First report of Botryosphearia dothidea causing white rot on apple fruit in Maryland

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Botryosphaeria dothidea [Fr. : Moug.] Ces. & De Not. infects over 80 genera of woody plants causing stem cankers on grapevine, apple, pear, and almond trees and also causes white rot on apple fruit in the field and during storage. A B. dothidea isolate was obtained from decayed ‘Fuji’ apple fruit ex...

Superficial scald and bitter pit development in cold-stored transgenic apples suppressed for ethylene biosynthesis.

PubMed

Pesis, Edna; Ibáñez, Ana M; Phu, My Lin; Mitcham, Elizabeth J; Ebeler, Susan E; Dandekar, Abhaya M

2009-04-08

The plant hormone ethylene regulates climacteric fruit ripening and plays a major role in the development of superficial scald in apple fruits during cold storage. The effect of cold storage at 0 degrees C on development of superficial scald and bitter pit (BP) in transgenic Greensleeves (GS) apples suppressed for ethylene biosynthesis was investigated. Four apple lines were used: untransformed GS; line 68G, suppressed for 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) oxidase (ACO); and lines 103Yand 130Y, suppressed for ACC synthase (ACS). Fruits from the transformed lines 68G, 103Y, and 130Y produced very little ethylene during 3 months of cold storage at 0 degrees C and after subsequent transfer to 20 degrees C, whereas untransformed fruits produced significant ethylene during cold storage, which increased dramatically at 20 degrees C. Respiration, expressed as CO(2) production, was similar in all four apple lines. After 2 months at 0 degrees C, all apple lines showed some BP symptoms, but lines 68G and 103Y were more affected than untransformed GS or line 130Y. Both transformed and untransformed apples produced alpha-farnesene, but concentrations were lower in yellow fruit than in green fruit in all lines but 68G. Line 68G produced the most alpha-farnesene after 2 months at 0 degrees C, including both (E,E) alpha-farnesene and (Z,E) alpha-farnesene. Concentrations of (E,E) alpha-farnesene were 100 times greater than those of (Z,E) alpha-farnesene in all lines. After 4 months at 0 degrees C plus 1 week at 20 degrees C, untransformed GS apples exhibited the most superficial scald, whereas fruits from lines 68G and 103Y were less affected and line 130Y had no scald. Superficial scald severity was higher in green fruit than in yellow fruit in all affected lines. These lines also exhibited significant production of 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one (MHO), a major oxidation product of (E,E) alpha-farnesene. Line 130Y neither exhibited superficial scald nor produced MHO. It is shown here that even transgenic apples suppressed for ethylene biosynthesis genes can produce alpha-farnesene, which in turn can oxidize to free radicals and MHO, leading to scald development.

A double-imprinted diffraction-grating sensor based on a virus-responsive super-aptamer hydrogel derived from an impure extract.

PubMed

Bai, Wei; Spivak, David A

2014-02-17

The detection of viruses is of interest for a number of fields including biomedicine, environmental science, and biosecurity. Of particular interest are methods that do not require expensive equipment or trained personnel, especially if the results can be read by the naked eye. A new "double imprinting" method was developed whereby a virus-bioimprinted hydrogel is further micromolded into a diffraction grating sensor by using imprint-lithography techniques to give a "Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Gel Laser Diffraction Sensor" (MIP-GLaDiS). A simple laser transmission apparatus was used to measure diffraction, and the system can read by the naked eye to detect the Apple Stem Pitting Virus (ASPV) at concentrations as low as 10 ng mL(-1), thus setting the limit of detection of these hydrogels as low as other antigen-binding methods such as ELISA or fluorescence-tag systems. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Dehydration and osmotic adjustment in apple stem tissue during winter as it relates to the frost resistance of buds.

PubMed

Pramsohler, Manuel; Neuner, Gilbert

2013-08-01

In deciduous trees, measurement of stem water potential can be difficult during the leafless period in winter. By using thermocouple psychrometry, osmotic water potentials (Ψo; actual Ψo: Ψo(act); Ψo at full saturation: Ψo(sat)) of expressed sap of bark and bud tissue were measured in order to test if the severity of winter desiccation in apple stems could be sufficiently assessed with Ψo. Water potentials were related to frost resistance and freezing behaviour of buds. The determination of Ψo reliably allowed winter desiccation and osmotic adjustments in apple stem tissue to be assessed. In winter in bark tissue, a pronounced decrease in Ψo(act) and Ψo(sat) was found. Decreased Ψo(sat) indicates active osmotic adjustment in the bark as observed earlier in the leaves of evergreen woody plants. In terminal bud meristems, no significant osmotic adjustments occurred and dehydration during winter was much less. Osmotic water potentials, Ψo(act) and Ψo(sat), of bud tissue were always less negative than in the bark. To prevent water movement and dehydration of the bud tissue via this osmotic gradient, it must be compensated for either by a sufficiently high turgor pressure (Ψp) in bark tissue or by the isolation of the bud tissue from the bark during midwinter. During freezing of apple buds, freeze dehydration and extra-organ freezing could be demonstrated by significantly reduced Ψo(act) values of bud meristems that had been excised in the frozen state. Infrared video thermography was used to monitor freezing patterns in apple twigs. During extracellular freezing of intact and longitudinally dissected stems, infrared differential thermal analysis (IDTA) images showed that the bud meristem remains ice free. Even if cooled to temperatures below the frost-killing temperature, no freezing event could be detected in bud meristems during winter. In contrast, after bud break, terminal buds showed a second freezing at the frost-killing temperature that indicates deep supercooling. Our results demonstrate the applicability of thermocouple psychrometry for the assessment of winter desiccation in stem tissues of deciduous trees and corroborate the finding that dormant apple buds survive by extra-organ freezing and do not deep supercool. In addition, they indicate that significant changes of the frost-survival mechanism can occur during the apple bud development in spring.

7 CFR 51.320 - Diameter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.320 Diameter. When measuring for minimum size, “diameter” means the greatest dimension of the apple measured at right angles to a line from stem to blossom end. When measuring for maximum size, “diameter” means the smallest dimension of the apple determined by...

7 CFR 51.320 - Diameter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.320 Diameter. When measuring for minimum size, “diameter” means the greatest dimension of the apple measured at right angles to a line from stem to blossom end. When measuring for maximum size, “diameter” means the smallest dimension of the apple determined by...

7 CFR 51.320 - Diameter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.320 Diameter. When measuring for minimum size, “diameter” means the greatest dimension of the apple measured at right angles to a line from stem to blossom end. When measuring for maximum size, “diameter” means the smallest dimension of the apple determined by...

Imaging and Selective Elimination of Glioblastoma Stem Cells with Theranostic Near-Infrared-Labeled CD133-Specific Antibodies.

PubMed

Jing, Hua; Weidensteiner, Claudia; Reichardt, Wilfried; Gaedicke, Simone; Zhu, Xuekai; Grosu, Anca-Ligia; Kobayashi, Hisataka; Niedermann, Gabriele

2016-01-01

Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT), which employs monoclonal antibody (mAb)-phototoxic phthalocyanine dye IR700 conjugates, permits the specific, image-guided and spatiotemporally controlled elimination of tumor cells. Here, we report the highly efficient NIR-PIT of human tumor xenografts initiated from patient-derived cancer stem cells (CSCs). Using glioblastoma stem cells (GBM-SCs) expressing the prototypic CSC marker AC133/CD133, we also demonstrate here for the first time that NIR-PIT is highly effective against brain tumors. The intravenously injected theranostic AC133 mAb conjugate enabled the non-invasive detection of orthotopic gliomas by NIR fluorescence imaging, and reached AC133+ GBM-SCs at the invasive tumor front. AC133-targeted NIR-PIT induced the rapid cell death of AC133+ GBM-SCs and thereby strong shrinkage of both subcutaneous and invasively growing brain tumors. A single round of NIR-PIT extended the overall survival of mice with established orthotopic gliomas by more than a factor of two, even though the harmless NIR light was applied through the intact skull. Humanised versions of this theranostic agent may facilitate intraoperative imaging and histopathological evaluation of tumor borders and enable the highly specific and efficient eradication of CSCs.

Structures of Bordered Pits Potentially Contributing to Isolation of a Refilled Vessel from Negative Xylem Pressure in Stems of Morus australis Poir.: Testing of the Pit Membrane Osmosis and Pit Valve Hypotheses.

PubMed

Ooeda, Hiroki; Terashima, Ichiro; Taneda, Haruhiko

2017-02-01

Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain the mechanism preventing the refilling vessel water from being drained to the neighboring functional vessels under negative pressure. The pit membrane osmosis hypothesis proposes that the xylem parenchyma cells release polysaccharides that are impermeable to the intervessel pit membranes into the refilling vessel; this osmotically counteracts the negative pressure, thereby allowing the vessel to refill. The pit valve hypothesis proposes that gas trapped within intervessel bordered pits isolates the refilling vessel water from the surrounding functional vessels. Here, using the single-vessel method, we assessed these hypotheses in shoots of mulberry (Morus australis Poir.). First, we confirmed the occurrence of xylem refilling under negative pressure in the potted mulberry saplings. To examine the pit membrane osmosis hypothesis, we estimated the semi-permeability of pit membranes for molecules of various sizes and found that the pit membranes were not semi-permeable to polyethylene glycol of molecular mass <20,000. For the pit valve hypothesis, we formed pit valves in the intervessel pits in the short stem segments and measured the maximum liquid pressure up to which gases in bordered pits were retained. The threshold pressure ranged from 0.025 to 0.10 MPa. These values matched the theoretical value calculated from the geometry of the pit chamber (0.0692-0.101 MPa). Our results suggest that gas in the pits is retained by surface tension, even under substantial positive pressure to resolve gases in the refilling vessel, whereas the molecule size required for the pit membrane osmosis mechanism in mulberry would be unrealistically large. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Development a of multiplex TaqMan real-time RT-PCR assay for simultaneous detection of Asian prunus viruses, plum bark necrosis stem pitting associated virus, and peach latent mosaic virus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Asian prunus viruses (APV 1, APV 2 and APV 3) and Plum bark necrosis stem pitting associated virus (PBNSPaV) are two recently described viruses infecting Prunus spp., and Peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMVd) is a viroid that infects the same species. A single-tube multiplex, TaqMan real-time RT-PCR as...

7 CFR 52.3761 - Defects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... harmless extraneous vegetable material, stems, and portions thereof, blemishes, wrinkles, mutilated olives... to olives pitted along an axis other than the stem-flower axis. A defect is a unit where the angle of.... (12) Stem means a stem that measures 3 mm or more from the shoulder of the olive. Stems are classified...

7 CFR 52.3761 - Defects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... harmless extraneous vegetable material, stems, and portions thereof, blemishes, wrinkles, mutilated olives... to olives pitted along an axis other than the stem-flower axis. A defect is a unit where the angle of.... (12) Stem means a stem that measures 3 mm or more from the shoulder of the olive. Stems are classified...

Overexpression of a Novel Apple NAC Transcription Factor Gene, MdNAC1, Confers the Dwarf Phenotype in Transgenic Apple (Malus domestica)

PubMed Central

Jia, Dongfeng; Gong, Xiaoqing; Li, Mingjun; Li, Chao; Sun, Tingting

2018-01-01

Plant height is an important trait for fruit trees. The dwarf characteristic is commonly associated with highly efficient fruit production, a major objective when breeding for apple (Malus domestica). We studied the function of MdNAC1, a novel NAC transcription factor (TF) gene in apple related to plant dwarfing. Localized primarily to the nucleus, MdNAC1 has transcriptional activity in yeast cells. Overexpression of the gene results in a dwarf phenotype in transgenic apple plants. Their reduction in size is manifested by shorter, thinner stems and roots, and a smaller leaf area. The transgenics also have shorter internodes and fewer cells in the stems. Levels of endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) and brassinosteroid (BR) are lower in the transgenic plants, and expression is decreased for genes involved in the biosynthesis of those phytohormones. All of these findings demonstrate that MdNAC1 has a role in plants dwarfism, probably by regulating ABA and BR production. PMID:29702625

7 CFR 52.3761 - Defects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... to the degree of freedom from harmless extraneous vegetable material, stems, and portions thereof... the stem-flower axis. A defect is a unit where the angle of these two axes exceeds 45 degrees. (5... pitted olive equal to or exceeding the area of a circle 5 mm in diameter. (12) Stem means a stem that...

7 CFR 52.3761 - Defects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... to the degree of freedom from harmless extraneous vegetable material, stems, and portions thereof... the stem-flower axis. A defect is a unit where the angle of these two axes exceeds 45 degrees. (5... pitted olive equal to or exceeding the area of a circle 5 mm in diameter. (12) Stem means a stem that...

Spatial and compositional variation in the fungal communities of organic and conventionally grown apple fruit at the consumer point-of-purchase

PubMed Central

Abdelfattah, Ahmed; Wisniewski, Michael; Droby, Samir; Schena, Leonardo

2016-01-01

The fungal diversity in harvested apples from organic or conventional management practices was analyzed in different fruit locations (stem end, calyx end, peel, and wounded flesh) shortly after fruit purchase (T1) and after 2 weeks of storage (T5). A total of 5,760,162 high-quality fungal sequences were recovered and assigned to 8,504 Operational Taxonomic Units. Members of the phylum Ascomycota were dominant in all samples and accounted for 91.6% of the total number of detected sequences. This was followed by Basidiomycota (8%), Chytridiomycota (0.1%), and unidentified fungi (0.3%). Alpha and beta diversity analyses revealed the presence of significantly different fungal populations in the investigated fruit parts. Among detected fungi, the genus Penicillium prevailed in the peel and in the wounded flesh while Alternaria spp. prevailed in the calyx and stem end samples that included apple core tissues. Several taxonomic units that appear to be closely related to pathogenic fungi associated with secondary human infections were present in peel and wounds. Moreover, significantly different populations were revealed in organic and conventional apples and this result was consistent in all investigated fruit parts (calyx end, peel, stem end, and wounded flesh). Several unique taxa were exclusively detected in organic apples suggesting that management practices may have been a contributing factor in determining the taxa present. In contrast, little differences were revealed in the two assessment times (T1 and T5). Results of the present study represent an advancement of the current knowledge on the fungal microbiota in collected fruit tissues of apple. PMID:27766161

Spatial and compositional variation in the fungal communities of organic and conventionally grown apple fruit at the consumer point-of-purchase.

PubMed

Abdelfattah, Ahmed; Wisniewski, Michael; Droby, Samir; Schena, Leonardo

2016-01-01

The fungal diversity in harvested apples from organic or conventional management practices was analyzed in different fruit locations (stem end, calyx end, peel, and wounded flesh) shortly after fruit purchase (T1) and after 2 weeks of storage (T5). A total of 5,760,162 high-quality fungal sequences were recovered and assigned to 8,504 Operational Taxonomic Units. Members of the phylum Ascomycota were dominant in all samples and accounted for 91.6% of the total number of detected sequences. This was followed by Basidiomycota (8%), Chytridiomycota (0.1%), and unidentified fungi (0.3%). Alpha and beta diversity analyses revealed the presence of significantly different fungal populations in the investigated fruit parts. Among detected fungi, the genus Penicillium prevailed in the peel and in the wounded flesh while Alternaria spp. prevailed in the calyx and stem end samples that included apple core tissues. Several taxonomic units that appear to be closely related to pathogenic fungi associated with secondary human infections were present in peel and wounds. Moreover, significantly different populations were revealed in organic and conventional apples and this result was consistent in all investigated fruit parts (calyx end, peel, stem end, and wounded flesh). Several unique taxa were exclusively detected in organic apples suggesting that management practices may have been a contributing factor in determining the taxa present. In contrast, little differences were revealed in the two assessment times (T1 and T5). Results of the present study represent an advancement of the current knowledge on the fungal microbiota in collected fruit tissues of apple.

40 CFR 180.482 - Tebufenozide; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 1.0 Apple, dry pomace 3.0 Apple, wet pomace 3.0 Berry group 13 3.0 Brassica, head and stem, subgroup 5A 5.0 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 10.0 Canola, refined oil 4.0 Canola, seed 2.0 Citrus, oil...

40 CFR 180.482 - Tebufenozide; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 1.0 Apple, dry pomace 3.0 Apple, wet pomace 3.0 Berry group 13 3.0 Brassica, head and stem, subgroup 5A 5.0 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 10.0 Canola, refined oil 4.0 Canola, seed 2.0 Citrus, oil...

40 CFR 180.482 - Tebufenozide; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 1.0 Apple, dry pomace 3.0 Apple, wet pomace 3.0 Berry group 13 3.0 Brassica, head and stem, subgroup 5A 5.0 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup 5B 10.0 Canola, refined oil 4.0 Canola, seed 2.0 Citrus, oil...

Pitting corrosion as a mixed system: coupled deterministic-probabilistic simulation of pit growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, Israr B. M.; Fonna, S.; Pidaparti, R.

2018-05-01

Stochastic behavior of pitting corrosion poses a unique challenge in its computational analysis. However, it also stems from electrochemical activity causing general corrosion. In this paper, a framework for corrosion pit growth simulation based on the coupling of the Cellular Automaton (CA) and Boundary Element Methods (BEM) is presented. The framework assumes that pitting corrosion is controlled by electrochemical activity inside the pit cavity. The BEM provides the prediction of electrochemical activity given the geometrical data and polarization curves, while the CA is used to simulate the evolution of pit shapes based on electrochemical activity provided by BEM. To demonstrate the methodology, a sample case of local corrosion cells formed in pitting corrosion with varied dimensions and polarization functions is considered. Results show certain shapes tend to grow in certain types of environments. Some pit shapes appear to pose a higher risk by being potentially significant stress raisers or potentially increasing the rate of corrosion under the surface. Furthermore, these pits are comparable to commonly observed pit shapes in general corrosion environments.

Causes and Effects of Changes in Xylem Functionality in Apple Fruit

PubMed Central

DRAŽETA, LAZAR; LANG, ALEXANDER; HALL, ALISTAIR J.; VOLZ, RICHARD K.; JAMESON, PAULA E.

2004-01-01

• Background and Aims The xylem in fruit of a number of species becomes dysfunctional as the fruit develops, resulting in a reduction of xylem inflow to the fruit. Such a reduction may have consequential effects on the mineral balance of the fruit. The aim of this study was to elucidate the dynamics and nature of xylem failure in developing apples (Malus domestica) showing differing susceptibilities to bitter pit, a calcium‐related disorder. • Methods Developmental changes in xylem functionality of the fruit were investigated in ‘Braeburn’ and ‘Granny Smith’ apples by using a dye infusion technique, to stain the vasculature along the path of dye movement. The vascular bundles were clearly visible in transverse section when fruit were sectioned equatorially. The intensity of staining of the vascular bundles in the fruit was recorded at regular intervals throughout the season. Tissue containing dysfunctional bundles was fixed and embedded in wax for subsequent sectioning and examination. • Key Results As the season progressed, an increasing proportion of vascular bundles failed to show any staining, with the most marked change occurring in the primary bundles, and in nearly all bundles with increasing distance from the stalk end of the fruit. Decreased conductance in the primary bundles of ‘Braeburn’ occurred earlier than in ‘Granny Smith’. Microscopy revealed that the xylem in vascular bundles of the fruit suffered substantial damage, indicating that the mode of dysfunction was via the physical disruption of the xylem caused by expansion of the flesh. • Conclusions Results support the view that the relative calcium deficiency of apple fruit is due to a progressive breakdown of xylem conductance caused by growth‐induced damage to the xylem strand in the bundle. The earlier onset of xylem dysfunction in the cultivar more susceptible to bitter pit suggests that the relative growth dynamics of the fruit may control the occurrence of calcium‐related disorders. PMID:14988096

Variations in xylem embolism susceptibility under drought between intact saplings of three walnut species.

PubMed

Knipfer, Thorsten; Barrios-Masias, Felipe H; Cuneo, Italo F; Bouda, Martin; Albuquerque, Caetano P; Brodersen, Craig R; Kluepfel, Daniel A; McElrone, Andrew J

2018-05-30

A germplasm collection containing varied Juglans genotypes holds potential to improve drought resistance of plant materials for commercial production. We used X-ray computed microtomography to evaluate stem xylem embolism susceptibility/repair in relation to vessel anatomical features (size, arrangement, connectivity and pit characteristics) in 2-year-old saplings of three Juglans species. In vivo analysis revealed interspecific variations in embolism susceptibility among Juglans microcarpa, J. hindsii (both native to arid habitats) and J. ailantifolia (native to mesic habitats). Stem xylem of J. microcarpa was more resistant to drought-induced embolism as compared with J. hindsii and J. ailantifolia (differences in embolism susceptibility among older and current year xylem were not detected in any species). Variations in most vessel anatomical traits were negligible among the three species; however, we detected substantial interspecific differences in intervessel pit characteristics. As compared with J. hindsii and J. ailantifolia, low embolism susceptibility in J. microcarpa was associated with smaller pit size in larger diameter vessels, a smaller area of the shared vessel wall occupied by pits, lower pit frequency and no changes in pit characteristics as vessel diameters increased. Changes in amount of embolized vessels following 40 days of re-watering were minor in intact saplings of all three species highlighting that an embolism repair mechanism did not contribute to drought recovery. In conclusion, our data indicate that interspecific variations in drought-induced embolism susceptibility are associated with species-specific pit characteristics, and these traits may provide a future target for breeding efforts aimed at selecting walnut germplasm with improved drought resistance.

The Congressional Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Caucus and the Congressional Academic Competition: History and Current

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-20

courses, and a tutorial for developing apps on Android phones and in Apples and Windows environments.10 Judging Members are free to select judges...onlinecao.house.gov/housenet- multimedia /code/stem-member-page.txt. The STEM Caucus and the Congessional Academic Competition: History and Current

Surface morphology and dislocation characteristics near the surface of 4H-SiC wafer using multi-directional scanning transmission electron microscopy.

PubMed

Sato, Takahiro; Orai, Yoshihisa; Suzuki, Yuya; Ito, Hiroyuki; Isshiki, Toshiyuki; Fukui, Munetoshi; Nakamura, Kuniyasu; Schamp, C T

2017-10-01

To improve the reliability of silicon carbide (SiC) electronic power devices, the characteristics of various kinds of crystal defects should be precisely understood. Of particular importance is understanding the correlation between the surface morphology and the near surface dislocations. In order to analyze the dislocations near the surface of 4H-SiC wafers, a dislocation analysis protocol has been developed. This protocol consists of the following process: (1) inspection of surface defects using low energy scanning electron microscopy (LESEM), (2) identification of small and shallow etch pits using KOH low temperature etching, (3) classification of etch pits using LESEM, (4) specimen preparation of several hundred nanometer thick sample using the in-situ focused ion beam micro-sampling® technique, (5) crystallographic analysis using the selected diffraction mode of the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM), and (6) determination of the Burgers vector using multi-directional STEM (MD-STEM). The results show a correlation between the triangular terrace shaped surface defects and an hexagonal etch pit arising from threading dislocations, linear shaped surface defects and elliptical shaped etch pits arising from basal plane dislocations. Through the observation of the sample from two orthogonal directions via the MD-STEM technique, a basal plane dislocation is found to dissociate into an extended dislocation bound by two partial dislocations. A protocol developed and presented in this paper enables one to correlate near surface defects of a 4H-SiC wafer with the root cause dislocations giving rise to those surface defects. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Adiponectin enhances osteogenic differentiation in human adipose-derived stem cells by activating the APPL1-AMPK signaling pathway

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Tong; Wu, Yu-wei; Lu, Hui

Human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) are multipotent progenitor cells with multi-lineage differentiation potential including osteogenesis and adipogenesis. While significant progress has been made in understanding the transcriptional control of hASC fate, little is known about how hASC differentiation is regulated by the autocrine loop. The most abundant adipocytokine secreted by adipocytes, adiponectin (APN) plays a pivotal role in glucose metabolism and energy homeostasis. Growing evidence suggests a positive association between APN and bone formation yet little is known regarding the direct effects of APN on hASC osteogenesis. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the varied osteogenic effects and regulatorymore » mechanisms of APN in the osteogenic commitment of hASCs. We found that APN enhanced the expression of osteoblast-related genes in hASCs, such as osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase, and runt-related transcription factor-2 (Runx2, also known as CBFa1), in a dose- and time-dependent manner. This was further confirmed by the higher expression levels of alkaline phosphatase and increased formation of mineralization nodules, along with the absence of inhibition of cell proliferation. Importantly, APN at 1 μg/ml was the optimal concentration, resulting in maximum deposition of calcium nodules, and was significant superior to bone morphogenetic protein 2. Mechanistically, we found for the first time that APN increased nuclear translocation of the leucine zipper motif (APPL)-1 as well as AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation, which were reversed by pretreatment with APPL1 siRNA. Our results indicate that APN promotes the osteogenic differentiation of hASCs by activating APPL1-AMPK signaling, suggesting that manipulation of APN is a novel therapeutic target for controlling hASC fate. - Highlights: • Adiponectin enhances osteogenic differentiation in human adipose-derived stem cells. • The knock-down of APPL1 block the enhancement of osteogenic differentiation in hASC. • AMPK signaling cascade is activated by adiponectin through APPL1.« less

Towards the onset of fruit tree growing north of the Alps: ancient DNA from waterlogged apple (Malus sp.) seed fragments.

PubMed

Schlumbaum, Angela; van Glabeke, Sabine; Roldan-Ruiz, Isabel

2012-01-20

Wild apples (Malus sp.) have been a major food source in the northern Alpine region since prehistory and their use is well understood. The onset of deliberate fruit tree growing in the area is, however, less clear. It is generally assumed that horticulture was practised in Roman times, but it might be even earlier. In the archaeological record seed testa and pericarp remains are particularly frequent at sites with waterlogged preservation such as lakeshore settlements or wells, pits and ditches, but the distinction between wild and domestic plants is not morphologically possible. With waterlogged remains being one main source of information about past fruit cultivation, we have tested the feasibility of analysing ancient DNA from waterlogged preserved bulk samples of testa fragments. We studied apple seeds from three Neolithic and three Roman sites with waterlogged preservation in the Alpine foreland. Chloroplast markers failed in all samples, but nuclear ITS1 (internal transcribed spacer region 1) of the ribosomal DNA was successfully typed in two Roman samples from the site Oedenburg/Biesheim-Kunheim (Haut-Rhin, F). The retrieved ITS1 sequences are identical to each other and are shared with wild Malus sylvestris and Malus sieversii, and with domestic apple cultivars, supporting the potential of using waterlogged remains for identifying the genetic status of apple diachronically. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Differential Expression of Biphenyl Synthase Gene Family Members in Fire-Blight-Infected Apple ‘Holsteiner Cox’ 1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Chizzali, Cornelia; Gaid, Mariam M.; Belkheir, Asma K.; Hänsch, Robert; Richter, Klaus; Flachowsky, Henryk; Peil, Andreas; Hanke, Magda-Viola; Liu, Benye; Beerhues, Ludger

2012-01-01

Fire blight, caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, is a devastating disease of apple (Malus × domestica). The phytoalexins of apple are biphenyls and dibenzofurans, whose carbon skeleton is formed by biphenyl synthase (BIS), a type III polyketide synthase. In the recently published genome sequence of apple ‘Golden Delicious’, nine BIS genes and four BIS gene fragments were detected. The nine genes fall into four subfamilies, referred to as MdBIS1 to MdBIS4. In a phylogenetic tree, the BIS amino acid sequences from apple and Sorbus aucuparia formed an individual cluster within the clade of the functionally diverse type III polyketide synthases. cDNAs encoding MdBIS1 to MdBIS4 were cloned from fire-blight-infected shoots of apple ‘Holsteiner Cox,’ heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, and functionally analyzed. Benzoyl-coenzyme A and salicoyl-coenzyme A were the preferred starter substrates. In response to inoculation with E. amylovora, the BIS3 gene was expressed in stems of cv Holsteiner Cox, with highest transcript levels in the transition zone between necrotic and healthy tissues. The transition zone was the accumulation site of biphenyl and dibenzofuran phytoalexins. Leaves contained transcripts for BIS2 but failed to form immunodetectable amounts of BIS protein. In cell cultures of apple ‘Cox Orange,’ expression of the BIS1 to BIS3 genes was observed after the addition of an autoclaved E. amylovora suspension. Using immunofluorescence localization under a confocal laser-scanning microscope, the BIS3 protein in the transition zone of stems was detected in the parenchyma of the bark. Dot-shaped immunofluorescence was confined to the junctions between neighboring cortical parenchyma cells. PMID:22158676

Insertion of a solo LTR retrotransposon associates with spur mutations in 'Red Delicious' apple (Malus × domestica).

PubMed

Han, Mengxue; Sun, Qibao; Zhou, Junyong; Qiu, Huarong; Guo, Jing; Lu, Lijuan; Mu, Wenlei; Sun, Jun

2017-09-01

Insertion of a solo LTR, which possesses strong bidirectional, stem-specific promoter activities, is associated with the evolution of a dwarfing apple spur mutation. Spur mutations in apple scions revolutionized global apple production. Since long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons are tightly related to natural mutations, inter-retrotransposon-amplified polymorphism technique and genome walking were used to find sequences in the apple genome based on these LTRs. In 'Red Delicious' spur mutants, a novel, 2190-bp insertion was identified as a spur-specific, solo LTR (sLTR) located at the 1038th nucleotide of another sLTR, which was 1536 bp in length. This insertion-within-an-insertion was localized within a preexisting Gypsy-50 retrotransposon at position 3,762,767 on chromosome 4. The analysis of transcriptional activity of the two sLTRs (the 2190- and 1536-bp inserts) indicated that the 2190-bp sLTR is a promoter, capable of bidirectional transcription. GUS expression in the 2190-bp-sense and 2190-bp-antisense transgenic lines was prominent in stems. In contrast, no promoter activity from either the sense or the antisense strand of the 1536-bp sLTR was detected. From ~150 kb of DNA on each side of the 2190 bp, sLTR insertion site, corresponding to 300 kb of the 'Golden Delicious' genome, 23 genes were predicted. Ten genes had predicted functions that could affect shoot development. This first report, of a sLTR insertion associated with the evolution of apple spur mutation, will facilitate apple breeding, cloning of spur-related genes, and discovery of mechanisms behind dwarf habit.

Combining thermotherapy with cryotherapy for efficient eradication of Apple stem grooving virus from infected in vitro-cultured apple shoots

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Almost all of the literature reporting on the cryopreservation of shoot tips does not specify the sanitary status of the stock material from which shoot tips were taken. The effect of the presence of viruses in plant tissues on the recovery of shoot tips after cryopreservation has not been previousl...

Spatial and compositional variation in the fungal communities of organic and conventionally grown apple fruit at the consumer point-of-purchase

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The fungal diversity in harvested apples from organic or conventional management practices was analyzed in different fruit locations (stem end, calyx end, peel, and wounded flesh) shortly after fruit purchase (T1) and after two weeks of storage (T5). A total of 5,760,162 high quality fungal sequenc...

Atomic force microscopy of the intervessel pit membrane in the stem of Sapium sebiferum (Euphorbiacea)

Treesearch

Thomas C. Pesacreta; Leslie H. Groom; Timothy G. Rials

2005-01-01

Sapwood and juvenile wood of Sapium sebiferum (Euphorbiacea) was collected during 2000-2002. In air-dried vessel elements, the surface of pit membranes (PMs) in the outermost growth ring was coated with plaque-like or interstitial material that was 2-5 nm thick. This coating was phase dark and overlaid a phase bright layer of globules and...

40 CFR 180.495 - Spinosad; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

....2 Atemoya 0.3 Avocado 0.3 Banana 0.25 Beet, sugar, molasses 0.75 Biriba 0.3 Brassica, head and stem... liver 5.0 Cherimoya 0.3 Citrus, oil 3.0 Citrus, dried pulp 0.5 Coriander, leaves 8.0 Corn, sweet, kernel... Star apple 0.3 Starfruit 0.3 Strawberry 1.0 Sugar apple 0.3 Ti, leaves 10.0 Vegetable, bulb, group 3...

40 CFR 180.495 - Spinosad; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

....2 Atemoya 0.3 Avocado 0.3 Banana 0.25 Beet, sugar, molasses 0.75 Biriba 0.3 Brassica, head and stem... liver 5.0 Cherimoya 0.3 Citrus, oil 3.0 Citrus, dried pulp 0.5 Coriander, leaves 8.0 Corn, sweet, kernel... Star apple 0.3 Starfruit 0.3 Strawberry 1.0 Sugar apple 0.3 Ti, leaves 10.0 Vegetable, bulb, group 3...

40 CFR 180.495 - Spinosad; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

....2 Atemoya 0.3 Avocado 0.3 Banana 0.25 Beet, sugar, molasses 0.75 Biriba 0.3 Brassica, head and stem... liver 5.0 Cherimoya 0.3 Citrus, oil 3.0 Citrus, dried pulp 0.5 Coriander, leaves 8.0 Corn, sweet, kernel... Star apple 0.3 Starfruit 0.3 Strawberry 1.0 Sugar apple 0.3 Ti, leaves 10.0 Vegetable, bulb, group 3...

Malus hupehensis NPR1 induces pathogenesis-related protein gene expression in transgenic tobacco.

PubMed

Zhang, J-Y; Qiao, Y-S; Lv, D; Gao, Z-H; Qu, S-C; Zhang, Z

2012-03-01

Most commercially grown apple cultivars are susceptible to fungal diseases. Malus hupehensis has high resistance to many diseases affecting apple cultivars. Understanding innate defence mechanisms would help to develop disease-resistant apple crops. Non-expressor of pathogenesis-related genes 1 (NPR1) plays a key role in regulating salicylic acid (SA)-mediated systemic acquired resistance (SAR). MhNPR1 cDNA, corresponding to genomic DNA and its 5' flanking sequences, was isolated from M. hupehensis. Sequence analysis showed that the regulatory mechanism for oligomer-monomer transition of the MhNPR1 protein in apple might be similar to that of GmNPR1 in soybean, but different from that of AtNPR1 in Arabidopsis. No significant differences in MhNPR1 expression were found in M. hupehensis after infection with Botryosphaeria berengeriana, showing that MhNPR1 might be regulated by pathogens at the protein level, as described for Arabidopsis and grapevine. SA treatment significantly induced MhNPR1 expression in leaves, stems and roots, while methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment induced MhNPR1 expression in roots, but not in leaves or stems. The expression of MhNPR1 was highly increased in roots, moderately in leaves, and did not change in stems after treatment with 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC). SAR marker genes (MhPR1 and MhPR5) were induced by SA, MeJA and ACC in leaves, stems and roots. Overexpression of MhNPR1 significantly induced the expression of pathogenesis-related genes (NtPR1, NtPR3 and NtPR5) in transgenic tobacco plants and resistance to the fungus Botrytis cinerea, suggesting that MhNPR1 orthologues are a component of the SA defence signalling pathway and SAR is induced in M. hupehensis. © 2011 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

7 CFR 932.149 - Modified minimum quality requirements for specified styles of canned olives of the ripe type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Fragments (Pitted Style Only) Not more than 1.3% average by count Major Stems Not more than 3 HEVM Not more... per 300 grams Major Stems Not more than 3 HEVM Not more than 2 units per sample Broken Pieces and End... Fragments Average of not more than 1 by count per 300 grams Major Stems Not more than 3 HEVM Not more than 2...

7 CFR 932.149 - Modified minimum quality requirements for specified styles of canned olives of the ripe type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Fragments (Pitted Style Only) Not more than 1.3% average by count Major Stems Not more than 3 HEVM Not more... per 300 grams Major Stems Not more than 3 HEVM Not more than 2 units per sample Broken Pieces and End... Fragments Average of not more than 1 by count per 300 grams Major Stems Not more than 3 HEVM Not more than 2...

7 CFR 932.149 - Modified minimum quality requirements for specified styles of canned olives of the ripe type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Fragments (Pitted Style Only) Not more than 1.3% average by count Major Stems Not more than 3 HEVM Not more... per 300 grams Major Stems Not more than 3 HEVM Not more than 2 units per sample Broken Pieces and End... Fragments Average of not more than 1 by count per 300 grams Major Stems Not more than 3 HEVM Not more than 2...

7 CFR 932.149 - Modified minimum quality requirements for specified styles of canned olives of the ripe type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Fragments (Pitted Style Only) Not more than 1.3% average by count Major Stems Not more than 3 HEVM Not more... per 300 grams Major Stems Not more than 3 HEVM Not more than 2 units per sample Broken Pieces and End... Fragments Average of not more than 1 by count per 300 grams Major Stems Not more than 3 HEVM Not more than 2...

7 CFR 932.149 - Modified minimum quality requirements for specified styles of canned olives of the ripe type.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Fragments (Pitted Style Only) Not more than 1.3% average by count Major Stems Not more than 3 HEVM Not more... per 300 grams Major Stems Not more than 3 HEVM Not more than 2 units per sample Broken Pieces and End... Fragments Average of not more than 1 by count per 300 grams Major Stems Not more than 3 HEVM Not more than 2...

Lower Mississippi River Environmental Program. Report 2. A Physical Description of Main Stem Levee Borrow Pits along the Lower Mississippi River

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-02-01

Eastern cottonwood, green ash, sugarberry. box elder, bald cypress, willow honey locust, slippery elm , overcup oak and bitter pecan. Principle...vines and understory. Woody vegetation surrounds the borrow pit and consists of American and slippery elms , silver maple, black willow, cottonwood, pin...aquatica Water elm Ulmus rubra Slippery elm Urtica dioica Stinging nettle Vaccinium sp. Blueberry Vaccinium spp. Vaccinum Vernonia altissima Ironweed

Embryonic death and the creation of human embryonic stem cells.

PubMed

Landry, Donald W; Zucker, Howard A

2004-11-01

The creation of human embryonic stem cells through the destruction of a human embryo pits the value of a potential therapeutic tool against that of an early human life. This contest of values has resulted in a polarized debate that neglects areas of common interest and perspective. We suggest that a common ground for pursuing research on human embryonic stem cells can be found by reconsidering the death of the human embryo and by applying to this research the ethical norms of essential organ donation.

PiTS-1: Carbon Partitioning in Loblolly Pine after 13C Labeling and Shade Treatments

DOE Data Explorer

Warren, J. M.; Iversen, C. M.; Garten, Jr., C. T.; Norby, R. J.; Childs, J.; Brice, D.; Evans, R. M.; Gu, L.; Thornton, P.; Weston, D. J.

2013-01-01

The PiTS task was established with the objective of improving the C partitioning routines in existing ecosystem models by exploring mechanistic model representations of partitioning tested against field observations. We used short-term field manipulations of C flow, through 13CO2 labeling, canopy shading and stem girdling, to dramatically alter C partitioning, and resultant data are being used to test model representation of C partitioning processes in the Community Land Model (CLM4 or CLM4.5).

Easy Come, Easy Go: Capillary Forces Enable Rapid Refilling of Embolized Primary Xylem Vessels.

PubMed

Rolland, Vivien; Bergstrom, Dana M; Lenné, Thomas; Bryant, Gary; Chen, Hua; Wolfe, Joe; Holbrook, N Michele; Stanton, Daniel E; Ball, Marilyn C

2015-08-01

Protoxylem plays an important role in the hydraulic function of vascular systems of both herbaceous and woody plants, but relatively little is known about the processes underlying the maintenance of protoxylem function in long-lived tissues. In this study, embolism repair was investigated in relation to xylem structure in two cushion plant species, Azorella macquariensis and Colobanthus muscoides, in which vascular water transport depends on protoxylem. Their protoxylem vessels consisted of a primary wall with helical thickenings that effectively formed a pit channel, with the primary wall being the pit channel membrane. Stem protoxylem was organized such that the pit channel membranes connected vessels with paratracheal parenchyma or other protoxylem vessels and were not exposed directly to air spaces. Embolism was experimentally induced in excised vascular tissue and detached shoots by exposing them briefly to air. When water was resupplied, embolized vessels refilled within tens of seconds (excised tissue) to a few minutes (detached shoots) with water sourced from either adjacent parenchyma or water-filled vessels. Refilling occurred in two phases: (1) water refilled xylem pit channels, simplifying bubble shape to a rod with two menisci; and (2) the bubble contracted as the resorption front advanced, dissolving air along the way. Physical properties of the protoxylem vessels (namely pit channel membrane porosity, hydrophilic walls, vessel dimensions, and helical thickenings) promoted rapid refilling of embolized conduits independent of root pressure. These results have implications for the maintenance of vascular function in both herbaceous and woody species, because protoxylem plays a major role in the hydraulic systems of leaves, elongating stems, and roots. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Hydraulic and mechanical properties of young Norway spruce clones related to growth and wood structure

PubMed Central

ROSNER, SABINE; KLEIN, ANDREA; MÜLLER, ULRICH; KARLSSON, BO

2011-01-01

Summary Stem segments of eight five-year-old Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) clones differing in growth characteristics were tested for maximum specific hydraulic conductivity (ks100), vulnerability to cavitation and behavior under mechanical stress. The vulnerability of the clones to cavitation was assessed by measuring the applied air pressure required to cause 12 and 50% loss of conductivity (Ψ12, Ψ50) and the percent loss of conductivity at 4 MPa applied air pressure (PLC4MPa). The bending strength and stiffness and the axial compression strength and stiffness of the same stem segments were measured to characterize wood mechanical properties. Growth ring width, wood density, latewood percentage, lumen diameter, cell wall thickness, tracheid length and pit dimensions of earlywood cells, spiral grain and microfibril angles were examined to identify structure–function relationships. High ks100 was strongly and positively related to spiral grain angle, which corresponded positively to tracheid length and pit dimensions. Spiral grain may reduce flow resistance of the bordered pits of the first earlywood tracheids, which are characterized by rounded tips and an equal distribution of pits along the entire length. Wood density was unrelated to hydraulic vulnerability parameters. Traits associated with higher hydraulic vulnerability were long tracheids, high latewood percentage and thick earlywood cell walls. The positive relationship between earlywood cell wall thickness and vulnerability to cavitation suggest that air seeding through the margo of bordered pits may occur in earlywood. There was a positive phenotypic and genotypic relationship between ks100 and PLC4MPa, and both parameters were positively related to tree growth rate. Variability in mechanical properties depended mostly on wood density, but also on the amount of compression wood. Accordingly, hydraulic conductivity and mechanical strength or stiffness showed no tradeoff. PMID:17472942

25 CFR 226.22 - Prohibition of pollution.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... pits shall be enclosed with a fence of at least four strands of barbed wire, or an approved substitute... procedures, including but not limited to fracturing, acidizing, swabbing, and drill stem tests, shall be...

Variations in zonal fruit starch concentrations of apples – a developmental phenomenon or an indication of ripening?

PubMed Central

Doerflinger, Franziska C; Miller, William B; Nock, Jacqueline F; Watkins, Christopher B

2015-01-01

Patterns of starch hydrolysis in stem, equatorial, and calyx zones of ‘Honeycrisp’ and ‘Empire’ apples (Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill var. domestica (Borkh.) Mansf.) during maturation and ripening, and in ‘Gala’ apples in response to propylene or 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatments after harvest, were studied. Differences in zonal starch concentrations were found for ‘Empire’ and ‘Gala’ fruits, but not for ‘Honeycrisp’. During maturation and ripening of ‘Empire’, the concentration of starch was highest in the calyx end and lowest in the stem region. Differences in rates of starch hydrolysis among zones were not detected. ‘Honeycrisp’ and ‘Empire’ had the highest concentration of sorbitol in the calyx region, whereas it was highest in the stem-end region in ‘Gala’. The distribution differences of glucose, fructose, and sucrose were similar in all three cultivars; higher fructose and glucose concentrations in the stem region, and higher sucrose concentrations in the calyx end of the fruit. Postharvest treatment of ‘Gala’ with propylene did not affect the internal ethylene concentration of the fruit but 1-MCP markedly inhibited it. Starch concentrations were highest in the calyx end but gradients of starch among zones were not changed by postharvest treatment. The rate of hydrolysis was slowed by 1-MCP treatment, but was unaffected by propylene. Postharvest treatments influenced sorbitol, glucose, and fructose concentrations. Patterns of starch concentration among the zones did not confirm differences in ripening, but reflected its uneven distribution throughout the fruit during development. Therefore, measured differences in zonal starch are most likely related to starch accumulation during fruit development, rather than differences in rates of starch degradation during ripening. PMID:26504584

Involvement of Auxin and Brassinosteroid in Dwarfism of Autotetraploid Apple (Malus × domestica).

PubMed

Ma, Yue; Xue, Hao; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Feng; Ou, Chunqing; Wang, Feng; Zhang, Zhihong

2016-05-24

The plant height is an important trait in fruit tree. However, the molecular mechanism on dwarfism is still poorly understood. We found that colchicine-induced autotetraploid apple plants (Malus × domestica) exhibited a dwarf phenotype. The vertical length of cortical parenchyma cells was shorter in autotetraploids than in diploids, by observing paraffin sections. Hormone levels of indoleacetic acid (IAA) and brassinosteroid (BR) were significantly decreased in 3- and 5-year-old autotetraploid plants. Digital gene expression (DGE) analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in IAA and BR pathways. microRNA390 was significantly upregulated according to microarray analysis. Exogenous application of IAA and BR promoted stem elongation of both apple plants grown in medium. The results show that dwarfing in autotetraploid apple plants is most likely regulated by IAA and BR. The dwarf phenotype of autotetraploid apple plants could be due to accumulation of miR390 after genome doubling, leading to upregulation of apple trans-acting short-interfering RNA 3 (MdTAS3) expression, which in turn downregulates the expression of MdARF3. Overall, this leads to partial interruption of the IAA and BR signal transduction pathway. Our study provides important insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying dwarfism in autopolyploid apple plants.

Involvement of Auxin and Brassinosteroid in Dwarfism of Autotetraploid Apple (Malus × domestica)

PubMed Central

Ma, Yue; Xue, Hao; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Feng; Ou, Chunqing; Wang, Feng; Zhang, Zhihong

2016-01-01

The plant height is an important trait in fruit tree. However, the molecular mechanism on dwarfism is still poorly understood. We found that colchicine-induced autotetraploid apple plants (Malus × domestica) exhibited a dwarf phenotype. The vertical length of cortical parenchyma cells was shorter in autotetraploids than in diploids, by observing paraffin sections. Hormone levels of indoleacetic acid (IAA) and brassinosteroid (BR) were significantly decreased in 3- and 5-year-old autotetraploid plants. Digital gene expression (DGE) analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in IAA and BR pathways. microRNA390 was significantly upregulated according to microarray analysis. Exogenous application of IAA and BR promoted stem elongation of both apple plants grown in medium. The results show that dwarfing in autotetraploid apple plants is most likely regulated by IAA and BR. The dwarf phenotype of autotetraploid apple plants could be due to accumulation of miR390 after genome doubling, leading to upregulation of apple trans-acting short-interfering RNA 3 (MdTAS3) expression, which in turn downregulates the expression of MdARF3. Overall, this leads to partial interruption of the IAA and BR signal transduction pathway. Our study provides important insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying dwarfism in autopolyploid apple plants. PMID:27216878

Genomewide identification and expression analysis of the ARF gene family in apple.

PubMed

Luo, Xiao-Cui; Sun, Mei-Hong; Xu, Rui-Rui; Shu, Huai-Rui; Wang, Jia-Wei; Zhang, Shi-Zhong

2014-12-01

Auxin response factors (ARF) are transcription factors that regulate auxin responses in plants. Although the genomewide analysis of this family has been performed in some species, little is known regarding ARF genes in apple (Malus domestica). In this study, 31 putative apple ARF genes have been identified and located within the apple genome. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that MdARFs could be divided into three subfamilies (groups I, II and III). The predicted MdARFs were distributed across 15 of 17 chromosomes with different densities. In addition, the analysis of exon-intron junctions and of the intron phase inside the predicted coding region of each candidate gene has revealed high levels of conservation within and between phylogenetic groups. Expression profile analyses of MdARF genes were performed in different tissues (root, stem, leaf, flower and fruit), and all the selected genes were expressed in at least one of the tissues that were tested, which indicated that MdARFs are involved in various aspects of physiological and developmental processes of apple. To our knowledge, this report is the first to provide a genomewide analysis of the apple ARF gene family. This study provides valuable information for understanding the classification and putative functions of the ARF signal in apple.

Genome-wide identification and analysis of the MADS-box gene family in apple.

PubMed

Tian, Yi; Dong, Qinglong; Ji, Zhirui; Chi, Fumei; Cong, Peihua; Zhou, Zongshan

2015-01-25

The MADS-box gene family is one of the most widely studied families in plants and has diverse developmental roles in flower pattern formation, gametophyte cell division and fruit differentiation. Although the genome-wide analysis of this family has been performed in some species, little is known regarding MADS-box genes in apple (Malus domestica). In this study, 146 MADS-box genes were identified in the apple genome and were phylogenetically clustered into six subgroups (MIKC(c), MIKC*, Mα, Mβ, Mγ and Mδ) with the MADS-box genes from Arabidopsis and rice. The predicted apple MADS-box genes were distributed across all 17 chromosomes at different densities. Additionally, the MADS-box domain, exon length, gene structure and motif compositions of the apple MADS-box genes were analysed. Moreover, the expression of all of the apple MADS-box genes was analysed in the root, stem, leaf, flower tissues and five stages of fruit development. All of the apple MADS-box genes, with the exception of some genes in each group, were expressed in at least one of the tissues tested, which indicates that the MADS-box genes are involved in various aspects of the physiological and developmental processes of the apple. To the best of our knowledge, this report describes the first genome-wide analysis of the apple MADS-box gene family, and the results should provide valuable information for understanding the classification, cloning and putative functions of this family. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Traits and trade-offs in whole-tree hydraulic architecture along the vertical axis of Eucalyptus grandis.

PubMed

Pfautsch, Sebastian; Aspinwall, Michael J; Drake, John E; Chacon-Doria, Larissa; Langelaan, Rob J A; Tissue, David T; Tjoelker, Mark G; Lens, Frederic

2018-01-25

Sapwood traits like vessel diameter and intervessel pit characteristics play key roles in maintaining hydraulic integrity of trees. Surprisingly little is known about how sapwood traits covary with tree height and how such trait-based variation could affect the efficiency of water transport in tall trees. This study presents a detailed analysis of structural and functional traits along the vertical axes of tall Eucalyptus grandis trees. To assess a wide range of anatomical and physiological traits, light and electron microscopy was used, as well as field measurements of tree architecture, water use, stem water potential and leaf area distribution. Strong apical dominance of water transport resulted in increased volumetric water supply per unit leaf area with tree height. This was realized by continued narrowing (from 250 to 20 µm) and an exponential increase in frequency (from 600 to 13 000 cm-2) of vessels towards the apex. The widest vessels were detected at least 4 m above the stem base, where they were associated with the thickest intervessel pit membranes. In addition, this study established the lower limit of pit membrane thickness in tall E. grandis at ~375 nm. This minimum thickness was maintained over a large distance in the upper stem, where vessel diameters continued to narrow. The analyses of xylem ultrastructure revealed complex, synchronized trait covariation and trade-offs with increasing height in E. grandis. Anatomical traits related to xylem vessels and those related to architecture of pit membranes were found to increase efficiency and apical dominance of water transport. This study underlines the importance of studying tree hydraulic functioning at organismal scale. Results presented here will improve understanding height-dependent structure-function patterns in tall trees. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Integrated analyses using RNA-Seq data reveal viral genomes, single nucleotide variations, the phylogenetic relationship, and recombination for Apple stem grooving virus.

PubMed

Jo, Yeonhwa; Choi, Hoseong; Kim, Sang-Min; Kim, Sun-Lim; Lee, Bong Choon; Cho, Won Kyong

2016-08-09

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) provides many possibilities for plant virology research. In this study, we performed integrated analyses using plant transcriptome data for plant virus identification using Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) as an exemplar virus. We used 15 publicly available transcriptome libraries from three different studies, two mRNA-Seq studies and a small RNA-Seq study. We de novo assembled nearly complete genomes of ASGV isolates Fuji and Cuiguan from apple and pear transcriptomes, respectively, and identified single nucleotide variations (SNVs) of ASGV within the transcriptomes. We demonstrated the application of NGS raw data to confirm viral infections in the plant transcriptomes. In addition, we compared the usability of two de novo assemblers, Trinity and Velvet, for virus identification and genome assembly. A phylogenetic tree revealed that ASGV and Citrus tatter leaf virus (CTLV) are the same virus, which was divided into two clades. Recombination analyses identified six recombination events from 21 viral genomes. Taken together, our in silico analyses using NGS data provide a successful application of plant transcriptomes to reveal extensive information associated with viral genome assembly, SNVs, phylogenetic relationships, and genetic recombination.

Cell Wall-Degrading Enzymes Enlarge the Pore Size of Intervessel Pit Membranes in Healthy and Xylella fastidiosa-Infected Grapevines1[C][W][OA

PubMed Central

Pérez-Donoso, Alonso G.; Sun, Qiang; Roper, M. Caroline; Greve, L. Carl; Kirkpatrick, Bruce; Labavitch, John M.

2010-01-01

The pit membrane (PM) is a primary cell wall barrier that separates adjacent xylem water conduits, limiting the spread of xylem-localized pathogens and air embolisms from one conduit to the next. This paper provides a characterization of the size of the pores in the PMs of grapevine (Vitis vinifera). The PM porosity (PMP) of stems infected with the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa was compared with the PMP of healthy stems. Stems were infused with pressurized water and flow rates were determined; gold particles of known size were introduced with the water to assist in determining the size of PM pores. The effect of introducing trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid (CDTA), oligogalacturonides, and polygalacturonic acid into stems on water flux via the xylem was also measured. The possibility that cell wall-degrading enzymes could alter the pore sizes, thus facilitating the ability of X. fastidiosa to cross the PMs, was tested. Two cell wall-degrading enzymes likely to be produced by X. fastidiosa (polygalactuoronase and endo-1,4- β -glucanase) were infused into stems, and particle passage tests were performed to check for changes in PMP. Scanning electron microscopy of control and enzyme-infused stem segments revealed that the combination of enzymes opened holes in PMs, probably explaining enzyme impacts on PMP and how a small X. fastidiosa population, introduced into grapevines by insect vectors, can multiply and spread throughout the vine and cause Pierce's disease. PMID:20107028

Whole surface image reconstruction for machine vision inspection of fruit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reese, D. Y.; Lefcourt, A. M.; Kim, M. S.; Lo, Y. M.

2007-09-01

Automated imaging systems offer the potential to inspect the quality and safety of fruits and vegetables consumed by the public. Current automated inspection systems allow fruit such as apples to be sorted for quality issues including color and size by looking at a portion of the surface of each fruit. However, to inspect for defects and contamination, the whole surface of each fruit must be imaged. The goal of this project was to develop an effective and economical method for whole surface imaging of apples using mirrors and a single camera. Challenges include mapping the concave stem and calyx regions. To allow the entire surface of an apple to be imaged, apples were suspended or rolled above the mirrors using two parallel music wires. A camera above the apples captured 90 images per sec (640 by 480 pixels). Single or multiple flat or concave mirrors were mounted around the apple in various configurations to maximize surface imaging. Data suggest that the use of two flat mirrors provides inadequate coverage of a fruit but using two parabolic concave mirrors allows the entire surface to be mapped. Parabolic concave mirrors magnify images, which results in greater pixel resolution and reduced distortion. This result suggests that a single camera with two parabolic concave mirrors can be a cost-effective method for whole surface imaging.

Installation Restoration Program Information Management System (IRPIMS) Data Loading Handbook. Version 2.1

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

STEEL STL STEEL TFL TEFLON TIL TILE WD WOOD WRI WROUGHT IRON Z OTHER A-14 coam Bc~ai=L a TEST PIT ois rn iEI AR AIR - ROTARY 8 BORED OR AUGERED C CABLE-TOOL...CO CORING Cs CHILLED SHOT D DUG DH DOWN THE HOLE HAMMER HA HAND AUGERED HS HOLLOW STEM AUGER J JETTED MR DIRECT CIRCULATION ROTARY , MUD p AIR ...INSTITUTE WARI WATER AND AIR RESEARCH. INC. WIL WILSON AND CO. A-18 M 0E 7 PIT E V/n.. CK: N’Y ESCI ENGINEERING -SCIENCE NA NOT APPLICABLE RB MR

40 CFR 180.532 - Cyprodinil; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... commodities: Commodity Parts per million Almond 0.02 Almond, hulls 8.0 Apple, wet pomace 0.15 Avocado 1.2 Bean, dry 0.6 Bean, succulent 0.6 Brassica, head and stem, subgroup 5A 1.0 Brassica, leafy greens, subgroup...

iTRAQ-Based Proteomic Analysis Reveals Potential Regulation Networks of IBA-Induced Adventitious Root Formation in Apple

PubMed Central

Lei, Chao; Fan, Sheng; Li, Ke; Meng, Yuan; Mao, Jiangping; Han, Mingyu; Zhao, Caiping; Bao, Lu; Zhang, Dong

2018-01-01

Adventitious root (AR) formation, which is controlled by endogenous and environmental factors, is indispensable for vegetative asexual propagation. However, comprehensive proteomic data on AR formation are still lacking. The aim of this work was to study indole-3-butyric acid (IBA)-induced AR formation in the dwarf apple rootstock ‘T337’. In this study, the effect of IBA on AR formation was analysed. Subsequent to treatment with IBA, both the rooting rate and root length of ‘T337’ increased significantly. An assessment of hormone levels in basal stem cuttings suggested that auxin, abscisic acid, and brassinolide were higher in basal stem cuttings that received the exogenous IBA application; while zeatin riboside, gibberellins, and jasmonic acid were lower than non-treated basal stem cuttings. To explore the underlying molecular mechanism, an isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ)-based proteomic technique was employed to identify the expression profiles of proteins at a key period of adventitious root induction (three days after IBA treatment). In total, 3355 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified. Many DEPs were closely related to carbohydrate metabolism and energy production, protein homeostasis, reactive oxygen and nitric oxide signaling, and cell wall remodeling biological processes; as well as the phytohormone signaling, which was the most critical process in response to IBA treatment. Further, RT-qPCR analysis was used to evaluate the expression level of nine genes that are involved in phytohormone signaling and their transcriptional levels were mostly in accordance with the protein patterns. Finally, a putative work model was proposed. Our study establishes a foundation for further research and sheds light on IBA-mediated AR formation in apple as well as other fruit rootstock cuttings. PMID:29495482

Characterization of host-dependent mutations of apple fruit crinkle viroid replicating in newly identified experimental hosts suggests maintenance of stem-loop structures in the left-hand half of the molecule is important for replication.

PubMed

Suzuki, Takahiro; Fujibayashi, Misato; Hataya, Tatsuji; Taneda, Akito; He, Ying-Hong; Tsushima, Taro; Duraisamy, Ganesh Selvaraj; Siglová, Kristyna; Matoušek, Jaroslav; Sano, Teruo

2017-03-01

Apple fruit crinkle viroid (AFCVd) is a tentative member of the genus Apscaviroid, family Pospiviroidae. AFCVd has a narrow host range and is known to infect apple, hop and persimmon as natural hosts. In this study, tomato, cucumber and wild hop have been identified as new experimental herbaceous hosts. Foliar symptoms were very mild or virtually undetectable, but fruits of infected tomato were small, cracked and distorted. These symptoms resemble those observed on some AFCVd-sensitive apple cultivars. After transfer to tomato, cucumber and wild hop, sequence changes were detected in a natural AFCVd isolate from hop, and major variants in tomato, cucumber and wild hop differed in 10, 8 or 2 nucleotides, respectively, from the predominant one in the inoculum. The major variants in tomato and cucumber were almost identical, and the one in wild hop was very similar to the one in cultivated hop. Detailed analyses of the host-dependent sequence changes that appear in a naturally occurring AFCVd isolate from hop after transfer to tomato using small RNA deep sequence data and infectivity studies with dimeric RNA transcripts followed by progeny analysis indicate that the major AFCVd variant in tomato emerged by selection of a minor variant present in the inoculum (i.e. hop) followed by one to two host-dependent de novo mutations. Comparison of the secondary structures of major variants in hop, tomato and persimmon after transfer to tomato suggested that maintenance of stem-loop structures in the left-hand half of the molecule is critical for infection.

A role of the Lowe syndrome protein OCRL in early steps of the endocytic pathway

PubMed Central

Erdmann, Kai S.; Mao, Yuxin; McCrea, Heather J.; Zoncu, Roberto; Lee, Sangyoon; Paradise, Summer; Modregger, Jan; Biemesderfer, Daniel; Toomre, Derek; De Camilli, Pietro

2007-01-01

Mutations in the inositol 5-phosphatase OCRL are responsible for Lowe syndrome, whose manifestations include mental retardation and renal Fanconi syndrome. OCRL has been implicated in membrane traffic, but disease mechanisms remain unclear. We show that OCRL visits late stage endocytic clathrin coated pits and binds the Rab5 effector APPL1 on peripheral early endosomes. The interaction with APPL1, which is mediated by the ASH-RhoGAP-like domains of OCRL and is abolished by disease mutations, provides a link to protein networks implicated in the reabsorptive function of kidney and in traffic and signaling of growth factor receptors in brain. Crystallographic studies reveal a role of the ASH-RhoGAP-like domains in positioning the phosphatase domain at the membrane interface and a clathrin box protruding from the RhoGAP-like domain. Our results support a role of OCRL in the early endocytic pathway consistent with the predominant localization of its preferred substrates, PI(4,5)P2 and PI(3,4,5)P3, at the cell surface. PMID:17765681

Non-destructive Measurement of Calcium and Potassium in Apple and Pear Using Handheld X-ray Fluorescence

PubMed Central

Kalcsits, Lee A.

2016-01-01

Calcium and potassium are essential for cell signaling, ion homeostasis and cell wall strength in plants. Unlike nutrients such as nitrogen and potassium, calcium is immobile in plants. Localized calcium deficiencies result in agricultural losses; particularly for fleshy horticultural crops in which elemental imbalances in fruit contribute to the development of physiological disorders such as bitter pit in apple and cork spot in pear. Currently, elemental analysis of plant tissue is destructive, time consuming and costly. This is a limitation for nutrition studies related to calcium in plants. Handheld portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) can be used to non-destructively measure elemental concentrations. The main objective was to test if handheld XRF can be used for semi-quantitative calcium and potassium analysis of in-tact apple and pear. Semi-quantitative measurements for individual fruit were compared to results obtained from traditional lab analysis. Here, we observed significant correlations between handheld XRF measurements of calcium and potassium and concentrations determined using MP-AES lab analysis. Pearson correlation coefficients ranged from 0.73 and 0.97. Furthermore, measuring apple and pear using handheld XRF identified spatial variability in calcium and potassium concentrations on the surface of individual fruit. This variability may contribute to the development of localized nutritional imbalances. This highlights the importance of understanding spatial and temporal variability in elemental concentrations in plant tissue. Handheld XRF is a relatively high-throughput approach for measuring calcium and potassium in plant tissue. It can be used in conjunction with traditional lab analysis to better understand spatial and temporal patterns in calcium and potassium uptake and distribution within an organ, plant or across the landscape. PMID:27092160

Molecular and biological characterization of a novel mild strain of citrus tristeza virus in California

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Strain differentiating marker profiles of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) isolates from California indicated presence of genetic variation and bioindexing showed at least two phenotypes: mild and seedling yellows (SY)/stem pitting (SP). To define the genetic diversity involved, full-length genome sequen...

Genome-wide identification and analysis of the SBP-box family genes in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.).

PubMed

Li, Jun; Hou, Hongmin; Li, Xiaoqin; Xiang, Jiang; Yin, Xiangjing; Gao, Hua; Zheng, Yi; Bassett, Carole L; Wang, Xiping

2013-09-01

SQUAMOSA promoter binding protein (SBP)-box genes encode a family of plant-specific transcription factors and play many crucial roles in plant development. In this study, 27 SBP-box gene family members were identified in the apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) genome, 15 of which were suggested to be putative targets of MdmiR156. Plant SBPs were classified into eight groups according to the phylogenetic analysis of SBP-domain proteins. Gene structure, gene chromosomal location and synteny analyses of MdSBP genes within the apple genome demonstrated that tandem and segmental duplications, as well as whole genome duplications, have likely contributed to the expansion and evolution of the SBP-box gene family in apple. Additionally, synteny analysis between apple and Arabidopsis indicated that several paired homologs of MdSBP and AtSPL genes were located in syntenic genomic regions. Tissue-specific expression analysis of MdSBP genes in apple demonstrated their diversified spatiotemporal expression patterns. Most MdmiR156-targeted MdSBP genes, which had relatively high transcript levels in stems, leaves, apical buds and some floral organs, exhibited a more differential expression pattern than most MdmiR156-nontargeted MdSBP genes. Finally, expression analysis of MdSBP genes in leaves upon various plant hormone treatments showed that many MdSBP genes were responsive to different plant hormones, indicating that MdSBP genes may be involved in responses to hormone signaling during stress or in apple development. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Multidimensional protein identification technology (MudPIT): technical overview of a profiling method optimized for the comprehensive proteomic investigation of normal and diseased heart tissue.

PubMed

Kislinger, Thomas; Gramolini, Anthony O; MacLennan, David H; Emili, Andrew

2005-08-01

An optimized analytical expression profiling strategy based on gel-free multidimensional protein identification technology (MudPIT) is reported for the systematic investigation of biochemical (mal)-adaptations associated with healthy and diseased heart tissue. Enhanced shotgun proteomic detection coverage and improved biological inference is achieved by pre-fractionation of excised mouse cardiac muscle into subcellular components, with each organellar fraction investigated exhaustively using multiple repeat MudPIT analyses. Functional-enrichment, high-confidence identification, and relative quantification of hundreds of organelle- and tissue-specific proteins are achieved readily, including detection of low abundance transcriptional regulators, signaling factors, and proteins linked to cardiac disease. Important technical issues relating to data validation, including minimization of artifacts stemming from biased under-sampling and spurious false discovery, together with suggestions for further fine-tuning of sample preparation, are discussed. A framework for follow-up bioinformatic examination, pattern recognition, and data mining is also presented in the context of a stringent application of MudPIT for probing fundamental aspects of heart muscle physiology as well as the discovery of perturbations associated with heart failure.

Molecular characterization of Peruvian Citrus tristeza virus isolates based on 3’UTR sequences

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Citrus in Peru was decimated by quick decline and stem pitting strains of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV). Commercial citrus production in Peru is being restored by use of CTV cross-protection. To characterize the predominant CTV strains involved, Peruvian CTV isolates from “protected” and “non-protecti...

Construction and biological activities of the first infectious cDNA clones of the genus Foveavirus

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meng, Baozhong, E-mail: bmeng@uoguelph.ca; Venkataraman, Srividhya; Li, Caihong

Grapevine rupestris stem pitting-associated virus (GRSPaV, genus Foveavirus, family Betaflexiviridae) is one of the most prevalent viruses in grapevines and is associated with three distinct diseases: rupestris stem pitting, vein necrosis and Syrah decline. Little is known about the biology and pathological properties of GRSPaV. In this work, we engineered a full-length infectious cDNA clone for GRSPaV and a GFP-tagged variant, both under the transcriptional control of Cauliflower mosaic virus 35 S promoter. We demonstrated that these cDNA clones were infectious in grapevines and Nicotiana benthamiana through fluorescence microscopy, RT-PCR, Western blotting and immuno electron microscopy. Interestingly, GRSPaV does notmore » cause systemic infection in four of the most commonly used herbaceous plants, even in the presence of the movement proteins of two other viruses which are known to complement numerous movement-defective viruses. These infectious clones are the first of members of Foveavirus which would allow further investigations into mechanisms governing different aspects of replication for GRSPaV and perhaps related viruses.« less

Two distinct major QTL for resistance to fire blight co-localize on linkage group 12 in apple genotypes 'Evereste' and Malus floribunda clone 821.

PubMed

Durel, C-E; Denancé, C; Brisset, M-N

2009-02-01

Fire blight, caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, is one of the most destructive diseases of apple (Malus xdomestica) worldwide. No major, qualitative gene for resistance to this disease has been identified so far in apple. A quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis was performed in two F1 progenies derived from two controled crosses: one between the susceptible rootstock cultivar 'MM106' and the resistant ornamental cultivar 'Evereste' and the other one between the moderately susceptible cultivar 'Golden Delicious' and the wild apple Malus floribunda clone 821, with unknown level of fire blight resistance. Both progenies were inoculated in the greenhouse with the same reference strain of E. amylovora. The length of stem necrosis was scored 7 and 14 days after inoculation. A strong QTL effect was identified in both 'Evereste' and M. floribunda 821 at a similar position on the distal region of linkage group 12 of the apple genome. From 50% to 70% of the phenotypic variation was explained by the QTL in 'Evereste' progeny according to the scored trait. More than 40% of the phenotypic variation was explained by the M. floribunda QTL in the second progeny. It was shown that 'Evereste' and M. floribunda 821 carried distinct QTL alleles at that genomic position. A small additional QTL was identified in 'Evereste' on linkage group 15, which explained about 6% of the phenotypic variation. Although it was not possible to confirm whether or not 'Evereste' and M. floribunda QTL belonged to the same locus or two distinct closely related loci, these QTL can be valuable targets in marker-assisted selection to obtain fire blight resistant apple cultivars and form a starting point for discovering the function of the genes controlling apple fire blight resistance.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of MAPK and MAPKK gene family in Malus domestica.

PubMed

Zhang, Shizhong; Xu, Ruirui; Luo, Xiaocui; Jiang, Zesheng; Shu, Huairui

2013-12-01

MAPK signal transduction modules play crucial roles in regulating many biological processes in plants, which are composed of three classes of hierarchically organized protein kinases, namely MAPKKKs, MAPKKs, and MAPKs. Although genome-wide analysis of this family has been carried out in some species, little is known about MAPK and MAPKK genes in apple (Malus domestica). In this study, a total of 26 putative apple MAPK genes (MdMPKs) and 9 putative apple MAPKK genes (MdMKKs) have been identified and located within the apple genome. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that MdMAPKs and MdMAPKKs could be divided into 4 subfamilies (groups A, B, C and D), respectively. The predicted MdMAPKs and MdMAPKKs were distributed across 13 out of 17 chromosomes with different densities. In addition, analysis of exon-intron junctions and of intron phase inside the predicted coding region of each candidate gene has revealed high levels of conservation within and between phylogenetic groups. According to the microarray and expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis, the different expression patterns indicate that they may play different roles during fruit development and rootstock-scion interaction process. Moreover, MAPK and MAPKK genes were performed expression profile analyses in different tissues (root, stem, leaf, flower and fruit), and all of the selected genes were expressed in at least one of the tissues tested, indicating that the MAPKs and MAPKKs are involved in various aspects of physiological and developmental processes of apple. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a genome-wide analysis of the apple MAPK and MAPKK gene family. This study provides valuable information for understanding the classification and putative functions of the MAPK signal in apple. © 2013.

Production of apple-based baby food: changes in pesticide residues.

PubMed

Kovacova, Jana; Kocourek, Vladimir; Kohoutkova, Jana; Lansky, Miroslav; Hajslova, Jana

2014-01-01

Apples represent the main component of most fruit-based baby food products. Since not only fruit from organic farming, but also conventionally grown fruit is used for baby food production, the occurrence of pesticide residues in the final product is of high concern. To learn more about the fate of these hazardous compounds during processing of contaminated raw material, apples containing altogether 21 pesticide residues were used for preparation of a baby food purée both in the household and at industrial scale (in the baby food production facility). Within both studies, pesticide residues were determined in raw apples as well as in final products. Intermediate product and by-product were also analysed during the industrial process. Determination of residues was performed by a sensitive multi-detection analytical method based on liquid or gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The household procedure involved mainly the cooking of unpeeled apples, and the decrease of residues was not extensive enough for most of the studied pesticides; only residues of captan, dithianon and thiram dropped significantly (processing factors less than 0.04). On the other hand, changes in pesticide levels were substantial for all tested pesticides during apple processing in the industrial baby food production facility. The most important operation affecting the reduction of residues was removal of the by-products after pulping (rest of the peel, stem, pips etc.), while subsequent sterilisation has an insignificant effect. Also in this case, captan, dithianon and thiram were identified as pesticides with the most evident decrease of residues.

Tracing a key player in the regulation of plant architecture: the columnar growth habit of apple trees (Malus × domestica).

PubMed

Petersen, Romina; Krost, Clemens

2013-07-01

Plant architecture is regulated by a complex interplay of some key players (often transcription factors), phytohormones and other signaling molecules such as microRNAs. The columnar growth habit of apple trees is a unique form of plant architecture characterized by thick and upright stems showing a compaction of internodes and carrying short fruit spurs instead of lateral branches. The molecular basis for columnar growth is a single dominant allele of the gene Columnar, whose identity, function and gene product are unknown. As a result of marker analyses, this gene has recently been fine-mapped to chromosome 10 at 18.51-19.09 Mb [according to the annotation of the apple genome by Velasco (2010)], a region containing a cluster of quantitative trait loci associated with plant architecture, but no homologs to the well-known key regulators of plant architecture. Columnar apple trees have a higher auxin/cytokinin ratio and lower levels of gibberellins and abscisic acid than normal apple trees. Transcriptome analyses corroborate these results and additionally show differences in cell membrane and cell wall function. It can be expected that within the next year or two, an integration of these different research methodologies will reveal the identity of the Columnar gene. Besides enabling breeders to efficiently create new apple (and maybe related pear, peach, cherry, etc.) cultivars which combine desirable characteristics of commercial cultivars with the advantageous columnar growth habit using gene technology, this will also provide new insights into an elevated level of plant growth regulation.

RNA interference silencing of CHS greatly alters the growth pattern of apple (Malus x domestica).

PubMed

Dare, Andrew P; Hellens, Roger P

2013-08-01

Plants produce a vast array of phenolic compounds which are essential for their survival on land. One major class of polyphenols are the flavonoids and their formation is dependent on the enzyme chalcone synthase (CHS). In a recent study we silenced the CHS genes of apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) and observed a loss of pigmentation in the fruit skin, flowers and stems. More surprisingly, highly silenced lines were significantly reduced in size, with small leaves and shortened internode lengths. Chemical analysis also revealed that the transgenic shoots contained greatly reduced concentrations of flavonoids which are known to modulate auxin flow. An auxin transport study verified this, with an increased auxin transport in the CHS-silenced lines. Overall, these findings suggest that auxin transport in apple has adapted to take place in the presence of high endogenous concentrations of flavonoids. Removal of these compounds therefore results in abnormal auxin movement and a highly disrupted growth pattern.

Ordering mechanisms of periodic stripe arrays on boron-doped Si(100)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ermanoski, Ivan; Kellogg, Gary; Bartelt, Norman

2009-03-01

We have used low energy electron microscopy to determine the factors that control the degree of order in self-assembled periodic stripe arrays on the atomically flat Si(100) with high boron doping. The stripes consist of extremely elongated vacancy islands of single atomic height, formed at ˜900C, confined in micrometer-sized pits. ``Perfect'' arrays of parallel stripes (in pits of up to ˜10um in size) were formed by allowing various defects to heal over relatively long periods of time. Sublimation was compensated for by an external Si doser, allowing observation of stripe evolution over the course of hours, with no net loss or gain of Si from the area of interest. Stripe formation and ordering mechanisms include spontaneous nucleation and growth of new islands, longitudinal splitting, as well as coarsening due to surface diffusion. Stripe periodicity depends on temperature, allowing for control of this property. Stripes are stable in a range of ˜100C, outside of which they assume the familiar shape of elongated islands, shaped by the anisotropy in step energy. Stripe order can be preserved to room temperature by quenching. References: [1] J.-F. Nielsen et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 79 (2001) 3857

Phase analysis for three-dimensional surface reconstruction of apples using structured-illumination reflectance imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Yuzhen; Lu, Renfu

2017-05-01

Three-dimensional (3-D) shape information is valuable for fruit quality evaluation. This study was aimed at developing phase analysis techniques for reconstruction of the 3-D surface of fruit from the pattern images acquired by a structuredillumination reflectance imaging (SIRI) system. Phase-shifted sinusoidal patterns, distorted by the fruit geometry, were acquired and processed through phase demodulation, phase unwrapping and other post-processing procedures to obtain phase difference maps relative to the phase of a reference plane. The phase maps were then transformed into height profiles and 3-D shapes in a world coordinate system based on phase-to-height and in-plane calibrations. A reference plane-based approach, coupled with the curve fitting technique using polynomials of order 3 or higher, was utilized for phase-to-height calibrations, which achieved superior accuracies with the root-mean-squared errors (RMSEs) of 0.027- 0.033 mm for a height measurement range of 0-91 mm. The 3rd-order polynomial curve fitting technique was further tested on two reference blocks with known heights, resulting in relative errors of 3.75% and 4.16%. In-plane calibrations were performed by solving a linear system formed by a number of control points in a calibration object, which yielded a RMSE of 0.311 mm. Tests of the calibrated system for reconstructing the surface of apple samples showed that surface concavities (i.e., stem/calyx regions) could be easily discriminated from bruises from the phase difference maps, reconstructed height profiles and the 3-D shape of apples. This study has laid a foundation for using SIRI for 3-D shape measurement, and thus expanded the capability of the technique for quality evaluation of horticultural products. Further research is needed to utilize the phase analysis techniques for stem/calyx detection of apples, and optimize the phase demodulation and unwrapping algorithms for faster and more reliable detection.

First Report of Neofusicoccum ribis causing postharvest decay of apple fruit from cold storage in Pennsylvania

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Neofusicoccum ribis (Slippers, Crous & M.J. Wingf.), previously known as Botryosphaeria ribis (Grossenb. & Duggar), is an aggressive fungal plant pathogen that is part of the N. ribis/N. parvum species complex that causes stem cankers on a variety of woody plant species. An isolate of N. ribis was ...

Methods and system for subsurface stabilization using jet grouting

DOEpatents

Loomis, Guy G.; Weidner, Jerry R.; Farnsworth, Richard K.; Gardner, Bradley M.; Jessmore, James J.

1999-01-01

Methods and systems are provided for stabilizing a subsurface area such as a buried waste pit for either long term storage, or interim storage and retrieval. A plurality of holes are drilled into the subsurface area with a high pressure drilling system provided with a drill stem having jet grouting nozzles. A grouting material is injected at high pressure through the jet grouting nozzles into a formed hole while the drill stem is withdrawn from the hole at a predetermined rate of rotation and translation. A grout-filled column is thereby formed with minimal grout returns, which when overlapped with other adjacent grout-filled columns encapsulates and binds the entire waste pit area to form a subsurface agglomeration or monolith of grout, soil, and waste. The formed monolith stabilizes the buried waste site against subsidence while simultaneously providing a barrier against contaminate migration. The stabilized monolith can be left permanently in place or can be retrieved if desired by using appropriate excavation equipment. The jet grouting technique can also be utilized in a pretreatment approach prior to in situ vitrification of a buried waste site. The waste encapsulation methods and systems are applicable to buried waste materials such as mixed waste, hazardous waste, or radioactive waste.

Concave Pit-Containing Scaffold Surfaces Improve Stem Cell-Derived Osteoblast Performance and Lead to Significant Bone Tissue Formation

PubMed Central

Cusella-De Angelis, Maria Gabriella; Laino, Gregorio; Piattelli, Adriano; Pacifici, Maurizio; De Rosa, Alfredo; Papaccio, Gianpaolo

2007-01-01

Background Scaffold surface features are thought to be important regulators of stem cell performance and endurance in tissue engineering applications, but details about these fundamental aspects of stem cell biology remain largely unclear. Methodology and Findings In the present study, smooth clinical-grade lactide-coglyolic acid 85:15 (PLGA) scaffolds were carved as membranes and treated with NMP (N-metil-pyrrolidone) to create controlled subtractive pits or microcavities. Scanning electron and confocal microscopy revealed that the NMP-treated membranes contained: (i) large microcavities of 80–120 µm in diameter and 40–100 µm in depth, which we termed primary; and (ii) smaller microcavities of 10–20 µm in diameter and 3–10 µm in depth located within the primary cavities, which we termed secondary. We asked whether a microcavity-rich scaffold had distinct bone-forming capabilities compared to a smooth one. To do so, mesenchymal stem cells derived from human dental pulp were seeded onto the two types of scaffold and monitored over time for cytoarchitectural characteristics, differentiation status and production of important factors, including bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We found that the microcavity-rich scaffold enhanced cell adhesion: the cells created intimate contact with secondary microcavities and were polarized. These cytological responses were not seen with the smooth-surface scaffold. Moreover, cells on the microcavity-rich scaffold released larger amounts of BMP-2 and VEGF into the culture medium and expressed higher alkaline phosphatase activity. When this type of scaffold was transplanted into rats, superior bone formation was elicited compared to cells seeded on the smooth scaffold. Conclusion In conclusion, surface microcavities appear to support a more vigorous osteogenic response of stem cells and should be used in the design of therapeutic substrates to improve bone repair and bioengineering applications in the future. PMID:17551577

Identification, Classification, and Expression Analysis of GRAS Gene Family in Malus domestica

PubMed Central

Fan, Sheng; Zhang, Dong; Gao, Cai; Zhao, Ming; Wu, Haiqin; Li, Youmei; Shen, Yawen; Han, Mingyu

2017-01-01

GRAS genes encode plant-specific transcription factors that play important roles in plant growth and development. However, little is known about the GRAS gene family in apple. In this study, 127 GRAS genes were identified in the apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) genome and named MdGRAS1 to MdGRAS127 according to their chromosomal locations. The chemical characteristics, gene structures and evolutionary relationships of the MdGRAS genes were investigated. The 127 MdGRAS genes could be grouped into eight subfamilies based on their structural features and phylogenetic relationships. Further analysis of gene structures, segmental and tandem duplication, gene phylogeny and tissue-specific expression with ArrayExpress database indicated their diversification in quantity, structure and function. We further examined the expression pattern of MdGRAS genes during apple flower induction with transcriptome sequencing. Eight higher MdGRAS (MdGRAS6, 26, 28, 44, 53, 64, 107, and 122) genes were surfaced. Further quantitative reverse transcription PCR indicated that the candidate eight genes showed distinct expression patterns among different tissues (leaves, stems, flowers, buds, and fruits). The transcription levels of eight genes were also investigated with various flowering related treatments (GA3, 6-BA, and sucrose) and different flowering varieties (Yanfu No. 6 and Nagafu No. 2). They all were affected by flowering-related circumstance and showed different expression level. Changes in response to these hormone or sugar related treatments indicated their potential involvement during apple flower induction. Taken together, our results provide rich resources for studying GRAS genes and their potential clues in genetic improvement of apple flowering, which enriches biological theories of GRAS genes in apple and their involvement in flower induction of fruit trees. PMID:28503152

Identification, Classification, and Expression Analysis of GRAS Gene Family in Malus domestica.

PubMed

Fan, Sheng; Zhang, Dong; Gao, Cai; Zhao, Ming; Wu, Haiqin; Li, Youmei; Shen, Yawen; Han, Mingyu

2017-01-01

GRAS genes encode plant-specific transcription factors that play important roles in plant growth and development. However, little is known about the GRAS gene family in apple. In this study, 127 GRAS genes were identified in the apple ( Malus domestica Borkh.) genome and named MdGRAS1 to MdGRAS127 according to their chromosomal locations. The chemical characteristics, gene structures and evolutionary relationships of the MdGRAS genes were investigated. The 127 MdGRAS genes could be grouped into eight subfamilies based on their structural features and phylogenetic relationships. Further analysis of gene structures, segmental and tandem duplication, gene phylogeny and tissue-specific expression with ArrayExpress database indicated their diversification in quantity, structure and function. We further examined the expression pattern of MdGRAS genes during apple flower induction with transcriptome sequencing. Eight higher MdGRAS ( MdGRAS6, 26, 28, 44, 53, 64, 107 , and 122 ) genes were surfaced. Further quantitative reverse transcription PCR indicated that the candidate eight genes showed distinct expression patterns among different tissues (leaves, stems, flowers, buds, and fruits). The transcription levels of eight genes were also investigated with various flowering related treatments (GA 3 , 6-BA, and sucrose) and different flowering varieties (Yanfu No. 6 and Nagafu No. 2). They all were affected by flowering-related circumstance and showed different expression level. Changes in response to these hormone or sugar related treatments indicated their potential involvement during apple flower induction. Taken together, our results provide rich resources for studying GRAS genes and their potential clues in genetic improvement of apple flowering, which enriches biological theories of GRAS genes in apple and their involvement in flower induction of fruit trees.

Comprehensive genomic analysis and expression profiling of diacylglycerol kinase gene family in Malus prunifolia (Willd.) Borkh.

PubMed

Li, Yali; Tan, Yanxiao; Shao, Yun; Li, Mingjun; Ma, Fengwang

2015-05-01

Diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) is a pivotal enzyme that phosphorylates diacylglycerol (DAG) to form phosphatidic acid (PA). The production of PA from phospholipase D (PLD) and the coupled phospholipase C (PLC)/DGK route is a critical signaling process in animal and plant cells. Next to PLD, DGK is the second most important generator of PA in biotic and abiotic stress responses. We identified 8 DGK members within the apple genome and all of their putative proteins contain one DGK catalytic domain and one DGK accessory domain. Four coding sequences were confirmed by cloning from Malus prunifolia. Phylogenetic and gene structure analyses showed that the apple DGK genes could be assigned to Clusters I, II, or III. Expression analysis of 6 of them revealed that their transcript levels were highest in stems. Some apple DGK genes were also significantly up-regulated in response to salt and drought stresses. This suggested their possible roles in plant defenses against environmental challenges. As a first step toward genome-wide analyses of the DGK genes in woody plants, our results imply that apple DGK genes are involved in the signaling of stress responses. These findings will contribute to further functional dissection of this gene family. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Health risk for children and adults consuming apples with pesticide residue.

PubMed

Lozowicka, Bozena

2015-01-01

The presence of pesticide residues in apples raises serious health concerns, especially when the fresh fruits are consumed by children, particularly vulnerable to the pesticide hazards. This study demonstrates the results from nine years of investigation (2005-2013) of 696 samples of Polish apples for 182 pesticides using gas and liquid chromatography and spectrophotometric techniques. Only 33.5% of the samples did not contain residues above the limit of detection. In 66.5% of the samples, 34 pesticides were detected, of which maximum residue level (MRL) was exceeded in 3%. Multiple residues were present in 35% of the samples with two to six pesticides, and one sample contained seven compounds. A study of the health risk for children, adults and the general population consuming apples with these pesticides was performed. The pesticide residue data have been combined with the consumption of apples in the 97.5 percentile and the mean diet. A deterministic model was used to assess the chronic and acute exposures that are based on the average and high concentrations of residues. Additionally, the "worst-case scenario" and "optimistic case scenario" were used to assess the chronic risk. In certain cases, the total dietary pesticide intake calculated from the residue levels observed in apples exceeds the toxicological criteria. Children were the group most exposed to the pesticides, and the greatest short-term hazard stemmed from flusilazole at 624%, dimethoate at 312%, tebuconazole at 173%, and chlorpyrifos methyl and captan with 104% Acute Reference Dose (ARfD) each. In the cumulative chronic exposure, among the 17 groups of compounds studied, organophosphate insecticides constituted 99% acceptable daily intake (ADI). The results indicate that the occurrence of pesticide residues in apples could not be considered a serious public health problem. Nevertheless, an investigation into continuous monitoring and tighter regulation of pesticide residues is recommended. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Secondary STEM Education: "Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China". The Progress of Education Reform. Volume 9, Number 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zinth, Kyle

2008-01-01

America's advantage has historically been its people's creativity, flexibility and entrepreneurship. But just as painters need to be proficient in technique and theory to produce great masterpieces, the next generation of Americans will likely require a solid grounding in mathematics and science for their creativity to be maximized in a world…

Hydraulic resistance components of mature apple trees on rootstocks of different vigours.

PubMed

Cohen, Shabtai; Naor, Amos; Bennink, John; Grava, Avraham; Tyree, Melvin

2007-01-01

Dwarfing of fruit trees is often achieved through the use of dwarfing rootstocks. Dwarf trees are characterized by sustained reductions in vegetative growth during the lifetime of the tree. The dwarfing mechanism is not well understood, but it has been hypothesized that hydraulic properties of the rootstock and the graft union are involved. It is hypothesized here that leaf- or stem-specific resistance of at least one hydraulic component of the water transport system would be negatively correlated with rootstock 'vigour', and this could be useful for selection of rootstocks. Hydraulic resistance (R) of fully grown apple trees on a variety of rootstocks of different 'vigours' was measured. Most measurements were with the evaporative flux (EF) method, where water uptake measured with sap flow sensors was related to the pressure gradient from soil (taken as pre-dawn leaf) and midday root (taken as covered root-sucker), stem (from covered leaf), and exposed and shaded leaf water potentials (Psi(l)). R of trees on dwarfing M9 rootstock was compared with that of more vigorous MM106 and MM111 rootstocks in Israel and Vermont, USA. In Israel, M9 consistently had higher leaf-specific hydraulic resistance (R(l)) in the soil to scion stem pathway, but this difference was only significant for one summer. R was larger in M9 between the root and stem, implicating the graft union as the site of increased resistance. In Vermont, R(l) of 9- and 10-year-old trees on six rootstocks of various vigours was not consistently related to vigour, and stem-specific resistance (R(s)) increased with increasing vigour. High pressure flow meter (HPFM) measurements gave a lower R than the EF method in all but one case, perhaps indicating a significant amount of xylem dysfunction in these trees, and demonstrated the increased resistivity of stem sections that included dwarf graft unions as compared with non-graft stem sections. It is concluded that stem- and leaf-specific R are not consistently positively correlated with dwarfing, although the increased resistivity of the graft union in dwarfing rootstocks may influence the transport of water and other elements across the graft union, and therefore be involved in the dwarfing mechanism.

Biorevitalizing effect of a novel facial serum containing apple stem cell extract, pro-collagen lipopeptide, creatine, and urea on skin aging signs.

PubMed

Sanz, Maria Teresa; Campos, Celia; Milani, Massimo; Foyaca, Monica; Lamy, Amandine; Kurdian, Karine; Trullas, Carles

2016-03-01

Epithelial regeneration in skin is achieved by the constant turnover and differentiation of keratinocytes. Epidermal and dermal stem cells compartments are fundamental for the continuous renewal of the skin. Adult stem cells are the unique source for skin tissue renewal. Plants have stem cells and plant derived stem cell extracts are now used in topical products for their potential anti-ageing and anti-wrinkle effects. A new dermocosmetic product containing apple stem cell extract, urea, creatine and palmitoyl tripeptide-38 (Ureadin Fusion Serum Lift Antiarrugas, ISDIN S.A), has been recently developed to target different aspects involved in skin aging. To assess in vitro the effects of this new serum on the metabolic functions of human senescent fibroblasts and in vivo the anti-aging effects by clinical and instrumental evaluation. We evaluated the effects of the serum on the mitochondrial ROS (reactive oxygen species) production in human senescent cultured fibroblasts measured at 0.1% and 1% using the Mitoread AntiOx mtROS method. In addition we evaluated the anti-ageing in vivo effect of this new serum applied on the face twice daily for 28 consecutive days and assessed by clinical and instrumental evaluation in 32 women with sensitive skin bearing wrinkles on crow's feet. The tested serum both at 0.1% and 1% induces a significant increase in 02 consumption, cellular ATP level and a reduction in extra-cellular lactate concentration. The product reduces also significantly the mitochondrial ROS production. The clinical study shows a relevant anti-wrinkle effect in 71% of the treated women with visible effects in 68% of the subjects as soon as 7 days of treatment. A significant increase in dermal density and skin elasticity was also observed. The use of this novel anti-aging serum demonstrated a significant improvement of aging skin signs with first visible results achieved after one week of use. The product seemed to optimize the metabolic functions in human senescent cultured fibroblast restoring a more efficient cell metabolism therefore contributing to the anti-aging properties of the product. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Characterization of retroviral infectivity and superinfection resistance during retrovirus-mediated transduction of mammalian cells.

PubMed

Liao, J; Wei, Q; Fan, J; Zou, Y; Song, D; Liu, J; Liu, F; Ma, C; Hu, X; Li, L; Yu, Y; Qu, X; Chen, L; Yu, X; Zhang, Z; Zhao, C; Zeng, Z; Zhang, R; Yan, S; Wu, T; Wu, X; Shu, Y; Lei, J; Li, Y; Zhang, W; Wang, J; Reid, R R; Lee, M J; Huang, W; Wolf, J M; He, T-C; Wang, J

2017-06-01

Retroviral vectors including lentiviral vectors are commonly used tools to stably express transgenes or RNA molecules in mammalian cells. Their utilities are roughly divided into two categories, stable overexpression of transgenes and RNA molecules, which requires maximal transduction efficiency, or functional selection with retrovirus (RV)-based libraries, which takes advantage of retroviral superinfection resistance. However, the dynamic features of RV-mediated transduction are not well characterized. Here, we engineered two murine stem cell virus-based retroviral vectors expressing dual fluorescence proteins and antibiotic markers, and analyzed virion production efficiency and virion stability, dynamic infectivity and superinfection resistance in different cell types, and strategies to improve transduction efficiency. We found that the highest virion production occurred between 60 and 72 h after transfection. The stability of the collected virion supernatant decreased by >60% after 3 days in storage. We found that RV infectivity varied drastically in the tested human cancer lines, while low transduction efficiency was partially overcome with increased virus titer, prolonged infection duration and/or repeated infections. Furthermore, we demonstrated that RV receptors PIT1 and PIT2 were lowly expressed in the analyzed cells, and that PIT1 and/or PIT2 overexpression significantly improved transduction efficiency in certain cell lines. Thus, our findings provide resourceful information for the optimal conditions of retroviral-mediated gene delivery.

Fragmentation, Cost and Environmental Effects of Plaster Stemming Method for Blasting at A Basalt Quarry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cevizci, Halim

2014-10-01

In this study, the plaster stemming application for blasting at a basalt quarry is studied. Drill cuttings are generally used in open pits and quarries as the most common stemming material since these are most readily available at blast sites. However, dry drill cuttings eject very easily from blastholes without offering much resistance to blast energy. The plaster stemming method has been found to be better than the drill cuttings stemming method due to increased confinement inside the hole and better utilization of blast explosive energy in the rock. The main advantage of the new stemming method is the reduction in the cost of blasting. At a basalt quarry, blasting costs per unit volume of rock were reduced to 15% by increasing burden and spacing distances. In addition, better fragmentation was obtained by using the plaster stemming method. Blast trials showed that plaster stemming produced finer material. In the same blast tests, +30 cm size fragments were reduced to 47.3% of the total, compared to 32.6% in the conventional method of drill cuttings stemming. With this method of stemming, vibration and air shock values increased slightly due to more blast energy being available for rock breakage but generally these increased values were small and stayed under the permitted limit for blast damage criteria unless measuring distance is too close.

Efficacy of home washing methods in controlling surface microbial contamination on fresh produce.

PubMed

Kilonzo-Nthenge, Agnes; Chen, Fur-Chi; Godwin, Sandria L

2006-02-01

Much effort has been focused on sanitation of fresh produce at the commercial level; however, few options are available to the consumer. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of different cleaning methods in reducing bacterial contamination on fresh produce in a home setting. Lettuce, broccoli, apples, and tomatoes were inoculated with Listeria innocua and then subjected to combinations of the following cleaning procedures: (i) soak for 2 min in tap water, Veggie Wash solution, 5% vinegar solution, or 13% lemon solution and (ii) rinse under running tap water, rinse and rub under running tap water, brush under running tap water, or wipe with wet/dry paper towel. Presoaking in water before rinsing significantly reduced bacteria in apples, tomatoes, and lettuce, but not in broccoli. Wiping apples and tomatoes with wet or dry paper towel showed lower bacterial reductions compared with soaking and rinsing procedures. Blossom ends of apples were more contaminated than the surface after soaking and rinsing; similar results were observed between flower section and stem of broccoli. Reductions of L. innocua in both tomatoes and apples (2.01 to 2.89 log CFU/g) were more than in lettuce and broccoli (1.41 to 1.88 log CFU/g) when subjected to same washing procedures. Reductions of surface contamination of lettuce after soaking in lemon or vinegar solutions were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from lettuce soaking in cold tap water. Therefore, educators and extension workers might consider it appropriate to instruct consumers to rub or brush fresh produce under cold running tap water before consumption.

40 CFR 180.635 - Spinetoram; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Banana 0.25 Beet, sugar, molasses 0.75 Biriba 0.30 Brassica, head and stem, subgroup 5A 2.0 Brassica... Cherimoya 0.30 Citrus, dried pulp 0.50 Citrus, oil 3.0 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.04... 0.30 Star fruit 0.30 Strawberry 1.0 Sugar apple 0.30 Ti, leaves 10 Vegetable, bulb, group 3, except...

40 CFR 180.635 - Spinetoram; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Banana 0.25 Beet, sugar, molasses 0.75 Biriba 0.30 Brassica, head and stem, subgroup 5A 2.0 Brassica... Cherimoya 0.30 Citrus, dried pulp 0.50 Citrus, oil 3.0 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.04... 0.30 Star fruit 0.30 Strawberry 1.0 Sugar apple 0.30 Ti, leaves 10 Vegetable, bulb, group 3, except...

40 CFR 180.635 - Spinetoram; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Banana 0.25 Beet, sugar, molasses 0.75 Biriba 0.30 Brassica, head and stem, subgroup 5A 2.0 Brassica... Cherimoya 0.30 Citrus, dried pulp 0.50 Citrus, oil 3.0 Corn, sweet, kernel plus cob with husks removed 0.04... 0.30 Star fruit 0.30 Strawberry 1.0 Sugar apple 0.30 Ti, leaves 10 Vegetable, bulb, group 3, except...

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colonies of rhesus monkey embryonic stem cells: a model for processes involved in gastrulation.

PubMed

Behr, Rüdiger; Heneweer, Carola; Viebahn, Christoph; Denker, Hans-Werner; Thie, Michael

2005-01-01

Rhesus monkey embryonic stem (rhES) cells were grown on mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) feeder layers for up to 10 days to form multilayered colonies. Within this period, stem cell colonies differentiated transiently into complex structures with a disc-like morphology. These complex colonies were characterized by morphology, immunohistochemistry, and marker mRNA expression to identify processes of epithelialization as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and pattern formation. Typically, differentiated colonies were comprised of an upper and a lower ES cell layer, the former growing on top of the layer of MEF cells whereas the lower ES cell layer spread out underneath the MEF cells. Interestingly, in the central part of the colonies, a roundish pit developed. Here the feeder layer disappeared, and upper layer cells seemed to ingress and migrate through the pit downward to form the lower layer while undergoing a transition from the epithelial to the mesenchymal phenotype, which was indicated by the loss of the marker proteins E-cadherin and ZO-1 in the lower layer. In support of this, we found a concomitant 10-fold upregulation of the gene Snail2, which is a key regulator of the EMT process. Conversion of epiblast to mesoderm was also indicated by the regulated expression of the mesoderm marker Brachyury. An EMT is a characteristic process of vertebrate gastrulation. Thus, these rhES cell colonies may be an interesting model for studies on some basic processes involved in early primate embryogenesis and may open new ways to study the regulation of EMT in vitro.

Co-infection of sweet orange with severe and mild strains of citrus tristeza virus is overwhelmingly dominated by the severe strain on both the transcriptional and biological levels

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Citrus tristeza is one of the most destructive citrus diseases and is caused by the phloem-restricted Closterovirus, Citrus tristeza virus. Mild strain CTV-B2 does not cause obvious symptoms on indicators whereas severe strain CTV-B6 causes symptoms, including stem pitting, cupping, yellowing and s...

Ras-dva Is a Novel Pit-1- and Glucocorticoid-Regulated Gene in the Embryonic Anterior Pituitary Gland

PubMed Central

Ellestad, Laura E.

2013-01-01

Glucocorticoids play a role in functional differentiation of pituitary somatotrophs and lactotrophs during embryogenesis. Ras-dva was identified as a gene regulated by anterior neural fold protein-1/homeobox expressed in embryonic stem cells-1, a transcription factor known to be critical in pituitary development, and has an expression profile in the chicken embryonic pituitary gland that is consistent with in vivo regulation by glucocorticoids. The objective of this study was to characterize expression and regulation of ras-dva mRNA in the developing chicken anterior pituitary. Pituitary ras-dva mRNA levels increased during embryogenesis to a maximum on embryonic day (e) 18 and then decreased and remained low or undetectable after hatch. Ras-dva expression was highly enriched in the pituitary gland on e18 relative to other tissues examined. Glucocorticoid treatment of pituitary cells from mid- and late-stage embryos rapidly increased ras-dva mRNA, suggesting it may be a direct transcriptional target of glucocorticoids. A reporter construct driven by 4 kb of the chicken ras-dva 5′-flanking region, containing six putative pituitary-specific transcription factor-1 (Pit-1) binding sites and two potential glucocorticoid receptor (GR) binding sites, was highly activated in embryonic pituitary cells and up-regulated by corticosterone. Mutagenesis of the most proximal Pit-1 site decreased promoter activity in chicken e11 pituitary cells, indicating regulation of ras-dva by Pit-1. However, mutating putative GR binding sites did not substantially reduce induction of ras-dva promoter activity by corticosterone, suggesting additional DNA elements within the 5′-flanking region are responsible for glucocorticoid regulation. We have identified ras-dva as a glucocorticoid-regulated gene that is likely expressed in cells of the Pit-1 lineage within the developing anterior pituitary gland. PMID:23161868

Ras-dva is a novel Pit-1- and glucocorticoid-regulated gene in the embryonic anterior pituitary gland.

PubMed

Ellestad, Laura E; Porter, Tom E

2013-01-01

Glucocorticoids play a role in functional differentiation of pituitary somatotrophs and lactotrophs during embryogenesis. Ras-dva was identified as a gene regulated by anterior neural fold protein-1/homeobox expressed in embryonic stem cells-1, a transcription factor known to be critical in pituitary development, and has an expression profile in the chicken embryonic pituitary gland that is consistent with in vivo regulation by glucocorticoids. The objective of this study was to characterize expression and regulation of ras-dva mRNA in the developing chicken anterior pituitary. Pituitary ras-dva mRNA levels increased during embryogenesis to a maximum on embryonic day (e) 18 and then decreased and remained low or undetectable after hatch. Ras-dva expression was highly enriched in the pituitary gland on e18 relative to other tissues examined. Glucocorticoid treatment of pituitary cells from mid- and late-stage embryos rapidly increased ras-dva mRNA, suggesting it may be a direct transcriptional target of glucocorticoids. A reporter construct driven by 4 kb of the chicken ras-dva 5'-flanking region, containing six putative pituitary-specific transcription factor-1 (Pit-1) binding sites and two potential glucocorticoid receptor (GR) binding sites, was highly activated in embryonic pituitary cells and up-regulated by corticosterone. Mutagenesis of the most proximal Pit-1 site decreased promoter activity in chicken e11 pituitary cells, indicating regulation of ras-dva by Pit-1. However, mutating putative GR binding sites did not substantially reduce induction of ras-dva promoter activity by corticosterone, suggesting additional DNA elements within the 5'-flanking region are responsible for glucocorticoid regulation. We have identified ras-dva as a glucocorticoid-regulated gene that is likely expressed in cells of the Pit-1 lineage within the developing anterior pituitary gland.

Characterization of HgCdTe and Related Materials For Third Generation Infrared Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaghayenegar, Majid

Hg1-xCdxTe (MCT) has historically been the primary material used for infrared detectors. Recently, alternative substrates for MCT growth such as Si, as well as alternative infrared materials such as Hg1-xCdxSe, have been explored. This dissertation involves characterization of Hg-based infrared materials for third generation infrared detectors using a wide range of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. A microstructural study on HgCdTe/CdTe heterostructures grown by MBE on Si (211) substrates showed a thin ZnTe layer grown between CdTe and Si to mediate the large lattice mismatch of 19.5%. Observations showed large dislocation densities at the CdTe/ZnTe/Si (211) interfaces, which dropped off rapidly away from the interface. Growth of a thin HgTe buffer layer between HgCdTe and CdTe layers seemed to improve the HgCdTe layer quality by blocking some defects. A second study investigated the correlation of etch pits and dislocations in as-grown and thermal-cycle-annealed (TCA) HgCdTe (211) films. For as-grown samples, pits with triangular and fish-eye shapes were associated with Frank partial and perfect dislocations, respectively. Skew pits were determined to have a more complex nature. TCA reduced the etch-pit density by 72%. Although TCA processing eliminated the fish-eye pits, dislocations reappeared in shorter segments in the TCA samples. Large pits were observed in both as-grown and TCA samples, but the nature of any defects associated with these pits in the as-grown samples is unclear. Microstructural studies of HgCdSe revealed large dislocation density at ZnTe/Si(211) interfaces, which dropped off markedly with ZnTe thickness. Atomic-resolution STEM images showed that the large lattice mismatch at the ZnTe/Si interface was accommodated through {111}-type stacking faults. A detailed analysis showed that the stacking faults were inclined at angles of 19.5 and 90 degrees at both ZnTe/Si and HgCdSe/ZnTe interfaces. These stacking faults were associated with Shockley and Frank partial dislocations, respectively. Initial attempts to delineate individual dislocations by chemical etching revealed that while the etchants successfully attacked defective areas, many defects in close proximity to the pits were unaffected.

Plant stem cells as innovation in cosmetics.

PubMed

Moruś, Martyna; Baran, Monika; Rost-Roszkowska, Magdalena; Skotnicka-Graca, Urszula

2014-01-01

The stem cells thanks to their ability of unlimited division number or transformation into different cell types creating organs, are responsible for regeneration processes. Depending on the organism in which the stem cells exists, they divide to the plant or animal ones. The later group includes the stem cells existing in both embryo's and adult human's organs. It includes, among others, epidermal stem cells, located in the hair follicle relieves and also in its basal layers, and responsible for permanent regeneration of the epidermis. Temporary science looks for method suitable for stimulation of the epidermis stem cells, amongst the other by delivery of e.g., growth factors for proliferation that decrease with the age. One of the methods is the use of the plant cell culture technology, including a number of methods that should ensure growth of plant cells, issues or organs in the environment with the microorganism-free medium. It uses abilities of the different plant cells to dedifferentiation into stem cells and coming back to the pluripotent status. The extracts obtained this way from the plant stem cells are currently used for production of both common or professional care cosmetics. This work describes exactly impact of the plant stem cell extract, coming from one type of the common apple tree (Uttwiler Spätlauber) to human skin as one of the first plant sorts, which are used in cosmetology and esthetic dermatology.

Surveys for Pathogens of Monoecious Hydrilla

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

scab, which severely reduces the quality of infected fruit (Agrios 2005). Similar diseases affect pears (V. pyrina) and hawthorns (V. inaequalis...are leaf, stem, and fruit pathogens of a variety of plants (Farr et al. 1989). Venturia inaequalis, for example, causes a serious disease of apples...in areas where environmental conditions are cool and moist during the early growing season when trees are beginning to set fruit . The disease causes

Oriented Growth of α-MnO2 Nanorods Using Natural Extracts from Grape Stems and Apple Peels

PubMed Central

Sanchez-Botero, Lina; Herrera, Adriana P.; Hinestroza, Juan P.

2017-01-01

We report on the synthesis of alpha manganese dioxide (α-MnO2) nanorods using natural extracts from Vitis vinifera grape stems and Malus domestica ‘Cortland’ apple peels. We used a two-step method to produce highly crystalline α-MnO2 nanorods: (1) reduction of KMnO4 in the presence of natural extracts to initiate the nucleation process; and (2) a thermal treatment to enable further solid-state growth of the nuclei. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images provided direct evidence of the morphology of the nanorods and these images were used to propose nucleation and growth mechanisms. We found that the α-MnO2 nanorods synthesized using natural extracts exhibit structural and magnetic properties similar to those of nanoparticles synthesized via traditional chemical routes. Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) shows that the particle growth of the α-MnO2 nanorods appears to be controlled by the presence of natural capping agents during the thermal treatment. We also evaluated the catalytic activity of the nanorods in the degradation of aqueous solutions of indigo carmine dye, highlighting the potential use of these materials to clean dye-polluted water. PMID:28531147

A new Late Devonian genus with seed plant affinities.

PubMed

Wang, Deming; Liu, Le

2015-02-26

Many ovules of Late Devonian (Famennian) seed plants have been well studied. However, because few taxa occur with anatomically preserved stems and/or petioles, the vascular system of these earliest spermatophytes is little understood and available data come mostly from Euramerica. There remains great controversy over the anatomical differentiation of Late Devonian and Carboniferous seed plant groups of Buteoxylonales, Calamopityales and Lyginopteridales. Protostele evolution of these early spermatophytes needs more research. A new taxon Yiduxylon trilobum gen. et sp. nov. with seed plant affinities has been discovered in the Upper Devonian (Famennian) Tizikou Formation of Hubei Province, China. It is represented by stems, helically arranged and bifurcate fronds with two orders of pinnae and planate pinnules. Both secondary pinnae and pinnules are borne alternately. Stems contain a small protostele with three primary xylem ribs possessing a single peripheral protoxylem strand. Thick secondary xylem displays multiseriate bordered pitting on the tangential and radial walls of the tracheids, and has biseriate to multiseriate and high rays. A narrow cortex consists of inner cortex without sclerotic nests and sparganum-type outer cortex with peripheral bands of vertically aligned sclerenchyma cells. Two leaf traces successively arise tangentially from each primary xylem rib and they divide once to produce four circular-oval traces in the stem cortex. Four vascular bundles occur in two C-shaped groups at each petiole base with ground tissue and peripheral bands of sclerenchyma cells. Yiduxylon justifies the assignment to a new genus mainly because of the protostele with protoxylem strands only near the periphery of primary xylem ribs, leaf trace origination and petiolar vascular supply structure. It shares many definitive characters with Calamopityales and Lyginopteridales, further underscoring the anatomical similarities among early seed plants. The primary vascular system, pycnoxylic-manoxylic secondary xylem with bordered pits on both tangential and radial walls of a tracheid and leaf trace divergence of Yiduxylon suggest transitional features between the early spermatophytes and ancestral aneurophyte progymnosperms.

A new three-locus model for rootstock-induced dwarfing in apple revealed by genetic mapping of root bark percentage

PubMed Central

Harrison, Nicola; Harrison, Richard J.; Barber-Perez, Nuria; Cascant-Lopez, Emma; Cobo-Medina, Magdalena; Lipska, Marzena; Conde-Ruíz, Rebeca; Brain, Philip; Gregory, Peter J.; Fernández-Fernández, Felicidad

2016-01-01

Rootstock-induced dwarfing of apple scions revolutionized global apple production during the twentieth century, leading to the development of modern intensive orchards. A high root bark percentage (the percentage of the whole root area constituted by root cortex) has previously been associated with rootstock-induced dwarfing in apple. In this study, the root bark percentage was measured in a full-sib family of ungrafted apple rootstocks and found to be under the control of three loci. Two quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for root bark percentage were found to co-localize to the same genomic regions on chromosome 5 and chromosome 11 previously identified as controlling dwarfing, Dw1 and Dw2, respectively. A third QTL was identified on chromosome 13 in a region that has not been previously associated with dwarfing. The development of closely linked sequence-tagged site markers improved the resolution of allelic classes, thereby allowing the detection of dominance and epistatic interactions between loci, with high root bark percentage only occurring in specific allelic combinations. In addition, we report a significant negative correlation between root bark percentage and stem diameter (an indicator of tree vigour), measured on a clonally propagated grafted subset of the mapping population. The demonstrated link between root bark percentage and rootstock-induced dwarfing of the scion leads us to propose a three-locus model that is able to explain levels of dwarfing from the dwarf ‘M.27’ to the semi-invigorating rootstock ‘M.116’. Moreover, we suggest that the QTL on chromosome 13 (Rb3) might be analogous to a third dwarfing QTL, Dw3, which has not previously been identified. PMID:26826217

Genetic determinism of anatomical and hydraulic traits within an apple progeny.

PubMed

Lauri, Pierre-Éric; Gorza, Olivier; Cochard, Hervé; Martinez, Sébastien; Celton, Jean-Marc; Ripetti, Véronique; Lartaud, Marc; Bry, Xavier; Trottier, Catherine; Costes, Evelyne

2011-08-01

The apple tree is known to have an isohydric behaviour, maintaining rather constant leaf water potential in soil with low water status and/or under high evaporative demand. However, little is known on the xylem water transport from roots to leaves from the two perspectives of efficiency and safety, and on its genetic variability. We analysed 16 traits related to hydraulic efficiency and safety, and anatomical traits in apple stems, and the relationships between them. Most variables were found heritable, and we investigated the determinism underlying their genetic control through a quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis on 90 genotypes from the same progeny. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that all traits related to efficiency, whether hydraulic conductivity, vessel number and area or wood area, were included in the first PC, whereas the second PC included the safety variables, thus confirming the absence of trade-off between these two sets of traits. Our results demonstrated that clustered variables were characterized by common genomic regions. Together with previous results on the same progeny, our study substantiated that hydraulic efficiency traits co-localized with traits identified for tree growth and fruit production. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Biocorrosion of 316LV steel used in oral cavity due to Desulfotomaculum nigrificans bacteria.

PubMed

Mystkowska, Joanna; Ferreira, Jose A; Leszczyńska, Katarzyna; Chmielewska, Sylwia; Dąbrowski, Jan Ryszard; Wieciński, Piotr; Kurzydłowski, Krzysztof Jan

2017-01-01

Corrosion processes of metallic biomaterials in the oral cavity pose a significant limitation to the life and reliable functioning of dental materials. In this article, the influence of environment bacteria Desulfotomaculum nigrificans sulfate reducing bacteria on the corrosion processes of 316LV steel was assessed. After 14 and 28 days of contact of the material with the bacterial environment, the surfaces of the tested biomaterial were observed by means of confocal scanning laser microscopy, and their chemical composition was studied using X-Ray Photoelectron Spectrometry and a scanning transmission electron microscopy. Corrosive changes, the presence of sulfur (with atomic concentration of 0.5%) on the surface of the biomaterial and the presence of a thin oxide layer (thickness of ∼20 nm) under the surface of the steel were observed. This corrosion layer with significant size reduction of grains was characterized by an increased amount of oxygen (18% mas., p < 0.001) in comparison to untreated 316LV steel (where oxygen concentration - 10% mas.). Image analysis conducted using APHELION software indicated that corrosion pits took up ∼2.8% of the total tested surface. The greatest number of corrosion pits had a surface area within the range of 100-200 μm 2 . © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 222-229, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Lower Mississippi River Environmental Program. Report 3. Bird and Mammal Use of Main Stem Levee Borrow Pits Along the Lower Mississippi River.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-02-01

overcup oak, tupelo gum, Nuttall oak, American elm , slippery elm , i , hickories, persimmon, silver maple, deciduous holly, swamp privet, and rose mallows...cottonwood, green ash, sugarberry, box elder, deciduous holly, osage orange, swamp privet, hickories, overcup oak, water locust, honey locust, slippery elm ...wood, box elder, osage orange, hickories, honey locust, water locust, slippery elm , swamp privet, sugarberry, persimmon, and rose mallows. Where

Xylem sap proteins.

PubMed

Biles, C L; Abeles, F B

1991-06-01

Xylem sap from apple (Malus domestica Borkh), peach (Prunus persica Batsch), and pear (Pyrus communis L.) twigs was collected by means of pressure extrusion. This sap contained a number of acidic peroxidases and other proteins. Two other sources of xylem sap used in this study were stem exudates and guttation fluid. Similar peroxidases were also found in stem exudates and guttation fluids of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.), tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum L.), and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Isoelectric focusing activity gels showed that two peroxidases (isoelectric point [pl] 9 and pl 4.6) were present in initial stem exudates collected in the first 30 minutes after excision. Subsequent samples of stem exudate collected contained only the pl 4.6 isozyme. The pl 4.6 peroxidase isozyme was also found in root tissue and guttation fluid. These observations suggest that roots produce and secrete the pl 4.6 peroxidase into xylem sap. Cucumber seedlings were treated with 100 microliters per liter ethylene for 16 hours and the exudate from decapitated hypocotyl stumps was collected over a 3 hour period. Ethylene increased the peroxidase activity of stem exudates and inhibited the amount of exudate released. These observations suggest that xylem sap peroxidase may play a role in plugging damaged vascular tissue.

Microbiological Examination of Erwinia amylovora Exopolysaccharide Ooze.

PubMed

Slack, Suzanne M; Zeng, Quan; Outwater, Cory A; Sundin, George W

2017-04-01

Fire blight, caused by the pathogen Erwinia amylovora, is the most devastating bacterial disease of pome fruit in North America and worldwide. The primary method of dispersal for E. amylovora is through ooze, a mass of exopolysaccharides and bacterial cells that is exuded as droplets from infected host tissue. During the 2013 and 2014 field seasons, 317 ooze droplets were collected from field-inoculated apple trees. Populations of E. amylovora in ooze droplets were 10 8 CFU/μl on average. Ooze droplets harboring larger (>10 8 CFU/μl) cell populations were typically smaller in total volume and had darker coloring, such as orange, red, or dark red hues. Examination of apple host tissue at the site of emergence of ooze droplets using scanning electron microscopy revealed that ooze was not exuding through natural openings; instead, it was found on erumpent mounds and small (10-μm) tears in tissue. These observations suggested that E. amylovora-induced wounds in tissue provided the exit holes for ooze extrusion from the host. Analyses of E. amylovora populations in ooze droplets and within the stems from which ooze droplets emerged indicated that approximately 9% of the total bacterial population from infected stems is diverted to ooze. Gene expression analyses indicated that E. amylovora cells in stem sections located above ooze droplets and in ooze droplets were actively expressing critical pathogenicity genes such as hrpL, dspE, and amsK. Thus, our study identified ooze as a source of large, concentrated populations of E. amylovora that emerged from the host by rupturing host tissue. Because the cells in ooze droplets are expressing genes required for pathogenesis, they are already primed for infection should they be dispersed from ooze to new infection courts.

Toward an improved model of maple sap exudation: the location and role of osmotic barriers in sugar maple, butternut and white birch.

PubMed

Cirelli, Damián; Jagels, Richard; Tyree, Melvin T

2008-08-01

Two theories have been proposed to explain how high positive pressures are developed in sugar maple stems when temperatures fluctuate around freezing. The Milburn-O'Malley theory proposes that pressure development is purely physical and does not require living cells or sucrose. The osmotic theory invokes the involvement of living cells and sucrose to generate an osmotic pressure difference between fibers and vessels, which are assumed to be separated by an osmotic barrier. We analyzed wood of Acer saccharum Marsh., Juglans cinerea L. and Betula papyrifera Marsh. (all generate positive pressures) examining three critical components of the osmotic model: pits in cell walls, selectivity of the osmotic barrier and stability of air bubbles under positive xylem pressure. We examined the distribution and type of pits directly by light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and indirectly by perfusion of branch segments with fluorescent dyes with molecular masses similar to sucrose. The latter approach allowed us to use osmotic surrogates for sucrose that could be tracked by epifluorescence. Infusion experiments were used to assess the compartmentalization of sucrose and to determine the behavior of gas bubbles as predicted by Fick's and Henry's laws. The SEM images of sugar maple revealed a lack of pitting between fibers and vessels but connections between fiber-tracheids and vessels were present. Fluorescein-perfusion experiments demonstrated that large molecules do not diffuse into libriform fibers but are confined within the domain of vessels, parenchyma and fiber-tracheids. Results of the infusion experiments were in agreement with those of the fluorescein perfusions and further indicated the necessity of a compartmentalized osmolyte to drive stem pressure, as well as the inability of air bubbles to maintain such pressure because of instability. These results support the osmotic model and demonstrate that the secondary cell wall is an effective osmotic barrier for molecules larger than 300 g mol(-1).

Effects of halothane and methoxyflurane on regional brain and spinal cord substance P-like and beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivities in the rat.

PubMed

Karuri, A R; Agarwal, R K; Engelking, L R; Kumar, M S

1998-03-15

Effects of acute exposure (2 hr) to either 1.5% halothane or 0.5% methoxyflurane were investigated in the Sprague Dawley rat. Pituitary (PIT) and central nervous system (CNS) substance P (SP)-like and beta-endorphin (beta-end)-like immunoreactivities were evaluated immediately after anesthetic exposure (2 h), after righting reflex (4 h) or 24 hr postexposure (24 h). Only halothane significantly reduced SP-like immunoreactivity in olfactory bulbs in both the 2-h and 4-h groups. Halothane elevated SP-like immunoreactivity of hippocampus at all three time periods, and in the hypothalamus at 2 h. Both anesthetics significantly depleted thalamic concentrations of SP-like immunoreactivity. Methoxyflurane anesthesia resulted in a drastic decrease in SP-like immunoreactivity in PIT at all three time periods periods, while halothane elevated PIT concentrations of this peptide at 4 h. Both anesthetics significantly decreased beta-end-like immunoreactivity in the olfactory bulbs and thalami at 2, 4, and 24 h. However, halothane alone significantly elevated beta-end-like immunoreactivity in the spinal cord at 24 h. Halothane significantly elevated PIT beta-end-like immunoreactivity at 2 and 24 h, while methoxyflurane significantly lowered it in the 4-h group, but elevated the levels of the same in the 24-h group. Brain stem beta-end immunoreactivity were significantly reduced at 2 h by both anesthetics, and at 4 h by methoxyflurane. Results indicate that halothane and methoxyflurane may differ significantly in their actions on SP and beta-end secreting neurons in the CNS.

Mechanical Loading for Peripheral Nerve Stabilization and Regeneration

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-01

apple delivered within a New Skin liquid bandage will also be applied topically, as a deterrent. This constituted a minor amendment within our IACUC...Vicryl suture and the incision to the skin with 3-0 Prolene monofilament suture. The rat was kept for up to 3 weeks with full access to food and...Spagnoli, D., Gaini, S.M., Tanzi, M.C., Bresolin, N., Gri- moldi, N., and Torrente, Y. Skin -derived stem cells trans- planted into resorbable guides

Botulinum and Tetanus Neurotoxin Induced Blockage of Synaptic Transmission in Networked Cultures of Human and Rodent Neurons

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-28

preliminary feasibility studies, neat samples of centrifu- gation-clarified milk, green bean juice , or non-alcoholic apple cider were added to ESN...2008). International outbreak of severe botulism with pro- longed toxemia caused by commercial carrot juice . Clin. Infect. Dis. 47, 1245–1251. Simpson...derived from induced plu - ripotent stem cells develop mature phenotypes typical of en- dogenous spinal motoneurons. J. Neurosci. 35, 1291–1306. Van

Primary hybrid THA using a polymethyl methacrylate-precoated stem: A single-center experience with a 10-year minimum follow-up.

PubMed

Kim, Wanlim; Yoon, Pil Whan; Kwak, Hong Suk; Yoo, Jeong Joon; Kim, Hee Joong; Yoon, Kang Sup

2017-07-01

The high failure rate of cemented femoral components in the 1970s facilitated the improvement of the cementing technique and surface finishes such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)-precoated stems, reporting a survival rate of >95% at 10 years from some studies. However, controversy persists regarding whether precoated femoral stems are associated with a longer revision-free prosthesis survival. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes of PMMA-precoated femoral stems, and analyze factors associated with implant survival. We retrospectively reviewed 73 primary hybrid total hip arthroplasties performed using PMMA-precoated femoral stems. The mean age of the patients was 61 years. During the mean follow-up period of 13 years, 18 hips (24.7%) underwent aseptic loosening, and all of the loosened stems were subjected to revision surgery 8.8 years (range 4.6-15.5 years) from the index surgery. Younger age and poor cementing were significantly associated with aseptic loosening (P = 0.013 and P < 0.001, respectively). However, the aseptic loosening rate was also high at 13.1% even with a good cementing technique. In conclusion, the PMMA-precoated stem failed to show expected advantages and needs to be replaced with other surface finish stem designs. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 1300-1306, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Phylogenetic analysis of IDD gene family and characterization of its expression in response to flower induction in Malus.

PubMed

Fan, Sheng; Zhang, Dong; Xing, Libo; Qi, Siyan; Du, Lisha; Wu, Haiqin; Shao, Hongxia; Li, Youmei; Ma, Juanjuan; Han, Mingyu

2017-08-01

Although INDETERMINATE DOMAIN (IDD) genes encoding specific plant transcription factors have important roles in plant growth and development, little is known about apple IDD (MdIDD) genes and their potential functions in the flower induction. In this study, we identified 20 putative IDD genes in apple and named them according to their chromosomal locations. All identified MdIDD genes shared a conserved IDD domain. A phylogenetic analysis separated MdIDDs and other plant IDD genes into four groups. Bioinformatic analysis of chemical characteristics, gene structure, and prediction of protein-protein interactions demonstrated the functional and structural diversity of MdIDD genes. To further uncover their potential functions, we performed analysis of tandem, synteny, and gene duplications, which indicated several paired homologs of IDD genes between apple and Arabidopsis. Additionally, genome duplications also promoted the expansion and evolution of the MdIDD genes. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that all the MdIDD genes showed distinct expression levels in five different tissues (stems, leaves, buds, flowers, and fruits). Furthermore, the expression levels of candidate MdIDD genes were also investigated in response to various circumstances, including GA treatment (decreased the flowering rate), sugar treatment (increased the flowering rate), alternate-bearing conditions, and two varieties with different-flowering intensities. Parts of them were affected by exogenous treatments and showed different expression patterns. Additionally, changes in response to alternate-bearing and different-flowering varieties of apple trees indicated that they were also responsive to flower induction. Taken together, our comprehensive analysis provided valuable information for further analysis of IDD genes aiming at flower induction.

Cu2+ inhibition of gel secretion in the xylem and its potential implications for water uptake of cut Acacia holosericea stems.

PubMed

Ratnayake, Kamani; Joyce, Daryl C; Webb, Richard I

2013-08-01

Maintaining a high rate of water uptake is crucial for maximum longevity of cut stems. Physiological gel/tylosis formation decreases water transport efficiency in the xylem. The primary mechanism of action for post-harvest Cu(2+) treatments in improving cut flower and foliage longevity has been elusive. The effect of Cu(2+) on wound-induced xylem vessel occlusion was investigated for Acacia holosericea A. Cunn. ex G. Don. Experiments were conducted using a Cu(2+) pulse (5 h, 2.2 mM) and a Cu(2+) vase solution (0.5 mM) vs a deionized water (DIW) control. Development of xylem blockage in the stem-end region 10 mm proximal to the wounded stem surface was examined over 21 days by light and transmission electron microscopy. Xylem vessels of stems stood into DIW were occluded with gels secreted into vessel lumens via pits from surrounding axial parenchyma cells. Gel secretion was initiated within 1-2 days post-wounding and gels were detected in the xylem from day 3. In contrast, Cu(2+) treatments disrupted the surrounding parenchyma cells, thereby inhibiting gel secretion and maintaining the vessel lumens devoid of occlusions. The Cu(2+) treatments significantly improved water uptake by the cut stems as compared to the control. © 2013 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

Translations on Eastern Europe, Political, Sociological, and Military Affairs. Number 1309

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-10-19

lowered, work with the localities was shirked, no efforts were made to study and resolve with them the tasks stemming from the party’s...34 or "Centrum" department stores the highlights of their visit to the city. "Of Course Everything Is Much Better in Berlin" Food and clothing are...station restrooms, the lack of apples at times when there perhaps are bananas for once or the perpetual "second choice" of all foods for the con- sumer

Tanacetum vulgare as a bioindicator of trace-metal contamination: a study of a naturally colonized open-pit lignite mine.

PubMed

Jasion, Mateusz; Samecka-Cymerman, Aleksandra; Kolon, Krzysztof; Kempers, Alexander J

2013-10-01

We investigated the possibility of use of Tanacetum vulgare (tansy) as an ecological indicator of metal concentration in a naturally colonized open-pit lignite mine in Bełchatów (Poland). Tanacetum vulgare is the only species growing abundantly and spontaneously in the lignite mine waste dumps. Metal concentrations in roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and soil were measured in dump sites differing in type and time of reclamation and therefore differing in pollution levels. Tanacetum vulgare appeared to be an accumulator of chromium and iron in roots, whereas highest concentrations of manganese and zinc were found in leaves. A high bioaccumulation factor for cadmium (Cd) was observed in dumps and control sites, indicating that even small amounts of Cd in the environment may result in significant uptake by the plant. The lowest concentrations of metals were found in plants from sites situated on dumps reclaimed with argillaceous limestone.

Monitoring of stream restoration habitat on the main stem of the Methow River, Washington, during the pre-treatment phase (October 2008-May 2012) with a progress report for activities from March 2011 to November 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tibbits, Wesley T.; Martens, Kyle D.; Connolly, Patrick J.

2012-01-01

The approach and actions taken or planned by Reclamation to modify off-channel habitat are largely untested as to their effectiveness to improve target fish species’ productivity and survival needs. Those documented strategies that identify both physical parameters and biological relationships and benefits have been identified (Reclamation, 2008). To assess biological performance, we plan to compare age structure, growth, and age at smolting between those fish that stay in natal areas versus those fish that move. To assess retention in, and movement from or into, the restoration reach, we have used a combination of within-reach and out-of-reach sampling. We are using passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags, a network of instream PIT tag interrogation systems, and smolt traps to assess differences in biological performance and the magnitude of retention in, and movement from and into, the restoration reach.

Establishment of a Novel Lingual Organoid Culture System: Generation of Organoids Having Mature Keratinized Epithelium from Adult Epithelial Stem Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hisha, Hiroko; Tanaka, Toshihiro; Kanno, Shohei; Tokuyama, Yoko; Komai, Yoshihiro; Ohe, Shuichi; Yanai, Hirotsugu; Omachi, Taichi; Ueno, Hiroo

2013-11-01

Despite the strong need for the establishment of a lingual epithelial cell culture system, a simple and convenient culture method has not yet been established. Here, we report the establishment of a novel lingual epithelium organoid culture system using a three-dimensional matrix and growth factors. Histological analyses showed that the generated organoids had both a stratified squamous epithelial cell layer and a stratum corneum. Very recently, we showed via a multicolor lineage tracing method that Bmi1-positive stem cells exist at the base of the epithelial basal layer in the interpapillary pit. Using our new culture system, we found that organoids could be generated by single Bmi1-positive stem cells and that in the established organoids, multiple Bmi1-positive stem cells were generated at the outermost layer. Moreover, we observed that organoids harvested at an early point in culture could be engrafted and maturate in the tongue of recipient mice and that the organoids generated from carcinogen-treated mice had an abnormal morphology. Thus, this culture system presents valuable settings for studying not only the regulatory mechanisms of lingual epithelium but also lingual regeneration and carcinogenesis.

Chemical weathering in a tropical watershed, Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico III: Quartz dissolution rates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schulz, M.S.; White, A.F.

1999-01-01

The paucity of weathering rates for quartz in the natural environment stems both from the slow rate at which quartz dissolves and the difficulty in differentiating solute Si contributed by quartz from that derived from other silicate minerals. This study, a first effort in quantifying natural rates of quartz dissolution, takes advantage of extremely rapid tropical weathering, simple regolith mineralogy, and detailed information on hydrologic and chemical transport. Quartz abundances and grain sizes are relatively constant with depth in a thick saprolite. Limited quartz dissolution is indicated by solution rounding of primary angularity and by the formation of etch pits. A low correlation of surface area (0.14 and 0.42 m2 g-1) with grain size indicates that internal microfractures and pitting are the principal contributors to total surface area. Pore water silica concentration increases linearly with depth. On a molar basis, between one and three quarters of pore water silica is derived from quartz with the remainder contributed from biotite weathering. Average solute Si remains thermodynamically undersaturated with respect to recently revised estimates of quartz solubility (17-81 ??M). Etch pitting is more abundant on grains in the upper saprolite and is associated with pore waters lower in dissolved silica. Rate constants describing quartz dissolution increase with decreasing depth (from 10-14.5-10-15.1 mol m-2 s-1), which correlate with both greater thermodynamic undersaturation and increasing etch pit densities. Unlike for many aluminosilicates, the calculated natural weathering rates of quartz fall slightly below the rate constants previously reported for experimental studies (10-12.4-10-14.2 mol m-2 s-1). This agreement reflects the structural simplicity of quartz, dilute solutes, and near-hydrologic saturation.

The influence of buffer system and biological fluids on the degradation of magnesium.

PubMed

Törne, Karin; Örnberg, Andreas; Weissenrieder, Jonas

2017-08-01

The influence of frequently used buffer system 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) compared to CO 2 /HCO3- on the corrosion of magnesium is investigated. Samples were immersed in simulated body fluid (m-SBF) while monitored by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) for up to 30 days. In CO 2 /HCO3- the initial corrosion rate was 0.11 mm yr -1 . An inner protective layer of magnesium oxide was formed within the first 30 min exposure and subsequently covered by an outer layer of apatite within 24 h . The corrosion mechanism thereafter is best described as passive pitting with a porosity of ∼10%. Using HEPES as buffer agent increased the corrosion rate to 3.37 mm yr -1 . Cross sectional microscopy show a porous outer corrosion layer allowing rapid diffusion of aggressive ions through the film. Here the EIS results are best described by an active pitting model with an inner layer 5 to 10 times less protective compared to the inner layer formed without HEPES. Further the suitability of human whole blood and plasma as in vitro models for Mg degradation was evaluated. Mg corrosion caused coagulation after 24 h in both biological fluids. The corrosion during the first 24 h is similar to the corrosion in m-SBF with HEPES. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 1490-1502, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Impact of electroviscosity on the hydraulic conductance of the bordered pit membrane: a theoretical investigation.

PubMed

Santiago, Michael; Pagay, Vinay; Stroock, Abraham D

2013-10-01

In perfusion experiments, the hydraulic conductance of stem segments ( ) responds to changes in the properties of the perfusate, such as the ionic strength ( ), pH, and cationic identity. We review the experimental and theoretical work on this phenomenon. We then proceed to explore the hypothesis that electrokinetic effects in the bordered pit membrane (BPM) contribute to this response. In particular, we develop a model based on electroviscosity in which hydraulic conductance of an electrically charged porous membrane varies with the properties of the electrolyte. We use standard electrokinetic theory, coupled with measurements of electrokinetic properties of plant materials from the literature, to determine how the conductance of BPMs, and therefore , may change due to electroviscosity. We predict a nonmonotonic variation of with with a maximum reduction of 18%. We explore how this reduction depends on the characteristics of the sap and features of the BPM, such as pore size, density of chargeable sites, and their dissociation constant. Our predictions are consistent with changes in observed for physiological values of sap and pH. We conclude that electroviscosity is likely responsible, at least partially, for the electrolyte dependence of conductance through pits and that electroviscosity may be strong enough to play an important role in other transport processes in xylem. We conclude by proposing experiments to differentiate the impact of electroviscosity on from that of other proposed mechanisms.

How young trees cope with removal of whole or parts of shoots: an analysis of local and distant responses to pruning in 1-year-old apple (Malus xdomestica; Rosaceae) trees.

PubMed

Fumey, Damien; Lauri, Pierre-Éric; Guédon, Yann; Godin, Christophe; Costes, Evelyne

2011-11-01

Manipulation of tree architecture by pruning provides an experimental context to analyze architectural plasticity resulting from competition between developing organs. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of the removal of all or part of shoots through pruning on the redistribution of growth and flowering at spatial and temporal levels. Two types of pruning cuts were applied: (1) heading cuts of either the main stem or laterals and (2) thinning cuts (i.e., complete removal) of laterals. These two types of cuts were applied in summer and winter on 1-yr-old cultivars of Fuji and Braeburn apple trees. Tree topology and geometry were described over 3 years, and responses were analyzed for both local and distant scales. Heading cuts induced quasi-deterministic local responses on pruned axes, whereas responses to thinning cuts were more variable. For the main stem and laterals, responses over greater spatial and temporal scales were highlighted with (1) stronger growth the year after summer pruning and (2) modification of branching and flowering along the unpruned parts after winter pruning. Pruning typically induced growth redistribution toward traumatic reiterations and enhanced growth of the remaining unpruned axes with a concomitant decrease of flowering and cambial growth. Although results could be interpreted in relation to the root-shoot balance, tree responses appeared highly cultivar-specific.

The effects of wetland habitat structure on Florida apple snail density

USGS Publications Warehouse

Karunaratne, L.B.; Darby, P.C.; Bennetts, R.E.

2006-01-01

Wetlands often support a variety of juxtaposed habitat patches (e.g., grass-, shrub- or tree-dominated) differentially suited to support the inhabiting fauna. The proportion of available habitat types has been affected by human activity and consequently has contributed to degrading habitat quality for some species. The Florida apple snail (Pomacea paludosa) has drawn attention as a critical prey item for wetlands wildlife and as an indicator of wetlands restoration success in peninsular Florida, USA. An apparent contradiction has evolved wherein this species appears intolerant of drying events, but these disturbances may be necessary to maintain suitable habitat structure for apple snails. We recently reported that assertions regarding intolerance to dry downs in this species were inaccurate. Here, we compared snail density in habitats with (wet prairie) and without (slough) emergent macrophytes, as well as evaluating the effects of structural attributes within the broad wet prairie habitat type. Snail densities were greater in prairies relative to sloughs (??2= 12.90, df=1, P=0.0003), often by a factor of two to three. Within wet prairie habitats, we found greater snail densities in Panicum hemitomon as compared to Eleocharis cellulosa (??2=31.45, df=1, P=0.0001). Significantly fewer snails were found in dense E. cellulosa as compared to habitats with lower stem density (??2= 10.73, df=1, P=0.011). Our results indicate that wet prairie habitat supports greater snail densities than nymphaea-dominatd slough. Our results have implications for wetlands water management in that continuous inundation has been shown to convert wet prairie to slough habitat, and we suggest this should be avoided in support of apple snails and their predators. ?? 2006, The Society of Wetland Scientists.

Dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane regulates stem cell activity in vitro

PubMed Central

Massee, Michelle; Chinn, Kathryn; Lei, Jennifer; Lim, Jeremy J.; Young, Conan S.

2015-01-01

Abstract Human‐derived placental tissues have been shown in randomized clinical trials to be effective for healing chronic wounds, and have also demonstrated the ability to recruit stem cells to the wound site in vitro and in vivo. In this study, PURION® Processed dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane allografts (dHACM, EpiFix®, MiMedx Group, Marietta, GA) were evaluated for their ability to alter stem cell activity in vitro. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM‐MSCs), adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs), and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) were treated with soluble extracts of dHACM tissue, and were evaluated for cellular proliferation, migration, and cytokine secretion. Stem cells were analyzed for cell number by DNA assay after 24 h, closure of an acellular zone using microscopy over 3 days, and soluble cytokine production in the medium of treated stem cells was analyzed after 3 days using a multiplex ELISA array. Treatment with soluble extracts of dHACM tissue stimulated BM‐MSCs, ADSCs, and HSCs to proliferate with a significant increase in cell number after 24 h. dHACM treatment accelerated closure of an acellular zone by ADSCs and BM‐MSCs after 3 days, compared to basal medium. BM‐MSCs, ADSCs, and HSCs also modulated endogenous production of a number of various soluble signals, including regulators of inflammation, mitogenesis, and wound healing. dHACM treatment promoted increased proliferation and migration of ADSCs, BM‐MSCs, and HSCs, along with modulation of secreted proteins from those cells. Therefore, dHACM may impact wound healing by amplifying host stem cell populations and modulating their responses in treated wound tissues. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 1495–1503, 2016. PMID:26175122

Identification of host fruit volatiles from three mayhaw species (Crataegus series Aestivales) attractive to mayhaw-origin Rhagoletis pomonella flies in the southern United States.

PubMed

Cha, Dong H; Powell, Thomas H Q; Feder, Jeffrey L; Linn, Charles E

2011-09-01

The apple maggot fly, Rhagoletis pomonella, infests several hawthorn species in the southern USA. Here, we tested the hypothesis that these populations could serve as reservoirs for fruit odor discrimination behaviors facilitating sympatric host race formation and speciation, specifically the recent shift from downy hawthorn (Crataegus mollis) to domestic apple (Malus domestica) in the northern USA. Coupled gas chromatography and electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD), gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and flight tunnel bioassays were used to identify the behaviorally active natal fruit volatile blends for three of the five major southern hawthorns: C. opaca (western mayhaw), C. aestivalis (eastern mayhaw), and C. rufula (a possible hybrid between C. opaca and C. aestivalis). A 6-component blend was developed for C. opaca (3-methylbutan-1-ol [44%], pentyl acetate [6%], butyl butanoate [6%], propyl hexanoate [6%], butyl hexanoate [26%], and hexyl butanoate [12%]); an 8-component blend for C. aestivalis (3-methylbutan-1-ol [2%], butyl acetate [47%], pentyl acetate [2%], butyl butanoate [12%], propyl hexanoate [1%], butyl hexanoate [25%], hexyl butanoate [9%], and pentyl hexanoate [2%]); and a 9-component blend for C. rufula (3-methylbutan-1-ol [1%], butyl acetate [57%], 3-methylbutyl acetate [3%], butyl butanoate [5%], propyl hexanoate [1%], hexyl propionate [1%], butyl hexanoate [23%], hexyl butanoate [6%], and pentyl hexanoate [3%]). Crataegus aestivalis and C. opaca-origin flies showed significantly higher levels of upwind directed flight to their natal blend in flight tunnel assays compared to the non-natal blend and previously developed apple, northern downy hawthorn, and flowering dogwood blends. Eastern and western mayhaw flies also were tested to the C. rufula blend, with eastern flies displaying higher levels of upwind flight compared with the western flies, likely due to the presence of butyl acetate in the C. aestivalis and C. rufula blends, an agonist compound for eastern mayhaw-origin flies, but a behavioral antagonist for western flies. The results discount the possibility that the apple fly was "pre-assembled" and originated via a recent introduction of southern mayhaw flies predisposed to accepting apple. Instead, the findings are consistent with the possibility of southern mayhaw-infesting fly host races. However, mayhaw fruits do emit several volatiles found in apple. It is, therefore, possible that the ability of the fly to evolve a preference for apple volatiles, although not the entire blend, stemmed, in part, from standing variation related to the presence of these compounds in southern mayhaw fruit.

Gastric Lgr5+ stem cells are the cellular origin of invasive intestinal-type gastric cancer in mice

PubMed Central

Li, Xiu-Bin; Yang, Guan; Zhu, Liang; Tang, Yu-Ling; Zhang, Chong; Ju, Zhenyu; Yang, Xiao; Teng, Yan

2016-01-01

The cellular origin of gastric cancer remains elusive. Leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (Lgr5) is the first identified marker of gastric stem cells. However, the role of Lgr5+ stem cells in driving malignant gastric cancer is not fully validated. Here, we deleted Smad4 and PTEN in murine gastric Lgr5+ stem cells by the inducible Cre-LoxP system and marked mutant Lgr5+ stem cells and their progeny with Cre-reporter Rosa26tdTomato. Rapid onset and progression from microadenoma and macroscopic adenoma to invasive intestinal-type gastric cancer (IGC) were found in the gastric antrum with the loss of Smad4 and PTEN. In addition, invasive IGC developed at the murine gastro-forestomach junction, where a few Lgr5+ stem cells reside. In contrast, Smad4 and PTEN deletions in differentiated cells, including antral parietal cells, pit cells and corpus Lgr5+ chief cells, failed to initiate tumor growth. Furthermore, mutant Lgr5+ cells were involved in IGC growth and progression. In the TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) database, an increase in LGR5 expression was manifested in the human IGC that occurred at the gastric antrum and gastro-esophageal junction. In addition, the concurrent deletion of SMAD4 and PTEN, as well as their reduced expression and deregulated downstream pathways, were associated with human IGC. Thus, we demonstrated that gastric Lgr5+ stem cells were cancer-initiating cells and might act as cancer-propagating cells to contribute to malignant progression. PMID:27091432

Gastric Lgr5(+) stem cells are the cellular origin of invasive intestinal-type gastric cancer in mice.

PubMed

Li, Xiu-Bin; Yang, Guan; Zhu, Liang; Tang, Yu-Ling; Zhang, Chong; Ju, Zhenyu; Yang, Xiao; Teng, Yan

2016-07-01

The cellular origin of gastric cancer remains elusive. Leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (Lgr5) is the first identified marker of gastric stem cells. However, the role of Lgr5(+) stem cells in driving malignant gastric cancer is not fully validated. Here, we deleted Smad4 and PTEN in murine gastric Lgr5(+) stem cells by the inducible Cre-LoxP system and marked mutant Lgr5(+) stem cells and their progeny with Cre-reporter Rosa26(tdTomato). Rapid onset and progression from microadenoma and macroscopic adenoma to invasive intestinal-type gastric cancer (IGC) were found in the gastric antrum with the loss of Smad4 and PTEN. In addition, invasive IGC developed at the murine gastro-forestomach junction, where a few Lgr5(+) stem cells reside. In contrast, Smad4 and PTEN deletions in differentiated cells, including antral parietal cells, pit cells and corpus Lgr5(+) chief cells, failed to initiate tumor growth. Furthermore, mutant Lgr5(+) cells were involved in IGC growth and progression. In the TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) database, an increase in LGR5 expression was manifested in the human IGC that occurred at the gastric antrum and gastro-esophageal junction. In addition, the concurrent deletion of SMAD4 and PTEN, as well as their reduced expression and deregulated downstream pathways, were associated with human IGC. Thus, we demonstrated that gastric Lgr5(+) stem cells were cancer-initiating cells and might act as cancer-propagating cells to contribute to malignant progression.

Gratitude as moral sentiment: emotion-guided cooperation in economic exchange.

PubMed

DeSteno, David; Bartlett, Monica Y; Baumann, Jolie; Williams, Lisa A; Dickens, Leah

2010-04-01

Economic exchange often pits options for selfish and cooperative benefit against one another. Decisions favoring communal profit at the expense of self-interest have traditionally been thought to stem from strategic control aimed at tamping down emotional responses centered on immediate resource acquisition. In the present article, evidence is provided to argue against this limited view of the role played by emotion in shaping prosociality. Findings demonstrate that the social emotion gratitude functions to engender cooperative economic exchange even at the expense of greater individual financial gains. Using real-time inductions, increased gratitude is shown to directly mediate increased monetary giving within the context of an economic game, even where such giving increases communal profit at the expense of individual gains. Moreover, increased giving occurred regardless of whether the beneficiary was a known individual or complete stranger, thereby removing the possibility that it stemmed from simple awareness of reciprocity constraints. Copyright 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Nuclear valve manufacturer selects stainless forgings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

1976-02-01

Forged type 316 stainless steel components for nuclear valves are described. Automatic plasma arc welding with powder filler alloys is employed for hardfacing. Seat ring forgings are surfaced four-at-a-time with Stellite No. 156 in a sequential manner to minimize heat input to the individual components. After cladding and machining, seat rings are welded into the valve body using a semiautomatic, hot-wire gas tungsten-arc process. Disc faces and guide slots are surfaced with Stellite No. 6. The valve stem is machined from 17-4PH forged bar stock in the H-1100 condition. The heat treatment is specified to minimize pitting under prolonged exposuremore » to wet packing. A 12 rms (0.3 $mu$m) surface finish minimizes tearing of the packing and subsequent leakage. The link and stem pin are SA 564 Grade 660 (in the H-1100 condition) and ASTM A637 Grade 718 respectively. (JRD)« less

Robotic Mining Competition Award Ceremony

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-05-26

Students from 45 colleges and universities gathered at Kennedy Space Center’s Saturn V Visitor Complex in Florida on Friday, May 26, to celebrate and conclude NASA’s Eight Annual Robotic Mining Competition. Awards were presented to the winning teams in multiple categories. The three-day competition pitted excavator robots designed and built by each team to mine the most simulated Martian soil in a specified amount of time. Students also were judged on how each team used its robot to inspire its respective community about careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Managed by, and held annually at Kennedy Space Center, RMC is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to engage and retain students in STEM fields by expanding opportunities for student research and design. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions with potential use on NASA’s deep space exploration missions, including to Mars.

Investigations Concerning Cavitation and Frost Fatigue in Clonal 84K Poplar Using High-Resolution Cavitron Measurements1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Feng, Feng; Ding, Fei; Tyree, Melvin T.

2015-01-01

Both drought and freezing-thawing of stems induce a loss of hydraulic conductivity (percentage loss of conductivity [PLC]) in woody plants. Drought-induced PLC is often accompanied by physical damage to pit membranes, causing a shift in vulnerability curves (cavitation fatigue). Hence, if cavitated stems are flushed to remove embolisms, the next vulnerability curve is different (shifted to lower tensions). The 84K poplar (Populus alba × Populus glandulosa) clone has small vessels that should be immune from frost-induced PLC, but results demonstrated that freezing-thawing in combination with tension synergistically increased PLC. Frost fatigue has already been defined, which is similar to cavitation fatigue but induced by freezing. Frost fatigue caused a transition from a single to a dual Weibull curve, but drought-fatigued stems had single Weibull curves shifted to lower tensions. Studying the combined impact of tension plus freezing on fatigue provided evidence that the mechanism of frost fatigue may be the extra water tension induced by freezing or thawing while spinning stems in a centrifuge rather than direct ice damage. A hypothesis is advanced that tension is enhanced as ice crystals grow or melt during the freeze or thaw event, respectively, causing a nearly identical fatigue event to that induced by drought. PMID:25786827

Pharmacognostic studies of the leaves and stem of Careya arborea Roxb.

PubMed Central

Gupta, Prakash Chandra; Sharma, Nisha; Rao, Ch V

2012-01-01

Objective To study detailed pharmacognostic profile of leaves and stem of Careya arborea (C. arborea) Roxb. (Lecthyidaceae), an important medicinal plant in the Indian system of medicine. Methods Leaf and stem samples of C. arborea were studied by macroscopical, microscopical, physicochemical, phytochemical, fluorescence analysis of powder of the plant and other methods for standardization recommended by WHO. Results Macroscopically, the leaves are simple, broadly obovate in shape, acuminate apex with crenate, dentate margin, petioles (0.1–1.8 cm) long. Microscopically, the leaf showed the presence of median large size vascular bundle covered with fibrous bundle sheath, arrangement of xylem in cup shape and presence of cortical vascular bundle, patches of sclerenchyma, phloem fibers in groups and brown pigment containing cells in stem are some of the diagnostic features noted from anatomical study. Powder microscopy of leaf revealed the presence of parenchyma cells, xylem with pitted vessels and epidermis with anisocytic stomata. The investigations also included leaf surface data; quantitative leaf microscopy and fluorescence analysis. Physiochemical parameters such as loss on drying, swelling index, extractive values and ash values were also determined and results showed that total ash of the stem bark was about two times higher than leaf and water soluble extractive value of leaf and stem bark was two times higher than alcohol soluble extractive value. Preliminary phytochemical screening showed the presence of triterpenoids, saponins, tannins and flavonoids. Conclusions The results of the study can serve as a valuable source of information and provide suitable standards for identification of this plant material in future investigations and applications. PMID:23569939

Effect of repeated Ribavirin treatment on grapevine viruses.

PubMed

Komínek, P; Komínková, M; Jandová, B

The effect of Ribavirin treatment for the chemotherapy of several grapevine viruses was evaluated. Four grapevine cultivars were repeatedly treated with Ribavirin in two different concentrations and with three different lengths of treatment. Repeating the Ribavirin treatment always had a significant effect on the number of healthy grapevine plants obtained. Ribavirin concentration and length of exposure showed a significant difference in sanitation of the Grapevine rupestris stem pitting-associated virus. During sanitation of the Grapevine Pinot gris virus and Grapevine fleck virus, those two factors did not show significant differences in the elimination of grapevine viruses.

Dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane regulates stem cell activity in vitro.

PubMed

Massee, Michelle; Chinn, Kathryn; Lei, Jennifer; Lim, Jeremy J; Young, Conan S; Koob, Thomas J

2016-10-01

Human-derived placental tissues have been shown in randomized clinical trials to be effective for healing chronic wounds, and have also demonstrated the ability to recruit stem cells to the wound site in vitro and in vivo. In this study, PURION(®) Processed dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane allografts (dHACM, EpiFix(®) , MiMedx Group, Marietta, GA) were evaluated for their ability to alter stem cell activity in vitro. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs), adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs), and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) were treated with soluble extracts of dHACM tissue, and were evaluated for cellular proliferation, migration, and cytokine secretion. Stem cells were analyzed for cell number by DNA assay after 24 h, closure of an acellular zone using microscopy over 3 days, and soluble cytokine production in the medium of treated stem cells was analyzed after 3 days using a multiplex ELISA array. Treatment with soluble extracts of dHACM tissue stimulated BM-MSCs, ADSCs, and HSCs to proliferate with a significant increase in cell number after 24 h. dHACM treatment accelerated closure of an acellular zone by ADSCs and BM-MSCs after 3 days, compared to basal medium. BM-MSCs, ADSCs, and HSCs also modulated endogenous production of a number of various soluble signals, including regulators of inflammation, mitogenesis, and wound healing. dHACM treatment promoted increased proliferation and migration of ADSCs, BM-MSCs, and HSCs, along with modulation of secreted proteins from those cells. Therefore, dHACM may impact wound healing by amplifying host stem cell populations and modulating their responses in treated wound tissues. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 1495-1503, 2016. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Elimination of Grapevine leafroll associated virus-3, Grapevine rupestris stem pitting associated virus and Grapevine virus A from a Tunisian Cultivar by Somatic Embryogenesis and Characterization of the Somaclones Using Ampelographic Descriptors

PubMed Central

Bouamama-Gzara, Badra; Selmi, Ilhem; Chebil, Samir; Melki, Imene; Mliki, Ahmed; Ghorbel, Abdelwahed; Carra, Angela; Carimi, Francesco; Mahfoudhi, Naima

2017-01-01

Prospecting of local grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) germplasm revealed that Tunisia possesses a rich patrimony which presents diversified organoleptic characteristics. However, viral diseases seriously affect all local grapevine cultivars which risk a complete extinction. Sanitation programs need to be established to preserve and exploit, as a gene pool, the Tunisian vineyards areas. The presence of the Grapevine leafroll associated virus-3 (GLRaV-3), Grapevine stem pitting associated virus (GRSPaV) and Grapevine virus A (GVA), were confirmed in a Tunisian grapevine cultivar using serological and molecular analyses. The association between GRSPaV and GVA viruses induces more rugose wood symptoms and damages. For this reason the cleansing of the infected cultivar is highly advisable. Direct and recurrent somatic embryos of cv. ‘Hencha’ were successfully induced from filament, when cultured on Chée and Pool (1987). based-medium, enriched with 2 mg 1−1 of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2.5 mg 1−1 of Thidiazuron, after 36 weeks of culture. After six months of acclimatization, RT-PCR carried on 50 somaplants confirmed the absence of GVA, GRSPa-V as well as GLRaV-3 viruses in all somaplants. Ampelographic analysis, based on eight OIV descriptors, was carried out on two years acclimated somaplants, compared to the mother plant. Results demonstrated that the shape and contours of 46 somaclones leaves are identical to mother plant leaves and four phenotypically off-type plants were observed. The healthy state of 100% ‘Hencha’ somaclones and the high percentage of phenotypically true-to-type plants demonstrate that somatic embryogenesis is a promising technique to adopt for grapevine viruses elimination. PMID:29238279

Elimination of Grapevine leafroll associated virus-3, Grapevine rupestris stem pitting associated virus and Grapevine virus A from a Tunisian Cultivar by Somatic Embryogenesis and Characterization of the Somaclones Using Ampelographic Descriptors.

PubMed

Bouamama-Gzara, Badra; Selmi, Ilhem; Chebil, Samir; Melki, Imene; Mliki, Ahmed; Ghorbel, Abdelwahed; Carra, Angela; Carimi, Francesco; Mahfoudhi, Naima

2017-12-01

Prospecting of local grapevine ( Vitis vinifera L.) germplasm revealed that Tunisia possesses a rich patrimony which presents diversified organoleptic characteristics. However, viral diseases seriously affect all local grapevine cultivars which risk a complete extinction. Sanitation programs need to be established to preserve and exploit, as a gene pool, the Tunisian vineyards areas. The presence of the Grapevine leafroll associated virus-3 (GLRaV-3), Grapevine stem pitting associated virus (GRSPaV) and Grapevine virus A (GVA), were confirmed in a Tunisian grapevine cultivar using serological and molecular analyses. The association between GRSPaV and GVA viruses induces more rugose wood symptoms and damages. For this reason the cleansing of the infected cultivar is highly advisable. Direct and recurrent somatic embryos of cv. 'Hencha' were successfully induced from filament, when cultured on Chée and Pool (1987). based-medium, enriched with 2 mg 1 -1 of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2.5 mg 1 -1 of Thidiazuron, after 36 weeks of culture. After six months of acclimatization, RT-PCR carried on 50 somaplants confirmed the absence of GVA, GRSPa-V as well as GLRaV-3 viruses in all somaplants. Ampelographic analysis, based on eight OIV descriptors, was carried out on two years acclimated somaplants, compared to the mother plant. Results demonstrated that the shape and contours of 46 somaclones leaves are identical to mother plant leaves and four phenotypically off-type plants were observed. The healthy state of 100% 'Hencha' somaclones and the high percentage of phenotypically true-to-type plants demonstrate that somatic embryogenesis is a promising technique to adopt for grapevine viruses elimination.

Are needles of Pinus pinaster more vulnerable to xylem embolism than branches? New insights from X-ray computed tomography.

PubMed

Bouche, Pauline S; Delzon, Sylvain; Choat, Brendan; Badel, Eric; Brodribb, Timothy J; Burlett, Regis; Cochard, Hervé; Charra-Vaskou, Katline; Lavigne, Bruno; Li, Shan; Mayr, Stefan; Morris, Hugh; Torres-Ruiz, José M; Zufferey, Vivian; Jansen, Steven

2016-04-01

Plants can be highly segmented organisms with an independently redundant design of organs. In the context of plant hydraulics, leaves may be less embolism resistant than stems, allowing hydraulic failure to be restricted to distal organs that can be readily replaced. We quantified drought-induced embolism in needles and stems of Pinus pinaster using high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). HRCT observations of needles were compared with the rehydration kinetics method to estimate the contribution of extra-xylary pathways to declining hydraulic conductance. High-resolution computed tomography images indicated that the pressure inducing 50% of embolized tracheids was similar between needle and stem xylem (P50 needle xylem  = -3.62 MPa, P50 stem xylem  = -3.88 MPa). Tracheids in both organs showed no difference in torus overlap of bordered pits. However, estimations of the pressure inducing 50% loss of hydraulic conductance at the whole needle level by the rehydration kinetics method were significantly higher (P50 needle  = -1.71 MPa) than P50 needle xylem derived from HRCT. The vulnerability segmentation hypothesis appears to be valid only when considering hydraulic failure at the entire needle level, including extra-xylary pathways. Our findings suggest that native embolism in needles is limited and highlight the importance of imaging techniques for vulnerability curves. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sodium-dependent phosphate cotransporters and phosphate-induced calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells: Redundant roles for PiT-1 and PiT-2

PubMed Central

Crouthamel, Matthew H.; Lau, Wei Ling; Leaf, Elizabeth M.; Chavkin, Nick; Wallingford, Mary C.; Peterson, Danielle F.; Li, Xianwu; Liu, Yonggang; Chin, Michael T.; Levi, Moshe; Giachelli, Cecilia M.

2014-01-01

Objective Elevated serum phosphate has emerged as a major risk factor for vascular calcification. The sodium-dependent phosphate cotransporter, PiT-1, was previously shown to be required for phosphate-induced osteogenic differentiation and calcification of cultured human VSMCs, but its importance in vascular calcification in vivo, as well as the potential role of its homologue, PiT-2, have not been determined. We investigated the in vivo requirement for PiT-1 in vascular calcification using a mouse model of chronic kidney disease, and the potential compensatory role of PiT-2 using in vitro knockdown and over-expression strategies. Approach and Results Mice with targeted deletion of PiT-1 in VSMCs were generated (PiT-1Δsm). PiT-1 mRNA levels were undetectable whereas PiT-2 mRNA levels were increased 2 fold in the vascular aortic media of PiT-1Δsm compared to PiT-1flox/flox control. When arterial medial calcification was induced in PiT-1Δsm and PiT-1flox/flox by chronic kidney disease followed by dietary phosphate loading, the degree of aortic calcification was not different between genotypes, suggesting compensation by PiT-2. Consistent with this possibility, VSMCs isolated from PiT-1Δsm mice had no PiT-1 mRNA expression, increased PiT-2 mRNA levels, and no difference in sodium-dependent phosphate uptake or phosphate-induced matrix calcification compared to PiT-1flox/flox VSMCs. Knockdown of PiT-2 decreased phosphate uptake and phosphate-induced calcification of PiT-1Δsm VSMCs. Furthermore, over-expression of PiT-2 restored these parameters in human PiT-1-deficient VSMCs. Conclusions PiT-2 can mediate phosphate uptake and calcification of VSMCs in the absence of PiT-1. Mechanistically, PiT-1 and PiT-2 appear to serve redundant roles in phosphate-induced calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells. PMID:23968976

Nobody’s perfect: can irregularities in pit structure influence vulnerability to cavitation?

PubMed Central

Plavcová, Lenka; Jansen, Steven; Klepsch, Matthias; Hacke, Uwe G.

2013-01-01

Recent studies have suggested that species-specific pit properties such as pit membrane thickness, pit membrane porosity, torus-to-aperture diameter ratio and pit chamber depth influence xylem vulnerability to cavitation. Despite the indisputable importance of using mean pit characteristics, considerable variability in pit structure within a single species or even within a single pit field should be acknowledged. According to the rare pit hypothesis, a single pit that is more air-permeable than many neighboring pits is sufficient to allow air-seeding. Therefore, any irregularities or morphological abnormalities in pit structure allowing air-seeding should be associated with increased vulnerability to cavitation. Considering the currently proposed models of air-seeding, pit features such as rare, large pores in the pit membrane, torus extensions, and plasmodesmatal pores in a torus can represent potential glitches. These aberrations in pit structure could either result from inherent developmental flaws, or from damage caused to the pit membrane by chemical and physical agents. This suggests the existence of interesting feedbacks between abiotic and biotic stresses in xylem physiology. PMID:24273549

2017 Robotic Mining Competition

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-05-24

Energy levels are high in the RoboPit as teams prepare for NASA's 8th Annual Robotic Mining Competition at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. arel using their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's Journey to Mars.

Cavitation and Its Discontents: Opportunities for Resolving Current Controversies1[C

PubMed Central

Rockwell, Fulton E.; Wheeler, James K.; Holbrook, N. Michele

2014-01-01

Cavitation has long been recognized as a key constraint on the structure and functional integrity of the xylem. Yet, recent results call into question how well we understand cavitation in plants. Here, we consider embolism formation in angiosperms at two scales. The first focuses on how air-seeding occurs at the level of pit membranes, raising the question of whether capillary failure is an appropriate physical model. The second addresses methodological uncertainties that affect our ability to infer the formation of embolism and its reversal in plant stems. Overall, our goal is to open up fresh perspectives on the structure-function relationships of xylem. PMID:24501002

Biphenyl 4-Hydroxylases Involved in Aucuparin Biosynthesis in Rowan and Apple Are Cytochrome P450 736A Proteins1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Kaufholdt, David; Broggini, Giovanni A.L.; Flachowsky, Henryk; Hänsch, Robert

2015-01-01

Upon pathogen attack, fruit trees such as apple (Malus spp.) and pear (Pyrus spp.) accumulate biphenyl and dibenzofuran phytoalexins, with aucuparin as a major biphenyl compound. 4-Hydroxylation of the biphenyl scaffold, formed by biphenyl synthase (BIS), is catalyzed by a cytochrome P450 (CYP). The biphenyl 4-hydroxylase (B4H) coding sequence of rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) was isolated and functionally expressed in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). SaB4H was named CYP736A107. No catalytic function of CYP736 was known previously. SaB4H exhibited absolute specificity for 3-hydroxy-5-methoxybiphenyl. In rowan cell cultures treated with elicitor from the scab fungus, transient increases in the SaB4H, SaBIS, and phenylalanine ammonia lyase transcript levels preceded phytoalexin accumulation. Transient expression of a carboxyl-terminal reporter gene construct directed SaB4H to the endoplasmic reticulum. A construct lacking the amino-terminal leader and transmembrane domain caused cytoplasmic localization. Functional B4H coding sequences were also isolated from two apple (Malus × domestica) cultivars. The MdB4Hs were named CYP736A163. When stems of cv Golden Delicious were infected with the fire blight bacterium, highest MdB4H transcript levels were observed in the transition zone. In a phylogenetic tree, the three B4Hs were closest to coniferaldehyde 5-hydroxylases involved in lignin biosynthesis, suggesting a common ancestor. Coniferaldehyde and related compounds were not converted by SaB4H. PMID:25862456

Biphenyl 4-Hydroxylases Involved in Aucuparin Biosynthesis in Rowan and Apple Are Cytochrome P450 736A Proteins.

PubMed

Sircar, Debabrata; Gaid, Mariam M; Chizzali, Cornelia; Reckwell, Dennis; Kaufholdt, David; Beuerle, Till; Broggini, Giovanni A L; Flachowsky, Henryk; Liu, Benye; Hänsch, Robert; Beerhues, Ludger

2015-06-01

Upon pathogen attack, fruit trees such as apple (Malus spp.) and pear (Pyrus spp.) accumulate biphenyl and dibenzofuran phytoalexins, with aucuparin as a major biphenyl compound. 4-Hydroxylation of the biphenyl scaffold, formed by biphenyl synthase (BIS), is catalyzed by a cytochrome P450 (CYP). The biphenyl 4-hydroxylase (B4H) coding sequence of rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) was isolated and functionally expressed in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). SaB4H was named CYP736A107. No catalytic function of CYP736 was known previously. SaB4H exhibited absolute specificity for 3-hydroxy-5-methoxybiphenyl. In rowan cell cultures treated with elicitor from the scab fungus, transient increases in the SaB4H, SaBIS, and phenylalanine ammonia lyase transcript levels preceded phytoalexin accumulation. Transient expression of a carboxyl-terminal reporter gene construct directed SaB4H to the endoplasmic reticulum. A construct lacking the amino-terminal leader and transmembrane domain caused cytoplasmic localization. Functional B4H coding sequences were also isolated from two apple (Malus × domestica) cultivars. The MdB4Hs were named CYP736A163. When stems of cv Golden Delicious were infected with the fire blight bacterium, highest MdB4H transcript levels were observed in the transition zone. In a phylogenetic tree, the three B4Hs were closest to coniferaldehyde 5-hydroxylases involved in lignin biosynthesis, suggesting a common ancestor. Coniferaldehyde and related compounds were not converted by SaB4H. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Shaping the shoot: the relative contribution of cell number and cell shape to variations in internode length between parent and hybrid apple trees.

PubMed

Ripetti, V; Escoute, J; Verdeil, J L; Costes, E

2008-01-01

Genetic control of plant size and shape is a promising perspective, particularly in fruit trees, in order to select desirable genotypes. A recent study on architectural traits in an apple progeny showed that internode length was a highly heritable character. However, few studies have been devoted to internode cellular patterning in dicotyledonous stems, and the interplay between the two elementary cell processes that contribute to their length, i.e. cell division and elongation, is not fully understood. The present study aimed at unravelling their contributions in the genetic variation of internode length in a selection of F(1) and parent genotypes of apple tree, by exploring the number of cells and cell shape within mature internodes belonging to the main axes. The results highlighted that both the variables were homogeneous in samples collected either along a sagital line or along the pith width, and suggest that cell lengthening was homogeneous during internode development. They allowed the total number of cells to be estimated on the internode scale and opened up new perspectives for simplifying tissue sampling procedures for further investigations. Differences in internode length were observed between the genotypes, in particular between the parents, and partly resulted from a compensation between cell number and cell length. However, genetic variations in internode length primarily involved the number of cells, while cell length was more secondary. These results argue for an interplay between cellular and organismal control of internode shape that may involve the rib meristem.

Assessment of the reduced allergenic properties of the Santana apple.

PubMed

Kootstra, Helmi S; Vlieg-Boerstra, Berber J; Dubois, Anthony E J

2007-12-01

Approximately 2% of the Northern and Central European population is allergic to apples. Because of symptoms of oral allergy syndrome, many individuals avoid eating fresh apples. A strategy to allow apple allergic individuals to eat apples is the development of hypoallergenic apple varieties. To investigate the allergenicity of a putatively hypoallergenic apple cultivar, the Santana apple, on apple allergic individuals using a method of challenge in which loss of allergenicity is minimized. The study population consisted of 15 apple allergic individuals, who underwent an open oral challenge with 3 different apple cultivars: Santana, Golden Delicious, and Topaz. Food challenges were performed between February 1 and May 31, 2005, during the birch tree pollen season. Sensory perception during challenges was minimized by use of a blindfold and nose clip and randomization of challenge order. Subjective symptoms were scored by a visual analog scale. After challenge with the Santana apple, 8 of 15 study participants (53%) developed no symptoms, which was a significantly greater proportion than after challenge with the Topaz apple (1 participant) and Golden Delicious apple (1 participant) (P = .002). The visual analog scale scores for the Santana apple (dose 1) were significantly lower than that for the Golden Delicious and Topaz apples. A total of 73% of the participants stated they would eat Santana apples in the future. The Santana apple caused significantly fewer allergic symptoms in apple allergic individuals than the Golden Delicious and Topaz apples. The Santana apple may be a good choice for most apple allergic individuals who want to eat apples.

Nucleation sites of Ge nanoislands grown on pit-patterned Si substrate prepared by electron-beam lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smagina, Zh. V.; Zinovyev, V. A.; Rudin, S. A.; Novikov, P. L.; Rodyakina, E. E.; Dvurechenskii, A. V.

2018-04-01

Regular pit-patterned Si(001) substrates were prepared by electron-beam lithography followed by plasma chemical etching. The geometry of the pits was controlled by varying the etching conditions and the electron-beam exposure duration. It was shown that the location of three-dimensional (3D) Ge nanoislands subsequently grown on the pit-patterned Si substrates depends on the shape of the pit bottom. In the case of pits having a sharp bottom, 3D Ge islands nucleate inside the pits. For pits with a wide flat bottom, the 3D Ge island nucleation takes place at the pit periphery. This effect is attributed to the strain relaxation depending not only on the initial pit shape, but also on its evolution during the Ge wetting layer deposition. It was shown by Monte Carlo simulations that in the case of a pit with a pointed bottom, the relaxation is most effective inside the pit, while for a pit with a wide bottom, the most relaxed area migrates during Ge deposition from the pit bottom to its edges, where 3D Ge islands nucleate.

Analysis of the complete genome of peach chlorotic mottle virus: identification of non-AUG start codons, in vitro coat protein expression, and elucidation of serological cross-reactions.

PubMed

James, D; Varga, A; Croft, H

2007-01-01

The entire genome of peach chlorotic mottle virus (PCMV), originally identified as Prunus persica cv. Agua virus (4N6), was sequenced and analysed. PCMV cross-reacts with antisera to diverse viruses, such as plum pox virus (PPV), genus Potyvirus, family Potyviridae; and apple stem pitting virus (ASPV), genus Foveavirus, family Flexiviridae. The PCMV genome consists of 9005 nucleotides (nts), excluding a poly(A) tail at the 3' end of the genome. Five open reading frames (ORFs) were identified with four untranslated regions (UTR) including a 5', a 3', and two intergenic UTRs. The genome organisation of PCMV is similar to that of ASPV and the two genomes share a nucleotide (nt) sequence identity of 58%. PCMV ORF1 encodes the replication-associated protein complex (Mr 241,503), ORF2-ORF4 code for the triple gene block proteins (TGBp; Mr 24,802, 12,370, and 7320, respectively), and ORF5 encodes the coat protein (CP) (Mr 42,505). Two non-AUG start codons participate in the initiation of translation: 35AUC and 7676AUA initiate translation of ORF1 and ORF5. In vitro expression with subsequent Western blot analysis confirmed ORF5 as the CP-encoding gene and confirmed that the codon AUA is able to initiate translation of the CP. Expression of a truncated CP fragment (Mr 39, 689) was demonstrated, and both proteins are expressed in vivo, since both were observed in Western blot analysis of PCMV-infected peach and Nicotiana occidentalis. The expressed proteins cross-reacted with an antiserum against ASPV. The amino acid sequences of the CPs of PCMV and ASPV CP share only 37% identity, but there are 11 shared peptides 4-8 aa residues long. These may constitute linear epitopes responsible for ASPV antiserum cross reactions. No significant common linear epitopes were associated with PPV. Extensive phylogenetic analysis indicates that PCMV is closely related to ASPV and is a new and distinct member of the genus Foveavirus.

Martian Central Pit Craters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hillman, E.; Barlow, N. G.

2005-01-01

Impact craters containing central pits are rare on the terrestrial planets but common on icy bodies. Mars is the exception among the terrestrial planets, where central pits are seen on crater floors ( floor pits ) as well as on top of central peaks ( summit pits ). Wood et al. [1] proposed that degassing of subsurface volatiles during crater formation produced central pits. Croft [2] argued instead that central pits might form during the impact of volatile-rich comets. Although central pits are seen in impact craters on icy moons such as Ganymede, they do show some significant differences from their martian counterparts: (a) only floor pits are seen on Ganymede, and (b) central pits begin to occur at crater diameters where the peak ring interior morphology begins to appear in terrestrial planet craters [3]. A study of craters containing central pits was conducted by Barlow and Bradley [4] using Viking imagery. They found that 28% of craters displaying an interior morphology on Mars contain central pits. Diameters of craters containing central pits ranged from 16 to 64 km. Barlow and Bradley noted that summit pit craters tended to be smaller than craters containing floor pits. They also noted a correlation of central pit craters with the proposed rings of large impact basins. They argued that basin ring formation fractured the martian crust and allowed subsurface volatiles to concentrate in these locations. They favored the model that degassing of the substrate during crater formation was responsible for central pit formation due to the preferential location of central pit craters along these basin rings.

Substrate micropatterns produced by polymer demixing regulate focal adhesions, actin anisotropy, and lineage differentiation of stem cells.

PubMed

Vega, Sebastián L; Arvind, Varun; Mishra, Prakhar; Kohn, Joachim; Sanjeeva Murthy, N; Moghe, Prabhas V

2018-06-12

Stem cells are adherent cells whose multipotency and differentiation can be regulated by numerous microenvironmental signals including soluble growth factors and surface topography. This study describes a simple method for creating distinct micropatterns via microphase separation resulting from polymer demixing of poly(desaminotyrosyl-tyrosine carbonate) (PDTEC) and polystyrene (PS). Substrates with co-continuous (ribbons) or discontinuous (islands and pits) PDTEC regions were obtained by varying the ratio of PDTEC and sacrificial PS. Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) cultured on co-continuous PDTEC substrates for 3 days in bipotential adipogenic/osteogenic (AD/OS) induction medium showed no change in cell morphology but exhibited increased anisotropic cytoskeletal organization and larger focal adhesions when compared to MSCs cultured on discontinuous micropatterns. After 14 days in bipotential AD/OS induction medium, MSCs cultured on co-continuous micropatterns exhibited increased expression of osteogenic markers, whereas MSCs on discontinuous PDTEC substrates showed a low expression of adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation markers. Substrates with graded micropatterns were able to reproduce the influence of local underlying topography on MSC differentiation, thus demonstrating their potential for high throughput analysis. This work presents polymer demixing as a simple, non-lithographic technique to produce a wide range of micropatterns on surfaces with complex geometries to influence cellular and tissue regenerative responses. Gaining a better understanding of how engineered microenvironments influence stem cell differentiation is integral to increasing the use of stem cells and materials in a wide range of tissue engineering applications. In this study, we show the range of topography obtained by polymer demixing is sufficient for investigating how surface topography affects stem cell morphology and differentiation. Our findings show that co-continuous topographies favor early (3-day) cytoskeletal anisotropy and focal adhesion maturation as well as long-term (14-day) expression of osteogenic differentiation markers. Taken together, this study presents a simple approach to pattern topographies that induce divergent responses in stem cell morphology and differentiation. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Mapping of the minimal inorganic phosphate transporting unit of human PiT2 suggests a structure universal to PiT-related proteins from all kingdoms of life

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The inorganic (Pi) phosphate transporter (PiT) family comprises known and putative Na+- or H+-dependent Pi-transporting proteins with representatives from all kingdoms. The mammalian members are placed in the outer cell membranes and suggested to supply cells with Pi to maintain house-keeping functions. Alignment of protein sequences representing PiT family members from all kingdoms reveals the presence of conserved amino acids and that bacterial phosphate permeases and putative phosphate permeases from archaea lack substantial parts of the protein sequence when compared to the mammalian PiT family members. Besides being Na+-dependent Pi (NaPi) transporters, the mammalian PiT paralogs, PiT1 and PiT2, also are receptors for gamma-retroviruses. We have here exploited the dual-function of PiT1 and PiT2 to study the structure-function relationship of PiT proteins. Results We show that the human PiT2 histidine, H502, and the human PiT1 glutamate, E70, - both conserved in eukaryotic PiT family members - are critical for Pi transport function. Noticeably, human PiT2 H502 is located in the C-terminal PiT family signature sequence, and human PiT1 E70 is located in ProDom domains characteristic for all PiT family members. A human PiT2 truncation mutant, which consists of the predicted 10 transmembrane (TM) domain backbone without a large intracellular domain (human PiT2ΔR254-V483), was found to be a fully functional Pi transporter. Further truncation of the human PiT2 protein by additional removal of two predicted TM domains together with the large intracellular domain created a mutant that resembles a bacterial phosphate permease and an archaeal putative phosphate permease. This human PiT2 truncation mutant (human PiT2ΔL183-V483) did also support Pi transport albeit at very low levels. Conclusions The results suggest that the overall structure of the Pi-transporting unit of the PiT family proteins has remained unchanged during evolution. Moreover, in combination, our studies of the gene structure of the human PiT1 and PiT2 genes (SLC20A1 and SLC20A2, respectively) and alignment of protein sequences of PiT family members from all kingdoms, along with the studies of the dual functions of the human PiT paralogs show that these proteins are excellent as models for studying the evolution of a protein's structure-function relationship. PMID:21586110

Mapping of the minimal inorganic phosphate transporting unit of human PiT2 suggests a structure universal to PiT-related proteins from all kingdoms of life.

PubMed

Bøttger, Pernille; Pedersen, Lene

2011-05-17

The inorganic (Pi) phosphate transporter (PiT) family comprises known and putative Na(+)- or H(+)-dependent Pi-transporting proteins with representatives from all kingdoms. The mammalian members are placed in the outer cell membranes and suggested to supply cells with Pi to maintain house-keeping functions. Alignment of protein sequences representing PiT family members from all kingdoms reveals the presence of conserved amino acids and that bacterial phosphate permeases and putative phosphate permeases from archaea lack substantial parts of the protein sequence when compared to the mammalian PiT family members. Besides being Na(+)-dependent P(i) (NaP(i)) transporters, the mammalian PiT paralogs, PiT1 and PiT2, also are receptors for gamma-retroviruses. We have here exploited the dual-function of PiT1 and PiT2 to study the structure-function relationship of PiT proteins. We show that the human PiT2 histidine, H(502), and the human PiT1 glutamate, E(70),--both conserved in eukaryotic PiT family members--are critical for P(i) transport function. Noticeably, human PiT2 H(502) is located in the C-terminal PiT family signature sequence, and human PiT1 E(70) is located in ProDom domains characteristic for all PiT family members.A human PiT2 truncation mutant, which consists of the predicted 10 transmembrane (TM) domain backbone without a large intracellular domain (human PiT2ΔR(254)-V(483)), was found to be a fully functional P(i) transporter. Further truncation of the human PiT2 protein by additional removal of two predicted TM domains together with the large intracellular domain created a mutant that resembles a bacterial phosphate permease and an archaeal putative phosphate permease. This human PiT2 truncation mutant (human PiT2ΔL(183)-V(483)) did also support P(i) transport albeit at very low levels. The results suggest that the overall structure of the P(i)-transporting unit of the PiT family proteins has remained unchanged during evolution. Moreover, in combination, our studies of the gene structure of the human PiT1 and PiT2 genes (SLC20A1 and SLC20A2, respectively) and alignment of protein sequences of PiT family members from all kingdoms, along with the studies of the dual functions of the human PiT paralogs show that these proteins are excellent as models for studying the evolution of a protein's structure-function relationship. © 2011 Bøttger and Pedersen; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

The three principles of action: a Pavlovian-instrumental transfer hypothesis

PubMed Central

Cartoni, Emilio; Puglisi-Allegra, Stefano; Baldassarre, Gianluca

2013-01-01

Pavlovian conditioned stimuli can influence instrumental responding, an effect called Pavlovian-instrumental transfer (PIT). During the last decade, PIT has been subdivided into two types: specific PIT and general PIT, each having its own neural substrates. Specific PIT happens when a conditioned stimulus (CS) associated with a reward enhances an instrumental response directed to the same reward. Under general PIT, instead, the CS enhances a response directed to a different reward. While important progress has been made into identifying the neural substrates, the function of specific and general PIT and how they interact with instrumental responses are still not clear. In the experimental paradigm that distinguishes specific and general PIT an effect of PIT inhibition has also been observed and is waiting for an explanation. Here we propose an hypothesis that links these three PIT effects (specific PIT, general PIT and PIT inhibition) to three aspects of action evaluation. These three aspects, which we call “principles of action”, are: context, efficacy, and utility. In goal-directed behavior, an agent has to evaluate if the context is suitable to accomplish the goal, the efficacy of his action in getting the goal, and the utility of the goal itself: we suggest that each of the three PIT effects is related to one of these aspects of action evaluation. In particular, we link specific PIT with the estimation of efficacy, general PIT with the evaluation of utility, and PIT inhibition with the adequacy of context. We also provide a latent cause Bayesian computational model that exemplifies this hypothesis. This hypothesis and the model provide a new framework and new predictions to advance knowledge about PIT functioning and its role in animal adaptation. PMID:24312025

40 CFR 407.20 - Applicability; description of the apple products subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... apple products subcategory. 407.20 Section 407.20 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... PROCESSING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Products Subcategory § 407.20 Applicability; description of the apple... processing of apples into apple products. The processing of apples into caustic peeled or dehydrated products...

A probability distribution model of tooth pits for evaluating time-varying mesh stiffness of pitting gears

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Yaguo; Liu, Zongyao; Wang, Delong; Yang, Xiao; Liu, Huan; Lin, Jing

2018-06-01

Tooth damage often causes a reduction in gear mesh stiffness. Thus time-varying mesh stiffness (TVMS) can be treated as an indication of gear health conditions. This study is devoted to investigating the mesh stiffness variations of a pair of external spur gears with tooth pitting, and proposes a new model for describing tooth pitting based on probability distribution. In the model, considering the appearance and development process of tooth pitting, we model the pitting on the surface of spur gear teeth as a series of pits with a uniform distribution in the direction of tooth width and a normal distribution in the direction of tooth height, respectively. In addition, four pitting degrees, from no pitting to severe pitting, are modeled. Finally, influences of tooth pitting on TVMS are analyzed in details and the proposed model is validated by comparing with a finite element model. The comparison results show that the proposed model is effective for the TVMS evaluations of pitting gears.

40 CFR 407.20 - Applicability; description of the apple products subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true Applicability; description of the apple... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Products Subcategory § 407.20 Applicability; description of the apple products... apples into apple products. The processing of apples into caustic peeled or dehydrated products is...

40 CFR 407.10 - Applicability; description of the apple juice subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... apple juice subcategory. 407.10 Section 407.10 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Juice Subcategory § 407.10 Applicability; description of the apple juice... apples into apple juice or apple cider. When a plant is subject to effluent limitations covering more...

40 CFR 407.20 - Applicability; description of the apple products subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Applicability; description of the apple... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Products Subcategory § 407.20 Applicability; description of the apple products... apples into apple products. The processing of apples into caustic peeled or dehydrated products is...

40 CFR 407.10 - Applicability; description of the apple juice subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Applicability; description of the apple... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Juice Subcategory § 407.10 Applicability; description of the apple juice... apples into apple juice or apple cider. When a plant is subject to effluent limitations covering more...

40 CFR 407.10 - Applicability; description of the apple juice subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2011-07-01 2009-07-01 true Applicability; description of the apple... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Juice Subcategory § 407.10 Applicability; description of the apple juice... apples into apple juice or apple cider. When a plant is subject to effluent limitations covering more...

40 CFR 407.10 - Applicability; description of the apple juice subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2014-07-01 2012-07-01 true Applicability; description of the apple... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Juice Subcategory § 407.10 Applicability; description of the apple juice... apples into apple juice or apple cider. When a plant is subject to effluent limitations covering more...

40 CFR 407.10 - Applicability; description of the apple juice subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true Applicability; description of the apple... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Juice Subcategory § 407.10 Applicability; description of the apple juice... apples into apple juice or apple cider. When a plant is subject to effluent limitations covering more...

40 CFR 407.20 - Applicability; description of the apple products subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2014-07-01 2012-07-01 true Applicability; description of the apple... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Products Subcategory § 407.20 Applicability; description of the apple products... apples into apple products. The processing of apples into caustic peeled or dehydrated products is...

40 CFR 407.20 - Applicability; description of the apple products subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2011-07-01 2009-07-01 true Applicability; description of the apple... SOURCE CATEGORY Apple Products Subcategory § 407.20 Applicability; description of the apple products... apples into apple products. The processing of apples into caustic peeled or dehydrated products is...

Divergences in hydraulic architecture form an important basis for niche differentiation between diploid and polyploid Betula species in NE China.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei-Wei; Song, Jia; Wang, Miao; Liu, Yan-Yan; Li, Na; Zhang, Yong-Jiang; Holbrook, N Michele; Hao, Guang-You

2017-05-01

Habitat differentiation between polyploid and diploid plants are frequently observed, with polyploids usually occupying more stressed environments. In woody plants, polyploidization can greatly affect wood characteristics but knowledge of its influences on xylem hydraulics is scarce. The four Betula species in NE China, representing two diploids and two polyploids with obvious habitat differentiation, provide an exceptional study system for investigating the impact of polyploidization on environmental adaptation of trees from the point view of xylem hydraulics. To test the hypothesis that changes in hydraulic architecture play an important role in determining their niche differentiation, we measured wood structural traits at both the tissue and pit levels and quantified xylem water transport efficiency and safety in these species. The two polyploids had significantly larger hydraulic weighted mean vessel diameters than the two diploids (45.1 and 45.5 vs 25.9 and 24.5 μm) although the polyploids are occupying more stressed environments. As indicated by more negative water potentials corresponding to 50% loss of stem hydraulic conductivities, the two polyploids exhibited significantly higher resistance to drought-induced embolism than the two diploids (-5.23 and -5.05 vs -3.86 and -3.13 MPa) despite their larger vessel diameters. This seeming discrepancy is reconciled by distinct characteristics favoring greater embolism resistance at the pit level in the two polyploid species. Our results showed clearly that the two polyploid species have remarkably different pit-level anatomical traits favoring greater hydraulic safety than their congeneric diploid species, which have likely contributed to the abundance of polyploid birches in more stressed habitats; however, less porous inter-conduit pits together with a reduced leaf to sapwood area may have compromised their competitiveness under more favorable conditions. Contrasts in hydraulic architecture between diploid and polyploid Betula species suggest an important functional basis for their clear habitat differentiation along environmental gradients in Changbai Mountain of NE China. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Smartphone-based grading of apple quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xianglin; Li, Ting

2018-02-01

Apple quality grading is a critical issue in apple industry which is one economical pillar of many countries. Artificial grading is inefficient and of poor accuracy. Here we proposed to develop a portable, convenient, real-time, and low cost method aimed at grading apple. Color images of the apples were collected with a smartphone and the grade of sampled apple was assessed by a customized smartphone app, which offered the functions translating RGB color values of the apple to color grade and translating the edge of apple image to weight grade. The algorithms are based on modeling with a large number of apple image at different grades. The apple grade data evaluated by the smartphone are in accordance with the actual data. This study demonstrated the potential of smart phone in apple quality grading/online monitoring at gathering and transportation stage for apple industry.

Cancer chemopreventive potential of apples, apple juice, and apple components.

PubMed

Gerhauser, Clarissa

2008-10-01

Apples ( MALUS sp., Rosaceae) are a rich source of nutrient as well as non-nutrient components and contain high levels of polyphenols and other phytochemicals. Main structural classes of apple constituents include hydroxycinnamic acids, dihydrochalcones, flavonols (quercetin glycosides), catechins and oligomeric procyanidins, as well as triterpenoids in apple peel and anthocyanins in red apples. Several lines of evidence suggest that apples and apple products possess a wide range of biological activities which may contribute to health beneficial effects against cardiovascular disease, asthma and pulmonary dysfunction, diabetes, obesity, and cancer (reviewed by Boyer and Liu, Nutr J 2004). The present review will summarize the current knowledge on potential cancer preventive effects of apples, apple juice and apple extracts (jointly designated as apple products). In brief, apple extracts and components, especially oligomeric procyanidins, have been shown to influence multiple mechanisms relevant for cancer prevention in IN VITRO studies. These include antimutagenic activity, modulation of carcinogen metabolism, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory mechanisms, modulation of signal transduction pathways, antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing activity, as well as novel mechanisms on epigenetic events and innate immunity. Apple products have been shown to prevent skin, mammary and colon carcinogenesis in animal models. Epidemiological observations indicate that regular consumption of one or more apples a day may reduce the risk for lung and colon cancer.

NIR detection of pits and pit fragments in fresh cherries (abstract)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The feasibility of using near infrared (NIR) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy for the detection of pits and pit fragments in cherries was demonstrated. For detection of whole pits, 300 cherries were obtained locally and pits were removed from half. NIR reflectance spectra were obtained in triplicate...

7 CFR 52.779 - Freedom from pits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Freedom from pits. 52.779 Section 52.779 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... Freedom from pits. (a) General. The factor of freedom from pits refers to the incidence of pits and pit...

The effects of pitting on fatigue crack nucleation in 7075-T6 aluminum alloy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ma, LI; Hoeppner, David W.

1994-01-01

A high-strength aluminum alloy, 7075-T6, was studied to quantitatively evaluate chemical pitting effects of its corrosion fatigue life. The study focused on pit nucleation, pit growth, and fatigue crack nucleation. Pitting corrosion fatigue experiments were conducted in 3.5 percent NaCl aqueous solution under constant amplitude sinusoidal loading at two frequencies, 5 and 20 Hz. Smooth and unnotched specimens were used in this investigation. A video recording system was developed to allow in situ observation of the surface changes of the specimens during testing. The results indicated that pitting corrosion considerably reduces the fatigue strength by accelerating fatigue crack nucleation. A metallographic examination was conducted on the specimens to evaluate the nature of corrosion pits. First, the actual shapes of the corrosion pits were evaluated by cross-sectioning the pits. Secondly, the relation between corrosion pits and microstructure was also investigated. Finally, the possibility of another corrosion mechanism that might be involved in pitting was explored in this investigation. The fractography of the tested specimens showed that corner corrosion pits were responsible for fatigue crack nucleation in the material due to the associated stress concentration. The pits exhibited variance of morphology. Fatigue life for the experimental conditions appeared to be strongly dependent on pitting kinetics and the crack nucleation stage.

A microscopy method for scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging of the antibacterial activity of polymeric nanoparticles on a biofilm with an ionic liquid.

PubMed

Takahashi, Chisato; Muto, Shunsuke; Yamamoto, Hiromitsu

2017-08-01

In this study, we developed a scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) method for imaging the antibacterial activity of organic polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) toward biofilms formed by Staphylococcus epidermidis bacterial cells, for optimizing NPs to treat biofilm infections. The combination of sample preparation method using a hydrophilic ionic liquid (IL) and STEM observation using the cooling holder eliminates the need for specialized equipment and techniques for biological sample preparation. The annular dark-field STEM results indicated that the two types of biodegradable poly-(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) NPs: PLGA modified with chitosan (CS), and clarithromycin (CAM)-loaded + CS-modified PLGA, prepared by emulsion solvent diffusion exhibited different antibacterial activities in nanoscale. To confirm damage to the sample during STEM observation, we observed the PLGA NPs and the biofilm treated with PLGA NPs by both the conventional method and the newly developed method. The optimized method allows microstructure of the biofilm treated with PLGA NPs to be maintained for 25 min at a current flow of 40 pA. The developed simple sample preparation method would be helpful to understand the interaction of drugs with target materials. In addition, this technique could contribute to the visualization of other deformable composite materials at the nanoscale level. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 1432-1437, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Examining the Personal Nature of the K-14 Engineering Pipeline for Young Women

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurski, Jennifer Sue

This mixed-methods study examined young women's perceptions of their K-14 STEM pipeline experiences and their resulting choice to enter and persist in an engineering major. Despite the increase of women in the STEM workforce, women remain underrepresented among engineering majors (Beasley & Fischer, 2012; Heilbronner, 2012; Neihart & Teo, 2013). Few studies exist that utilize a retrospective approach to understand how the culmination of young women's K-14 experiences have influenced their formation of individually held perceptions that lead to engineering persistence. It is this study's aim to utilize a mixed-methods approach to answer the following research question: How do young women's perceptions of their K-14 STEM experiences influence their decision to enroll and persist in an engineering major? These perceptions are explored through an ethnographic approach focusing on young women enrolled in engineering programs during their junior and senior years of study at a small private liberal arts university with eight engineering majors. The mixed-methods approach follows a sequential design method (Creswell, 2013) and utilizes questions in a quantitative Likert-type survey from the Academic Pathways for People Learning Engineering (APPLES) survey (Eris, Chachra, Chen, Sheppard, & Ludlow, 2010) and the Motivated Strategy Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) (Pintrich, Smith, Garcia, & McKeachie, 1991). The quantitative study results will lead to the development of open-ended, structured questions for conducting a qualitative focus group. Anonymity of all participants is maintained. Keywords: STEM, young women, perceptions, pipeline, intervention, underrepresentation, engineering, persistence, retrospective, self-efficacy.

The domestication and evolutionary ecology of apples.

PubMed

Cornille, Amandine; Giraud, Tatiana; Smulders, Marinus J M; Roldán-Ruiz, Isabel; Gladieux, Pierre

2014-02-01

The cultivated apple is a major fruit crop in temperate zones. Its wild relatives, distributed across temperate Eurasia and growing in diverse habitats, represent potentially useful sources of diversity for apple breeding. We review here the most recent findings on the genetics and ecology of apple domestication and its impact on wild apples. Genetic analyses have revealed a Central Asian origin for cultivated apple, together with an unexpectedly large secondary contribution from the European crabapple. Wild apple species display strong population structures and high levels of introgression from domesticated apple, and this may threaten their genetic integrity. Recent research has revealed a major role of hybridization in the domestication of the cultivated apple and has highlighted the value of apple as an ideal model for unraveling adaptive diversification processes in perennial fruit crops. We discuss the implications of this knowledge for apple breeding and for the conservation of wild apples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

2017 Robotic Mining Competition

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-05-23

Team members from Purdue University prepare their uniquely-designed robot miner in the RoboPit at NASA's 8th Annual Robotic Mining Competition at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their uniquely-designed mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's Journey to Mars.

Dose-Dependent Dual Role of PIT-1 (POU1F1) in Somatolactotroph Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis

PubMed Central

Jullien, Nicolas; Roche, Catherine; Brue, Thierry; Figarella-Branger, Dominique; Graillon, Thomas; Barlier, Anne; Herman, Jean-Paul

2015-01-01

To test the role of wtPIT-1 (PITWT) or PIT-1 (R271W) (PIT271) in somatolactotroph cells, we established, using inducible lentiviral vectors, sublines of GH4C1 somatotroph cells that allow the blockade of the expression of endogenous PIT-1 and/or the expression of PITWT or PIT271, a dominant negative mutant of PIT-1 responsible for Combined Pituitary Hormone Deficiency in patients. Blocking expression of endogenous PIT-1 induced a marked decrease of cell proliferation. Overexpressing PITWT twofold led also to a dose-dependent decrease of cell proliferation that was accompanied by cell death. Expression of PIT271 induced a strong dose-dependent decrease of cell proliferation accompanied by a very pronounced cell death. These actions of PIT271 are independent of its interaction/competition with endogenous PIT-1, as they were unchanged when expression of endogenous PIT-1 was blocked. All these actions are specific for somatolactotroph cells, and could not be observed in heterologous cells. Cell death induced by PITWT or by PIT271 was accompanied by DNA fragmentation, but was not inhibited by inhibitors of caspases, autophagy or necrosis, suggesting that this cell death is a caspase-independent apoptosis. Altogether, our results indicate that under normal conditions PIT-1 is important for the maintenance of cell proliferation, while when expressed at supra-normal levels it induces cell death. Through this dual action, PIT-1 may play a role in the expansion/regression cycles of pituitary lactotroph population during and after lactation. Our results also demonstrate that the so-called “dominant-negative” action of PIT271 is independent of its competition with PIT-1 or a blockade of the actions of the latter, and are actions specific to this mutant variant of PIT-1. PMID:25822178

Short-term biomarkers of apple consumption.

PubMed

Saenger, Theresa; Hübner, Florian; Humpf, Hans-Ulrich

2017-03-01

Urinary biomarkers are used to estimate the nutritional intake of humans. The aim of this study was to distinguish between low, medium, and high apple consumption by quantifying possible intake biomarkers in urine samples after apple consumption by HPLC-MS/MS. Apples were chosen as they are the most consumed fruits in Germany. Thirty subjects took part in 7-day study. They abstained from apples and apple products except for one weighed apple portion resembling one, two, or four apples. Before apple consumption and during the following days spot urine samples were collected. These urine samples were incubated with β-glucuronidase, diluted, and directly measured by HPLC-MS/MS. Phloretin, epicatechin, procyanidin B2, and quercetin were detected in urine using Scheduled MRM TM mode. Phloretin was confirmed as a urinary biomarker of apple intake and had the ability to discriminate between low or medium (one or two apples) and high apple consumption (four apples). The groups also differ in the excretion of epicatechin and procyanidin B2. Apple consumption can be monitored by urinary biomarkers for a period of at least 12 h after consumption. Furthermore the amount of apples consumed can be estimated by the concentration of certain biomarkers. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Rain Erosion Studies of Sapphire, Aluminum Oxynitride, Spinel, Lanthana- Doped Yttria, and TAF Glass

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-07-01

small , there is little change in average scatter for any material in any test. CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION The principal conclusions are 1. ALON...20 Sample broke erosion damage 10 Slight pitting, 20 No change erosion damage 15 Pitting, cratering, 20 Small surface pits erosion damage 15 Pitting...Sample broke 10 No damage 15 Sample pitted, small edge fracture 15 Slight pitting, 1 crater, 20 Sample pitted, erosion damage small edge fracture 15 SUght

Phosphate (Pi)-regulated heterodimerization of the high-affinity sodium-dependent Pi transporters PiT1/Slc20a1 and PiT2/Slc20a2 underlies extracellular Pi sensing independently of Pi uptake.

PubMed

Bon, Nina; Couasnay, Greig; Bourgine, Annabelle; Sourice, Sophie; Beck-Cormier, Sarah; Guicheux, Jérôme; Beck, Laurent

2018-02-09

Extracellular phosphate (P i ) can act as a signaling molecule that directly alters gene expression and cellular physiology. The ability of cells or organisms to detect changes in extracellular P i levels implies the existence of a P i -sensing mechanism that signals to the body or individual cell. However, unlike in prokaryotes, yeasts, and plants, the molecular players involved in P i sensing in mammals remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the involvement of the high-affinity, sodium-dependent P i transporters PiT1 and PiT2 in mediating P i signaling in skeletal cells. We found that deletion of PiT1 or PiT2 blunted the P i -dependent ERK1/2-mediated phosphorylation and subsequent gene up-regulation of the mineralization inhibitors matrix Gla protein and osteopontin. This result suggested that both PiTs are necessary for P i signaling. Moreover, the ERK1/2 phosphorylation could be rescued by overexpressing P i transport-deficient PiT mutants. Using cross-linking and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer approaches, we found that PiT1 and PiT2 form high-abundance homodimers and P i -regulated low-abundance heterodimers. Interestingly, in the absence of sodium-dependent P i transport activity, the PiT1-PiT2 heterodimerization was still regulated by extracellular P i levels. Of note, when two putative P i -binding residues, Ser-128 (in PiT1) and Ser-113 (in PiT2), were substituted with alanine, the PiT1-PiT2 heterodimerization was no longer regulated by extracellular P i These observations suggested that P i binding rather than P i uptake may be the key factor in mediating P i signaling through the PiT proteins. Taken together, these results demonstrate that P i -regulated PiT1-PiT2 heterodimerization mediates P i sensing independently of P i uptake. © 2018 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Analysis of the bacterial community in aged and aging pit mud of Chinese Luzhou-flavour liquor by combined PCR-DGGE and quantitative PCR assay.

PubMed

Liang, Huipeng; Li, Wenfang; Luo, Qingchun; Liu, Chaolan; Wu, Zhengyun; Zhang, Wenxue

2015-10-01

The community structure of bacteria in aged and aging pit mud, which was judged according to their sensory and physicochemical characteristics, was analysed using polymerase chain reaction denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). The phyla Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Synergistetes and Unclassified Bacteria were detected and the fermentative Firmicutes was predominant in both types of pit mud in the PCR-DGGE analysis. Among Firmicutes, Clostridiales was dominant in aged pit mud while Bacillales and Lactobacillales were dominant in aging pit mud. The diversity of bacterial communities in aged pit mud was higher than that in aging pit mud. In the qPCR analysis the abundance of Clostridium IV in aged pit mud was higher than that in aging pit mud and there were significant differences in the quantity of Clostridium IV between aged and aging pit mud of the same cellar (P < 0.05). There were some significant differences in the microbial community structure between aged and aging pit mud. The differences in the quantity of Clostridium IV might be involved in the distinction that the aged pit mud has a strong aroma while the aging pit mud does not. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Structure and function of bordered pits: new discoveries and impacts on whole-plant hydraulic function.

PubMed

Choat, Brendan; Cobb, Alexander R; Jansen, Steven

2008-01-01

Bordered pits are cavities in the lignified cell walls of xylem conduits (vessels and tracheids) that are essential components in the water-transport system of higher plants. The pit membrane, which lies in the center of each pit, allows water to pass between xylem conduits but limits the spread of embolism and vascular pathogens in the xylem. Averaged across a wide range of species, pits account for > 50% of total xylem hydraulic resistance, indicating that they are an important factor in the overall hydraulic efficiency of plants. The structure of pits varies dramatically across species, with large differences evident in the porosity and thickness of pit membranes. Because greater porosity reduces hydraulic resistance but increases vulnerability to embolism, differences in pit structure are expected to correlate with trade-offs between efficiency and safety of water transport. However, trade-offs in hydraulic function are influenced both by pit-level differences in structure (e.g. average porosity of pit membranes) and by tissue-level changes in conduit allometry (average length, diameter) and the total surface area of pit membranes that connects vessels. In this review we address the impact of variation in pit structure on water transport in plants from the level of individual pits to the whole plant.

7 CFR 33.5 - Apples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Apples. 33.5 Section 33.5 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Definitions § 33.5 Apples. Apples mean fresh whole apples...

7 CFR 33.5 - Apples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Apples. 33.5 Section 33.5 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Definitions § 33.5 Apples. Apples mean fresh whole apples...

7 CFR 33.5 - Apples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Apples. 33.5 Section 33.5 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Definitions § 33.5 Apples. Apples mean fresh whole apples...

7 CFR 33.5 - Apples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Apples. 33.5 Section 33.5 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Definitions § 33.5 Apples. Apples mean fresh whole apples...

7 CFR 33.5 - Apples.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Apples. 33.5 Section 33.5 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing... ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Definitions § 33.5 Apples. Apples mean fresh whole apples...

Volatility of patulin in apple juice.

PubMed

Kryger, R A

2001-08-01

Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by certain fungi, such as those found commonly on apples. The patulin content of apple juice is a regulatory concern because patulin is a suspected carcinogen and mutagen. A simple model of the apple juice concentration process was carried out to examine the possible contamination of patulin in apple aroma, a distillate produced commercially in the concentration of apple juice. The results show no evidence for patulin volatility, and document a reduction in patulin content by at least a factor of 250 in the apple distillate obtained from apple juice. Furthermore, a survey of several commercial apple aroma samples found no evidence of patulin content.

PitScan: Computer-Assisted Feature Detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, R. V.; Robinson, M. S.

2018-04-01

We developed PitScan to assist in searching the very large LROC image dataset for pits — unusual <200m wide vertical-walled holes in the Moon's surface. PitScan reduces analysts' workload by pre-filtering images to identify possible pits.

Quantitative Correlation of 7B04 Aluminum Alloys Pitting Corrosion Morphology Characteristics with Stress Concentration Factor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhiguo; Yan, Guangyao; Mu, Zhitao; Li, Xudong

2018-01-01

The accelerated pitting corrosion test of 7B04 aluminum alloy specimen was carried out according to the spectrum which simulated airport environment, and the corresponding pitting corrosion damage was obtained and was defined through three parameters A and B and C which respectively denoted the corrosion pit surface length and width and corrosion pit depth. The ratio between three parameters could determine the morphology characteristics of corrosion pits. On this basis the stress concentration factor of typical corrosion pit morphology under certain load conditions was quantitatively analyzed. The research shows that the corrosion pits gradually incline to be ellipse in surface and moderate in depth, and most value of B/A and C/A lies in 1 between 4 and few maximum exceeds 4; The stress concentration factor Kf of corrosion pits is obviously affected by the its morphology, the value of Kf increases with corrosion pits depth increasement under certain corrosion pits surface geometry. Also, the value of Kf decreases with surface width increasement under certain corrosion pits depth. The research conclusion can set theory basis for corrosion fatigue life analysis of aircraft aluminum alloy structure.

Flavonoids isolated from Tridax procumbens (TPF) inhibit osteoclasts differentiation and bone resorption.

PubMed

Al Mamun, Md Abdullah; Islam, Kamrul; Alam, Md Jahangir; Khatun, Amina; Alam, M Masihul; Al-Bari, Md Abdul Alim; Alam, Md Jahangir

2015-09-12

The Tridax procumbens flavonoids (TPF), are well known for their medicinal properties among local natives. The TPF are traditionally used for dropsy, anaemia, arthritis, gout, asthma, ulcer, piles, and urinary problems. It also used in treating gastric problems, body pain, and rheumatic pains of joints. The TPF have been reported to increase osteogenic functioning in mesenchymal stem cells. However, their effects on osteoclastogenesis remain unclear. The TPF isolated from T. procumbens and investigated the effects of the TPF inhibit on osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption activities using primary osteoclastic cells. Osteoclast formation was assessed by counting the number of tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) positive multinucleated cells and by measuring both TRAP activities. The TPF significantly suppressed the RANKL-induced differentiation of osteoclasts and the formation of pits in primary osteoclastic cells. The TPF also decreased the expression of mRNAs related to osteoclast differentiation, including Trap, Cathepsin K, Mmp-9, and Mmp-13 in primary osteoclastic cells. The treatment of primary osteoclastic cells with the TPF decreased Cathepsin K, Mmp-9, and Mmp-13 proteins expression in primary osteoclastic cells. These results indicated that TPF inhibit osteoclastogenesis and pits formation activities. Our results suggest that the TPF could be a potential anti-bone resorptic agent to treat patients with bone loss-associated diseases such as osteoporosis.

Monomorphous Plurihormonal Pituitary Adenoma of Pit-1 Lineage in a Giant Adolescent with Central Hyperthyroidism.

PubMed

Pereira, Bernardo Dias; Raimundo, Luísa; Mete, Ozgur; Oliveira, Ana; Portugal, Jorge; Asa, Sylvia L

2016-03-01

Thyrotropin (TSH)-secreting pituitary adenomas are exceedingly rare at the pediatric age and no cases of co-secretion with other pituitary hormones in these tumors have been described in this age range. We present a case of a monomorphous plurihormonal pituitary adenoma that co-secreted TSH and GH in a pediatric patient. A 13-year-old male presented with increasing height velocity (17.75 cm/year, 9.55SD), weight loss, and visual impairment. Initial biochemical evaluations revealed secondary hyperthyroidism. A giant pituitary tumor compressing the surrounding structures was detected by magnetic resonance, and a transsphenoidal surgery was initially performed. Pathological examinations revealed an atypical, monomorphous plurihormonal Pit-1 lineage tumor with mixed features of silent subtype 3 adenoma and acidophil stem cell adenoma. In the postoperative period, secondary hyperthyroidism recurred with high levels of both GH and IGF1. In addition, due to tumor re-growth, a multimodality treatment plan was undertaken including surgery, somatostatin analogs, and radiotherapy. We report the first pediatric case of a plurihormonal TSH- and GH-secreting pituitary adenoma, further expanding the clinical manifestations of pediatric pituitary tumors. Comprehensive pathological evaluation and close follow-up surveillance are crucial to the prompt delivery of the best therapeutic options in the context of this particularly aggressive pituitary tumor.

Recalcitrant vulnerability curves: methods of analysis and the concept of fibre bridges for enhanced cavitation resistance.

PubMed

Cai, Jing; Li, Shan; Zhang, Haixin; Zhang, Shuoxin; Tyree, Melvin T

2014-01-01

Vulnerability curves (VCs) generally can be fitted to the Weibull equation; however, a growing number of VCs appear to be recalcitrant, that is, deviate from a Weibull but seem to fit dual Weibull curves. We hypothesize that dual Weibull curves in Hippophae rhamnoides L. are due to different vessel diameter classes, inter-vessel hydraulic connections or vessels versus fibre tracheids. We used dye staining techniques, hydraulic measurements and quantitative anatomy measurements to test these hypotheses. The fibres contribute 1.3% of the total stem conductivity, which eliminates the hypothesis that fibre tracheids account for the second Weibull curve. Nevertheless, the staining pattern of vessels and fibre tracheids suggested that fibres might function as a hydraulic bridge between adjacent vessels. We also argue that fibre bridges are safer than vessel-to-vessel pits and put forward the concept as a new paradigm. Hence, we tentatively propose that the first Weibull curve may be accounted by vessels connected to each other directly by pit fields, while the second Weibull curve is associated with vessels that are connected almost exclusively by fibre bridges. Further research is needed to test the concept of fibre bridge safety in species that have recalcitrant or normal Weibull curves. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Acquired pit of the optic nerve: a risk factor for progression of glaucoma.

PubMed

Ugurlu, S; Weitzman, M; Nduaguba, C; Caprioli, J

1998-04-01

To examine acquired pit of the optic nerve as a risk factor for progression of glaucoma. In a retrospective longitudinal study, 25 open-angle glaucoma patients with acquired pit of the optic nerve were compared with a group of 24 open-angle glaucoma patients without acquired pit of the optic nerve. The patients were matched for age, mean intraocular pressure, baseline ratio of neuroretinal rim area to disk area, visual field damage, and duration of follow-up. Serial optic disk photographs and visual fields of both groups were evaluated by three independent observers for glaucomatous progression. Of 46 acquired pits of the optic nerve in 37 eyes of 25 patients, 36 pits were located inferiorly (76%) and 11 superiorly (24%; P < .001). Progression of optic disk damage occurred in 16 patients (64%) in the group with acquired pit and in three patients (12.5%) in the group without acquired pit (P < .001). Progression of visual field loss occurred in 14 patients (56%) in the group with acquired pit and in six (25%) in the group without pit (P=.04). Bilateral acquired pit of the optic nerve was present in 12 patients (48%). Disk hemorrhages were observed more frequently in the group with acquired pit (10 eyes, 40%) compared with the group without pit (two eyes, 8%; P=.02). Among patients with glaucoma, patients with acquired pit of the optic nerve represent a subgroup who are at increased risk for progressive optic disk damage and visual field loss.

Parturition pit: the bony imprint of vaginal birth.

PubMed

McArthur, Tatum A; Meyer, Isuzu; Jackson, Bradford; Pitt, Michael J; Larrison, Matthew C

2016-09-01

To retrospectively evaluate for pits along the dorsum of the pubic body in females and compare the presence/absence of these pits to vaginal birth data. We retrospectively reviewed females with vaginal birth data who underwent pelvic CT. The presence of pits along the dorsum of the pubic body, pit grade (0 = not present; 1 = faintly imperceptible; 2 = present; 3 = prominent), and the presence of osteitis condensans ilii, preauricular sulcus, and sacroiliac joint vacuum phenomenon were assessed on imaging. Musculoskeletal radiologists who were blinded to the birth data evaluated the CTs. 48 males were also evaluated for the presence of pits. 482 female patients underwent CT pelvis and 171 were excluded due to lack of vaginal birth data. Of the 311 study patients, 262 had prior vaginal birth(s) and 194 had pits on CT. Only 7 of the 49 patients without prior vaginal birth had pits. There was a statistically significant association between vaginal birth and presence of pits (p < 0.0001). Patients with more prominent pits (grades 2/3) had a greater number of vaginal births. As vaginal deliveries increased, the odds of having parturition pits greatly increased, adjusting for age and race at CT (p < 0.0001). No males had pits. Our study indicates that parturition pits are associated with prior vaginal birth and should be considered a characteristic of the female pelvis. The lytic appearance of prominent pits on imaging can simulate disease and create a diagnostic dilemma for interpreting radiologists.

Parturition Pit: The Bony Imprint of Vaginal Birth

PubMed Central

Meyer, Isuzu; Jackson, Bradford; Pitt, Michael J.; Larrison, Matthew C.

2017-01-01

Purpose To retrospectively evaluate for pits along the dorsum of the pubic body in females and compare the presence/absence of these pits to vaginal birth data. Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed females with vaginal birth data who underwent pelvic CT. The presence of pits along the dorsum of the pubic body, pit grade (0 = not present; 1 = faintly imperceptible; 2 = present; 3 = prominent), and the presence of osteitis condensans ilii, preauricular sulcus, and sacroiliac joint vacuum phenomenon were assessed on imaging. Musculoskeletal radiologists who were blinded to the birth data evaluated the CTs. 48 males were also evaluated for the presence of pits. Results 482 female patients underwent CT pelvis and 171 were excluded due to lack of vaginal birth data. Of the 311 study patients, 262 had prior vaginal birth(s) and 194 had pits on CT. Only 7 of the 49 patients without prior vaginal birth had pits. There was a statistically significant association between vaginal birth and presence of pits (p<0.0001). Patients with more prominent pits (grades 2/3) had a greater number of vaginal births. As vaginal deliveries increased, the odds of having parturition pits greatly increased, adjusting for age and race at CT (p<0.0001). No males had pits. Conclusion Our study indicates that parturition pits are associated prior vaginal birth and should be considered a characteristic of the female pelvis. The lytic appearance of prominent pits on imaging can simulate disease and create a diagnostic dilemma for interpreting radiologists. PMID:27270921

The effect of normal pulsed Nd-YAG laser irradiation on pits and fissures in human teeth.

PubMed

Bahar, A; Tagomori, S

1994-01-01

The effects of normal pulsed Nd-YAG laser irradiation on the acid resistance of human dental enamel of pits and fissures, the cleaning of the pit and fissure contents and fluoride uptake into deep pits and fissures were examined. The acid resistance of the pit and fissure enamel was evaluated by the amount of dissolved calcium per square millimeter of the surface area. The pit and fissure enamel treated with laser irradiation obtained an acid resistance 30% higher than that of the unlased controls. The cleaning effect of laser irradiation on the pit and fissure contents was compared with chemicomechanical and mechanical methods. The laser irradiation was found to clean the pits and fissures to a greater depth without alterating the shape of pits and fissures, compared with the other two methods. The distribution of calcium, phosphorus and fluoride in the enamel of the pits and fissures was then measured by electron probe microanalyzer. At the entrance and in the deep part of the pits and fissures, the fluoride content of the enamel treated with acidulated phosphate fluoride after laser irradiation was higher than that of the enamel treated with acidulated phosphate fluoride alone. These results thus suggest that Nd-YAG laser irradiation might be effective in increasing the acid resistance of the pit and fissure enamel, while removing the pit and fissure debris contents and increasing the fluoride uptake into the pit and fissure enamel.

Pitting Corrosion Behaviour of New Corrosion-Resistant Reinforcement Bars in Chloride-Containing Concrete Pore Solution

PubMed Central

Liu, Yao; Chu, Hong-yan; Wang, Danqian; Ma, Han; Sun, Wei

2017-01-01

In this study, the pitting behaviour of a new corrosion-resistant alloy steel (CR) is compared to that of low-carbon steel (LC) in a simulated concrete pore solution with a chloride concentration of 5 mol/L. The electrochemical behaviour of the bars was characterised using linear polarisation resistance (LPR) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The pitting profiles were detected by reflective digital holographic microscopy (DHM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the chemical components produced in the pitting process were analysed by X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The results show that the CR bars have a higher resistance to pitting corrosion than the LC bars. This is primarily because of the periodic occurrence of metastable pitting during pitting development. Compared to the pitting process in the LC bars, the pitting depth grows slowly in the CR bars, which greatly reduces the risk of pitting. The possible reason for this result is that the capability of the CR bars to heal the passivation film helps to restore the metastable pits to the passivation state. PMID:28777327

Experimental research on micro-pit defects of SUS 430 stainless steel strip in cold rolling process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Changsheng; Li, Miao; Zhu, Tao; Huo, Gang

2013-05-01

In order to improve surface glossiness of stainless steel strip in tandem cold rolling, experimental research on micro-pit defects of SUS 430 ferrite stainless steel was investigated in laboratory. The surface morphology of micro-pit defects was observed by SEM. The effects of micro-pit defects on rolling reduction, roll surface roughness and emulsion parameters were analyzed. With the pass number increasing, the quantity and surface of micro-pit defects were reduced, uneven peak was decreased and gently along rolling direction, micro-pit defects had equally distributed tendency along tranverse direction. The micro-pit defects were increased with the roll surface roughness increase. The defects ratio was declined with larger gradient at pass number 1 to 3, but gentle slope at pass number 4 to 5. The effects of temperature 55° and 63°, concentration 3% and 6% of emulsion on micro-pit effects had not obvious difference. Maintain of micro-pit was effected by rolling oil or air in the micro-pit, the quality of oil was much more than the air in the micro-pit in lubrication rolling.

Colletotrichum species associated with jute (Corchorus capsularis L.) anthracnose in southeastern China.

PubMed

Niu, Xiaoping; Gao, Hong; Qi, Jianmin; Chen, Miancai; Tao, Aifen; Xu, Jiantang; Dai, Zhigang; Su, Jianguang

2016-04-28

Anthracnose, caused by the Colletotrichum species of fungi, is one of the most serious diseases affecting jute in China. The disease causes chlorotic regions with black brown sunken necrotic pits on the surfaces of stems. In late stages of disease, plants undergo defoliation, dieback and blight, which make anthracnose a major threat to jute fiber production and quality in China. In this study, 7 strains of Colletotrichum fungi were isolated from diseased jute stems from Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangxi, and Henan plantations in China. Multi-locus sequence (ACT, TUB2, CAL, GS, GAPDH and ITS) analysis coupled with morphological assessment revealed that C. fructicola, C. siamense and C. corchorum-capsularis sp. nov. were associated with jute anthracnose in southeastern China. C. fructicola and C. siamense were previously not associated with jute anthracnose. C. corchorum-capsularis is a new species formally described here. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that all species can infect jute, causing anthracnose, however the virulence of the 3 species differed. This report is the first associating these three species with jute disease worldwide and is the first description of the pathogens responsible for jute anthracnose in China.

Distribution, morphology, and origins of Martian pit crater chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyrick, Danielle; Ferrill, David A.; Morris, Alan P.; Colton, Shannon L.; Sims, Darrell W.

2004-06-01

Pit craters are circular to elliptical depressions found in alignments (chains), which in many cases coalesce into linear troughs. They are common on the surface of Mars and similar to features observed on Earth and other terrestrial bodies. Pit craters lack an elevated rim, ejecta deposits, or lava flows that are associated with impact craters or calderas. It is generally agreed that the pits are formed by collapse into a subsurface cavity or explosive eruption. Hypotheses regarding the formation of pit crater chains require development of a substantial subsurface void to accommodate collapse of the overlying material. Suggested mechanisms of formation include: collapsed lava tubes, dike swarms, collapsed magma chamber, substrate dissolution (analogous to terrestrial karst), fissuring beneath loose material, and dilational faulting. The research described here is intended to constrain current interpretations of pit crater chain formation by analyzing their distribution and morphology. The western hemisphere of Mars was systematically mapped using Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) images to generate ArcView™ Geographic Information System (GIS) coverages. All visible pit crater chains were mapped, including their orientations and associations with other structures. We found that pit chains commonly occur in areas that show regional extension or local fissuring. There is a strong correlation between pit chains and fault-bounded grabens. Frequently, there are transitions along strike from (1) visible faulting to (2) faults and pits to (3) pits alone. We performed a detailed quantitative analysis of pit crater morphology using MOC narrow angle images, Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) visual images, and Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) data. This allowed us to determine a pattern of pit chain evolution and calculate pit depth, slope, and volume. Volumes of approximately 150 pits from five areas were calculated to determine volume size distribution and regional trends. The information collected in the study was then compared with non-Martian examples of pit chains and physical analog models. We evaluated the various mechanisms for pit chain development based on the data collected and conclude that dilational normal faulting and sub-vertical fissuring provide the simplest and most comprehensive mechanisms to explain the regional associations, detailed geometry, and progression of pit chain development.

Closure Report for Corrective Action Unit 544: Cellars, Mud Pits, and Oil Spills, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, Revision 0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mark Krauss and Catherine Birney

2011-05-01

This Closure Report (CR) presents information supporting the closure of Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 544: Cellars, Mud Pits, and Oil Spills, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada. This CR complies with the requirements of the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order that was agreed to by the State of Nevada; U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Management; U.S. Department of Defense; and DOE, Legacy Management. The corrective action sites (CASs) within CAU 544 are located within Areas 2, 7, 9, 10, 12, 19, and 20 of the Nevada National Security Site. Corrective Action Unit 544 comprises the following CASs: • 02-37-08,more » Cellar & Mud Pit • 02-37-09, Cellar & Mud Pit • 07-09-01, Mud Pit • 09-09-46, U-9itsx20 PS #1A Mud Pit • 10-09-01, Mud Pit • 12-09-03, Mud Pit • 19-09-01, Mud Pits (2) • 19-09-03, Mud Pit • 19-09-04, Mud Pit • 19-25-01, Oil Spill • 19-99-06, Waste Spill • 20-09-01, Mud Pits (2) • 20-09-02, Mud Pit • 20-09-03, Mud Pit • 20-09-04, Mud Pits (2) • 20-09-06, Mud Pit • 20-09-07, Mud Pit • 20-09-10, Mud Pit • 20-25-04, Oil Spills • 20-25-05, Oil Spills The purpose of this CR is to provide documentation supporting the completed corrective actions and data confirming that the closure objectives for CASs within CAU 544 were met. To achieve this, the following actions were performed: • Review the current site conditions, including the concentration and extent of contamination. • Implement any corrective actions necessary to protect human health and the environment. • Properly dispose of corrective action and investigation wastes. • Document Notice of Completion and closure of CAU 544 issued by the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection.« less

Corrosion behavior of binary titanium aluminide intermetallics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saffarian, H.M.; Gan, Q.; Hadkar, R.

1996-08-01

The corrosion behavior of arc-melted binary titanium aluminide intermetallics TiAl, Ti{sub 2}Al, and TiAl{sub 3} in aqueous sodium sulfate and sodium chloride solutions was measured and compared to that of pure Ti and Al. Effects of electrolyte composition (e.g., sulfate [0.25 M SO{sub 4}{sup 2}{sup {minus}}], chloride [0.1 to 1.0 M Cl{sup {minus}}], and pH [3 to 10]) were examined. Anodic polarization of titanium aluminides in aqueous SO{sub 4}{sup 2}{sup {minus}} solutions was similar (showing passive behavior), but no pitting or pitting potential (E{sub pit}) was observed. In aqueous NaCl, however, titanium aluminides were susceptible to pitting, and E{sub pit}more » decreased with increasing Al content (i.e., Ti{sub 3}Al had the highest E{sub pit} and, therefore, a greater resistance to pitting, followed by TiAl and TiAl{sub 3}). For TiAl, E{sub pit} was slightly dependent upon pH or Cl{sup {minus}} concentration. Pit morphology and E{sub pit} values were quite different for TiAl compared to Ti{sub 3}Al. TiAl showed numerous small pits, whereas Ti{sub 3}Al exhibited fewer but larger and deeper pits. The larger pit density for TiAl was associated with Al-rich interdendrite regions. One interesting feature of the anodic polarization curves for Ti{sub 3}Al was a small anodic peak frequently observed at {approximately}1.4 V{sub SCE} to 1.8 V{sub SCE}. Results suggested this peak was associated with pit initiation, since pitting initiated concurrently with the peak or immediately afterward.« less

Investigating pitting in X65 carbon steel using potentiostatic polarisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammed, Sikiru; Hua, Yong; Barker, R.; Neville, A.

2017-11-01

Although pitting corrosion in passive materials is generally well understood, the growth of surface pits in actively-corroding materials has received much less attention to date and remains poorly understood. One of the key challenges which exists is repeatedly and reliably generating surface pits in a practical time-frame in the absence of deformation and/or residual stress so that studies on pit propagation and healing can be performed. Another pertinent issue is how to evaluate pitting while addressing general corrosion in low carbon steel. In this work, potentiostatic polarisation was employed to induce corrosion pits (free from deformation or residual stress) on actively corroding X65 carbon steel. The influence of applied potential (50 mV, 100 mV and 150 mV vs open circuit potential) was investigated over 24 h in a CO2-saturated, 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution at 30 °C and pH 3.8. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilised to examine pits, while surface profilometry was conducted to measure pit depth as a function of applied potential over the range considered. Analyses of light pitting (up to 120 μm) revealed that pit depth increased linearly with increase in applied potential. This paper relates total pit volume (measured using white light interferometry) to dissipated charge or total mass loss (using the current response for potentiostatic polarisation in conjunction with Faraday's law). By controlling the potential of the surface (anodic) the extent of pitting and general corrosion could be controlled. This allowed pits to be evaluated for their ability to continue to propagate after the potentiostatic technique was employed. Linear growth from a depth of 70 μm at pH 3.8, 80 °C was demonstrated. The technique offers promise for the study of inhibition of pitting.

Evolution of wood anatomical characters in Nepenthes and close relatives of Caryophyllales.

PubMed

Schwallier, Rachel; Gravendeel, Barbara; de Boer, Hugo; Nylinder, Stephan; van Heuven, Bertie Joan; Sieder, Anton; Sumail, Sukaibin; van Vugt, Rogier; Lens, Frederic

2017-05-01

Nepenthes attracts wide attention with its spectacularly shaped carnivorous pitchers, cultural value and horticultural curiosity. Despite the plant's iconic fascination, surprisingly little anatomical detail is known about the genus beyond its modified leaf tip traps. Here, the wood anatomical diversity of Nepenthes is explored. This diversity is further assessed with a phylogenetic framework to investigate whether the wood characters within the genus are relevant from an evolutionary or ecological perspective, or rather depend on differences in developmental stages, growth habits, substrates or precipitation. Observations were performed using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Ancestral states of selected wood and pith characters were reconstructed using an existing molecular phylogeny for Nepenthes and a broader Caryophyllales framework. Pairwise comparisons were assessed for possible relationships between wood anatomy and developmental stages, growth habits, substrates and ecology. Wood anatomy of Nepenthes is diffuse porous, with mainly solitary vessels showing simple, bordered perforation plates and alternate intervessel pits, fibres with distinctly bordered pits (occasionally septate), apotracheal axial parenchyma and co-occurring uni- and multiseriate rays often including silica bodies. Precipitation and growth habit (stem length) are linked with vessel density and multiseriate ray height, while soil type correlates with vessel diameter, vessel element length and maximum ray width. For Caryophyllales as a whole, silica grains, successive cambia and bordered perforation plates are the result of convergent evolution. Peculiar helical sculpturing patterns within various cell types occur uniquely within the insectivorous clade of non-core Caryophyllales. The wood anatomical variation in Nepenthes displays variation for some characters dependent on soil type, precipitation and stem length, but is largely conservative. The helical-banded fibre-sclereids that mainly occur idioblastically in pith and cortex are synapomorphic for Nepenthes , while other typical Nepenthes characters evolved convergently in different Caryophyllales lineages. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Evolution of wood anatomical characters in Nepenthes and close relatives of Caryophyllales

PubMed Central

Gravendeel, Barbara; de Boer, Hugo; Nylinder, Stephan; van Heuven, Bertie Joan; Sieder, Anton; Sumail, Sukaibin; van Vugt, Rogier; Lens, Frederic

2017-01-01

Abstract Background and Aims Nepenthes attracts wide attention with its spectacularly shaped carnivorous pitchers, cultural value and horticultural curiosity. Despite the plant’s iconic fascination, surprisingly little anatomical detail is known about the genus beyond its modified leaf tip traps. Here, the wood anatomical diversity of Nepenthes is explored. This diversity is further assessed with a phylogenetic framework to investigate whether the wood characters within the genus are relevant from an evolutionary or ecological perspective, or rather depend on differences in developmental stages, growth habits, substrates or precipitation. Methods Observations were performed using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Ancestral states of selected wood and pith characters were reconstructed using an existing molecular phylogeny for Nepenthes and a broader Caryophyllales framework. Pairwise comparisons were assessed for possible relationships between wood anatomy and developmental stages, growth habits, substrates and ecology. Key Results Wood anatomy of Nepenthes is diffuse porous, with mainly solitary vessels showing simple, bordered perforation plates and alternate intervessel pits, fibres with distinctly bordered pits (occasionally septate), apotracheal axial parenchyma and co-occurring uni- and multiseriate rays often including silica bodies. Precipitation and growth habit (stem length) are linked with vessel density and multiseriate ray height, while soil type correlates with vessel diameter, vessel element length and maximum ray width. For Caryophyllales as a whole, silica grains, successive cambia and bordered perforation plates are the result of convergent evolution. Peculiar helical sculpturing patterns within various cell types occur uniquely within the insectivorous clade of non-core Caryophyllales. Conclusions The wood anatomical variation in Nepenthes displays variation for some characters dependent on soil type, precipitation and stem length, but is largely conservative. The helical-banded fibre-sclereids that mainly occur idioblastically in pith and cortex are synapomorphic for Nepenthes, while other typical Nepenthes characters evolved convergently in different Caryophyllales lineages. PMID:28387789

Morphology and Evolution of Sublimation Pits on Pluto

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abu-Hashmeh, N.; Conrad, J. W.; Nimmo, F.; Moore, J. M.; Stern, A.; Olkin, C.; Weaver, H. A., Jr.; Ennico Smith, K.; Young, L. A.

2017-12-01

Pluto's Sputnik Planitia region hosts a geologically young surface of nitrogen ice that exhibits striking pitted terrain (Moore et al., Science 351, 2016). These pits are most likely formed by sublimation due to incident sunlight, similar to the southern polar cap of Mars (Byrne and Ingersoll, Science 299, 2003); however, their evolution over time has resulted in unique morphological characteristics. Motivated by this, we used the high-resolution mosaic strips captured by New Horizons' Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) to map sublimation pits in the southernmost region of Sputnik Planitia. Statistical data shows pit orientations appearing North-South dominant; their morphology also indicates extensional evolution along the major axis caused by further sublimation and contact-coalescence processes. Qualitative analysis of the region yielded indications of an evolutionary path for individual pits that coalesce into each other and exhibit an elongated end-stage. Additionally, densely-pitted regions generally appear to correlate with regions containing longer pits, implying that coalescence may be an important process for elongation. We also model the evolution geometry through competing effects of diffusion (viscous relaxation) and retreat (sublimation) (Buhler and Ingersoll, LPSC Abstract #1746, 2017). The model demonstrates single-pit and coalescing-pit evolutions that influence overall length, as well as a potential ability for the pit center to move in space while the pit morphology evolves.

Initation of pitting corrosion in martensitic stainless steels. [17-4PH; 13-8Mo; Custom 450

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cieslak, W.R.; Semarge, R.E.; Bovard, F.S.

1986-01-01

The form of localized corrosion known as pitting often initiates preferentially at microstructural inhomogeneities. The pit initiation resistance, therefore, is controlled by the characteristics of the initiation sites, rather than by the bulk material composition. This investigation correlates the pit initiation resistance, as measured by critical pitting potentials, with preferred pit initiation sites for 3 martensitic stainless steels. Pit initiation sites are determined by secondary electron (SE) and backscattered electron (BSE) imaging and energy dispersive and wavelength dispersive spectrometries (EDS and WDS) with a scalling electron microscope (SEM) and an electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA).

Apple Pomace as Potential Source of Natural Active Compounds.

PubMed

Waldbauer, Katharina; McKinnon, Ruxandra; Kopp, Brigitte

2017-08-01

Apple pomace is a waste product of the apple manufacturing industry that has been in the focus of life sciences as it represents a low-cost source of fruit-derived compounds. High fruit consumption is associated with beneficial health effects, and therefore, apple pomace and its constituents raise therapeutic interest. The present work reviews (i) the chemical constituents of apple pomace, (ii) optimized extraction methods of apple pomace compounds, and (iii) biological activities of apple pomace. Current evidence of apple pomace influence on digestion and metabolism, cholesterol and triglyceride homeostasis, diabetes, and sex hormones is summarized. Furthermore, studies regarding its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, antibacterial and antiviral effects are presented. The review concludes that apple pomace is an underutilized waste product of the apple industry with the potential of being processed for its nutritional and pharmaceutical value. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Burn Pit Emissions Exposure and Respiratory and Cardiovascular Conditions Among Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry Participants.

PubMed

Liu, Jason; Lezama, Nicholas; Gasper, Joseph; Kawata, Jennifer; Morley, Sybil; Helmer, Drew; Ciminera, Paul

2016-07-01

The aim of this study was to determine how burn pit emissions exposure is associated with the incidence of respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. We examined the associations between assumed geographic and self-reported burn pit emissions exposure and respiratory and cardiovascular outcomes in participants of the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry. We found significant dose-response associations for higher risk of self-reported emphysema, chronic bronchitis, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with increased days of deployment within 2 miles of selected burn pits (P-trend = 0.01) and self-reported burn pit smoke exposure (P-trend = 0.0005). We found associations between burn pit emissions exposure and higher incidence of post-deployment self-reported respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, but these findings should be interpreted with caution because the surrogate measurements of burn pit emissions exposure in this analysis may not reflect individual exposure levels.

Pitted terrains on (1) Ceres and implications for shallow subsurface volatile distribution

PubMed Central

Platz, T.; Schorghofer, N.; Prettyman, T. H.; De Sanctis, M. C.; Crown, D. A.; Schmedemann, N.; Neesemann, A.; Kneissl, T.; Marchi, S.; Schenk, P. M.; Bland, M. T.; Schmidt, B. E.; Hughson, K. H. G.; Tosi, F.; Zambon, F.; Mest, S. C.; Yingst, R. A.; Williams, D. A.; Russell, C. T.; Raymond, C. A.

2017-01-01

Abstract Prior to the arrival of the Dawn spacecraft at Ceres, the dwarf planet was anticipated to be ice‐rich. Searches for morphological features related to ice have been ongoing during Dawn's mission at Ceres. Here we report the identification of pitted terrains associated with fresh Cerean impact craters. The Cerean pitted terrains exhibit strong morphological similarities to pitted materials previously identified on Mars (where ice is implicated in pit development) and Vesta (where the presence of ice is debated). We employ numerical models to investigate the formation of pitted materials on Ceres and discuss the relative importance of water ice and other volatiles in pit development there. We conclude that water ice likely plays an important role in pit development on Ceres. Similar pitted terrains may be common in the asteroid belt and may be of interest to future missions motivated by both astrobiology and in situ resource utilization. PMID:28989206

Pitted terrains on (1) Ceres and implications for shallow subsurface volatile distribution.

PubMed

Sizemore, H G; Platz, T; Schorghofer, N; Prettyman, T H; De Sanctis, M C; Crown, D A; Schmedemann, N; Neesemann, A; Kneissl, T; Marchi, S; Schenk, P M; Bland, M T; Schmidt, B E; Hughson, K H G; Tosi, F; Zambon, F; Mest, S C; Yingst, R A; Williams, D A; Russell, C T; Raymond, C A

2017-07-16

Prior to the arrival of the Dawn spacecraft at Ceres, the dwarf planet was anticipated to be ice-rich. Searches for morphological features related to ice have been ongoing during Dawn's mission at Ceres. Here we report the identification of pitted terrains associated with fresh Cerean impact craters. The Cerean pitted terrains exhibit strong morphological similarities to pitted materials previously identified on Mars (where ice is implicated in pit development) and Vesta (where the presence of ice is debated). We employ numerical models to investigate the formation of pitted materials on Ceres and discuss the relative importance of water ice and other volatiles in pit development there. We conclude that water ice likely plays an important role in pit development on Ceres. Similar pitted terrains may be common in the asteroid belt and may be of interest to future missions motivated by both astrobiology and in situ resource utilization.

Pitted terrains on (1) Ceres and implications for shallow subsurface volatile distribution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sizemore, H.G.; Platz, Thomas; Schorghofer, Norbert; Prettyman, Thomas; De Sanctis, Maria Christina; Crown, David A.; Schmedemann, Nico; Nessemann, Andeas; Kneissl, Thomas; Simone Marchi,; Schenk, Paul M.; Bland, Michael T.; Schmidt, B.E.; Hughson, Kynan H.G.; Tosi, F.; Zambon, F; Mest, S.C.; Yingst, R.A.; Williams, D.A.; Russell, C.T.; Raymond, C.A.

2017-01-01

Prior to the arrival of the Dawn spacecraft at Ceres, the dwarf planet was anticipated to be ice-rich. Searches for morphological features related to ice have been ongoing during Dawn's mission at Ceres. Here we report the identification of pitted terrains associated with fresh Cerean impact craters. The Cerean pitted terrains exhibit strong morphological similarities to pitted materials previously identified on Mars (where ice is implicated in pit development) and Vesta (where the presence of ice is debated). We employ numerical models to investigate the formation of pitted materials on Ceres and discuss the relative importance of water ice and other volatiles in pit development there. We conclude that water ice likely plays an important role in pit development on Ceres. Similar pitted terrains may be common in the asteroid belt and may be of interest to future missions motivated by both astrobiology and in situ resource utilization.

Force-displacement measurements of earlywood bordered pits using a mesomechanical tester.

PubMed

Zelinka, Samuel L; Bourne, Keith J; Hermanson, John C; Glass, Samuel V; Costa, Adriana; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C

2015-10-01

The elastic properties of pit membranes are reported to have important implications in understanding air-seeding phenomena in gymnosperms, and pit aspiration plays a large role in wood technological applications such as wood drying and preservative treatment. Here we present force-displacement measurements for pit membranes of circular bordered pits, collected on a mesomechanical testing system. The system consists of a quartz microprobe attached to a microforce sensor that is positioned and advanced with a micromanipulator mounted on an inverted microscope. Membrane displacement is measured from digital image analysis. Unaspirated pits from earlywood of never-dried wood of Larix and Pinus and aspirated pits from earlywood of dried wood of Larix were tested to generate force-displacement curves up to the point of membrane failure. Two failure modes were observed: rupture or tearing of the pit membrane by the microprobe tip, and the stretching of the pit membrane until the torus was forced out of the pit chamber through the pit aperture without rupture, a condition we refer to as torus prolapse. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Population dynamics and habitat sharing of natural populations of Caenorhabditis elegans and C. briggsae

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a major model organism in laboratory biology. Very little is known, however, about its ecology, including where it proliferates. In the past, C. elegans was mainly isolated from human-made compost heaps, where it was overwhelmingly found in the non-feeding dauer diapause stage. Results C. elegans and C. briggsae were found in large, proliferating populations in rotting plant material (fruits and stems) in several locations in mainland France. Both species were found to co-occur in samples isolated from a given plant species. Population counts spanned a range from one to more than 10,000 Caenorhabditis individuals on a single fruit or stem. Some populations with an intermediate census size (10 to 1,000) contained no dauer larvae at all, whereas larger populations always included some larvae in the pre-dauer or dauer stages. We report on associated micro-organisms, including pathogens. We systematically sampled a spatio-temporally structured set of rotting apples in an apple orchard in Orsay over four years. C. elegans and C. briggsae were abundantly found every year, but their temporal distributions did not coincide. C. briggsae was found alone in summer, whereas both species co-occurred in early fall and C. elegans was found alone in late fall. Competition experiments in the laboratory at different temperatures show that C. briggsae out-competes C. elegans at high temperatures, whereas C. elegans out-competes C. briggsae at lower temperatures. Conclusions C. elegans and C. briggsae proliferate in the same rotting vegetal substrates. In contrast to previous surveys of populations in compost heaps, we found fully proliferating populations with no dauer larvae. The temporal sharing of the habitat by the two species coincides with their temperature preference in the laboratory, with C. briggsae populations growing faster than C. elegans at higher temperatures, and vice at lower temperatures. PMID:22731941

[Effects of sand-covering on apple trees transpiration and fruit quality in dry land orchards of Longdong, Gansu].

PubMed

Zhang, Kun; Yin, Xiao-ning; Liu, Xiao-yong; Wang, Fa-lin

2010-11-01

Aiming at the seasonal drought in the dry land orchards of Longdong, Gansu Province, a sand-covering experiment was conducted with 15-year-old Nagafu No. 2 apple trees, with the soil water content, temperature, stem sap flow velocity, leaf stomatal conductance, and fruit quality measured. In the orchard covered with 5-cm-thick riversand, the increment of soil temperature in February-April was lower than 1 degrees C, while in June-July, it was 2.44 degrees C and 2.61 degrees C on sunny and cloudy days, respectively. The soil water content was over 60% of field capacity throughout the growing season. On sunny days with high soil water content (H season), the stem sap flow curve presented a wide peak. Under sand- covering, the sap flow started 0.6 h earlier, and the maximum sap flow velocity was 25.5% higher than the control. On cloudy days of H season, the maximum sap flow velocity was 165.6% higher than the control. On sunny days with low soil water content (L season), the sap flow curve had a single peak, and under sand covering, the sap flow started 0.5-1 h earlier than the control on sunny days. The maximum sap flow velocity was 794 g x h(-1). On cloudy days of L season, the sap flow started 1 h earlier, and the maximum sap flow velocity was 311.0% higher than the control. The evaporation of the control was 156.0% higher than that of sand-covering from March to July, suggesting that excessive ground water evaporation was the main reason to cause soil drought. Under sand-covering, single fruit mass was improved obviously whereas fruit firmness was reduced slightly, and soluble solids, vitamin C, total sugar, and organic acid contents were somewhat promoted.

Growth dynamics and cytoskeleton organization during stem maturation and gravity-induced stem bending in Zea mays L

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collings, D. A.; Winter, H.; Wyatt, S. E.; Allen, N. S.; Davies, E. (Principal Investigator)

1998-01-01

Characterization of gravitropic bending in the maize stem pulvinus, a tissue that functions specifically in gravity responses, demonstrates that the pulvinus is an ideal system for studying gravitropism. Gravistimulation during the second of three developmental phases of the pulvinus induces a gradient of cell elongation across the non-growing cells of the pulvinus, with the most elongation occurring on the lower side. This cell elongation is spatially and temporally separated from normal internodal cell elongation. The three characterized growth phases in the pulvinus correspond closely to a specialized developmental sequence in which structural features typical of cells not fully matured are retained while cell maturation occurs in surrounding internodal and nodal tissue. For example, the lignification of supporting tissue and rearrangement of transverse microtubules to oblique that occur in the internode when cell elongation ceases are delayed for up to 10 d in the adjacent cells of the pulvinus, and only occurs as a pulvinus loses its capacity to respond to gravistimulation. Gravistimulation does not modify this developmental sequence. Neither wall lignification nor rearrangement of transverse microtubules occurs in the rapidly elongating lower side or non-responsive upper side of the pulvinus until the pulvinus loses the capacity to bend further. Gravistimulation does, however, lead to the formation of putative pit fields within the expanding cells of the pulvinus.

Flood induced phenotypic plasticity in amphibious genus Elatine (Elatinaceae).

PubMed

Molnár V, Attila; Tóth, János Pál; Sramkó, Gábor; Horváth, Orsolya; Popiela, Agnieszka; Mesterházy, Attila; Lukács, Balázs András

2015-01-01

Vegetative characters are widely used in the taxonomy of the amphibious genus Elatine L. However, these usually show great variation not just between species but between their aquatic and terrestrial forms. In the present study we examine the variation of seed and vegetative characters in nine Elatine species (E. brachysperma, E. californica, E. gussonei, E. hexandra, E. hungarica, E. hydropiper, E. macropoda, E. orthosperma and E. triandra) to reveal the extension of plasticity induced by the amphibious environment, and to test character reliability for species identification. Cultivated plant clones were kept under controlled conditions exposed to either aquatic or terrestrial environmental conditions. Six vegetative characters (length of stem, length of internodium, length of lamina, width of lamina, length of petioles, length of pedicel) and four seed characters (curvature, number of pits / lateral row, 1st and 2nd dimension) were measured on 50 fruiting stems of the aquatic and on 50 stems of the terrestrial form of the same clone. MDA, NPMANOVA Random Forest classification and cluster analysis were used to unravel the morphological differences between aquatic and terrestrial forms. The results of MDA cross-validated and Random Forest classification clearly indicated that only seed traits are stable within species (i.e., different forms of the same species keep similar morphology). Consequently, only seed morphology is valuable for taxonomic purposes since vegetative traits are highly influenced by environmental factors.

Flood induced phenotypic plasticity in amphibious genus Elatine (Elatinaceae)

PubMed Central

Sramkó, Gábor; Horváth, Orsolya; Popiela, Agnieszka; Mesterházy, Attila; Lukács, Balázs András

2015-01-01

Vegetative characters are widely used in the taxonomy of the amphibious genus Elatine L. However, these usually show great variation not just between species but between their aquatic and terrestrial forms. In the present study we examine the variation of seed and vegetative characters in nine Elatine species (E. brachysperma, E. californica, E. gussonei, E. hexandra, E. hungarica, E. hydropiper, E. macropoda, E. orthosperma and E. triandra) to reveal the extension of plasticity induced by the amphibious environment, and to test character reliability for species identification. Cultivated plant clones were kept under controlled conditions exposed to either aquatic or terrestrial environmental conditions. Six vegetative characters (length of stem, length of internodium, length of lamina, width of lamina, length of petioles, length of pedicel) and four seed characters (curvature, number of pits / lateral row, 1st and 2nd dimension) were measured on 50 fruiting stems of the aquatic and on 50 stems of the terrestrial form of the same clone. MDA, NPMANOVA Random Forest classification and cluster analysis were used to unravel the morphological differences between aquatic and terrestrial forms. The results of MDA cross-validated and Random Forest classification clearly indicated that only seed traits are stable within species (i.e., different forms of the same species keep similar morphology). Consequently, only seed morphology is valuable for taxonomic purposes since vegetative traits are highly influenced by environmental factors. PMID:26713235

Complete tylosis formation in a latest Permian conifer stem

PubMed Central

Feng, Zhuo; Wang, Jun; Rößler, Ronny; Kerp, Hans; Wei, Hai-Bo

2013-01-01

Background and Aims Our knowledge of tylosis formation is mainly based on observations of extant plants; however, its developmental and functional significance are less well understood in fossil plants. This study, for the first time, describes a complete tylosis formation in a fossil woody conifer and discusses its ecophysiological implications. Methods The permineralized stem of Shenoxylon mirabile was collected from the upper Permian (Changhsingian) Sunjiagou Formation of Shitanjing coalfield, northern China. Samples from different portions of the stem were prepared by using the standard thin-sectioning technique and studied in transmitted light. Key Results The outgrowth of ray parenchyma cells protruded into adjacent tracheids through pits initially forming small pyriform or balloon-shaped structures, which became globular or slightly elongated when they reached their maximum size. The tracheid luminae were gradually occluded by densely spaced tyloses. The host tracheids are arranged in distinct concentric zones representing different growth phases of tylosis formation within a single growth ring. Conclusions The extensive development of tyloses from the innermost heartwood (metaxylem) tracheids to the outermost sapwood tracheids suggests that the plant was highly vulnerable and reacted strongly to environmental stress. Based on the evidence available, the tyloses were probably not produced in response to wound reaction or pathogenic infection, since evidence of wood traumatic events or fungal invasion are not recognizable. Rather, they may represent an ecophysiological response to the constant environmental stimuli. PMID:23532049

Least tern and piping plover nesting at sand pits in Nebraska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sidle, John G.; Kirsch, E.M.

1993-01-01

Endangered Least Terns (Sterna antillarum) and threatened Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) nest at commercial sand and gravel mining operations (sand pits) along the Platte River system in Nebraska. Sandbar habitat has been disappearing since the early 1900's along the Platte River system, but numbers of sand pits have increased. We hypothesized that birds would more fully utilize sand pits where suitable sandbar habitat was limited. We inventoried sand pits and censused terns and plovers on both habitats along the Loup River, part of the North Loup River, and most of the Platte River during 1988-1991. Using aircraft, we also quantified features of suitable sand pits present on the central Platte in 1988 and lower Platte in 1990, and related features to abundance and presence of birds. We found 225 sand pits of which 78 were suitable and 187 were unsuitable for nesting. Along the central Platte, where sandbar habitat is severely degraded, birds nested at 81% of the suitable sand pits (N = 32) at least once during 1988-1991, and most birds (61-94%) nested on sand pits. Along the lower Platte, where both sandbar and sand pit habitat are plentiful, birds nested at 60% of the suitable sand pits (N = 35) at least once during 1988-1991, and most birds (60-86%) nested on sandbars. Numbers of terns and plovers were more weakly correlated with features of sand pits on the central Platte than on the lower Platte. Least Terns and Piping Plovers seem to use more of the suitable sand pit habitat on the central Platte than on the lower Platte. Sand pits probably have influenced the birds' distribution by providing alternative nesting habitat along rivers where suitable sandbars are rare or absent.

Efficacy of UV-Pit-light traps for discerning micro-habitat-specific beetle and ant species related with different oil palm age stands and tropical annual seasons for accurate ecology and diversity interpretations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad Bukhary, A. K.; Ruslan, M. Y.; Mohd. Fauzi, M. M.; Nicholas, S.; Muhamad Fahmi, M. H.; Izfa Riza, H.; Idris, A. B.

2015-09-01

A newly innovated and efficient UV-Pit-light Trap is described and the results of the experiments on its efficacy that were carried out within different oil palm age stands of the year 2013 were evaluated and compared with previous study year of 2010, with out the implementation of the UV-Pit-light Trap. In 2013 the UV-Pit-light Traps, the Malaise Traps, and the Pit-fall Traps were employed, while in 2010, the conventional canopy-height UV-Light Traps, Malaise Traps, and the Pit-fall Traps were employed. The UV-Pit-light traps caught more beetle and ant families, morpho-species, and individuals per species compared with the passive Pit-fall traps. The UV-Pit-light Trap targets different subsets of the oil palm beetles and ants' communities, specifying on epigaeic-related micro-habitats, with different oil palm age stands have different compositions of micro-habitats. The UV-Pit-light Traps have the dual quality for satisfying both the biological and statistical data requirements and evaluations. There were no significant difference between the UV-Pit-light Traps and the passive Pit-fall Traps, while the trapping difference with the Malaise traps for different seasons of the year 2013. The UV-Pit-light Traps and the Malaise Traps were complementary to each other, detecting the activities of beetles and ants around the epigaeic-related micro-habitats or having active flight activities respectively according to annual seasons. The UV-Pit-light Trap is an oil-palm specific type of passive trapping system, focusing on the insect species dwelling the upper-ground/epigaeic micro-habitats.

One dimensional Linescan x-ray detection of pits in fresh cherries

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The presence of pits in processed cherries is a concern for both processors and consumers, in many cases causing injury and potential lawsuits. While machines used for pitting cherries are extremely efficient, if one or more plungers in a pitting head become misaligned, a large number of pits may p...

Large heterogeneities in comet 67P as revealed by active pits from sinkhole collapse.

PubMed

Vincent, Jean-Baptiste; Bodewits, Dennis; Besse, Sébastien; Sierks, Holger; Barbieri, Cesare; Lamy, Philippe; Rodrigo, Rafael; Koschny, Detlef; Rickman, Hans; Keller, Horst Uwe; Agarwal, Jessica; A'Hearn, Michael F; Auger, Anne-Thérèse; Barucci, M Antonella; Bertaux, Jean-Loup; Bertini, Ivano; Capanna, Claire; Cremonese, Gabriele; Da Deppo, Vania; Davidsson, Björn; Debei, Stefano; De Cecco, Mariolino; El-Maarry, Mohamed Ramy; Ferri, Francesca; Fornasier, Sonia; Fulle, Marco; Gaskell, Robert; Giacomini, Lorenza; Groussin, Olivier; Guilbert-Lepoutre, Aurélie; Gutierrez-Marques, P; Gutiérrez, Pedro J; Güttler, Carsten; Hoekzema, Nick; Höfner, Sebastian; Hviid, Stubbe F; Ip, Wing-Huen; Jorda, Laurent; Knollenberg, Jörg; Kovacs, Gabor; Kramm, Rainer; Kührt, Ekkehard; Küppers, Michael; La Forgia, Fiorangela; Lara, Luisa M; Lazzarin, Monica; Lee, Vicky; Leyrat, Cédric; Lin, Zhong-Yi; Lopez Moreno, Josè J; Lowry, Stephen; Magrin, Sara; Maquet, Lucie; Marchi, Simone; Marzari, Francesco; Massironi, Matteo; Michalik, Harald; Moissl, Richard; Mottola, Stefano; Naletto, Giampiero; Oklay, Nilda; Pajola, Maurizio; Preusker, Frank; Scholten, Frank; Thomas, Nicolas; Toth, Imre; Tubiana, Cecilia

2015-07-02

Pits have been observed on many cometary nuclei mapped by spacecraft. It has been argued that cometary pits are a signature of endogenic activity, rather than impact craters such as those on planetary and asteroid surfaces. Impact experiments and models cannot reproduce the shapes of most of the observed cometary pits, and the predicted collision rates imply that few of the pits are related to impacts. Alternative mechanisms like explosive activity have been suggested, but the driving process remains unknown. Here we report that pits on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko are active, and probably created by a sinkhole process, possibly accompanied by outbursts. We argue that after formation, pits expand slowly in diameter, owing to sublimation-driven retreat of the walls. Therefore, pits characterize how eroded the surface is: a fresh cometary surface will have a ragged structure with many pits, while an evolved surface will look smoother. The size and spatial distribution of pits imply that large heterogeneities exist in the physical, structural or compositional properties of the first few hundred metres below the current nucleus surface.

Fate of Listeria monocytogenes on Fresh Apples under Different Storage Temperatures.

PubMed

Sheng, Lina; Edwards, Katheryn; Tsai, Hsieh-Chin; Hanrahan, Ines; Zhu, Mei-Jun

2017-01-01

Fresh apples are typically stored for up to 1 year commercially; different apple varieties require different storage temperatures to maintain their quality characteristics. There is sparse information available about Listeria monocytogenes survival on fresh apples under various storage temperatures. The objective of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the effect of storage temperature on apple fruit decay and L. monocytogenes survival. Unwaxed apple fruits of selected varieties (Fuji and Granny Smith) were dip inoculated in a three-strain L. monocytogenes cocktail to establish ∼3.5 and 6.0 Log 10 CFU/apple. Twenty-four hours post-inoculation, apples were subjected to 1, 4, 10, or 22°C storage for up to 3 months. Apples under the different storage treatments were sampled at 1-, 4-, 7- and 14-day for short-term storage under all four tested temperatures, and 2-, 4-, 8-, and 12-week for long-term storage at 1, 4, and 10°C. A set of uninoculated and unwaxed apples were simultaneously subjected to the previously mentioned storage temperatures and sampled biweekly for their total bacterial count (TPC) and yeasts/molds (Y/M) count. During the 2-week short-term storage, L. monocytogenes population on organic Granny Smith apples stored at 1, 4, or 10°C was reduced by 0.2-0.3 Log. When apples were stored at 22°C, there was a 0.5-1.2 Log 10 CFU/apple reduction 14-day post storage dependent on the initial inoculation level. During the 12-week cold storage under 1, 4, and 10°C, L. monocytogenes count on organic Granny Smith apples decreased by 0.5-1.5 Log 10 CFU/apple for both inoculation levels. L. monocytogenes had similar survival pattern on conventional Granny Smith and Fuji apples with 0.8-2.0 Log 10 CFU/apple reduction over a 3-month cold storage period. Interestingly, both TPC and Y/M count were stable regardless of apple variety or cultivation practice during the 12-week storage at all tested temperatures. In summary, while L. monocytogenes did not proliferate on apple surfaces during 12 weeks of refrigerated storage, only a limited reduction of L. monocytogenes was observed in this study. Therefore, the apple industry cannot rely on cold storage alone to control this pathogen. Additional interventions are needed to eradicate Listeria on fresh apples during long-term cold storage.

Light scattering from laser induced pit ensembles on high power laser optics

DOE PAGES

Feigenbaum, Eyal; Elhadj, Selim; Matthews, Manyalibo J.

2015-01-01

Far-field light scattering characteristics from randomly arranged shallow Gaussian-like shaped laser induced pits, found on optics exposed to high energy laser pulses, is studied. Closed-form expressions for the far-field intensity distribution and scattered power are derived for individual pits and validated using numerical calculations of both Fourier optics and FDTD solutions to Maxwell’s equations. It is found that the scattered power is proportional to the square of the pit width and approximately also to the square of the pit depth, with the proportionality factor scaling with pit depth. As a result, the power scattered from shallow pitted optics is expectedmore » to be substantially lower than assuming complete scattering from the total visible footprint of the pits.« less

A Statistical Study on the Effect of Hydrostatic Pressure on Metastable Pitting Corrosion of X70 Pipeline Steel.

PubMed

Yang, Zixuan; Kan, Bo; Li, Jinxu; Qiao, Lijie; Volinsky, Alex A; Su, Yanjing

2017-11-14

Hydrostatic pressure effects on pitting initiation and propagation in X70 steel are investigated by evaluating metastable pitting probability using electrochemical methods and immersion corrosion tests in containing chlorine ion solution. Potentiodynamic tests indicated that hydrostatic pressure can decrease the breakdown potential and lead to a reduced transpassivity region. Metastable test results revealed that hydrostatic pressure can increase metastable pitting formation frequency and promote stabilization of metastable pitting growth. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results indicate that Hydrostatic pressure decreases the charge transfer resistance and increases the dissolution rate within the cavities. Corrosion test results also indicated that pitting initiation and propagation are accelerated by hydrostatic pressure. Result validity was verified by evaluating metastable pitting to predict pitting corrosion resistance.

A Statistical Study on the Effect of Hydrostatic Pressure on Metastable Pitting Corrosion of X70 Pipeline Steel

PubMed Central

Yang, Zixuan; Kan, Bo; Li, Jinxu; Su, Yanjing; Qiao, Lijie; Volinsky, Alex A.

2017-01-01

Hydrostatic pressure effects on pitting initiation and propagation in X70 steel are investigated by evaluating metastable pitting probability using electrochemical methods and immersion corrosion tests in containing chlorine ion solution. Potentiodynamic tests indicated that hydrostatic pressure can decrease the breakdown potential and lead to a reduced transpassivity region. Metastable test results revealed that hydrostatic pressure can increase metastable pitting formation frequency and promote stabilization of metastable pitting growth. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results indicate that Hydrostatic pressure decreases the charge transfer resistance and increases the dissolution rate within the cavities. Corrosion test results also indicated that pitting initiation and propagation are accelerated by hydrostatic pressure. Result validity was verified by evaluating metastable pitting to predict pitting corrosion resistance. PMID:29135912

The Effects of Hot Corrosion Pits on the Fatigue Resistance of a Disk Superalloy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gabb, Timothy P.; Telesman, Jack; Hazel, Brian; Mourer, David P.

2009-01-01

The effects of hot corrosion pits on low cycle fatigue life and failure modes of the disk superalloy ME3 were investigated. Low cycle fatigue specimens were subjected to hot corrosion exposures producing pits, then tested at low and high temperatures. Fatigue lives and failure initiation points were compared to those of specimens without corrosion pits. Several tests were interrupted to estimate the fraction of fatigue life that fatigue cracks initiated at pits. Corrosion pits significantly reduced fatigue life by 60 to 98 percent. Fatigue cracks initiated at a very small fraction of life for high temperature tests, but initiated at higher fractions in tests at low temperature. Critical pit sizes required to promote fatigue cracking were estimated, based on measurements of pits initiating cracks on fracture surfaces.

Multi-scale simulation of plant stem reinforcement by brachysclereids: A case study in apple fruit peduncles.

PubMed

Horbens, Melanie; Branke, Dominik; Gärtner, Roland; Voigt, Axel; Stenger, Florian; Neinhuis, Christoph

2015-10-01

Sclereid formation in addition to or in gaps of fragmented fibre rings is common in dicotyledonous plant stems. Whether this sclereid formation is force-triggered remains open so far. In fruit peduncles of several Malus species as modified plant stems, for example, the persistent fibre ring is displaced to the centre by formation of cortex parenchyma during growth. Parenchyma cells subsequently differentiate into an additional layer of brachysclereids, previously interpreted as an adaptation to continuously rising fruit loads. The present study pursues a multi-scale numerical modelling approach, to verify the important effect for different cellular architectures in both sclerenchyma categories on the stiffness of these tissues and the entire peduncle. First, different material properties are simulated analogue to plant tissues on the basis of three cell types. A regular three-dimensional and a random Voronoi microstructure combined with various mechanical cell wall parameters are applied. Using homogenisation simulations based on HILL's principle, numerical calculations predict a lower effective homogenised tissue stiffness of isodiametric brachysclereids compared to those of fibres, confirming experimentally obtained data from Malus fruit peduncles. Furthermore, a curved peduncle model with a complex arrangement of different material layers is generated. Diverse material sets are tested under three representative loadings, using an adaptive diffuse domain approach (AMDiS). The model explains the function of sclereids as considerable contributors to the stiffness against bending and tensile deformations, as well as torsion, especially in consequence of superimposed load conditions in the case of a curved plant stem. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Consumption of apples is associated with a better diet quality and reduced risk of obesity in children: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2010

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Most children do not meet the recommendation for fruit consumption. Apples are the second most commonly consumed fruit in the US; however, no studies have examined the association of total apple products, apples, apple sauce, and 100 % apple juice consumption on diet quality and weight/adiposity in ...

Pit-1/growth hormone factor 1 splice variant expression in the rhesus monkey pituitary gland and the rhesus and human placenta.

PubMed

Schanke, J T; Conwell, C M; Durning, M; Fisher, J M; Golos, T G

1997-03-01

We have examined the expression of Pit-1 messenger RNA (mRNA) splice variants in the nonhuman primate pituitary and in rhesus and human placenta. Full-length complementary DNAs (cDNAs) representing Pit-1 and the Pit-1 beta splice variants were cloned from a rhesus monkey pituitary cDNA library and were readily detectable by RT-PCR with rhesus pituitary gland RNA. The Pit-1T variant previously reported in mouse pituitary tumor cell lines was not detectable in normal rhesus pituitary tissue, although two novel splice variants were detected. A cDNA approximating the rat Pit-1 delta 4 variant was cloned but coded for a truncated and presumably nonfunctional protein. Only by using a nested RT-PCR approach were Pit-1 and Pit-1 beta variants consistently detectable in both human and rhesus placental tissue. The Pit-1 beta variant mRNA was not detectable in JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells unless the cells were stimulated with 8-Br-cAMP. Immunoblot studies with nuclear extracts from primary rhesus syncytiotrophoblast cultures or JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells indicated that although mRNA levels were very low, Pit-1 protein was detectable in differentiated cytotrophoblasts, and levels increased after treatment with 8-Br-cAMP. Two major species of Pit-1 protein were detected that corresponded to the two major bands in rat pituitary GH3 cell nuclear extracts. Low levels of slightly larger bands also were seen, which may represent Pit-1 beta protein or phosphorylated species. We conclude that Pit-1 splice variants expressed in the primate pituitary gland differ from those in the rodent gland and that the Pit-1 and Pit-1 beta mRNAs expressed in the placenta give rise to a pattern of protein expression similar to that seen in pituitary cells, which is inducible by treatment with 8-Br-cAMP.

Advantages and limitations for users of double pit pour-flush latrines: a qualitative study in rural Bangladesh.

PubMed

Hussain, Faruqe; Clasen, Thomas; Akter, Shahinoor; Bawel, Victoria; Luby, Stephen P; Leontsini, Elli; Unicomb, Leanne; Barua, Milan Kanti; Thomas, Brittany; Winch, Peter J

2017-05-25

In rural Bangladesh, India and elsewhere, pour-flush pit latrines are the most common sanitation system. When a single pit latrine becomes full, users must empty it themselves and risk exposure to fresh feces, pay an emptying service to remove pit contents or build a new latrine. Double pit pour-flush latrines may serve as a long-term sanitation option including high water table areas because the pits do not need to be emptied immediately and the excreta decomposes into reusable soil. Double pit pour-flush latrines were implemented in rural Bangladesh for 'hardcore poor' households by a national NGO, BRAC. We conducted interviews, focus groups, and spot checks in two low-income, rural areas of Bangladesh to explore the advantages and limitations of using double pit latrines compared to single pit latrines. The rural households accepted the double pit pour-flush latrine model and considered it feasible to use and maintain. This latrine design increased accessibility of a sanitation facility for these low-income residents and provided privacy, convenience and comfort, compared to open defecation. Although a double pit latrine is more costly and requires more space than a single pit latrine the households perceived this sanitation system to save resources, because households did not need to hire service workers to empty pits or remove decomposed contents themselves. In addition, the excreta decomposition process produced a reusable soil product that some households used in homestead gardening. The durability of the latrine superstructures was a problem, as most of the bamboo-pole superstructure broke after 6-18 months of use. Double pit pour-flush latrines are a long-term improved sanitation option that offers users several important advantages over single pit pour-flush latrines like in rural Bangladesh which can also be used in areas with high water table. Further research can provide an understanding of the comparative health impacts and effectiveness of the model in preventing human excreta from entering the environment.

Reduced representation genome sequencing reveals patterns of genetic diversity and selection in apple.

PubMed

Ma, Baiquan; Liao, Liao; Peng, Qian; Fang, Ting; Zhou, Hui; Korban, Schuyler S; Han, Yuepeng

2017-03-01

Identifying DNA sequence variations is a fundamental step towards deciphering the genetic basis of traits of interest. Here, a total of 20 cultivated and 10 wild apples were genotyped using specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing, and 39,635 single nucleotide polymorphisms with no missing genotypes and evenly distributed along the genome were selected to investigate patterns of genome-wide genetic variations between cultivated and wild apples. Overall, wild apples displayed higher levels of genetic diversity than cultivated apples. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) decays were observed quite rapidly in cultivated and wild apples, with an r 2 -value below 0.2 at 440 and 280 bp, respectively. Moreover, bidirectional gene flow and different distribution patterns of LD blocks were detected between domesticated and wild apples. Most LD blocks unique to cultivated apples were located within QTL regions controlling fruit quality, thus suggesting that fruit quality had probably undergone selection during apple domestication. The genome of the earliest cultivated apple in China, Nai, was highly similar to that of Malus sieversii, and contained a small portion of genetic material from other wild apple species. This suggested that introgression could have been an important driving force during initial domestication of apple. These findings will facilitate future breeding and genetic dissection of complex traits in apple. © 2017 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Involvement of the pituitary-specific transcription factor pit-1 in somatolactotrope cell growth and death: an approach using dominant-negative pit-1 mutants.

PubMed

Pellegrini, Isabelle; Roche, Cathy; Quentien, Marie-Helene; Ferrand, Mireille; Gunz, Ginette; Thirion, Sylvie; Bagnis, Claude; Enjalbert, Alain; Franc, Jean-Louis

2006-12-01

The anterior pituitary-specific transcription factor Pit-1 was initially identified and cloned as a transactivator of the prolactin (PRL) and GH genes and later as a regulator of the TSHb gene. It was found to be a major developmental regulator, because natural Pit-1 gene mutations cause a dwarf phenotype in mice and cause combined pituitary hormone deficiency associated with pituitary hypoplasia in humans. To further investigate the growth-promoting effects of Pit-1, we used a strategy based on the use of dominant-negative Pit-1 mutants as an alternative means of inactivating endogenous Pit-1 functions. R271W, a Pit-1 mutant identified in one allele in patients with severe combined pituitary hormone deficiency, and Pit-1Delta1-123, a deletion mutant in which only the DNA binding domain of Pit-1 is conserved, were generated, and their ability to abolish the effects of the endogenous native Pit-1 in the differentiated proliferating somatolactotrope GH4C1 cell line was investigated. Enforced expression of the dominant-negative mutants in GH4C1 cells using recombinant lentiviral vectors decreased the levels of expression of known Pit-1 target genes such as PRL and GH, abolished the hormone release, and reduced cell viability by decreasing the growth rate and inducing apoptosis via a caspase-independent pathway. These results show for the first time that the growth-promoting effects of Pit-1 are at least partly due to the fact that this transcription factor prevents apoptotic cell death.

2017 Robotic Mining Competition

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-05-23

Team Raptor members from the University of North Dakota College of Engineering and Mines check their robot, named "Marsbot," in the RoboPit at NASA's 8th Annual Robotic Mining Competition at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their uniquely-designed mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's Journey to Mars.

Robotic Mining Competition - Activities

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-17

Team members from Case Western Reserve University pause with their robot miner in the RobotPits on the fourth day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 17, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. are using their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Activities

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-17

Team members from The University of Utah pause with their robot miner in the RobotPits on the fourth day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 17, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. are using their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Activities

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-17

First-time participants from Saginaw Valley State University pause with their robot miner in the RobotPits on the fourth day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 17, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. are using their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Opening Ceremony

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-15

On the second day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 15, team members from Temple University work on their robot miner in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Activities

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-17

Team members from The University of Alabama pause with their robot miner in the RobotPits on the fourth day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 17, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Activities

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-17

Team members from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology pause with their robot miner in the RobotPits on the fourth day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 17, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. are using their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Opening Ceremony

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-15

Team members from Iowa State University prepare their robot miner on the second day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 15, in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Setup

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-14

On the first day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, set-up day on May 14, college team members work on their robot miner in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Activities

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-17

Team members from New York University work on their robot miner in the RobotPits on the fourth day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 17, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. are using their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Activities

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-17

Team members from York College CUNY are with their robot miner in the RobotPits on the fourth day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 17, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. are using their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Activities

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-17

Team members from the University of Arkansas pause with their robot miner in the RobotPits on the fourth day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 17, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. are using their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Appl1 Is Dispensable for Mouse Development, and Loss of Appl1 Has Growth Factor-selective Effects on Akt Signaling in Murine Embryonic Fibroblasts*

PubMed Central

Tan, Yinfei; You, Huihong; Wu, Chao; Altomare, Deborah A.; Testa, Joseph R.

2010-01-01

The adaptor protein APPL1 (adaptor protein containing pleckstrin homology (PH), phosphotyrosine binding (PTB), and leucine zipper motifs) was first identified as a binding protein of AKT2 by yeast two-hybrid screening. APPL1 was subsequently found to bind to several membrane-bound receptors and was implicated in their signal transduction through AKT and/or MAPK pathways. To determine the unambiguous role of Appl1 in vivo, we generated Appl1 knock-out mice. Here we report that Appl1 knock-out mice are viable and fertile. Appl1-null mice were born at expected Mendelian ratios, without obvious phenotypic abnormalities. Moreover, Akt activity in various fetal tissues was unchanged compared with that observed in wild-type littermates. Studies of isolated Appl1−/− murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) showed that Akt activation by epidermal growth factor, insulin, or fetal bovine serum was similar to that observed in wild-type MEFs, although Akt activation by HGF was diminished in Appl1−/− MEFs. To rule out a possible redundant role played by the related Appl2, we used small interfering RNA to knock down Appl2 expression in Appl1−/− MEFs. Unexpectedly, cell survival was unaffected under normal culture conditions, and activation of Akt was unaltered following epidermal growth factor stimulation, although Akt activity did decrease further after HGF stimulation. Furthermore, we found that Appl proteins are required for HGF-induced cell survival and migration via activation of Akt. Our studies suggest that Appl1 is dispensable for development and only participate in Akt signaling under certain conditions. PMID:20040596

Patulin and patulin producing Penicillium spp. occurrence in apples and apple-based products including baby food.

PubMed

Hammami, Walid; Al-Thani, Roda; Fiori, Stefano; Al-Meer, Saeed; Atia, Fathy Atia; Rabah, Duha; Migheli, Quirico; Jaoua, Samir

2017-04-30

Patulin has raised the international attention because of its health risk. In fact, it has mutagenic, neurotoxic, immunotoxic, genotoxic and gastrointestinal effects in animals. In the present work, patulin and patulin-producing Penicillium spp. in apple and apple-based products marketed in Qatar were analysed. Sampling was carried out using apple fruits and apple-based products. Fungi were isolated from undamaged apples, apple juice and baby apple food. DNA extraction was carried out with DNeasy Plant Mini Kit (QIAGEN, Valencia, USA). The molecular identification of fungal isolates was carried out using ITS1-ITS4 PCR. PCR products were sequenced and blasted. Patulin was extracted and analyzed by LC/MS/MS, then quantified using Agilent 1290UHPLC coupled to 6460 triple quadruple mass spectrometer. Forty-five samples of undamaged fresh apple fruits, apple juice and apple-based baby food products sold in different markets in Qatar were surveyed for both fungal and patulin contamination using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometery (LC/MS/MS). Twenty-five Penicillium spp. isolates were selected, including 23 P. expansum and one isolate each of P. brevicompactum and P. commune. All the tested Penicillium spp. isolates produced patulin in vitro (from 40 to 100 μg/g on Malt Yeast Extract agar medium). Patulin was detected in 100% of apple juice samples at levels ranging from 5.27 to 82.21 µg/kg. Only 5 samples contained patulin levels higher than European Union recommended limit (50 µg/kg). The average patulin contamination was 30.67 µg/kg and 10.92 µg/kg in baby apple juice and in baby apple compote, respectively.

Association between apple consumption and physician visits: appealing the conventional wisdom that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.

PubMed

Davis, Matthew A; Bynum, Julie P W; Sirovich, Brenda E

2015-05-01

Fruit consumption is believed to have beneficial health effects, and some claim, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." To examine the relationship between eating an apple a day and keeping the doctor away. A cross-sectional study of a nationally representative sample of the noninstitutionalized US adult population. A total of 8728 adults 18 years and older from the 2007-2008 and 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey completed a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire and reported that the quantity of food they ate was reflective of their usual daily diet. Daily apple eaters (consuming the equivalent of at least 1 small apple daily, or 149 g of raw apple) vs non-apple eaters, based on the reported quantity of whole apple consumed during the 24-hour dietary recall period. The primary outcome measure was success at "keeping the doctor away," measured as no more than 1 visit (self-reported) to a physician during the past year; secondary outcomes included successful avoidance of other health care services (ie, no overnight hospital stays, visits to a mental health professional, or prescription medications). Of 8399 eligible study participants who completed the dietary recall questionnaire, we identified 753 adult apple eaters (9.0%)--those who typically consume at least 1 small apple per day. Compared with the 7646 non-apple eaters (91.0%), apple eaters had higher educational attainment, were more likely to be from a racial or ethnic minority, and were less likely to smoke (P<.001 for each comparison). Apple eaters were more likely, in the crude analysis, to keep the doctor (and prescription medications) away: 39.0% of apple eaters avoided physician visits vs 33.9% of non-apple eaters (P=.03). After adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics, however, the association was no longer statistically significant (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.93-1.53; P=.15). In the adjusted analysis, apple eaters also remained marginally more successful at avoiding prescription medications (odds ratio, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.00-1.63). There were no differences seen in overnight hospital stay or mental health visits. Evidence does not support that an apple a day keeps the doctor away; however, the small fraction of US adults who eat an apple a day do appear to use fewer prescription medications.

Force-displacement measurements of earlywood bordered pits using a mesomechanical tester

Treesearch

Samuel L. Zelinka; Keith J. Bourne; John C. Hermanson; Samuel V. Glass; Adriana Costa; Alex C. Wiedenhoeft

2015-01-01

The elastic properties of pit membranes are reported to have important implications in understanding air-seeding phenomena in gymnosperms, and pit aspiration plays a large role in wood technological applications such as wood drying and preservative treatment. Here we present force–displacement measurements for pit membranes of circular bordered pits, collected on a...

Slow softening of Kanzi apples (Malus×domestica L.) is associated with preservation of pectin integrity in middle lamella.

PubMed

Gwanpua, Sunny George; Verlinden, Bert E; Hertog, Maarten L A T M; Nicolai, Bart M; Hendrickx, Marc; Geeraerd, Annemie

2016-11-15

Kanzi is a recently developed apple cultivar that has an extremely low ethylene production, and maintains its crispiness during ripening. To identify key determinants of the slow softening behaviour of Kanzi apples, a comparative analysis of pectin biochemistry and tissue fracture pattern during different ripening stages of Kanzi apples was performed against Golden Delicious, a rapid softening cultivar. While substantial pectin depolymerisation and solubilisation was observed during softening in Golden Delicious apples, no depolymerisation or increased solubilisation was observed in Kanzi apples. Moreover, tissue failure during ripening was mainly by cell breakage in Kanzi apples and, in contrast, by cell separation in Golden Delicious apples. Kanzi apples had lower activity of beta-galactosidase, with no decline in the extent of branching of the pectin chain. A sudden decrease in firmness observed during senescence in Kanzi apples was not due to middle lamella dissolution, as tissue failure still occurred by cell breakage. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phylogenetic analysis of 47 chloroplast genomes clarifies the contribution of wild species to the domesticated apple maternal line.

PubMed

Nikiforova, Svetlana V; Cavalieri, Duccio; Velasco, Riccardo; Goremykin, Vadim

2013-08-01

Both the origin of domesticated apple and the overall phylogeny of the genus Malus are still not completely resolved. Having this as a target, we built a 134,553-position-long alignment including two previously published chloroplast DNAs (cpDNAs) and 45 de novo sequenced, fully colinear chloroplast genomes from cultivated apple varieties and wild apple species. The data produced are free from compositional heterogeneity and from substitutional saturation, which can adversely affect phylogeny reconstruction. Phylogenetic analyses based on this alignment recovered a branch, having the maximum bootstrap support, subtending a large group of the cultivated apple sorts together with all analyzed European wild apple (Malus sylvestris) accessions. One apple cultivar was embedded in a monophylum comprising wild M. sieversii accessions and other Asian apple species. The data demonstrate that M. sylvestris has contributed chloroplast genome to a substantial fraction of domesticated apple varieties, supporting the conclusion that different wild species should have contributed the organelle and nuclear genomes to the domesticated apple.

Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits

PubMed Central

Boyer, Jeanelle; Liu, Rui Hai

2004-01-01

Evidence suggests that a diet high in fruits and vegetables may decrease the risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, and phytochemicals including phenolics, flavonoids and carotenoids from fruits and vegetables may play a key role in reducing chronic disease risk. Apples are a widely consumed, rich source of phytochemicals, and epidemiological studies have linked the consumption of apples with reduced risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and diabetes. In the laboratory, apples have been found to have very strong antioxidant activity, inhibit cancer cell proliferation, decrease lipid oxidation, and lower cholesterol. Apples contain a variety of phytochemicals, including quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid, all of which are strong antioxidants. The phytochemical composition of apples varies greatly between different varieties of apples, and there are also small changes in phytochemicals during the maturation and ripening of the fruit. Storage has little to no effect on apple phytochemicals, but processing can greatly affect apple phytochemicals. While extensive research exists, a literature review of the health benefits of apples and their phytochemicals has not been compiled to summarize this work. The purpose of this paper is to review the most recent literature regarding the health benefits of apples and their phytochemicals, phytochemical bioavailability and antioxidant behavior, and the effects of variety, ripening, storage and processing on apple phytochemicals. PMID:15140261

Manipulation of nanoscale V-pits to optimize internal quantum efficiency of InGaN multiple quantum wells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang, Chiao-Yun; Li, Heng; Shih, Yang-Ta

2015-03-02

We systematically investigated the influence of nanoscale V-pits on the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of InGaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) by adjusting the underlying superlattices (SLS). The analysis indicated that high barrier energy of sidewall MQWs on V-pits and long diffusion distance between the threading dislocation (TD) center and V-pit boundary were crucial to effectively passivate the non-radiative centers of TDs. For a larger V-pit, the thicker sidewall MQW on V-pit would decrease the barrier energy. On the contrary, a shorter distance between the TD center and V-pit boundary would be observed in a smaller V-pit, which could increase themore » carrier capturing capability of TDs. An optimized V-pit size of approximately 200–250 nm in our experiment could be concluded for MQWs with 15 pairs SLS, which exhibited an IQE value of 70%.« less

Adaptor protein containing PH domain, PTB domain and leucine zipper (APPL1) regulates the protein level of EGFR by modulating its trafficking

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Jae-Rin; Hahn, Hwa-Sun; Kim, Young-Hoon

2011-11-11

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer APPL1 regulates the protein level of EGFR in response to EGF stimulation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Depletion of APPL1 accelerates the movement of EGF/EGFR from the cell surface to the perinuclear region in response to EGF. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Knockdown of APPL1 enhances the activity of Rab5. -- Abstract: The EGFR-mediated signaling pathway regulates multiple biological processes such as cell proliferation, survival and differentiation. Previously APPL1 (adaptor protein containing PH domain, PTB domain and leucine zipper 1) has been reported to function as a downstream effector of EGF-initiated signaling. Here we demonstrate that APPL1 regulates EGFR protein levels in response to EGF stimulation.more » Overexpression of APPL1 enhances EGFR stabilization while APPL1 depletion by siRNA reduces EGFR protein levels. APPL1 depletion accelerates EGFR internalization and movement of EGF/EGFR from cell surface to the perinuclear region in response to EGF treatment. Conversely, overexpression of APPL1 decelerates EGFR internalization and translocation of EGF/EGFR to the perinuclear region. Furthermore, APPL1 depletion enhances the activity of Rab5 which is involved in internalization and trafficking of EGFR and inhibition of Rab5 in APPL1-depleted cells restored EGFR levels. Consistently, APPL1 depletion reduced activation of Akt, the downstream signaling effector of EGFR and this is restored by inhibition of Rab5. These findings suggest that APPL1 is required for EGFR signaling by regulation of EGFR stabilities through inhibition of Rab5.« less

Distribution, formation mechanisms, and significance of lunar pits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Robert V.; Robinson, Mark S.

2014-07-01

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera images reveal the presence of steep-walled pits in mare basalt (n = 8), impact melt deposits (n = 221), and highland terrain (n = 2). Pits represent evidence of subsurface voids of unknown extents. By analogy with terrestrial counterparts, the voids associated with mare pits may extend for hundreds of meters to kilometers in length, thereby providing extensive potential habitats and access to subsurface geology. Because of their small sizes relative to the local equilibrium crater diameters, the mare pits are likely to be post-flow features rather than volcanic skylights. The impact melt pits are indirect evidence both of extensive subsurface movement of impact melt and of exploitable sublunarean voids. Due to the small sizes of pits (mare, highland, and impact melt) and the absolute ages of their host materials, it is likely that most pits formed as secondary features.

Pit Latrine Fecal Sludge Resistance Using a Dynamic Cone Penetrometer in Low Income Areas in Mzuzu City, Malawi

PubMed Central

Chirwa, Charles F. C.; Hall, Ralph P.; Krometis, Leigh-Anne H.; Vance, Eric A.; Edwards, Adam; Guan, Ting; Holm, Rochelle H.

2017-01-01

Pit latrines can provide improved household sanitation, but without effective and inexpensive emptying options, they are often abandoned once full and may pose a public health threat. Emptying techniques can be difficult, as the sludge contents of each pit latrine are different. The design of effective emptying techniques (e.g., pumps) is limited by a lack of data characterizing typical in situ latrine sludge resistance. This investigation aimed to better understand the community education and technical engineering needs necessary to improve pit latrine management. In low income areas within Mzuzu city, Malawi, 300 pit latrines from three distinct areas were assessed using a dynamic cone penetrometer to quantify fecal sludge strength, and household members were surveyed to determine their knowledge of desludging procedures and practices likely to impact fecal sludge characteristics. The results demonstrate that there is a significant difference in sludge strength between lined and unlined pits within a defined area, though sludge hardened with depth, regardless of the pit type or region. There was only limited association between cone penetration depth and household survey data. To promote the adoption of pit emptying, it is recommended that households be provided with information that supports pit emptying, such as latrine construction designs, local pit emptying options, and cost. This study indicates that the use of a penetrometer test in the field prior to pit latrine emptying may facilitate the selection of appropriate pit emptying technology. PMID:28165378

The efficiencies of cast blasting in wide pits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Martin, R.L.; King, M.G.

Blasting activities in all four pits at Thunder Basin Coal`s Black Thunder Mine are focused on cast blasting. With widths varying from 190 feet to 265 feet and bench heights varying from 90 feet to 175 feet, casting efficiencies vary with different geometry`s. For example, the percent cast to final in the 200 foot pit is on the average higher than the 270 foot pit. The powder factors are somewhat higher in the narrower pits, thus increasing the cost of blasting. This leads to a very detailed look at the actual benefit of cast blasting and the associated cost ofmore » these benefits. The simple solution would be to reduce the width of the pits, thereby increasing the percent cast to final. However, the lower rehandle and low coal loss associated with wide pits would be fortified. Upon further review it becomes obvious that the wider pits could not be compared to the narrow pits with the cast to final percent indices. The focus should be shifted to cubic yards cast to final per lineal foot of pit. This will allow for more accurate measures of the casting efficiency of the shot. When comparing the pits with these indices their performances were much closer than the percent cast to final indices. The powder factors being higher in the narrow pits drove up the cost per cubic yard cast to final. Therefore, even though the percent cast to final was higher, the cost per cubic yard was also higher.« less

Consumption of apples is associated with a better diet quality and reduced risk of obesity in children: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2010.

PubMed

O'Neil, Carol E; Nicklas, Theresa A; Fulgoni, Victor L

2015-05-14

Most children do not meet the recommendation for fruit consumption. Apples are the second most commonly consumed fruit in the US; however, no studies have examined the association of total apple products, apples, apple sauce, and 100 % apple juice consumption on diet quality and weight/adiposity in children. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between various apple consumption forms with diet quality and weight/adiposity in a nationally representative sample of children. Participants were children 2-18 years of age (N = 13,339) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2010. Intake was determined using a single interview administered 24-h diet recall. Apple product consumption was determined using the cycle-appropriate USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies food codes. Total diet quality and component scores were determined using the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI). Anthropometrics were determined using standard methods. Covariate adjusted linear and logistic regressions were used to compare apple product consumers with non-consumers; sample weights were used. Probability was set at <0.01. Approximately 26 % of the population (n = 3,482) consumed some form of apple products. Consumers of apple products, whole apples, apple sauce, and 100 % apple juice had higher HEI scores than non-consumers: 50.4 ± 0.4 v 41.9 ± 0.3, 52.5 ± 0.5 v 42.7 ± 0.3, 52.1 ± 0.8 v 47.2 ± 0.4, and 51.4 ± 0.6 v 46.5 ± 0.4, respectively. Apple products and whole apple consumers had lower BMI z-scores than non-consumers: 0.4 ± 0.04 v 0.5 ± 0.03 and 0.3 ± 0.1 v 0.5 ± 0.02, respectively. Apple products and whole apple consumers were 25 % (0.59-0.95 99(th) CI) and 30 % (0.52-0.95 99(th) CI), respectively, were less likely to be obese than non-consumers. Consumption of any form of apples contributed to the fruit recommendation of children and improved diet quality. Apples should be included in the diets of children as a component of an overall healthy diet.

X-ray off-specular reflectivity studies of electrochemical pitting of Cu surfaces in sodium bicarbonate solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Y. P.; Sinha, S. K.; Melendres, C. A.; Lee, D. D.

1996-02-01

We have studied the electrochemically-induced pitting process on a Cu electrode in NaHCO 3 solution using in-situ X-ray off-specular reflectivity measurements. The morphology and growth dynamics of the localized corrosion sites or pits were studied as the applied potential was varied from the cathodic region where the Cu surface is relatively free of oxide films to the anodic region where surface roughening occurs by general corrosion with concomitant formation of an oxide film. Quantitative analysis of the experimental results indicates that early pitting proceeds in favor of nucleation of pit clusters over individual pit growth. It was found that the lateral distribution of the pits is not random but exhibits a short-range order as evidenced by the appearance of a side peak in the transverse off-specular reflectivity. The position, height, and width of the peak was modeled to yield the average size, nearest-neighbor distance (within any one of the clusters), and over-all density of the pits averaged over the entire illuminated surface. In addition, measurements of the longitudinal off-specular reflectivity indicate a bimodal depth distribution for the pits, suggesting a “film breaking” type of pitting mechanism.

Tank Riser Pit Decontamination System (Pit Viper) Return on Investment and Break-Even Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Young, Joan K.; Weimar, Mark R.; Balducci, Patrick J.

2003-06-30

This study assessed the cost benefit of Pit Viper deployment for 80 tank farm pits between October 1, 2003 and September 30, 2012 under the technical baseline for applicable double-shell tank (DST) and single-shell tank (SST) projects. After this assessment had been completed, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Richland Operations Office (RL) and Office of River Protection (ORP) published the Hanford Performance Management Plan (August 2003), which accelerated the schedule for SST retrieval. Then, DOE/CH2M HILL contract modification M064 (October 2002) and The Integrated Mission Acceleration Plan (March 2003) further accelerated SST retrieval and closure schedules. Twenty-six to 40more » tanks must be retrieved by 2006. Thus the schedule for SST pit entries is accelerated and the number of SST pit entries is increased. This study estimates the return on investment (ROI) and the number of pits where Pit Viper deployment would break even or save money over current manual practices. The results of the analysis indicate a positive return on the federal investment for deployment of the Pit Viper provided it is used on a sufficient number of pits.« less

Printability and inspectability of programmed pit defects on teh masks in EUV lithography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kang, I.-Y.; Seo, H.-S.; Ahn, B.-S.

2010-03-12

Printability and inspectability of phase defects in ELlVL mask originated from substrate pit were investigated. For this purpose, PDMs with programmed pits on substrate were fabricated using different ML sources from several suppliers. Simulations with 32-nm HP L/S show that substrate pits with below {approx}20 nm in depth would not be printed on the wafer if they could be smoothed by ML process down to {approx}1 nm in depth on ML surface. Through the investigation of inspectability for programmed pits, minimum pit sizes detected by KLA6xx, AIT, and M7360 depend on ML smoothing performance. Furthermore, printability results for pit defectsmore » also correlate with smoothed pit sizes. AIT results for pattemed mask with 32-nm HP L/S represents that minimum printable size of pits could be {approx}28.3 nm of SEVD. In addition, printability of pits became more printable as defocus moves to (-) directions. Consequently, printability of phase defects strongly depends on their locations with respect to those of absorber patterns. This indicates that defect compensation by pattern shift could be a key technique to realize zero printable phase defects in EUVL masks.« less

An Autoregulatory Pathway Establishes the Definitive Chromatin Conformation at the Pit-1 Locus

PubMed Central

Cooke, Nancy E.; Liebhaber, Stephen A.

2015-01-01

The transcription factor Pit-1 (POU1-F1) plays a dominant role in cell lineage expansion and differentiation in the anterior pituitary. Prior studies of the mouse Pit-1 (mPit-1) gene revealed that this master regulatory locus is activated at embryonic day 13.5 (E13.5) by an early enhancer (EE), whereas its subsequent expression throughout adult life is maintained by a more distal definitive enhancer (DE). Here, we demonstrate that the sequential actions of these two enhancers are linked to corresponding shifts in their proximities to the Pit-1 promoter. We further demonstrate that the looping of the definitive enhancer to the mPit-1 promoter is critically dependent on a self-sustaining autoregulatory mechanism mediated by the Pit-1 protein. These Pit-1-dependent actions are accompanied by localized recruitment of CBP and enrichment for H3K27 acetylation within the Pit-1 locus. These data support a model in which the sequential actions of two developmentally activated enhancers are linked to a corresponding shift in higher-order chromatin structures. This shift establishes an autoregulatory circuit that maintains durable expression of Pit-1 throughout adult life. PMID:25691665

Orienting apples for imaging using their inertial properties and random apple loading

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The inability to control apple orientation during imaging has hindered development of automated systems for sorting apples for defects such as bruises and for safety issues such as fecal contamination. Recently, a potential method for orienting apples based on their inertial properties was discovere...

Are Red Apples Sweeter Than Green Apples?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, Chris

1999-01-01

Describes how a classroom observation of apples led to the development of a science project. Discusses the correlation between the greenness and the acidity of apples. Finds that the greener the apple, the lower its pH, and thus the more acidic and less sweet it tastes. (Author/CCM)

Portable programming on parallel/networked computers using the Application Portable Parallel Library (APPL)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quealy, Angela; Cole, Gary L.; Blech, Richard A.

1993-01-01

The Application Portable Parallel Library (APPL) is a subroutine-based library of communication primitives that is callable from applications written in FORTRAN or C. APPL provides a consistent programmer interface to a variety of distributed and shared-memory multiprocessor MIMD machines. The objective of APPL is to minimize the effort required to move parallel applications from one machine to another, or to a network of homogeneous machines. APPL encompasses many of the message-passing primitives that are currently available on commercial multiprocessor systems. This paper describes APPL (version 2.3.1) and its usage, reports the status of the APPL project, and indicates possible directions for the future. Several applications using APPL are discussed, as well as performance and overhead results.

Study of the cross-contamination and survival of Salmonella in fresh apples.

PubMed

Perez-Rodriguez, F; Begum, M; Johannessen, G S

2014-08-01

The present work aimed at studying the cross contamination of apples by Salmonella during the processing of commercial fresh apples and its survival capacity on apple at room temperature. For the first study, the typical process of fresh apples was simulated at laboratory scale in which an apple that was artificially contaminated by Salmonella at different concentration levels (8, 6 and 5 log cfu/apple) was introduced in one batch and processed including a simulated transport/washing step and drying step using sponges to simulate the porous material used in the industry. Results indicated that at 8 log cfu/apple, 50% fresh apples were contaminated after processing, with all analysed environmental samples being positive for the pathogen, consisting of washing water and sponges. However, at lower inoculum levels (5-6 log cfu/apple) no cross contamination was detected in apples, and only environmental samples showed contamination by Salmonella after processing including both water and sponges. Experiments on the survival of Salmonella on apple showed that the pathogen was capable to survive for 12 days, only showing a significant drop at the end of the experiment. Finally, two-class attribute sampling plans were assessed as tool to detect Salmonella in different contamination scenarios in fresh apple. This analysis indicated that with the highest inoculum level, a total of 16 apples would be needed to reach 95% of detecting Salmonella (i.e. lot rejection). In turn, when low levels were assessed (5-6 log cfu/apple), a large number of apples (n=1021) would have to be sampled to obtain the same confidence level (95%). If the environment is sampled (i.e. water and sponges), a lower number of samples would be needed to detect the pathogen. However, the feasibility of environmental sampling has not been assessed from a practical point of view. Overall, the results in this study evidenced that cross contamination by Salmonella might occur during processing of fresh apples and subsequently, the pathogen might survive for a noticeable period of time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Giant weathering pits in the Entrada Sandstone, southeastern Utah: Preliminary findings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Netoff, D.I.; Shroba, R.R.

Giant weathering pits formed in outcrops of the lower Entrada Sandstone slickrock of Jurassic age are present in two areas in the Glen Canyon region of arid southeastern Utah. The pits are far larger than any previously described in the geologic literature. The pits near Cookie Jar Butte are commonly cylindrical, typically have low width-to-depth ratios (1.5--3.6), and have a depth of closure of as much as 18 m. There are no obvious lithologic or structural controls that determine their shape or location. Many of the pits at Rock Creek Bay are elongate; several of them have long axes inmore » excess of 53 m, and the longest one is 74 m. Many of the pit walls are breached at the top, and the depth of closure is generally less than 6 m. The shapes of these pits are influenced by point orientation and pit coalescence. Thin-section analyses of near-surface sandstone cores taken near Cookie Jar Butte from pit walls, floors, and rims reveal no significant diagenetic alteration of the fine-grained to very fine frained quartzose sandstone (quartz arenite). Quartz grains appear fresh, and feldspar grains are only slightly weathered. The cement between the grains is mostly CaCO[sub 3]. In several of the pits in both areas sandy sediment veneers the bedrock floor. This sediment is similar in character to the adjacent sandstone and is probably locally derived. Possible origins of the giant pits include various physical, chemical, and biological weathering processes that initiate pit development, followed by excavation by plunge-pool action, wind deflation, dissolution, and piping. Preliminary field and laboratory data do not clearly identify and single process of group of processes that account for pit development.« less

Is Playing in the Pit Really the Pits?: Pain, Strength, Music Performance Anxiety, and Workplace Satisfaction in Professional Musicians in Stage, Pit, and Combined Stage/Pit Orchestras.

PubMed

Kenny, Dianna T; Driscoll, Tim; Ackermann, Bronwen J

2016-03-01

Typically, Australian orchestral musicians perform on stage, in an orchestra pit, or in a combination of both workplaces. This study explored a range of physical and mental health indicators in musicians who played in these different orchestra types to ascertain whether orchestra environment was a risk factor affecting musician wellbeing. Participants comprised 380 full-time orchestral musicians from the eight major state orchestras in Australia comprised of two dedicated pit orchestras, three stage-only symphonic orchestras, and three mixed stage/pit orchestras. Participants completed a physical assessment and a range of self-report measures assessing performance-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMD), physical characteristics including strength and perceived exertion, and psychological health, including music performance anxiety (MPA), workplace satisfaction, and bullying. Physical characteristics and performance-related musculoskeletal profiles were similar for most factors on the detailed survey completed by orchestra members. The exceptions were that pit musicians demonstrated greater shoulder and elbow strength, while mixed-workload orchestra musicians had greater flexibility Significantly more exertion was reported by pit musicians when rehearsing and performing. Stage/pit musicians reported less physical exertion when performing in the pit compared with performing on stage. Severity of MPA was significantly greater in pit musicians than mixed orchestra musicians. Pit musicians also reported more frequent bullying and lower job satisfaction compared with stage musicians. There were few differences in the objective physical measures between musicians in the different orchestra types. However, pit musicians appear more psychologically vulnerable and less satisfied with their work than musicians from the other two orchestra types. The physical and psychological characteristics of musicians who perform in different orchestra types have not been adequately theorized or studied. We offer some preliminary thoughts that may account for the observed differences.

Mitis group streptococci express variable pilus islet 2 pili.

PubMed

Zähner, Dorothea; Gandhi, Ashish R; Yi, Hong; Stephens, David S

2011-01-01

Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus mitis, and Streptococcus sanguinis are members of the Mitis group of streptococci and agents of oral biofilm, dental plaque and infective endocarditis, disease processes that involve bacteria-bacteria and bacteria-host interactions. Their close relative, the human pathogen S. pneumoniae uses pilus-islet 2 (PI-2)-encoded pili to facilitate adhesion to eukaryotic cells. PI-2 pilus-encoding genetic islets were identified in S. oralis, S. mitis, and S. sanguinis, but were absent from other isolates of these species. The PI-2 islets resembled the genetic organization of the PI-2 islet of S. pneumoniae, but differed in the genes encoding the structural pilus proteins PitA and PitB. Two and three variants of pitA (a pseudogene in S. pneumoniae) and pitB, respectively, were identified that showed ≈20% difference in nucleotide as well as corresponding protein sequence. Species-independent combinations of pitA and pitB variants indicated prior intra- and interspecies horizontal gene transfer events. Polyclonal antisera developed against PitA and PitB of S. oralis type strain ATCC35037 revealed that PI-2 pili in oral streptococci were composed of PitA and PitB. Electronmicrographs showed pilus structures radiating >700 nm from the bacterial surface in the wild type strain, but not in an isogenic PI-2 deletion mutant. Anti-PitB-antiserum only reacted with pili containing the same PitB variant, whereas anti-PitA antiserum was cross-reactive with the other PitA variant. Electronic multilocus sequence analysis revealed that all PI-2-encoding oral streptococci were closely-related and cluster with non-PI-2-encoding S. oralis strains. This is the first identification of PI-2 pili in Mitis group oral streptococci. The findings provide a striking example of intra- and interspecies horizontal gene transfer. The PI-2 pilus diversity provides a possible key to link strain-specific bacterial interactions and/or tissue tropisms with pathogenic traits in the Mitis group streptococci.

Development of an aversive Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer task in rat

PubMed Central

Campese, Vincent; McCue, Margaret; Lázaro-Muñoz, Gabriel; LeDoux, Joseph E.; Cain, Christopher K.

2013-01-01

Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) is an effect whereby a classically conditioned stimulus (CS) enhances ongoing instrumental responding. PIT has been extensively studied with appetitive conditioning but barely at all with aversive conditioning. Although it's been argued that conditioned suppression is a form of aversive PIT, this effect is fundamentally different from appetitive PIT because the CS suppresses, instead of facilitates, responding. Five experiments investigated the importance of a variety of factors on aversive PIT in a rodent Sidman avoidance paradigm in which ongoing shuttling behavior (unsignaled active avoidance or USAA) was facilitated by an aversive CS. Experiment 1 demonstrated a basic PIT effect. Experiment 2 found that a moderate amount of USAA extinction produces the strongest PIT with shuttling rates best at around 2 responses per minute prior to the CS. Experiment 3 tested a protocol in which the USAA behavior was required to reach the 2-response per minute mark in order to trigger the CS presentation and found that this produced robust and reliable PIT. Experiment 4 found that the Pavlovian conditioning US intensity was not a major determinant of PIT strength. Experiment 5 demonstrated that if the CS and US were not explicitly paired during Pavlovian conditioning, PIT did not occur, showing that CS-US learning is required. Together, these studies demonstrate a robust, reliable and stable aversive PIT effect that is amenable to analysis of neural circuitry. PMID:24324417

Copper Tube Pitting in Santa Fe Municipal Water Caused by Microbial Induced Corrosion.

PubMed

Burleigh, Thomas D; Gierke, Casey G; Fredj, Narjes; Boston, Penelope J

2014-06-05

Many copper water lines for municipal drinking water in Santa Fe, New Mexico USA, have developed pinhole leaks. The pitting matches the description of Type I pitting of copper, which has historically been attributed to water chemistry and to contaminants on the copper tubing surface. However, more recent studies attribute copper pitting to microbial induced corrosion (MIC). In order to test for microbes, the copper tubing was fixed in hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), then the tops of the corrosion mounds were broken open, and the interior of the corrosion pits were examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The analysis found that microbes resembling actinobacteria were deep inside the pits and wedged between the crystallographic planes of the corroded copper grains. The presence of actinobacteria confirms the possibility that the cause of this pitting corrosion was MIC. This observation provides better understanding and new methods for preventing the pitting of copper tubing in municipal water.

Observation of Eye Pattern on Super-Resolution Near-Field Structure Disk with Write-Strategy Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuji, Hiroshi; Kikukawa, Takashi; Tominaga, Junji

2004-07-01

Pit-edge recording at a density of 150 nm pits and spaces is carried out on a super-resolution near-field structure (super-RENS) disk with a platinum oxide layer. Pits are recorded and read using a 635-nm-wavelength laser and an objective lens with a 0.6 numerical aperture. We arrange laser pulses to correctly record the pits on the disk by a write-strategy technique. The laser-pulse figure includes a unit time of 0.25 T and intensities of Pw1, Pw2 and Pw3. After recording pits of various lengths, the observation of an eye pattern is achieved despite a pit smaller than the resolution limit. Furthermore, the eye pattern maintains its shape even though other pits fill the adjacent tracks at a track density of 600 nm. The disk can be used as a pit-edge recording system through a write-strategy technique.

Copper Tube Pitting in Santa Fe Municipal Water Caused by Microbial Induced Corrosion

PubMed Central

Burleigh, Thomas D.; Gierke, Casey G.; Fredj, Narjes; Boston, Penelope J.

2014-01-01

Many copper water lines for municipal drinking water in Santa Fe, New Mexico USA, have developed pinhole leaks. The pitting matches the description of Type I pitting of copper, which has historically been attributed to water chemistry and to contaminants on the copper tubing surface. However, more recent studies attribute copper pitting to microbial induced corrosion (MIC). In order to test for microbes, the copper tubing was fixed in hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), then the tops of the corrosion mounds were broken open, and the interior of the corrosion pits were examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The analysis found that microbes resembling actinobacteria were deep inside the pits and wedged between the crystallographic planes of the corroded copper grains. The presence of actinobacteria confirms the possibility that the cause of this pitting corrosion was MIC. This observation provides better understanding and new methods for preventing the pitting of copper tubing in municipal water. PMID:28788679

Analysis on the stress corrosion crack inception based on pit shape and size of the FV520B tensile specimen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiang, Longhao; Pan, Juyi; Chen, Songying

2018-06-01

The influence of pit shape and size on local stress concentration in the tensile specimen and the stress corrosion cracks inception was studied by employing the element remove technique. The maximum stress located in the bottom of pit on FV520B tensile specimen. The location of maximum strain was near the mouth of the pit or the shoulder and plastic strain existed in this region. Stress concentration factor and plastic deformation on four different geometrical shape pits of hemisphere, semi-ellipsoid, bullet and butterfly were numerically investigated, respectively. The simulation results showed that butterfly pit got the biggest stress concentration factor. The plastic strain rate during pit growth was in the sensitivity range of stress corrosion cracks inception, indicating that stress corrosion cracks were more likely to nucleate near the pit tip or the shoulder.

Physical and antibacterial properties of açaí edible films formulated with thyme essential oil and apple skin polyphenols.

PubMed

Espitia, Paula J P; Avena-Bustillos, Roberto J; Du, Wen-Xian; Chiou, Bor-Sen; Williams, Tina G; Wood, Delilah; McHugh, Tara H; Soares, Nilda F F

2014-05-01

Thyme essential oil (TEO) and apple skin polyphenols (ASP) are natural compounds considered as generally recognized as safe by FDA, with biological effects against bacteria and fungi. This work aimed to evaluate physical and antimicrobial properties of açaí edible films formulated with TEO and ASP at 3% and 6% (w/w) individually or combined at 3% (w/w) each. Physical properties studied include mechanical resistance, water vapor permeability (WVP), color, and thermal resistance. Antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes was determined using the overlay diffusion test. Addition of ASP resulted in improved mechanical properties. TEO at 6% (w/w) resulted in increased elongation. ASP films had significant higher WVP than control film. ASP films were lighter and had more red color than other films. Incorporation of ASP resulted in improved film thermal stability, whereas TEO caused rapid thermal decomposition. Presence of clusters was observed on the surface of films. Addition of ASP resulted in a smoother surface, whereas addition of TEO led to the formation of crater-like pits on the film surface. Açaí edible film incorporated with 6% (w/w) TEO presented the highest antimicrobial activity. However, both antimicrobials are necessary in the açaí films in order to obtain edible films with suitable physical-mechanical properties. The results of the present study showed that TEO and ASP can be used to prepare açaí edible films with adequate physical-mechanical properties and antimicrobial activity for food applications by direct contact. Developed açaí edible films presented antimicrobial activity against L. monocytogenes and good physical-mechanical properties, showing the potential use of açaí edible films in food preservation. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Loss of PiT-1 Results in Abnormal Endocytosis in the Yolk Sac Visceral Endoderm

PubMed Central

Wallingford, Mary C.; Giachelli, Cecilia M.

2014-01-01

PiT-1 protein is a transmembrane sodium-dependent phosphate (Pi) transporter. PiT-1 knock out (KO) embryos die from largely unknown causes by embryonic day (E) 12.5. We tested the hypothesis that PiT-1 is required for endocytosis in the embryonic yolk sac (YS) visceral endoderm (VE). Here we present data supporting that PiT-1 KO results in a YS remodeling defect and decreased endocytosis in the YS VE. The remodeling defect is not due to an upstream cardiomyocyte requirement for PiT-1, as SM22αCre-specific KO of PiT-1 in the developing heart and the YS mesodermal layer (ME) does not recapitulate the PiT-1 global KO phenotype. Furthermore, we find that high levels of PiT-1 protein localize to the YS VE apical membrane. Together these data support that PiT-1 is likely required in YS VE. During normal development maternal immunoglobulin (IgG) is endocytosed into YS VE and accumulates in the apical side of the VE in a specialized lysosome termed the apical vacuole (AV). We have identified a reduction in PiT-1 KO VE cell height and a striking loss of IgG accumulation in the PiT-1 KO VE. The endocytosis genes Tfeb, Lamtor2 and Snx2 are increased at the RNA level. Lysotracker Red staining reveals a loss of distinct AVs, and yolk sacs incubated ex vivo with phRODO Green Dextran for Endocytosis demonstrate a functional loss of endocytosis. As yolk sac endocytosis is controlled in part by microautophagy, but expression of LC3 had not been examined, we investigated LC3 expression during yolk sac development and found stage-specific LC3 RNA expression that is predominantly from the YS VE layer at E9.5. Normalized LC3-II protein levels are decreased in the PiT-1 KO YS, supporting a requirement for PiT-1 in autophagy in the YS. Therefore, we propose the novel idea that PiT-1 is central to the regulation of endocytosis and autophagy in the YS VE. PMID:25138534

Use of cyclodextrin-based polymer for patulin analysis in apple juice

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Penicillium expansum, one of the patulin producing fungi that causes decay on apple, is recognized as the main source of patulin contamination on apple and apple products. The widely used method for patulin analysis in apple juice is liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate followed by HPLC-UV or...

7 CFR 33.12 - Apples not subject to regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Apples not subject to regulation. 33.12 Section 33.12... REGULATIONS REGULATIONS ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Exemptions § 33.12 Apples not subject... this part, transport or receive for transportation to any foreign destination: (a) A quantity of apples...

7 CFR 33.12 - Apples not subject to regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Apples not subject to regulation. 33.12 Section 33.12... REGULATIONS REGULATIONS ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Exemptions § 33.12 Apples not subject... this part, transport or receive for transportation to any foreign destination: (a) A quantity of apples...

7 CFR 33.12 - Apples not subject to regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Apples not subject to regulation. 33.12 Section 33.12... REGULATIONS REGULATIONS ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Exemptions § 33.12 Apples not subject... this part, transport or receive for transportation to any foreign destination: (a) A quantity of apples...

7 CFR 33.12 - Apples not subject to regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Apples not subject to regulation. 33.12 Section 33.12... REGULATIONS REGULATIONS ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Exemptions § 33.12 Apples not subject... this part, transport or receive for transportation to any foreign destination: (a) A quantity of apples...

7 CFR 33.12 - Apples not subject to regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Apples not subject to regulation. 33.12 Section 33.12... REGULATIONS REGULATIONS ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Exemptions § 33.12 Apples not subject... this part, transport or receive for transportation to any foreign destination: (a) A quantity of apples...

78 FR 42086 - Draft Guidance for Industry on Arsenic in Apple Juice: Action Level; Supporting Document for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-15

... Level for Arsenic in Apple Juice; A Quantitative Assessment of Inorganic Arsenic in Apple Juice... Arsenic in Apple Juice'' (the draft supporting document) and ``A Quantitative Assessment of Inorganic... document entitled ``A Quantitative Assessment of Inorganic Arsenic in Apple Juice.'' The draft guidance...

75 FR 65213 - Removal of Varietal Restrictions on Apples From Japan

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-22

...-0020] RIN 0579-AD08 Removal of Varietal Restrictions on Apples From Japan AGENCY: Animal and Plant... the importation of Fuji variety apples from Japan to allow all varieties of Malus domestica apples... that the risk associated with allowing other varieties of M. domestica apples from Japan into the...

First report of Apple necrotic mosaic virus infecting apple trees in Korea

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In September 2016, two apple trees (Malus domestica Borkh) cv. Shinano Sweet showing bright cream spot and mosaic patterns on leaves were observed in Pocheon, South Korea. Mosaic symptoms are common on leaves of apple trees infected with Apple mosaic virus (ApMV). Symptomatic leaves were tested by e...

Mapping the sensory perception of apple using descriptive sensory evaluation in a genome wide association study

PubMed Central

Amyotte, Beatrice; Bowen, Amy J.; Banks, Travis; Rajcan, Istvan; Somers, Daryl J.

2017-01-01

Breeding apples is a long-term endeavour and it is imperative that new cultivars are selected to have outstanding consumer appeal. This study has taken the approach of merging sensory science with genome wide association analyses in order to map the human perception of apple flavour and texture onto the apple genome. The goal was to identify genomic associations that could be used in breeding apples for improved fruit quality. A collection of 85 apple cultivars was examined over two years through descriptive sensory evaluation by a trained sensory panel. The trained sensory panel scored randomized sliced samples of each apple cultivar for seventeen taste, flavour and texture attributes using controlled sensory evaluation practices. In addition, the apple collection was subjected to genotyping by sequencing for marker discovery. A genome wide association analysis suggested significant genomic associations for several sensory traits including juiciness, crispness, mealiness and fresh green apple flavour. The findings include previously unreported genomic regions that could be used in apple breeding and suggest that similar sensory association mapping methods could be applied in other plants. PMID:28231290

Mapping the sensory perception of apple using descriptive sensory evaluation in a genome wide association study.

PubMed

Amyotte, Beatrice; Bowen, Amy J; Banks, Travis; Rajcan, Istvan; Somers, Daryl J

2017-01-01

Breeding apples is a long-term endeavour and it is imperative that new cultivars are selected to have outstanding consumer appeal. This study has taken the approach of merging sensory science with genome wide association analyses in order to map the human perception of apple flavour and texture onto the apple genome. The goal was to identify genomic associations that could be used in breeding apples for improved fruit quality. A collection of 85 apple cultivars was examined over two years through descriptive sensory evaluation by a trained sensory panel. The trained sensory panel scored randomized sliced samples of each apple cultivar for seventeen taste, flavour and texture attributes using controlled sensory evaluation practices. In addition, the apple collection was subjected to genotyping by sequencing for marker discovery. A genome wide association analysis suggested significant genomic associations for several sensory traits including juiciness, crispness, mealiness and fresh green apple flavour. The findings include previously unreported genomic regions that could be used in apple breeding and suggest that similar sensory association mapping methods could be applied in other plants.

Effect of ultrasound dielectric pretreatment on the oxidation resistance of vacuum-fried apple chips.

PubMed

Shen, Xu; Zhang, Min; Bhandari, Bhesh; Guo, Zhimei

2018-02-15

In order to investigate the effect of ultrasound dielectric pretreatment on the oxidation resistance of vacuum-fried apple chips, apple slices were pretreated at ultrasonic powers of 150, 250 and 400 W for times of 10, 20 and 30 min before vacuum frying. The quality and oxidation resistance of fried apple were evaluated by testing the dielectric properties and comparing the moisture content, oil uptake, color, acid value (AV) and peroxide value (PV) of apple chips. Ultrasonic treatment significantly changed the dielectric properties of apple slices. Moisture and oil contents of apple chips decreased with increasing ultrasonic power and time. During storage, the color retention of fried apple chips processed by ultrasound was improved. AV and PV values of fried apple chips processed by ultrasound were lower, which improved their antioxidant properties. The results of the present study indicated that ultrasound dielectric pretreatment improved not only the quality of vacuum-fried apple chips but also their antioxidant properties. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Cost-benefit trade-offs of bird activity in apple orchards.

PubMed

Peisley, Rebecca K; Saunders, Manu E; Luck, Gary W

2016-01-01

Birds active in apple orchards in south-eastern Australia can contribute positively (e.g., control crop pests) or negatively (e.g., crop damage) to crop yields. Our study is the first to identify net outcomes of these activities, using six apple orchards, varying in management intensity, in south-eastern Australia as a study system. We also conducted a predation experiment using real and artificial codling moth (Cydia pomonella) larvae (a major pest in apple crops). We found that: (1) excluding birds from branches of apple trees resulted in an average of 12.8% more apples damaged by insects; (2) bird damage to apples was low (1.9% of apples); and (3) when trading off the potential benefits (biological control) with costs (bird damage to apples), birds provided an overall net benefit to orchard growers. We found that predation of real codling moth larvae was higher than for plasticine larvae, suggesting that plasticine prey models are not useful for inferring actual predation levels. Our study shows how complex ecological interactions between birds and invertebrates affect crop yield in apples, and provides practical strategies for improving the sustainability of orchard systems.

Flow visualization around an apple with and without bagging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsumoto, H.; Kubota, Y.; Ohishi, M.; Mochizuki, O.

2017-04-01

The typhoon often causes the vast damage to drop the apple before harvest. Many apples fall from trees by the strong wind. These apples are usually bagged to protect them from insects and control sun light for the apples colouring while they are ripening on the tree. We directly measured the drag force acting on an apple with and without bagging experimentally to bare the influence of the bagging on the dropping mechanism. There are two interesting results through the experiment: the drag coefficient of a naked apple is smaller than a sphere, and the bagging is a cause of increasing drag coefficient. To know the reason of these results, we visualized flow around the apple with and without bagging by using the hydrogen bubbles method in an open water channel in this study. We found two facts as follows: the hollow on the top of an apple plays reduction of width of the wake of an apple and reason of increasing the wake width is the flow separation from peripheral edge of the bagging.

Illuminating Anaerobic Microbial Community and Cooccurrence Patterns across a Quality Gradient in Chinese Liquor Fermentation Pit Muds

PubMed Central

Hu, Xiaolong; Du, Hai; Ren, Cong

2016-01-01

Fermentation pit mud, an important reservoir of diverse anaerobic microorganisms, is essential for Chinese strong-aroma liquor production. Pit mud quality, according to its sensory characteristics, can be divided into three grades: degraded, normal, and high quality. However, the relationship between pit mud microbial community and pit mud quality is poorly understood, as are microbial associations within the pit mud ecosystem. Here, microbial communities at these grades were compared using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the variable region V4 of the 16S rRNA gene. Our results revealed that the pit mud microbial community was correlated with its quality and environmental factors. Species richness, biodiversity, and relative and/or absolute abundances of Clostridia, Clostridium kluyveri, Bacteroidia, and Methanobacteria significantly increased, with corresponding increases in levels of pH, NH4+, and available phosphorus, from degraded to high-quality pit muds, while levels of Lactobacillus, dissolved organic carbon, and lactate significantly decreased, with normal samples in between. Furthermore, 271 pairs of significant and robust correlations (cooccurrence and negative) were identified from 76 genera using network analysis. Thirteen hubs of cooccurrence patterns, mainly under the Clostridia, Bacteroidia, Methanobacteria, and Methanomicrobia, may play important roles in pit mud ecosystem stability, which may be destroyed with rapidly increased levels of lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, and Streptococcus). This study may help clarify the relationships among microbial community, environmental conditions, and pit mud quality, allow the improvement of pit mud quality by using bioaugmentation and controlling environmental factors, and shed more light on the ecological rules guiding community assembly in pit mud. PMID:26896127

Comparison of nonfried apple snacks with commercially available fried snacks.

PubMed

Joshi, A P K; Rupasinghe, H P V; Pitts, N L

2011-06-01

The study was carried out to evaluate the selected quality attributes of a prototype nonfried apple snack produced by application of vacuum impregnation (VI) of maple syrup and vacuum drying. When maple syrup concentration was adjusted to 20-40% in the VI solution, vacuum-dried apple slices are resulted in the greatest textural attributes, whiteness index, and desirable moisture content and water activity. Comparison of the VI-treated, vacuum-dried apple slices with commercially fried apple and potato snacks revealed that the consumer acceptability was greater for the fried snack products due to their flavor and texture; however, in addition to higher oil content (>30%), commercial fried apple and potato snacks possessed lower antioxidant capacity than nonfried apple snacks. VI process enhanced the calcium content of the nonfried apple snack products.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hang, Y.D.

Nearly 36 million tons of apples are produced annually in the US. Approximately 45% of the total US apple production is used for processing purposes. The primary by-product of apple processing is apple pomace. It consists of the presscake resulting from pressing apples for juice or cider, including the presscake obtained in pressing peel and core wastes generated in the manufacture of apple sauce or slices. More than 500 food processing plants in the US produce a total of about 1.3 million metric tons of apple pomace each year, and it is likely that annual disposal fees exceed $10 million.more » Apple pomace has the potential to be used for the production of fuels (ethanol and biogas containing 60% methane) and food-grade chemicals. These uses will be reviewed in this article.« less

Characterization of cider apples on the basis of their fatty acid profiles.

PubMed

Blanco-Gomis, Domingo; Mangas Alonso, Juan J; Margolles Cabrales, Inmaculada; Arias Abrodo, Pilar

2002-02-27

In the current study, the fatty acids composition of 30 monovarietal apple juices from six cider apple varieties belonging to two categories was analyzed. The different apple juices were obtained from three consecutive harvests (1997, 1998, and 1999). The fatty acids concentration in apple juice together with chemometric techniques such as principal components analysis (PCA), soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA), and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), allowed us to differentiate apple juices on the basis of the sweet or sharp category to which the cider apple variety belongs. Fatty acids such as the unsaturated oleic and linoleic acids, and saturated caprylic, capric, stearic, and palmitic acids were related to the sweet cider apple category, while pentadecanoic acid is related to the sharp class.

Alloy Microstructure Dictates Corrosion Modes in THA Modular Junctions.

PubMed

Pourzal, Robin; Hall, Deborah J; Ehrich, Jonas; McCarthy, Stephanie M; Mathew, Mathew T; Jacobs, Joshua J; Urban, Robert M

2017-12-01

Adverse local tissue reactions (ALTRs) triggered by corrosion products from modular taper junctions are a known cause of premature THA failure. CoCrMo devices are of particular concern because cobalt ions and chromium-orthophosphates were shown to be linked to ALTRs, even in metal-on-polyethylene THAs. The most common categories of CoCrMo alloy are cast and wrought alloy, which exhibit fundamental microstructural differences in terms of grain size and hard phases. The impact of implant alloy microstructure on the occurring modes of corrosion and subsequent metal ion release is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to determine whether (1) the microstructure of cast CoCrMo alloy varies broadly between manufacturers and can dictate specific corrosion modes; and whether (2) the microstructure of wrought CoCrMo alloy is more consistent between manufacturers and has low implications on the alloy's corrosion behavior. The alloy microstructure of four femoral-stem and three femoral-head designs from four manufacturers was metallographically and electrochemically characterized. Three stem designs were made from cast alloy; all three head designs and one stem design were made from wrought alloy. Alloy samples were sectioned from retrieved components and then polished and etched to visualize grain structure and hard phases such as carbides (eg, M 23 C 6 ) or intermetallic phases (eg, σ phase). Potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) tests were conducted to determine the corrosion potential (E corr ), corrosion current density (I corr ), and pitting potential (E pit ) for each alloy. Four devices were tested within each group, and each measurement was repeated three times to ensure repeatable results. Differences in PDP metrics between manufacturers and between alloys with different hard phase contents were compared using one-way analysis of variance and independent-sample t-tests. Microstructural features such as twin boundaries and slip bands as well as corrosion damage features were viewed and qualitatively assessed in a scanning electron microscope. We found broad variability in implant alloy microstructure for both cast and wrought alloy between manufacturers, but also within the same implant design. In cast alloys, there was no difference in PDP metrics between manufacturers. However, coarse hard phases and clusters of hard phases (mainly intermetallic phases) were associated with severe phase boundary corrosion and pitting corrosion. Furthermore, cast alloys with hard phases had a lower E pit than those without (0.46 V, SD 0.042; 0.53 V, SD 0.03, respectively; p = 0.015). Wrought alloys exhibited either no hard phases or numerous carbides (M 23 C 6 ). However, the corrosion behavior was mainly affected by lattice defects and banded structures indicative of segregations that appear to be introduced during bar stock manufacturing. Alloys with banding had a lower E corr (p = 0.008) and higher I corr (p = 0.028) than alloys without banding (-0.76 V, SD 0.003; -0.73 V, SD 0.009; and 1.14 × 10 -4 mA/cm 2 , SD 1.47 × 10 -5 ; 5.2 × 10 -5 mA/cm 2 , SD 2.57 × 10 -5 , respectively). Alloys with carbides had a slightly higher E corr (p = 0.046) than those without (-0.755 V, SD 0.005; -0.761 V, SD 0.004); however, alloys with carbides exhibited more severe corrosion damage as a result of phase boundary corrosion, hard phase detachment, and subsequent local crevice corrosion. The observed variability in CoCrMo alloy microstructure of both cast and wrought components in this study appears to be an important issue to address, perhaps through better standards, to minimize in vivo corrosion. The finding of the banded structures within wrought alloys is especially concerning because it unfavorably influences the corrosion behavior independent of the manufacturer. The findings suggest that a homogeneous alloy microstructure with a minimal hard phase fraction exhibits more favorable corrosion behavior within the in vivo environment of modular taper junctions, thus lowering metal ion release and subsequently the risk of ALTRs to corrosion products. Also, the question arises if hard phases fulfill a useful purpose in metal-on-polyethylene bearings, because they may come with a higher risk of phase boundary corrosion and pitting corrosion and the benefit they provide by adding strength is not needed (unlike in metal-on-metal bearings). Implant failure resulting from corrosion processes within modular junctions is a major concern in THA. Our results suggest that implant alloy microstructure is not sufficiently standardized and may also dictate specific corrosion modes and subsequent metal ion release.

Refunctionalization of the ancient rice blast disease resistance gene Pit by the recruitment of a retrotransposon as a promoter.

PubMed

Hayashi, Keiko; Yoshida, Hitoshi

2009-02-01

The plant genome contains a large number of disease resistance (R) genes that have evolved through diverse mechanisms. Here, we report that a long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposon contributed to the evolution of the rice blast resistance gene Pit. Pit confers race-specific resistance against the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe grisea, and is a member of the nucleotide-binding site leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) family of R genes. Compared with the non-functional allele Pit(Npb), the functional allele Pit(K59) contains four amino acid substitutions, and has the LTR retrotransposon Renovator inserted upstream. Pathogenesis assays using chimeric constructs carrying the various regions of Pit(K59) and Pit(Npb) suggest that amino acid substitutions might have a potential effect in Pit resistance; more importantly, the upregulated promoter activity conferred by the Renovator sequence is essential for Pit function. Our data suggest that transposon-mediated transcriptional activation may play an important role in the refunctionalization of additional 'sleeping' R genes in the plant genome.

Associations of polymorphisms in the Pit-1 gene with growth and carcass traits in Angus beef cattle.

PubMed

Zhao, Q; Davis, M E; Hines, H C

2004-08-01

The Pit-1 gene was studied as a candidate for genetic markers of growth and carcass traits. Angus beef cattle that were divergently selected for high- or low-blood serum IGF-I concentration were used in this study. The single-strand conformation polymorphism method was used to identify polymorphism in the Pit-1 gene including regions from intron 2 to exon 6. Two polymorphisms, Pit1I3H (HinfI) and Pit1I3NL (NlaIII), were detected in intron 3 of the Pit-1 gene. One polymorphism, Pit1I4N (BstNI), was found in intron 4, and a single nucleotide polymorphism, Pit1I5, was found in intron 5. The previously reported polymorphism in exon 6, Pit1E6H (HinfI), was also studied in 416 Angus beef cattle. Associations of the polymorphisms with growth traits, carcass traits, and IGF-I concentration were analyzed using a general linear model procedure. No significant associations were observed between these polymorphisms and growth and carcass traits.

Physical and antibacterial properties of edible films formulated with apple skin polyphenols.

PubMed

Du, W-X; Olsen, C W; Avena-Bustillos, R J; Friedman, M; McHugh, T H

2011-03-01

Fruit and vegetable skins have polyphenolic compounds, terpenes, and phenols with antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. These flavoring plant essential oil components are generally regarded as safe. Edible films made from fruits or vegetables containing apple skin polyphenols have the potential to be used commercially to protect food against contamination by pathogenic bacteria. The main objective of this study was to evaluate physical properties as well as antimicrobial activities against Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Salmonella enterica of apple skin polyphenols at 0% to 10% (w/w) concentrations in apple puree film-forming solutions formulated into edible films. Commercial apple skin polyphenol powder had a water activity of 0.44 and high total soluble phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity (995.3 mg chlorogenic acid/100 g and 14.4 mg Trolox/g, respectively). Antimicrobial activities of edible film containing apple skin polyphenols were determined by the overlay method. Apple edible film with apple skin polyphenols was highly effective against L. monocytogenes. The minimum concentration need to inactive L. monocytogenes was 1.5%. However, apple skin polyphenols did not show any antimicrobial effect against E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica even at 10% level. The presence of apple skin polyphenols reduced water vapor permeability of films. Apple skin polyphenols increased elongation of films and darkened the color of films. The results of the present study show that apple skin polyphenols can be used to prepare apple-based antimicrobial edible films with good physical properties for food applications by direct contact.

Choosing between an Apple and a Chocolate Bar: the Impact of Health and Taste Labels

PubMed Central

Forwood, Suzanna E.; Walker, Alexander D.; Hollands, Gareth J.; Marteau, Theresa M.

2013-01-01

Increasing the consumption of fruit and vegetables is a central component of improving population health. Reasons people give for choosing one food over another suggest health is of lower importance than taste. This study assesses the impact of using a simple descriptive label to highlight the taste as opposed to the health value of fruit on the likelihood of its selection. Participants (N=439) were randomly allocated to one of five groups that varied in the label added to an apple: apple; healthy apple; succulent apple; healthy and succulent apple; succulent and healthy apple. The primary outcome measure was selection of either an apple or a chocolate bar as a dessert. Measures of the perceived qualities of the apple (taste, health, value, quality, satiety) and of participant characteristics (restraint, belief that tasty foods are unhealthy, BMI) were also taken. When compared with apple selection without any descriptor (50%), the labels combining both health and taste descriptors significantly increased selection of the apple (’healthy & succulent’ 65.9% and ‘succulent & healthy’ 62.4%), while the use of a single descriptor had no impact on the rate of apple selection (‘healthy’ 50.5% and ‘succulent’ 52%). The strongest predictors of individual dessert choice were the taste score given to the apple, and the lack of belief that healthy foods are not tasty. Interventions that emphasize the taste attributes of healthier foods are likely to be more effective at achieving healthier diets than those emphasizing health alone. PMID:24155964

Patulin Production in Apples Decayed by Penicillium expansum1

PubMed Central

Wilson, D. M.; Nuovo, G. J.

1973-01-01

Sixty isolates of Penicillium expansum were tested for patulin production in decaying apples. All the isolates were found to produce the mycotoxin patulin as determined by thin-layer chromatography. Since patulin is known to be stable in many apple products, the results indicate that apple products made partially from apples decayed by P. expansum will contain patulin which may present a health hazard. The results also suggest that patulin may be important in the decay of apples by P. expansum. PMID:4726831

Detecting Cavitation Pitting Without Disassembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barkhoudarian, S.

1986-01-01

Technique for detecting cavitation pitting in pumps, turbines, and other machinery uses low-level nuclear irradiation. Isotopes concentrated below surface emit gamma radiation, a portion of which is attenuated by overlying material. Where there are cavitation pits, output of gamma-ray detector fluctuates as detector is scanned near pits. Important to detect cavitation pits because nozzle, turbine blade, or other pump component weakened by cavitation could fail catastrophically and cause machine to explode.

Corrosion pitting of SiC by molten salts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobson, N. S.; Smialek, J. L.

1986-01-01

The corrosion of SiC by thin films of Na2CO3 and Na2SO4 at 1000 C is characterized by a severe pitting attack of the SiC substrate. A range of different Si and SiC substrates were examined to isolate the factors critical to pitting. Two types of pitting attack are identified: attack at structural discontinuities and a crater-like attack. The crater-like pits are correlated with bubble formation during oxidation of the SiC. It appears that bubbles create unprotected regions, which are susceptible to enhanced attack and, hence, pit formation.

Targeted overexpression of calcitonin in gonadotrophs of transgenic mice leads to chronic hypoprolactinemia.

PubMed

Yuan, Ren; Kulkarni, Trupti; Wei, Fu; Shah, Girish V

2005-01-14

It was previously shown that calcitonin-like pituitary peptide (pit-CT) is synthesized and secreted by gonadotrophs, and pit-CT inhibits PRL gene transcription and lactotroph cell proliferation. Present studies examined long-term consequences of pit-CT overexpression on the functioning of mouse anterior pituitary (AP) gland. Targeted overexpression of pit-CT in gonadotrophs of mouse pituitaries was achieved by generating mice overexpressing bovine luteinizing hormone (LH)-alpha subunit promoter-pit-CT cDNA transgene. Transgenic (pit-CT+) mice displayed chronic but selective overexpression of pit-CT in gonadotrophs. The mice also displayed a dramatic decline in PRL gene expression as assessed by PRL mRNA abundance, PRL immunohistochemistry (IHC) and serum PRL levels. LH secretion in pit-CT+ mice was also reduced, without any change in FSH secretion. Reproductive abnormalities such as prolonged estrous cycles, reduced pregnancy rate, delivery of smaller litters, increased neonatal mortality and deficient lactation were also observed. Administration of PRL during early pregnancy significantly increased the pregnancy rate and neonatal survival of newborns. These results demonstrate that overexpression of pit-CT leads to chronic hypoprolactinemia and reproductive dysfunction in female mice, and reinforces the possibility that gonadotroph-derived pit-CT is an important paracrine regulator of lactotroph function.

Research on horizontal displacement monitoring method of deep foundation pit based on laser projecting sensing technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Peng; Xie, Shulin; Zhang, Lixiao; Zhou, Guangyi; Zhao, Xuefeng

2018-03-01

A certain level of horizontal displacement will occur during excavation or subsequent construction of deep foundation pit. If the support is improper and the horizontal displacement of the foundation pit is too large, it will cause collapse and even affect the buildings around the foundation pit, which will endanger people's life and property. Therefore, the horizontal displacement monitoring of deep foundation pit becomes more and more important. At present, the electronic total station is often used to monitor the horizontal displacement of the foundation pit, but this monitoring method is expensive, prone to accidental errors, and can not be used for real-time monitoring. Therefore, a method of monitoring the horizontal displacement of deep foundation pit by using laser projection sensing technique is proposed in this paper. The horizontal displacement of the foundation pit is replaced by the displacement of the laser spot emitted by the laser, and the horizontal displacement of the foundation pit can be obtained by identifying the displacement of the laser spot projected on the screen. A series of experiments show that the accuracy of this monitoring method meets the engineering requirements and greatly reduces the cost, which provides a new technology for the displacement monitoring of deep foundation pit.

Creating, Storing, and Dumping Low and High Resolution Graphics on the Apple IIe Microcomputer System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fletcher, Richard K., Jr.

This description of procedures for dumping high and low resolution graphics using the Apple IIe microcomputer system focuses on two special hardware configurations that are commonly used in schools--the Apple Dot Matrix Printer with the Apple Parallel Interface Card, and the Imagewriter Printer with the Apple Super Serial Interface Card. Special…

7 CFR 51.301 - U.S. Fancy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Grades § 51.301 U.S. Fancy. “U.S. Fancy” consists of apples of one variety... injury, visible water core, and broken skins. The apples are also free from damage caused by bruises... variety of apples. Invisible water core shall not be scored against the Fuji variety of apples under any...

7 CFR 33.50 - Apples for processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Apples for processing. 33.50 Section 33.50 Agriculture... ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Interpretive Rules § 33.50 Apples for processing. The terms “apples for processing” as used in § 33.12 of this part apply only and is restricted to packages...

7 CFR 33.50 - Apples for processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Apples for processing. 33.50 Section 33.50 Agriculture... ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Interpretive Rules § 33.50 Apples for processing. The terms “apples for processing” as used in § 33.12 of this part apply only and is restricted to packages...

7 CFR 33.50 - Apples for processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Apples for processing. 33.50 Section 33.50 Agriculture... ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Interpretive Rules § 33.50 Apples for processing. The terms “apples for processing” as used in § 33.12 of this part apply only and is restricted to packages...

7 CFR 51.301 - U.S. Fancy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Grades § 51.301 U.S. Fancy. “U.S. Fancy” consists of apples of one variety... injury, visible water core, and broken skins. The apples are also free from damage caused by bruises... variety of apples. Invisible water core shall not be scored against the Fuji variety of apples under any...

7 CFR 51.301 - U.S. Fancy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Grades § 51.301 U.S. Fancy. “U.S. Fancy” consists of apples of one variety... injury, visible water core, and broken skins. The apples are also free from damage caused by bruises... variety of apples. Invisible water core shall not be scored against the Fuji variety of apples under any...

7 CFR 33.50 - Apples for processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Apples for processing. 33.50 Section 33.50 Agriculture... ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Interpretive Rules § 33.50 Apples for processing. The terms “apples for processing” as used in § 33.12 of this part apply only and is restricted to packages...

7 CFR 33.50 - Apples for processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Apples for processing. 33.50 Section 33.50 Agriculture... ISSUED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE EXPORT APPLE ACT Interpretive Rules § 33.50 Apples for processing. The terms “apples for processing” as used in § 33.12 of this part apply only and is restricted to packages...

Melatonin in Apples and Juice: Inhibition of Browning and Microorganism Growth in Apple Juice.

PubMed

Zhang, Haixia; Liu, Xuan; Chen, Ting; Ji, Yazhen; Shi, Kun; Wang, Lin; Zheng, Xiaodong; Kong, Jin

2018-02-27

Synthetic melatonin ( N -acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, MT) is popular in the US and Asian markets as a health supplement. Here, we identified a naturally occurring melatonin source in apple juice. Melatonin was present in all 18 apple cultivars tested. The highest melatonin level of the edible part of apple was detected in the apple peel. The melatonin content in 'Fuji' apple juice is comparable to the level of its flesh. Melatonin was consumed during the process of juicing due to its interaction with the oxidants. Melatonin addition significantly reduced the juice color change to brown (browning). The mechanism is that melatonin scavenges the free radicals, which was indicated by the ASBT analysis; therefore, inhibiting the conversion of o -diphenolic compounds into quinones. Most importantly, melatonin exhibited powerful anti-microorganism activity in juice. The exact mechanisms of this action are currently unknown. These effects of melatonin can preserve the quality and prolong the shelf life of apple juice. The results provide valuable information regarding commerciall apple juice processing and storage.

Are pit latrines in urban areas of Sub-Saharan Africa performing? A review of usage, filling, insects and odour nuisances.

PubMed

Nakagiri, Anne; Niwagaba, Charles B; Nyenje, Philip M; Kulabako, Robinah N; Tumuhairwe, John B; Kansiime, Frank

2016-02-04

A pit latrine is the most basic form of improved sanitation which is currently used by a number of people around the globe. In spite of the wide spread use, known successes and advantages associated with pit latrines, they have received little attention in form of research and development. This review focuses on the usage and performance (filling, smell and insect nuisance) of pit latrines in urban areas of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and proposes approaches for their improvements and sustainability. Current pit latrine usage within urban SSA was calculated from Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) water and sanitation country-files. We conducted a literature search and review of documents on pit latrine usage, filling, smell and insect nuisances in urban areas of SSA. Findings of the review are presented and discussed in this paper. Pit latrines are in use by more than half the urban population in SSA and especially among low income earners. An additional 36 million people in urban areas of SSA have adopted the pit latrine since 2007. However, their performance is unsatisfactory. Available literature shows that contributions have been made to address shortfalls related to pit latrine use in terms of science and technological innovations. However, further research is still needed. Any technology and process management innovations to pit latrines should involve scientifically guided approaches. In addition, development, dissemination and enforcement of minimum pit latrine design standards are important while the importance of hygienic latrines should also be emphasized.

New biotechnological tools to accelerate scab-resistance trait transfer to apple.

PubMed

Cusin, Roberta; Revers, Luís Fernando; Maraschin, Felipe Dos Santos

2017-01-01

Apple is a fruit crop cultivated worldwide. Apple orchards are exposed to a diverse set of environmental and biological factors that affect the productivity and sustainability of the culture. Many of the efforts and costs for apple production rely on reducing the incidence of fungal diseases, and one of the main diseases is apple scab caused by the fungus Venturia inaequalis. The economic impact of scab on apple productivity has guided many breeding programs to search for cultivars resistant to apple scab. Introgression from wild relatives has been successful to some extent, and genetic engineering for resistant cultivars has even been employed. This review presents the techniques used to the present time to obtain pathogen-resistant apple cultivars and introduces new biotechnological approaches based on plant plasmids that show promising results for delivering genetic traits with a short-term perspective.

NELL-1 increases pre-osteoblast mineralization using both phosphate transporter Pit1 and Pit2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cowan, Catherine M.; Dental and Craniofacial Research Institute and Section of Orthodontics, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, 40833 Le Conte Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90095; Zhang, Xinli

2012-06-08

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NELL-1 accelerates extracellular matrix mineralization in MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NELL-1 significantly increases intracellular inorganic phosphate levels. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NELL-1 positively regulates osteogenesis but not proliferation in MC3T3-E1 cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NELL-1 regulates inorganic phosphate transporter activity. -- Abstract: NELL-1 is a potent osteoinductive molecule that enhances bone formation in multiple animal models through currently unidentified pathways. In the present manuscript, we hypothesized that NELL-1 may regulate osteogenic differentiation accompanied by alteration of inorganic phosphate (Pi) entry into the osteoblast via sodium dependent phosphate (NaPi) transporters. To determine this, MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts were cultured in the presence of recombinant human (rh)NELL-1 ormore » rhBMP-2. Analysis was performed for intracellular Pi levels through malachite green staining, Pit-1 and Pit-2 expression, and forced upregulation of Pit-1 and Pit-2. Results showed rhNELL-1 to increase MC3T3-E1 matrix mineralization and Pi influx associated with activation of both Pit-1 and Pit-2 channels, with significantly increased Pit-2 production. In contrast, Pi transport elicited by rhBMP-2 showed to be associated with increased Pit-1 production only. Next, neutralizing antibodies against Pit-1 and Pit-2 completely abrogated the Pi influx effect of rhNELL-1, suggesting rhNELL-1 is dependent on both transporters. These results identify one potential mechanism of action for rhNELL-1 induced osteogenesis and highlight a fundamental difference between NELL-1 and BMP-2 signaling.« less

Tridimensional morphology and kinetics of etch pit on the {l_brace}0 0 0 1{r_brace} plane of sapphire crystal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang Lunyong; Sun Jianfei, E-mail: jfsun_hit@263.net; Zuo Hongbo

2012-08-15

The tridimensional morphology and etching kinetics of the etch pit on the C-{l_brace}0 0 0 1{r_brace} plane of sapphire crystal ({alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) in molten KOH were studied experimentally. It was shown that the etch pit takes on tridimensional morphologies with triangular symmetry same as the symmetric property of the sapphire crystal. Pits like centric and eccentric triangular pyramid as well as hexagonal pyramid were observed, but the latter is less in density. In-depth analyses show the side walls of the etch pits belong to the {l_brace}1 1{sup Macron} 0 2{sup Macron }{r_brace} family, and the triangular pit contains edgesmore » full composed by Al{sup 3+} ions on the etching surface so it is more stable than the hexagonal pit since its edges on the etching surface contains Al{sup 2+} ions. The etch pits developed in a manner of kinematic wave by the step moving with constant speed, which is controlled by the chemical reaction with activation energy of 96.6 kJ/mol between Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and KOH. - Graphical abstract: Schematic showing the atomic configuration of the predicted side walls of regular triangular pyramid shaped etch pit on the C-{l_brace}0 0 0 1{r_brace} plane of sapphire crystal. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Observed the tridimensional morphology of etch pits. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Figured out the atomic configuration origin of the etch pits. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Quantitatively determined the etch rates of the etch pits.« less

Effector and central memory T helper 2 cells respond differently to peptide immunotherapy

PubMed Central

Mackenzie, Karen J.; Nowakowska, Dominika J.; Leech, Melanie D.; McFarlane, Amanda J.; Wilson, Claire; Fitch, Paul M.; O’Connor, Richard A.; Howie, Sarah E. M.; Schwarze, Jürgen; Anderton, Stephen M.

2014-01-01

Peptide immunotherapy (PIT) offers realistic prospects for the treatment of allergic diseases, including allergic asthma. Much is understood of the behavior of naive T cells in response to PIT. However, treatment of patients with ongoing allergic disease requires detailed understanding of the responses of allergen-experienced T cells. CD62L expression by allergen-experienced T cells corresponds to effector/effector memory (CD62Llo) and central memory (CD62Lhi) subsets, which vary with allergen exposure (e.g., during, or out with, pollen season). The efficacy of PIT on different T helper 2 (Th2) cell memory populations is unknown. We developed a murine model of PIT in allergic airway inflammation (AAI) driven by adoptively transferred, traceable ovalbumin-experienced Th2 cells. PIT effectively suppressed AAI driven by unfractionated Th2 cells. Selective transfer of CD62Lhi and CD62Llo Th2 cells revealed that these two populations behaved differently from one another and from previously characterized (early deletional) responses of naive CD4+ T cells to PIT. Most notably, allergen-reactive CD62Llo Th2 cells were long-lived within the lung after PIT, before allergen challenge, in contrast to CD62Lhi Th2 cells. Despite this, PIT was most potent against CD62Llo Th2 cells in protecting from AAI, impairing their ability to produce Th2 cytokines, whereas this capacity was heightened in PIT-treated CD62Lhi Th2 cells. We conclude that Th2 cells do not undergo an early deletional form of tolerance after PIT. Moreover, memory Th2 subsets respond differently to PIT. These findings have implications for the clinical translation of PIT in different allergic scenarios. PMID:24516158

Illuminating Anaerobic Microbial Community and Cooccurrence Patterns across a Quality Gradient in Chinese Liquor Fermentation Pit Muds.

PubMed

Hu, Xiaolong; Du, Hai; Ren, Cong; Xu, Yan

2016-04-01

Fermentation pit mud, an important reservoir of diverse anaerobic microorganisms, is essential for Chinese strong-aroma liquor production. Pit mud quality, according to its sensory characteristics, can be divided into three grades: degraded, normal, and high quality. However, the relationship between pit mud microbial community and pit mud quality is poorly understood, as are microbial associations within the pit mud ecosystem. Here, microbial communities at these grades were compared using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the variable region V4 of the 16S rRNA gene. Our results revealed that the pit mud microbial community was correlated with its quality and environmental factors. Species richness, biodiversity, and relative and/or absolute abundances of Clostridia,Clostridium kluyveri, Bacteroidia, and Methanobacteria significantly increased, with corresponding increases in levels of pH, NH4 (+), and available phosphorus, from degraded to high-quality pit muds, while levels of Lactobacillus, dissolved organic carbon, and lactate significantly decreased, with normal samples in between. Furthermore, 271 pairs of significant and robust correlations (cooccurrence and negative) were identified from 76 genera using network analysis. Thirteen hubs of cooccurrence patterns, mainly under the Clostridia,Bacteroidia,Methanobacteria, and Methanomicrobia, may play important roles in pit mud ecosystem stability, which may be destroyed with rapidly increased levels of lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus,Pediococcus, and Streptococcus). This study may help clarify the relationships among microbial community, environmental conditions, and pit mud quality, allow the improvement of pit mud quality by using bioaugmentation and controlling environmental factors, and shed more light on the ecological rules guiding community assembly in pit mud. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Inconsistent identification of pit bull-type dogs by shelter staff.

PubMed

Olson, K R; Levy, J K; Norby, B; Crandall, M M; Broadhurst, J E; Jacks, S; Barton, R C; Zimmerman, M S

2015-11-01

Shelter staff and veterinarians routinely make subjective dog breed identification based on appearance, but their accuracy regarding pit bull-type breeds is unknown. The purpose of this study was to measure agreement among shelter staff in assigning pit bull-type breed designations to shelter dogs and to compare breed assignments with DNA breed signatures. In this prospective cross-sectional study, four staff members at each of four different shelters recorded their suspected breed(s) for 30 dogs; there was a total of 16 breed assessors and 120 dogs. The terms American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, pit bull, and their mixes were included in the study definition of 'pit bull-type breeds.' Using visual identification only, the median inter-observer agreements and kappa values in pair-wise comparisons of each of the staff breed assignments for pit bull-type breed vs. not pit bull-type breed ranged from 76% to 83% and from 0.44 to 0.52 (moderate agreement), respectively. Whole blood was submitted to a commercial DNA testing laboratory for breed identification. Whereas DNA breed signatures identified only 25 dogs (21%) as pit bull-type, shelter staff collectively identified 62 (52%) dogs as pit bull-type. Agreement between visual and DNA-based breed assignments varied among individuals, with sensitivity for pit bull-type identification ranging from 33% to 75% and specificity ranging from 52% to 100%. The median kappa value for inter-observer agreement with DNA results at each shelter ranged from 0.1 to 0.48 (poor to moderate). Lack of consistency among shelter staff indicated that visual identification of pit bull-type dogs was unreliable. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Controlling potential barrier height by changing V-shaped pit size and the effect on optical and electrical properties for InGaN/GaN based light-emitting diodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Okada, Narihito, E-mail: nokada@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp; Kashihara, Hiroyuki; Sugimoto, Kohei

2015-01-14

The internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) with blue light emission was improved by inserting an InGaN/GaN superlattice (SL) beneath the MQWs. While the SL technique is useful for improving the light-emitting diode (LED) performance, its effectiveness from a multilateral point of view requires investigation. V-shaped pits (V-pits), which generate a potential barrier and screen the effect of the threading dislocation, are one of the candidates for increasing the light emission efficiency of LEDs exceptionally. In this research, we investigated the relationship between the V-pit and SL and revealed that the V-pit diameter is strongly correlatedmore » with the IQE by changing the number of SL periods. Using scanning near-field optical microscopy and photoluminescence measurements, we demonstrated the distinct presence of the potential barrier formed by the V-pits around the dislocations. The relationship between the V-pit and the number of SL periods resulted in changing the potential barrier height, which is related to the V-pit diameter determined by the number of SL periods. In addition, we made an attempt to insert pit expansion layers (PELs) composed of combination of SL and middle temperature grown GaN layer instead of only SL structure. As a result of the evaluation of LEDs using SL or PEL, the EL intensity was strongly related to pit diameter regardless of the structures to form the V-pits. In addition, it was clear that larger V-pits reduce the efficiency droop, which is considered to be suppression of the carrier loss at high injection current.« less

Association Between Apple Consumption and Physician Visits

PubMed Central

Davis, Matthew A.; Bynum, Julie P.W.; Sirovich, Brenda E.

2015-01-01

IMPORTANCE Fruit consumption is believed to have beneficial health effects, and some claim, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between eating an apple a day and keeping the doctor away. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A cross-sectional study of a nationally representative sample of the noninstitutionalized US adult population. A total of 8728 adults 18 years and older from the 2007–2008 and 2009–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey completed a 24-hour dietary recall questionnaire and reported that the quantity of food they ate was reflective of their usual daily diet. EXPOSURES Daily apple eaters (consuming the equivalent of at least 1 small apple daily, or 149 g of raw apple) vs non–apple eaters, based on the reported quantity of whole apple consumed during the 24-hour dietary recall period. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome measure was success at “keeping the doctor away,” measured as no more than 1 visit (self-reported) to a physician during the past year; secondary outcomes included successful avoidance of other health care services (ie, no overnight hospital stays, visits to a mental health professional, or prescription medications). RESULTS Of 8399 eligible study participants who completed the dietary recall questionnaire, we identified 753 adult apple eaters (9.0%)—those who typically consume at least 1 small apple per day. Compared with the 7646 non–apple eaters (91.0%), apple eaters had higher educational attainment, were more likely to be from a racial or ethnic minority, and were less likely to smoke (P < .001 for each comparison). Apple eaters were more likely, in the crude analysis, to keep the doctor (and prescription medications) away: 39.0% of apple eaters avoided physician visits vs 33.9%of non–apple eaters (P = .03). After adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics, however, the association was no longer statistically significant (OR, 1.19; 95%CI, 0.93–1.53; P = .15). In the adjusted analysis, apple eaters also remained marginally more successful at avoiding prescription medications (odds ratio, 1.27; 95%CI, 1.00–1.63). There were no differences seen in overnight hospital stay or mental health visits. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Evidence does not support that an apple a day keeps the doctor away; however, the small fraction of US adults who eat an apple a day do appear to use fewer prescription medications. PMID:25822137

Genome re-sequencing reveals the history of apple and supports a two-stage model for fruit enlargement.

PubMed

Duan, Naibin; Bai, Yang; Sun, Honghe; Wang, Nan; Ma, Yumin; Li, Mingjun; Wang, Xin; Jiao, Chen; Legall, Noah; Mao, Linyong; Wan, Sibao; Wang, Kun; He, Tianming; Feng, Shouqian; Zhang, Zongying; Mao, Zhiquan; Shen, Xiang; Chen, Xiaoliu; Jiang, Yuanmao; Wu, Shujing; Yin, Chengmiao; Ge, Shunfeng; Yang, Long; Jiang, Shenghui; Xu, Haifeng; Liu, Jingxuan; Wang, Deyun; Qu, Changzhi; Wang, Yicheng; Zuo, Weifang; Xiang, Li; Liu, Chang; Zhang, Daoyuan; Gao, Yuan; Xu, Yimin; Xu, Kenong; Chao, Thomas; Fazio, Gennaro; Shu, Huairui; Zhong, Gan-Yuan; Cheng, Lailiang; Fei, Zhangjun; Chen, Xuesen

2017-08-15

Human selection has reshaped crop genomes. Here we report an apple genome variation map generated through genome sequencing of 117 diverse accessions. A comprehensive model of apple speciation and domestication along the Silk Road is proposed based on evidence from diverse genomic analyses. Cultivated apples likely originate from Malus sieversii in Kazakhstan, followed by intensive introgressions from M. sylvestris. M. sieversii in Xinjiang of China turns out to be an "ancient" isolated ecotype not directly contributing to apple domestication. We have identified selective sweeps underlying quantitative trait loci/genes of important fruit quality traits including fruit texture and flavor, and provide evidences supporting a model of apple fruit size evolution comprising two major events with one occurring prior to domestication and the other during domestication. This study outlines the genetic basis of apple domestication and evolution, and provides valuable information for facilitating marker-assisted breeding and apple improvement.Apple is one of the most important fruit crops. Here, the authors perform deep genome resequencing of 117 diverse accessions and reveal comprehensive models of apple origin, speciation, domestication, and fruit size evolution as well as candidate genes associated with important agronomic traits.

Cost-benefit trade-offs of bird activity in apple orchards

PubMed Central

Saunders, Manu E.; Luck, Gary W.

2016-01-01

Birds active in apple orchards in south–eastern Australia can contribute positively (e.g., control crop pests) or negatively (e.g., crop damage) to crop yields. Our study is the first to identify net outcomes of these activities, using six apple orchards, varying in management intensity, in south–eastern Australia as a study system. We also conducted a predation experiment using real and artificial codling moth (Cydia pomonella) larvae (a major pest in apple crops). We found that: (1) excluding birds from branches of apple trees resulted in an average of 12.8% more apples damaged by insects; (2) bird damage to apples was low (1.9% of apples); and (3) when trading off the potential benefits (biological control) with costs (bird damage to apples), birds provided an overall net benefit to orchard growers. We found that predation of real codling moth larvae was higher than for plasticine larvae, suggesting that plasticine prey models are not useful for inferring actual predation levels. Our study shows how complex ecological interactions between birds and invertebrates affect crop yield in apples, and provides practical strategies for improving the sustainability of orchard systems. PMID:27413639

Transformation of apple (Malus × domestica) using mutants of apple acetolactate synthase as a selectable marker and analysis of the T-DNA integration sites.

PubMed

Yao, Jia-Long; Tomes, Sumathi; Gleave, Andrew P

2013-05-01

Apple acetolactate synthase mutants were generated by site-specific mutagenesis and successfully used as selection marker in tobacco and apple transformation. T-DNA/Apple genome junctions were analysed using genome-walking PCR and sequencing. An Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation system was developed for apple (Malus × domestica), using mutants of apple acetolactate synthase (ALS) as a selectable marker. Four apple ALS mutants were generated by site-specific mutagenesis and subsequently cloned under the transcriptional control of the CaMV 35S promoter and ocs 3' terminator, in a pART27-derived plant transformation vector. Three of the four mutations were found to confer resistance to the herbicide Glean(®), containing the active agent chlorsulfuron, in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) transformation. In apple transformation, leaf explants infected with Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA105 containing one of the three ALS mutants resulted in the production of shoots on medium containing 2-8 μg L(-1) Glean(®), whilst uninfected wild-type explants failed to regenerate shoots or survive on medium containing 1 and 3 μg L(-1) Glean(®), respectively. Glean(®)-resistant, regenerated shoots were further multiplied and rooted on medium containing 10 μg L(-1) Glean(®). The T-DNA and apple genome-DNA junctions from eight rooted transgenic apple plants were analysed using genome-walking PCR amplification and sequencing. This analysis confirmed T-DNA integration into the apple genome, identified the genome integration sites and revealed the extent of any vector backbone integration, T-DNA rearrangements and deletions of apple genome DNA at the sites of integration.

Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts in sequential fermentations: Effect on phenolic acids of fermented Kei-apple (Dovyalis caffra L.) juice.

PubMed

Minnaar, P P; Jolly, N P; Paulsen, V; Du Plessis, H W; Van Der Rijst, M

2017-09-18

Kei-apple (Dovyalis caffra) is an evergreen tree indigenous to Southern Africa. The fruit contains high concentrations of l-malic acid, ascorbic acid, and phenolic acids. Kei-apple juice was sequentially inoculated with Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts. A reference fermentation using only S. cerevisiae was included. The fermentation was monitored by recording mass loss. At the end of fermentation, twelve untrained judges conducted free choice aroma profiling on the fruit wines. The Kei-apple juice and wines were analysed for total titratable acidity, total soluble solids, pH, alcohol, l-malic acid, and phenolic acids. Total titratable acidity was ca. 70% lower in Kei-apple wines produced with S. pombe+S. cerevisiae than in Kei-apple juice. Kei-apple wines produced with S. pombe+S. cerevisiae showed substantially lower concentrations of l-malic acid than Kei-apple wines produced with S. cerevisiae only. Wines produced with S. cerevisiae only proved higher in phenolic acid concentrations than wines produced with S. pombe+S. cerevisiae. Chlorogenic acid was the most abundant phenolic acid measured in the Kei-apple wines, followed by protocatechuic acid. Judges described the Kei-apple wines produced with S. pombe+S. cerevisiae as having noticeable off-odours, while wines produced with S. cerevisiae were described as fresh and fruity. Kei-apple wines (S. pombe+S. cerevisiae and S. cerevisiae) were of comparable vegetative and organic character. Saccharomyces cerevisiae produced Kei-apple wine with increased caffeic, chlorogenic, protocatechuic, and sinapic acids, whereas S. pombe+S. cerevisiae produced Kei-apple wines with increased ferulic, and p-coumaric acids and low l-malic acid. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Microsite characteristics of pit and mound and their effects on the vegetation regeneration in Pinus koraiensis-dominated broadleaved mixed forest].

PubMed

Du, Shan; Duan, Wen-Biao; Wang, Li-Xia; Chen, Li-Xin; Wei, Quan-Shuai; Li, Meng; Wang, Li-dong

2013-03-01

Abstract: An investigation was conducted in a 2.55 hm2 plot of Pinus koraiensis-dominated broad-leaved mixed forest to study the microsite characteristics of pit and mound formed by 42 treefalls and the status of vegetation regeneration on the microsites. The soil water content, soil temperature, relative air humidity, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) on five microsites (mound top, mound face, pit wall, pit bottom, and intact forest floor) were measured. Among the five mirosites, mound top had the highest PAR (527.9 micromol.m-2.s-1 ) while intact forest floor had the lowest one (58.7 micromol.m-2.s-), mound top had the highest soil temperature (16.0 degrees C) but pit bottom had the lowest one (13.3 degrees C), pit bottom had the highest soil water content (34.6%) but mound face had the lowest one (0.5%), and intact forest floor had the highest relative air humidity (75.9%) but mound top had the lowest one (68.0%). The frequency of forming pit/ mound complex by the tree species was decreased in the order of Pinus koraiensis (42. 9%) >Picea asperata (31.0%) > Betula platyphylla (16.7%) > Abies fabri (7. 1%) > Prunus padus (2.4%). Among the 42 treefalls, two-thirds of them were in northwest direction. The treefalls volume had significant positive correlations with pit depth, pit length, mound height, and mound width, but negative correlation with mound thickness. The treefall mean diameter at breast height had significant positive correlations with pit width (r=0.328, P=0.017) and pit length (r=0.527, P= 0). The tree species richness at the microsites decreased in the order of intact forest floor > pit > mound, and the tree species coverage was in the sequence of intact forest floor > pit > mound.

High-sensitivity chemiluminescence immunoassays for detection of growth hormone doping in sports.

PubMed

Bidlingmaier, Martin; Suhr, Jennifer; Ernst, Andrea; Wu, Zida; Keller, Alexandra; Strasburger, Christian J; Bergmann, Andreas

2009-03-01

Recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) is abused in sports, but adequate routine doping tests are lacking. Analysis of serum hGH isoform composition has been shown to be effective in detecting rhGH doping. We developed and validated selective immunoassays for isoform analysis with potential utility for screening and confirmation in doping tests. Monoclonal antibodies with preference for pituitary hGH (phGH) or rhGH were used to establish 2 pairs of sandwich-type chemiluminescence assays with differential recognition of rhGH (recA and recB) and phGH (pitA and pitB). We analyzed specimens from volunteers before and after administration of rhGH and calculated ratios between the respective rec- and pit-assay results. Functional sensitivities were <0.05 microg/L, with intra- and interassay imprecision < or =8.4% and < or =13.7%, respectively. In 2 independent cohorts of healthy subjects, rec/pit ratios (median range) were 0.84 (0.09-1.32)/0.81 (0.27-1.21) (recA/pitA) and 0.68 (0.08-1.20)/0.80 (0.25-1.36) (recB/pitB), with no sex difference. In 20 recreational athletes, ratios (median SD) increased after a single injection of rhGH, reaching 350% (73%) (recA/pitA) and 400% (93%) (recB/pitB) of baseline ratios. At a moderate dose (0.033 mg/kg), mean recA/pitA and recB/pitB ratios remained significantly increased for 18 h (men) and 26 h (women). After high-dose rhGH (0.083 mg/kg), mean rec/pit ratios remained increased for 32 h (recA/pitA) and 34 h (recB/pitB) in men and were still increased after 36 h in women. Using sensitive chemiluminescence assays with preferential recognition of phGH or rhGH, detection of a single injection of rhGH was possible for up to 36 h.

Baseline Risk Assessment for the F-Area Burning/Rubble Pits and Rubble Pit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Palmer, E.

This document provides an overview of the Savannah River Site (SRS) and a description of the F-Area Burning/Rubble Pits (BRPs) and Rubble Pit (RP) unit. It also describes the objectives and scope of the baseline risk assessment (BRA).

Site-controlled crystalline InN growth from the V-pits of a GaN substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, Chien-Ting; Hsu, Lung-Hsing; Lai, Yung-Yu; Cheng, Shan-Yun; Kuo, Hao-Chung; Lin, Chien-Chung; Cheng, Yuh-Jen

2017-05-01

A site-controlled crystalline InN growth from the V-pits of a GaN substrate was investigated. The V- pits were fabricated by epitaxial lateral growth of GaN over SiO2 disks patterned on a sapphire substrate. InN crystals were found to preferably grow on the inclined {10-11} crystal planes of the V-pits. A V-pit size of 1 μm or less can provide precise site-controlled InN nucleation at the V-pit bottom, while no InN was grown on the rest of the exposed GaN surfaces. The site-controlled nucleation is attributed to the low surface energy point created by the converging six {10-11} crystal facets at the V-pit bottom. When In source supply is below a certain value, this V-pit bottom is the only location able to aggregate enough active sources to start nucleation, thereby providing site-controlled crystal growth.

Dependence of Crystallographic Orientation on Pitting Corrosion Behavior of Ni-Fe-Cr Alloy 028

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, LiNa; Szpunar, Jerzy A.; Dong, JianXin; Ojo, Olanrewaju A.; Wang, Xu

2018-06-01

The influence of crystallographic orientation on the pitting corrosion behavior of Ni-Fe-Cr alloy 028 was studied using a combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), potentiodynamic polarization technique, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results show that there is anisotropy of pitting corrosion that strongly depends on crystallographic orientation of the surface plane. The distribution of pit density in a standard stereographic triangle indicates that the crystallographic planes close to {100} are more prone to pitting corrosion compared to planes {110} and {111}. The surface energy calculation of (001) and (111) shows that the plane with a high atomic packing density has a low surface energy with concomitant strong resistance to pitting corrosion. A correlation function between crystallographic orientation and pitting corrosion susceptibility suggests a method that not only predicts the pitting resistance of known textured materials, but also could help to improve corrosion resistance by controlling material texture.

Tale of two pit lakes: initial results of a three-year study of the Main Zone and Waterline pit lakes near Houston, British Columbia, Canada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crusius, John; Pieters, R.; Leung, A.; Whittle, P.; Pedersen, T.; Lawrence, G.; McNee, J.J.

2003-01-01

Pit lakes are becoming increasingly common in North America as well as in the rest of the world. They are created as openpit mines fill passively with ground water and surface inflows on cessation of mining activity. In many instances, the water quality in these pit lakes does not meet regulatory requirements due to a number of influences. The most important are the oxidation of sulfide minerals and the associated release of acid and metals and the flushing of soluble metals during pit filling. Examples of pit lakes with severe water-quality problems include the Berkeley Pit lake (Butte, MT) and the Liberty Pit lake (Nevada), whose waters are characterized by a pH near 3 and Cu concentrations as high as ~150 mg/L (Miller et al., 1996; Davis and Eary, 1997). The importance of the problem can be seen in the fact that some of these sites in the United States are Superfund sites.

Heterogeneous nucleation of pits via step pinning during Si(100) homoepitaxy

DOE PAGES

Yitamben, Esmeralda; Butera, Robert E.; Swartzentruber, Brian S.; ...

2017-10-16

Using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), we investigate oxide-induced growth pits in Si thin films deposited by molecular beam epitaxy. In the transition temperature range from 2D adatom islanding to step-flow growth, systematic controlled air leaks into the growth chamber induce pits in the growth surface. We show that pits are also correlated with oxygen-contaminated flux from Si sublimation sources. From a thermodynamic standpoint, multilayer growth pits are unexpected in relaxed homoepitaxial growth, whereas oxidation is a known cause for step-pinning, roughening, and faceting on elemental surfaces, both with and without growth flux. Not surprisingly, pits are thermodynamically metastable and healmore » by annealing to recover a smooth periodic step arrangement. STM reveals new details about the pits' atomistic origins and growth dynamics. Here, we give a model for heterogeneous nucleation of pits by preferential adsorption of Å-sized oxide nuclei at intrinsic growth antiphase boundaries, and subsequent step pinning and bunching around the nuclei.« less

Report of Freshwater Mussels Workshop Held at St. Louis, Missouri on 26-27 October 1982.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-10-01

I was accosted by a toddler armed .. with a large red apple, a double handful for him. The apple was brought down on my knee with all the force the...my best diction. "Apple!" the youngster cried, "Apple, apple, apple!" banging my knee in perfect time. Then back to his mother down the aisle he...neither simple nor perfect, but it is available and should be used. One of the basic rules , perhaps the basic rule , of the International Code of

Consumption of various forms of apples is associated with a better nutrient intake and improved nutrient adequacy in diets of children: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2010

PubMed Central

Nicklas, Theresa A.; O'Neil, Carol E.; Fulgoni, Victor L.

2015-01-01

Background Consumption of fruit has been associated with a variety of health benefits, yet, 75% of children have usual intakes of total fruit below minimum recommended amounts. Apples are the second most commonly consumed fruit in the United States; however, no studies have examined the impact of apple consumption on nutrient intake and adequacy in children's diets. Objective The purpose of this study is to examine the association between apple (various forms) consumption with nutrient intake and nutrient adequacy in a nationally representative sample of children. Design Participants were children aged 2–18 years (n=13,339), from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2010. Least square means of total energy and nutrient intake, and the percentage of the population below the estimated average requirement (EAR) or above the adequate intake (AI) among apple consumers and non-consumers were examined. Results Consumers of total apple products had higher (p<0.01) total intakes of fiber, magnesium, and potassium and lower intakes of total fat, saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acid, and sodium than non-consumers. Apple consumers had higher (p<0.01) total sugar intake, but lower intake of added sugars compared to non-consumers. A lower (p<0.01) percentage of apple consumers were below the EAR for 13 of the 16 nutrients studied. Apple consumers had approximately a 10 percentage unit difference below the EAR for calcium and magnesium, and vitamins A, C, D, and E, than non-consumers. The percentage above the AI for fiber was significantly (p<0.0001) higher among total apple consumers (6.24±0.45 g) compared to non-consumers (0.57±0.07 g). The results were similar for individual apple products (i.e. apple juice, applesauce, and whole apples). Conclusion Consumption of any forms of apples provided valuable nutrients in the diets of children. PMID:26445211

Consumption of various forms of apples is associated with a better nutrient intake and improved nutrient adequacy in diets of children: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2010.

PubMed

Nicklas, Theresa A; O'Neil, Carol E; Fulgoni, Victor L

2015-01-01

Consumption of fruit has been associated with a variety of health benefits, yet, 75% of children have usual intakes of total fruit below minimum recommended amounts. Apples are the second most commonly consumed fruit in the United States; however, no studies have examined the impact of apple consumption on nutrient intake and adequacy in children's diets. The purpose of this study is to examine the association between apple (various forms) consumption with nutrient intake and nutrient adequacy in a nationally representative sample of children. Participants were children aged 2-18 years (n=13,339), from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2010. Least square means of total energy and nutrient intake, and the percentage of the population below the estimated average requirement (EAR) or above the adequate intake (AI) among apple consumers and non-consumers were examined. Consumers of total apple products had higher (p<0.01) total intakes of fiber, magnesium, and potassium and lower intakes of total fat, saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acid, and sodium than non-consumers. Apple consumers had higher (p<0.01) total sugar intake, but lower intake of added sugars compared to non-consumers. A lower (p<0.01) percentage of apple consumers were below the EAR for 13 of the 16 nutrients studied. Apple consumers had approximately a 10 percentage unit difference below the EAR for calcium and magnesium, and vitamins A, C, D, and E, than non-consumers. The percentage above the AI for fiber was significantly (p<0.0001) higher among total apple consumers (6.24±0.45 g) compared to non-consumers (0.57±0.07 g). The results were similar for individual apple products (i.e. apple juice, applesauce, and whole apples). Consumption of any forms of apples provided valuable nutrients in the diets of children.

Single Etch-Pit Shape on Off-Angled 4H-SiC(0001) Si-Face Formed by Chlorine Trifluoride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatayama, Tomoaki; Tamura, Tetsuya; Yano, Hiroshi; Fuyuki, Takashi

2012-07-01

The etch pit shape of an off-angled 4H-SiC Si-face formed by chlorine trifluoride (ClF3) in nitrogen (N2) ambient has been studied. One type of etch pit with a crooked hexagonal shape was formed at an etching temperature below 500 °C. The angle of the etch pit measured from a cross-sectional atomic force microscopy image was about 10° from the [11bar 20] view. The dislocation type of the etch pit was discussed in relation to the etch pit shape and an electron-beam-induced current image.

Study on the Accident-causing of Foundation Pit Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shuicheng, Tian; Xinyue, Zhang; Pengfei, Yang; Longgang, Chen

2018-05-01

With the development of high-rise buildings and underground space, a large number of foundation pit projects have occurred. Frequent accidents of it cause great losses to the society, how to reduce the frequency of pit accidents has become one of the most urgent problems to be solved. Therefore, analysing the influencing factors of foundation pit engineering accidents and studying the causes of foundation pit accidents, which of great significance for improving the safety management level of foundation pit engineering and reducing the incidence of foundation pit accidents. Firstly, based on literature review and questionnaires, this paper selected construction management, survey, design, construction, supervision and monitoring as research factors, we used the AHP method and the Dematel method to analyze the weights of various influencing factors to screen indicators to determine the ultimate system of accidents caused by foundation pit accidents; Secondly, SPSS 21.0 software was used to test the reliability and validity of the recovered questionnaire data. AMOS 7.0 software was used to fit, evaluate, and explain the set model; Finally, this paper analysed the influencing factors of foundation pit engineering accidents, corresponding management countermeasures and suggestions were put forward.

The effect of pits of different sizes on ultrasonic shear wave signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, Richard; Cegla, Frederic

2018-04-01

The use of 0-degree shear waves in NDE and SHM has become more commonplace as the disadvantage of coupling has been eliminated by permanent sensor installations or the use of non-contact transducers, such as EMATs. While the effect of rough surfaces and flat bottom holes on shear waves has been studied in depth, the effect of more complex geometries, such as pitting, has not. In this work, 3D finite element simulations are used to explore the reflection and scattering characteristics of shear bulk waves from pits. Specifically, three scenarios have been investigated, the effect on shear waves of: a sloped backwall; pitting directly under the transducer; and the effect of pits with variable pit position. High speed GPU finite element models enabled a wide range of pit radii and positions to be modeled. Hemispherical pits were used throughout. Key findings of the study are that the anisotropic effects that are clearly visible on sloped reflecting surfaces can also be measured on pits that are located not directly below the center of a shear wave transducer. These anisotropic effects are due to the nature of shear wave polarization. This can potentially be used for better defect characterization purposes.

New biotechnological tools to accelerate scab-resistance trait transfer to apple

PubMed Central

Cusin, Roberta; Revers, Luís Fernando; Maraschin, Felipe dos Santos

2017-01-01

Abstract Apple is a fruit crop cultivated worldwide. Apple orchards are exposed to a diverse set of environmental and biological factors that affect the productivity and sustainability of the culture. Many of the efforts and costs for apple production rely on reducing the incidence of fungal diseases, and one of the main diseases is apple scab caused by the fungus Venturia inaequalis. The economic impact of scab on apple productivity has guided many breeding programs to search for cultivars resistant to apple scab. Introgression from wild relatives has been successful to some extent, and genetic engineering for resistant cultivars has even been employed. This review presents the techniques used to the present time to obtain pathogen-resistant apple cultivars and introduces new biotechnological approaches based on plant plasmids that show promising results for delivering genetic traits with a short-term perspective. PMID:28199444

Nondestructive Detection of the Internalquality of Apple Using X-Ray and Machine Vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Fuzeng; Yang, Liangliang; Yang, Qing; Kang, Likui

The internal quality of apple is impossible to be detected by eyes in the procedure of sorting, which could reduce the apple’s quality reaching market. This paper illustrates an instrument using X-ray and machine vision. The following steps were introduced to process the X-ray image in order to determine the mould core apple. Firstly, lifting wavelet transform was used to get a low frequency image and three high frequency images. Secondly, we enhanced the low frequency image through image’s histogram equalization. Then, the edge of each apple's image was detected using canny operator. Finally, a threshold was set to clarify mould core and normal apple according to the different length of the apple core’s diameter. The experimental results show that this method could on-line detect the mould core apple with less time consuming, less than 0.03 seconds per apple, and the accuracy could reach 92%.

Apples prevent mammary tumors in rats.

PubMed

Liu, Rui Hai; Liu, Jiaren; Chen, Bingqing

2005-03-23

Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables has been consistently shown to be associated with reduced risk of developing chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Apples are commonly consumed and are the major contributors of phytochemicals in human diets. It was previously reported that apple extracts exhibit strong antioxidant and antiproliferative activities and that the major part of total antioxidant activity is from the combination of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals, including phenolics and flavonoids, are suggested to be the bioactive compounds contributing to the health benefits of apples. Here it is shown that whole apple extracts prevent mammary cancer in a rat model in a dose-dependent manner at doses comparable to human consumption of one, three, and six apples a day. This study demonstrated that whole apple extracts effectively inhibited mammary cancer growth in the rat model; thus, consumption of apples may be an effective strategy for cancer protection.

Physical and sensory properties of ready to eat apple chips produced by osmo-convective drying.

PubMed

Velickova, Elena; Winkelhausen, Eleonora; Kuzmanova, Slobodanka

2014-12-01

The low cost raw material, apple variety Idared, was turned into value-added product, apple chips. The apple chips were produced in a two-step process consisting of osmotic treatment and conventional drying. Osmotic treatment was carried out in 40 % glucose solution at room temperature, followed by convective drying at 105 °C, till reaching water activity of 0.3. Mechanical properties of the apple chips measured by compression and penetration tests were correlated with the sorption properties. The low browning index, 25.5 and high whitening index, 63.7, proved the good retention of the color of the apple chips. The instrumental characteristics of the apple chips were correlated with the sensory characteristics of the product. The new product was accepted by the 95 % of the panelists. The stored apple chips under modified atmosphere showed no significant changes in the quality parameters over 6 month period.

The impact of vessel size on vulnerability curves: data and models for within-species variability in saplings of aspen, Populus tremuloides Michx.

PubMed

Cai, Jing; Tyree, Melvin T

2010-07-01

The objective of this study was to quantify the relationship between vulnerability to cavitation and vessel diameter within a species. We measured vulnerability curves (VCs: percentage loss hydraulic conductivity versus tension) in aspen stems and measured vessel-size distributions. Measurements were done on seed-grown, 4-month-old aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx) grown in a greenhouse. VCs of stem segments were measured using a centrifuge technique and by a staining technique that allowed a VC to be constructed based on vessel diameter size-classes (D). Vessel-based VCs were also fitted to Weibull cumulative distribution functions (CDF), which provided best-fit values of Weibull CDF constants (c and b) and P(50) = the tension causing 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity. We show that P(50) = 6.166D(-0.3134) (R(2) = 0.995) and that b and 1/c are both linear functions of D with R(2) > 0.95. The results are discussed in terms of models of VCs based on vessel D size-classes and in terms of concepts such as the 'pit area hypothesis' and vessel pathway redundancy.

Three-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy of biological specimens.

PubMed

de Jonge, Niels; Sougrat, Rachid; Northan, Brian M; Pennycook, Stephen J

2010-02-01

A three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the cytoskeleton and a clathrin-coated pit in mammalian cells has been achieved from a focal-series of images recorded in an aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). The specimen was a metallic replica of the biological structure comprising Pt nanoparticles 2-3 nm in diameter, with a high stability under electron beam radiation. The 3D dataset was processed by an automated deconvolution procedure. The lateral resolution was 1.1 nm, set by pixel size. Particles differing by only 10 nm in vertical position were identified as separate objects with greater than 20% dip in contrast between them. We refer to this value as the axial resolution of the deconvolution or reconstruction, the ability to recognize two objects, which were unresolved in the original dataset. The resolution of the reconstruction is comparable to that achieved by tilt-series transmission electron microscopy. However, the focal-series method does not require mechanical tilting and is therefore much faster. 3D STEM images were also recorded of the Golgi ribbon in conventional thin sections containing 3T3 cells with a comparable axial resolution in the deconvolved dataset.

Colletotrichum species associated with jute (Corchorus capsularis L.) anthracnose in southeastern China

PubMed Central

Niu, Xiaoping; Gao, Hong; Qi, Jianmin; Chen, Miancai; Tao, Aifen; Xu, Jiantang; Dai, Zhigang; Su, Jianguang

2016-01-01

Anthracnose, caused by the Colletotrichum species of fungi, is one of the most serious diseases affecting jute in China. The disease causes chlorotic regions with black brown sunken necrotic pits on the surfaces of stems. In late stages of disease, plants undergo defoliation, dieback and blight, which make anthracnose a major threat to jute fiber production and quality in China. In this study, 7 strains of Colletotrichum fungi were isolated from diseased jute stems from Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangxi, and Henan plantations in China. Multi-locus sequence (ACT, TUB2, CAL, GS, GAPDH and ITS) analysis coupled with morphological assessment revealed that C. fructicola, C. siamense and C. corchorum-capsularis sp. nov. were associated with jute anthracnose in southeastern China. C. fructicola and C. siamense were previously not associated with jute anthracnose. C. corchorum-capsularis is a new species formally described here. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that all species can infect jute, causing anthracnose, however the virulence of the 3 species differed. This report is the first associating these three species with jute disease worldwide and is the first description of the pathogens responsible for jute anthracnose in China. PMID:27121760

Three-Dimensional Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy of Biological Specimens

PubMed Central

de Jonge, Niels; Sougrat, Rachid; Northan, Brian M.; Pennycook, Stephen J.

2010-01-01

A three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the cytoskeleton and a clathrin-coated pit in mammalian cells has been achieved from a focal-series of images recorded in an aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). The specimen was a metallic replica of the biological structure comprising Pt nanoparticles 2–3 nm in diameter, with a high stability under electron beam radiation. The 3D dataset was processed by an automated deconvolution procedure. The lateral resolution was 1.1 nm, set by pixel size. Particles differing by only 10 nm in vertical position were identified as separate objects with greater than 20% dip in contrast between them. We refer to this value as the axial resolution of the deconvolution or reconstruction, the ability to recognize two objects, which were unresolved in the original dataset. The resolution of the reconstruction is comparable to that achieved by tilt-series transmission electron microscopy. However, the focal-series method does not require mechanical tilting and is therefore much faster. 3D STEM images were also recorded of the Golgi ribbon in conventional thin sections containing 3T3 cells with a comparable axial resolution in the deconvolved dataset. PMID:20082729

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS - PIT LAKES 2004

EPA Science Inventory

This call for abstracts is for the 11/16-18/2004 Pit Lakes 2004 meeting held in Reno, NV. This conference will provide a forum for the exchange of scientific information on current domestic and international pit lake approaches, including pit lakes from arid and wet regions throu...

Surface Dynamics of Unipolar Arcing

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

slioising bulk copper deposition. (6.4X)( i10 ) Figure 20. Copper deposition on a steel surface shoiing a cor relation bet’seeni greater pitting...pit’s depth and its width. 1. Arc damage - a heating phenomenon To study the effect of the same laser shot. and the same unipolar arc. on two...between pit depth and diameter for pitting on the copper films. This conclusion comes from the fact that in many cases pits with relatively smaller

Method for Identifying Lava Tubes Among Pit Craters Using Brightness Profile Across Pits on the Moon or Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Jongil; Hong, Ik-Seon; Cho, Eunjin; Yi, Yu

2016-03-01

Caves can serve as major outposts for future human exploration of the Moon and Mars. In addition, caves can protect people and electronic equipment from external hazards such as cosmic ray radiation and meteorites impacts and serve as a shelter. Numerous pit craters have been discovered on the Moon and Mars and are potential entrances to caves; the principal topographic features of pit craters are their visible internal floors and pits with vertical walls. We have devised two topographical models for investigating the relationship between the topographical characteristics and the inner void of pit craters. One of our models is a concave floor void model and the other is a convex floor tube model. For each model, optical photographs have been obtained under conditions similar to those in which optical photographs have been acquired for craters on the Moon and Mars. Brightness profiles were analyzed for determining the profile patterns of the void pit craters. The profile patterns were compared to the brightness profiles of Martian pit craters, because no good-quality images of lunar pit craters were available. In future studies, the model profile patterns will be compared to those of lunar pit craters, and the proposed method will likely become useful for finding lunar caves and consequently for planning lunar bases for manned lunar expeditions.

Pluto: Pits and mantles on uplands north and east of Sputnik Planitia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, Alan D.; Moore, Jeffrey M.; White, Oliver L.; Umurhan, Orkan M.; Schenk, Paul M.; Grundy, William M.; Schmitt, Bernard; Philippe, Sylvain; McKinnon, William B.; Spencer, John R.; Beyer, Ross A.; Stern, S. Alan; Ennico, Kimberly; Olkin, Cathy B.; Weaver, Harold A.; Young, Leslie A.; New Horizons Science Team

2017-09-01

The highlands region north and east of Sputnik Planitia can be subdivided into seven terrain types based on their physiographic expression. The northern rough uplands are characterized by jagged uplands and broad troughs, and it may contain a deeply-eroded ancient mantle. Dissected terrain has been interpreted to have been eroded by paleo-glaciation. The smooth uplands and pits terrain contains broad, rolling uplands surrounding complexes of pits, some of which contain smooth floors. The uplands are mantled by smooth-surfaced deposits possibly derived from adjacent pits through low-power explosive cryovolcanism or through slow vapor condensation. The eroded smooth uplands appear to have originally been smooth uplands and pits terrain modified by small-scale sublimation pitting. The bright pitted uplands features intricate texturing by reticulate ridges that may have originated by sublimation erosion, volatile condensation, or both. The bladed terrain is characterized by parallel ridges oriented north-south and is discussed in a separate paper. The dark uplands are mantled with reddish deposits that may be atmospherically deposited tholins. Their presence has affected long-term landform evolution. Widespread pit complexes occur on most of the terrain units. Most appear to be associated with tectonic lineations. Some pits are floored by broad expanses of ices, whereas most feature deep, conical depressions. A few pit complexes are enclosed by elevated rims of uncertain origin.

Phosphate Uptake-Independent Signaling Functions of the Type III Sodium-Dependent Phosphate Transporter, PiT-1, in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

PubMed Central

Chavkin, Nicholas W.; Jun Chia, Jia; Crouthamel, Matthew H.; Giachelli, Cecilia M.

2015-01-01

Vascular calcification (VC) is prevalent in chronic kidney disease and elevated serum inorganic phosphate (Pi) is a recognized risk factor. The type III sodium-dependent phosphate transporter, PiT-1, is required for elevated Pi-induced osteochondrogenic differentiation and matrix mineralization in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). However, the molecular mechanism(s) by which PiT-1 promotes these processes is unclear. In the present study, we confirmed that the Pi concentration required to induce osteochondrogenic differentiation and matrix mineralization of mouse VSMCs was well above that required for maximal Pi uptake, suggesting a signaling function of PiT-1 that was independent of Pi transport. Elevated Pi-induced signaling via ERK1/2 phosphorylation was abrogated in PiT-1 deficient VSMCs, but could be rescued by wild-type (WT) and a Pi transport-deficient PiT-1 mutant. Furthermore, both WT and transport-deficient PiT-1 mutants promoted osteochondrogenic differentiation as measured by decreased SM22α and increased osteopontin mRNA expression. Finally, compared to vector alone, expression of transport-deficient PiT-1 mutants promoted VSMC matrix mineralization, but not to the extent observed with PiT-1 WT. These data suggest that both Pi uptake-dependent and -independent functions of PiT-1 are important for VSMC processes mediating vascular calcification. PMID:25684711

Lunar Pit Craters Presumed to be the Entrances of Lava Caves by Analogy to the Earth Lava Tube Pits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Ik-Seon; Yi, Yu; Kim, Eojin

2014-06-01

Lava caves could be useful as outposts for the human exploration of the Moon. Lava caves or lava tubes are formed when the external surface of the lava flows cools more quickly to make a hardened crust over subsurface lava flows. The lava flow eventually ceases and drains out of the tube, leaving an empty space. The frail part of the ceiling of lava tube could collapse to expose the entrance to the lava tubes which is called a pit crater. Several pit craters with the diameter of around 100 meters have been found by analyzing the data of SELENE and LRO lunar missions. It is hard to use these pit craters for outposts since these are too large in scale. In this study, small scale pit craters which are fit for outposts have been investigated using the NAC image data of LROC. Several topographic patterns which are believed to be lunar caves have been found and the similar pit craters of the Earth were compared and analyzed to identify caves. For this analysis, the image data of satellites and aerial photographs are collected and classified to construct a database. Several pit craters analogous to lunar pit craters were derived and a morphological pit crater model was generated using the 3D printer based on this database.

A PIT-1 Homeodomain Mutant Blocks the Intranuclear Recruitment Of the CCAAT/Enhancer Binding Protein α Required for Prolactin Gene Transcription

PubMed Central

ENWRIGHT, JOHN F.; KAWECKI-CROOK, MARGARET A.; VOSS, TY C.; SCHAUFELE, FRED; DAY, RICHARD N.

2010-01-01

The pituitary-specific homeodomain protein Pit-1 cooperates with other transcription factors, in cluding CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/ EBPα), in the regulation of pituitary lactotrope gene transcription. Here, we correlate cooperative activation of prolactin (PRL) gene transcription by Pit-1 and C/EBPα with changes in the subnuclear localization of these factors in living pituitary cells. Transiently expressed C/EBPα induced PRL gene transcription in pituitary GHFT1–5 cells, whereas the coexpression of Pit-1 and C/EBPα in HeLa cells demonstrated their cooperativity at the PRL promoter. Individually expressed Pit-1 or C/EBPα, fused to color variants of fluorescent proteins, occupied different subnuclear compartments in living pituitary cells. When coexpressed, Pit-1 recruited C/EBPα from regions of transcriptionally quiescent centromeric heterochromatin to the nuclear regions occupied by Pit-1. The homeodomain region of Pit-1 was necessary for the recruitment of C/EBPα. A point mutation in the Pit-1 homeodomain associated with the syndrome of combined pituitary hormone deficiency in humans also failed to recruit C/EBPα. This Pit-1 mutant functioned as a dominant inhibitor of PRL gene transcription and, instead of recruiting C/EBPα, was itself recruited by C/EBPα to centromeric heterochromatin. Together our results suggest that the intranuclear positioning of these factors determines whether they activate or silence PRL promoter activity. PMID:12554749

7 CFR 319.56-27 - Apples from Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Apples from Japan and the Republic of Korea. 319.56-27... § 319.56-27 Apples from Japan and the Republic of Korea. Any variety of Malus domestica apples may be imported into the United States from Japan, and Fuji variety apples may be imported into the United States...

7 CFR 319.56-27 - Apples from Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Apples from Japan and the Republic of Korea. 319.56-27... § 319.56-27 Apples from Japan and the Republic of Korea. Any variety of Malus domestica apples may be imported into the United States from Japan, and Fuji variety apples may be imported into the United States...

7 CFR 319.56-27 - Apples from Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Apples from Japan and the Republic of Korea. 319.56-27... § 319.56-27 Apples from Japan and the Republic of Korea. Any variety of Malus domestica apples may be imported into the United States from Japan, and Fuji variety apples may be imported into the United States...

7 CFR 319.56-27 - Apples from Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Apples from Japan and the Republic of Korea. 319.56-27... § 319.56-27 Apples from Japan and the Republic of Korea. Any variety of Malus domestica apples may be imported into the United States from Japan, and Fuji variety apples may be imported into the United States...

Developing Inventory Records Using the AppleWorks Data Base Subprogram and Apple IIe or GS Computers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlenker, Richard M.

This manual is a "how to" training device for developing inventory records in the AppleWorks program using an Apple IIe or Apple IIGS Computer with Duodisk or two disk drives and an 80-column card. The manual provides step-by-step directions, and includes 17 figures depicting the computer screen at the various stages of the inventory…

Modelling effects of tree population dynamics, tree throw and pit-mound formation/diffusion on microtopography over time in different forest settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Y. E.; Johnson, E. A.; Gallaway, J.; Chaikina, O.

2011-12-01

Herein we conduct a followup investigation to an earlier research project in which we developed a numerical model of tree population dynamics, tree throw, and sediment transport associated with the formation of pit-mound features for Hawk Creek watershed, Canadian Rockies (Gallaway et al., 2009). We extend this earlier work by exploring the most appropriate transport relations to simulate the diffusion over time of newly-formed pit-pound features due to tree throw. We combine our earlier model with a landscape development model that can incorporate these diffusive transport relations. Using these combined models, changes in hillslope microtopography over time associated with the formation of pit-mound features and their decay will be investigated. The following ideas have motivated this particular study: (i) Rates of pit-mound degradation remain a source of almost complete speculation, as there is almost no long-term information on process rates. Therefore, we will attempt to tackle the issue of pit-mound degradation in a methodical way that can guide future field studies; (ii) The degree of visible pit-mound topography at any point in time on the landscape is a joint function of the rate of formation of new pit-mound features due to tree death/topple and their magnitude vs. the rate of decay of pit-mound features. An example of one interesting observation that arises is the following: it appears that pit-mound topography is often more pronounced in some eastern North American forests vs. field sites along the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies. Why is this the case? Our investigation begins by considering whether pit-mound decay might occur by linear or nonlinear diffusion. What differences might arise depending on which diffusive approach is adopted? What is the magnitude of transport rates associated with these possible forms of transport relations? We explore linear and nonlinear diffusion at varying rates and for different sizes of pit-mound pairs using a numerical modelling approach. Model results suggest that longevity of pit-mound features is dependent on: (i) magnitude/dimensions of initial pit-mound features for forests in different regions; (ii) defining appropriate pit-mound diffusion rates for these different forests (unfortunately, almost no appropriate field observations exist for calibration of these transport relations). In the next stage of this research, we will combine our earlier model of forest disturbance/tree population dynamics, tree throw and pit-mound formation with the numerical model LandMod (Martin, 1998, 2000, 2007); the latter will be used to simulate pit-mound diffusion over time. In this way, we can observe changes in hillslope microtopographic signatures over time that are found in different forest settings.

X-ray micro-computer tomographic method to visualize the microstructure of different apple cultivars.

PubMed

Ting, Valentina J L; Silcock, Patrick; Bremer, Phil J; Biasioli, Franco

2013-11-01

Apples are appreciated for their texture with firmness acting as an indicator of quality. During prolonged storage, apples can soften and their texture can become undesirably mealy. Using an X-ray microcomputer tomography (μ-CT) scanner, the porosity (ratio of intercellular space [IS] to total volume) and the structural arrangement of the parenchyma tissue of 4 apple cultivars (Braeburn, Fuji, Golden Delicious, Jazz) stored under similar conditions for 100 d were visualized via the development of 2D and 3D images. The texture of the apples was also measured using a puncture test. The morphometric and textural measurements revealed that firm Jazz apples (flesh firmness: 29.84N) had a lower porosity (17%) compared to soft Golden Delicious apples (flesh firmness: 14.16N; porosity: 29.8%). In general, firm apples had a higher dry matter (%) and a lower porosity (%), while the reverse was true for softer apples. However, this was not an absolute trend as cultivar specific differences in the microstructural organization and consequent mechanical strength of the parenchyma tissue also influenced firmness. For example, although Fuji apples were firm (28.42N), they had a high porosity (29.3%) due to the presence of numerous small and compact IS. In comparison, soft Golden Delicious apples had a high porosity (29.8%) due to the presence of large, interconnected IS. Imaging technologies have the potential to provide a pictorial or graphical database showing the size range distribution of IS corresponding to different parenchyma tissue types and how they relate to apple texture and eating quality. © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

Selenium bioaccumulation in stocked fish as an indicator of fishery potential in pit lakes on reclaimed coal mines in Alberta, Canada.

PubMed

Miller, L L; Rasmussen, J B; Palace, V P; Sterling, G; Hontela, A

2013-07-01

Pit lakes are a common reclamation strategy for open pit mines; however, there is a concern about their water quality and suitability as fish habitat because they are often contaminated by metals or metalloids. This study assessed the exposure of fish and invertebrates to selenium (Se) and other metals and metalloids in pit lakes formed by open pit coal mining in Tertiary (thermal coal) and in Cretaceous (metallurgical coal) bedrock. Juvenile hatchery rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, and brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, were stocked into two thermal coal pit lakes (water Se < 2 μg/L, low water Se) and two metallurgical coal pit lakes (water Se > 15 μg/L, high water Se). Se accumulation in stocked fish and concentrations in invertebrates were characterized over a period of 2 years. In the metallurgical pits, invertebrates had higher Se concentrations and fish accumulated Se to higher levels (exceeding USEPA tissue Se guidelines) than biota in the thermal pits. Rainbow and brook trout accumulated similar concentrations of Se in their muscle and exhibited a similar relationship between whole-body and muscle Se concentrations. These results may be used by resource managers to assess compliance with whole-body tissue Se guidelines and to determine if pit lakes in coal mining areas pose a significant Se risk to wildlife or human health. The high Se exposure in metallurgical coal pits indicates that under the current mining and reclamation strategy, these lakes are not suitable for management as recreational "put and take" fisheries.

Near Infrared Photoimmunotherapy in the Treatment of Pleural Disseminated NSCLC: Preclinical Experience

PubMed Central

Sato, Kazuhide; Nagaya, Tadanobu; Choyke, Peter L.; Kobayashi, Hisataka

2015-01-01

Pleural metastases are common in patients with advanced thoracic cancers and are a cause of considerable morbidity and mortality yet is difficult to treat. Near Infrared Photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) is a cancer treatment that combines the specificity of intravenously injected antibodies for targeting tumors with the toxicity induced by photosensitizers after exposure to NIR-light. Herein, we evaluate the efficacy of NIR-PIT in a mouse model of pleural disseminated non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). In vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted with a HER2, luciferase and GFP expressing NSCLC cell line (Calu3-luc-GFP). An antibody-photosensitizer conjugate (APC) consisting of trastuzumab and a phthalocyanine dye, IRDye-700DX, was synthesized. In vitro NIR-PIT cytotoxicity was assessed with dead staining, luciferase activity, and GFP fluorescence intensity. In vivo NIR-PIT was performed in mice with tumors implanted intrathoracic cavity or in the flank, and assessed by tumor volume and/or bioluminescence and fluorescence thoracoscopy. In vitro NIR-PIT-induced cytotoxicity was light dose dependent. In vivo NIR-PIT led significant reductions in both tumor volume (p = 0.002 vs. APC) and luciferase activity (p = 0.0004 vs. APC) in a flank model, and prolonged survival (p < 0.0001). Bioluminescence indicated that NIR-PIT lead to significant reduction in pleural dissemination (1 day after PIT; p = 0.0180). Fluorescence thoracoscopy confirmed the NIR-PIT effect on disseminated pleural disease. In conclusion, NIR-PIT has the ability to effectively treat pleural metastases caused by NSCLC in mice. Thus, NIR-PIT is a promising therapy for pleural disseminated tumors. PMID:25897335

Fish assemblages in borrow-pit lakes of the Lower Mississippi River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miranda, Leandro E.; Killgore, K. J.; Hoover, J.J.

2013-01-01

Borrow-pit lakes encompass about a third of the lentic water habitats (by area) in the active floodplain of the Lower Mississippi River, yet little is known about their fish assemblages. We investigated whether fish assemblages supported by borrow-pit lakes resembled those in oxbow lakes to help place the ecological relevance of borrow-pit lakes in context with that of natural floodplain lakes. In all, we collected 75 fish species, including 65 species in eight borrow-pit lakes, 52 species in four riverside oxbow lakes, and 44 species in eight landside oxbow lakes. Significant differences in several species richness metrics were evident between borrow-pit lakes and landside oxbow lakes but not between borrow-pit lakes and riverside oxbow lakes. All three lake types differed in fish assemblage composition. Borrow-pit lakes and riverside oxbow lakes tended to include a greater representation of fish species that require access to diverse environments, including lentic, lotic, and palustrine habitats; fish assemblages in landside oxbow lakes included a higher representation of lacustrine species. None of the fish species collected in borrow-pit lakes was federally listed as threatened or endangered, but several were listed as species of special concern by state governments in the region, suggesting that borrow-pit lakes provide habitat for sensitive riverine and wetland fish species. Differences in fish assemblages among borrow-pit lakes were linked to engineered morphologic features, suggesting that diversity in engineering can contribute to diversity in fish assemblages; however, more research is needed to match engineering designs with fish assemblage structures that best meet conservation needs.

Using passive integrated transponder (PIT) systems for terrestrial detection of blue-spotted salamanders (Ambystoma laterale) in situ

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryan, Kevin J.; Zydlewski, Joseph D.; Calhoun, Aram J.K.

2014-01-01

Pure-diploid Blue-spotted Salamanders (Ambystoma laterale) are the smallest members of the family Ambystomatidae which makes tracking with radio-transmitters difficult because of small battery capacity. Passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags provide another tracking approach for small fossorial animals such as salamanders. We evaluated the use of portable PIT tag readers (PIT packs) to detect PIT tag-implanted pure-diploid Blue-spotted Salamanders in situ. We also examined the detection probability of salamanders with PIT tags held in enclosures in wetland and terrestrial habitats, as well as the underground detection range of PIT packs by scanning for buried tags not implanted into salamanders. Of the 532 PIT tagged salamanders, we detected 6.84% at least once during scanning surveys. We scanned systematically within a 13.37 ha area surrounding a salamander breeding pool on 34 occasions (~119 hours of survey time) and detected PIT tags 74 times. We detected 55% of PITs in tagged salamanders and 45%were expelled tags. We were able to reliably detect buried PIT tags from 1–22cm below the ground surface. Because nearly half the locations represented expelled tags, our data suggest this technique is inappropriate for future studies of pure-diploid Blue-spotted Salamanders, although it may be suitable for polyploid Blue-spotted Salamanders and other ambystomatid species, which are larger in size and may exhibit higher tag retention rates. It may also be prudent to conduct long-term tag retention studies in captivity before tagging and releasing salamanders for in situ study, and to double-mark individuals.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Benson, N.R.; Covey, R.P. Jr.; Haglund, W.

The growth of apple seedlings (Malus domestica Brokh.) is negatively correlated with soil arsenic and zero growth occurs at about 450 ppm total arsenic. Soil arsenic concentrations less than 150 ppm, which are frequently found in orchard soils, contribute less to the replant problem than biological factors. Growth of apple trees was increased 50% or more by preplant soil fumigation with methyl bromide or trichloronitromethane (chloropicrin) in 87.5% of the trials in 17 apple orchard soils tested. Non-specific plant pathogens in orchard soils attack cereals as well as apple seedlings, but apple orchard soils also contain an entity that specificallymore » affects apples. This is probably the same unknown entity that is responsible for specific apple replant disease in Europe, Australia, and elsewhere.« less

Robotic Mining Competition - Opening Ceremony

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-15

NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana welcomes college and university teams to NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 15, during the opening ceremony in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Opening Ceremony

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-15

A flag presentation and singing of the National Anthem are part of the opening ceremony of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 15, in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their uniquely designed mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Setup

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-14

On the first day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, set-up day on May 14, team members from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities work on their robot miner in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Opening Ceremony

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-15

On the second day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 15, the RoboPits in the Educatory Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida is filled with teams of students working on their uniquely designed robot miners. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Opening Ceremony

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-15

On the second day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 15, team members from the University of Tulsa work on their robot miner in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Setup

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-14

On the first day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, set-up day on May 14, team members from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology work on their robot miner in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Setup

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-14

On the first day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, set-up day on May 14, team members from Montana Tech of the University of Montana work on their robot miner in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Activities

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-17

Team members from York College CUNY make adjustments to their robot miner for its turn in the mining arena on the fourth day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 17, inside the RobotPits at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. are using their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Setup

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-14

On the first day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, set-up day on May 14, team members from the Illinois Institute of Technology work on their robot miner in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Setup

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-14

On the first day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, set-up day on May 14, team members from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte work on their robot miner in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Setup

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-14

On the first day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, set-up day on May 14, team members from Temple University work on their robot miner in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Activities

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-17

Team members and their faculty advisor, far left, from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte pause with their robot miner in the RobotPits on the fourth day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 17, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Activities

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-17

Team members from the University of Colorado Boulder work on their robot miner in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center on the fourth day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 17, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. are using their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Activities

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-17

First-time participants from the University of Maine, along with their faculty advisor, at far right, are with their robot miner in the RobotPits on the fourth day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 17, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. are using their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Lunar soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Opening Ceremony

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-15

On the second day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 15, team members from Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan work on their robot miner in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

Robotic Mining Competition - Opening Ceremony

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-05-15

Team members and their advisor, far right, from Montana Tech of the University of Montana, prepare their robot miner on the second day of NASA's 9th Robotic Mining Competition, May 15, in the RobotPits in the Educator Resource Center at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. More than 40 student teams from colleges and universities around the U.S. will use their mining robots to dig in a supersized sandbox filled with BP-1, or simulated Martian soil, gravel and rocks, and participate in other competition requirements. The Robotic Mining Competition is a NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate project designed to encourage students in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM fields. The project provides a competitive environment to foster innovative ideas and solutions that could be used on NASA's deep space missions.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eltahir, F.H.

Nutrient solutions of 25 ppm Mo caused a marked growth reduction of apple seedlings, with the roots being the most sensitive indicators of toxicity symptoms. The toxicity symptoms could be alleviated with the addition of 50 ppm of sulfur to the nutrient solution. Several experiments proved that Mo could be readily absorbed through the leaves and then translocated to other organs and tissues of the plants. However, during the time period of these studies it was not possible to induce toxicity symptoms in apples by foliar applications of Mo. Apple seedlings can absorb and accumulate relatively large amounts of Momore » from nutrient solutions. The highest levels were found in the roots, followed by the leaves and then stems. When applied to bearing trees, a higher concentration of Mo was found in skin of the fruit than in the flesh. In the growth chamber, nitrate-N was highest in all tissues in the 0 ppm Mo nutrient solution and then decreased as the Mo level was increased. The reverse relationship was present with the ascorbic acid content of the leaves, increasing as the level of Mo increased. There was also a reduction of leaf chlorophyll at both the 0 ppm and 25 ppm Mo in the nutrient solutions. When the Mo content of the nutrient solutions was increased from 0 ppm through 25 ppm, there was a significant effect on the leaf levels of P, Mg and Zn, and on P, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, B and Zn in the roots. The greatest effect of 25 ppm Mo in the nutrient solutions. When the Mo content of the nutrient solutions was increased from 0 ppm through 25 ppm, there was a significant effect on the leaf levels of P, Mg and Zn, and on P, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, B and Zn in the roots. The greatest effect of 25 ppm Mo in the nurient solutions were on P and Zn in the leaves, and on P, Zn, Ca and Fe in the roots.« less

The 50-kDa protein of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus interferes with intracellular and intercellular targeting and tubule-inducing activity of the 39-kDa protein of Grapevine berry inner necrosis virus.

PubMed

Isogai, M; Saitou, Y; Takahashi, N; Itabashi, T; Terada, M; Satoh, H; Yoshikawa, N

2003-03-01

To understand why transgenic Nicotiana occidentalis plants expressing a functional movement protein (MP) of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV) show specific resistance to Grapevine berry inner necrosis virus (GINV), the MPs of ACLSV (50KP) and GINV (39KP) were fused to green, yellow, or cyan fluorescent proteins (GFP, YFP, or CFP). These fusion proteins were transiently expressed in leaf cells of both transgenic (50KP) and nontransgenic (NT) plants, and the intracellular and intercellular trafficking and tubule-inducing activity of these proteins were compared. The results indicate that in epidermal cells and protoplasts from 50KP plant leaves, the trafficking and tubule-inducing activities of GINV-39KP were specifically blocked while those of ACLSV-50KP and Apple stem grooving virus MP (36KP) were not affected. Additionally, when 39KP-YFP and 50KP-CFP were coexpressed in the leaf epidermis of NT plants, the fluorescence of both proteins was confined to single cells, indicating that 50KP-CFP interferes with the cell-to-cell trafficking of 39KP-YFP and vice versa. Mutational analyses of 50KP showed that the deletion mutants that retained the activities described above still blocked cell-to-cell trafficking of 39KP, but the dysfunctional 50KP mutants could no longer impede cell-to-cell movement of 39KP. Transgenic plants expressing the functional 50KP deletion mutants showed specific resistance against GINV. In contrast, transgenic plants expressing the dysfunctional 50KP mutants did not show any resistance to the virus. From these results, we conclude that the specific resistance of 50KP plants to GINV is due to the ability of the 50KP to block intracellular and intercellular trafficking of GINV 39KP.

Analysis of Proximity-1 Space Link Interleaved Time Synchronization (PITS) Protocol

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woo, Simon S.

2011-01-01

To synchronize clocks between spacecraft in proximity, the Proximity-1 Space Link Interleaved Time Synchronization (PITS) Protocol has been proposed. PITS is based on the NTP Interleaved On-Wire Protocol and is capable of being adapted and integrated into CCSDS Proximity-1 Space Link Protocol with minimal modifications. In this work, we will discuss the correctness and liveness of PITS. Further, we analyze and evaluate the performance of time synchronization latency with various channel error rates in different PITS operational modes.

Building Parts Inventory Files Using the AppleWorks Data Base Subprogram and Apple IIe or GS Computers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlenker, Richard M.

This manual is a "how to" training device for building database files using the AppleWorks program with an Apple IIe or Apple IIGS Computer with Duodisk or two disk drives and an 80-column card. The manual provides step-by-step directions, and includes 25 figures depicting the computer screen at the various stages of the database file…

Role of chlorogenic acid quinone and interaction of chlorogenic acid quinone and catechins in the enzymatic browning of apple.

PubMed

Amaki, Kanako; Saito, Eri; Taniguchi, Kumiko; Joshita, Keiko; Murata, Masatsune

2011-01-01

Chlorogenic acid (CQA) is one of the major polyphenols in apple and a good substrate for the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in apple. Apple contains catechins as well as CQA, and the role of CQA quinone and its interaction with catechins in the enzymatic browning of apple were examined. Browning was repressed and 2-cysteinyl-CQA was formed when cysteine was added to apple juice. CQA quinone was essential for browning to occur. Although catechins and CQA were oxidized by PPO, some catechins seemed to be non-enzymatically oxidized by CQA quinone.

Identification of genes for melatonin synthetic enzymes in 'Red Fuji' apple (Malus domestica Borkh.cv.Red) and their expression and melatonin production during fruit development.

PubMed

Lei, Qiong; Wang, Lin; Tan, Dun-Xian; Zhao, Yu; Zheng, Xiao-Dong; Chen, Hao; Li, Qing-Tian; Zuo, Bi-Xiao; Kong, Jin

2013-11-01

Melatonin is present in many edible fruits; however, the presence of melatonin in apple has not previously been reported. In this study, the genes for melatonin synthetic enzymes including tryptophan decarboxylase, tryptamine 5-hydroxylase (T5H), arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase, and N-acetylserotonin methyltransferase were identified in 'Red Fuji' apple. Each gene has several homologous genes. Sequence analysis shows that these genes have little homology with those of animals and they only have limited homology with known genes of rice melatonin synthetic enzymes. Multiple origins of melatonin synthetic genes during the evolution are expected. The expression of these genes is fully coordinated with melatonin production in apple development. Melatonin levels in apple exhibit an inverse relationship with the content of malondialdehyde, a product of lipid peroxidation. Two major melatonin synthetic peaks appeared on July 17 and on October 8 in both unbagged and bagged apple samples. At the periods mentioned above, apples experienced rapid expansion and increased respiration. These episodes significantly elevate reactive oxygen species production in the apple. Current data further confirmed that melatonin produced in apple was used to neutralize the toxic oxidants and protect the developing apple against oxidative stress. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Monte Carlo simulation of the risk of contamination of apples with Escherichia coli O157:H7.

PubMed

Duffy, Siobain; Schaffner, Donald W

2002-10-25

Quantitative descriptions of the frequency and extent of contamination of apple cider with pathogenic bacteria were obtained using literature data and computer simulation. Probability distributions were chosen to describe the risk of apple contamination by each suspected pathway. Tree-picked apples may be contaminated by birds infected with Escherichia coli O157:H7 when orchards were located near a sewage source (ocean or landfill). Dropped apples could become contaminated from either infected animal droppings or from contaminated manure if used as fertilizer. A risk assessment model was created in Analytica. The results of worst-case simulations revealed that 6-9 log CFU E. coli O157:H7 might be found on a harvest of 1000 dropped apples, while 3-4 log CFU contamination could be present on 1000 tree-picked apples. This model confirms that practices such as using dropped apples and using animal waste as fertilizer increase risk in the production of apple cider, and that pasteurization may not eliminate all contamination in juice from heavily contaminated fruit. Recently published FDA regulations for juices requiring a 5-log CFU/ml reduction of pathogenic bacteria in fresh juices should be a fail-safe measure for apples harvested in all but the worst-case scenarios.

Anthropogenic and natural drivers of gene flow in a temperate wild fruit tree: a basis for conservation and breeding programs in apples

PubMed Central

Cornille, Amandine; Feurtey, Alice; Gélin, Uriel; Ropars, Jeanne; Misvanderbrugge, Kristine; Gladieux, Pierre; Giraud, Tatiana

2015-01-01

Gene flow is an essential component of population adaptation and species evolution. Understanding of the natural and anthropogenic factors affecting gene flow is also critical for the development of appropriate management, breeding, and conservation programs. Here, we explored the natural and anthropogenic factors impacting crop-to-wild and within wild gene flow in apples in Europe using an unprecedented dense sampling of 1889 wild apple (Malus sylvestris) from European forests and 339 apple cultivars (Malus domestica). We made use of genetic, environmental, and ecological data (microsatellite markers, apple production across landscapes and records of apple flower visitors, respectively). We provide the first evidence that both human activities, through apple production, and human disturbance, through modifications of apple flower visitor diversity, have had a significant impact on crop-to-wild interspecific introgression rates. Our analysis also revealed the impact of previous natural climate change on historical gene flow in the nonintrogressed wild apple M. sylvestris, by identifying five distinct genetic groups in Europe and a north–south gradient of genetic diversity. These findings identify human activities and climate as key drivers of gene flow in a wild temperate fruit tree and provide a practical basis for conservation, agroforestry, and breeding programs for apples in Europe. PMID:25926882

Nucleation Of Ge 3D-islands On Pit-patterned Si Substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Novikov, P. L.; Smagina, J. V.; Vlasov, D. Yu.

2011-12-23

Joint experimental and theoretical study of Ge nanoislands growth on pit-patterned Si substrate is carried out. Si substrates that have been templated by means of electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching have been used to grow Ge by molecular-beam epitaxy. Atomic-force-microscopy studies show that at Si(100) substrate temperature 550 deg. C, Ge nanoislands are formed at the pits' edges, rather than between the pits. The effect is interpreted in terms of energy barrier, that is formed near the edge of a pit and prevents Ge transport inside the pit. By molecular dynamics calculations the value of the energy barriermore » 0.9 eV was obtained.« less

Perspective—Localized Corrosion: Passive Film Breakdown vs Pit Growth Stability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Frankel, G. S.; Li, Tianshu; Scully, J. R.

2017-02-24

A debate about the critical step in localized corrosion has raged for decades. Some researchers focus on the composition and structure of the passive film associated with the initial breakdown of the film, whereas others consider that the susceptibility to pitting is controlled by the pit growth kinetics and the stabilization of pit growth. The basis for a unified theory of pitting is presented here in which pit stability considerations are controlling under aggressive conditions (harsh electrolytes and extreme environments and/or susceptible microstructures) and the passive film properties and protectiveness are the critical factors in less extreme environments and/or formore » less susceptible alloys.« less

Corrosion and corrosion fatigue of airframe aluminum alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, G. S.; Gao, M.; Harlow, D. G.; Wei, R. P.

1994-01-01

Localized corrosion and corrosion fatigue crack nucleation and growth are recognized as degradation mechanisms that effect the durability and integrity of commercial transport aircraft. Mechanically based understanding is needed to aid the development of effective methodologies for assessing durability and integrity of airframe components. As a part of the methodology development, experiments on pitting corrosion, and on corrosion fatigue crack nucleation and early growth from these pits were conducted. Pitting was found to be associated with constituent particles in the alloys and pit growth often involved coalescence of individual particle-nucleated pits, both laterally and in depth. Fatigue cracks typically nucleated from one of the larger pits that formed by a cluster of particles. The size of pit at which fatigue crack nucleates is a function of stress level and fatigue loading frequency. The experimental results are summarized, and their implications on service performance and life prediction are discussed.

Light-extraction efficiency and forward voltage in GaN-based light-emitting diodes with different patterns of V-shaped pits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Min-Shuai; Huang, Xiao-Jing

2013-08-01

We present a new method of making a textured V-pit surface for improving the light extraction efficiency in GaN-based light-emitting diodes and compare it with the usual low-temperature method for p-GaN V-pits. Three types of GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with surface V-pits in different densities and regions were grown by metal—organic chemical vapor deposition. We achieved the highest output power and lowest forward voltage values with the p-InGaN V-pit LED. The V-pits enhanced the light output power values by 1.45 times the values of the conventional LED owing to an enhancement of the light scattering probability and an effective reduction of Mg-acceptor activation energy. Moreover, this new technique effectively solved the higher forward voltage problem of the usual V-pit LED.

Ensuring the genetic diversity of apples

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Apples (Malus × domestica Borkh.) are a nutritious source of antioxidants, polyphenolics, vitamins, and fiber. Many of the apple cultivars that are currently produced were identified over a century ago and do not offer resistance to pathogens and tolerance to climatic threats. Apple breeding program...

Improving Pit Vehicle Ecology Safety

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koptev, V. Yu; Kopteva, A. V.

2018-05-01

The article discloses the ways to improve the ecological safety of a pit transport: reducing harmful substance concentrations in exhaust gases, implementation of the ecological certificate of the dumping truck, taking into account the operation of the dumping truck actual work, choosing the best model and comparing ecological characteristics of pit lifters at deep pits.

The dependence receptor Ret induces apoptosis in somatotrophs through a Pit-1/p53 pathway, preventing tumor growth

PubMed Central

Cañibano, Carmen; Rodriguez, Noela L; Saez, Carmen; Tovar, Sulay; Garcia-Lavandeira, Montse; Borrello, Maria Grazia; Vidal, Anxo; Costantini, Frank; Japon, Miguel; Dieguez, Carlos; Alvarez, Clara V

2007-01-01

Somatotrophs are the only pituitary cells that express Ret, GFRα1 and GDNF. This study investigated the effects of Ret in a somatotroph cell line, in primary pituitary cultures and in Ret KO mice. Ret regulates somatotroph numbers by inducing Pit-1 overexpression, leading to increased p53 expression and apoptosis, both of which can be prevented with Ret or Pit-1 siRNA. The Pit-1 overexpression is mediated by sustained activation of PKCδ, JNK, c/EBPα and CREB induced by a complex of Ret, caspase 3 and PKCδ. In the presence of GDNF, Akt is activated, and the Pit-1 overexpression and resulting apoptosis are blocked. The adenopituitary of Ret KO mice is larger than normal, showing Pit-1 and somatotroph hyperplasia. In normal animals, activation of the Ret/Pit-1/p53 pathway by retroviral introduction of Ret blocked tumor growth in vivo. Thus, somatotrophs have an intrinsic mechanism for controlling Pit-1/GH production through an apoptotic/survival pathway. Ret might be of value for treatment of pituitary adenomas. PMID:17380130

The dependence receptor Ret induces apoptosis in somatotrophs through a Pit-1/p53 pathway, preventing tumor growth.

PubMed

Cañibano, Carmen; Rodriguez, Noela L; Saez, Carmen; Tovar, Sulay; Garcia-Lavandeira, Montse; Borrello, Maria Grazia; Vidal, Anxo; Costantini, Frank; Japon, Miguel; Dieguez, Carlos; Alvarez, Clara V

2007-04-18

Somatotrophs are the only pituitary cells that express Ret, GFRalpha1 and GDNF. This study investigated the effects of Ret in a somatotroph cell line, in primary pituitary cultures and in Ret KO mice. Ret regulates somatotroph numbers by inducing Pit-1 overexpression, leading to increased p53 expression and apoptosis, both of which can be prevented with Ret or Pit-1 siRNA. The Pit-1 overexpression is mediated by sustained activation of PKCdelta, JNK, c/EBPalpha and CREB induced by a complex of Ret, caspase 3 and PKCdelta. In the presence of GDNF, Akt is activated, and the Pit-1 overexpression and resulting apoptosis are blocked. The adenopituitary of Ret KO mice is larger than normal, showing Pit-1 and somatotroph hyperplasia. In normal animals, activation of the Ret/Pit-1/p53 pathway by retroviral introduction of Ret blocked tumor growth in vivo. Thus, somatotrophs have an intrinsic mechanism for controlling Pit-1/GH production through an apoptotic/survival pathway. Ret might be of value for treatment of pituitary adenomas.

Interacting Effects Induced by Two Neighboring Pits Considering Relative Position Parameters and Pit Depth

PubMed Central

Huang, Yongfang; Gang, Tieqiang; Chen, Lijie

2017-01-01

For pre-corroded aluminum alloy 7075-T6, the interacting effects of two neighboring pits on the stress concentration are comprehensively analyzed by considering various relative position parameters (inclination angle θ and dimensionless spacing parameter λ) and pit depth (d) with the finite element method. According to the severity of the stress concentration, the critical corrosion regions, bearing high susceptibility to fatigue damage, are determined for intersecting and adjacent pits, respectively. A straightforward approach is accordingly proposed to conservatively estimate the combined stress concentration factor induced by two neighboring pits, and a concrete application example is presented. It is found that for intersecting pits, the normalized stress concentration factor Ktnor increases with the increase of θ and λ and always reaches its maximum at θ = 90°, yet for adjacent pits, Ktnor decreases with the increase of λ and the maximum value appears at a slight asymmetric location. The simulations reveal that Ktnor follows a linear and an exponential relationship with the dimensionless depth parameter Rd for intersecting and adjacent cases, respectively. PMID:28772758

Effects of chloride ion concentration and pH values on the corrosion behavior of Cr12Ni3Co12Mo4W ultra-high-strength martensitic stainless steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hui-yan; Dong, Chao-fang; Xiao, Kui; Li, Xiao-gang; Zhong, Ping

2016-11-01

The effects of Cl- ion concentration and pH values on the corrosion behavior of Cr12Ni3Co12Mo4W ultra-high-strength martensitic stainless steel (UHSMSS) were investigated by a series of electrochemical tests combined with observations by stereology microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. A critical Cl- ion concentration was found to exist (approximately 0.1wt%), above which pitting occurred. The pitting potential decreased with increasing Cl- ion concentration. A UHSMSS specimen tempered at 600°C exhibited a better pitting corrosion resistance than the one tempered at 400°C. The corrosion current density and passive current density of the UHSMSS tempered at 600°C decreased with increasing pH values of the corrosion solution. The pits developed a shallower dish geometry with increasing polarization potential. A lacy cover on the pits of the UHSMSS tempered at 400°C accelerated pitting, whereas corrosion products deposited in the pits of the UHSMSS tempered at 600°C hindered pitting.

Efficacy of phytic acid as an inhibitor of enzymatic and non-enzymatic browning in apple juice.

PubMed

Du, Yunjian; Dou, Siqi; Wu, Shengjun

2012-11-15

Browning decreases the commercial value of apple juice, and therefore colour preservation during processing and storage is the main objective of manufacturers. In this study, the efficacy of phytic acid as a browning inhibitor for use on apple juice was investigated. Browning of apple juice treated with phytic acid was monitored during processing and storage. 0.1 mM Phytic acid inhibited the polyphenol oxidase (PPO) from the apple juice by 99.2%. Consequently, the apple juice treated with phytic acid had significantly lower browning formation during processing and after 6 months of storage at room temperature compared with the control (p<0.05). Results indicate that this is a promising way to inhibit browning in apple juice. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In vivo automated quantification of quality of apples during storage using optical coherence tomography images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Vishal; Dalal, Devjyoti; Kumar, Anuj; Prakash, Surya; Dalal, Krishna

2018-06-01

Moisture content is an important feature of fruits and vegetables. As 80% of apple content is water, so decreasing the moisture content will degrade the quality of apples (Golden Delicious). The computational and texture features of the apples were extracted from optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. A support vector machine with a Gaussian kernel model was used to perform automated classification. To evaluate the quality of wax coated apples during storage in vivo, our proposed method opens up the possibility of fully automated quantitative analysis based on the morphological features of apples. Our results demonstrate that the analysis of the computational and texture features of OCT images may be a good non-destructive method for the assessment of the quality of apples.

Trace fossil evidence of coral-inhabiting crabs (Cryptochiridae) and its implications for growth and paleobiogeography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klompmaker, Adiël A.; Portell, Roger W.; van der Meij, Sancia E. T.

2016-03-01

Members of the Cryptochiridae are small, fragile, symbiotic crabs that live in domiciles in modern corals. Despite their worldwide occurrence with over 50 species known today, their fossil record is unknown. We provide the first unambiguous evidence of cryptochirids in the fossil record through their crescentic pits, typical for certain cryptochirids, in Western Atlantic fossil corals, while the Eocene genus Montemagrechirus is excluded from the Cryptochiridae and referred to Montemagrechiridae fam. nov. Nine Pleistocene corals with crescentic pits originate from Florida (USA), and single specimens with pits come from the late Pleistocene of Cuba and the late Pliocene of Florida, all of which are measured for growth analyses. These pits represent trace fossils named Galacticus duerri igen. nov., isp. nov. A study of modern cryptochirid domicile shape (crescentic pit, circular-oval pit, or a true gall) shows that species within crab genera tend to inhabit the same pit shape. Crescentic pits in corals occur not only in the Western Atlantic today, but also in the Indo-West Pacific and in the Eastern Pacific. Thus, examination of Cenozoic fossil coral collections from these regions should yield further examples of cryptochirid pits, which would help to constrain the antiquity of this cryptic crab family.

Surface monitoring for pitting evolution into uniform corrosion on Cu-Ni-Zn ternary alloy in alkaline chloride solution: ex-situ LCM and in-situ SECM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Decheng; Dong, Chaofang; Zheng, Zhaoran; Mao, Feixiong; Xu, Aoni; Ni, Xiaoqing; Man, Cheng; Yao, Jizheng; Xiao, Kui; Li, Xiaogang

2018-05-01

The evolution of the corrosion process on Cu-Ni-Zn alloy in alkaline chloride solution was investigated by in-situ scanning electrochemical microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and ex-situ laser confocal microscopy, and the effects of ambient temperature and polarization time were also discussed. The results demonstrated a higher pitting nucleation rate and lower pit growth rate at low temperature. The ratio of pit depth to mouth diameter decreased with increasing pit volume and temperature, indicating that pits preferentially propagate in the horizontal direction rather than the vertical direction owing to the presence of corrosion products and deposited copper. The surface current was uniform and stabilized at approximately 2.2 nA during the passive stage, whereas the current increased after the pits were formed with the maximum approaching 3 nA. Increasing the temperature led to an increase in porous corrosion products (CuO, Zn(OH)2, and Ni(OH)2) and significantly increased the rate of transition from pitting to uniform corrosion. Dezincification corrosion was detected by energy dispersive spectrometry, and a mechanism for pitting transition into uniform corrosion induced by dezincification at the grain boundaries is proposed.

Mechanism of water-stress induced cavitation in conifers: bordered pit structure and function support the hypothesis of seal capillary-seeding

PubMed Central

DELZON, SYLVAIN; DOUTHE, CYRIL; SALA, ANNA; COCHARD, HERVE

2010-01-01

Resistance to water-stress induced cavitation is an important indicator of drought tolerance in woody species and is known to be intimately linked to the anatomy of the xylem. However, the actual mechanical properties of the pit membrane are not well known and the exact mode of air-seeding by which cavitation occurs is still uncertain. We examined the relationship between cavitation resistance and bordered pit structure and function in 40 coniferous species. Xylem pressure inducing 50% loss of hydraulic conductance (P50, a proxy for cavitation resistance) varied widely among species, from −2.9 to −11.3 MPa. The valve effect of the pit membrane, measured as a function of margo flexibility and torus overlap, explained more variation in cavitation-resistance than simple anatomical traits such as pit membrane, pit aperture or torus size. Highly cavitation resistant species exhibited both a high flexibility of the margo and a large overlap between the torus and the pit aperture, allowing the torus to tightly seal the pit aperture. Our results support the hypothesis of seal capillary-seeding as the most likely mode of air-seeding, and suggest that the adhesion of the torus to the pit border may be the main determinant of cavitation resistance in conifers. PMID:20636490

Mechanism of water-stress induced cavitation in conifers: bordered pit structure and function support the hypothesis of seal capillary-seeding.

PubMed

Delzon, Sylvain; Douthe, Cyril; Sala, Anna; Cochard, Herve

2010-12-01

Resistance to water-stress induced cavitation is an important indicator of drought tolerance in woody species and is known to be intimately linked to the anatomy of the xylem. However, the actual mechanical properties of the pit membrane are not well known and the exact mode of air-seeding by which cavitation occurs is still uncertain. We examined the relationship between cavitation resistance and bordered pit structure and function in 40 coniferous species. Xylem pressure inducing 50% loss of hydraulic conductance (P(50), a proxy for cavitation resistance) varied widely among species, from -2.9 to -11.3 MPa. The valve effect of the pit membrane, measured as a function of margo flexibility and torus overlap, explained more variation in cavitation-resistance than simple anatomical traits such as pit membrane, pit aperture or torus size. Highly cavitation resistant species exhibited both a high flexibility of the margo and a large overlap between the torus and the pit aperture, allowing the torus to tightly seal the pit aperture. Our results support the hypothesis of seal capillary-seeding as the most likely mode of air-seeding, and suggest that the adhesion of the torus to the pit border may be the main determinant of cavitation resistance in conifers. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Methodology of selecting dozers for lignite open pit mines in Serbia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stojanovic, D.; Ignjatovic, D.; Kovacevic, S.

1996-12-31

Apart from the main production processes (coal and overburden mining, rail conveyors transportation and storage of excavated masses) performed by great-capacity mechanization at open pit mines, numerous and different auxiliary works, that often have crucial influence on both the work efficiency of main equipment and the maintenance of optimum technical conditions of machines and plants covering technological system of open pit, are present. Successful realization of work indispensably requires a proper and adequate selection of auxiliary machines according to their type quantity, capacity, power etc. thus highly respecting specific conditions existing at each and every open pit mine. A dozermore » is certainly the most important and representative auxiliary machine at single open pit mine. It is widely used in numerous works that, in fact, are preconditions for successful work of the main mechanization and consequently the very selection of a dozer ranges among the most important operations when selecting mechanization. This paper presents the methodology of dozers selection when lignite open pit mines are concerned. A mathematical model defining the volume of work required for dozers to perform at open pit mines and consequently the number of necessary dozers was designed. The model underwent testing in practice at big open pit mines and can be used in design of future open pits mines.« less

Production of volatiles in fresh-cut apple: effect of applying alginate coatings containing linoleic acid or isoleucine.

PubMed

Maya-Meraz, Irma O; Espino-Díaz, Miguel; Molina-Corral, Francisco J; González-Aguilar, Gustavo A; Jacobo-Cuellar, Juan L; Sepulveda, David R; Olivas, Guadalupe I

2014-11-01

One of the main quality parameters in apples is aroma, its main precursors are fatty acids (FA) and amino acids (AA). In this study, alginate edible coatings were used as carriers of linoleic acid or isoleucine to serve as precursors for the production of aroma in cut apples. Apple wedges were immersed in a CaCl2 solution and coated with one of the following formulations: alginate solution (Alg-Ca), Alg-Ca-low-level linoleic acid (0.61 g/Lt), (LFA), Alg-Ca-high-level linoleic acid (2.44 g/L; HFA), Alg-Ca-low-level isoleucine (0.61 g/L; LAA), and Alg-Ca-high-level isoleucine (2.44 g/L; HAA). Apple wedges were stored at 3 °C and 85% relative humidity for 21 d and key volatiles were studied during storage. Addition of precursors, mainly isoleucine, showed to increase the production of some key volatiles on coated fresh-cut apples during storage. The concentration of 2-methyl-1-butanol was 4 times higher from day 12 to day 21 in HAA, while 2-methyl butyl acetate increased from day 12 to day 21 in HAA. After 21 d, HAA-apples presented a 40-fold value of 2-methyl-butyl acetate, compared to Alg-Ca cut apples. Values of hexanal increased during cut apple storage when the coating carried linoleic acid, mainly on HFA, from 3 to 12 d. The ability of apples to metabolize AA and FA depends on the concentration of precursors, but also depends on key enzymes, previous apple storage, among others. Further studies should be done to better clarify the behavior of fresh-cut apples as living tissue to metabolize precursors contained in edible coatings for the production of volatiles. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Colonic availability of polyphenols and D-(-)-quinic acid after apple smoothie consumption.

PubMed

Hagl, Stephanie; Deusser, Hannah; Soyalan, Buelent; Janzowski, Christine; Will, Frank; Dietrich, Helmut; Albert, Franz Werner; Rohner, Simone; Richling, Elke

2011-03-01

The aim of this study was to determine the amounts of polyphenols and D-(-)-quinic acid reaching the ileostomy bags of probands (and thus the colon in healthy humans) after ingestion of apple smoothie, a beverage containing 60% cloudy apple juice and 40% apple puree. Ten healthy ileostomy subjects each ingested 0.7 L of apple smoothie (a bottle). Their ileostomy bags were collected directly before and 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 h after smoothie consumption, and the polyphenol and D-(-)-quinic acid contents of the ileostomy fluids were examined using HPLC-DAD and HPLC-MS/MS. The total polyphenol and D-(-)-quinic acid content of the apple smoothie was determined to be 1955.6±124.6 mg/0.7 L, which is very high compared to cloudy apple juices. The most abundant substances found in the ileostomy bags were oligomeric procyanidins (705.6±197.9 mg), D-(-)-quinic acid (363.4±235.5 mg) and 5-caffeoylquinic acid (76.7±26.8 mg). Overall recovery of ingested polyphenols and D-(-)-quinic acid in the ileostomy bags was 63.3±16.1%. The amounts of polyphenol and D-(-)-quinic acids reaching the ileostomy bags are considerably higher after apple smoothie consumption than after the consumption of cloudy apple juice or cider. These results suggest that the food matrix might affect the colonic availability of polyphenols, and apple smoothies could be more effective in the prevention of chronic colon diseases than both cloudy apple juice and apple cider. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Apple EIN3 BINDING F-box 1 inhibits the activity of three apple EIN3-like transcription factors

PubMed Central

Tacken, Emma J.; Ireland, Hilary S.; Wang, Yen-Yi; Putterill, Jo; Schaffer, Robert J.

2012-01-01

Background and aims Fruit ripening in Malus× domestica (apple) is controlled by ethylene. Work in model species has shown that following the detection of ethylene, the ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE 3 (EIN3) transcription factor is stabilized, leading to an increase in transcript accumulation of ethylene-responsive genes, such as POLYGALACTURONASE1 (PG1). In the absence of ethylene, the EIN3 BINDING F-box (EBF) proteins rapidly degrade EIN3 via the ubiquitination/SCF (Skp, Cullin, F-Box) proteasome pathway. In this study, we aim to identify and characterize the apple EBF genes, and test their activity against apple EIN3-like proteins (EILs). Methodology The apple genome sequence was mined for EBF-like genes. The expression of EBF-like genes was measured during fruit development. Using a transient assay in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves, the activity of three apple EILs was tested against the PG1 promoter, with and without ethylene and EBF1. Principal results Four EBF-like genes in apple were identified and grouped into two sub-clades. Sub-clade I genes had constant expression over fruit development while sub-clade II genes increased in expression at ripening. EBF1 was shown to reduce the transactivation of the apple PG1 promoter by the EIL1, EIL2 and EIL3 transcription factors in the presence of ethylene. Conclusions The apple EBF1 gene identified here is likely to be a functionally conserved EBF orthologue, modulating EIL activity in apples. The activity of EBF1 suggests that it is not specific to a single EIL, instead acting as a global regulator of apple EIL transcription factors. PMID:23585922

Birch pollinosis and atopy caused by apple, peach, and hazelnut; comparison of three extraction procedures with two apple strains.

PubMed

de Groot, H; de Jong, N W; Vuijk, M H; Gerth van Wijk, R

1996-10-01

This study aimed, first, to study the prevalence in The Netherlands of atopy caused by apple, peach, and hazelnut in patients with tree pollinosis, and, second, to compare three extraction procedures for skin prick testing with two different apple strains. Skin prick tests and RAST were performed on 79 consecutive patients with tree pollinosis, visiting the department of allergology during spring 1995. In skin prick tests, we used three different extracts (juice, freeze-dried extract, and low-temperature acetone powder extract) of two apple strains, Golden Delicious and Granny Smith. Case histories for apple, peach, and hazelnut were positive in 35 (44.3%), 23 (29%), and 35 (44.3%) patients, respectively. More than two-thirds of the patients had symptoms characteristic of oral allergy syndrome. Skin prick tests for apple, peach, and hazelnut were positive in 51 (64.6%), 61 (77.2%), and 71 (89.9%) patients, respectively. Granny Smith showed more positive skin reactions and a better agreement with clinical history than Golden Delicious, and juice was superior to the two other extraction procedures for both apple strains. RAST for apple, peach, and hazelnut was positive in 53 (68.8%), 13 (16.9%), and 31 (40.3%) patients, respectively. Concordance between skin prick test and case history was found in 77%, 52%, and 54%, for apple, peach, and hazelnut, respectively. We found a high percentage of concurrence of clinical allergy to birch pollen and apple, peach, and hazelnut, confirmed by both skin prick testing and RAST. Approximately half of these patients had symptoms (especially oral allergy syndrome) after eating these products. We also found an easy extraction procedure (juice extract) suitable for apple skin prick testing, superior even to freeze-dried extraction or the low-temperature acetone powder technique.

Reduced generation time of apple seedlings to within a year by means of a plant virus vector: a new plant-breeding technique with no transmission of genetic modification to the next generation.

PubMed

Yamagishi, Noriko; Kishigami, Ryusuke; Yoshikawa, Nobuyuki

2014-01-01

Fruit trees have a long juvenile phase. For example, the juvenile phase of apple (Malus × domestica) generally lasts for 5-12 years and is a serious constraint for genetic analysis and for creating new apple cultivars through cross-breeding. If modification of the genes involved in the transition from the juvenile phase to the adult phase can enable apple to complete its life cycle within 1 year, as seen in herbaceous plants, a significant enhancement in apple breeding will be realized. Here, we report a novel technology that simultaneously promotes expression of Arabidopsis FLOWERING LOCUS T gene (AtFT) and silencing of apple TERMINAL FLOWER 1 gene (MdTFL1-1) using an Apple latent spherical virus (ALSV) vector (ALSV-AtFT/MdTFL1) to accelerate flowering time and life cycle in apple seedlings. When apple cotyledons were inoculated with ALSV-AtFT/MdTFL1 immediately after germination, more than 90% of infected seedlings started flowering within 1.5-3 months, and almost all early-flowering seedlings continuously produced flower buds on the lateral and axillary shoots. Cross-pollination between early-flowering apple plants produced fruits with seeds, indicating that ALSV-AtFT/MdTFL1 inoculation successfully reduced the time required for completion of the apple life cycle to 1 year or less. Apple latent spherical virus was not transmitted via seeds to successive progenies in most cases, and thus, this method will serve as a new breeding technique that does not pass genetic modification to the next generation. © 2013 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Single Base Difference between Pit-1 Binding Sites at the hGH Promoter and Locus Control Region Specifies Distinct Pit-1 Conformations and Functions

PubMed Central

Shewchuk, Brian M.; Ho, Yugong; Liebhaber, Stephen A.; Cooke, Nancy E.

2006-01-01

Activation of the human growth hormone (hGH-N) gene in pituitary somatotropes is mediated by a locus control region (LCR). This LCR is composed of DNase I-hypersensitive sites (HS) located −14.5 kb to −32 kb relative to the hGH-N promoter. HSI, at −14.5 kb, is the dominant determinant of hGH-N expression and is essential for establishment of a 32-kb domain of histone acetylation that encompasses the active hGH locus. This activity is conferred by three binding sites for the POU domain transcription factor Pit-1. These Pit-1 elements are sufficient to activate hGH-N expression in the mouse pituitary. In contrast, Pit-1 sites at the hGH-N promoter are consistently unable to mediate similar activity. In the present study, we demonstrate that the functional difference between the promoter-proximal and the HSI Pit-1 binding sites can be attributed in part to a single base difference. This base affects the conformation of the Pit-1/DNA complex, and reciprocal exchange of the divergent bases between the two sets of Pit-1 elements results in a partial reversal of their transgenic activities. These data support a model in which the Pit-1 binding sites in the hGH LCR allosterically program the bound Pit-1 complex for chromatin activating functions. PMID:16914737

Reliable identification of deep sulcal pits: the effects of scan session, scanner, and surface extraction tool.

PubMed

Im, Kiho; Lee, Jong-Min; Jeon, Seun; Kim, Jong-Heon; Seo, Sang Won; Na, Duk L; Grant, P Ellen

2013-01-01

Sulcal pit analysis has been providing novel insights into brain function and development. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of sulcal pit extraction with respect to the effects of scan session, scanner, and surface extraction tool. Five subjects were scanned 4 times at 3 MRI centers and other 5 subjects were scanned 3 times at 2 MRI centers, including 1 test-retest session. Sulcal pits were extracted on the white matter surfaces reconstructed with both Montreal Neurological Institute and Freesurfer pipelines. We estimated similarity of the presence of sulcal pits having a maximum value of 1 and their spatial difference within the same subject. The tests showed high similarity of the sulcal pit presence and low spatial difference. The similarity was more than 0.90 and the spatial difference was less than 1.7 mm in most cases according to different scan sessions or scanners, and more than 0.85 and about 2.0 mm across surface extraction tools. The reliability of sulcal pit extraction was more affected by the image processing-related factors than the scan session or scanner factors. Moreover, the similarity of sulcal pit distribution appeared to be largely influenced by the presence or absence of the sulcal pits on the shallow and small folds. We suggest that our sulcal pit extraction from MRI is highly reliable and could be useful for clinical applications as an imaging biomarker.

Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer in alcohol dependence: a pilot study.

PubMed

Garbusow, Maria; Schad, Daniel J; Sommer, Christian; Jünger, Elisabeth; Sebold, Miriam; Friedel, Eva; Wendt, Jean; Kathmann, Norbert; Schlagenhauf, Florian; Zimmermann, Ulrich S; Heinz, Andreas; Huys, Quentin J M; Rapp, Michael A

2014-01-01

Pavlovian processes are thought to play an important role in the development, maintenance and relapse of alcohol dependence, possibly by influencing and usurping ongoing thought and behavior. The influence of pavlovian stimuli on ongoing behavior is paradigmatically measured by pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) tasks. These involve multiple stages and are complex. Whether increased PIT is involved in human alcohol dependence is uncertain. We therefore aimed to establish and validate a modified PIT paradigm that would be robust, consistent and tolerated by healthy controls as well as by patients suffering from alcohol dependence, and to explore whether alcohol dependence is associated with enhanced PIT. Thirty-two recently detoxified alcohol-dependent patients and 32 age- and gender-matched healthy controls performed a PIT task with instrumental go/no-go approach behaviors. The task involved both pavlovian stimuli associated with monetary rewards and losses, and images of drinks. Both patients and healthy controls showed a robust and temporally stable PIT effect. Strengths of PIT effects to drug-related and monetary conditioned stimuli were highly correlated. Patients more frequently showed a PIT effect, and the effect was stronger in response to aversively conditioned CSs (conditioned suppression), but there was no group difference in response to appetitive CSs. The implementation of PIT has favorably robust properties in chronic alcohol-dependent patients and in healthy controls. It shows internal consistency between monetary and drug-related cues. The findings support an association of alcohol dependence with an increased propensity towards PIT. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Adsorption of Dissolved Metals in the Berkeley Pit using Thiol-Functionalized Self-Assembled Monolayers on Mesoporous Supports (Thiol-SAMMS)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Betancourt, Amaury P.; Mattigod, Shas V.; Wellman, Dawn M.

2010-03-07

The Berkeley Pit in Butte, Montana, is heavily contaminated with dissolved metals. Adsorption and extraction of these metals can be accomplished through the use of a selective adsorbent. For this research, the adsorbent used was thiol-functionalized Self-Assembled Monolayers on Mesoporous Supports (thiol-SAMMS), which was developed at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Thiol-SAMMS selectively binds to numerous types of dissolved metals. The objective of this research was to evaluate the loading and kinetics of aluminum, beryllium, copper, and zinc on thiol-SAMMS. For the loading tests, a series of Berkeley Pit water to thiol-SAMMS ratios (mL:g) were tested. These ratios were 1000:1,more » 500:1, 100:1, and 50:1. Berkeley Pit water is acidic (pH {approx} 2.5). This can affect the performance of SAMMS materials. Therefore, the effect of pH was evaluated by conducting parallel series of loading tests wherein the Berkeley Pit water was neutralized before or after addition of thiol-SAMMS, and a series of kinetics tests wherein the Berkeley Pit water was neutralized before addition of thiol-SAMMS for the first test and was not neutralized for the second test. For the kinetics tests, one Berkeley Pit water to thiol-SAMMS ratio was tested, which was 2000:1. The results of the loading and kinetics tests suggest that a significant decrease in dissolved metal concentration at Berkeley Pit could be realized through neutralization of Berkeley Pit water. Thiol-SAMMS technology has a limited application under the highly acidic conditions posed by the Berkeley Pit. However, thiol-SAMMS could provide a secondary remedial technique which would complete the remedial system and remove dissolved metals from the Berkeley Pit to below drinking water standards.« less

Cloning of the canine gene encoding transcription factor Pit-1 and its exclusion as candidate gene in a canine model of pituitary dwarfism.

PubMed

Lantinga-van Leeuwen, I S; Mol, J A; Kooistra, H S; Rijnberk, A; Breen, M; Renier, C; van Oost, B A

2000-01-01

Combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD) is an autosomal recessive inherited disease of German shepherd dogs characterized primarily by dwarfism. In mice and humans a similar genetic disorder has been described that results from an alteration in the gene encoding the transcription factor Pit-1. In this study we characterized the canine Pit-1 gene, determined the chromosomal localization of the Pit-1 gene, and screened dwarf German shepherd dogs for the presence of mutations in this gene. The full-length canine Pit-1 cDNA contained an open reading frame encoding 291 amino acids, 92 bp of 5'-untranslated region, and 1959 bp of 3'-untranslated region. The deduced amino acid sequence was highly homologous with Pit-1 of other mammalian species. Using a Pit-1 BAC clone as probe, the Pit-1 gene was mapped by FISH to canine Chromosome (Chr) 31. In dwarf German shepherd dogs a C to A transversion was detected, causing a Phe (TTC) to Leu (TTA) substitution at codon 81. This alteration was present neither in other canine breeds analyzed nor in other mammalian species. However, healthy German shepherd dogs were also homozygous for the mutant allele, indicating that it is not the primary disease-causing mutation. In addition, linkage analysis of polymorphic DNA markers flanking the Pit-1 gene, 41K19 and 52L05, revealed no co-segregation between the Pit-1 locus and the CPHD phenotype. These findings suggest that a gene other than Pit-1 is responsible for the pituitary anomaly in dwarf German shepherd dogs.

Expression of ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis) Pit-1 in Escherichia coli: its purification and immunohistochemical detection using monoclonal antibody.

PubMed

Chiu, Chi-Chien; John, Joseph Abraham Christopher; Hseu, Tzong-Hsiung; Chang, Chi-Yao

2002-03-01

The pituitary-specific transcription factor Pit-1 belongs to the family of POU-domain proteins and is known to play an important role in the differentiation of pituitary cells. Here we report the complete nucleotide sequence of cDNA encoding Pit-1 from the brackish water fish, ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis). Nucleotide sequence analysis of 1910 bp of ayu Pit-1 cDNA revealed an open reading frame of 1074 bp that encodes a protein of 358 amino acids containing a POU-specific domain, POU homeodomain, and an STA (Ser/Thr-rich activation) transactivation domain. We inserted the coding region of Pit-1 cDNA, obtained by PCR, into a pET-20b(+) plasmid to produce recombinant Pit-1 in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) pLysS cells. Upon induction with isopropyl beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside, Pit-1 was expressed and accumulated as inclusion bodies in E. coli. The protein was then purified in one step by affinity chromatography on a nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid agarose column under denaturing conditions. This method yielded 0.7 mg of highly pure and stable protein per 200 ml of bacterial culture. A band of 40 kDa, resolved as recombinant ayu Pit-1 by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, agrees well with the molecular mass calculated from the translated cDNA sequence. The purified recombinant Pit-1 was confirmed in vitro through Western blot analysis, using its monoclonal antibody. This monoclonal antibody detected Pit-1 in the nuclei of ayu developing pituitary by immunohistochemical reaction. It serves as a good reagent for the detection of ayu Pit-1 in situ. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

Zebrafish pit1 mutants lack three pituitary cell types and develop severe dwarfism.

PubMed

Nica, Gabriela; Herzog, Wiebke; Sonntag, Carmen; Hammerschmidt, Matthias

2004-05-01

The Pou domain transcription factor Pit-1 is required for lineage determination and cellular commitment processes during mammalian adenohypophysis development. Here we report the cloning and mutational analysis of a pit1 homolog from zebrafish. Compared with mouse, zebrafish pit1 starts to be expressed at a much earlier stage of adenohypophysis development. However, as in the mouse, expression is restricted to a subset of pituitary cell types, excluding proopiomelanocortin (pomc)-expressing cells (corticotropes, melanotropes) and possibly gonadotropes. We could identify two N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea-induced zebrafish pit1 null mutants. Most mutants die during larval stages, whereas survivors develop severe dwarfism. Mutant larvae lack lactotropes, somatotropes, and thyrotropes, although the adenohypophysis is of normal size, without any sign of increased apoptosis rates. Instead, mutant embryos initiate ectopic expression of pomc in pit1-positive cells, leading to an expansion of the Pomc lineage. Similarly, the number of gonadotropes seems increased, as indicated by the expression of gsualpha, a marker for thyrotropes and gonadotropes. In pit1 mutants, the total number of gsualpha-positive cells is normal despite the loss of gsualpha and tshbeta coexpressing cells. Together, these data suggest a transfating of the Pit1 lineage to the Pomc and possibly the gonadotroph lineages in the mutant, and a pomc- and gonadotropin-repressive role of Pit1 during normal zebrafish development. This is different from mouse, for which a repressive role of Pit-1 has only been reported for the gonadotropin Lhbeta, but not for Pomc. In sum, our data point to both conserved and class-specific aspects of Pit1 function during pituitary development in different vertebrate species.

Near infrared photoimmunotherapy in the treatment of disseminated peritoneal ovarian cancer

PubMed Central

Sato, Kazuhide; Hanaoka, Hirofumi; Watanabe, Rira; Nakajima, Takahito; Choyke, Peter L.; Kobayashi, Hisataka

2014-01-01

Near infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) is a new cancer treatment that combines the specificity of intravenously injected antibodies for targeting tumors with the toxicity induced by photosensitizers after exposure to near infrared (NIR) light. Herein, we evaluate the efficacy of NIR-PIT in a mouse model of disseminated peritoneal ovarian cancer. In vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted with a HER2-expressing, luciferase expressing, ovarian cancer cell line (SKOV-luc). An antibody-photosensitizer conjugate (APC) consisting of trastuzumab and a phthalocyanine dye, IRDye-700DX, was synthesized (tra-IR700) and cells or tumors were exposed to near infrared (NIR) light. In vitro PIT cytotoxicity was assessed with dead staining and luciferase activity in freely growing cells and in a 3D spheroid model. In vivo NIR-PIT was performed in mice with tumors implanted in the peritoneum and in the flank and these assessed by tumor volume and/or bioluminescence. In vitro NIR-PIT-induced cytotoxicity was light dose dependent. Repeated light exposures induced complete tumor cell killing in the 3D spheroid model. In vivo the anti-tumor effects of NIR-PIT were confirmed by significant reductions in both tumor volume and luciferase activity in the flank model (NIR-PIT vs control in tumor volume changes at day 10; p=0.0001, NIR-PIT vs control in luciferase activity at day 4; p=0.0237), and the peritoneal model (NIR-PIT vs control in luciferase activity at day 7; p=0.0037). NIR-PIT provided effective cell killing in this HER2 positive model of disseminated peritoneal ovarian cancer. Thus, NIR-PIT is a promising new therapy for the treatment of disseminated peritoneal tumors. PMID:25416790

Simulations and measurements of artificial cracks and pits in flat stainless steel plates using tone burst eddy-current thermography (TBET)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Libin, M. N.; Balasubramaniam, Krishnan; Maxfield, B. W.; Krishnamurthy, C. V.

2013-01-01

Tone Burst Eddy current Thermography (TBET) is a new hybrid, non-contacting, Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) method which employs a combination of Pulsed Eddy current Thermography (PEC) and Thermographic Non-Destructive Evaluation (TNDE). For understanding the influence of cracking and pitting on heat generation and flow within a metallic body, a fundamental knowledge of the detailed induced current density distribution in the component under test is required. This information enables us to calculate the amount of heat produced by the defects and how that heat diffuses to the surface where it is imaged. This paper describes simulation work done for artificial pits and cracks within pits on the far surface of poorly conducting metals like stainless steel. The first phase of this investigation simulates the transient thermal distribution for artificial 2D pit and crack-like defects using the finite element package COMSOL multi-physics with the AC/DC module and general heat transfer. Considering the reflection measurement geometry where thermal excitation and temperature monitoring are on the same surface, pitting reduces the material volume thereby contributing to a larger temperature rise for the same thermal energy input. A crack within a pit gives a further increase in temperature above the pure pit baseline. The tone burst frequency can be changed to obtain approximately uniform heating (low frequency) or heating of a thin region at the observation surface. Although front surface temperature changes due to 10% deep far-side pits in a 6 mm thick plate can be measured, it is not yet clear whether a 20% deep crack within this pit can be discriminated against the background. Both simulations and measurements will be presented. The objective of this work is to determine whether the TBET method is suitable for the detection and characterization of far side pitting, cracking and cracks within those pits.

Dependency of EBT2 film calibration curve on postirradiation time

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chang, Liyun, E-mail: liyunc@isu.edu.tw; Ding, Hueisch-Jy; Ho, Sheng-Yow

2014-02-15

Purpose: The Ashland Inc. product EBT2 film model is a widely used quality assurance tool, especially for verification of 2-dimensional dose distributions. In general, the calibration film and the dose measurement film are irradiated, scanned, and calibrated at the same postirradiation time (PIT), 1-2 days after the films are irradiated. However, for a busy clinic or in some special situations, the PIT for the dose measurement film may be different from that of the calibration film. In this case, the measured dose will be incorrect. This paper proposed a film calibration method that includes the effect of PIT. Methods: Themore » dose versus film optical density was fitted to a power function with three parameters. One of these parameters was PIT dependent, while the other two were found to be almost constant with a standard deviation of the mean less than 4%. The PIT-dependent parameter was fitted to another power function of PIT. The EBT2 film model was calibrated using the PDD method with 14 different PITs ranging from 1 h to 2 months. Ten of the fourteen PITs were used for finding the fitting parameters, and the other four were used for testing the model. Results: The verification test shows that the differences between the delivered doses and the film doses calculated with this modeling were mainly within 2% for delivered doses above 60 cGy, and the total uncertainties were generally under 5%. The errors and total uncertainties of film dose calculation were independent of the PIT using the proposed calibration procedure. However, the fitting uncertainty increased with decreasing dose or PIT, but stayed below 1.3% for this study. Conclusions: The EBT2 film dose can be modeled as a function of PIT. For the ease of routine calibration, five PITs were suggested to be used. It is recommended that two PITs be located in the fast developing period (1∼6 h), one in 1 ∼ 2 days, one around a week, and one around a month.« less

New Generation Energy Efficient Refractory Application in Soaking Pits of Bhilai Steel Plant, Sail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Indranil; Chintaiah, Perumetla; Bhattacharya, Ajoy Kr.; Garai, Swapan Kr.; Ray Choudhury, Pankaj Kr.; Tiwari, Laksman

In Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP), soaking pits are used for heating ingots for successive rolling into blooms. Pits are operated at a temperature of around 1350°C. Mixed gas (Mixture of Blast Furnace gas & Coke Oven gas) of calorific value around 2040 kcal/Nm3 is used as fuel. The walls of soaking pits were lined with traditional 38% Al2O3 firebricks and top 500mm was cast with 70% Al2O3 low cement castable (LCC). This type of lining results in frequent damages due to hitting by ingots while being lifted from pit by overhead cranes thus affecting the availability of pit. Life of pits was 2 to 2.5 years in BSP with 3-4 cold repairs and 3-4 hot repairs. Energy loss through the wall is also quite high in this type of lining. To triumph over the limitations of the conventional lining, a lining design was developed for the walls which consist of special 70% Al2O3 LCC having high hot strength (HMOR) in combination with specially design flexible SS-304 anchors. Ceramic fiber blanket and insulation bricks were provided between castable and the metallic shell of the pit to minimize the heat loss. A heating schedule was developed and introduced based on available infrastructure at BSP for proper curing of modified LCC based lining. After introduction of modified lining, pit no. 14/2 is running for more than 2.5 years without any repair. To capitalize the success, two more pits i.e. 12/1 and 9/2 were converted to modified lining. These pits are also running satisfactorily for more than 1.5 years. The modification has resulted in higher availability with substantial increase in production. Shell temperature of the modified pits reduced to 90° - 140°C from 120° - 200°C of conventional pits. This shows reduction in heat loss through walls, resulting less fuel consumption and energy saving of about 18%.

Detection probability of an in-stream passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag detection system for juvenile salmonids in the Klamath River, northern California, 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beeman, John W.; Hayes, Brian; Wright, Katrina

2012-01-01

A series of in-stream passive integrated transponder (PIT) detection antennas installed across the Klamath River in August 2010 were tested using tagged fish in the summer of 2011. Six pass-by antennas were constructed and anchored to the bottom of the Klamath River at a site between the Shasta and Scott Rivers. Two of the six antennas malfunctioned during the spring of 2011 and two pass-through antennas were installed near the opposite shoreline prior to system testing. The detection probability of the PIT tag detection system was evaluated using yearling coho salmon implanted with a PIT tag and a radio transmitter and then released into the Klamath River slightly downstream of Iron Gate Dam. Cormack-Jolly-Seber capture-recapture methods were used to estimate the detection probability of the PIT tag detection system based on detections of PIT tags there and detections of radio transmitters at radio-telemetry detection systems downstream. One of the 43 PIT- and radio-tagged fish released was detected by the PIT tag detection system and 23 were detected by the radio-telemetry detection systems. The estimated detection probability of the PIT tag detection system was 0.043 (standard error 0.042). Eight PIT-tagged fish from other studies also were detected. Detections at the PIT tag detection system were at the two pass-through antennas and the pass-by antenna adjacent to them. Above average river discharge likely was a factor in the low detection probability of the PIT tag detection system. High discharges dislodged two power cables leaving 12 meters of the river width unsampled for PIT detections and resulted in water depths greater than the read distance of the antennas, which allowed fish to pass over much of the system with little chance of being detected. Improvements in detection probability may be expected under river discharge conditions where water depth over the antennas is within maximum read distance of the antennas. Improvements also may be expected if additional arrays of antennas are used.

Modeling pitting corrosion of iron exposed to alkaline solutions containing nitrate and nitrite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Lifeng

2001-07-01

Pitting corrosion could be extremely serious for dilute high-level radioactive waste stored or processed in carbon steel tanks at the Savannah River Site. In these solutions, nitrate is an aggressive ion with respect to pitting of carbon steel while nitrite can be used as an inhibitor. Excessive additions of nitrite increase the risk of generating unstable nitrogen compounds during waste processing, and insufficient additions of nitrite could increase the risk of corrosion-induced failure. Thus there are strong incentives to obtain a fundamental understanding of the role of nitrite in pitting corrosion prevention with these solution chemistries. In this dissertation, both a 1-D and a 2-D model are used to study the pitting mechanism as a function of nitrite/nitrate ratios. The 1-D model used BAND(J) to test a reaction mechanism for the passivation behavior by comparing the predicted Open Circuit Potential (OCP) with OCP data from experiments at different NO2-/NO3- ratio. The model predictions are compared with Cyclic Potentiodynamic Polarization (CPP) experiments. A 2-D model was developed for the propagation of a pit in iron by writing subroutines for finite element software of GAMBIT and FIDAP. Geometrically distributed anodic and cathodic reactions are assumed. The results show three partial explanations describing the inhibition influence of nitrite to iron corrosion: the competing reduction reaction of nitrate to nitrite, the formation of Fe(OH)+, and the function of the porous film. The current distributions and the effect of porosity of the film on pH are also explained. The calculation results also show that rate of pit growth decreases as the pit diameter increases until it reaches a constant value. The profile of the local current density on the pit wall is parabolic for small pits and it changes to a linear distribution for large pits. The model predicts that addition of nitrite will decrease the production of ferrous ions and those can prevent iron from dissolving. Also nitrate ion will accumulate in the pit if not enough inhibitor is added to the solution, and this will accelerate pit growth.

Transcriptomic analysis of apple fruit ripening and texture attributes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Molecular events regulating cultivar-specific apple fruit ripening and sensory quality are largely unknown. Such knowledge is essential for genomic-assisted apple breeding and postharvest quality management. The ripening behavior and texture attributes of two apple cultivars, ‘Pink Lady’ and ‘Honey...

Where to prick the apple for skin testing?

PubMed

Vlieg-Boerstra, B J; van de Weg, W E; van der Heide, S; Dubois, A E J

2013-09-01

Mal d 1 is not equally distributed over the apple. We aimed to examine the influence of the location of pricking in the apple on prick-to-prick skin prick test (PTP) results. PTPs were performed in autumn 2007 and spring 2008, before the birch pollen season, in 32 Dutch adults with symptoms of oral allergy to fresh apple, using apples harvested in autumn 2007. PTPs with fresh intact and unpeeled Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, Elise, Santana and Modi apples were performed using material obtained from approximately 2 cm near the stalk (top), and the middle region. All PTP responses were greater when performed with apple material near the stalk than from the middle region. In 2007, these differences were statistically significant for Pink Lady, Golden Delicious and Elise, and in 2008, for Pink Lady and Modi. When performing PTPs, the apple should be pricked near the stalk rather than in the middle. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Antioxidant activity of apple peels.

PubMed

Wolfe, Kelly; Wu, Xianzhong; Liu, Rui Hai

2003-01-29

Consumption of fruits and vegetables has been shown to be effective in the prevention of chronic diseases. These benefits are often attributed to the high antioxidant content of some plant foods. Apples are commonly eaten and are large contributors of phenolic compounds in European and North American diets. The peels of apples, in particular, are high in phenolics. During applesauce and canned apple manufacture, the antioxidant-rich peels of apples are discarded. To determine if a useful source of antioxidants is being wasted, the phytochemical content, antioxidant activity, and antiproliferative activity of the peels of four varieties of apples (Rome Beauty, Idared, Cortland, and Golden Delicious) commonly used in applesauce production in New York state were investigated. The values of the peels were compared to those of the flesh and flesh + peel components of the apples. Within each variety, the total phenolic and flavonoid contents were highest in the peels, followed by the flesh + peel and the flesh. Idared and Rome Beauty apple peels had the highest total phenolic contents (588.9 +/- 83.2 and 500.2 +/- 13.7 mg of gallic acid equivalents/100 g of peels, respectively). Rome Beauty and Idared peels were also highest in flavonoids (306.1 +/- 6.7 and 303.2 +/- 41.5 mg of catechin equivalents/100 g of peels, respectively). Of the four varieties, Idared apple peels had the most anthocyanins, with 26.8 +/- 6.5 mg of cyanidin 3-glucoside equivalents/100 g of peels. The peels all had significantly higher total antioxidant activities than the flesh + peel and flesh of the apple varieties examined. Idared peels had the greatest antioxidant activity (312.2 +/- 9.8 micromol of vitamin C equivalents/g of peels). Apple peels were also shown to more effectively inhibit the growth of HepG(2) human liver cancer cells than the other apple components. Rome Beauty apple peels showed the most bioactivity, inhibiting cell proliferation by 50% at the low concentration of 12.4 +/- 0.4 mg of peels/mL. The high content of phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, and antiproliferative activity of apple peels indicate that they may impart health benefits when consumed and should be regarded as a valuable source of antioxidants.

Identification, characterization, and utilization of genome-wide simple sequence repeats to identify a QTL for acidity in apple

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Apple is an economically important fruit crop worldwide. Developing a genetic linkage map is a critical step towards mapping and cloning of genes responsible for important horticultural traits in apple. To facilitate linkage map construction, we surveyed and characterized the distribution and frequency of perfect microsatellites in assembled contig sequences of the apple genome. Results A total of 28,538 SSRs have been identified in the apple genome, with an overall density of 40.8 SSRs per Mb. Di-nucleotide repeats are the most frequent microsatellites in the apple genome, accounting for 71.9% of all microsatellites. AT/TA repeats are the most frequent in genomic regions, accounting for 38.3% of all the G-SSRs, while AG/GA dimers prevail in transcribed sequences, and account for 59.4% of all EST-SSRs. A total set of 310 SSRs is selected to amplify eight apple genotypes. Of these, 245 (79.0%) are found to be polymorphic among cultivars and wild species tested. AG/GA motifs in genomic regions have detected more alleles and higher PIC values than AT/TA or AC/CA motifs. Moreover, AG/GA repeats are more variable than any other dimers in apple, and should be preferentially selected for studies, such as genetic diversity and linkage map construction. A total of 54 newly developed apple SSRs have been genetically mapped. Interestingly, clustering of markers with distorted segregation is observed on linkage groups 1, 2, 10, 15, and 16. A QTL responsible for malic acid content of apple fruits is detected on linkage group 8, and accounts for ~13.5% of the observed phenotypic variation. Conclusions This study demonstrates that di-nucleotide repeats are prevalent in the apple genome and that AT/TA and AG/GA repeats are the most frequent in genomic and transcribed sequences of apple, respectively. All SSR motifs identified in this study as well as those newly mapped SSRs will serve as valuable resources for pursuing apple genetic studies, aiding the apple breeding community in marker-assisted breeding, and for performing comparative genomic studies in Rosaceae. PMID:23039990

Antioxidant activity of apples--an impact of maturity stage and fruit part.

PubMed

Duda-Chodak, Aleksandra; Tarko, Tomasz; Tuszyński, Tadeusz

2011-01-01

Recently, many studies have been oriented towards improving methods and efficiency of antioxidants recovery from different fruit and their wastes.The aim of the study was to evaluate antioxidant potential of apple seeds and peel, which constitute the fruit industry wastes, and compare it to apple flesh. Antioxidant activity of apples at different maturity and storage stage were analysed too. The Idared and the Šampion cultivars of apples were used in the study. Antioxidant activity was estimated using ABTS and DPPH assays, and polyphenols profile was determined by HPLC method. Seeds of analysed apple cultivars were characterised by a significantly higher antioxidant capacity and by higher concentrations of polyphenols analysed when compared to their peel and flesh. There were present two predominant compounds: phloridzin in seeds (84% and 72%) and quercetin glycosides in peels (54% and 38%, Idared and Šampion cultivars, respectively). No quercetin glycosides in seeds were found. The capacity to scavenge an ABTS radical, but not DPPH, decreased during ripening of apples, while cold storage resulted in enhanced antioxidant potential. It can be concluded that unripe apples together with apple seeds and peel (fruit industry wastes) constitute a valuable source of polyphenols.

7 CFR 51.311 - Marking requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Apples Marking Requirements § 51.311 Marking requirements... minimum diameter of apples packed in a closed container shall be indicated on the container. For apple... varieties, the minimum diameter and minimum weight of apples packed in a closed container shall be indicated...

7 CFR 773.1 - Introduction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... SPECIAL PROGRAMS SPECIAL APPLE LOAN PROGRAM § 773.1 Introduction. This part contains the terms and conditions for loans made under the Special Apple Loan Program. These regulations are applicable to... program objective is to assist producers of apples suffering from economic loss as a result of low apple...

7 CFR 51.311 - Marking requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Apples Marking Requirements § 51.311 Marking requirements... minimum diameter of apples packed in a closed container shall be indicated on the container. For apple... varieties, the minimum diameter and minimum weight of apples packed in a closed container shall be indicated...

7 CFR 51.311 - Marking requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Apples Marking Requirements § 51.311 Marking requirements... minimum diameter of apples packed in a closed container shall be indicated on the container. For apple... varieties, the minimum diameter and minimum weight of apples packed in a closed container shall be indicated...

7 CFR 773.1 - Introduction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... SPECIAL PROGRAMS SPECIAL APPLE LOAN PROGRAM § 773.1 Introduction. This part contains the terms and conditions for loans made under the Special Apple Loan Program. These regulations are applicable to... program objective is to assist producers of apples suffering from economic loss as a result of low apple...

7 CFR 773.1 - Introduction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... SPECIAL PROGRAMS SPECIAL APPLE LOAN PROGRAM § 773.1 Introduction. This part contains the terms and conditions for loans made under the Special Apple Loan Program. These regulations are applicable to... program objective is to assist producers of apples suffering from economic loss as a result of low apple...

7 CFR 773.1 - Introduction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... SPECIAL PROGRAMS SPECIAL APPLE LOAN PROGRAM § 773.1 Introduction. This part contains the terms and conditions for loans made under the Special Apple Loan Program. These regulations are applicable to... program objective is to assist producers of apples suffering from economic loss as a result of low apple...

7 CFR 773.1 - Introduction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... SPECIAL PROGRAMS SPECIAL APPLE LOAN PROGRAM § 773.1 Introduction. This part contains the terms and conditions for loans made under the Special Apple Loan Program. These regulations are applicable to... program objective is to assist producers of apples suffering from economic loss as a result of low apple...

76 FR 12096 - McCloud-Pit Project; Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-04

... Project; Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Mccloud-Pit... Pit Rivers in Shasta County, California and has prepared a final environmental impact statement (EIS... and the alternatives for relicensing the McCloud-Pit Project. The final EIS documents the views of...

Cavitation pitting and erosion of aluminum 6061-T6 in mineral oil water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rao, B. C. S.; Buckley, D. H.

1983-01-01

Cavitation erosion studies of aluminum 6061-T6 in mineral oil and in ordinary tap water are presented. The maximum erosion rate (MDPR, or mean depth of penetration rate) in mineral oil was about four times that in water. The MDPR in mineral oil decreased continuously with time, but the MDPR in water remained approximately constant. The cavitation pits in mineral oil were of smaller diameter and depth than the pits in water. Treating the pits as spherical segments, we computed the radius r of the sphere. The logarithm of h/a, where h is the pit depth and 2a is the top width of the pit, was linear when plotted against the logarithm of 2r/h - 1.

Microcrater investigations on lunar rock 12002

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartung, J. B.; Hodges, F.; Horz, F.; Storzer, D.

1975-01-01

Relative ages of 26 submillimeter-sized pits from an equilibrium population in rock 12002 were measured by determining the densities of pits 0.7 microns in diameter and larger on the submillimeter-sized pits. Production rates for 0.7 micron diameter pits were determined from solar-flare track exposure age measurements, and the data for rock 12002 are consistent with previously obtained data for sample 15205 if a lower meteoroid flux prevailed in the past. Metal mounds or spherules within a microcrater pit glass were found to have a meteoritic composition, and an impact lining consisting of protruding crystals was observed. The crystals apparently developed during exposure to space immediately after the 200-micron diameter pit was formed by impact into an olivine grain.

Antioxidant activity and HPLC analysis of polyphenol-enriched extracts from industrial apple pomace.

PubMed

Bai, Xuelian; Zhang, Huawei; Ren, Shuang

2013-08-15

Phenolic compounds are the predominant ingredients in apple pomace. However, polyphenols from industrial apple pomace, which usually consists of several cultivars, have not been studied in detail. The present work focused on the antioxidant assay and HPLC analysis of polyphenol-enriched extracts from industrial apple pomace. Six fractions of apple polyphenols, API to APVI, were acquired through extraction and purification using absorbent macroporous resin. Fraction APIII, eluted by 40% aqueous ethanol, had the highest content of total phenolics (1.48 ± 0.03 g gallic acid equivalents g(-1) dry apple pomace), which consisted of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, syrigin, procyanidin B2, (-)-epicatechin, cinnamic acid, coumaric acid and quercetin. Antioxidant assays showed that APIII had the strongest antioxidant activity of DPPH radical scavenging rate (90.96% ± 10.23%), ABTS radical inhibition rate (89.78% ± 6.54%) and the strongest reducing power (8.30 ± 0.71 µmol Trolox equivalents kg(-1) dry apple pomace). It also indicated that procyanidin B2, chlorogenic acid, (-)-epicatechin and quercetin had stronger antioxidant capacity than other phenols. Our data suggested that extracts from industrial apple pomace were rich in phenols and exhibited potent antioxidant activity. Extraction of polyphenols from industrial apple pomace would bring a great benefit and improve development of apple juice and cider industries. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Thyme and Savory Essential Oil Efficacy and Induction of Resistance against Botrytis cinerea through Priming of Defense Responses in Apple

PubMed Central

Banani, Houda; Olivieri, Leone; Santoro, Karin; Garibaldi, Angelo; Gullino, Maria Lodovica

2018-01-01

The efficacy of thyme and savory essential oils were investigated against Botrytis cinerea on apple fruit. Apples treated with thyme and savory essential oils showed significantly lower gray mold severity and incidence. Thyme essential oil at 1% concentration showed the highest efficacy, with lower disease incidence and smaller lesion diameter. The expression of specific pathogenesis-related (PR) genes PR-8 and PR-5 was characterized in apple tissues in response to thyme oil application and B. cinerea inoculation. After 6 h of pathogen inoculation, thyme essential oil induced a 2.5-fold increase of PR-8 gene expression compared to inoculated fruits. After 24 h of inoculation, PR-8 was highly induced (7-fold) in both thyme oil-treated and untreated apples inoculated with B. cinerea. After 48 h of inoculation, PR-8 expression in thyme-treated and inoculated apples was 4- and 6-fold higher than in inoculated and water-treated apples. Neither thyme oil application nor B. cinerea inoculation markedly affected PR-5 expression. These results suggest that thyme oil induces resistance against B. cinerea through the priming of defense responses in apple fruit, and the PR-8 gene of apple may play a key role in the mechanism by which thyme essential oil effectively inhibits gray mold in apple fruit. PMID:29360731

Dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization of patulin in apple juice and apple-based food with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Zhang, Kai; Wong, Jon W; Mai, Huy; Trucksess, Mary W

2014-05-07

A dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed to determine patulin in apple juice and apple-based food. Different dopants, dopant flow rates, and LC separation conditions were evaluated. Using toluene as the dopant, the LC-APPI-MS/MS method achieved a linear calibration from 12.5 to 2000 μg/L (r(2) > 0.99). Matrix-dependent limits of quantitation (LOQs) were from 8 μg/L (solvent) to 12 μg/L (apple juice). [(13)C]-Patulin-fortified apple juice samples were directly analyzed by the LC-APPI-MS/MS method. Other apple-based food was fortified with [(13)C]-patulin, diluted using water (1% formic acid), centrifuged, and filtered, followed by LC-APPI-MS/MS analysis. In clear apple juice, unfiltered apple cider, applesauce, and apple-based baby food, average recoveries were 101 ± 6% (50 μg/kg), 103 ± 5% (250 μg/kg), and 102 ± 5% (1000 μg/kg) (av ± SD, n = 16). Using the suggested method, patulin was detected in 3 of 30 collected market samples with concentrations ranging from

Thyme and Savory Essential Oil Efficacy and Induction of Resistance against Botrytis cinerea through Priming of Defense Responses in Apple.

PubMed

Banani, Houda; Olivieri, Leone; Santoro, Karin; Garibaldi, Angelo; Gullino, Maria Lodovica; Spadaro, Davide

2018-01-23

The efficacy of thyme and savory essential oils were investigated against Botrytis cinerea on apple fruit. Apples treated with thyme and savory essential oils showed significantly lower gray mold severity and incidence. Thyme essential oil at 1% concentration showed the highest efficacy, with lower disease incidence and smaller lesion diameter. The expression of specific pathogenesis-related (PR) genes PR-8 and PR-5 was characterized in apple tissues in response to thyme oil application and B. cinerea inoculation. After 6 h of pathogen inoculation, thyme essential oil induced a 2.5-fold increase of PR-8 gene expression compared to inoculated fruits. After 24 h of inoculation, PR-8 was highly induced (7-fold) in both thyme oil-treated and untreated apples inoculated with B. cinerea . After 48 h of inoculation, PR-8 expression in thyme-treated and inoculated apples was 4- and 6-fold higher than in inoculated and water-treated apples. Neither thyme oil application nor B. cinerea inoculation markedly affected PR-5 expression. These results suggest that thyme oil induces resistance against B. cinerea through the priming of defense responses in apple fruit, and the PR-8 gene of apple may play a key role in the mechanism by which thyme essential oil effectively inhibits gray mold in apple fruit.

Analysis of hyperspectral scattering images using locally linear embedding algorithm for apple mealiness classification

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hyperspectral scattering technique provides a means for assessing the structural and/or physical properties of apples. It could thus be useful for detection of apple mealiness, which is a symptom of physiological disorder, resulting in an undesirable texture and taste for apples and degrading their ...

7 CFR 51.318 - Serious damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.318 Serious damage. “Serious damage” means any specific... or shipping quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple... combination of lesser bruises which detract from the appearance or edible quality of the apple to an extent...

7 CFR 51.318 - Serious damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.318 Serious damage. “Serious damage” means any specific... or shipping quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple... combination of lesser bruises which detract from the appearance or edible quality of the apple to an extent...

7 CFR 457.158 - Apple crop insurance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Apple crop insurance provisions. 457.158 Section 457... CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMON CROP INSURANCE REGULATIONS § 457.158 Apple crop insurance provisions. The apple crop insurance provisions for the 2011 and succeeding crop years are as follows: FCIC...

7 CFR 457.158 - Apple crop insurance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Apple crop insurance provisions. 457.158 Section 457... CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMON CROP INSURANCE REGULATIONS § 457.158 Apple crop insurance provisions. The apple crop insurance provisions for the 2011 and succeeding crop years are as follows: FCIC...

7 CFR 51.318 - Serious damage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.318 Serious damage. “Serious damage” means any specific... or shipping quality of the apple. In addition, specific defect measurements are based on an apple... combination of lesser bruises which detract from the appearance or edible quality of the apple to an extent...

7 CFR 51.312 - Mature.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.312 Mature. “Mature” means that the apples have reached the... apple becomes overripe it will show varying degrees of firmness, depending upon the stage of the ripening process. The following terms are used for describing different stages of firmness of apples: (a...

7 CFR 51.312 - Mature.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.312 Mature. “Mature” means that the apples have reached the... apple becomes overripe it will show varying degrees of firmness, depending upon the stage of the ripening process. The following terms are used for describing different stages of firmness of apples: (a...

7 CFR 457.158 - Apple crop insurance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Apple crop insurance provisions. 457.158 Section 457... CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMON CROP INSURANCE REGULATIONS § 457.158 Apple crop insurance provisions. The apple crop insurance provisions for the 2011 and succeeding crop years are as follows: FCIC...

7 CFR 51.320 - Diameter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

..., CERTIFICATION, AND STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.320 Diameter. When measuring for minimum size, “diameter” means the greatest dimension of the apple measured at right angles to... dimension of the apple determined by passing the apple through a round opening in any position. U.S...

7 CFR 457.158 - Apple crop insurance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Apple crop insurance provisions. 457.158 Section 457... CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMON CROP INSURANCE REGULATIONS § 457.158 Apple crop insurance provisions. The apple crop insurance provisions for the 2011 and succeeding crop years are as follows: FCIC...

7 CFR 51.320 - Diameter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

..., CERTIFICATION, AND STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.320 Diameter. When measuring for minimum size, “diameter” means the greatest dimension of the apple measured at right angles to... dimension of the apple determined by passing the apple through a round opening in any position. U.S...

7 CFR 51.312 - Mature.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Standards for Grades of Apples Definitions § 51.312 Mature. “Mature” means that the apples have reached the... apple becomes overripe it will show varying degrees of firmness, depending upon the stage of the ripening process. The following terms are used for describing different stages of firmness of apples: (a...

Biodiversity of Total Phenolics, Antioxidant Capacity, and Juice Quality in Apple Cider Taxa

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Apples are known to contain antioxidants that may play an important role in human health by providing protection against reactive free radicals affecting a wide range of biological molecules including nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins. While fresh apple juice is a main product of processed apples,...

Detection of drought tolerant genes within seedling apple rootstocks in Syria

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This investigation was conducted to detect the drought tolerant genes (four genes) within seedling apple rootstocks derived from five apple genotypes, including Syrian apple cultivars. The results showed that the gene MdPepPro (a cyclophilin) was found in all studied genotypes and their progenies e...

The vulnerability of US apple (Malus) genetic resources

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Apple is one of the top three U.S. fruit crops in production and value. Apple production has high costs for land, labor and inputs, and orchards are a long-term commitment. Production is dominated by only a few apple scion cultivars and rootstocks, which increases susceptibility to dynamic external ...

75 FR 11071 - Removal of Varietal Restrictions on Apples from Japan

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-10

... on Apples from Japan AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Proposed rule... Japan to allow all varieties of Malus domestica apples into the United States under the same conditions... apples from Japan to be imported into the United States while continuing to protect against the...

Cherry-Slush-Candling Apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, James B.; Weiss, James R.; Hoover, Gordon

1996-01-01

Proposed infrared-scanning apparatus for use in bakeries making cherry pies detect cherry pits remaining in cherry slush after pitting process. Pits detected via their relative opacity to infrared radiation.

Properties of hydrocarbon- and salt-contaminated flare pit soils in northeastern British Columbia (Canada).

PubMed

Arocena, J M; Rutherford, P M

2005-07-01

Many contaminated sites in Canada are associated with flare pits generated during past petroleum extraction operations. Flare pits are located adjacent to well sites, compressor stations and batteries and are often subjected to the disposal of wastes from the flaring of gas, liquid hydrocarbons and brine water. This study was conducted to evaluate the physical, chemical, electrical and mineral properties of three flare pit soils as compared to adjacent control soils. Results showed that particle size distribution, pH, total N, cation exchange capacity, exchangeable Mg(2+), and sodium adsorption ratio were similar in soils from flare pits and control sites. Total C, exchangeable Ca(2+), K(+) and Na(+), soluble Ca(2+), Mg(2+), K(+) and Na(+) and electrical conductivity were higher in flare pit soils compared to control soils. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopic analyses showed the presence of gypsum [CaSO(4).2H(2)O], dolomite [CaMg(CO(3))(2)], pyrite [FeS(2)], jarosite [KFe(3)(OH)(6)(SO(4))(2)], magnesium sulphate, oxides of copper and iron+copper in salt efflorescence observed in flare pit soils. Soils from both flare pits and control sites contained mica, kaolonite and 2:1 expanding clays. The salt-rich materials altered the ionic equilibria in the flare pit soils; K(Mg-Ca) selectivity coefficients in control soils were higher compared to contaminated soils. The properties of soils (e.g., high electrical conductivity) affected by inputs associated with oil and gas operations might render flare pit soils less conducive to the establishment and growth of common agricultural crops and forest trees.

Chemical, Physical, and Biological Factors Shape Littoral Invertebrate Community Structure in Coal-Mining End-Pit Lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luek, Andreas; Rasmussen, Joseph B.

2017-04-01

Aquatic invertebrates form the base of the consumer food web in lakes. In coal-mining end-pit lakes, invertebrates are exposed to an environment with potentially challenging physical and chemical features. We hypothesized that the physical and chemical features of end-pit lakes reduce critical littoral habitat and thus reduce invertebrate diversity, thereby limiting the potential for these lakes to be naturalized. We used a multivariate approach using principle component analysis and redundancy analysis to study relationships between invertebrate community structure, habitat features, and water quality in five end-pit lakes and five natural lakes in the Rocky Mountain foothills of west-central Alberta, Canada. Results show a significantly different invertebrate community structure was present in end-pit lakes as compared with reference lakes in the same region, which could be accounted for by water hardness, conductivity, slope of the littoral zone, and phosphorus concentrations. Habitat diversity in end-pit lakes was also limited, cover provided by macrophytes was scarce, and basin slopes were significantly steeper in pit lakes. Although water chemistry is currently the strongest influencing factor on the invertebrate community, physical challenges of habitat homogeneity and steep slopes in the littoral zones were identified as major drivers of invertebrate community structure. The addition of floating wetlands to the littoral zone of existing pit lakes can add habitat complexity without the need for large-scale alterations to basing morphology, while impermeable capping of waste-rock and the inclusion of littoral habitat in the planning process of new pit lakes can improve the success of integrating new pit lakes into the landscape.

Pit Latrines and Their Impacts on Groundwater Quality: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Polizzotto, Matthew L.

2013-01-01

Background: Pit latrines are one of the most common human excreta disposal systems in low-income countries, and their use is on the rise as countries aim to meet the sanitation-related target of the Millennium Development Goals. There is concern, however, that discharges of chemical and microbial contaminants from pit latrines to groundwater may negatively affect human health. Objectives: Our goals were to a) calculate global pit latrine coverage, b) systematically review empirical studies of the impacts of pit latrines on groundwater quality, c) evaluate latrine siting standards, and d) identify knowledge gaps regarding the potential for and consequences of groundwater contamination by latrines. Methods: We used existing survey and population data to calculate global pit latrine coverage. We reviewed the scientific literature on the occurrence of contaminants originating from pit latrines and considered the factors affecting transport of these contaminants. Data were extracted from peer-reviewed articles, books, and reports identified using Web of ScienceSM, PubMed, Google, and document reference lists. Discussion: We estimated that approximately 1.77 billion people use pit latrines as their primary means of sanitation. Studies of pit latrines and groundwater are limited and have generally focused on only a few indicator contaminants. Although groundwater contamination is frequently observed downstream of latrines, contaminant transport distances, recommendations based on empirical studies, and siting guidelines are variable and not well aligned with one another. Conclusions: In order to improve environmental and human health, future research should examine a larger set of contextual variables, improve measurement approaches, and develop better criteria for siting pit latrines. PMID:23518813

Chemical, Physical, and Biological Factors Shape Littoral Invertebrate Community Structure in Coal-Mining End-Pit Lakes.

PubMed

Luek, Andreas; Rasmussen, Joseph B

2017-04-01

Aquatic invertebrates form the base of the consumer food web in lakes. In coal-mining end-pit lakes, invertebrates are exposed to an environment with potentially challenging physical and chemical features. We hypothesized that the physical and chemical features of end-pit lakes reduce critical littoral habitat and thus reduce invertebrate diversity, thereby limiting the potential for these lakes to be naturalized. We used a multivariate approach using principle component analysis and redundancy analysis to study relationships between invertebrate community structure, habitat features, and water quality in five end-pit lakes and five natural lakes in the Rocky Mountain foothills of west-central Alberta, Canada. Results show a significantly different invertebrate community structure was present in end-pit lakes as compared with reference lakes in the same region, which could be accounted for by water hardness, conductivity, slope of the littoral zone, and phosphorus concentrations. Habitat diversity in end-pit lakes was also limited, cover provided by macrophytes was scarce, and basin slopes were significantly steeper in pit lakes. Although water chemistry is currently the strongest influencing factor on the invertebrate community, physical challenges of habitat homogeneity and steep slopes in the littoral zones were identified as major drivers of invertebrate community structure. The addition of floating wetlands to the littoral zone of existing pit lakes can add habitat complexity without the need for large-scale alterations to basing morphology, while impermeable capping of waste-rock and the inclusion of littoral habitat in the planning process of new pit lakes can improve the success of integrating new pit lakes into the landscape.

Bounds for the Z-spectral radius of nonnegative tensors.

PubMed

He, Jun; Liu, Yan-Min; Ke, Hua; Tian, Jun-Kang; Li, Xiang

2016-01-01

In this paper, we have proposed some new upper bounds for the largest Z-eigenvalue of an irreducible weakly symmetric and nonnegative tensor, which improve the known upper bounds obtained in Chang et al. (Linear Algebra Appl 438:4166-4182, 2013), Song and Qi (SIAM J Matrix Anal Appl 34:1581-1595, 2013), He and Huang (Appl Math Lett 38:110-114, 2014), Li et al. (J Comput Anal Appl 483:182-199, 2015), He (J Comput Anal Appl 20:1290-1301, 2016).

Biochemical and structural characterization of a novel cooperative binding mode by Pit-1 with CATT repeats in the macrophage migration inhibitory factor promoter

PubMed Central

Agarwal, Sorabh

2018-01-01

Abstract Overexpression of the proinflammatory cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is linked to a number of autoimmune diseases and cancer. MIF production has been correlated to the number of CATT repeats in a microsatellite region upstream of the MIF gene. We have characterized the interaction of pituitary-specific positive transcription factor 1 (Pit-1) with a portion of the MIF promoter region flanking a microsatellite polymorphism (−794 CATT5–8). Using fluorescence anisotropy, we quantified tight complex formation between Pit-1 and an oligonucleotide consisting of eight consecutive CATT repeats (8xCATT) with an apparent Kd of 35 nM. Using competition experiments we found a 23 base pair oligonucleotide with 4xCATT repeats to be the minimum DNA sequence necessary for high affinity interaction with Pit-1. The stoichiometry of the Pit-1 DNA interaction was determined to be 2:1 and binding is cooperative in nature. We subsequently structurally characterized the complex and discovered a completely novel binding mode for Pit-1 in contrast to previously described Pit-1 complex structures. The affinity of Pit-1 for the CATT target sequence was found to be highly dependent on cooperativity. This work lays the groundwork for understanding transcriptional regulation of MIF and pursuing Pit-1 as a therapeutic target to treat MIF-mediated inflammatory disorders. PMID:29186613

A comparison of conventional capture versus PIT reader techniques for estimating survival and capture probabilities of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellison, L.E.; O'Shea, T.J.; Neubaum, D.J.; Neubaum, M.A.; Pearce, R.D.; Bowen, R.A.

2007-01-01

We compared conventional capture (primarily mist nets and harp traps) and passive integrated transponder (PIT) tagging techniques for estimating capture and survival probabilities of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) roosting in buildings in Fort Collins, Colorado. A total of 987 female adult and juvenile bats were captured and marked by subdermal injection of PIT tags during the summers of 2001-2005 at five maternity colonies in buildings. Openings to roosts were equipped with PIT hoop-style readers, and exit and entry of bats were passively monitored on a daily basis throughout the summers of 2002-2005. PIT readers 'recaptured' adult and juvenile females more often than conventional capture events at each roost. Estimates of annual capture probabilities for all five colonies were on average twice as high when estimated from PIT reader data (P?? = 0.93-1.00) than when derived from conventional techniques (P?? = 0.26-0.66), and as a consequence annual survival estimates were more precisely estimated when using PIT reader encounters. Short-term, daily capture estimates were also higher using PIT readers than conventional captures. We discuss the advantages and limitations of using PIT tags and passive encounters with hoop readers vs. conventional capture techniques for estimating these vital parameters in big brown bats. ?? Museum and Institute of Zoology PAS.

Photoimmunotherapy of Gastric Cancer Peritoneal Carcinomatosis in a Mouse Model

PubMed Central

Sato, Kazuhide; Choyke, Peter L.; Kobayashi, Hisataka

2014-01-01

Photoimmunotherapy (PIT) is a new cancer treatment that combines the specificity of antibodies for targeting tumors with the toxicity induced by photosensitizers after exposure to near infrared (NIR) light. We performed PIT in a model of disseminated gastric cancer peritoneal carcinomatosis and monitored efficacy with in vivo GFP fluorescence imaging. In vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted with a HER2-expressing, GFP-expressing, gastric cancer cell line (N87-GFP). A conjugate comprised of a photosensitizer, IR-700, conjugated to trastuzumab (tra-IR700), followed by NIR light was used for PIT. In vitro PIT was evaluated by measuring cytotoxicity with dead staining and a decrease in GFP fluorescence. In vivo PIT was evaluated in a disseminated peritoneal carcinomatosis model and a flank xenograft using tumor volume measurements and GFP fluorescence intensity. In vivo anti-tumor effects of PIT were confirmed by significant reductions in tumor volume (at day 15, p<0.0001 vs. control) and GFP fluorescence intensity (flank model: at day 3, PIT treated vs. control p<0.01 and peritoneal disseminated model: at day 3 PIT treated vs. control, p<0.05). Cytotoxic effects in vitro were shown to be dependent on the light dose and caused necrotic cell rupture leading to GFP release and a decrease in fluorescence intensity in vitro. Thus, loss of GFP fluorescence served as a useful biomarker of cell necrosis after PIT. PMID:25401794

Avoidance-based human Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer

PubMed Central

Lewis, Andrea H.; Niznikiewicz, Michael A.; Delamater, Andrew R.; Delgado, Mauricio R.

2013-01-01

The Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) paradigm probes the influence of Pavlovian cues over instrumentally learned behavior. The paradigm has been used extensively to probe basic cognitive and motivational processes in studies of animal learning but, more recently, PIT and its underlying neural basis have been extended to investigations in humans. These initial neuroimaging studies of PIT have focused on the influence of appetitively conditioned stimuli on instrumental responses maintained by positive reinforcement, and highlight the involvement of the striatum. In the current study, we sought to understand the neural correlates of PIT in an aversive Pavlovian learning situation when instrumental responding was maintained through negative reinforcement. Participants exhibited specific PIT, wherein selective increases in instrumental responding to conditioned stimuli occurred when the stimulus signaled a specific aversive outcome whose omission negatively reinforced the instrumental response. Additionally, a general PIT effect was observed such that when a stimulus was associated with a different aversive outcome than was used to negatively reinforce instrumental behavior, the presence of that stimulus caused a non-selective increase in overall instrumental responding. Both specific and general PIT behavioral effects correlated with increased activation in corticostriatal circuitry, particularly in the striatum, a region involved in cognitive and motivational processes. These results suggest that avoidance-based PIT utilizes a similar neural mechanism to that seen with PIT in an appetitive context, which has implications for understanding mechanisms of drug-seeking behavior during addiction and relapse. PMID:24118624

13. DETAIL WEST OF TURBINE PIT SHOWING PIT DRAINED AND ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

13. DETAIL WEST OF TURBINE PIT SHOWING PIT DRAINED AND TURBINE EXPOSED. ORIGINAL WATER LEVEL SHOWN BY LINE JUST ABOVE ARCHED OPENING TO LEFT. WATER LINE AFTER 1982 INSTALLATION OF FLASH BOARDS REVEALED BY DARK STAIN. - Middle Creek Hydroelectric Dam, On Middle Creek, West of U.S. Route 15, 3 miles South of Selinsgrove, Selinsgrove, Snyder County, PA

10. Turbine Pit of Unit 5, view to the north. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

10. Turbine Pit of Unit 5, view to the north. Note the difference in configuration within this turbine pit as compared to one of the original pits illustrated in photograph number MT-105-A-11. - Washington Water Power Clark Fork River Noxon Rapids Hydroelectric Development, Powerhouse, South bank of Clark Fork River at Noxon Rapids, Noxon, Sanders County, MT

Weathering pits as indicators of the relative age of granite surfaces in the Cairngorm mountains, Scotland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hall, A.M.; Phillips, W.M.

2006-01-01

Weathering pits 1-140 cm deep occur on granite surfaces in the Cairngorms associated with a range of landforms, including tors, glacially exposed slabs, large erratics and blockfields. Pit depth is positively correlated with cosmogenic exposure age, and both measures show consistent relationships on individual rock landforms. Rates of pit deepening are non-linear and a best fit is provided by the sigmoidal function D = b1+ exp(b2+b3/t). The deepest pits occur on unmodified tor summits, where 10 Be exposure ages indicate that surfaces have been exposed to weathering for a minimum of 52-297 ka. Glacially exposed surfaces with pits 10-46 cm deep have given 10 Be exposure durations of 21-79 ka, indicating exposure by glacial erosion before the last glacial cycle. The combination of cosmogenic exposure ages with weathering pit depths greatly extends the area over which inferences can be made regarding the ages of granite surfaces in the Cairngorms. Well-developed weathering pits on glacially exposed surfaces in other granite areas are potential indicators of glacial erosion before the Last Glacial Maximum. ?? Swedish Society for Anthropology and Geography.

Perforated Pit Membranes in Imperforate Tracheary Elements of Some Angiosperms

PubMed Central

SANO, YUZOU; JANSEN, STEVEN

2006-01-01

• Background and Aims The structure of pit membranes in angiosperms has not been fully examined and our understanding about the structure is incomplete. Therefore, this study aims to illustrate the micromorphology of pit membranes in fibres and tracheids of woody species from various families. • Methods Specimens from ten species from ten genera and eight families were prepared using two techniques and examined by field-emission scanning electron microscopy. • Key Results Interfibre pit membranes with an average diameter of <4 µm were frequently perforated or appeared to be very porous. In contrast, pit membranes in imperforate tracheary elements with distinctly bordered pits and an average diameter of ≥4 µm were homogeneous and densely packed with microfibrils. These differences were observed consistently not only among species but also within a single species in which different types of imperforate tracheary elements were present. • Conclusions This study demonstrates that the structure of interfibre pit membranes differs among cell types and the differences are closely associated with the specialization of the fibre cells. It is suggested that perforated pit membranes between specialized fibres contribute to the dehydration of the fibre cells at or soon after maturation. PMID:16520339

Evaluation of methods for attaching PIT tags and biotelemetry devices to freshwater mussels

USGS Publications Warehouse

Young, S.P.; Isely, J.J.

2008-01-01

We evaluated methods to attach PIT tags and transmitters to freshwater mussels. Mussels received externally-mounted PIT tags using cyanoacrylate or underwater epoxy, and a sub-group of those with PIT tags attached using cyanoacrylate also received dummy transmitters. Tag retention and survival were 100% after a 30 day laboratory observation period for each method. During the subsequent 18 months of field observation, underwater epoxy and cyanoacrylate proved to be adequate adhesives for attaching PIT tags and transmitters. Epoxy performed best with 100% PIT tag retention. Cyanoacrylate also provided high retention rates of PIT tags and transmitters, >90%. Mortality was minimal at 4.7% for all relocated mussels over 18 months. All mortalities were those tagged with cyanoacrylate. Three of the mortalities occurred among mussels fitted with dummy transmitters, and seven among PIT tags only. Percent recapture of the different tag/adhesive combinations ranged from 48 - 77.5% during 6- and 18-month surveys. Results suggest both adhesives provide a reliable method for external attachment of tags during freshwater mussel research; however, epoxy may be better suited because of slightly higher tag retention and reduced emersion times during attachment. Copyright ?? 2008 Malacological Society of Australasia.

Progressive Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Atrophy Associated With Enlarging Peripapillary Pit.

PubMed

Lee, Eun Ji; Kim, Tae-Woo

2017-02-01

To report a case in which progressive retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) atrophy was observed along with enlargement of the peripapillary pit. A 34-year-old male was diagnosed with primary open-angle glaucoma and followed up for 4 years with regular ophthalmic examinations. Both eyes were myopic (-10 D, OD and -10.5 D, OS), and untreated intraocular pressures were 18 mm Hg (OD) and 16 mm Hg (OS). A subtle depression of the superotemporal peripapillary area was deepened and emerged as a peripapillary pit during the follow-up period. With the enlargement of the peripapillary pit, a RNFL defect at the location of pit widened and thinned continuously. The enlargement of the pit was documented by the spectral-domain optical coherence tomography posterior pole scanning. Progressive RNFL atrophy was observed with enlargement of the peripapillary pit. The finding suggests that tensile stress derived from the scleral stretching may have significant influence on the integrity of the RNFL.

Heterogeneous nucleation of pits via step pinning during Si(100) homoepitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yitamben, E. N.; Butera, R. E.; Swartzentruber, B. S.; Simonson, R. J.; Misra, S.; Carroll, M. S.; Bussmann, E.

2017-11-01

Using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), we investigate oxide-induced growth pits in Si thin films deposited by molecular beam epitaxy. In the transition temperature range from 2D adatom islanding to step-flow growth, systematic controlled air leaks into the growth chamber induce pits in the growth surface. We show that pits are also correlated with oxygen-contaminated flux from Si sublimation sources. From a thermodynamic standpoint, multilayer growth pits are unexpected in relaxed homoepitaxial growth, whereas oxidation is a known cause for step pinning, roughening, and faceting on elemental surfaces, both with and without growth flux. Not surprisingly, pits are thermodynamically metastable and heal by annealing to recover a smooth periodic step arrangement. STM reveals new details about the pits’ atomistic origins and growth dynamics. We give a model for heterogeneous nucleation of pits by preferential adsorption of Å-sized oxide nuclei at intrinsic growth antiphase boundaries, and subsequent step pinning and bunching around the nuclei.

Electronic structures of GeSi nanoislands grown on pit-patterned Si(001) substrate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ye, Han, E-mail: Dabombyh@aliyun.com; Yu, Zhongyuan

2014-11-15

Patterning pit on Si(001) substrate prior to Ge deposition is an important approach to achieve GeSi nanoislands with high ordering and size uniformity. In present work, the electronic structures of realistic uncapped pyramid, dome, barn and cupola nanoislands grown in (105) pits are systematically investigated by solving Schrödinger equation for heavy-hole, which resorts to inhomogeneous strain distribution and nonlinear composition-dependent band parameters. Uniform, partitioned and equilibrium composition profile (CP) in nanoisland and inverted pyramid structure are simulated separately. We demonstrate the huge impact of composition profile on localization of heavy-hole: wave function of ground state is confined near pit facetsmore » for uniform CP, at bottom of nanoisland for partitioned CP and at top of nanoisland for equilibrium CP. Moreover, such localization is gradually compromised by the size effect as pit filling ratio or pit size decreases. The results pave the fundamental guideline of designing nanoislands on pit-patterned substrates for desired applications.« less

Pitting Corrosion of alloy 690 in thiosulfate-containing chloride solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Wen-Ta; Wu, Tsung-Feng

2000-01-01

The effects of thiosulfate ion and solution pH on pitting corrosion of Alloy 690 in chloride solution were explored. Potentiodynamic polarization measurements were conducted to evaluate pitting corrosion susceptibility of Alloy 690 in these environments. The results showed that pitting corrosion occurred in the mill-annealed (1050°C/5min) Alloy 690 in 1 wt% NaCl solution but not in 0.1 M Na 2S 2O 3 solution. The value of pitting nucleation potential ( Enp) determined in 1 wt% NaCl solution (without Na 2S 2O 3 ) increased with increasing solution pH value in the range of 2-10. The addition of Na 2S 2O 3 to 1 wt% NaCl solution greatly affected the pitting corrosion behavior, which was dependent on concentration. The preformed nickel sulfide surface film due to the presence of Na 2S 2O 3 caused Alloy 690 to become more susceptible to pitting corrosion in 1 wt% NaCl solution.

Structural Design and Monitoring Analysis of Foundation Pit Support in Yiwu Huishang Tiandi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chunsu

2017-08-01

Huishang Tiandi deep foundation pit in Yiwu is a two-story basement,which is located in the downtown area and adjacent to the city center main traffic trunk. The surrounding environment is too com-plex to slope. The excavation depth is large, the formation is weak and complex, and the groundwater level is high.In order to ensure the safety of the foundation wall and the surrounding environment, the deformation of the foundation pit support is strictly controlled, and the deformation and internal force of the foundation supporting structure and the surrounding building are monitored.The deformation law of the foundation pit is obtained through the analysis of the horizontal displacement, the deformation rate of the supporting struc-ture, the surrounding environment of the foundation pit and the internal force of the anchor cable. The relia-bility and rationality of the design of foundation pit support are verified. It is of reference value for the de-sign and construction of other deep foundation pit engineering in Yiwu area.