum state transplantation and phase extraction.     

In situ dynamics of Japanese electronic subsidiaries in ASEAN countries: Reflections from a development perspective

This paper contributes to the theory of subsidiary evolution in multinational corporations through utilising a value chain approach. It assesses the changing activities of the branches of Japanese electronics firms located in Southeast Asia (the ASEAN region) since the 1997–1998 financial crisis. In the paper, we argue that a modest development of Japanese subsidiaries has occurred in this region during the past 10 years or so. We connect models of subsidiary development to Michael Porter's value chain in the results of a set of interviews with 37 managers in the factories, sales offices and regional headquarters of Japanese subsidiary companies located in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. We show that decentralisation of management functions from Japan occurred in both primary and support activities of the value chain. However, corporate long‐term research and development did not disperse to Southeast Asia and is unlikely to in the near future. The article interprets these results and highlights the need for further research relating to the evolving geography of Japanese electronics multinational corporations and their subsidiaries in Southeast Asia.     

Gonadal Development and Differentiation in Cultured Juvenile Winter Flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus

Winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus, is currently being evaluated as a stock enhancement candidate in New Hampshire, USA; however, little is known about the gonadal development or the sex ratio of cultured juveniles. To determine the size at gonadal differentiation, 327 cultured fish ranging from <20 to 110 mm total length (TL), in 10‐mm‐TL size classes, were examined histologically. Gonads had differentiated into testes and ovaries in fish ≥41 mm TL (98%), whereas the majority of fish (81%) smaller than 40 mm TL possessed undifferentiated gonads. A total of 313 cultured fish >40 mm TL were analyzed for sex ratio. In 2003, 67 females and 164 males were identified, yielding a sex ratio that was significantly skewed toward male (χ²= 40.7, df = 1, P < 0.001). This trend held true when cultured fish were sorted by age and length, with the exception of those fish 61–70 mm TL. This aberration probably was because of a small sample size in this length category. However, in both the 2004 and the 2005 cultured populations, flounder sex did not deviate from a 1:1 ratio (2004 χ²= 0.12, df = 1, P= 0.724 and 2005 χ²= 0.02, df = 1, P= 0.881). The 2003 data suggest that environmental or genetic factors may affect winter flounder sex determination; rearing manipulation studies in the hatchery are needed to confirm this hypothesis.     

A pollen factor linking inter- and intraspecific pollen rejection in tomato

Self-incompatibility (SI)--intraspecific pollen recognition systems that allow plants to avoid inbreeding--in the Solanaceae (the nightshade family) is controlled by a polymorphic S locus where "self" pollen is rejected on pistils with matching S alleles. In contrast, unilateral interspecific incompatibility (UI) prevents hybridization between related species, most commonly when the pollen donor is self-compatible (SC) and the recipient is SI. We observed that in Solanum, a pollen-expressed Cullin1 gene with high similarity to Petunia SI factors interacts genetically with a gene at or near the S locus to control UI. Cultivated tomato and related red- or orange-fruited species (all SC) exhibit the same loss-of-function mutation in this gene, whereas the green-fruited species (mostly SI) contain a functional allele; hence, similar biochemical mechanisms underlie the rejection of both "self" and interspecific pollen.