Amplified fragment length polymorphism- and simple sequence repeat-based molecular tagging and mapping of greenbug resistance gene Gb3 in wheat

The greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), is the most economically damaging aphid pest of wheat in the southern Great Plains of the USA. In this study, the single, dominant greenbug resistance gene, Gb3, was molecularly tagged and genetically mapped using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and simple sequence repeat(SSR) markers. Three AFLP loci were associated with the Gb3 locus in linkage analysis with 75 F_2:3 families from the cross between two near‐isogenic lines (NILs) for Gb3,‘TXGBE273’ and ‘TXGBE281′. Two of these loci, XMgcc Pagg and Xmagg Patg cosegregate with Gb3 in the population analysed. Further analysis indicated that XMgcc Pagg and Xmagg Patg are specific for the Gb3 locus in diverse genetic backgrounds. Two SSR markers, Xgwm111 and Xgwm428 previously mapped in wheat chromosome 7D, were shown to be linked with Gb3, 22.5 cM and 33.1 cM from Gb3, respectively, in an F₂ population of ‘Largo’בTAM 107’, suggesting that Gb3 is located in the long arm of chromosome 7D. The two AFLP markers cosegregating with Gb3 are valuable tools in developing molecular markers for marker‐assisted selection of greenbug resistance in wheat breeding.     

Preschool programs and later school competence of children from low-income families

At follow-up in 1976, low-income children who had attended infant and preschool programs in the 1960's had significantly higher rates of meeting school requirements than did controls, as measured by lower frequency of placement in special education classes and of being retained in grade (held back).     

Changes in mean concentration, phase shifts, and dissipation in a forced oscillatory reaction

Experiments are presented that confirm earlier predictions that the mode of supply of reactants to a nonlinear (bio)chemical reaction determines or controls concentrations at steady states far from equilibrium. The oxidation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) catalyzed by the enzyme horseradish peroxidase with continuous input of oxygen was studied; NAD+ is continuously recycled to NADH through a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase system. A comparison of steady-state concentrations is made with an oscillatory oxygen input and a constant input at the same average oxygen input for both modes. By varying the frequency and amplitude of the perturbation (O2 influx), the following may be changed: the average concentration of NADH; the Gibbs free energy difference delta G of the reactants and products at steady state; the average rate of the reaction; the phase relation between the oscillatory rate and delta G; and the dissipation. These results confirm the possibility of an "alternating current chemistry," of control and optimization of thermodynamic efficiency and dissipation by means of external variation of constraints in classes of nonlinear reactions and biological pumps, and of improvements of the yield in such reactions (heterogeneous catalysis, for example).     

High-resolution holocene environmental changes in the thar desert, northwestern india

Sediments from Lunkaransar dry lake in northwestern India reveal regional water table and lake level fluctuations over decades to centuries during the Holocene that are attributed to changes in the southwestern Indian monsoon rains. The lake levels were very shallow and fluctuated often in the early Holocene and then rose abruptly around 6300 carbon-14 years before the present (14C yr B.P.). The lake completely desiccated around 4800 (14)C yr B.P. The end of this 1500-year wet period coincided with a period of intense dune destabilization. The major Harrapan-Indus civilization began and flourished in this region 1000 years after desiccation of the lake during arid climate and was not synchronous with the lacustral phase.     

遥感作物制图辅助核事故农业风险决策

【目的】 将作物时空分布数据应用于核事故农业风险决策支持系统,体现遥感作物制图在核事故农业风险决策中的重要性。【方法】 文章以大亚湾核电基地为研究案例,对其周边地区的作物轮作系统进行遥感制图;作物时空分布数据经后处理,上传至核事故农业风险决策支持系统,实现作物样本任务的自动生成,以及放射性核素浓度的时空分布模拟。【结果】 提出的遥感制图方法可以在耕地破碎、云雨繁密区识别作物轮作系统,快速、准确地提供大范围作物时空分布数据。经过处理的作物时空分布数据,能够方便地应用于决策支持系统,辅助完成特定或优先区作物样本任务点的自动生成,以及放射性核素浓度时空分布的模拟。【结论】 遥感作物制图与核事故农业风险决策支持系统相结合,可进一步提高采样的有效性,提升放射性核素空间和时间分布模拟与预测的准确性。从而帮助决策者制定核污染监测和评估策略、修复计划,科学指导农业生产的恢复。未来,有必要深入研究遥感作物制图在核事故农业风险决策中的应用,充分发挥遥感技术与数据的优势,规避核事故对农业生产带来的风险。     

太阳能加热与锅炉加热对温室温度调节的比较

文章以维持温室最冷月夜间温度12℃以上为目标,研究比较了太阳能加热系统和传统加热系统对温室温度的调节原理和调节效果.太阳能加热系统的热交换器为光管散热器,分为两组,分别悬挂在空中和埋设在地下,用于温室的空气加温和地面的蓄热加温.白天,悬挂在空中的热交换器吸收温室多余能量,通过埋在地下的热交换器将其储存在地下;夜间,储存在地下的热能通过热交换器重新释放出来加热温室空气.传统加热系统的热源为一台15kW的锅炉.实验结果表明:太阳能加热系统在12月至次年1月的最冷几天中供热量不能满足温室作物的需求,但在其它时间,相比传统加热系统更有利于温室环境的调节.因为这种加热系统不仅可用于夜间加热,而且还能避免白天温室内过高温度影响植物生长.这套太阳能加热系统每年能为温室提供360kWh/m2的热量,可节省大量的化石燃料.如果突尼斯国内1400公顷温室全部采用这种加热系统,每年可节约化石燃料5×109kWh.