Synergistic interactions between leaf beetle herbivory and fire enhance tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) mortality

USGS Publications Warehouse

Drus, Gail M.; Dudley, Tom L.; Antonio, Carla M.; Even, Thomas J.; Brooks, Matt L.; Matchett, J.R.

2014-01-01

The combined effects of herbivory and fire on plant mortality were investigated using prescribed burns of tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima Lebed) exposed to herbivory by the saltcedar leaf beetle (Chrysomelidae: Diorhabda carinulata Desbrocher). Tamarix stands in the Humboldt Sink (NV, USA) were divided into three treatments: summer burn (August 2006), fall burn (October 2006) and control (unburned), and litter depth was manipulated to vary fire intensity within burn seasons. A gradient of existing herbivory impact was described with three plant condition metrics prior to fire: reduced proportions of green canopy, percent root crown starch sampled at the height of the growing season (August 2006), and percent root crown starch measured during dormancy (December 2006). August root crown starch concentration and proportion green canopy were strongly correlated, although the proportion green canopy predicted mortality better than August root crown starch. December root crown starch concentration was more depleted in unburned trees and in trees burned during the summer than in fall burn trees. Mortality in summer burned trees was higher than fall burned trees due to higher fire intensity, but December root crown starch available for resprouting in the spring was also lower in summer burned trees. The greatest mortality was observed in trees with the lowest December root crown starch concentration which were exposed to high fire intensity. Disproportionate changes in the slope and curvature of prediction traces as fire intensity and December starch reach reciprocal maximum and minimum levels indicate that beetle herbivory and fire intensity are synergistic.

Wide-area estimates of stand structure and water use of tamarix spp. on the lower colorado river: Implications for restoration and water management projects

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nagler, P.L.; Glenn, E.P.; Didan, K.; Osterberg, J.; Jordan, F.; Cunningham, J.

2008-01-01

Tamarix spp. removal has been proposed to salvage water and allow native vegetation to recolonize western U.S. riparian corridors. We conducted wide-area studies on the Lower Colorado River to answer some of the scientific questions about Tamarix water use and the consequences of removal, combining ground surveys with remote sensing methods. Tamarix stands had moderate rates of evapotranspiration (ET), based on remote sensing estimates, averaging 1.1 m/yr, similar to rates determined for other locations on the river and other rivers. Leaf area index values were also moderate, and stands were relatively open, with areas of bare soil interspersed within stands. At three Tamarix sites in the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, groundwater salinity at the site nearest to the river (200 m) was relatively low (circa 2,250 mg/L) and was within 3 m of the surface. However, 750 and 1,500 m from the river, the groundwater salinity was 5,000-10,000 mg/L due to removal of water by the Tamarix stands. Despite the high groundwater salinity, the sites away from the river did not have saline surface soils. Only 1% of the mean annual river flow is lost to Tamarix ET on the Lower Colorado River in the United States, and the opportunities for water salvage through Tamarix removal are constrained by its modest ET rates. A possible alternative to Tamarix removal is to intersperse native plants among the stands to improve the habitat value of the riparian zone. ?? 2008 Society for Ecological Restoration International.

Lack of establishment of the Mediterranean tamarisk beetle Diorhabda elongata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on athel (Tamarix aphylla) (Tamaricaceae) in south Texas

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Adult Mediterranean tamarisk beetles, Diorhabda elongata (Brullé), a defoliator of exotic saltcedar (Tamarix spp.), were released into four field cages containing small saltcedar trees or closely-related exotic athel trees (Tamarix aphylla (L.). Karsten) and onto uncaged beneficial mature athel tree...

The effects of insect biological control on a Tamarix invaded ecosystem: ecosystem water and carbon fluxes and plant-level responses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background / Questions / Methods: Tamarix spp. (saltcedar) has invaded many river systems in the western United States with detrimental impacts to flora and fauna. Traditional methods of invasive plant control have been ineffective or costly. Therefore, insect biological control of Tamarix with Di...

Hydrolyzable Tannins of Tamaricaceous Plants. 7.1 Structures and Cytotoxic Properties of Oligomeric Ellagitannins from Leaves of Tamarix nilotica and Cultured Tissues of Tamarix tetrandra.

PubMed

Orabi, Mohamed A A; Taniguchi, Shoko; Sakagami, Hiroshi; Yoshimura, Morio; Amakura, Yoshiaki; Hatano, Tsutomu

2016-04-22

Partially unacylated new oligomeric hydrolyzable tannins, nilotinin T2 (1, trimer) and nilotinin Q1 (2, tetramer), together with four known trimers, nilotinin T1 (3) and hirtellins T1-T3 (4-6), and a dimer, tamarixinin B (7), were isolated from the aqueous acetone extracts of leaves of Tamarix nilotica. Among them, the new trimer 1 and the known trimers 4 and 6, in addition to the partially unacylated new trimer nilotinin T3 (8), the known dimers nilotinin D3 (9) and tamarixinin C (10), and the monomer tellimagrandin I (11), were isolated from the cultured shoots of Tamarix tetrandra. The structures of the new hydrolyzable tannins were established by chromatographic analyses and extensive 1D and 2D NMR, HRESI-TOFMS, and ECD spectroscopic experiments. Among the new oligomeric tannins, the particular unacylated position of a glucose core is attributed to a possible biosynthetic route. Isolation of the same oligomeric tannins from cultured shoots of T. tetrandra emphasizes the unique biogenetic ability of the obtained cultures on production of the structurally and biologically characteristic tamaricaceous tannins commonly produced by the intact Tamarix plants. Additionally, tannins obtained in the present study together with gemin D (12) and 1,3-di-O-galloyl-4,6-O-(aS)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-β-d-glucose (13), from our previous investigation of the leaves of T. nilotica, exhibited variable tumor-specific cytotoxic effects. The ellagitannin trimers 4, 6, and 8 and the dimer 9 exerted predominant tumor-selective cytotoxic effects with high specificity toward human promyelocytic leukemia cells.

Evidence of Tamarix hybrids in South Africa, as inferred by nuclear ITS and plastid trnS-trnG DNA sequences

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tamarix usneoides (Tamaricaceae) is a species native to southern Africa where it is currently being used in the mines for phytoremediation. However, Tamarix aphylla, T. ramosissima, T. chinensis, and T. parviflora have been reported as exotic species in South Africa, with T. ramosissima declared inv...

Floral ecology and insect visitation in riparian Tamarix sp. (saltcedar)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Andersen, D.C.; Nelson, S.M.

2013-01-01

Climate change projections for semiarid and arid North America include reductions in stream discharge that could adversely affect riparian plant species dependent on stream-derived ground water. In order to better understand this potential impact, we used a space-for-time substitution to test the hypotheses that increasing depth-to-groundwater (DGW) is inversely related to Tamarix sp. (saltcedar) flower abundance (F) and nectar production per flower (N). We also assessed whether DGW affected the richness or abundance of insects visiting flowers. We examined Tamarix floral attributes and insect visitation patterns during 2010 and 2011 at three locations along a deep DWG gradient (3.2–4.1 m) on a floodplain terrace adjacent to Las Vegas Wash, an effluent-dominated Mojave Desert stream. Flower abundance and insect visitation patterns differed between years, but no effect from DGW on either F or N was detected. An eruption of a novel non-native herbivore, the splendid tamarisk weevil (Coniatus splendidulus), likely reduced flower production in 2011.

Stable Ca Isotopes in Tamarix aphylla Tree Rings, Death Valley, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, W.; Depaolo, D. J.; Ingram, B. L.; Owens, T. L.

2008-12-01

As a dune stabilizer and windbreak, Tamarix aphylla is an exotic perennial and evergreen tree in Death Valley. Its tap roots can reach down to 30 m depth and sub-superficial side roots may reach 50 m horizontally. The species can store large amounts of water in its roots and undergoes high evapotranspiration. Since Tamarix aphylla is a perennial tree growing in desert environments and its roots reach deep to the water table, it could be a proxy for desert ecological and hydrologic systems through time. We measured Ca isotopes in the soluble fraction of 8 tree ring samples from a 50-year-old specimen growing on an alluvial fan in Death Valley near Furnace Creek. Previous studies (Yang et al, GCA 60, 1996) indicate that this tree's rings contain high sulfur concentrations (4-6% expressed as sulfate) with chemical composition of CaSO4 (0.15-0.62 H2O). The δ34S values of soluble sulfate increase from +13.5 to +18 permil VCDT from the core to the bark, which are interpreted as reflecting deeper sulfate sources as the tree grew. The δ13C variations of the tree-ring cellulose (-27.6 to -24.0 permil VPDB) reflect changes in the local precipitation and show that Tamarix aphylla undergoes C3 photosynthesis. The δ44Ca for the soluble sulfate Ca through the tree-ring section, which covers a time period from 1945 to 1993, have an average value -2.52 permil (-3.4 permil relative to seawater). Only small variations are observed, from -2.69 to -2.28; the highest value (for 1990) occurs near the end of an extended drought. These are the first measurements of tree rings, but the low δ44Ca values are consistent with previous measurements of beech roots and stems from a temperate forest (Page et al., Biogeochem. 88, 2008). In our case, the tree has only one Ca source, which is expected to be isotopically uniform and similar to both local rainfall and limestones (δ44Ca ~ -0.6 permil), and with the minimal vegetation and extensive deep root system it is unlikely that there is a

Do riparian plant community characteristics differ between Tamarix (L.) invaded and non-invaded sites on the upper Verde River, Arizona?

Treesearch

Tyler D. Johnson; Thomas E. Kolb; Alvin L. Medina

2009-01-01

Invasion by Tamarix (L.) can severely alter riparian areas of the western U.S., which are globally rare ecosystems. The upper Verde River, Arizona, is a relatively free-flowing river and has abundant native riparian vegetation. Tamarix is present on the upper Verde but is a minor component of the vegetation (8% of stems). This...

Evaluation of Antioxidant, Anticholinesterase, and Antidiabetic Potential of Dry Leaves and Stems in Tamarix aphylla Growing Wild in Tunisia.

PubMed

Mahfoudhi, Adel; Grosso, Clara; Gonçalves, Rui F; Khelifi, Eltaief; Hammami, Saoussen; Achour, Sami; Trabelsi-Ayadi, Malika; Valentão, Patrícia; Andrade, Paula B; Mighri, Zine

2016-12-01

Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karst. has a wide geographic distribution and was employed in traditional medicine as astringent, anti-rheumatic and to treat fever. T. aphylla leaves and stems extracts were studied from both chemical and biological points of view to assess the antidiabetic, anticholinesterase and antioxidant potential of this species. The HPLC/Diode Array Detector (DAD) analysis showed the presence of 14 phenolic compounds (gallic, caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic and ellagic acids, kaempferol, quercetin, quercetin 3-O-galactoside and six flavonol derivatives). This is the first study reporting a comparative study of the biological activities of different extracts from T. aphylla. High activities were obtained against DPPH radical, superoxide anion radical (O2∙-) and nitric oxide radical ( • NO) in a concentration-dependent manner, the most active extracts being the polar ones. T. aphylla also showed moderate protective effects against acetylcholinesterase, but no effects were observed against butyrylcholinesterase. Against α-glucosidase the MeOH extracts displayed IC 50 values from 8.41 to 24.81 μg/ml. © 2016 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

Secondary invasions of noxious weeds associated with control of invasive Tamarix are frequent, idiosyncratic and persistent

USGS Publications Warehouse

González, Eduardo; Sher, Anna A.; Anderson, Robert M.; Bay, Robin F.; Bean, Daniel W.; Bissonnete, Gabriel J.; Cooper, David J.; Dohrenwend, Kara; Eichhorst, Kim D.; El Waer, Hisham; Kennard, Deborah K.; Harms-Weissinger, Rebecca; Henry, Annie L.; Makarick, Lori J.; Ostoja, Steven M.; Reynolds, Lindsay V.; Robinson, W. Wright; Shafroth, Patrick B.; Tabacchi, Erich

2017-01-01

Control of invasive species within ecosystems may induce secondary invasions of non-target invaders replacing the first alien. We used four plant species listed as noxious by local authorities in riparian systems to discern whether 1) the severity of these secondary invasions was related to the control method applied to the first alien; and 2) which species that were secondary invaders persisted over time. In a collaborative study by 16 research institutions, we monitored plant species composition following control of non-native Tamarix trees along southwestern U.S. rivers using defoliation by an introduced biocontrol beetle, and three physical removal methods: mechanical using saws, heavy machinery, and burning in 244 treated and 79 untreated sites across six U.S. states. Physical removal favored secondary invasions immediately after Tamarix removal (0–3 yrs.), while in the biocontrol treatment, secondary invasions manifested later (> 5 yrs.). Within this general trend, the response of weeds to control was idiosyncratic; dependent on treatment type and invader. Two annual tumbleweeds that only reproduce by seed (Bassia scoparia and Salsola tragus) peaked immediately after physical Tamarix removal and persisted over time, even after herbicide application. Acroptilon repens, a perennial forb that vigorously reproduces by rhizomes, and Bromus tectorum, a very frequent annual grass before removal that only reproduces by seed, were most successful at biocontrol sites, and progressively spread as the canopy layer opened. These results demonstrate that strategies to control Tamarix affect secondary invasions differently among species and that time since disturbance is an important, generally overlooked, factor affecting response.

[Seasonal variation of Tamarix ramosissima and Populus euphratica water potentials in southern fringe of Taklamakan Desert].

PubMed

Zeng, Fanjiang; Zhang, Ximing; Li, Xiangyi; Foetzki, Andrea; Runge, Michael

2005-08-01

The measurement of the seasonal and diurnal variations of Tamarix ramosissima and Populus euphratica water potentials in the southern fringe of Taklamakan Desert indicated that there was no apparent water stress for the two species during their growth period, with little change of predawn water potential and some extent decrease of midday water potential. Irrigation once or thinning had no significant effects on the water status of the plants, while groundwater appeared to be a prerequisite for the survival and growth of these species. It is very important to ensure a stable groundwater table for the restoration of Tamarix ramosissima and Populus euphratica in this area.

Southwestern Avian Community Organization in Exotic Tamarix: Current Patterns and Future Needs

Treesearch

H. A. Walker

2006-01-01

Tamarisk (saltcedar: Tamarix), an invasive exotic tree native to the Eastern Hemisphere, is currently the dominant plant species in most southwestern riparian ecosystems at elevations below 1500 m. Tamarisk alters abiotic conditions and the floral composition of native southwestern riparian ecosystems and, in turn, affects native southwestern animal communities....

Revegetation Strategies and Technologies for Restoration of Aridic Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) Infestation Sites

Treesearch

Kenneth D. Lair

2006-01-01

Critical knowledge gaps exist regarding vegetative recovery in aridic, monotypic saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) stands with no desirable understory plants. Formulation of revegetation strategies that provide site stabilization, resistance to further saltcedar and secondary weed infestation, and acceptable habitat values for affected wildlife species...

An integrated geological and geophysical study of the Uinta Mountains, Utah, Colorado and a geophysical study on Tamarix in the Rio Grande River basin, West Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khatun, Salma

2008-07-01

This research consists of two parts. One part deals with an integrated analysis of the structural anomaly associated with the Uinta Mountains, Utah. The other part deals with a study on the effect of Tamarix on soil and water quality. The Uinta Mountains are an anomalous east-west trending range of the Central Rocky Mountains and are located in northeastern Utah and northwestern Colorado. They have long been recognized as a structural anomaly that is surrounded by other Laramide structures that trend N-S or northwest. The study area extends from -112 to -108 degrees longitude and 41.5 to 39 degrees latitude and consists of three major geologic features: The Green River basin, Uinta Mountains, and the Uinta basin. This study investigates the tectonic evolution and the structural development of the Uinta aulacogen. There is a growing interest in exploration for petroleum and other hydrocarbons in the area of this study. Oil companies have been drilling wells in this area since the 1950's. The results of this study will enhance the existing knowledge of this region, and thus will help in the pursuit of hydrocarbons. A highly integrated approach was followed for this investigation. Gravity, magnetic, drill hole, seismic and receiver function data were used in the analysis. Gravity and magnetic data were analyzed using software tools available in the Department of Geological Sciences such as Oasis Montaj and GIS. Filtered gravity maps show that the Uinta Mountains and the surrounding basins and uplifts are deep seated features. These maps also reveal a correlation between the Uinta Mountains and the regional tectonic structures. This correlation helps in understanding how the different tectonic events that this region went through contributed to the different phases of development of the Uinta aulacogen. Four gravity models were generated along four north-south trending profile lines covering the target area from east to west. Interpretations of these models give a

Molecular genetic and hybridization studies of Diorhabda spp. released for biological control of tamarix

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The tamarisk beetle Diorhabda spp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) native to Asia and the Mediterranean Basin, is an effective biocontrol agent for use against tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) an invasive shrub in western North America. The genus Diorhabda was recently revised, using morphological characters, i...

Effects of biocontrol on short-term nutrient dynamics in a tamarix-invaded riparian ecosystem

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background/Question/Methods Saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima) invasion and subsequent dominance in biologically and functionally diverse riparian ecosystems across the western U.S. has lead to release of the leaf beetle (Diorhabda elongata) as a biological control agent, and has resulted in large-sca...

Impact of fresh and saline water flooding on leaf gas exchange in two Italian provenances of Tamarix africana Poiret.

PubMed

Abou Jaoudé, R; de Dato, G; Palmegiani, M; De Angelis, P

2013-01-01

In Mediterranean coastal areas, changes in precipitation patterns and seawater levels are leading to increased frequency of flooding and to salinization of estuaries and freshwater systems. Tamarix spp. are often the only woody species growing in such environments. These species are known for their tolerance to moderate salinity; however, contrasting information exists regarding their tolerance to flooding, and the combination of the two stresses has never been studied in Tamarix spp. Here, we analyse the photosynthetic responses of T. africana Poiret to temporary flooding (45 days) with fresh or saline water (200 mm) in two Italian provenances (Simeto and Baratz). The measurements were conducted before and after the onset of flooding, to test the possible cumulative effects of the treatments and effects on twig aging, and to analyse the responses of twigs formed during the experimental period. Full tolerance was evident in T. africana with respect to flooding with fresh water, which did not affect photosynthetic performances in either provenance. Saline flooding was differently tolerated by the two provenances. Moreover, salinity tolerance differently affected the two twig generations. In particular, a reduction in net assimilation rate (-48.8%) was only observed in Baratz twigs formed during the experimental period, compared to pre-existing twigs. This reduction was a consequence of non-stomatal limitations (maximum carboxylation rate and electron transport), probably as a result of higher Na transport to the twigs, coupled with reduced Na storage in the roots. © 2012 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Regional scale impacts of Tamarix leaf beetles (Diorhabda carinulata) on the water availability of western U.S. rivers as determined by multi-scale remote sensing methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nagler, Pamela L.; Brown, Tim; Hultine, Kevin R.; van Riper, Charles; Bean, Daniel W.; Dennison, Philip E.; Murray, R. Scott; Glenn, Edward P.

2012-01-01

Tamarix leaf beetles (Diorhabda carinulata) have been widely released on western U.S. rivers to control introduced shrubs in the genus Tamarix. Part of the motivation to control Tamarix is to salvage water for human use. Information is needed on the impact of beetles on Tamarix seasonal leaf production and subsequent water use overwide areas andmultiple cycles of annual defoliation.Herewe combine ground data with high resolution phenocam imagery and moderate resolution (Landsat) and coarser resolution (MODIS) satellite imagery to test the effects of beetles on Tamarix evapotranspiration (ET) and leaf phenology at sites on six western rivers. Satellite imagery covered the period 2000 to 2010 which encompassed years before and after beetle release at each study site. Phenocam images showed that beetles reduced green leaf cover of individual canopies by about 30% during a 6-8 week period in summer, but plants produced new leaves after beetles became dormant in August, and over three years no net reduction in peak summer leaf production was noted. ETwas estimated by vegetation index methods, and both Landsat and MODIS analyses showed that beetles reduced ET markedly in the first year of defoliation, but ET recovered in subsequent years. Over all six sites, ET decreased by 14% to 15% by Landsat and MODIS estimates, respectively. However, resultswere variable among sites, ranging fromno apparent effect on ET to substantial reduction in ET. Baseline ET rates before defoliation were low, 394 mmyr-1 by Landsat and 314 mm yr-1 by MODIS estimates (20-25% of potential ET), further constraining the amount of water that could be salvaged. Beetle-Tamarix interactions are in their early stage of development on this continent and it is too soon to predict the eventual extent towhich Tamarix populationswill be reduced. The utility of remote sensing methods for monitoring defoliation was constrained by the small area covered by each phenocamimage, the low temporal resolution of

Biological control of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) by saltcedar leaf beetles (Diorhabda spp.): effects on small mammals

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The spread of introduced saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) throughout many riparian systems across the western United States motivated the introduction of biological control agents that are specific to saltcedar, saltcedar leaf beetles (Diorhabda carinulata, D. elongata; Chrysomelidae). I monitored small mam...

Floristics and physiognomy determine migrant landbird response to Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima) invasion in riparian areas

Treesearch

Hira A. Walker

2008-01-01

I investigated the relative importance of floristics and physiognomy in determining community organization of autumn-migrating landbirds in a riparian corridor in New Mexico invaded by Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima). All six avian measures were associated with floristics, physiognomy, or both. However, usefulness in predicting migrant parameters...

Latitudinal variation in cold hardiness in introduced Tamarix and native Populus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Friedman, Jonathan M.; Roelle, James E.; Gaskin, John F.; Pepper, Alan E.; Manhart, James R.

2008-01-01

To investigate the evolution of clinal variation in an invasive plant, we compared cold hardiness in the introduced saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima, Tamarix chinensis, and hybrids) and the native plains cottonwood (Populus deltoidessubsp. monilifera). In a shadehouse in Colorado (41°N), we grew plants collected along a latitudinal gradient in the central United States (29–48°N). On 17 occasions between September 2005 and June 2006, we determined killing temperatures using freeze-induced electrolyte leakage and direct observation. In midwinter, cottonwood survived cooling to −70°C, while saltcedar was killed at −33 to −47°C. Frost sensitivity, therefore, may limit northward expansion of saltcedar in North America. Both species demonstrated inherited latitudinal variation in cold hardiness. For example, from September through January killing temperatures for saltcedar from 29.18°N were 5–21°C higher than those for saltcedar from 47.60°N, and on September 26 and October 11, killing temperatures for cottonwood from 33.06°N were >43°C higher than those for cottonwood from 47.60°N. Analysis of nine microsatellite loci showed that southern saltcedars are more closely related to T. chinensis while northern plants are more closely related to T. ramosissima. Hybridization may have introduced the genetic variability necessary for rapid evolution of the cline in saltcedar cold hardiness.

Effects of pollutant accumulation by the invasive weed saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima) on the biological control agent Diorhabda elongata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

PubMed

Sorensen, Mary A; Parker, David R; Trumble, John T

2009-02-01

Hydroponic greenhouse studies were used to investigate the effect of four anthropogenic pollutants (perchlorate (ClO4(-)), selenium (Se), manganese (Mn), and hexavalent chromium (Cr (VI))) on the biological control agent Diorhabda elongata Brullé. Contaminant concentrations were quantified for experimental Tamarix ramosissima Ledab. plants and D. elongata beetles. Growth of larvae was significantly reduced by Se contamination, but was not affected by the presence of perchlorate, Mn, or Cr (VI). All of the contaminants were transferred from plants to D. elongata beetles. Only Cr (VI) was accumulated at greater levels in beetles than in their food. Because T. ramosissima grows in disturbed areas, acquires salts readily, and utilizes groundwater, this plant is likely to accumulate anthropogenic pollutants in contaminated areas. This study is one of the first to investigate the potential of an anthropogenic pollutant to influence a weed biological control system.

Tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) water fluxes before, during and after episodic defoliation by the saltcedar leaf beetle

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hultine, K.R.; Nagler, P.L.; Dennison, P.E.; Bush, S.E.; Ehleringer, J.R.

2009-01-01

Tamarisk (Tamarix) species are among the most successful and economically costly plant invaders in the western United States, in part due to its potential to remove large amounts of water from shallow aquifers. Accordingly, local, state and federal agencies have released a new biological control - the saltcedar leaf beetle (Diorhabda elongata) along many watersheds in the western United States to reduce the spread of tamarisk. The beetle defoliates tamarisk for much of the growing season resulting in potentially large seasonal declines in productivity, fitness, and water loss from tamarisk stands. We measured sap flux density (Js) using heat dissipation sensors to investigate water use patterns of tamarisk before, during and after a single, six week beetle-induced defoliation event in southeastern, Utah, USA. Granier-style probes were installed on 20 dominant trees from May through September 2008, a period that covers almost the entire growing season. As the beetle emerged from dormancy in mid-June, daytime and nighttime Js measurably increased for approximately two weeks before declining to less than 20% of predicted values (predicted by modeling Js with atmospheric vapor pressure deficit in May and June before defoliation). Tamarisk trees in mid-August produced new leaves and Js returned to pre-defoliation levels. Total Js, summed over the duration of the study was 13% lower than predicted values. These data suggest that defoliation results in only small changes in seasonal water loss from tamarisk stands. Current research is focusing on long-term ecohydrological impacts of tamarisk defoliation over multiple growing seasons.

Monomeric and dimeric hydrolysable tannins of Tamarix nilotica.

PubMed

Orabi, Mohamed A A; Taniguchi, Shoko; Hatano, Tsutomu

2009-07-01

An ellagitannin monomer, nilotinin M1 (1), and three dimers, nilotinins D1 (2), D2 (3), and D3 (4), were isolated from leaves of Tamarix nilotica (Ehrenb.) Bunge. Structures were elucidated based on analysis of spectroscopic data and chemical correlations with known compounds. In addition, six known tannins, hirtellin A (5) (dimer), remurin A (6), remurin B (7), 1,3-di-O-galloyl-4,6-O-(S)-hexahydroxydiphenoyl-beta-D-glucose (8), gemin D (9), and hippomanin A (10) (monomers), were isolated for the first time from this plant species. The reported (13)C NMR assignments of the dehydrodigalloyl moiety and glucose cores of 5 are revised, and the (13)C NMR spectroscopic data for 6 and 7 are also reported for the first time.

Value and Resilience in the Case of 'Invasive' Tamarix in the Colorado River Riparian Corridor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loring, P. A.; Gerlach, S.; Zamora, F.

2009-12-01

A common premise of science for conservation and sustainability is an assumption that despite any human definitions of value, there are ecological first principles, e.g., resilience, which must be understood if sustainability is to be possible. As I show here, however, pursuits such as restoration, conservation, and sustainability remain tangled in (and sometimes at odds with one another regarding) many value-laden decisions regarding the equity, justice, and morality of human-environment interactions. These include such important decisions as: what should be restored or sustained and for whom, how and by whom, and at what cost. This paper uses examples from the lower Colorado River Riparian Corridor, in particular the issue of the so-called ‘invasive’ saltcedar (Tamarix spp.), to illustrate some of the implicit value judgments common to the practice of managing ecosystems. There are many possible perspectives to be taken on a matter like Tamarix, each implicitly or explicitly representing different worldviews and agendas for the ecosystems in question. Resilience theory provides one such perspective, but as I show here, it proves incapable of producing recommendations for managing the corridor that are free of subjective valuations. I end with a case study of habitat and Tamarix management practices in the Mexican portion of the Colorado River Delta, highlighting the proven potential when up-front values are explicitly coupled to the practice of sustainability science, rather than left as details for 'good governance,' a realm presently imagined as separate from science, to sort out. Map of the Colorado River Delta. The Sonoran Institute manages projects in the Mexican portion of the Colorado River Delta region, along the Rio Hardy, the mainstem of the Colorado River in Baja California, MX and in the Cienega de Santa Clara wetlands, Sonora, MX. Map courtesy of Water Education Foundation. www.watereducation.org

Impacts of insect biological control on soil N transformations in Tamarix-invaded ecosystems in the Great Basin

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Understanding the impacts of insect biological control of Tamarix spp. on soil nitrogen (N) transformations is important because changes to N supply could alter plant community succession. We investigated short-term and longer-term impacts of herbivory by the northern tamarisk beetle (Diorhabda cari...

Evolution of critical day length for diapause induction enables range expansion of Diorhabda carinulata, a biological control agent against tamarisk (Tamarix spp.)

PubMed Central

Bean, Dan W; Dalin, Peter; Dudley, Tom L

2012-01-01

In classical weed biological control, small collections of arthropods are made from one or a few sites in the native range of the target plant and are introduced to suppress the plant where it has become invasive, often across a wide geographic range. Ecological mismatches in the new range are likely, and success using the biocontrol agent may depend on postrelease evolution of beneficial life history traits. In this study, we measure the evolution of critical day length for diapause induction (day length at which 50% of the population enters dormancy), in a beetle (Diorhabda carinulata) introduced into North America from China to control an exotic shrub, Tamarix spp. Beetle populations were sampled from four sites in North America 7 years after introduction, and critical day length was shown to have declined, forming a cline over a latitudinal gradient At one field site, decreased critical day length was correlated with 16 additional days of reproductive activity, resulting in a closer match between beetle life history and the phenology of Tamarix. These findings indicate an enhanced efficacy and an increasingly wider range for D. carinulata in Tamarix control. PMID:22949926

Ground measured evapotranspiration scaled to stand level using MODIS and Landsat sensors to study Tamarix spp.response to repeated defoliation by the Tamarix leaf beetle at two sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearlstein, S.; Nagler, P. L.; Glenn, E. P.; Hultine, K. R.

2012-12-01

The Dolores River in Southern Utah and the Virgin River in Southern Nevada are ecosystems under pressure from increased groundwater withdrawal due to growing populations and introduced riparian species. We studied the impact of the biocontrol Tamarix leaf beetles (Dirohabda carinulata and D. elongata) on the introduced riparian species, Tamarix spp., phenology and water use over multiple cycles of annual defoliation. Heat balance sap flow measurements, leaf area index (LAI), well data, allometry and satellite imagery from Landsat Thematic Mapper 5 and EOS-1 Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) sensors were used to assess the distribution of beetle defoliation and its effect on evapotranspiration (ET). Study objectives for the Virgin River were to measure pre-beetle arrival ET, while the Dolores River site has had defoliation since 2004 and is a site of long-term beetle effect monitoring. This study focuses on measurements conducted over two seasons, 2010 and 2011. At the Dolores River site, results from 2010 were inconclusive due to sensor malfunctions but plant ET by sap flow in 2011 averaged 1.02 mm/m^2 leaf area/day before beetle arrival, dropping to an average of 0.75 mm/m^2 leaf area/day after beetle arrival. Stand level estimations from May - December, 2010 by MODIS were about 0.63 mm/ day, results from Landsat were 0.51 mm/day in June and 0.78 in August. For January -September, 2011, MODIS values were about 0.6 mm/day, and Landsat was 0.57 mm/day in June and 0.62 mm/day in August. These values are lower than previously reported ET values for this site meaning that repeated defoliation does diminish stand level water use. The Virgin River site showed plant ET from sap flow averaged about 3.9-4 mm/m^2 leaf area/day from mid-May - September, 2010. In 2011, ET from sap flow averaged 3.83 mm/m^2 leaf area/day during June - July, but dropped to 3.73 mm/ m^2 leaf area/day after beetle arrival in August. The slight drop in plant ET is not significant

Impacts of insect biological control on soil N transformations in Tamarix-invaded ecosystems in the Great Basin, USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Understanding the impacts of insect biological control of Tamarix spp. on soil nitrogen (N) transformations is important because changes to N supply could alter plant community succession. We investigated short-term and longer-term impacts of herbivory by the northern tamarisk beetle (Diorhabda cari...

Ecology and management of saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima, T. chinensis and T. ramosissima x T. chinensis hybrids)

Treesearch

Jim Jacobs; Sharlene Sing

2007-01-01

Saltcedar, also known by the common name tamarisk (Tamarix spp; Tamaricaceae taxonomic family), is a long-lived, invasive deciduous shrub or small tree intentionally introduced to North America from Eurasia for ornamental, wind break, and erosion mitigating purposes in the early 1800s. The spread of this species, both vegetatively from submerged stems and root sprouts...

Mapping Tamarix: New techniques for field measurements, spatial modeling and remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evangelista, Paul H.

Native riparian ecosystems throughout the southwestern United States are being altered by the rapid invasion of Tamarix species, commonly known as tamarisk. The effects that tamarisk has on ecosystem processes have been poorly quantified largely due to inadequate survey methods. I tested new approaches for field measurements, spatial models and remote sensing to improve our ability measure and to map tamarisk occurrence, and provide new methods that will assist in management and control efforts. Examining allometric relationships between basal cover and height measurements collected in the field, I was able to produce several models to accurately estimate aboveground biomass. The best two models were explained 97% of the variance (R 2 = 0.97). Next, I tested five commonly used predictive spatial models to identify which methods performed best for tamarisk using different types of data collected in the field. Most spatial models performed well for tamarisk, with logistic regression performing best with an Area Under the receiver-operating characteristic Curve (AUC) of 0.89 and overall accuracy of 85%. The results of this study also suggested that models may not perform equally with different invasive species, and that results may be influenced by species traits and their interaction with environmental factors. Lastly, I tested several approaches to improve the ability to remotely sense tamarisk occurrence. Using Landsat7 ETM+ satellite scenes and derived vegetation indices for six different months of the growing season, I examined their ability to detect tamarisk individually (single-scene analyses) and collectively (time-series). My results showed that time-series analyses were best suited to distinguish tamarisk from other vegetation and landscape features (AUC = 0.96, overall accuracy = 90%). June, August and September were the best months to detect unique phenological attributes that are likely related to the species' extended growing season and green-up during

Biological control reduces growth, and alters water relations of the saltcedar tree (Tamarix spp.) in western Nevada, USA

Treesearch

R.R. Pattison; C.M. D' Antonio; T.L. Dudley

2011-01-01

We monitored the impacts of a biological control agent, the saltcedar leaf beetle (Diorhabda carinulata), on the saltcedar tree (Tamarix spp.) at two sites (Humboldt and Walker rivers) in Nevada, USA. At the Humboldt site trees that had experienced three to four defoliation events had more negative water potentials and lower...

Multiple year effects of a biological control agent (Diorhabda carinulata) on Tamarix (saltcedar) ecosystem exchanges of carbon dioxide and water

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Biological control of Tamarix spp. (saltcedar) with Diorhabda carinulata (the northern tamarisk beetle) is currently underway in several western states U.S.A. through historical releases and the natural migration of this insect. Given the widespread dispersal of this biological control agent and its...

[sup 13]C and [sup 18]O of wood from the Roman siege rampart in Masada, Israel (AD 70-73): Evidence for a less arid climate for the region

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

Yakir, D.; Gat, J.; Issar, A.

1994-08-01

The isotopic ratios [sup 13]C/[sup 12]C and [sup 18]O/[sup 16]O of cellulose from tamarix trees which were used by the Roman army as a groundwork of the siege-rampart of Masada (AD 70-73) were compared with ratios measured in present-day tamarix trees growing in the Masada region and in central Israel. The ancient tamarix cellulose is depleted in both [sup 13]C and [sup 18]O compared to cellulose from trees growing in the Masada region today. Similar trends were observed on comparing modern tamarix trees growing in the Negev Desert with those growing in the temperate climate of central Israel. Considering themore » factors that can contribute to the observed changes in isotopic composition, the authors conclude that the ancient trees enjoyed less arid environmental conditions during their growth compared to contemporary trees in this desert region. This report demonstrates the potential in using combined [sup 18]O and [sup 13]C analyses of archeological plant material as independent indication of regional climate change in desert areas (where conventional isotopic analyses, such as in tree rings, are impractical).« less

Tamarix minoa (Tamaricaceae), a new species from the island of Crete (Greece) based on morphological and plastid molecular sequence data

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tamarix minoa is described from material collected on the S Aegean island of Crete (Kriti), Greece. A morphological comparison with the species considered to be closest, T. africana and T. hampeana, is provided. An original illustration showing the main morphological characters of the new species is...

Selectivity of a biological control agent, Diorhabda carinulata Desbrochers, 1870 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) for host species within the genus Tamarix Linneaus, 1753

Treesearch

T.L. Dudley; D.W. Bean; R.R. Pattison; A. Caires

2012-01-01

Initial field releases of the saltcedar leaf beetle, Diorhabda carinulata Desbrochers, 1870 (Chrysomelidae), against saltcedars, Tamarix Linneaus, 1753 (Tamaricaceae) in North America were unsuccessful at sites where the target taxon was T. parviflora de Condolle, 1828 as opposed to the more widespread T....

Seasonal adaptations to day length in ecotypes of Diorhabda spp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) inform selection of agents against saltcedars (Tamarix spp.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

1. Seasonal adaptations to day length often limit the effective range of biocontrol insects. The leaf beetle Diorhabda carinulata was introduced into North America from Fukang, China (latitude 44°N) for the biocontrol of saltcedars (Tamarix spp.), but failed to establish below 38° latitude because o...

Restoration ecology and invasive riparian plants: An introduction to the special section on Tamarix spp. in western North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shafroth, Patrick B.; Briggs, Mark K.

2008-01-01

River systems around the world are subject to various perturbations, including the colonization and spread of non-native species in riparian zones. Riparian resource managers are commonly engaged in efforts to control problematic non-native species and restore native habitats. In western North America, small Eurasian trees or shrubs in the genus Tamarixoccupy hundreds of thousands of hectares of riparian lands, and are the targets of substantial and costly control efforts and associated restoration activities. Still, significant information gaps exist regarding approaches used in control and restoration efforts and their effects on riparian ecosystems. In this special section of papers, eight articles address various aspects of control and restoration associated with Tamarix spp. These include articles focused on planning restoration and revegetation; a synthetic analysis of past restoration efforts; and several specific research endeavors examining plant responses, water use, and various wildlife responses (including birds, butterflies, and lizards). These articles represent important additions to the Tamarix spp. literature and contain many lessons and insights that should be transferable to other analogous situations in river systems globally.

River flooding and its impacts on large-scale biocontrol of Tamarix in the Colorado and Virgin River system: Moving targets and trajectories

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Along riparian corridors throughout the arid and semiarid regions of the western United States, non-native shrubs and trees in the genus Tamarix have replaced native vegetation. Plant communities along rivers with altered flow regimes and flood control have become particularly vulnerable to widespre...

Hybridization of Tamarix ramosissima and T. chinensis (saltcedars) with T. aphylla (athel) (tamaricaceae) in the southwestern USA dertermined from DNA sequence data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gaskin, John F.; Shafroth, Patrick B.

2005-01-01

Morphological intermediates between Tamarix ramosissima or T. chinensis (saltcedars) and T. aphylla (athel) were found recently in three locations in the southwestern USA, and were assumed to be hybrids or a previously unreported species. We sequenced chloroplast and nuclear DNA from putative parental and hybrid morphotypes and hybrid status of morphological intermediates was supported. Chloroplast data suggest that the seed source for these hybrids is T. aphylla. Invasive T. aphylla genotypes found in Australia match those found in the USA. Seed was collected from one of the hybrids, and a low percentage of it was viable. This hybrid combination has not been previously reported in the USA or the native ranges of the species. Although populations of this novel Tamarix hybrid appear to be uncommon at present, both parental species are considered invasive (saltcedars in North America; athel in Australia), and it is possible that more aggressive hybrid genotypes could be produced. Therefore, natural resource managers concerned with the potential spread of non-native species should be aware of the existence of these plants and monitor their future spread.

Edaphic, salinity, and stand structural trends in chronosequences of native and non-native dominated riparian forests along the Colorado River, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Merritt, David M.; Shafroth, Patrick B.

2012-01-01

Tamarix spp. are introduced shrubs that have become among the most abundant woody plants growing along western North American rivers. We sought to empirically test the long-held belief that Tamarix actively displaces native species through elevating soil salinity via salt exudation. We measured chemical and physical attributes of soils (e.g., salinity, major cations and anions, texture), litter cover and depth, and stand structure along chronosequences dominated by Tamarix and those dominated by native riparian species (Populus or Salix) along the upper and lower Colorado River in Colorado and Arizona/California, USA. We tested four hypotheses: (1) the rate of salt accumulation in soils is faster in Tamarix-dominated stands than stands dominated by native species, (2) the concentration of salts in the soil is higher in mature stands dominated by Tamarix compared to native stands, (3) soil salinity is a function of Tamarix abundance, and (4) available nutrients are more concentrated in native-dominated stands compared to Tamarix-dominated stands. We found that salt concentration increases at a faster rate in Tamarix-dominated stands along the relatively free-flowing upper Colorado but not along the heavily-regulated lower Colorado. Concentrations of ions that are known to be preferentially exuded by Tamarix (e.g., B, Na, and Cl) were higher in Tamarix stands than in native stands. Soil salt concentrations in older Tamarix stands along the upper Colorado were sufficiently high to inhibit germination, establishment, or growth of some native species. On the lower Colorado, salinity was very high in all stands and is likely due to factors associated with floodplain development and the hydrologic effects of river regulation, such as reduced overbank flooding, evaporation of shallow ground water, higher salt concentrations in surface and ground water due to agricultural practices, and higher salt concentrations in fine-textured sediments derived from naturally saline

Demographic expansion of two Tamarix species along the Yellow River caused by geological events and climate change in the Pleistocene.

PubMed

Liang, Hong-Yan; Feng, Zhi-Pei; Pei, Bing; Li, Yong; Yang, Xi-Tian

2018-01-08

The geological events and climatic fluctuations during the Pleistocene played important roles in shaping patterns of species distribution. However, few studies have evaluated the patterns of species distribution that were influenced by the Yellow River. The present work analyzed the demography of two endemic tree species that are widely distributed along the Yellow River, Tamarix austromongolica and Tamarix chinensis, to understand the role of the Yellow River and Pleistocene climate in shaping their distribution patterns. The most common chlorotype, chlorotype 1, was found in all populations, and its divergence time could be dated back to 0.19 million years ago (Ma). This dating coincides well with the formation of the modern Yellow River and the timing of Marine Isotope Stages 5e-6 (MIS 5e-6). Bayesian reconstructions along with models of paleodistribution revealed that these two species experienced a demographic expansion in population size during the Quaternary period. Approximate Bayesian computation analyses supported a scenario of expansion approximately from the upper to lower reaches of the Yellow River. Our results provide support for the roles of the Yellow River and the Pleistocene climate in driving demographic expansion of the populations of T. austromongolica and T. chinensis. These findings are useful for understanding the effects of geological events and past climatic fluctuations on species distribution patterns.

Sap flux-scaled transpiration by tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) before, during and after episodic defoliation by the saltcedar leaf beetle (Diorhabda carinulata)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hultine, K.R.; Nagler, P.L.; Morino, K.; Bush, S.E.; Burtch, K.G.; Dennison, P.E.; Glenn, E.P.; Ehleringer, J.R.

2010-01-01

The release of the saltcedar beetle (Diorhabda carinulata) has resulted in the periodic defoliation of tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) along more than 1000 river km in the upper Colorado River Basin and is expected to spread along many other river reaches throughout the upper basin, and possibly into the lower Colorado River Basin. Identifying the impacts of these release programs on tamarisk water use and subsequent water cycling in arid riparian systems are largely unknown, due in part to the difficulty of measuring water fluxes in these systems. We used lab-calibrated, modified heat-dissipation sap flux sensors to monitor tamarisk water use (n=20 trees) before, during and after defoliation by the saltcedar leaf beetle during the 2008 and 2009 growing seasons (May-October) in southeastern Utah. We incorporated a simple model that related mean stem sap flux density (Js) with atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (vpd) before the onset of defoliation in 2008. The model was used to calculate differences between predicted Js and Js measured throughout the two growing seasons. Episodic defoliation resulted in a 16% reduction in mean annual rates of Js in both 2008 and 2009, with decreases occurring only during the periods in which the trees were defoliated (about 6-8 weeks per growing season). In other words, rates of Js rebounded to values predicted by the model when the trees produced new leaves after defoliation. Sap flux data were scaled to stand water use by constructing a tamarisk-specific allometric equation to relate conducting sapwood area to stem diameter, and by measuring the size distribution of stems within the stand. Total water use in both years was 0.224m, representing a reduction of about 0.04myr-1. Results showed that repeated defoliation/refoliation cycles did not result in a progressive decrease in either leaf production or water use over the duration of the study. This investigation improves ground-based estimates of tamarisk water use, and will support

Aeroponics for adventitious rhizogenesis in evergreen haloxeric tree Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karst.: influence of exogenous auxins and cutting type.

PubMed

Sharma, Udit; Kataria, Vinod; Shekhawat, N S

2018-02-01

Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karst., a drought resistant halophyte tree, is an agroforestry species which can be used for reclamation of waterlogged saline and marginal lands. Due to very low seed viability and unsuitable conditions for seed germination, the tree is becoming rare in Indian Thar desert. Present study concerns the evaluation of aeroponics technique for vegetative propagation of T. aphylla . Effect of various exogenous auxins (indole-3-acetic acid, indole-3-butyric acid, naphthalene acetic acid) at different concentrations (0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 5.0, 10.0 mg l -1 ) was examined for induction of adventitious rooting and other morphological features. Among all three auxins tested individually, maximum rooting response (79%) was observed with IBA 2.0 mg l -1 . However, stem cuttings treated with a combination of auxins (2.0 mg l -1 IBA and 1.0 mg l -1 IAA) for 15 min resulted in 87% of rooting response. Among three types of stem cuttings (apical shoot, newly sprouted cuttings, mature stem cuttings), maximum rooting (~ 90%) was observed on mature stem cuttings. Number of roots and root length were significantly higher in aeroponically rooted stem cuttings as compared to stem cuttings rooted in soil conditions. Successfully rooted and sprouted plants were transferred to polybags with 95% survival rate. This is the first report on aeroponic culture of Tamarix aphylla which can be utilized in agroforestry practices, marginal land reclamation and physiological studies.

A Rapid and Efficient Screening Method for Antibacterial Compound-Producing Bacteria.

PubMed

Hettiarachchi, Sachithra; Lee, Su-Jin; Lee, Youngdeuk; Kwon, Young-Kyung; De Zoysa, Mahanama; Moon, Song; Jo, Eunyoung; Kim, Taeho; Kang, Do-Hyung; Heo, Soo-Jin; Oh, Chulhong

2017-08-28

Antibacterial compounds are widely used in the treatment of human and animal diseases. The overuse of antibiotics has led to a rapid rise in the prevalence of drug-resistant bacteria, making the development of new antibacterial compounds essential. This study focused on developing a fast and easy method for identifying marine bacteria that produce antibiotic compounds. Eight randomly selected marine target bacterial species ( Agrococcus terreus, Bacillus algicola, Mesoflavibacter zeaxanthinifaciens, Pseudoalteromonas flavipulchra, P. peptidolytica, P. piscicida, P. rubra , and Zunongwangia atlantica ) were tested for production of antibacterial compounds against four strains of test bacteria ( B. cereus, B. subtilis, Halomonas smyrnensis , and Vibrio alginolyticus ). Colony picking was used as the primary screening method. Clear zones were observed around colonies of P. flavipulchra, P. peptidolytica, P. piscicida , and P. rubra tested against B. cereus, B. subtilis , and H. smyrnensis . The efficiency of colony scraping and broth culture methods for antimicrobial compound extraction was also compared using a disk diffusion assay. P. peptidolytica, P. piscicida , and P. rubra showed antagonistic activity against H. smyrnensis, B. cereus , and B. subtilis , respectively, only in the colony scraping method. Our results show that colony picking and colony scraping are effective, quick, and easy methods of screening for antibacterial compound-producing bacteria.

[Stem sap flow and water consumption of Tamarix ramosissima in hinterland of Taklimakan Desert].

PubMed

Xu, Hao; Zhang, Xi-Ming; Yan, Hai-Long; Yao, Shi-Jun

2007-04-01

From April to November 2005, the stem sap flow and water consumption of Tamarix ramosissima in the hinterland of Taklimakan Desert was measured by Flow-32 System. The results showed that, in the extremely arid hinterland of Taklimakan Desert and under enough water supply, the average daily water consumption of T. ramosissima with a stem diameter of 3.5 cm and 2.0 cm was 6.322 kg and 1.179 kg, respectively in one growth season. The stem sap flow of T. ramosissima presented a single-peaked curve, with an obvious day and night variation rhythm and fluctuated with environment factors. Under enough water supply, the environmenal factors such as total radiation, wind speed and air temperature were the main factors affecting the stem sap flow, and the dynamics of stem sap flow could be predicted by the liner regression model based on total radiation and wind speed. Because of the extremely arid environment and enough water supply, T. ramosissima had a relatively higher stem sap flow rate and a great water consumption.

Foliar water uptake of Tamarix ramosissima from an atmosphere of high humidity.

PubMed

Li, Shuang; Xiao, Hong-lang; Zhao, Liang; Zhou, Mao-Xian; Wang, Fang

2014-01-01

Many species have been found to be capable of foliar water uptake, but little research has focused on this in desert plants. Tamarix ramosissima was investigated to determine whether its leaves can directly absorb water from high humidity atmosphere and, if they can, to understand the magnitude and importance of foliar water uptake. Various techniques were adopted to demonstrate foliar water uptake under submergence or high atmospheric humidity. The mean increase in leaf water content after submergence was 29.38% and 20.93% for mature and tender leaves, respectively. In the chamber experiment, obvious reverse sap flow occurred when relative humidity (RH) was persistently above 90%. Reverse flow was recorded first in twigs, then in branches and stems. For the stem, the percentage of negative sap flow rate accounting for the maximum value of sap flow reached 10.71%, and its amount accounted for 7.54% of diurnal sap flow. Small rainfall can not only compensate water loss of plant by foliar uptake, but also suppress transpiration. Foliar uptake can appear in the daytime under certain rainfall events. High atmospheric humidity is beneficial for enhancing the water status of plants. Foliar uptake should be an important strategy of water acquisition for desert plants.

Foliar Water Uptake of Tamarix ramosissima from an Atmosphere of High Humidity

PubMed Central

Li, Shuang; Xiao, Hong-lang; Zhao, Liang; Zhou, Mao-Xian; Wang, Fang

2014-01-01

Many species have been found to be capable of foliar water uptake, but little research has focused on this in desert plants. Tamarix ramosissima was investigated to determine whether its leaves can directly absorb water from high humidity atmosphere and, if they can, to understand the magnitude and importance of foliar water uptake. Various techniques were adopted to demonstrate foliar water uptake under submergence or high atmospheric humidity. The mean increase in leaf water content after submergence was 29.38% and 20.93% for mature and tender leaves, respectively. In the chamber experiment, obvious reverse sap flow occurred when relative humidity (RH) was persistently above 90%. Reverse flow was recorded first in twigs, then in branches and stems. For the stem, the percentage of negative sap flow rate accounting for the maximum value of sap flow reached 10.71%, and its amount accounted for 7.54% of diurnal sap flow. Small rainfall can not only compensate water loss of plant by foliar uptake, but also suppress transpiration. Foliar uptake can appear in the daytime under certain rainfall events. High atmospheric humidity is beneficial for enhancing the water status of plants. Foliar uptake should be an important strategy of water acquisition for desert plants. PMID:24982964

Hydrolyzable tannins of tamaricaceous plants. III. Hellinoyl- and macrocyclic-type ellagitannins from Tamarix nilotica.

PubMed

Orabi, Mohamed A A; Taniguchi, Shoko; Yoshimura, Morio; Yoshida, Takashi; Kishino, Kaori; Sakagami, Hiroshi; Hatano, Tsutomu

2010-05-28

Three new hellinoyl-type ellagitannins, nilotinins M4 (7), D7 (8), and D8 (9), and a new macrocyclic-type, nilotinin D9 (10), together with eight known tannins, hirtellins B (2), C (11), and F (12), isohirtellin C (13), tamarixinin A (3), tellimagrandins I and II, and 1,2,6-tri-O-galloyl-beta-d-glucose (14), were isolated from an aqueous acetone extract of Tamarix nilotica dried leaves. Nilotinin M4 (7) is a monomeric tannin possessing a hellinoyl moiety. The structure of 8 demonstrated replacement of one of the HHDP groups at the glucose core O-4/O-6 in ordinary dimeric tannins with a galloyl moiety at O-6. This is a new structural feature among the tamaricaceous ellagitannins. On the basis of the results, reported spectroscopic assignments for 2, 3, and the macrocyclic tannins 11-13 were revised. Unusual shifts in the NMR spectra of these macrocyclic tannins are also discussed in relation to their conformations. Several tannins isolated from T. nilotica were assessed for possible cytotoxic activity against four human tumor cell lines, and nilotinin D8 (9) and hirtellin A (1) showed high cytotoxic effects.

Green dyeing process of modified cotton fibres using natural dyes extracted from Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karst. leaves.

PubMed

Baaka, Noureddine; Mahfoudhi, Adel; Haddar, Wafa; Mhenni, Mohamed Farouk; Mighri, Zine

2017-01-01

This research work involves an eco-friendly dyeing process of modified cotton with the aqueous extract of Tamarix aphylla leaves. During this process, the dyeing step was carried out on modified cotton by several cationising agents in order to improve its dyeability. The influence of the main dyeing conditions (dye bath pH, dyeing time, dyeing temperature, salt addition) on the performances of this dyeing process were studied. The dyeing performances of this process were appreciated by measuring the colour yield (K/S) and the fastness properties of the dyed samples. The effect of mordant type with different mordanting methods on dyeing quality was also studied. The results showed that mordanting gave deeper shades and enhanced fastness properties. In addition, environmental indicators (BOD 5 , COD and COD/BOD 5 ) were used to describe potential improvements in the biodegradability of the dyebath wastewater. Further, HPLC was used to identify the major phenolic compounds in the extracted dye.

The plurennial life cycles of the European Tettigoniidae (Insecta: Orthoptera) : 2. The effect of photoperiod on the induction of an initial diapause.

PubMed

Ingrisch, Sigfrid

1986-11-01

In eggs of European Tettigoniidae species, an initial diapause can occur just after blastoderm formation and a final diapause close to the end of embryonic development. The effect of photoperiod experienced maternally on the induction of the initial diapause was studied, using 13 species from Central and Southeastern Europe. In Conocephalus dorsalis and Platycleis albopunctata there was no initial diapause induced by photoperod, while, in Tettigonia-and Saga-species and in Metrioptera saussuriana it occurred independently of day length. In Metrioptera roeseli, M. bicolor, Leptophyes punctatissima, Eupholidoptera smyrnensis, and Decticus verrucivorus, oviposition at short day induced an initial diapause, while after oviposition at long day, the eggs developed directly until final diapause. On the other hand, in up to 1/4 of the eggs of Pholidoptera griseoaptera an initial diapause was induced by long day length. Populations of D. verrucivorus from different latitudes differed with respect to the critical day length. For E. smyrnensis and M. roeseli, a photoperiodic response curve was calculated.In the Rhodian population of E. smyrnensis, the dormancy sequence of initial and final embryonic diapause can be used for aestivation and hibernation within an annual life cycle, while enabling hibernation in successive years for the Central European species. The population of D. verrucivorus near Aachen has an "obligatory" plurennial life cycle, since the critical day length for development without initial diapause is above the range of day length occurring in the field.

Species Introductions and Their Cascading Impacts on Biotic Interactions in desert riparian ecosystems.

PubMed

Hultine, Kevin R; Bean, Dan W; Dudley, Tom L; Gehring, Catherine A

2015-10-01

Desert riparian ecosystems of North America are hotspots of biodiversity that support many sensitive species, and are in a region experiencing some of the highest rates of climatic alteration in North America. Fremont cottonwood, Populus fremontii, is a foundation tree species of this critical habitat, but it is threatened by global warming and regional drying, and by a non-native tree/shrub, Tamarix spp., all of which can disrupt the mutualism between P. fremontii and its beneficial mycorrhizal fungal communities. Specialist herbivorous leaf beetles (Diorhabda spp.) introduced for biocontrol of Tamarix are altering the relationship between this shrub and its environment. Repeated episodic feeding on Tamarix foliage by Diorhabda results in varying rates of dieback and mortality, depending on genetic variation in allocation of resources, growing conditions, and phenological synchrony between herbivore and host plant. In this article, we review the complex interaction between climatic change and species introductions and their combined impacts on P. fremontii and their associated communities. We anticipate that (1) certain genotypes of P. fremontii will respond more favorably to the presence of Tamarix and to climatic change due to varying selection pressures to cope with competition and stress; (2) the ongoing evolution of Diorhabda's life cycle timing will continue to facilitate its expansion in North America, and will over time enhance herbivore impact to Tamarix; (3) defoliation by Diorhabda will reduce the negative impact of Tamarix on P. fremontii associations with mycorrhizal fungi; and (4) spatial variability in climate and climatic change will modify the capacity for Tamarix to survive episodic defoliation by Diorhabda, thereby altering the relationship between Tamarix and P. fremontii, and its associated mycorrhizal fungal communities. Given the complex biotic/abiotic interactions outlined in this review, conservation biologists and riparian ecosystem

Synthesis of adsorbent from Tamarix hispida and modified by lanthanum metal for fluoride ions removal from wastewater: Adsorbent characteristics and real wastewater treatment data.

PubMed

Habibi, Nasim; Rouhi, Parham; Ramavandi, Bahman

2017-08-01

This data article describes a facile method for production of an adsorbent from Tamarix hispida wasted wood and modified by lanthanum metal for fluoride ions removal from wastewater. The main characteristics of the adsorbent consist of BET surface area, functional groups, and elemental analysis is presented. The data for attenuating the pollutants from a real wastewater treatment which was provided from a glass factory is also represented. More than 90% of fluoride content of the real wastewater was treated by the adsorbent. Generally, these data would be informative for extend research aim to industrial wastewater treatment and those who work in the wastewater treatment plants.

Tamarix transpiration along a semiarid river has negligible impact on water resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonald, Alyson K.; Wilcox, Bradford P.; Moore, Georgianne W.; Hart, Charles R.; Sheng, Zhuping; Owens, M. Keith

2015-07-01

The proliferation of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) along regulated rivers in the western United States has transformed riparian plant communities. It is commonly assumed that transpiration by these alien plants has led to large losses of water that would otherwise contribute to streamflow. Control of saltcedar, therefore, has been considered a viable strategy for conserving water and increasing streamflow in these regions. In an effort to better understand the linkage between transpiration by saltcedar and streamflow, we monitored transpiration, stream stage, and groundwater elevations within a saltcedar stand along the Pecos River during June 2004. Transpiration, as determined by sap flow measurements, exhibited a strong diel pattern; stream stage did not. Diel fluctuations in groundwater levels were observed, but only in one well, which was located in the center of the saltcedar stand. In that well, the correlation between maximal transpiration and minimal groundwater elevation was weak (R2 = 0.16). No effects of transpiration were detected in other wells within the saltcedar stand, nor in the stream stage. The primary reason, we believe, is that the saltcedar stand along this reach of the Pecos River has relatively low sapwood area and a limited spatial extent resulting in very low transpiration compared with the stream discharge. Our results are important because they provide a mechanistic explanation for the lack of increase in streamflow following large-scale control of invasive trees along semiarid rivers.

Modeling aboveground biomass of Tamarix ramosissima in the Arkansas River Basin of Southeastern Colorado, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Evangelista, P.; Kumar, S.; Stohlgren, T.J.; Crall, A.W.; Newman, G.J.

2007-01-01

Predictive models of aboveground biomass of nonnative Tamarix ramosissima of various sizes were developed using destructive sampling techniques on 50 individuals and four 100-m2 plots. Each sample was measured for average height (m) of stems and canopy area (m2) prior to cutting, drying, and weighing. Five competing regression models (P < 0.05) were developed to estimate aboveground biomass of T. ramosissima using average height and/or canopy area measurements and were evaluated using Akaike's Information Criterion corrected for small sample size (AICc). Our best model (AICc = -148.69, ??AICc = 0) successfully predicted T. ramosissima aboveground biomass (R2 = 0.97) and used average height and canopy area as predictors. Our 2nd-best model, using the same predictors, was also successful in predicting aboveground biomass (R2 = 0.97, AICc = -131.71, ??AICc = 16.98). A 3rd model demonstrated high correlation between only aboveground biomass and canopy area (R2 = 0.95), while 2 additional models found high correlations between aboveground biomass and average height measurements only (R2 = 0.90 and 0.70, respectively). These models illustrate how simple field measurements, such as height and canopy area, can be used in allometric relationships to accurately predict aboveground biomass of T. ramosissima. Although a correction factor may be necessary for predictions at larger scales, the models presented will prove useful for many research and management initiatives.

Hydrolyzable tannins of tamaricaceous plants. V. Structures of monomeric-trimeric tannins and cytotoxicity of macrocyclic-type tannins isolated from Tamarix nilotica (1).

PubMed

Orabi, Mohamed A A; Taniguchi, Shoko; Sakagami, Hiroshi; Yoshimura, Morio; Yoshida, Takashi; Hatano, Tsutomu

2013-05-24

Three new ellagitannin monomers, nilotinins M5-M7 (1-3), a dimer, nilotinin D10 (4), and a trimer, nilotinin T1 (5), together with three known dimers, hirtellin D (7) and tamarixinins B (8) and C (9), and a trimer, hirtellin T2 (6), were isolated from Tamarix nilotica dried leaves. The structures of the tannins were elucidated by intensive spectroscopic methods and chemical conversions into known tannins. The new trimer (5) is a unique macrocyclic type whose monomeric units are linked together by an isodehydrodigalloyl and two dehydrodigalloyl moieties. Additionally, dimeric and trimeric macrocyclic-type tannins isolated from T. nilotica in this study were assessed for possible cytotoxic activity against four human tumor cell lines. Tumor-selective cytotoxicities of the tested compounds were higher than those of synthetic and natural potent cytotoxic compounds, including polyphenols, and comparable with those of 5-fluorouracil and melphalan.

Multiple mechanisms sustain a plant-animal facilitation on a coastal ecotone.

PubMed

He, Qiang; Cui, Baoshan

2015-02-27

Theory suggests that species distributions are expanded by positive species interactions, but the importance of facilitation in expanding species distributions at physiological range limits has not been widely recognized. We investigated the effects of the nurse shrub Tamarix chinensis on the crab Helice tientsinensis on the terrestrial borders of salt marshes, a typical coastal ecotone, where Tamarix and Helice were on their lower and upper elevational distribution edges, respectively. Crab burrows were abundant under Tamarix, but were absent in open areas between Tamarix. Removing Tamarix decreased associated crab burrows with time, while simulating Tamarix in open areas by shading, excluding predators, and adding Tamarix branches as crab food, increased crab burrows. Measurements of soil and microclimate factors showed that removing Tamarix increased abiotic stress, while simulating Tamarix by shading decreased abiotic stress. Survival of tethered crabs was high only when protected from desiccation and predation. Thus, by alleviating abiotic and biotic stresses, as well as by food provision, Tamarix expanded the upper intertidal distribution of Helice. Our study provides clear evidence for the importance of facilitation in expanding species distributions at their range limits, and suggests that facilitation is a crucial biological force maintaining the ecotones between ecosystems.

Multiple mechanisms sustain a plant-animal facilitation on a coastal ecotone

PubMed Central

He, Qiang; Cui, Baoshan

2015-01-01

Theory suggests that species distributions are expanded by positive species interactions, but the importance of facilitation in expanding species distributions at physiological range limits has not been widely recognized. We investigated the effects of the nurse shrub Tamarix chinensis on the crab Helice tientsinensis on the terrestrial borders of salt marshes, a typical coastal ecotone, where Tamarix and Helice were on their lower and upper elevational distribution edges, respectively. Crab burrows were abundant under Tamarix, but were absent in open areas between Tamarix. Removing Tamarix decreased associated crab burrows with time, while simulating Tamarix in open areas by shading, excluding predators, and adding Tamarix branches as crab food, increased crab burrows. Measurements of soil and microclimate factors showed that removing Tamarix increased abiotic stress, while simulating Tamarix by shading decreased abiotic stress. Survival of tethered crabs was high only when protected from desiccation and predation. Thus, by alleviating abiotic and biotic stresses, as well as by food provision, Tamarix expanded the upper intertidal distribution of Helice. Our study provides clear evidence for the importance of facilitation in expanding species distributions at their range limits, and suggests that facilitation is a crucial biological force maintaining the ecotones between ecosystems. PMID:25721758

Effect of soil salinity and nutrient levels on the community structure of the root-associated bacteria of the facultative halophyte, Tamarix ramosissima, in southwestern United States.

PubMed

Taniguchi, Takeshi; Imada, Shogo; Acharya, Kumud; Iwanaga, Fumiko; Yamanaka, Norikazu

2015-01-01

Tamarix ramosissima is a tree species that is highly resistant to salt and drought. The Tamarix species survives in a broad range of environmental salt levels, and invades major river systems in southwestern United States. It may affect root-associated bacteria (RB) by increasing soil salts and nutrients. The effects of RB on host plants may vary even under saline conditions, and the relationship may be important for T. ramosissima. However, to the best of our knowledge, there have been no reports relating to T. ramosissima RB and its association with salinity and nutrient levels. In this study, we have examined this association and the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization of T. ramosissima on RB because a previous study has reported that colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi affected the rhizobacterial community (Marschner et al., 2001). T. ramosissima roots were collected from five locations with varying soil salinity and nutrient levels. RB community structures were examined by terminal restriction fragment (T-RF) length polymorphism, cloning, and sequencing analyses. The results suggest that RB richness, or the diversity of T. ramosissima, have significant negative relationships with electrical conductivity (EC), sodium concentration (Na), and the colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, but have a significant positive relationship with phosphorus in the soil. However, at each T-RF level, positive correlations between the emergence of some T-RFs and EC or Na were observed. These results indicate that high salinity decreased the total number of RB species, but some saline-tolerant RB species multiplied with increasing salinity levels. The ordination scores of nonmetric multidimensional scale analysis of RB community composition show significant relationships with water content, calcium concentration, available phosphorus, and total nitrogen. These results indicate that the RB diversity and community composition of T. ramosissima are affected

Growing and Growing: Promoting Functional Thinking with Geometric Growing Patterns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markworth, Kimberly A.

2010-01-01

Design research methodology is used in this study to develop an empirically-substantiated instruction theory about students' development of functional thinking in the context of geometric growing patterns. The two research questions are: (1) How does students' functional thinking develop in the context of geometric growing patterns? (2) What are…

Metabolite profiling of polyphenols in the Tunisian plant Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karst.

PubMed

Mahfoudhi, Adel; Prencipe, Francesco Pio; Mighri, Zine; Pellati, Federica

2014-10-01

In this study, a detailed investigation on the composition of polyphenols of Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karst., consisting of phenolic acids and flavonoids, was carried out. In order to optimize the yield of secondary metabolites, three extraction techniques were compared, including dynamic maceration, ultrasound-assisted extraction and Soxhlet extraction. The latter technique provided the best results in terms of both recovery and selectivity, using ethyl acetate as extraction solvent for 2h. The analysis of T. aphylla polyphenols was performed by means of HPLC-UV/DAD, HPLC-ESI-MS and MS(2), using an ion trap mass analyzer. Phenolic acids and flavonoids were separated on an Ascentis C18 column (250mm×4.6mm I.D., 5μm), with a mobile phase composed of 0.1M formic acid in water and acetonitrile, under gradient elution. The proposed method was fully validated in agreement with ICH guidelines and then applied to the analysis of T. aphylla leaves and stems. A total of 14 phenolic compounds were characterized for the first time in this plant extracts by using UV, MS and MS(2) data. The amount of total phenolics was found to be 993.1±22.5μg/g in the leaves and 113.1±25.8μg/g in the stems, respectively. The most abundant constituents found in the leaves include ellagic acid (211.4±10.8μg/g), quercetin (125.7±4.7μg/g) and gallic acid (120.6±1.2μg/g), whereas those in the stems were ellagic acid (44.4±3.9μg/g), gallic acid (24.3±3.3μg/g) and kaempferol (16.3±1.6μg/g). The developed method can be considered a useful tool for the metabolite profiling of T. aphylla, which represents a potential source of bioactive compounds to be used in phytotherapy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrolyzable tannins of tamaricaceous plants. IV: Micropropagation and ellagitannin production in shoot cultures of Tamarix tetrandra.

PubMed

Orabi, Mohamed A A; Taniguchi, Shoko; Terabayashi, Susumu; Hatano, Tsutomu

2011-11-01

Shoot cultures of Tamarix tetrandra on Linsmaier-Skoog (LS) agar medium with 30 g l(-1) sucrose, 2.13 mg l(-1) indoleacetic acid and 2.25 mg l(-1) benzyl adenine produced ellagitannins found in intact plants of the Tamaricaceae. This was demonstrated by the isolation of 14 monomeric-tetrameric ellagitannins from the aq. Me2CO extract of the cultured tissues. This is the first report on the production of ellagitannin tetramers by plant tissue culture. The effects of light and certain medium constituents on tissue growth and ellagitannin production were examined. The contents of representative tannins of different types [i.e., tellimagrandin II (monomer), hirtellin A (linear GOG-type dimer), hirtellin B (hellinoyl-type dimer), hirtellin C (macrocyclic-type dimer), and hirtellin T1 (linear GOG-type trimer)] in the resultant tissues in response to these factors were estimated by HPLC, and the optimal condition for production of these tannins were established. Shoots cultured on LS hormone-free medium promoted root development, and regenerated plants could adapt to ordinary soil and climate. Acclimatized and intact T. tetrandra plants that were collected in November and May, respectively, demonstrated seasonal differences in individual ellagitannin contents. HPLC comparison of individual ellagitannin contents in different plant materials (i.e., leaves, stems, and roots) of intact T. tetrandra plants is also reported. The results are discussed with respect to cellular deposition and biosynthetic relationship of tannins. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Northern tamarisk beetle (Diorhabda carinulata) and tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) interactions in the Colorado River basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nagler, Pamela L.; Nguyen, Uyen; Bateman, Heather L.; Jarchow, Christopher; Glenn, Edward P.; Waugh, William J.; van Riper, Charles

2018-01-01

Northern tamarisk beetles (Diorhabda carinulata) were released in the Upper Colorado River Basin in the United States in 2004–2007 to defoliate introduced tamarisk shrubs (Tamarix spp.) in the region’s riparian zones. The primary purpose was to control the invasive shrub and reduce evapotranspiration (ET) by tamarisk in an attempt to increase stream flows. We evaluated beetle–tamarisk interactions with MODIS and Landsat imagery on 13 river systems, with vegetation indices used as indicators of the extent of defoliation and ET. Beetles are widespread and exhibit a pattern of colonize–defoliate–emigrate, so that riparian zones contain a mosaic of completely defoliated, partially defoliated, and refoliated tamarisk stands. Based on satellite data and ET algorithms, mean ET before beetle release (2000–2006) was 416 mm/year compared to postrelease (2007–2015) ET of 355 mm/year (p<0.05) for a net reduction of 61 mm/year. This is lower than initial literature projections that ET would be reduced by 300–460 mm/year. Reasons for the lower-than-expected ET reductions are because baseline ET rates are lower than initially projected, and percentage ET reduction is low because tamarisk stands tend to regrow new leaves after defoliation and other plants help maintain canopy cover. Overall reductions in tamarisk green foliage during the study are 21%. However, ET in the Upper Basin has shown a steady decline since 2007 and equilibrium has not yet been reached. Defoliation is now proceeding from the Upper Basin into the Lower Basin at a rate of 40 km/year, much faster than initially projected.

[Quality level assessment of lowly efficient Tamarix chinensis secondary shrubs in Laizhou Bay of Yellow River Delta].

PubMed

Xia, Jiang-Bao; Liu, Yu-Ting; Zhu, Jin-Fang; Xu, Jing-Wei; Lu, Zhao-Hua; Liu, Jing-Tao; Liu, Qing

2013-06-01

Taking the Tamarix chinensis secondary shrubs in Laizhou Bay of Yellow River Delta as test objects, and by using synthetic factor method, this paper studied the main factors causing the lowly efficiency of T. chinensis secondary shrubs as well as the main parameters for the classification of lowly efficient T. chinensis secondary shrubs. A total of 24 indices including shrubs growth and soil physical and chemical properties were selected to determine the main affecting factors and parameters in evaluating and classifying the lowly efficient shrubs. There were no obvious correlations between the indices reflecting the shrubs growth and soil quality, and thus, only using shrub growth index to reflect the lowly efficiency level of T. chinensis was not enough, and it would be necessary to combine with soil quality factors to make a comprehensive evaluation. The principal factors reflecting the quality level of lowly efficient T. chinensis shrubs included soil salt content and moisture content, stand age, single tree's aboveground stem, leaf biomass, and basal diameter, followed by soil density, porosity, and soil nutrient status. The lowly efficient T. chinensis shrubs in the Bay could be classified into five types, namely, shrub with growth potential, slightly low quality shrub, moderately lowly efficient shrub, moderately low quality and lowly efficient shrub, and seriously low quality and lowly efficient shrub. The main features, low efficiency causes, and management measures of these shrubs were discussed based on the mean cluster value.

Indirect effects of biocontrol of an invasive riparian plant (Tamarix) alters habitat and reduces herpetofauna abundance

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bateman, H.L.; Merritt, D.M.; Glenn, E.P.; Nagler, P.L.

2014-01-01

The biological control agent (tamarisk leaf beetle, Diorhabda spp.) is actively being used to defoliate exotic saltcedar or tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) in riparian ecosystems in western USA. The Virgin River in Arizona and Nevada is a system where tamarisk leaf beetle populations are spreading. Saltcedar biocontrol, like other control methods, has the potential to affect non-target species. Because amphibians and reptiles respond to vegetation changes in habitat and forage in areas where beetles are active, herpetofauna are model taxa to investigate potential impacts of biocontrol defoliation. Our objectives related herpetofauna abundance to vegetation cover and indices (normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI; enhanced vegetation index, EVI) and timing of biocontrol defoliation. We captured herpetofauna and ground-dwelling arthropods in trap arrays and measured vegetation using remotely sensed images and on-the-ground measurements at 16–21 sites 2 years before (2009–2010) and 2 years following (2011–2012) biocontrol defoliation. Following defoliation, riparian stands (including stands mixed with native and exotic trees and stands of monotypic exotic saltcedar) had significantly lower NDVI and EVI values and fewer captures of marked lizards. Total captures of herpetofauna (toads, lizards, and snakes) were related to higher vegetation cover and sites with a lower proportion of saltcedar. Our results suggest that effects of biocontrol defoliation are likely to be site-specific and depend upon the proportion of native riparian trees established prior to biocontrol introduction and defoliation. The mechanisms by which habitat structure, microclimate, and ultimately vertebrate species are affected by exotic plant biocontrol riparian areas should be a focus of natural-resource managers.

Roles of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) and capillary rise in salinizing a non-flooding terrace on a flow-regulated desert river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Glenn, E.P.; Morino, K.; Nagler, P.L.; Murray, R.S.; Pearlstein, S.; Hultine, K.R.

2012-01-01

Tamarix spp. (saltcedar) secretes salts and has been considered to be a major factor contributing to the salinization of river terraces in western US riparian zones. However, salinization can also occur from the capillary rise of salts from the aquifer into the vadose zone. We investigated the roles of saltcedar and physical factors in salinizing the soil profile of a non-flooding terrace at sites on the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge on the Lower Colorado River, USA. We placed salt traps under and between saltcedar shrubs and estimated the annual deposition rate of salts from saltcedar. These were then compared to the quantities and distribution on of salts in the soil profile. Dense stands of saltcedar deposited 0.159kgm -2yr -1 of salts to the soil surface. If this rate was constant since seasonal flooding ceased in 1938 and all of the salts were retained in the soil profile, they could account for 11.4kgm -2 of salt, about 30% of total salts in the profile today. Eliminating saltcedar would not necessarily reduce salts, because vegetation reduces the upward migration of salts in bulk flow from the aquifer. The densest saltcedar stand had the lowest salt levels in the vadose zone in this study. ?? 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

Grow, Baby, Grow

Cancer.gov

Maybe you quit smoking during your pregnancy. Or maybe you struggled and weren’t able to stay quit. Now that your baby is here, trying to stay away from smoking is still important. That’s because the chemicals in smoke can make it harder for your baby to grow like he or she should.

Responses of Water and Salt Parameters to Groundwater Levels for Soil Columns Planted with Tamarix chinensis

PubMed Central

Xia, Jiangbao; Zhao, Ximei; Chen, Yinping; Fang, Ying; Zhao, Ziguo

2016-01-01

Groundwater is the main water resource for plant growth and development in the saline soil of the Yellow River Delta in China. To investigate the variabilities and distributions of soil water and salt contents at various groundwater level (GL), soil columns with planting Tamarix chinensis Lour were established at six different GL. The results demonstrated the following: With increasing GL, the relative soil water content (RWC) declined significantly, whereas the salt content (SC) and absolute soil solution concentration (CS) decreased after the initial increase in the different soil profiles. A GL of 1.2 m was the turning point for variations in the soil water and salt contents, and it represented the highest GL that could maintain the soil surface moist within the soil columns. Both the SC and CS reached the maximum levels in these different soil profiles at a GL of 1.2 m. With the raise of soil depth, the RWC increased significantly, whereas the SC increased after an initial decrease. The mean SC values reached 0.96% in the top soil layer; however, the rates at which the CS and RWC decreased with the GL were significantly reduced. The RWC and SC presented the greatest variations at the medium (0.9–1.2 m) and shallow water levels (0.6 m) respectively, whereas the CS presented the greatest variation at the deep water level (1.5–1.8 m).The RWC, SC and CS in the soil columns were all closely related to the GL. However, the correlations among the parameters varied greatly within different soil profiles, and the most accurate predictions of the GL were derived from the RWC in the shallow soil layer or the SC in the top soil layer. A GL at 1.5–1.8 m was moderate for planting T. chinensis seedlings under saline groundwater conditions. PMID:26730602

Rapid dispersal of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) biocontrol beetles (Diorhabda carinulata) on a desert river detected by phenocams, MODIS imagery and ground observations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nagler, Pamela L.; Pearlstein, Susanna; Glenn, Edward P.; Brown, Tim B.; Bateman, Heather L.; Bean, Dan W.; Hultine, Kevin R.

2013-01-01

We measured the rate of dispersal of saltcedar leaf beetles (Diorhabda carinulata), a defoliating insect released on western rivers to control saltcedar shrubs (Tamarix spp.), on a 63 km reach of the Virgin River, U.S. Dispersal was measured by satellite imagery, ground surveys and phenocams. Pixels from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) sensors on the Terra satellite showed a sharp drop in NDVI in midsummer followed by recovery, correlated with defoliation events as revealed in networked digital camera images and ground surveys. Ground surveys and MODIS imagery showed that beetle damage progressed downstream at a rate of about 25 km yr−1 in 2010 and 2011, producing a 50% reduction in saltcedar leaf area index and evapotranspiration by 2012, as estimated by algorithms based on MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index values and local meteorological data for Mesquite, Nevada. This reduction is the equivalent of 10.4% of mean annual river flows on this river reach. Our results confirm other observations that saltcedar beetles are dispersing much faster than originally predicted in pre-release biological assessments, presenting new challenges and opportunities for land, water and wildlife managers on western rivers. Despite relatively coarse resolution (250 m) and gridding artifacts, single MODIS pixels can be useful in tracking the effects of defoliating insects in riparian corridors.

Growing Pains

PubMed Central

Lehman, Patrick J.; Carl, Rebecca L.

2017-01-01

Context: The term growing pains describes a common, benign syndrome of recurrent discomfort that occurs in young children. First described in the 1800s, the etiology of this condition remains unclear. The peak incidence does not correspond to a time of rapid growth. Children typically report bilateral pain in the lower extremities that occurs late in the day or at night. Evidence Acquisition: The PubMed database was searched using the keywords growing pains, benign nocturnal limb pains of childhood, recurrent limb pain of childhood, and limb pain in childhood. Articles were also found by reviewing references from the initial PubMed search. Only English-language articles published from 1900 through 2016 were included in the review. Study Design: Clinical review. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Results: When a patient’s history is classic for growing pains and physical examination is normal, laboratory and radiographic evaluation are not needed to make the diagnosis. Findings typical for growing pains include bilateral lower extremity pain usually experienced in the early evening or at night. The pain is not caused by activity and will not cause a limp. Conclusion: Additional workup is warranted for children with an atypical history, systemic symptoms, or for those individuals with physical examination abnormalities such as allodynia, focal tenderness, joint swelling, or decreased joint range of motion. Management of growing pains generally consists of symptomatic care with massage and over-the-counter analgesics, as well as reassurance to children and parents about the benign, self-limited nature of this condition. This review article summarizes data on the epidemiology, etiology, and management of growing pains and provides a framework for distinguishing this entity from other causes of extremity pain. PMID:28177851

Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) and Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) in the Western United States-A Report on the State of the Science

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shafroth, Patrick

2010-01-01

The Salt Cedar and Russian Olive Control Demonstration Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-320) directs the Department of the Interior to submit a report to Congress that includes an assessment of several issues surrounding these two nonnative trees, now dominant components of the vegetation along many rivers in the Western United States. This report was published in 2010 as a U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report (available online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2009/5247). The report was produced through a collaborative effort led by the Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Geological Survey, with critical contributions from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and from university researchers. The document synthesizes the state of the science and key research needs on the following topics related to management of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) and Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) in the Western United States: their distribution and abundance (extent); the potential for water savings associated with controlling these species; considerations related to wildlife use of saltcedar and Russian olive habitat and restored habitats; methods of control and removal; possible utilization of dead biomass following control and removal; and approaches and challenges associated with site revegetation or restoration. A concluding chapter discusses possible long-term management strategies, potentially useful field-demonstration projects, and a planning process for on-the-ground projects involving removal of saltcedar and Russian olive.

Growing media [Chapter 5

Treesearch

Douglass F. Jacobs; Thomas D. Landis; Tara Luna

2009-01-01

Selecting the proper growing medium is one of the most important considerations in nursery plant production. A growing medium can be defined as a substance through which roots grow and extract water and nutrients. In native plant nurseries, a growing medium can consist of native soil but is more commonly an "artificial soil" composed of materials such as peat...

The Hyper-Envelope Modeling Interface (HEMI): A Novel Approach Illustrated Through Predicting Tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) Habitat in the Western USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, Jim; Young, Nick; Jarnevich, Catherine S.; Newman, Greg; Evangelista, Paul; Stohlgren, Thomas J.

2013-01-01

Habitat suitability maps are commonly created by modeling a species’ environmental niche from occurrences and environmental characteristics. Here, we introduce the hyper-envelope modeling interface (HEMI), providing a new method for creating habitat suitability models using Bezier surfaces to model a species niche in environmental space. HEMI allows modeled surfaces to be visualized and edited in environmental space based on expert knowledge and does not require absence points for model development. The modeled surfaces require relatively few parameters compared to similar modeling approaches and may produce models that better match ecological niche theory. As a case study, we modeled the invasive species tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) in the western USA. We compare results from HEMI with those from existing similar modeling approaches (including BioClim, BioMapper, and Maxent). We used synthetic surfaces to create visualizations of the various models in environmental space and used modified area under the curve (AUC) statistic and akaike information criterion (AIC) as measures of model performance. We show that HEMI produced slightly better AUC values, except for Maxent and better AIC values overall. HEMI created a model with only ten parameters while Maxent produced a model with over 100 and BioClim used only eight. Additionally, HEMI allowed visualization and editing of the model in environmental space to develop alternative potential habitat scenarios. The use of Bezier surfaces can provide simple models that match our expectations of biological niche models and, at least in some cases, out-perform more complex approaches.

Spatial correlations of Diceroprocta apache and its host plants: Evidence for a negative impact from Tamarix invasion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellingson, A.R.; Andersen, D.C.

2002-01-01

1. The hypothesis that the habitat-scale spatial distribution of the, Apache cicada Diceroprocta apache Davis is unaffected by the presence of the invasive exotic saltcedar Tamarix ramosissima was tested using data from 205 1-m2 quadrats placed within the flood-plain of the Bill Williams River, Arizona, U.S.A. Spatial dependencies within and between cicada density and habitat variables were estimated using Moran's I and its bivariate analogue to discern patterns and associations at spatial scales from 1 to 30 m. 2. Apache cicadas were spatially aggregated in high-density clusters averaging 3m in diameter. A positive association between cicada density, estimated by exuvial density, and the per cent canopy cover of a native tree, Goodding's willow Salix gooddingii, was detected in a non-spatial correlation analysis. No non-spatial association between cicada density and saltcedar canopy cover was detected. 3. Tests for spatial cross-correlation using the bivariate IYZ indicated the presence of a broad-scale negative association between cicada density and saltcedar canopy cover. This result suggests that large continuous stands of saltcedar are associated with reduced cicada density. In contrast, positive associations detected at spatial scales larger than individual quadrats suggested a spill-over of high cicada density from areas featuring Goodding's willow canopy into surrounding saltcedar monoculture. 4. Taken together and considered in light of the Apache cicada's polyphagous habits, the observed spatial patterns suggest that broad-scale factors such as canopy heterogeneity affect cicada habitat use more than host plant selection. This has implications for management of lower Colorado River riparian woodlands to promote cicada presence and density through maintenance or creation of stands of native trees as well as manipulation of the characteristically dense and homogeneous saltcedar canopies.

Spatial correlations of Diceroprocta apache and its host plants: Evidence for a negative impact from Tamarix invasion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellingson, A.R.; Andersen, D.C.

2002-01-01

1. The hypothesis that the habitat-scale spatial distribution of the Apache cicada Diceroprocta apache Davis is unaffected by the presence of the invasive exotic saltcedar Tamarix ramosissima was tested using data from 205 1-m2 quadrats placed within the flood-plain of the Bill Williams River, Arizona, U.S.A. Spatial dependencies within and between cicada density and habitat variables were estimated using Moran's I and its bivariate analogue to discern patterns and associations at spatial scales from 1 to 30 m.2. Apache cicadas were spatially aggregated in high-density clusters averaging 3 m in diameter. A positive association between cicada density, estimated by exuvial density, and the per cent canopy cover of a native tree, Goodding's willow Salix gooddingii, was detected in a non-spatial correlation analysis. No non-spatial association between cicada density and saltcedar canopy cover was detected.3. Tests for spatial cross-correlation using the bivariate IYZ indicated the presence of a broad-scale negative association between cicada density and saltcedar canopy cover. This result suggests that large continuous stands of saltcedar are associated with reduced cicada density. In contrast, positive associations detected at spatial scales larger than individual quadrats suggested a spill-over of high cicada density from areas featuring Goodding's willow canopy into surrounding saltcedar monoculture.4. Taken together and considered in light of the Apache cicada's polyphagous habits, the observed spatial patterns suggest that broad-scale factors such as canopy heterogeneity affect cicada habitat use more than host plant selection. This has implications for management of lower Colorado River riparian woodlands to promote cicada presence and density through maintenance or creation of stands of native trees as well as manipulation of the characteristically dense and homogeneous saltcedar canopies.

Effects of salinity on establishment of Populus fremontii (cottonwood) and Tamarix ramosissima (saltcedar) in southwestern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shafroth, Patrick B.; Friedman, Jonathan M.; Ischinger, Lee S.

1995-01-01

The exotic shrub Tamarix ramosissima (saltcedar) has replaced the native Populus fremontii(cottonwood) along many streams in southwestern United States. We used a controlled outdoor experiment to examine the influence of river salinity on germination and first year survival of P. fremontii var. wislizenii (Rio Grande cottonwood) and T. ramosissima on freshly deposited alluvial bars. We grew both species from seed in planters of sand subjected to a declining water table and solutions containing 0, 1, 3, and 5 times the concentrations of major ions in the Rio Grande at San Marcia, NM (1.2, 10.0, 25.7 and 37.4 meq 1-1; 0.11, 0.97, 2.37, and 3.45 dS m-1). Germination of P. fremontii declined by 35% with increasing salinity (P = .008). Germination of T. ramosissima was not affected. There were no significant effects of salinity on morality or above- and belowground growth of either species. In laboratory tests the same salinities had no effect onP. fremontii germination. P. fremontii germination is more sensitive to salinity outdoors than in covered petri dishes, probably because water scarcity resulting from eavaportion intensifies the low soil water potential associated with high salinity. River salinity appears to play only a minor role in determining relative numbers of P. fremontii and T. ramosissima seedlings on freshly deposited sandbars. However, over many years salt becomes concentrated on floodplains as a result of evaporation and salt extrusion from saltcedar leaves. T. ramosissima is known to be more tolerant of the resulting extreme salinities than P. fremontii. Therefore, increases in river salinities could indirectly contribute to decline of P. fremontii forests by exacerbating salt accumulation on floodplains.

Plot- and landscape-level changes in climate and vegetation following defoliation of exotic saltcedar (Tamarix sp.) from the biocontrol agent Diorhabda carinulata along a stream in the Mojave Desert (USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bateman, H.L.; Nagler, P.L.; Glenn, E.P.

2013-01-01

The biocontrol agent, northern tamarisk beetle (Diorhabda carinulata), has been used to defoliate non-native saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) in USA western riparian systems since 2001. Biocontrol has the potential to impact biotic communities and climatic conditions in affected riparian areas. To determine the relationships between biocontrol establishment and effects on vegetation and climate at the plot and landscape scales, we measured temperature, relative humidity, foliage canopy, solar radiation, and used satellite imagery to assess saltcedar defoliation and evapotranspiration (ET) along the Virgin River in the Mojave Desert. Following defoliation solar radiation increased, daily humidity decreased, and maximum daily temperatures tended to increase. MODIS and Landsat satellite imagery showed defoliation was widespread, resulting in reductions in ET and vegetation indices. Because biocontrol beetles are spreading into new saltcedar habitats on arid western rivers, and the eventual equilibrium between beetles and saltcedar is unknown, it is necessary to monitor trends for ecosystem functions and higher trophic-level responses in habitats impacted by biocontrol.

Two new species of Quasithelazia Maplestone, 1932 (Nematoda: Acuariidae) from Malaysia, with an amended diagnosis and review of the genus.

PubMed

Mutafchiev, Yasen; Mariaux, Jean; Georgiev, Boyko B

2014-06-01

Quazithelazia rostrata n. sp. from Ceyx erithaca (L.) (type-host) and Alcedo euryzona Temminck (Coraciiformes, Alcedinidae) and Q. alata n. sp. from Enicurus ruficapillus Temminck (Passeriformes, Muscicapidae) are described from vicinities of Gombak Biological Station, Selangor, Malaysia; both species are parasitic under the koilin lining of the gizzard. Paratypes of Schistogendra pelargopsis Nandi, De & Majumdar, 1985, a parasite of Pelargopsis capensis (L.) (Alcedinidae) from India, are redescribed and the species is recognised as a junior synonym of the type-species of Quasithelazia, Q. tenuis Maplestone, 1932 (new synonymy), a species originally described from Halcyon smyrnensis (L.) (Alcedinidae) in India. An amended diagnosis of the genus Quasithelazia Maplestone, 1932 is proposed. Currently, this genus includes eight species occurring in the Old World, six of them parasitic in kingfishers (Alcedinidae) and two species parasitic in flycatchers (Muscicapidae). These include, inter alia, Q. halcyoni n. comb. for Viktorocara halcyoni Ryzhikov & Khokhlova, 1964 from Halcyon smyrnensis and H. pileata (Boddaert) in Vietnam and the Russian Far East, Q. microcordonis n. comb. for Rusguniella microcordonis Schmidt & Kuntz, 1971 from Halcyon coromanda major (Temminck & Schlegel) in Taiwan and Q. multipapillata n. comb. for Schistogendra multipapillata Zhang, 1993 from Tarsiger cyanurus (Pallas) (Muscicapidae) in China. Comparative morphological data for Quasithelazia spp. are presented. Schistogendra oligopapillata Zhang & An, 2002 from domestic ducks in China is considered a species incertae sedis.

Water relations of riparian plants from warm desert regions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, S.D.; Devitt, Dale A.; Cleverly, James R.; Busch, David E.

1998-01-01

Riparian plants have been classified as 'drought avoiders' due to their access to an abundant subsurface water supply. Recent water-relations research that tracks water sources of riparian plants using the stable isotopes of water suggests that many plants of the riparian zone use ground water rather than stream water, and not all riparian plants are obligate phreatophytes (dependent on ground water as a moisture source) but may occasionally be dependent of unsaturated soil moisture sources. A more thorough understanding of riparian plant-water relations must include water-source dynamics and how those dynamics vary over both space and time. Many rivers in the desert Southwest have been invaded by the exotic shrub Tamarix ramosissima (saltcedar). Our studies of Tamarix invasion into habitats formerly dominated by native riparian forests of primarily Populus and Salix have shown that Tamarix successfully invades these habitats because of its (1) greater tolerance to water stress and salinity, (2) status as a facultative, rather than obligate, phreatophyte and, therefore, its ability to recover from droughts and periods of ground-water drawdown, and (3) superior regrowth after fire. Analysis of water- loss rates indicate that Tamarix-dominated stands can have extremely high evapotranspiration rates when water tables are high but not necessarily when water tables are lower. Tamarix has leaf-level transpiration rates that are comparable to native species, whereas sap-flow rates per unit sapwood area are higher than in natives, suggesting that Tamarix maintains higher leaf area than can natives, probably due to its greater water stress tolerance. Tamarix desiccates and salinizes floodplains, due to its salt exudation and high transpiration rates, and may also accelerate fire cycles, thus predisposing these ecosystems to further loss of native taxa. Riparian species on regulated rivers can be exposed to seasonal water stress due to depression of floodplain water tables

Riparian bird density decline in response to biocontrol of Tamarix from riparian ecosystems along the Dolores River in SW Colorado, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Darrah, Abigail J.; van Riper, Charles

2018-01-01

Biocontrol of invasive tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) in the arid Southwest using the introduced tamarisk beetle (Diorhabda elongata) has been hypothesized to negatively affect some breeding bird species, but no studies to date have documented the effects of beetle-induced defoliation on riparian bird abundance. We assessed the effects of tamarisk defoliation by monitoring defoliation rates, changes in vegetation composition, and changes in density of six obligate riparian breeding bird species at two sites along the Dolores River in Colorado following the arrival of tamarisk beetles. We conducted bird point counts from 2010 to 2014 and modeled bird density as a function of native vegetation density and extent of defoliation using hierarchical distance sampling. Maximum annual defoliation decreased throughout the study period, peaking at 32–37% in 2009–2010 and dropping to 0.5–15% from 2011–2014. Stem density of both tamarisk and native plants declined throughout the study period until 2014. Density of all bird species declined throughout most of the study, with Song Sparrow disappearing from the study sites after 2011. Blue Grosbeak, Yellow-breasted Chat, and Yellow Warbler densities were negatively related to defoliation in the previous year, while Lazuli Bunting exhibited a positive relationship with defoliation. These findings corroborate earlier predictions of species expected to be sensitive to defoliation as a result of nest site selection. Tamarisk defoliation thus had short-term negative impacts on riparian bird species; active restoration may be needed to encourage the regrowth of native riparian vegetation, which in the longer-term may result in increased riparian bird density.

The effects of groundwater depth on water uptake of Populus euphratica and Tamarix ramosissima in the hyperarid region of Northwestern China.

PubMed

Chen, Yapeng; Chen, Yaning; Xu, Changchun; Li, Weihong

2016-09-01

Knowledge of the water sources used by desert trees and shrubs is critical for understanding how they function and respond to groundwater decline and predicting the influence of water table changes on riparian plants. In this paper, we test whether increased depth to groundwater changed the water uptake pattern of desert riparian species and whether competition for water resources between trees and shrubs became more intense with a groundwater depth gradient. The water sources used by plants were calculated using the IsoSource model, and the results suggested differences in water uptake patterns with varying groundwater depths. At the river bank (groundwater depth = 1.8 m), Populus euphratica and Tamarix ramosissima both used a mixture of river water, groundwater, and deeper soil water (>75 cm). When groundwater depth was 3.8 m, trees and shrubs both depended predominantly on soil water stored at 150-375 cm depth. When the groundwater depth was 7.2 m, plant species switched to predominantly use both groundwater and deeper soil water (>375 cm). However, differences in water acquisition patterns between species were not found. The proportional similarity index (PSI) of proportional contribution to water uptake of different water resources between P. euphratica and T. ramosissima was calculated, and results showed that there was intense water resource competition between P. euphratica and T. ramosissima when grown at shallow groundwater depth (not more than 3.8 m), and the competition weakened when the groundwater depth increased to 7.2 m.

Evaluating the potential use of Tamarix gallica L. for phytoremediation practices in heavy-metal polluted soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abou Jaoudé, R.; Pricop, A.; Laffont-Schwob, I.; Prudent, P.; Rabier, J.; Masotti, V.; de Dato, G.; De Angelis, P.

2012-04-01

The rapid growth of population, the increased urbanisation and the expansion of industrial activities have provoked an augmented occurrence of soil contamination by heavy-metals. Important sources of contamination are industrial, mining and military infrastructures, which are often abandoned without performing the appropriate reclamation work. In the Mediterranean Basin, where coastal areas are largely affected by human overexploitation, the use of species able to tolerate heavy-metals and other abiotic stresses may represent a low-cost solution for phytoremediation in these harsh environments. Tamarix gallica L. is a widespread species in coastal Mediterranean areas, showing a high adaptability to different environments and a high tolerance of adversity. With the objective of testing local species as candidates for phytoremediation practices in heavy-metal contaminated coastal soils, cuttings of T. gallica from a wild population around Marseille (France) were planted in pots containing: 1) control soil (loamy soil and sand (2/1)), 2) half-polluted soil (loamy soil, sand and heavy-metal polluted soil (1/1/1)), and 3) polluted soil (sand and heavy-metal polluted soil (1/2)). The contaminated soils were collected in the surrounding of a former lead industry of Marseille littoral and characterised by the presence of Fe, Pb, Zn, As and Al. After three months from planting, leaf functionality was evaluated by measuring leaf gas exchanges, leaf chlorophyll fluorescence and, chlorophyll, phenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins contents. SEM observations coupled to EDXS analysis were used to determine elements (Pb, As and Al) presence and location on the leaf surface and in leaf and root tissues. T. gallica was moderately affected by the presence of heavy-metals in the soil treatments. In fact, a reduction in stomatal conductance was only observed in plants grown in the polluted soil. This reduction did not cause a significant decrease in CO2 assimilation rates. Moreover, the

Temperature Sensitivity of Soil Respiration to Nitrogen Fertilization: Varying Effects between Growing and Non-Growing Seasons

PubMed Central

Liu, Qingfang; Wang, Rui; Li, Rujian; Hu, Yaxian; Guo, Shengli

2016-01-01

Nitrogen (N) fertilization has a considerable effect on food production and carbon cycling in agro-ecosystems. However, the impacts of N fertilization rates on the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration (Q10) were controversial. Five N rates (N0, N45, N90, N135, and N180) were applied to a continuous winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop on the semi-arid Loess Plateau, and the in situ soil respiration was monitored during five consecutive years from 2008 to 2013. During the growing season, the mean soil respiration rates increased with increasing N fertilization rates, peaking at 1.53 μmol m−2s−1 in the N135 treatment. A similar dynamic pattern was observed during the non-growing season, yet on average with 7.3% greater soil respiration rates than the growing season. In general for all the N fertilization treatments, the mean Q10 value during the non-growing season was significantly greater than that during the growing season. As N fertilization rates increased, the Q10 values did not change significantly in the growing season but significantly decreased in the non-growing season. Overall, N fertilization markedly influenced soil respirations and Q10 values, in particular posing distinct effects on the Q10 values between the growing and non-growing seasons. PMID:27992576

Utilizing remote sensing to supplement ground monitoring of Diorhabda elongata as a control agent for Tamarix ramosissima in Dinosaur National Monument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Archambault, V.; Auch, J.; Landy, J.; Rudy, G.; Seifert, C.; Schmidt, C.; Skiles, J.

2008-12-01

The plant Tamarix ramosissima has invaded significant riparian habitat along the Green River in Dinosaur National Monument. Commonly known as salt cedar or tamarisk, it was introduced from Eurasia to the Southwestern United States to prevent soil erosion along riverbanks and as an ornamental plant. It has since come to affect water resources, recreation, wildlife, and ecosystem services. Various methods used to control tamarisk's spread have had moderate success but have drained National Park Service of human and monetary resources. In June 2006, the salt cedar leaf beetle (Diorhabda elongata) was released as a biological control agent within the park to defoliate and ultimately eradicate the invasive species. This study examines the efficacy of using Landsat TM imagery to supplement ground monitoring of the beetle's spread and its effects on tamarisk in Dinosaur National Monument, and discusses the development of a GIS model to predict annual change in tamarisk cover and beetle populations. Through fieldwork, we determined four areas of interest with favorable attributes for satellite detection. A change detection model was created by layering 2005-2008 data and quantifying mean NDVI. Results show that intra-year NDVI trends may be more effective for accurate detection than single-image year-to-year comparisons largely because intra-year environmental variability is significantly smaller. Additionally, our GIS model predicted significant growth of beetle population, implying that defoliation will become more apparent in future years. However, challenges to detecting this defoliation include the year-to-year variability of environmental factors, low spatial resolution of Landsat TM data, low visibility into parts of the Green River canyon, and the spectral mixing of tamarisk and native vegetation.

Growing media constituents determine the microbial nitrogen conversions in organic growing media for horticulture.

PubMed

Grunert, Oliver; Reheul, Dirk; Van Labeke, Marie-Christine; Perneel, Maaike; Hernandez-Sanabria, Emma; Vlaeminck, Siegfried E; Boon, Nico

2016-05-01

Vegetables and fruits are an important part of a healthy food diet, however, the eco-sustainability of the production of these can still be significantly improved. European farmers and consumers spend an estimated €15.5 billion per year on inorganic fertilizers and the production of N-fertilizers results in a high carbon footprint. We investigated if fertilizer type and medium constituents determine microbial nitrogen conversions in organic growing media and can be used as a next step towards a more sustainable horticulture. We demonstrated that growing media constituents showed differences in urea hydrolysis, ammonia and nitrite oxidation and in carbon dioxide respiration rate. Interestingly, mixing of the growing media constituents resulted in a stimulation of the function of the microorganisms. The use of organic fertilizer resulted in an increase in amoA gene copy number by factor 100 compared to inorganic fertilizers. Our results support our hypothesis that the activity of the functional microbial community with respect to nitrogen turnover in an organic growing medium can be improved by selecting and mixing the appropriate growing media components with each other. These findings contribute to the understanding of the functional microbial community in growing media and its potential role towards a more responsible horticulture. © 2016 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

A river system to watch: documenting the effects of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) biocontrol in the Virgin River valley

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bateman, Heather L.; Dudley, Tom L.; Bean, Dan W.; Ostoja, Steven M.; Hultine, Kevin R.; Kuehn, Michael J.

2010-01-01

Throughout riparian areas of the southwestern United States, non-native saltcedar (also known as tamarisk; Tamarix spp.) can form dense, monotypic stands and is often reported to have detrimental effects on native plants and habitat quality (Everitt 1980; Shafroth et al. 2005). Natural resource managers of these riparian areas spend considerable time and resources controlling saltcedar using a variety of techniques, including chemical (Duncan and McDaniel 1998), mechanical, and burning methods (Shafroth et al. 2005). Approximately one billion dollars are spent each year on river restoration projects nationally (Bernhardt et al. 2005), and a majority of these projects focus on invasive species control in the Southwest (Follstad Shah et al. 2007). A technique that has drawn much attention is the use of the saltcedar leaf beetle (Diorhabda spp.), a specialist herbivore, as biological control of saltcedar (Lewis et al. 2003). Research testing was conducted with beetles housed in secure enclosures in six states in 1998 and 1999 (Dudley et al. 2001), followed by open release at some of those sites starting in 2001 (DeLoach et al. 2004). By 2005, full-scale saltcedar biocontrol was implemented in 13 states, led by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the agency that oversees biological control programs, and with the participation and support of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Despite the widespread application of Diorhabda, however, only limited research has quantified the consequences (benefits and costs) on biotic communities and ecosystem services. Alterations to riparian areas caused by various non-native species control activities have the potential to affect a variety of habitat types used by wildlife (Bateman et al. 2008a); processes like water availability, fluvial deposition, and erosion; and the establishment of other non-native species (Carruthers and D'Antonio 2005, Shafroth et al. 2005, DeLoach et al. 2006). Similarly

Distribution of invasive and native riparian woody plants across the western USA in relation to climate, river flow, floodplain geometry and patterns of introduction

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryan McShane,; Daniel Auerbach,; Friedman, Jonathan M.; Auble, Gregor T.; Shafroth, Patrick B.; Michael Merigliano,; Scott, Michael L.; N. Leroy Poff,

2015-01-01

Management of riparian plant invasions across the landscape requires understanding the combined influence of climate, hydrology, geologic constraints and patterns of introduction. We measured abundance of nine riparian woody taxa at 456 stream gages across the western USA. We constructed conditional inference recursive binary partitioning models to discriminate the influence of eleven environmental variables on plant occurrence and abundance, focusing on the two most abundant non-native taxa, Tamarix spp. and Elaeagnus angustifolia, and their native competitor Populus deltoides. River reaches in this study were distributed along a composite gradient from cooler, wetter higher-elevation reaches with higher stream power and earlier snowmelt flood peaks to warmer, drier lower-elevation reaches with lower power and later peaks. Plant distributions were strongly related to climate, hydrologic and geomorphic factors, and introduction history. The strongest associations were with temperature and then precipitation. Among hydrologic and geomorphic variables, stream power, peak flow timing and 10-yr flood magnitude had stronger associations than did peak flow predictability, low-flow magnitude, mean annual flow and channel confinement. Nearby intentional planting of Elaeagnus was the best predictor of its occurrence, but planting of Tamarix was rare. Higher temperatures were associated with greater abundance of Tamarix relative to P. deltoides, and greater abundance of P. deltoides relative toElaeagnus. Populus deltoides abundance was more strongly related to peak flow timing than was that of Elaeagnus or Tamarix. Higher stream power and larger 10-yr floods were associated with greater abundance of P. deltoides and Tamarix relative to Elaeagnus. Therefore, increases in temperature could increase abundance of Tamarix and decrease that of Elaeagnus relative to P. deltoides, changes in peak flow timing caused by climate change or dam operations could

Quantifying growing versus non-growing ovarian follicles in the mouse.

PubMed

Uslu, Bahar; Dioguardi, Carola Conca; Haynes, Monique; Miao, De-Qiang; Kurus, Meltem; Hoffman, Gloria; Johnson, Joshua

2017-01-13

A standard histomorphometric approach has been used for nearly 40 years that identifies atretic (e.g., dying) follicles by counting the number of pyknotic granulosa cells (GC) in the largest follicle cross-section. This method holds that if one pyknotic granulosa nucleus is seen in the largest cross section of a primary follicle, or three pyknotic cells are found in a larger follicle, it should be categorized as atretic. Many studies have used these criteria to estimate the fraction of atretic follicles that result from genetic manipulation or environmental insult. During an analysis of follicle development in a mouse model of Fragile X premutation, we asked whether these 'historical' criteria could correctly identify follicles that were not growing (and could thus confirmed to be dying). Reasoning that the fraction of mitotic GC reveals whether the GC population was increasing at the time of sample fixation, we compared the number of pyknotic nuclei to the number of mitotic figures in follicles within a set of age-matched ovaries. We found that, by itself, pyknotic nuclei quantification resulted in high numbers of false positives (improperly categorized as atretic) and false negatives (improperly categorized intact). For preantral follicles, scoring mitotic and pyknotic GC nuclei allowed rapid, accurate identification of non-growing follicles with 98% accuracy. This method most often required the evaluation of one follicle section, and at most two serial follicle sections to correctly categorize follicle status. For antral follicles, we show that a rapid evaluation of follicle shape reveals which are intact and likely to survive to ovulation. Combined, these improved, non-arbitrary methods will greatly improve our ability to estimate the fractions of growing/intact and non-growing/atretic follicles in mouse ovaries.

Transpirational water loss in invaded and restored semiarid riparian forests

Treesearch

Georgianne W. Moore; M. Keith Owens

2011-01-01

The invasive tree, Tamarix sp., was introduced to the United States in the 1800s to stabilize stream banks. The riparian ecosystem adjacent to the middle Rio Grande River in central NewMexico consists of mature cottonwood (Populus fremontii ) gallery forests with a dense Tamarix understory. We hypothesized that Populus would compensate for reduced competition by...

Land Desertification and it’s Control in Gonghe Basin of Qinghai Plateau, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, D.; Gao, S.; Lu, R.

2009-12-01

Land desertification is an important environmental and social-economic problems that threatening people’s living conditions and impacting social sustainable development. The Gonghe basin in Qinghai Plateau is a fragile cold alpine area which is one of the places seriously threatened by desertification in China. This paper selected Gonghe basin as a study area to study land sandy desertification and its controlling measures. The engineering measures for sandy desertification control include setting clay sand barrier, Salix cheilophila sand barrier, Tamarix sand barrier, Artemisia sand barrier and straw-checker sand-barriers to fix dunes; the biological measures include closure for natural vegetation recovery, direct seeding forestation, transplanting seedlings, and so on. The combination of engineering and biologic measures can fix dunes 2~3 years earlier than the common single measure; and the costs were basically identical. A synthesized evaluation system established based on experimental results and experience in recent years indicated that the effectiveness of the four kinds of sand barrier for prevention and control of sand in study area were: Tamarix sand barrier > Artemisia sand barrier > clay sand barrier > straw-checker sand-barriers. In addition, different optimized management model can be selected according to local material and geographical place. New plants such as Salix cheilophila and Tamarix, which are available in study area, can change from dead sand barrier to live one set in proper seasons, changing engineering measure to biological one directly speeds the progress of forestation and dunes fixation. In addition, we developed new technique of deep planting Salix cheilophila and Tamarix with their long stem, which can effectively resist drought. We found that it had lower cost and higher live rate, and has a better sand prevention effect than deep planting of Poplar. Finally we choose the optimize management model as follows: Artemisia direct

Taiwan: growing, growing, gone.

PubMed

Hanson, R

1979-10-01

Accommodation between Taiwan and the People's Republic of China may not be inconceivable as trade contacts (though officially disallowed) grow. Because of Taiwan's well-established success and the pressing need in China to industrialize, it appears, however, that such an accommodation will occur only after China becomes more like Taiwan. Taiwan owes its success, first, to land reform and then, in the 1960s, to steady industrialization. Besides broad controls over money supply and capital designed to ward off inflationary pressures when needed, and the grand outlines for development, another factor in the island's economic success is that the government has interfered little with private enterprise. The economy has an underpinning of small to medium size businesses. There are more than 10,000 trading companies. This diverse foundation has given the economy as a whole a flexible buffer on which more sophisticated industires can be formed.

Growing America's Energy Future

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

None

The emerging U.S. bioenergy industry provides a secure and growing supply of transportation fuels, biopower, and bioproducts produced from a range of abundant, renewable biomass resources. Bioenergy can help ensure a secure, sustainable, and economically sound future by reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil, developing domestic clean energy sources, and generating domestic green jobs. Bioenergy can also help address growing concerns about climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions to create a healthier environment for current and future generations.

Growing container seedlings: Three considerations

Treesearch

Kas Dumroese; Thomas D. Landis

2015-01-01

The science of growing reforestation and conservation plants in containers has continually evolved, and three simple observations may greatly improve seedling quality. First, retaining stock in its original container for more than one growing season should be avoided. Second, strongly taprooted species now being grown as bareroot stock may be good candidates...

Growing Your Own versus Mentoring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbs, Greg K.

2005-01-01

With the current scarcity of qualified administrative candidates, the author hears many districts talking of "growing their own" administrators. The current practice of "growing your own" appears to be largely driven by specific district needs and finding someone who can best fill those needs in a timely fashion. Minor grooming and limited…

The cooling time scales of growing sunspots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chou, Dean-Yi

1987-01-01

The evolution of brightness and magnetic fields of growing sunspots is studied. Growing sunspots are found to be brighter (or less dark) than stable sunspots with the same magnetic field strength. From comparison of brightness and magnetic fields of a growing sunspot with those of stable sunspots, a dynamical parameter, the cooling time, of the growing sunspot is obtained. Ten growing sunspots are studied, and cooling times of 0.5 to 9 hr are found. Two models, the inhibition model and the Alfven wave model, give cooling times of about 0.05 hr, based on linear theory. The discrepancy between theory and observation may be due to the fact that the observed sunspots are in the nonlinear regime.

Impact of soil salinity on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi biodiversity and microflora biomass associated with Tamarix articulata Vahll rhizosphere in arid and semi-arid Algerian areas.

PubMed

Bencherif, Karima; Boutekrabt, Ammar; Fontaine, Joël; Laruelle, Fréderic; Dalpè, Yolande; Sahraoui, Anissa Lounès-Hadj

2015-11-15

Soil salinization is an increasingly important problem in many parts of the world, particularly under arid and semi-arid areas. Unfortunately, the knowledge about restoration of salt affected ecosystems using mycorrhizae is limited. The current study aims to investigate the impact of salinity on the microbial richness of the halophytic plant Tamarix articulata rhizosphere. Soil samples were collected from natural sites with increasing salinity (1.82-4.95 ds.m(-1)). Six arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) species were isolated from the different saline soils and identified as Septoglomus constrictum, Funneliformis mosseae, Funneliformis geosporum, Funneliformis coronatum, Rhizophagus fasciculatus, and Gigaspora gigantea. The number of AMF spores increased with soil salinity. Total root colonization rate decreased from 65 to 16% but remained possible with soil salinity. Microbial biomass in T. articulata rhizosphere was affected by salinity. The phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) C16:1ω5 as well as i15:0, a15:0, i16:0, i17:0, a17:0, cy17:0, C18:1ω7 and cy19:0 increased in high saline soils suggesting that AMF and bacterial biomasses increased with salinity. In contrast, ergosterol amount was negatively correlated with soil salinity indicating that ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungal biomasses were reduced with salinity. Our findings highlight the adaptation of arbuscular and bacterial communities to natural soil salinity and thus the potential use of mycorrhizal T. articulata trees as an approach to restore moderately saline disturbed arid lands. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sorption of Cr(VI), Cu(II) and Pb(II) by growing and non-growing cells of a bacterial consortium.

PubMed

Sannasi, P; Kader, J; Ismail, B S; Salmijah, S

2006-03-01

This paper reports the sorption of three metallic ions, namely Cr(VI), Cu(II) and Pb(II) in aqueous solution by a consortium culture (CC) comprising an acclimatised mixed bacterial culture collected from point and non-point sources. Metal sorption capability of growing and non-growing cells at initial pH of between 3 and 8 in the 1-100mg/L concentration range were studied based on Q(max) and K(f) values of the Langmuir and linearised Freundlich isotherm models, respectively. Maximal metal loading was generally observed to be dependent on the initial pH. Growing cells displayed significant maximal loading (Q(max)) for Pb(II) (238.09 mg/g) and Cu(II) (178.87 mg/g) at pH 6 and at pH 7 for Cr(VI) (90.91 mg/g) compared to non-growing cells (p < 0.05). At the pH range of 6-8, growing cells showed higher loading capacity compared to non-growing cells i.e. 38-52% for Cr, 17-28% for Cu and 3-17% for Pb. At lower metal concentrations and at more acidic pH (3-4) however, non-growing cells had higher metal loading capacity than growing cells. The metal sorption capacity for both populations were as follows: Pb(II) > Cu(II) > Cr(VI).

Extreme Mechanics of Growing Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuhl, Ellen

2013-03-01

Growth is a distinguishing feature of all living things. Unlike standard materials, living matter can autonomously respond to alterations in its environment. As a result of a continuous ultrastructural turnover and renewal of cells and extracellular matrix, living matter can undergo extreme changes in composition, size, and shape within the order of months, weeks, or days. While hard matter typically adapts by increasing its density to grow strong, soft matter adapts by increasing its volume to grow large. Here we provide a state-of-the-art review of growing matter, and compare existing mathematical models for growth and remodeling of living systems. Applications are plentiful ranging from plant growth to tumor growth, from asthma in the lungs to restenosis in the vasculature, from plastic to reconstructive surgery, and from skeletal muscle adaptation to heart failure. Using these examples, we discuss current challenges and potential future directions. We hope to initiate critical discussions around the biophysical modeling of growing matter as a powerful tool to better understand biological systems in health and disease. This research has been supported by the NSF CAREER award CMMI 0952021.

Growing Hyperbranched Polymers Using Natural Sunlight

PubMed Central

Yan, Jun-Jie; Sun, Jiao-Tong; You, Ye-Zi; Wu, De-Cheng; Hong, Chun-Yan

2013-01-01

In nature, a sapling can grow into a big tree under irradiation of sunlight. In chemistry, a similar concept that a small molecule only exposing to sunlight grows into a hyperbranched macromolecule has not been realized by now. The achievement of the concept will be fascinating and valuable for polymer synthesis wherein sunlight is inexpensive, abundant, renewable, and nonpolluting. Herein, we report a new strategy in which small monomers can directly grow into big hyperbranched macromolecule under irradiation of sunlight without any catalyst. PMID:24100948

Projected changes in Malawi's growing season

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vizy, Edward K.; Cook, Kerry H.; Chimphamba, James; McCusker, Brent

2015-09-01

Regional climate model projections at 30-km resolution are used to predict future mid-century and late-century growing season changes over Malawi due to global warming under the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 business-as-usual emissions forcing scenario. Three different methods for estimating growing season characteristics are applied and evaluated. All three methods yield reasonable growing season length, onset, and demise date estimates over Malawi given the wide range of uncertainty of the observations. The projections indicate the likelihood for a shorter growing season in the future over Malawi south of 13.5°S. At mid-century the growing season length is predicted to be 20-40 % (20-55 days) shorter over the southernmost districts and 5-20 % (5-30 days) shorter over the central districts. By late-century the length is predicted to be 25-55 % (20-70 days) shorter with significant differences extending into northern Malawi. The shorter growing season is primarily associated with an earlier demise date, as no significant change in the onset date is predicted. Analysis of the regional circulation and horizontal moisture flux transport indicates that the earlier demise is associated with an intensification of the thermal low over the Kalahari Desert to the south and west of Malawi and an expansion of the mid-tropospheric Kalahari anticyclone over southern Africa. The stronger thermal low/anticyclone enhances the moisture flux divergence over Malawi suppressing the convective activity at the end of the wet season.

WSGB: A Web Service-Based Growing Book

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dow, C. R.; Huang, L. H.; Chen, K. H.; Chiu, J. C.; Lin, C. M.

2006-01-01

Growing Book refers to an electronic textbook that is co-developed, and has the ability to be constantly maintained, by groups of independent authors, thus creating a rich and ever-growing learning environment that can be conveniently accessible from anywhere. This work designs and implements a Web Service-based Growing Book that has the merits of…

Visualization of airflow growing soap bubbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al Rahbi, Hamood; Bock, Matthew; Ryu, Sangjin

2016-11-01

Visualizing airflow inside growing soap bubbles can answer questions regarding the fluid dynamics of soap bubble blowing, which is a model system for flows with a gas-liquid-gas interface. Also, understanding the soap bubble blowing process is practical because it can contribute to controlling industrial processes similar to soap bubble blowing. In this study, we visualized airflow which grows soap bubbles using the smoke wire technique to understand how airflow blows soap bubbles. The soap bubble blower setup was built to mimic the human blowing process of soap bubbles, which consists of a blower, a nozzle and a bubble ring. The smoke wire was placed between the nozzle and the bubble ring, and smoke-visualized airflow was captured using a high speed camera. Our visualization shows how air jet flows into the growing soap bubble on the ring and how the airflow interacts with the soap film of growing bubble.

Rotating Vessels for Growing Protein Crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cottingham, Paul

2005-01-01

Rotating vessels have been proposed as means of growing larger, more nearly uniform protein crystals than would otherwise be possible in the presence of normal Earth gravitation. Heretofore, nonrotating vessels have been used. It is difficult to grow high-quality protein crystals in the terrestrial gravitational field because of convection plumes created by the interaction between gravitation and density gradients in protein-solution depletion layers around growing crystals. The density gradients and the associated convection plumes cause the surfaces of growing crystals to be exposed to nonuniform solution densities, thereby causing the crystals to form in irregular shapes. The microgravitational environment of outer space has been utilized to eliminate gravitation-induced convection, but this approach is generally not favorable because of the high cost and limited availability of space flight. The use of a rotating vessel according to the proposal is intended to ameliorate the effects of gravitation and the resultant convection, relative to the corresponding effects in a non-rotating vessel. The rotation would exert an averaging effect over time, distributing the convective force on the depletion layer. Therefore, the depletion layer would be more nearly uniform and, as a result, the growing crystal would be more nearly perfect. The proposal admits of variations (see figure), including the following: The growing crystal could be rotated about its own central axis or an external axis. The crystal-growth vessel could be of any of various shapes, including cylindrical, hemispherical, conical, and combinations thereof. The crystal-growth vessel could be suspended in a viscous fluid in an outer vessel to isolate the growing crystal from both ambient vibrations and vibrations induced by a mechanism that drives the rotation. The rotation could be coupled to the crystal-growth vessel by viscous or magnetic means. The crystal-growth vessel could be supported within the

Helping Them Grow.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brodkin, Adele M.; And Others

1995-01-01

Three articles discuss how to help elementary students grow. The first explains how teachers can weave a broader safety net for children with chaotic lives. The second presents year-end cooperative games for testing students' communication skills. The third offers take-home summer activities for parents and children. (SM)

Improving national-scale invasion maps: Tamarisk in the western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jarnevich, C.S.; Evangelista, P.; Stohlgren, T.J.; Morisette, J.

2011-01-01

New invasions, better field data, and novel spatial-modeling techniques often drive the need to revisit previous maps and models of invasive species. Such is the case with the at least 10 species of Tamarix, which are invading riparian systems in the western United States and expanding their range throughout North America. In 2006, we developed a National Tamarisk Map by using a compilation of presence and absence locations with remotely sensed data and statistical modeling techniques. Since the publication of that work, our database of Tamarix distributions has grown significantly. Using the updated database of species occurrence, new predictor variables, and the maximum entropy (Maxent) model, we have revised our potential Tamarix distribution map for the western United States. Distance-to-water was the strongest predictor in the model (58.1%), while mean temperature of the warmest quarter was the second best predictor (18.4%). Model validation, averaged from 25 model iterations, indicated that our analysis had strong predictive performance (AUC = 0.93) and that the extent of Tamarix distributions is much greater than previously thought. The southwestern United States had the greatest suitable habitat, and this result differed from the 2006 model. Our work highlights the utility of iterative modeling for invasive species habitat modeling as new information becomes available. ?? 2011.

Salinity tolerance and mycorrhizal responsiveness of native xeroriparian plants in semi-arid western USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beauchamp, Vanessa B.; Walz, C.; Shafroth, P.B.

2009-01-01

Restoration of salt-affected soils is a global concern. In the western United States, restoration of salinized land, particularly in river valleys, often involves control of Tamarix, an introduced species with high salinity tolerance. Revegetation of hydrologically disconnected floodplains and terraces after Tamarix removal is often difficult because of limited knowledge regarding the salinity tolerance of candidate native species for revegetation. Additionally, Tamarix appears to be non-mycorrhizal. Extended occupation of Tamarix may deplete arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the soil, further decreasing the success of revegetation efforts. To address these issues, we screened 42 species, races, or ecotypes native to southwestern U.S. for salinity tolerance and mycorrhizal responsiveness. As expected, the taxa tested showed a wide range of responses to salinity and mycorrhizal fungi. This variation also occurred between ecotypes or races of the same species, indicating that seed collected from high-salinity reference systems is likely better adapted to harsh conditions than seed originating from less saline environments. All species tested had a positive or neutral response to mycorrhizal inoculation. We found no clear evidence that mycorrhizae increased salinity tolerance, but some species were so dependent on mycorrhizal fungi that they grew poorly at all salinity levels in pasteurized soil. ?? 2009 Elsevier B.V.

Autofusion in the immature spine treated with growing rods.

PubMed

Cahill, Patrick J; Marvil, Sean; Cuddihy, Laury; Schutt, Corey; Idema, Jocelyn; Clements, David H; Antonacci, M Darryl; Asghar, Jahangir; Samdani, Amer F; Betz, Randal R

2010-10-15

Retrospective case review of skeletally immature patients treated with growing rods. Patients received an average of 9.6 years follow-up care. (1) to identify the rate of autofusion in the growing spine with the use of growing rods; (2) to quantify how much correction can be attained with definitive instrumented fusion after long-term treatment with growing rods; and (3) to describe the extent of Smith-Petersen osteotomies required to gain correction of an autofused spine following growing rod treatment. The safety and use of growing rods for curve correction and maintenance in the growing spine population has been established in published reports. While autofusion has been reported, the prevalence and sequelae are not known. Nine skeletally immature children with scoliosis were identified who had been treated using growing rods. A retrospective review of the medical records and radiographs was conducted and the following data collected: complications, pre- and postoperative Cobb angles at time of initial surgery (growing rod placement), pre- and postoperative Cobb angles at time of final surgery (growing rod removal and definitive fusion), total spine length as measured from T1-S1, % correction since initiation of treatment and at definitive fusion, total number of surgeries, and number of patients found to have autofusion at the time of device removal. The rate of autofusion in children treated with growing rods was 89%. The average percent of the Cobb angle correction obtained at definitive fusion was 44%. On average, 7 osteotomies per patient were required at the time of definitive fusion due to autofusion. Although growing rods have efficacy in the control of deformity within the growing spine, they also have adverse effects on the spine. Immature spines treated with a growing rod have high rates of unintended autofusion which can possibly lead to difficult and only moderate correction at the time of definitive fusion.

Growing Backyard Textiles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Eleanor Hall

1975-01-01

For those involved in creative work with textiles, the degree of control possible in texture, finish, and color of fiber by growing and processing one's own (perhaps with students' help) can make the experience rewarding. The author describes the processes for flax and nettles and gives tips on necessary equipment. (Author/AJ)

Growing Vegetables. People on the Farm.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC. Office of Governmental and Public Affairs.

This booklet, one in a series about life on modern farms, describes farm operations and some activities in the lives of six vegetable farmers throughout the United States. The booklet visits the tomato growing of Carl Schneider and his partners and the lettuce growing farm of Norman Martella, both in California. It then includes brief accounts of…

Early impacts of biological control on canopy cover and water use of the invasive saltcedar tree (Tamarix spp.) in western Nevada, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pattison, R.R.; D'Antonio, C. M.; Dudley, T.L.; Allander, K.K.; Rice, B.

2011-01-01

The success of biological control programs is rarely assessed beyond population level impacts on the target organism. The question of whether a biological control agent can either partially or completely restore ecosystem services independent of population level control is therefore still open to discussion. Using observational and experimental approaches, we investigated the ability of the saltcedar leaf beetle [Diorhabda carinulata (Brull??) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)] to reduce the water use of saltcedar trees (Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb.) in two sites (Humboldt and Walker Rivers) in Nevada, USA. At these sites D. carinulata defoliated the majority of trees within 25 and 9 km, respectively, of the release location within 3 years. At the Humboldt site, D. carinulata reduced the canopy cover of trees adjacent to the release location by >90%. At a location 4 km away during the first year of defoliation, D. carinulata reduced peak (August) stem water use by 50-70% and stand transpiration (July to late September) by 75% (P = 0. 052). There was, however, no reduction in stem water use and stand transpiration during the second year of defoliation due to reduced beetle abundances at that location. At the Walker site, we measured stand evapotranspiration (ET) in the center of a large saltcedar stand and found that ET was highest immediately prior to D. carinulata arrival, dropped dramatically with defoliation, and remained low through the subsequent 2 years of the study. In contrast, near the perimeter of the stand, D. carinulata did not reduce sap flow, partly because of low rates of defoliation but also because of increased water use per unit leaf area in response to defoliation. Taken together, our results provide evidence that in the early stages of population expansion D. carinulata can lead to substantial declines in saltcedar water use. The extent of these declines varies spatially and temporally and is dependent on saltcedar compensatory responses along with D

Macromolecular crystal growing system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, Robert S. (Inventor); Herren, Blair J. (Inventor); Carter, Daniel C. (Inventor); Yost, Vaughn H. (Inventor); Bugg, Charles E. (Inventor); Delucas, Lawrence J. (Inventor); Suddath, Fred L. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

A macromolecular crystal growing system especially designed for growing crystals in the low gravity of space as well as the gravity of earth includes at least one tray assembly, a carrier assembly which receives the tray, and a refrigeration-incubation module in which the carrier assembly is received. The tray assembly includes a plurality of sealed chambers with a plastic syringe and a plug means for the double tip of the syringe provided therein. Ganging mechanisms operate the syringes and plugs simultaneously in a precise and smooth operation. Preferably, the tray assemblies are mounted on ball bearing slides for smooth operation in inserting and removing the tray assemblies into the carrier assembly. The plugging mechanism also includes a loading control mechanism. A mechanism for leaving a syringe unplugged is also provided.

The Genome-Based Metabolic Systems Engineering to Boost Levan Production in a Halophilic Bacterial Model.

PubMed

Aydin, Busra; Ozer, Tugba; Oner, Ebru Toksoy; Arga, Kazim Yalcin

2018-03-01

Metabolic systems engineering is being used to redirect microbial metabolism for the overproduction of chemicals of interest with the aim of transforming microbial hosts into cellular factories. In this study, a genome-based metabolic systems engineering approach was designed and performed to improve biopolymer biosynthesis capability of a moderately halophilic bacterium Halomonas smyrnensis AAD6 T producing levan, which is a fructose homopolymer with many potential uses in various industries and medicine. For this purpose, the genome-scale metabolic model for AAD6 T was used to characterize the metabolic resource allocation, specifically to design metabolic engineering strategies for engineered bacteria with enhanced levan production capability. Simulations were performed in silico to determine optimal gene knockout strategies to develop new strains with enhanced levan production capability. The majority of the gene knockout strategies emphasized the vital role of the fructose uptake mechanism, and pointed out the fructose-specific phosphotransferase system (PTS fru ) as the most promising target for further metabolic engineering studies. Therefore, the PTS fru of AAD6 T was restructured with insertional mutagenesis and triparental mating techniques to construct a novel, engineered H. smyrnensis strain, BMA14. Fermentation experiments were carried out to demonstrate the high efficiency of the mutant strain BMA14 in terms of final levan concentration, sucrose consumption rate, and sucrose conversion efficiency, when compared to the AAD6 T . The genome-based metabolic systems engineering approach presented in this study might be considered an efficient framework to redirect microbial metabolism for the overproduction of chemicals of interest, and the novel strain BMA14 might be considered a potential microbial cell factory for further studies aimed to design levan production processes with lower production costs.

Comparison of the oxygen and hydrogen isotopes in the juices of fast-growing vegetables and slow-growing fruits.

PubMed

Bong, Yeon-Sik; Lee, Kwang-Sik; Shin, Woo-Jin; Ryu, Jong-Sik

2008-09-01

We have analyzed the oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition of juices from fruits and vegetables collected from a small orchard in order to investigate the differences in isotopic enrichment and evaporation intensity between fast-growing vegetables and slow-growing fruits grown under the same climatic conditions. The oxygen and hydrogen isotope levels were much higher in the juices of the fruits and vegetables than in the source waters in which they grew because of evaporation effects. According to our data, fast-growing vegetables are subject to greater evaporation than slow-growing fruits. An evaporation experiment using the source water showed that the oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition of the 60-80% residual fraction was similar to that of the isotopically enriched grape juice, whereas those of the plume and tomato juices were very close to that of the 80-90% residual fraction, thus proving the effect of evaporation. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Growing Pains (For Parents)

MedlinePlus

... 5-year-olds and, later, in 8- to 12-year-olds. Signs and Symptoms Growing pains always concentrate ... a Growth Disorder? Growth and Your 6- to 12-Year-Old Understanding Puberty Your Child's Growth Growth and ...

Change detection using vegetation indices and multiplatform satellite imagery at multiple temporal and spatial scales

USGS Publications Warehouse

Glenn, Edward P.; Nagler, Pamela L.; Huete, Alfredo R.; Weng, Qihao

2014-01-01

This chapter describes emerging methods for using satellite imagery across temporal and spatial scales using a case study approach to illustrate some of the opportunities now available for combining observations across scales. It explores the use of multiplatform sensor systems to characterize ecological change, as exemplified by efforts to scale the effects of a biocontrol insect (the leaf beetle Diorhabda carinulata) on the phenology and water use of Tamarix shrubs (Tamarix ramosissima and related species and hybrids) targeted for removal on western U.S. rivers, from the level of individual leaves to the regional level of measurement. Finally, the chapter summarizes the lessons learned and emphasize the need for ground data to calibrate and validate remote sensing data and the types of errors inherent in scaling point data over wide areas, illustrated with research on evapotranspiration (ET) of Tamarix using a wide range of ground measurement and remote sensing methods.

Nutritive value of some herbages for dromedary camel in Iran.

PubMed

Towhidi, A

2007-01-01

To prepare standard tables of chemical composition of feedstuffs and to determine digestibility and palatability of different plant species in dromedary camel, this research was carried out by considering the most consuming herbages of Iranian desert rages. The plant species were included Atriplex lentiformis, Alhagi persarum, Seidlitzia rosmarinus, Saueda fruticosa, Haloxylon ammodendron, Tamarix kotschyi, Hammada salicornica, Salsola yazdiana, Salsola tomentosa, Tamarix aphylla and Artemisia sieberi. Thirty samples of the browsing parts were collected from the rangelands of Yazd province in autumn. Chemical composition of samples including Dry Matter (DM), Crude Protein (CP), Crude Fiber (CF), Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), Ether Extract (EE), Total Ash (TA), macro elements (Ca, P, Mg, K), micro elements (Fe, Mg, Cu, Zn)and gross energy (GE) were analyzed. The in vitro digestibility was determined by camel rumen liquor in Tilley and Terry method. Palatability of the plants were measured by three mature camels in cafeteria trials. The camels voluntarily fed 11 plant species during one hour for six days. Data were analyzed by GLM method in SAS software. The highest CP (18.3%) and the lowest NDF (40.4%) and ADF (35.4%) were related to Tamarix aphylla. The lowest CP (5.5%) and the highest NDF (72.8%) and ADF (59.6%) were related to Artemisia sieberi. The highest organic matter digestibility in dry matter was related to Haloxylon ammodendron. The results also indicated that Atriplex lentiformis, Alhagi persarum, Seidlitzia rosmarinus, Saueda fruticosa, Haloxylon ammodendron, Salsola tomentosa, Hammada salicornica, Tamarix kotschyi, Salsola yazdiana, Tamarix aphylla and Artemisia sieberi were more pleasure feed, respectively. It was not observed any correlation between %DOMD and chemical composition. Moreover, There was not a consistent relationship between the palatability of herbages with %DOMD or chemical composition.

Can local adaptation explain varying patterns of herbivory tolerance in a recently introduced woody plant in North America?

PubMed

Long, Randall W; Bush, Susan E; Grady, Kevin C; Smith, David S; Potts, Daniel L; D'Antonio, Carla M; Dudley, Tom L; Fehlberg, Shannon D; Gaskin, John F; Glenn, Edward P; Hultine, Kevin R

2017-01-01

Patterns of woody-plant mortality have been linked to global-scale environmental changes, such as extreme drought, heat stress, more frequent and intense fires, and episodic outbreaks of insects and pathogens. Although many studies have focussed on survival and mortality in response to specific physiological stresses, little attention has been paid to the role of genetic heritability of traits and local adaptation in influencing patterns of plant mortality, especially in non-native species. Tamarix spp. is a dominant, non-native riparian tree in western North America that is experiencing dieback in some areas of its range due to episodic herbivory by the recently introduced northern tamarisk leaf beetle ( Diorhabda carinulata ). We propose that genotype × environment interactions largely underpin current and future patterns of Tamarix mortality. We anticipate that (i) despite its recent introduction, and the potential for significant gene flow, Tamarix in western North America is generally adapted to local environmental conditions across its current range in part due to hybridization of two species; (ii) local adaptation to specific climate, soil and resource availability will yield predictable responses to episodic herbivory; and (iii) the ability to cope with a combination of episodic herbivory and increased aridity associated with climate change will be largely based on functional tradeoffs in resource allocation. This review focusses on the potential heritability of plant carbon allocation patterns in Tamarix , focussing on the relative contribution of acquired carbon to non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) pools versus other sinks as the basis for surviving episodic disturbance. Where high aridity and/or poor edaphic position lead to chronic stress, NSC pools may fall below a minimum threshold because of an imbalance between the supply of carbon and its demand by various sinks. Identifying patterns of local adaptation of traits related to resource allocation

Can local adaptation explain varying patterns of herbivory tolerance in a recently introduced woody plant in North America?

PubMed Central

Bush, Susan E.; Grady, Kevin C.; Smith, David S.; Potts, Daniel L.; D'Antonio, Carla M.; Dudley, Tom L.; Fehlberg, Shannon D.; Gaskin, John F.; Glenn, Edward P.; Hultine, Kevin R.

2017-01-01

Abstract Patterns of woody-plant mortality have been linked to global-scale environmental changes, such as extreme drought, heat stress, more frequent and intense fires, and episodic outbreaks of insects and pathogens. Although many studies have focussed on survival and mortality in response to specific physiological stresses, little attention has been paid to the role of genetic heritability of traits and local adaptation in influencing patterns of plant mortality, especially in non-native species. Tamarix spp. is a dominant, non-native riparian tree in western North America that is experiencing dieback in some areas of its range due to episodic herbivory by the recently introduced northern tamarisk leaf beetle (Diorhabda carinulata). We propose that genotype × environment interactions largely underpin current and future patterns of Tamarix mortality. We anticipate that (i) despite its recent introduction, and the potential for significant gene flow, Tamarix in western North America is generally adapted to local environmental conditions across its current range in part due to hybridization of two species; (ii) local adaptation to specific climate, soil and resource availability will yield predictable responses to episodic herbivory; and (iii) the ability to cope with a combination of episodic herbivory and increased aridity associated with climate change will be largely based on functional tradeoffs in resource allocation. This review focusses on the potential heritability of plant carbon allocation patterns in Tamarix, focussing on the relative contribution of acquired carbon to non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) pools versus other sinks as the basis for surviving episodic disturbance. Where high aridity and/or poor edaphic position lead to chronic stress, NSC pools may fall below a minimum threshold because of an imbalance between the supply of carbon and its demand by various sinks. Identifying patterns of local adaptation of traits related to resource

Neural-like growing networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yashchenko, Vitaliy A.

2000-03-01

On the basis of the analysis of scientific ideas reflecting the law in the structure and functioning the biological structures of a brain, and analysis and synthesis of knowledge, developed by various directions in Computer Science, also there were developed the bases of the theory of a new class neural-like growing networks, not having the analogue in world practice. In a base of neural-like growing networks the synthesis of knowledge developed by classical theories - semantic and neural of networks is. The first of them enable to form sense, as objects and connections between them in accordance with construction of the network. With thus each sense gets a separate a component of a network as top, connected to other tops. In common it quite corresponds to structure reflected in a brain, where each obvious concept is presented by certain structure and has designating symbol. Secondly, this network gets increased semantic clearness at the expense owing to formation not only connections between neural by elements, but also themselves of elements as such, i.e. here has a place not simply construction of a network by accommodation sense structures in environment neural of elements, and purely creation of most this environment, as of an equivalent of environment of memory. Thus neural-like growing networks are represented by the convenient apparatus for modeling of mechanisms of teleological thinking, as a fulfillment of certain psychophysiological of functions.

Apparatus for growing crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jasinski, Thomas J. (Inventor); Witt, August F. (Inventor)

1986-01-01

An improved apparatus and method for growing crystals from a melt employing a heat pipe, consisting of one or more sections, each section serving to control temperature and thermal gradients in the crystal as it forms inside the pipe.

Growing multiplex networks with arbitrary number of layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Momeni, Naghmeh; Fotouhi, Babak

2015-12-01

This paper focuses on the problem of growing multiplex networks. Currently, the results on the joint degree distribution of growing multiplex networks present in the literature pertain to the case of two layers and are confined to the special case of homogeneous growth and are limited to the state state (that is, the limit of infinite size). In the present paper, we first obtain closed-form solutions for the joint degree distribution of heterogeneously growing multiplex networks with arbitrary number of layers in the steady state. Heterogeneous growth means that each incoming node establishes different numbers of links in different layers. We consider both uniform and preferential growth. We then extend the analysis of the uniform growth mechanism to arbitrary times. We obtain a closed-form solution for the time-dependent joint degree distribution of a growing multiplex network with arbitrary initial conditions. Throughout, theoretical findings are corroborated with Monte Carlo simulations. The results shed light on the effects of the initial network on the transient dynamics of growing multiplex networks and takes a step towards characterizing the temporal variations of the connectivity of growing multiplex networks, as well as predicting their future structural properties.

A large-scale environmental flow experiment for riparian restoration in the Colorado River delta

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shafroth, Patrick B.; Schlatter, Karen; Gomez-Sapiens, Martha; Lundgren, Erick; Grabau, Matthew R.; Ramirez-Hernandez, Jorge; Rodriguez-Burgeueno, J. Eliana; Flessa, Karl W.

2017-01-01

Managing streamflow is a widely-advocated approach to provide conditions necessary for seed germination and seedling establishment of trees in the willow family (Salicaceae). Experimental flow releases to the Colorado River delta in 2014 had a primary objective of promoting seedling establishment of Fremont cottonwood (Populus fremontii) and Goodding's willow (Salix gooddingii). We assessed seed germination and seedling establishment of these taxa as well as the non-native tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) and native seepwillow shrubs (Baccharis spp.) in the context of seedling requirements and active land management (land grading, vegetation removal) at 23 study sites along 87 river km. In the absence of associated active land management, experimental flows to the Colorado River delta were minimally successful at promoting establishment of new woody riparian seedlings, except for non-native Tamarix. Our results suggest that the primary factors contributing to low seedling establishment varied across space, but included low or no seed availability in some locations for some taxa, insufficient soil moisture availability during the growing season indicated by deep groundwater tables, and competition from adjacent vegetation (and, conversely, availability of bare ground). Active land management to create bare ground and favorable land grades contributed to significantly higher rates of Salicaceae seedling establishment in a river reach with high groundwater tables. Our results provide insights that can inform future environmental flow deliveries to the Colorado River delta and its ecosystems and other similar efforts to restore Salicaceae taxa around the world.

Growing Organic Crystals By The Czochralski Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shields, Angela; Frazier, Donald O.; Penn, Benjamin G.; Aggarwal, M. D.; Wang, W. S.

1994-01-01

Apparatus grows high-quality single crystals of organic compounds by Czochralski method. In Czochralski process, growing crystal lifted from middle of molten material without touching walls. Because of low melting temperatures of organic crystals, glass vessels usable. Traditional method for inorganic semiconductors adapted to optically nonlinear organic materials.

Growing Plants in School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salt, Bernard

1990-01-01

Background information on the methods and varieties used to demonstrate the cultivation of plants without the use of chemical pesticides is provided. Discussed are species and variety selection, growing plants from seed and from seedlings, soil preparation, using cuttings, useful crops, and pest control. (CW)

Long-term follow-up of large maxillary advancements with distraction osteogenesis in growing and non-growing cleft lip and palate patients.

PubMed

Meazzini, Maria Costanza; Basile, Valentina; Mazzoleni, Fabio; Bozzetti, Alberto; Brusati, Roberto

2015-01-01

Maxillary distraction osteogenesis (DO) in cleft lip and palate patients has been described by several authors, but most studies have a relatively short follow-up and do not clearly separate growing patients from non-growing patients. The records of 22 consecutive patients affected by cleft lip and palate, who underwent Le Fort I osteotomy and maxillary distraction with a rigid external distractor (RED), were reviewed. The sample was subdivided into a growing and a non-growing group. All patients had pre-DO cephalometric records, immediately post DO, 12 months post DO and long-term records with a long-term follow-up of >5 years (range 5-13 years). As a control sample for the growing group, cleft children with a negative overjet not subjected to distraction or any protraction treatment during growth were followed up until the completion of growth. The average maxillary advancement in the growing group was 22.2 ± 5.5 mm (range: 15-32 mm); in the non-growing group, it was 17.7 ± 6.6 mm (range: 6-25 mm). Excellent post-surgical stability was recorded in the adult sample. On the other hand, growing children had an average 16% relapse in the first year post DO and an additional 26% relapse in the long-term follow-up. This study seems to point out that early Le Fort I DO allows for the correction of very severe deformities. It is followed by a relatively high amount of true skeletal relapse in children with cleft lip and palate. Prognosis should be discussed in depth with the family and true aesthetic and psychological needs assessed. Copyright © 2014 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

7 CFR 319.37-8 - Growing media.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... offer for importation into the United States shall be free of sand, soil, earth, and other growing media...) Approved growing media are baked expanded clay pellets, coal cinder, coir, cork, glass wool, organic and... pests, and other plant pests. The greenhouse must be free from sand and soil and must have screening...

GROWING SEEDS, TEACHER'S GUIDE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elementary Science Study, Newton, MA.

THIS TEACHER'S GUIDE IS DESIGNED FOR USE WITH AN ELEMENTARY SCIENCE STUDY UNIT, "GROWING SEEDS," IN WHICH SUCH BASIC SCIENCE SKILLS AND PROCESSES AS MEASUREMENT, OBSERVATION, AND HYPOTHESIS FORMATION ARE INTRODUCED THROUGH STUDENT ACTIVITIES INVOLVING SEEDS, GERMINATION, AND SEEDLING GROWTH. THE MATERIALS WERE DEVELOPED FOR USE IN…

Stream Clustering of Growing Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siddiqui, Zaigham Faraz; Spiliopoulou, Myra

We study incremental clustering of objects that grow and accumulate over time. The objects come from a multi-table stream e.g. streams of Customer and Transaction. As the Transactions stream accumulates, the Customers’ profiles grow. First, we use an incremental propositionalisation to convert the multi-table stream into a single-table stream upon which we apply clustering. For this purpose, we develop an online version of K-Means algorithm that can handle these swelling objects and any new objects that arrive. The algorithm also monitors the quality of the model and performs re-clustering when it deteriorates. We evaluate our method on the PKDD Challenge 1999 dataset.

Growing a Nurturing Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boorn, Clare; Dunn, Paula Hopkins; Page, Claire

2010-01-01

"Growing a nurturing classroom" is an awareness training programme presented by educational psychologists in Leicestershire for professionals working in primary schools with the aim of promoting an optimal environment for learning and emotional well-being. The training helps primary school staff to take a holistic approach to education;…

Estimating investment returns from growing red pine.

Treesearch

Allen L. Lundgren

1966-01-01

This paper describes how to estimate present values of incomes and costs in growing red pine trees for sale as cordwood or sawtimber, and how to calculate expectation values and rates of return for a wide range of timber-growing conditions, using the tables of expectation value indexes and interest rate multipliers provided. It illustrates how to compare investment...

Growing Old in Sweden.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berglind, Hans

This document contains the bases of lectures delivered in Florida by a visiting Stockholm University sociology professor. The first chapter, "Growing Old in Sweden," includes information on the income, standard of living, and quality of services available to the elderly in that country. That information is presented within the changing…

Growing Ideas, 1990-1993.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pranis, Eve, Ed.

1993-01-01

This series of journals includes volumes 1-4 of "Growing Ideas," a journal of garden-based learning. Each issue provides instructional ideas, horticultural information and a forum for exchange among teachers using classroom gardening to stimulate learning. Ideas in each issue are separated into three sections. The "Green Tips"…

Ecohydrology of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) in the western United States and implications of water balance following a biocontrol agent introduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagler, P. L.; Glenn, E. P.

2012-12-01

With increased demand on water sources for human use and likely diminished supplies due to climate change, it is important to understand the variation in evapotranspiration (ET) and vegetation water use by transpiration (T) in arid and semi-arid zone riparian areas in the western U.S. Understanding riparian plant water use is critical for accuracy of climate models, predictions used in water resources management, and assessment of land use change impacts on the water balance of ecosystems. Moore and Heilman (2011) suggested the following three principles for predicting when vegetation changes will impact the local or regional water budget: (i) variation will result if energy balance partitioning has been altered, (ii) if deeper or shallower active rooting depth has changed the amount of soil moisture accessible to plants, or (iii) if temporary changes in water use add up over longer time scales. They note that large changes in vegetation types do not necessarily result in changes in water discharge. We will use these principles to consider the case of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) on western U.S. rivers. Once considered a high-water-use plant that out-competed native trees, research over the past two decades has shown that saltcedar water use is low to moderate, and less than native trees. Consequently, the prospects of salvaging water for human use by replacing saltcedar with native trees, once thought to be bright, now appear questionable. Furthermore, saltcedar has come to occupy ecohydrological niches on altered river systems that are no longer available to native plants. However, with the widespread introduction and spread of saltcedar leaf beetles (Diorhabda carinulata) on western rivers, introduced in part to reduce riparian water use through reduction of saltcedar abundance, saltcedar ecology has now entered a new phase. The talk will present a synthesis of the recent literature on saltcedar water use and provide an overview of saltcedar ecohydrology in terms of

Growing Three-Dimensional Cartilage-Cell Cultures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spaulding, Glenn F.; Prewett, Tacey L.; Goodwin, Thomas J.

1995-01-01

Process for growing three-dimensional cultures of mammalian cartilage from normal mammalian cells devised. Effected using horizontal rotating bioreactor described in companion article, "Simplified Bioreactor for Growing Mammalian Cells" (MSC-22060). Bioreactor provides quiescent environment with generous supplies of nutrient and oxygen. Initiated with noncartilage cells. Artificially grown tissue resembles that in mammalian cartilage. Potential use in developing therapies for damage to cartilage by joint and back injuries and by such inflammatory diseases as arthritis and temporal-mandibular joint disease. Also used to test nonsteroid anti-inflammation medicines.

Assessment of drought during corn growing season in Northeast China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qi; Hu, Zhenghua

2018-04-01

Northeast China has experienced extensive climate change during the past decades. Corn is the primary production crop in China and is sensitive to meteorological disasters, especially drought. Drought has thus greatly endangered crop production and the country's food security. The majority of previous studies has not highlighted farming adaptation activities undertaken within the changed climate, which should not be neglected. In this study, we assessed drought hazard in the corn vegetation growing period, the reproductive growing period, and the whole growing period based on data for yearly corn phenology, daily precipitation, and temperature gathered at 26 agro-meteorological stations across Northeast China from 1981 to 2009. The M-K trend test was used to detect trends in sowing date and drought. The standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) was used to describe drought. Drought frequency and intensity were used to assess the drought hazard in the region. We found that the sowing date was delayed in the southern part of the study area, coupled with a trend towards a shorter and more humid vegetation growing period. In the northern part of the study area, an earlier sowing date increased the length of the vegetation growing period and the reproductive growing period, while drying trends occurred within the two corn growing periods. We assessed the drought hazard during each growing period: the reproductive growing period faced a more severe drought hazard and was also the period where corn was most sensitive to water stress. Drought hazard during the total growing period was closely related to corn yield.

Families on the Grow.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Irene K.; Phillips, Marjorie M.

This correspondence course was designed to help parents better understand their growing children and themselves as parents. The introduction briefly sketches the importance of the family in child development. Each of the five illustrated lessons contains 7 to 12 pages on one aspect of family life. Each lesson contains a set of objectives, a…

Growing Right Onto Wellness (GROW): A Family-Centered, Community-Based Obesity Prevention Randomized Controlled Trial for Preschool Child-Parent Pairs

PubMed Central

Po’e, Eli K.; Heerman, William J.; Mistry, Rishi S.; Barkin, Shari L.

2013-01-01

Growing Right Onto Wellness (GROW) is a randomized controlled trial that tests the efficacy of a family-centered, community-based, behavioral intervention to prevent childhood obesity among preschool-aged children. Focusing on parent-child pairs, GROW utilizes a multi-level framework, which accounts for macro (i.e., built-environment) and micro (i.e., genetics) level systems that contribute to the childhood obesity epidemic. Six hundred parent-child pairs will be randomized to a 3-year healthy lifestyle intervention or a 3-year school readiness program. Eligible children are enrolled between ages 3 and 5, are from minority communities, and are not obese. The principal site for the GROW intervention is local community recreation centers and libraries. The primary outcome is childhood Body Mass Index (BMI) trajectory at the end of the three-year study period. In addition to other anthropometric measurements, mediators and moderators of growth are considered, including genetics, accelerometry, and diet recall. GROW is a staged intensity intervention, consisting of intensive, maintenance, and sustainability phases. Throughout the study, parents build skills in nutrition, physical activity, and parenting, concurrently forming new social networks. Participants are taught goal-setting, self-monitoring, and problem solving techniques to facilitate sustainable behavior change. The GROW curriculum uses low health literacy communication and social media to communicate key health messages. The control arm is administered to both control and intervention participants. By conducting this trial in public community centers, and by implementing a family-centered approach to sustainable healthy childhood growth, we aim to develop an exportable community-based intervention to address the expanding public health crisis of pediatric obesity. PMID:24012890

Incorporating Edge Information into Best Merge Region-Growing Segmentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tilton, James C.; Pasolli, Edoardo

2014-01-01

We have previously developed a best merge region-growing approach that integrates nonadjacent region object aggregation with the neighboring region merge process usually employed in region growing segmentation approaches. This approach has been named HSeg, because it provides a hierarchical set of image segmentation results. Up to this point, HSeg considered only global region feature information in the region growing decision process. We present here three new versions of HSeg that include local edge information into the region growing decision process at different levels of rigor. We then compare the effectiveness and processing times of these new versions HSeg with each other and with the original version of HSeg.

Growing Plants and Minds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Presser, Ashley Lewis; Kamdar, Danae; Vidiksis, Regan; Goldstein, Marion; Dominguez, Ximena; Orr, Jillian

2017-01-01

Many preschool classrooms explore plant growth. However, because many plants take a long time to grow, it is often hard to facilitate engagement in some practices (i.e., since change is typically not observable from one day to another, children often forget their prior predictions or cannot recall what plants looked like days or weeks earlier).…

Food-Growing, Air- And Water-Cleaning Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sauer, R. L.; Scheld, H. W.; Mafnuson, J. W.

1988-01-01

Apparatus produces fresh vegetables and removes pollutants from air. Hydroponic apparatus performs dual function of growing fresh vegetables and purifying air and water. Leafy vegetables rooted in granular growth medium grow in light of fluorescent lamps. Air flowing over leaves supplies carbon dioxide and receives fresh oxygen from them. Adaptable to production of food and cleaning of air and water in closed environments as in underwater research stations and submarines.

Birth of space plant growing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mashinskiy, A.; Nechitaylo, G.

1983-01-01

The attempts, and successes, to grow plants in space, and get them to fully develop, bloom and produce seeds using orchids are presented. The psychological advantages of the presence of plants onboard space vehicles and space stations is indicated.

Nowhere to Hide: The Growing Threat to Air Bases

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

May–June 2013 Air & Space Power Journal | 30 Feature Nowhere to Hide The Growing Threat to Air Bases Col Shannon W. Caudill, USAF Maj Benjamin R...May–June 2013 Air & Space Power Journal | 33 Caudill & Jacobson Nowhere to Hide Feature The Growing Precision of Indirect Fire IDF has become the...personnel.22 More troubling still is the growing threat from within the ranks of American personnel. On 11 May 2009, five American military mem- bers

Growing up with Retinoblastoma

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maley, Tom

2005-01-01

An account is given of growing up as a child blinded as a result of a cancer of the eye known as retinoblastoma. The role of his mother is brought out, variously as a source of objective knowledge, of one's personal worth, and of the worth of other people in one's community. The strengths and weaknesses of his first school in his home area and…

How Does Your Garlic Grow?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shimabukuro, Mary A.; Fearing, Vickie

1993-01-01

Garlic is an ideal plant for the elementary classroom. It grows rapidly in water without aeration for several weeks and remains relatively free of microbial contamination. Simple experiments with garlic purchased at grocery stores can illustrate various aspects of plant growth. (PR)

Relative distribution and abundance of fishes and crayfish in 2010 and 2014 prior to saltcedar (Tamarix ssp.) removal in the Amargosa River Canyon, southeastern California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hereford, Mark E.

2016-07-22

The Amargosa River Canyon, located in the Mojave Desert of southeastern California, contains the longest perennial reach of the Amargosa River. Because of its diverse flora and fauna, it has been designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern and a Wild and Scenic River by the Bureau of Land Management. A survey of fishes conducted in summer 2010 indicated that endemic Amargosa River pupfish (Cyprinodon nevadensis amargosae) and speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus spp.) were abundant and occurred throughout the Amargosa River Canyon. The 2010 survey reported non-native red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) and western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) captures were significantly higher, whereas pupfish captures were lower, in areas dominated by non-native saltcedar (Tamarix ssp.). Based on the 2010 survey, it was hypothesized that the invasion of saltcedar could result in a decrease in native species. In an effort to maintain and enhance native fish populations, the Bureau of Land Management removed saltcedar from a 1,550 meter reach of stream on the Amargosa River in autumn 2014 and autumn 2015. Prior to the removal of saltcedar, a survey of fishes and crayfish using baited minnow traps was conducted in the treatment reach to serve as a baseline for future comparisons with post-saltcedar removal surveys. During the 2014 survey, 1,073 pupfish and 960 speckled dace were captured within the treatment reach. Catch per unit effort of pupfish and speckled dace in the treatment reach was less in 2014 than in 2010, although differences could be owing to seasonal variation in capture probability. Non-native mosquitofish catch per unit effort decreased from 2010 to 2014; however, the catch per unit effort of crayfish increased from 2010 to 2014. Future monitoring efforts of this reach should be conducted at the same time period to account for potential seasonal fluctuations of abundance and distribution of fishes and crayfish. A more robust study design that

Diverse Microhabitats Experienced by Halomonas variabilis on Salt-Secreting Leaves

PubMed Central

Burch, Adrien Y.; Finkel, Omri M.; Cho, Juliana K.; Belkin, Shimshon

2013-01-01

The leaf surfaces of the salt-excreting tree Tamarix aphylla harbor a wide diversity of halophilic microorganisms, including Halomonas sp., but little is known of the factors that shape community composition in this extreme habitat. We isolated a strain of Halomonas variabilis from the leaf surface of T. aphylla and used it to determine the heterogeneity of salt concentrations experienced by bacteria in this environment. This halophilic strain was transformed with a proU::gfp reporter gene fusion, the fluorescence of which was responsive to NaCl concentrations up to 200 g liter−1. These bioreporting cells were applied to T. aphylla leaves and were subsequently recovered from dew droplets adhering to the leaf surface. Although cells from within a given dew droplet exhibited similar green fluorescent protein fluorescence, the fluorescence intensity varied between droplets and was correlated with the salt concentration measured in each drop. Growth of H. variabilis was observed in all droplets, regardless of the salt concentration. However, cells found in desiccated microniches between dew drops were low in abundance and generally dead. Other bacteria recovered from T. aphylla displayed higher desiccation tolerance than H. variabilis, both in culture and on inoculated plants, despite having lower osmotic tolerance. Thus, the Tamarix leaf surface can be described as a salty desert with occasional oases where water droplets form under humid conditions. While halotolerant bacteria such as Halomonas grow in high concentrations of salt in such wet microniches, other organisms are better suited to survive desiccation in sites that are not wetted. PMID:23160133

A synthesis of growing-season, non-growing season, and annual methane emission measurements among temperate, boreal, and tundra wetlands and uplands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treat, C. C.; Bloom, A. A.; Marushchak, M. E.

2017-12-01

Wetlands are the largest natural source of methane to the atmosphere, while upland soils are a consistent sink of atmospheric methane. Wetland methane emissions are highly variable among sites, years, and temporal scales due to differences in production, oxidation, and transport pathways. Currently, process model predictions of methane emissions from wetlands remain challenging due to uncertain parameterizations of net methane production and emission processes. Here, we synthesize growing season, non-growing season, and annual methane emissions from chamber and eddy-covariance measurements for more than 150 sites in undisturbed temperate, boreal, and tundra wetlands and uplands. We compare the magnitude of fluxes among regions, wetland classifications, vegetation classifications, and environmental variables. Growing season measurements were most abundant in bogs, fens, and tundra sites, while marshes and swamps were relatively undersampled. Annual methane emissions were largest from marshes and lowest from upland mineral soils. Non-growing season emissions accounted for large fraction of annual methane emissions, especially in tundra sites. These results provide constraints for methane emissions from temporal, boreal, and arctic wetlands utilizing the numerous flux measurements conducted over the past 25 years. We find that state-of-the-art model ensembles are seasonally biased; in particular, the vast majority of models overestimate predictions of the growing season to annual wetland methane emission ratio across all biomes.

Opportunities for pulpwood growing investment in southeastern Ohio

Treesearch

David A. Gansner; Edgar T. Shaudys; Edgar T. Shaudys

1969-01-01

Growing hardwood trees for pulpwood offers an opportunity to overcome the objections which woodland owners have to managing their timber. Pulpwood growing is a relatively short-term venture requiring minimum investments of time, capital, and technical know-how. Also, hardwood pulpwood is likely to have reliable local market outlets in southeastern Ohio for years to...

Actin–microtubule coordination at growing microtubule ends

PubMed Central

López, Magdalena Preciado; Huber, Florian; Grigoriev, Ilya; Steinmetz, Michel O.; Akhmanova, Anna; Koenderink, Gijsje H.; Dogterom, Marileen

2014-01-01

To power dynamic processes in cells, the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons organize into complex structures. Although it is known that cytoskeletal coordination is vital for cell function, the mechanisms by which cross-linking proteins coordinate actin and microtubule activities remain poorly understood. In particular, it is unknown how the distinct mechanical properties of different actin architectures modulate the outcome of actin–microtubule interactions. To address this question, we engineered the protein TipAct, which links growing microtubule ends via end-binding proteins to actin filaments. We show that growing microtubules can be captured and guided by stiff actin bundles, leading to global actin–microtubule alignment. Conversely, growing microtubule ends can transport, stretch and bundle individual actin filaments, thereby globally defining actin filament organization. Our results provide a physical basis to understand actin–microtubule cross-talk, and reveal that a simple cross-linker can enable a mechanical feedback between actin and microtubule organization that is relevant to diverse biological contexts. PMID:25159196

Population structure of the African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis) in maize-growing areas with atrazine application versus non-maize-growing areas in South Africa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Du Preez, L.H.; Solomon, K.R.; Carr, J.A.; Giesy, J.P.; Gross, T.S.; Kendall, R.J.; Smith, E.E.; Van Der Kraak, G. L.; Weldon, C.

2005-01-01

The herbicide atrazine has been suggested to cause gonadal deformities in frogs and could possibly impact on reproduction. Since the early 1960s, atrazine has been used in large amounts in maize production areas of South Africa. These areas overlap with populations of the African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis) that has a wide distribution in southern Africa and is found in most water-bodies including those where atrazine residues are detected. The aim of this study was to compare various attributes of individual- and population-level responses of X. laevis from maize-growing and non-maize-growing areas. Xenopus laevis were studied in three reference and five maize-growing sites. Sex ratio, snout-vent length, body-mass and age profiles were found to be similar for populations in maize-growing and non-maize-growing areas. Our mark-recapture data indicated that all sites had robust populations. There were no significant relationships between exposure to atrazine and any of the parameters investigated in populations of X. laevis.

Surfing gravitational waves: can bigravity survive growing tensor modes?

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

Amendola, Luca; Könnig, Frank; Martinelli, Matteo

The theory of bigravity offers one of the simplest possibilities to describe a massive graviton while having self-accelerating cosmological solutions without a cosmological constant. However, it has been shown recently that bigravity is affected by early-time fast growing modes on the tensor sector. Here we argue that we can only trust the linear analysis up to when perturbations are in the linear regime and use a cut-off to stop the growing of the metric perturbations. This analysis, although more consistent, still leads to growing tensor modes that are unacceptably large for the theory to be compatible with measurements of themore » cosmic microwave background (CMB), both in temperature and polarization spectra. In order to suppress the growing modes and make the model compatible with CMB spectra, we find it necessary to either fine-tune the initial conditions, modify the theory or set the cut-off for the tensor perturbations of the second metric much lower than unity. Initial conditions such that the growing mode is sufficiently suppresed can be achieved in scenarios in which inflation ends at the GeV scale.« less

Exploring Classroom Hydroponics. Growing Ideas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Gardening Association, Burlington, VT.

Growing Ideas, the National Gardening Association's series for elementary, middle, and junior high school educators, helps teachers engage students in using plants and gardens as contexts for developing a deeper, richer understanding of the world around them. This volume's focus is on hydroponics. It presents basic hydroponics information along…

Growing Crystals on the Ceiling.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christman, Robert A.

1980-01-01

Described is a method of studying growing crystals in a classroom utilizing a carrousel projector standing vertically. A saturated salt solution is placed on a slide on the lens of the projector and the heat from the projector causes the water to evaporate and salt to crystalize. (Author/DS)

Growing Up of Autonomous Agents: an Emergent Phenomenon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgavi, Giovanna; Marconi, Lucia

2008-10-01

A fundamental research challenge is the design of robust artifacts that are capable of operating under changing environments and noisy input, and yet exhibit the desired behavior and response time. These systems should be able to adapt and learn how to react to unforeseen scenarios as well as to display properties comparable to biological entities. The turn to nature has brought us many unforeseen great concepts. Biological systems are able to handle many of these challenges with an elegance and efficiency still far beyond current human artifacts. A living artifact grows up when its capabilities, abilities/knowledge, shift to a further level of complexity, i.e. the complexity rank of its internal capabilities performs a step forward. In the attempt to define an architecture for autonomous growing up agents [1]. We conducted an experiment on the abstraction process in children as natural parts of a cognitive system. We found that linguistic growing up involve a number of different trial processes. We identified a fixed number of distinct paths that were crossed by children. Once a given interpretation paths was discovered useless, they tried to follow another path, until the new meaning was emerging. This study generates suggestion about the evolutionary conditions conducive to the emergence of growing up in robots and provides guidelines for designing artificial evolutionary systems displaying spontaneous adaptation abilities. The importance of multi-sensor perception, motivation and emotional drives are underlined and, above all, the growing up insights shows similarities to emergent self-organized behaviors.

Colonisation of soilless growing media for tomato by Trichoderma harzianum.

PubMed

De Schutter, B; Aerts, R; Rombouts, L

2001-01-01

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the distribution of T. harzianum in soilless media used in greenhouse growing systems for tomatoes. Growing media based on rockwool and based on coconut fibre were included. The fungus was applied to the roots of the plant by means of a conidial suspension. The upper plant parts were removed from the coconut fibre an the rockwool slab after 10 and 15 weeks respectively. Both the coconut fibre and the rockwool slab were divided into fragments with a width of 10 cm. The coconut fibre medium fragments were again divided in an upper and a lower part. For every fragment the CFU/g was determined by two different methods. In the first method a known volume of growing medium was brought into suspension using a blender and diluted. Appropriate dilutions were plated on a selective medium. In the second method a known volume of growing medium was spread directly upon a selective medium in petri dishes. All dishes were incubated at room temperature and colonies were counted. Results showed that in the case of the coconut fibre growing medium T. harzianum was isolated in every fragment of the substrate. Highest densities were measured at the site of inoculation. In the lower part of the fragments less CFU/g were counted than in the upper part. In the case of the rockwool growing medium, there were several fragments in which no T. harzianum was isolated. The dilution technique demonstrated to be most useful in cases of high density. The direct spreading-method is best applied when low densities are expected. These observations demonstrate that the growing medium based upon coconut fibre is more appropriate for colonisation by T. harzianum. However, densities are higher at the site of inoculation in both tested growing media.

Growing Your Own: Minority Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, Delar K.; Stoloff, David L.

2007-01-01

In the USA, the number of school age children who represent minority backgrounds is rapidly growing. However, despite several efforts, the teaching force remains primarily White. The purpose of this paper is to describe a residential future teachers program in Connecticut which recruits minority rising juniors and seniors from high schools across…

Growing an Emerging Research University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birx, Donald L.; Anderson-Fletcher, Elizabeth; Whitney, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

The emerging research college or university is one of the most formidable resources a region has to reinvent and grow its economy. This paper is the first of two that outlines a process of building research universities that enhance regional technology development and facilitate flexible networks of collaboration and resource sharing. Although the…

Colleges' Earmarks Grow, Amid Criticism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brainard, Jeffrey; Hermes, J. J.

2008-01-01

A record-breaking number of Congressional pork-barrel projects this year has loaded college and university plates with more earmarks than ever before, despite growing worries that the noncompetitive grants undermine the American scientific enterprise, and in spite of promises by some lawmakers to cut back. An analysis by "The Chronicle" shows that…

Segmentation of remotely sensed data using parallel region growing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tilton, J. C.; Cox, S. C.

1983-01-01

The improved spatial resolution of the new earth resources satellites will increase the need for effective utilization of spatial information in machine processing of remotely sensed data. One promising technique is scene segmentation by region growing. Region growing can use spatial information in two ways: only spatially adjacent regions merge together, and merging criteria can be based on region-wide spatial features. A simple region growing approach is described in which the similarity criterion is based on region mean and variance (a simple spatial feature). An effective way to implement region growing for remote sensing is as an iterative parallel process on a large parallel processor. A straightforward parallel pixel-based implementation of the algorithm is explored and its efficiency is compared with sequential pixel-based, sequential region-based, and parallel region-based implementations. Experimental results from on aircraft scanner data set are presented, as is a discussioon of proposed improvements to the segmentation algorithm.

Consequences of Growing Up Poor.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Greg J., Ed.; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne, Ed.

The consequences and correlates of growing up poor as well as the mechanisms through which poverty influences children are explored. This book is organized with a primary focus on research findings and a secondary concern with policy implications. The chapters are: (1) "Poor Families, Poor Outcomes: The Well-Being of Children and Youth" (Jeanne…

Morphodynamics of growing bacterial colony

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Pushpita; Perlekar, Prasad; Rana, Navdeep

Self-organization into multicellular communities is a natural trend of most of the bacteria. Mutual interactions and competition among the bacterial cells in such multicellular organization play essential role in governing the spatiotemporal dynamics. We here present the spatiotemporal dynamics of growing bacterial colony using theory and a particle-based or individual-based simulation model of nonmotile cells growing utilizing a diffusing nutrient/food on a semi-solid surface by their growth and division forces and by pushing each-other through sliding motility. We show how the resource competition over a fixed amount of food, the diffusion coefficient of the nutrient and the random genetic noise govern the morphodynamics of a single species and a well-mixed two-species bacterial colonies. Our results show that for a very low initial food concentrations, colony develops fingering pattern at the front, while for intermediate values of initial food sources, the colony undergoes transitions to branched structures at the periphery and for very high values of food colony develops smoother fronts.

Growing Youth Growing Food: How Vegetable Gardening Influences Young People's Food Consciousness and Eating Habits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Libman, Kimberly

2007-01-01

Much attention is currently being paid to rising rates of obesity, especially among youth. In this context, garden-based education can have a role in improving public health. A qualitative study conducted at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) Children's Garden provides supporting evidence for the claim that growing vegetables can improve the…

Inferences from growing trees backwards

Treesearch

David W. Green; Kent A. McDonald

1997-01-01

The objective of this paper is to illustrate how longitudinal stress wave techniques can be useful in tracking the future quality of a growing tree. Monitoring the quality of selected trees in a plantation forest could provide early input to decisions on the effectiveness of management practices, or future utilization options, for trees in a plantation. There will...

Growing Global Migration and Its Implications for the United States

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-03-01

Growing Global Migration and Its Implications for the United States NIE 2001-02D March 2001 Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704-0188...00-00-2001 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Growing Global Migration and Its Implications for the United States 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c...unclassified Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98) Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 Growing Global Migration and Its Implications for the United States This

How Fast Do Europa's Ridges Grow?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melosh, H. J.; Turtle, E. P.; Freed, A. M.

2017-11-01

We demonstrate with our incremental wedging model of ridge formation that ridges must grow in 5000 years or less to prevent their material flowing down an underlying warm ice channel. This conclusion holds for other models as well.

GRoW Buffalo Final Report

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

Bohm, Martha

This document provides final reporting on the GRoW Home, University at Buffalo's entry to the 2015 Solar Decathlon competition in Irvine, CA. The report summarizes fundraising efforts, documents media outreach, lists online presence, analyzes the organizer's communication, describes post-competition life of the house and future employment plans for student team members. Last, it suggests improvements for future decathlons.

The Techniques of Growing Hardwoods

Treesearch

J. S. McKnight; Robert L. Johnson

1966-01-01

In the South, high-quality hardwoods grow on river and stream bottoms and other moist, rich sites in the Coastal Plains; true swamps; and the loess bluffs of the lower Mississippi Valley. Fine hardwoods are also produced in the mountains and the Piedmont, but these areas are not discussed in this article. Landowners and forest managers recognize that a considerable...

Growing Up in Poverty, Growing Old in Infirmity: The Long Arm of Childhood Conditions in Great Britain.

PubMed

Tampubolon, Gindo

2015-01-01

The ageing population poses a tremendous challenge in understanding the sources of inequalities in health. Though they appear to be far removed, childhood conditions are known to be inextricably linked with adult health, and in turn on health in later life. The long arm of childhood conditions hypothesis is often tested using recollection of childhood circumstances, but such subjective recall can yield potentially inaccurate or possibly biased inferences. We tested the long arm hypothesis on three outcomes in later life, arrayed from objective to subjective health, namely: gait speed, episodic memory and mental health. We used the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing 2006 enriched with retrospective life history (N = 5,913). To deal with recall problems two solutions, covariate measurement and endogenous treatment models, were applied. Retrospective childhood material lack includes growing up without running hot or cold water, fixed bath, indoor lavatory and central heating. Adjustment is made for an extensive set of confounders including sex, age, adult health, wealth, education, occupation, social support, social connections, chronic conditions, smoking, drinking, and physical exercise. It is found that material poverty when growing up shows no association with health when growing old, assuming accurate recall. Once recall problems are controlled, we found that childhood material poverty changes inversely with later life health. A poorer childhood goes with slower gait, poorer memory and more depression in later life. This result provides a further impetus to eliminate child poverty.

Growing media alternatives for forest and native plant nurseries

Treesearch

Thomas D. Landis; Nancy Morgan

2009-01-01

The choice of growing medium, along with container type, is one of the critical decisions that must be made when starting a nursery. The first growing medium was called "compost" and was developed in the 1930s at the John Innes Horticultural Institute in Great Britain. It consisted of a loam soil that was amended with peat moss, sand, and fertilizers (Bunt...

How big can a black hole grow?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Andrew

2016-02-01

I show that there is a physical limit to the mass of a black hole, above which it cannot grow through luminous accretion of gas, and so cannot appear as a quasar or active galactic nucleus (AGN). The limit is Mmax ≃ 5 × 1010 M⊙ for typical parameters, but can reach Mmax ≃ 2.7 × 1011 M⊙ in extreme cases (e.g. maximal prograde spin). The largest black hole masses so far found are close to but below the limit. The Eddington luminosity ≃6.5 × 1048 erg s-1 corresponding to Mmax is remarkably close to the largest AGN bolometric luminosity so far observed. The mass and luminosity limits both rely on a reasonable but currently untestable hypothesis about AGN disc formation, so future observations of extreme supermassive black hole masses can therefore probe fundamental disc physics. Black holes can in principle grow their masses above Mmax by non-luminous means such as mergers with other holes, but cannot become luminous accretors again. They might nevertheless be detectable in other ways, for example through gravitational lensing. I show further that black holes with masses ˜Mmax can probably grow above the values specified by the black-hole-host-galaxy scaling relations, in agreement with observation.

Time for Gas Planets to Grow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lissauer, Jack J.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Giant planets like Jupiter need a large reservoir of gas to grow to full size. New observations indicate that such planetary nurseries last twice as long as previously thought. These observations, and their implications for the abundance of Jupiter-like planets within our galaxy, are discussed herein.

Evolution of Communicative Competence in Adolescents Growing up in Orphanages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ribakova, Laysan A.; Parfilova, Gulfia G.; Karimova, Lilya Sh.; Karimova, Raushan B.

2015-01-01

The article describes features of the communicative competence evolution in adolescents growing up in orphanages. The specificity is revealed and definition is given to key concept of the research, namely "communicative competence". Authors emphasize and demonstrate the evaluation peculiarities of the adolescents, growing up in…

Metagenomic Signatures of Bacterial Adaptation to Life in the Phyllosphere of a Salt-Secreting Desert Tree.

PubMed

Finkel, Omri M; Delmont, Tom O; Post, Anton F; Belkin, Shimshon

2016-05-01

The leaves of Tamarix aphylla, a globally distributed, salt-secreting desert tree, are dotted with alkaline droplets of high salinity. To successfully inhabit these organic carbon-rich droplets, bacteria need to be adapted to multiple stress factors, including high salinity, high alkalinity, high UV radiation, and periodic desiccation. To identify genes that are important for survival in this harsh habitat, microbial community DNA was extracted from the leaf surfaces of 10 Tamarix aphylla trees along a 350-km longitudinal gradient. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing, contig assembly, and binning yielded 17 genome bins, six of which were >80% complete. These genomic bins, representing three phyla (Proteobacteria,Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes), were closely related to halophilic and alkaliphilic taxa isolated from aquatic and soil environments. Comparison of these genomic bins to the genomes of their closest relatives revealed functional traits characteristic of bacterial populations inhabiting the Tamarix phyllosphere, independent of their taxonomic affiliation. These functions, most notably light-sensing genes, are postulated to represent important adaptations toward colonization of this habitat. Plant leaves are an extensive and diverse microbial habitat, forming the main interface between solar energy and the terrestrial biosphere. There are hundreds of thousands of plant species in the world, exhibiting a wide range of morphologies, leaf surface chemistries, and ecological ranges. In order to understand the core adaptations of microorganisms to this habitat, it is important to diversify the type of leaves that are studied. This study provides an analysis of the genomic content of the most abundant bacterial inhabitants of the globally distributed, salt-secreting desert tree Tamarix aphylla Draft genomes of these bacteria were assembled, using the culture-independent technique of assembly and binning of metagenomic data. Analysis of the genomes reveals traits that

Activities to Grow On: Friendship Links.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newman, Joan; And Others

1992-01-01

Presents a collection of Valentine's Day-related kindergarten activities designed to help friendships grow. They include making personalized place mats as a group, creating decorated mail pouches, building heart shaped bird feeders, reading a book about friendly secrets and surprises, and decorating hearts with compliments about each student. (SM)

Growing a Forest for the Trees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Growing Ideas, 2001

2001-01-01

Describes a tree studies program in a fourth-grade classroom. Students collected local tree seeds and seeds from supermarket fruits, researched growing conditions, and grew seeds under various conditions. Students kept journals on local trees, observing seed dispersal mechanisms and examining rings on trunk slices. Inquiry-based tree studies…

Growing Great Minds: Seizing the Opportunity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Carl A.

2015-01-01

Teachers must seize the opportunity to grow great minds. Contextualizing the argument in the writing of renowned poets, noted educators, and distinguished moral heroes whose life's work was dedicated to the principles of democracy, this article reminds practicing teachers in this challenging moment that "You are braver than you believe,…

Growing Greener Cities: Environmental Education Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Forestry Association, Washington, DC.

This environmental education guide, developed by American Forests, includes five lessons created to help teachers use "Growing Greener Cities," a tree-planting handbook. The lessons are designed to teach students the role trees and forests play in cities. Lesson one begins with an introduction, several preparatory exercises to orient students to…

Generalized fractional diffusion equations for subdiffusion in arbitrarily growing domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angstmann, C. N.; Henry, B. I.; McGann, A. V.

2017-10-01

The ubiquity of subdiffusive transport in physical and biological systems has led to intensive efforts to provide robust theoretical models for this phenomena. These models often involve fractional derivatives. The important physical extension of this work to processes occurring in growing materials has proven highly nontrivial. Here we derive evolution equations for modeling subdiffusive transport in a growing medium. The derivation is based on a continuous-time random walk. The concise formulation of these evolution equations requires the introduction of a new, comoving, fractional derivative. The implementation of the evolution equation is illustrated with a simple model of subdiffusing proteins in a growing membrane.

Clinical Challenges in the Growing Medical Marijuana Field.

PubMed

Barker, Jonathan

2018-03-01

Unique clinical challenges arise with the growing number of patients who possess medical marijuana cards. Medical marijuana patients with mental disorders can have worsening symptoms with marijuana use. Often there is sparse continuity of care between the patient and the medical marijuana practitioner. Lack of communication between the patient's treating practitioners and the practitioner who has authorized the medical marijuana can be problematic. This article is a discussion of the new clinical challenges practitioners are likely to encounter with the growing number of medical marijuana patients. [Full article available at http://rimed.org/rimedicaljournal-2018-03.asp].

Clinical Challenges in the Growing Medical Marijuana Field.

PubMed

Barker, Jonathan

2018-02-02

Unique clinical challenges arise with the growing number of patients who possess medical marijuana cards. Medical marijuana patients with mental disorders can have worsening symptoms with marijuana use. Often there is sparse continuity of care between the patient and the medical marijuana practitioner. Lack of communication between the patient's treating practitioners and the practitioner who has authorized the medical marijuana can be problematic. This article is a discussion of the new clinical challenges practitioners are likely to encounter with the growing number of medical marijuana patients. [Full article available at http://rimed.org/rimedicaljournal-2018-02.asp].

Principal Efficacy: Implications for Rural "Grow Your Own" Leadership Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Versland, Tena M.

2013-01-01

Although "grow your own" principal preparation programs have become a popular method for recruiting and selecting administrator candidates for hard to fill positions in both urban and rural schools, "grow your own" principal candidates in rural contexts may be more vulnerable to the phenomenon of loss of self-efficacy. This…

Determination of Spring Onset and Growing Season Duration using Satellite Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Min, Q.; Lin, Bing

2006-01-01

An integrated approach to retrieve microwave emissivity difference vegetation index (EDVI) over land regions has been developed from combined multi-platform/multi-sensor satellite measurements, including SSM/I measurements. A possible relationship of the remotely sensed EDVI and the leaf physiology of canopy is exploited at the Harvard Forest site for two growing seasons. This study finds that the EDVI is sensitive to leaf development through vegetation water content of the crown layer of the forest canopy, and has demonstrated that the spring onset and growing season duration can be determined accurately from the time series of satellite estimated EDVI within uncertainties about 3 and 7 days for spring onsets and growing season duration, respectively, compared to in-situ observations. The leaf growing stage may also be quantitatively monitored by a normalized EDVI. Since EDVI retrievals from satellite are generally possible during both daytime and nighttime under non-rain conditions, the EDVI technique studied here may provide higher temporal resolution observations for monitoring the onset of spring and the duration of growing season compared to currently operational satellite methods.

Morphodynamics of a growing microbial colony driven by cell death

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Pushpita; Levine, Herbert

2017-11-01

Bacterial cells can often self-organize into multicellular structures with complex spatiotemporal morphology. In this work, we study the spatiotemporal dynamics of a growing microbial colony in the presence of cell death. We present an individual-based model of nonmotile bacterial cells which grow and proliferate by consuming diffusing nutrients on a semisolid two-dimensional surface. The colony spreads by growth forces and sliding motility of cells and undergoes cell death followed by subsequent disintegration of the dead cells in the medium. We model cell death by considering two possible situations: In one of the cases, cell death occurs in response to the limitation of local nutrients, while the other case corresponds to an active death process, known as apoptotic or programmed cell death. We demonstrate how the colony morphology is influenced by the presence of cell death. Our results show that cell death facilitates transitions from roughly circular to highly branched structures at the periphery of an expanding colony. Interestingly, our results also reveal that for the colonies which are growing in higher initial nutrient concentrations, cell death occurs much earlier compared to the colonies which are growing in lower initial nutrient concentrations. This work provides new insights into the branched patterning of growing bacterial colonies as a consequence of complex interplay among the biochemical and mechanical effects.

Recursive Hierarchical Image Segmentation by Region Growing and Constrained Spectral Clustering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tilton, James C.

2002-01-01

This paper describes an algorithm for hierarchical image segmentation (referred to as HSEG) and its recursive formulation (referred to as RHSEG). The HSEG algorithm is a hybrid of region growing and constrained spectral clustering that produces a hierarchical set of image segmentations based on detected convergence points. In the main, HSEG employs the hierarchical stepwise optimization (HS WO) approach to region growing, which seeks to produce segmentations that are more optimized than those produced by more classic approaches to region growing. In addition, HSEG optionally interjects between HSWO region growing iterations merges between spatially non-adjacent regions (i.e., spectrally based merging or clustering) constrained by a threshold derived from the previous HSWO region growing iteration. While the addition of constrained spectral clustering improves the segmentation results, especially for larger images, it also significantly increases HSEG's computational requirements. To counteract this, a computationally efficient recursive, divide-and-conquer, implementation of HSEG (RHSEG) has been devised and is described herein. Included in this description is special code that is required to avoid processing artifacts caused by RHSEG s recursive subdivision of the image data. Implementations for single processor and for multiple processor computer systems are described. Results with Landsat TM data are included comparing HSEG with classic region growing. Finally, an application to image information mining and knowledge discovery is discussed.

A fast 3D region growing approach for CT angiography applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Zhen; Lin, Zhongmin; Lu, Cheng-chang

2004-05-01

Region growing is one of the most popular methods for low-level image segmentation. Many researches on region growing have focused on the definition of the homogeneity criterion or growing and merging criterion. However, one disadvantage of conventional region growing is redundancy. It requires a large memory usage, and the computation-efficiency is very low especially for 3D images. To overcome this problem, a non-recursive single-pass 3D region growing algorithm named SymRG is implemented and successfully applied to 3D CT angiography (CTA) applications for vessel segmentation and bone removal. The method consists of three steps: segmenting one-dimensional regions of each row; doing region merging to adjacent rows to obtain the region segmentation of each slice; and doing region merging to adjacent slices to obtain the final region segmentation of 3D images. To improve the segmentation speed for very large volume 3D CTA images, this algorithm is applied repeatedly to newly updated local cubes. The next new cube can be estimated by checking isolated segmented regions on all 6 faces of the current local cube. This local non-recursive 3D region-growing algorithm is memory-efficient and computation-efficient. Clinical testings of this algorithm on Brain CTA show this technique could effectively remove whole skull, most of the bones on the skull base, and reveal the cerebral vascular structures clearly.

Growing up as a Young Artist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szekely, George

2012-01-01

"Growing Up as a Young Artist" is an illustrated book assignment that involves researching family scrapbooks, photo albums and films, and inquiring about family anecdotes for clues to one's artistic roots. Students creatively reflect on their early memories of imaginative events, as each page is filled with memories of creative activities they…

Ultrasound control of magnet growing rod distraction in early onset scoliosis.

PubMed

Pérez Cervera, T; Lirola Criado, J F; Farrington Rueda, D M

2016-01-01

The growing rod technique is currently one of the most common procedures used in the management of early onset scoliosis. However, in order to preserve spine growth and control the deformity it requires frequent surgeries to distract the rods. Magnetically driven growing rods have recently been introduced with same treatment goal, but without the inconvenience of repeated surgical distractions. One of the limitations of this technical advance is an increase in radiation exposure due to the increase in distraction frequency compared to conventional growing rods. An improvement of the original technique is presented, proposing a solution to the inconvenience of multiple radiation exposure using ultrasound technology to control the distraction process of magnetically driven growing rods. Copyright © 2014 SECOT. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Growing Up Chicana/o: An Anthology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez, Tiffany Ana

This is a collection of 20 stories that focus specifically on the experience of growing up Chicana/o. A foreword by Rudolfo Anaya provides background on the development of Chicano literature. The stories are presented in four sections that explore the themes of heritage and actual and metaphorical boundaries, the importance of grandparents and…

Body Talk for Boys Growing Up.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stubbs, Margaret L.

This pamphlet, targeted to boys, discusses issues surrounding puberty. The introduction describes the reaction of parents' to their children's process of growing up, as well as the reaction of other boys and girls to the physical changes of puberty. Physical changes that happen during puberty for girls and boys are listed. Books for boys on…

Body Talk for Girls Growing Up.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stubbs, Margaret L.

This pamphlet, targeted to girls, discusses issues surrounding puberty. The introduction describes the reaction of parents' to their children's process of growing up, as well as the reaction of other boys and girls to the physical changes of puberty. Physical changes that happen during puberty for girls and boys are listed. Books for girls on…

[Organization of mitochondria in the growing hyphae of Neurospora crassa].

PubMed

Potapova, T V; Boĭtsova, L Iu; Golyshev, S A; Popinako, A V

2013-01-01

In vivo fluorescent labeling of mitochondria in Neurospora crassa showed the concentration of filamentous mitochondria within 30 μm of apex in growing hyphae. These mitochondrial assemblies propagated forward with the elongation of hyphae, split and segregated as the growing tip bifurcated and formed de novo when new branches formed farther away from the apex. The efficiency of the mitochondria concentration in the apical 30 μm zone is related to the growth rate and identical in hyphae cultivated in glucose- and sorbitol-containing media. The obtained data are discussed in connection with the behavior of microtubules in growing hyphae as well as with the electric heterogeneity of N. crassa hyphal apex described previously.

Slowly-growing gap-opening planets trigger weaker vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammer, Michael; Kratter, Kaitlin M.; Lin, Min-Kai

2017-04-01

The presence of a giant planet in a low-viscosity disc can create a gap edge in the disc's radial density profile sharp enough to excite the Rossby wave instability. This instability may evolve into dust-trapping vortices that might explain the 'banana-shaped' features in recently observed asymmetric transition discs with inner cavities. Previous hydrodynamical simulations of planet-induced vortices have neglected the time-scale of hundreds to thousands of orbits to grow a massive planet to Jupiter size. In this work, we study the effect of a giant planet's runaway growth time-scale on the lifetime and characteristics of the resulting vortex. For two different planet masses (1 and 5 Jupiter masses) and two different disc viscosities (α = 3 × 10-4 and 3 × 10-5), we compare the vortices induced by planets with several different growth time-scales between 10 and 4000 planet orbits. In general, we find that slowly-growing planets create significantly weaker vortices with lifetimes and surface densities reduced by more than 50 per cent. For the higher disc viscosity, the longest growth time-scales in our study inhibit vortex formation altogether. Additionally, slowly-growing planets produce vortices that are up to twice as elongated, with azimuthal extents well above 180° in some cases. These unique, elongated vortices likely create a distinct signature in the dust observations that differentiates them from the more concentrated vortices that correspond to planets with faster growth time-scales. Lastly, we find that the low viscosities necessary for vortex formation likely prevent planets from growing quickly enough to trigger the instability in self-consistent models.

Remotely Sensed Northern Vegetation Response to Changing Climate: Growing Season and Productivity Perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ganguly, S.; Park, Taejin; Choi, Sungho; Bi, Jian; Knyazikhin, Yuri; Myneni, Ranga

2016-01-01

Vegetation growing season and maximum photosynthetic state determine spatiotemporal variability of seasonal total gross primary productivity of vegetation. Recent warming induced impacts accelerate shifts on growing season and physiological status over Northern vegetated land. Thus, understanding and quantifying these changes are very important. Here, we first investigate how vegetation growing season and maximum photosynthesis state are evolved and how such components contribute on inter-annual variation of seasonal total gross primary productivity. Furthermore, seasonally different response of northern vegetation to changing temperature and water availability is also investigated. We utilized both long-term remotely sensed data to extract larger scale growing season metrics (growing season start, end and duration) and productivity (i.e., growing season summed vegetation index, GSSVI) for answering these questions. We find that regionally diverged growing season shift and maximum photosynthetic state contribute differently characterized productivity inter-annual variability and trend. Also seasonally different response of vegetation gives different view of spatially varying interaction between vegetation and climate. These results highlight spatially and temporally varying vegetation dynamics and are reflective of biome-specific responses of northern vegetation to changing climate.

"Growing Beyond Earth" Challenge Germinates in South Florida

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-09-30

Kennedy scientists Trent Smith, left, and Dr. Gioia Massa speak to middle and high school teachers at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami during the kickoff of the 2017-2018 Fairchild Challenge-Growing Beyond Earth. More than 130 teachers gathered for the opening workshop, where they learned about food production in space and the Veggie hardware currently on the International Space Station. NASA has partnered with Fairchild to create this STEM-based challenge in which students will follow specific research protocols and analyze plant growth factors, flavor and nutrition, in order to help NASA choose the next crops for astronauts to grow aboard the station.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery versus Natural History in Patients with Growing Vestibular Schwannomas.

PubMed

Tu, Albert; Gooderham, Peter; Mick, Paul; Westerberg, Brian; Toyota, Brian; Akagami, Ryojo

2015-08-01

Objective To describe our experience with stereotactic radiosurgery and its efficacy on growing tumors, and then to compare this result with the natural history of a similar cohort of non-radiation-treated lesions. Study Design A retrospective chart review and cohort comparison. Methods The long-term control rates of patients having undergone radiosurgery were collected and calculated, and this population was then compared with a group of untreated patients from the same period of time with growing lesions. Results A total of 61 patients with growing vestibular schwannomas treated with radiosurgery were included. After a mean of 160 months, we observed a control rate of 85.2%. When compared with a group of 36 patients with growing tumors who were yet to receive treatment (previously published), we found a corrected control rate or relative risk reduction of only 76.8%. Conclusion Radiosurgery for growing vestibular schwannomas is less effective than previously reported in unselected series. Although radiosurgery still has a role in managing this disease, consideration should be given to the actual efficacy that may be calculated when the natural history is known. We hope other centers will similarly report their experience on this cohort of patients.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery versus Natural History in Patients with Growing Vestibular Schwannomas

PubMed Central

Tu, Albert; Gooderham, Peter; Mick, Paul; Westerberg, Brian; Toyota, Brian; Akagami, Ryojo

2015-01-01

Objective To describe our experience with stereotactic radiosurgery and its efficacy on growing tumors, and then to compare this result with the natural history of a similar cohort of non-radiation–treated lesions. Study Design A retrospective chart review and cohort comparison. Methods The long-term control rates of patients having undergone radiosurgery were collected and calculated, and this population was then compared with a group of untreated patients from the same period of time with growing lesions. Results A total of 61 patients with growing vestibular schwannomas treated with radiosurgery were included. After a mean of 160 months, we observed a control rate of 85.2%. When compared with a group of 36 patients with growing tumors who were yet to receive treatment (previously published), we found a corrected control rate or relative risk reduction of only 76.8%. Conclusion Radiosurgery for growing vestibular schwannomas is less effective than previously reported in unselected series. Although radiosurgery still has a role in managing this disease, consideration should be given to the actual efficacy that may be calculated when the natural history is known. We hope other centers will similarly report their experience on this cohort of patients. PMID:26225318

Guide to School Greenhouses: Growing Ideas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beliveau, Victoria

This booklet is part of the Growing Ideas series for educators which supports teachers by enabling them to expand their own skills as they help students use plants and gardens as contexts for developing a deeper, richer understanding of the world around them. This booklet, on school greenhouses, gives an overview of key issues relevant to…

Asymmetric Die Grows Purer Silicon Ribbon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalejs, J. P.; Chalmers, B.; Surek, T.

1983-01-01

Concentration of carbide impurities in silicon ribbon is reduced by growing crystalline ribbon with die one wall higher than other. Height difference controls shape of meniscus at liquid/crystal interface and concentrates silicon carbide impurity near one of broad faces. Opposite face is left with above-average purity. Significantly improves efficiency of solar cells made from ribbon.

Growing Income Inequality Threatens American Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Greg J.; Murnane, Richard J.

2014-01-01

The first of two articles in consecutive months describes the origins and nature of growing income inequality, and some of its consequences for American children. It documents the increased family income inequality that's occurred over the past 40 years and shows that the increased income disparity has been more than matched by an expanding…

The Growing Diversity of Work Schedules.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Shirley J.

1986-01-01

The author highlights the predominance of the five-day, 40-hour workweek. Although finding little change in recent years in the proportion of workers on 40-hour schedules, Smith notes that there have been some changes in work patterns, with a still small but growing group of workers on "compressed" full-time weeks of less than five days.…

Impact of Growing Business on Software Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikitina, Natalja; Kajko-Mattsson, Mira

When growing their businesses, software organizations should not only put effort into developing and executing their business strategies, but also into managing and improving their internal software development processes and aligning them with business growth strategies. It is only in this way they may confirm that their businesses grow in a healthy and sustainable way. In this paper, we map out one software company's business growth on the course of its historical events and identify its impact on the company's software production processes and capabilities. The impact concerns benefits, challenges, problems and lessons learned. The most important lesson learned is that although business growth has become a stimulus for starting thinking and improving software processes, the organization lacked guidelines aiding it in and aligning it to business growth. Finally, the paper generates research questions providing a platform for future research.

What a Pain! Kids and Growing Pains

MedlinePlus

... First Aid & Safety Doctors & Hospitals Videos Recipes for Kids Kids site Sitio para niños How the Body ... for Educators Search English Español What a Pain! Kids and Growing Pains KidsHealth / For Kids / What a ...

Young Australian Indigenous Students' Growing Pattern Generalisations: The Role of Gesture When Generalising

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Jodie

2014-01-01

This paper explores how young Indigenous students' (Year 2 and 3) generalise growing patterns. Piagetian clinical interviews were conducted to determine how students articulated growing pattern generalisations. Two case studies are presented displaying how students used gesture to support and articulate their generalisations of growing patterns.…

From Kennedy, to Beyond: Growing Plants in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flemming, Cedric, II; Seck, Sokhana A.; Massa, Gioia D.; Hummerick, Mary E.; Wheeler, Raymond

2012-01-01

Astronauts cannot have their cake and eat it too, but what about growing a salad and eating it? As NASA continues to push the envelope on Space exploration and inhabitance the need for a fresh food source becomes more vital. The Life Support team at NASA is using a system developed by ORBITEC the VEGGIE, in which astronauts aboard the ISS, and potentially the Moon and Mars, will be capable of growing food. The introduction of plants not only gives astronauts a means of independently supplying food, but also recreation, oxygen replenishment and psychological benefits. The plants were grown in "pillows", the system used for growing plants within the VEGGIE. This test included 4 types of media mixtures that are composed of a clay based media called Arcilite and Fafard #2, which is a peat moss-based media ( <1 mm Arcilite, 1-2 mm of Arcilite, 1:1 <1 mm & 1-2 mm mixture and 1:1 Arcilite & Fafard mixture). Currently, 3 lettuce cultivars are being grown in 4 mixtures of media. Tests were being conducted to see which form of media has the ratio of best growth and least amount of microbes that are harmful. That is essential because a person's body becomes more susceptible to illness when they leave Earth. As a result, test must be conducted on the "pillow" system to assess the levels of microbial activity. The cultivars were tested at different stages during their growing process for microbes. Datum show that the mix of Fafard and Arcilite had the best growth, but also the most microbes. This was due to the fact that Fafard is an organic substance so it contains material necessary for microbes to live. Data suggest that the <1 mm Arcilite has an acceptable amount of growth and a lower level of microbes, because it is non-organic.

How fast to northern hardwoods grow?

Treesearch

Rapheal Zon; H.F. Scholz

1929-01-01

The knowledge of the rate at which trees grow in virgin forests, after clear cutting and under selective logging, is indispensable in any forest calculations or forest practice. The enactment of the Forest Crop Law, which brought under its operation about 175,000 acres of cut-over land during the first year, the example set by several progressive lumbermen in selective...

Growing and Sustaining Communities with Bioenergy

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

Havill, Alice; Schultz, Donny; Falcon, Nigel

From Vero Beach, Florida, to Hugoton, Kansas, to Emmetsburg, Iowa, cellulosic ethanol biorefineries have had major impacts on communities and their residents. In other areas, bioenergy has significant potential to transform current and establish new industry. This short video illustrates how biorefineries and other bioenergy developments can benefit citizens, businesses, and whole communities, helping America’s rural economies grow and thrive.

Teaching the Growing Population of Nontraditional Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, June G.

2002-01-01

This document contains three articles on teaching the growing population of nontraditional students. "The Changing Demographics of the Classroom" defines "nontraditional students"; reviews the characteristics, risk factors, and special needs of nontraditional students; and identifies the following services as particularly important to…

Estimating of Gonystiluss Bancanus Growing Stock in Indonesia (Case study: Riau and Central Kalimantan)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samsuri; Jaya, I. N. S.; Partomihardjo, T.

2017-03-01

Gonystylus bancanus is protected species because it is included in list of critically endangered plant species that is heading to be extinct. Export banned Gonystylus bancanus log trigger illegal logging caused ramin’s demand is high. This study aimed to estimate Gonystylus bancanus growing stock in Indonesia. Time series of satellite image was used to identify land use change. Spatial analysis by overlaying of land cover and peatland map found the potential habitat of Gonystylus bancanus. Cluster sampling method was applied to predict growing stock recently year. The study found that growing stock in peat swamp forest in Central Kalimantan (Sebangau National Park area) tend to be elevated. It is also occurred in production forest of peat swamp that is harvested, especially in concession area of Diamond Raya Timber Ltd that also tend to elevate. The most increasing of growing stock is caused by ingrowth). Growing of Gonystylus bancanus seedling is hardly occurred. It is caused by youngest seedling characteristics that are need a covering.. Gonystylus bancanus (growing stock is not be spread evenly overall growing stages. This study also found that Gonystylus bancanus growing stock ranging between 4.2 m3/ha to 15.2 m3/ha. The growing stock of Gonystylus bancanus is between 3.3% to 5.4% of all species in peat swamp forest. Average of Gonystylus bancanus increment about 0.63 m3/ha/year. Average growing stock of all species is 3.1 ∼ 20.5 m3/ha/year).

Tobacco-control policies in tobacco-growing states: where tobacco was king.

PubMed

Fallin, Amanda; Glantz, Stanton A

2015-06-01

POLICY POINTS: The tobacco companies prioritized blocking tobacco-control policies in tobacco-growing states and partnered with tobacco farmers to oppose tobacco-control policies. The 1998 Master Settlement Agreement, which settled state litigation against the cigarette companies, the 2004 tobacco-quota buyout, and the companies' increasing use of foreign tobacco led to a rift between the companies and tobacco farmers. In 2003, the first comprehensive smoke-free local law was passed in a major tobacco-growing state, and there has been steady progress in the region since then. Health advocates should educate the public and policymakers on the changing reality in tobacco-growing states, notably the major reduction in the volume of tobacco produced. The 5 major tobacco-growing states (Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia) are disproportionately affected by the tobacco epidemic, with higher rates of smoking and smoking-induced disease. These states also have fewer smoke-free laws and lower tobacco taxes, 2 evidence-based policies that reduce tobacco use. Historically, the tobacco farmers and hospitality associations allied with the tobacco companies to oppose these policies. This research is based on 5 detailed case studies of these states, which included key informant interviews, previously secret tobacco industry documents (available at http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu), and media articles. This was supplemented with additional tobacco document and media searches specifically for this article. The tobacco companies were particularly concerned about blocking tobacco-control policies in the tobacco-growing states by promoting a pro-tobacco culture, beginning in the late 1960s. Nevertheless, since 2003, there has been rapid progress in the tobacco-growing states' passage of smoke-free laws. This progress came after the alliance between the tobacco companies and the tobacco farmers fractured and hospitality organizations stopped opposing smoke

Features and heterogeneities in growing network models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferretti, Luca; Cortelezzi, Michele; Yang, Bin; Marmorini, Giacomo; Bianconi, Ginestra

2012-06-01

Many complex networks from the World Wide Web to biological networks grow taking into account the heterogeneous features of the nodes. The feature of a node might be a discrete quantity such as a classification of a URL document such as personal page, thematic website, news, blog, search engine, social network, etc., or the classification of a gene in a functional module. Moreover the feature of a node can be a continuous variable such as the position of a node in the embedding space. In order to account for these properties, in this paper we provide a generalization of growing network models with preferential attachment that includes the effect of heterogeneous features of the nodes. The main effect of heterogeneity is the emergence of an “effective fitness” for each class of nodes, determining the rate at which nodes acquire new links. The degree distribution exhibits a multiscaling behavior analogous to the the fitness model. This property is robust with respect to variations in the model, as long as links are assigned through effective preferential attachment. Beyond the degree distribution, in this paper we give a full characterization of the other relevant properties of the model. We evaluate the clustering coefficient and show that it disappears for large network size, a property shared with the Barabási-Albert model. Negative degree correlations are also present in this class of models, along with nontrivial mixing patterns among features. We therefore conclude that both small clustering coefficients and disassortative mixing are outcomes of the preferential attachment mechanism in general growing networks.

Growing and Sustaining Communities with Bioenergy

ScienceCinema

Havill, Alice; Schultz, Donny; Falcon, Nigel; Reetz, Harold; Rowden, Jack; Van Horn, Ruth; Nordling, Debbie; Naig, Mike

2018-06-12

From Vero Beach, Florida, to Hugoton, Kansas, to Emmetsburg, Iowa, cellulosic ethanol biorefineries have had major impacts on communities and their residents. In other areas, bioenergy has significant potential to transform current and establish new industry. This short video illustrates how biorefineries and other bioenergy developments can benefit citizens, businesses, and whole communities, helping America’s rural economies grow and thrive.

Morphological instability of a thermophoretically growing deposit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Castillo, Jose L.; Garcia-Ybarra, Pedro L.; Rosner, Daniel E.

1992-01-01

The stability of the planar interface of a structureless solid growing from a depositing component dilute in a carrier fluid is studied when the main solute transport mechanism is thermal (Soret) diffusion. A linear stability analysis, carried out in the limit of low growth Peclet number, leads to a dispersion relation which shows that the planar front is unstable either when the thermal diffusion factor of the condensing component is positive and the latent heat release is small or when the thermal diffusion factor is negative and the solid grows over a thermally-insulating substrate. Furthermore, the influence of interfacial energy effects and constitutional supersaturation in the vicinity of the moving interface is analyzed in the limit of very small Schmidt numbers (small solute Fickian diffusion). The analysis is relevant to physical vapor deposition of very massive species on cold surfaces, as in recent experiments of organic solid film growth under microgravity conditions.

Growing Data User Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiggin, B.

2017-12-01

Preserving data is not only a technical challenge. Perhaps the best way to protect data is to use it. Grassroots efforts to make research-quality copies of federal data continue to energize communities of data users who often did not previously recognize themselves as open earth data users. Beyond "data rescue" events, the Data Refuge project researches how federal climate and environmental data are used downstream in a variety of local communities and municipal governments to address everyday issues: public health, municipal safety, and even the preservation of cultural heritage assets. Documenting the diverse uses made of open earth data beyond the earth sciences research community grows the community who, in making use of data, also helps to preserve it.

Elevated CO2 further lengthens growing season under warming conditions.

PubMed

Reyes-Fox, Melissa; Steltzer, Heidi; Trlica, M J; McMaster, Gregory S; Andales, Allan A; LeCain, Dan R; Morgan, Jack A

2014-06-12

Observations of a longer growing season through earlier plant growth in temperate to polar regions have been thought to be a response to climate warming. However, data from experimental warming studies indicate that many species that initiate leaf growth and flowering earlier also reach seed maturation and senesce earlier, shortening their active and reproductive periods. A conceptual model to explain this apparent contradiction, and an analysis of the effect of elevated CO2--which can delay annual life cycle events--on changing season length, have not been tested. Here we show that experimental warming in a temperate grassland led to a longer growing season through earlier leaf emergence by the first species to leaf, often a grass, and constant or delayed senescence by other species that were the last to senesce, supporting the conceptual model. Elevated CO2 further extended growing, but not reproductive, season length in the warmed grassland by conserving water, which enabled most species to remain active longer. Our results suggest that a longer growing season, especially in years or biomes where water is a limiting factor, is not due to warming alone, but also to higher atmospheric CO2 concentrations that extend the active period of plant annual life cycles.

Thermal analysis of a growing crystal in an aqueous solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiomi, Yuji; Kuroda, Toshio; Ogawa, Tomoya

1980-10-01

The temperature profiles around growing crystals in aqueous solutions of Rochelle salt were measured with accuracy of 0.005°C in a two-dimensional cell which was used for elimination of thermal convection current in the cell. The temperature distribution became stationary after 2 h from injection of the mother liquid, but the concentration distribution did not become stationary because the diffusion constant of solute in the solution was much smaller than the thermal diffusivity of the solution. The growth rate was linearly proportional to the temperature gradient at every growing interface. Since crystal growth is a typical interaction process between thermal and material flow, the experimental results were analysed by such an interaction model. The analysis confirms that the material flow is limited by diffusion within a layer width of about a few hundreds micrometers on the growing interface.

7 CFR 319.37-8 - Growing media.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... plants) established solely on tree fern slabs, coconut husks, coconut fiber, new clay pots, or new wooden...) Approved growing media are baked expanded clay pellets, coal cinder, coir, cork, glass wool, organic and... this section; (ii) Grown solely in a greenhouse in which sanitary procedures adequate to exclude plant...

A Maze Game on Android Using Growing Tree Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendrawan, Y. F.

2018-01-01

A maze is a type of puzzle games where a player moves in complex and branched passages to find a particular target or location. One method to create a maze is the Growing Tree method. The method creates a tree that has branches which are the paths of a maze. This research explored three types of Growing Tree method implementations for maze generation on Android mobile devices. The layouts produced could be played in first and third-person perspectives. The experiment results showed that it took 17.3 seconds on average to generate 20 cells x 20 cells dynamic maze layouts.

Sports and the Growing Musculoskeletal System: Sports Imaging Series.

PubMed

Nguyen, Jie C; Sheehan, Scott E; Davis, Kirkland W; Gill, Kara G

2017-07-01

Increased youth participation in sports has resulted in increased injury tolls due to shifts toward participation in competitive sports at earlier ages, increased training intensity and competition schedules, as well as specialization into one sport. The physiology of the growing musculoskeletal system makes the growing athlete particularly vulnerable to specific types of injuries. Radiologists must understand the differences between pediatric and adult athletes to recognize the particular injuries to which these young athletes are prone. Imaging and pertinent clinical details of major representative acute and overuse injuries characteristic to pediatric athletes will be discussed. © RSNA, 2017.

Tobacco-Control Policies in Tobacco-Growing States: Where Tobacco Was King

PubMed Central

Fallin, Amanda; Glantz, Stanton A

2015-01-01

Context The 5 major tobacco-growing states (Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia) are disproportionately affected by the tobacco epidemic, with higher rates of smoking and smoking-induced disease. These states also have fewer smoke-free laws and lower tobacco taxes, 2 evidence-based policies that reduce tobacco use. Historically, the tobacco farmers and hospitality associations allied with the tobacco companies to oppose these policies. Methods This research is based on 5 detailed case studies of these states, which included key informant interviews, previously secret tobacco industry documents (available at http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu), and media articles. This was supplemented with additional tobacco document and media searches specifically for this article. Findings The tobacco companies were particularly concerned about blocking tobacco-control policies in the tobacco-growing states by promoting a pro-tobacco culture, beginning in the late 1960s. Nevertheless, since 2003, there has been rapid progress in the tobacco-growing states’ passage of smoke-free laws. This progress came after the alliance between the tobacco companies and the tobacco farmers fractured and hospitality organizations stopped opposing smoke-free laws. In addition, infrastructure built by National Cancer Institute research projects (COMMIT and ASSIST) led to long-standing tobacco-control coalitions that capitalized on these changes. Although tobacco production has dramatically fallen in these states, pro-tobacco sentiment still hinders tobacco-control policies in the major tobacco-growing states. Conclusions The environment has changed in the tobacco-growing states, following a fracture of the alliance between the tobacco companies and their former allies (tobacco growers and hospitality organizations). To continue this progress, health advocates should educate the public and policymakers on the changing reality in the tobacco-growing states, notably the

On the mechanics of continua with boundary energies and growing surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papastavrou, Areti; Steinmann, Paul; Kuhl, Ellen

2013-06-01

Many biological systems are coated by thin films for protection, selective absorption, or transmembrane transport. A typical example is the mucous membrane covering the airways, the esophagus, and the intestine. Biological surfaces typically display a distinct mechanical behavior from the bulk; in particular, they may grow at different rates. Growth, morphological instabilities, and buckling of biological surfaces have been studied intensely by approximating the surface as a layer of finite thickness; however, growth has never been attributed to the surface itself. Here, we establish a theory of continua with boundary energies and growing surfaces of zero thickness in which the surface is equipped with its own potential energy and is allowed to grow independently of the bulk. In complete analogy to the kinematic equations, the balance equations, and the constitutive equations of a growing solid body, we derive the governing equations for a growing surface. We illustrate their spatial discretization using the finite element method, and discuss their consistent algorithmic linearization. To demonstrate the conceptual differences between volume and surface growth, we simulate the constrained growth of the inner layer of a cylindrical tube. Our novel approach toward continua with growing surfaces is capable of predicting extreme growth of the inner cylindrical surface, which more than doubles its initial area. The underlying algorithmic framework is robust and stable; it allows to predict morphological changes due to surface growth during the onset of buckling and beyond. The modeling of surface growth has immediate biomedical applications in the diagnosis and treatment of asthma, gastritis, obstructive sleep apnoea, and tumor invasion. Beyond biomedical applications, the scientific understanding of growth-induced morphological instabilities and surface wrinkling has important implications in material sciences, manufacturing, and microfabrication, with applications in

Cultural systems for growing potatoes in space.

PubMed

Tibbitts, T; Bula, R; Corey, R; Morrow, R

1988-01-01

Higher plants are being evaluated for life support to provide needed food, oxygen and water as well as removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The successful utilization of plants in space will require the development of not only highly productive growing systems but also highly efficient bioregenerative systems. It will be necessary to recycle all inedible plant parts and all human wastes so that the entire complement of elemental compounds can be reused. Potatoes have been proposed as one of the desirable crops because they are 1) extremely productive, yielding more than 100 metric tons per hectare from field plantings, 2) the edible tubers are high in digestible starch (70%) and protein (10%) on a dry weight basis, 3) up to 80% of the total plant production is in tubers and thus edible, 4) the plants are easily propagated either from tubers or from tissue culture plantlets, 5) the tubers can be utilized with a minimum of processing, and 6) potatoes can be prepared in a variety of different forms for the human diet (Tibbitts et al., 1982). However potatoes have a growth pattern that complicates the development of growing the plants in controlled systems. Tubers are borne on underground stems that are botanically termed 'rhizomes', but in common usage termed 'stolons'. The stolons must be maintained in a dark, moist area with sufficient provision for enlargement of tubers. Stems rapidly terminate in flowers forcing extensive branching and spreading of plants so that individual plants will cover 0.2 m2 or more area. Thus the growing system must be developed to provide an area that is darkened for tuber and root growth and of sufficient size for plant spread. A system developed for growing potatoes, or any plants, in space will have certain requirements that must be met to make them a useful part of a life support system. The system must 1) be constructed of materials, and involve media, that can be reused for many successive cycles of plant growth, 2

Cultural systems for growing potatoes in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tibbitts, T.; Bula, R.; Corey, R.; Morrow, R.

1988-01-01

Higher plants are being evaluated for life support to provide needed food, oxygen and water as well as removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The successful utilization of plants in space will require the development of not only highly productive growing systems but also highly efficient bioregenerative systems. It will be necessary to recycle all inedible plant parts and all human wastes so that the entire complement of elemental compounds can be reused. Potatoes have been proposed as one of the desirable crops because they are 1) extremely productive, yielding more than 100 metric tons per hectare from field plantings, 2) the edible tubers are high in digestible starch (70%) and protein (10%) on a dry weight basis, 3) up to 80% of the total plant production is in tubers and thus edible, 4) the plants are easily propagated either from tubers or from tissue culture plantlets, 5) the tubers can be utilized with a minimum of processing, and 6) potatoes can be prepared in a variety of different forms for the human diet (Tibbitts et al., 1982). However potatoes have a growth pattern that complicates the development of growing the plants in controlled systems. Tubers are borne on underground stems that are botanically termed 'rhizomes', but in common usage termed 'stolons'. The stolons must be maintained in a dark, moist area with sufficient provision for enlargement of tubers. Stems rapidly terminate in flowers forcing extensive branching and spreading of plants so that individual plants will cover 0.2 m2 or more area. Thus the growing system must be developed to provide an area that is darkened for tuber and root growth and of sufficient size for plant spread. A system developed for growing potatoes, or any plants, in space will have certain requirements that must be met to make them a useful part of a life support system. The system must 1) be constructed of materials, and involve media, that can be reused for many successive cycles of plant growth, 2

Twenty Tips for Growing a Baby's Brain.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honig, Alice Sterling

This paper asserts that the more enriching the interactions and experiences that parents and child caregivers provide to very young children, the more chances they are providing for growing neural connections and pathways in the brain to support language, reasoning, and planning skills; mental health and emotional well-being; and motor…

Modified methods for growing 3-D skin equivalents: an update.

PubMed

Lamb, Rebecca; Ambler, Carrie A

2014-01-01

Artificial epidermis can be reconstituted in vitro by seeding primary epidermal cells (keratinocytes) onto a supportive substrate and then growing the developing skin equivalent at the air-liquid interface. In vitro skin models are widely used to study skin biology and for industrial drug and cosmetic testing. Here, we describe updated methods for growing 3-dimensional skin equivalents using de-vitalized, de-epidermalized dermis (DED) substrates including methods for DED substrate preparation, cell seeding, growth conditions, and fixation procedures.

Water potential in ponderosa pine stands of different growing-stock levels

Treesearch

J. M. Schmid; S. A. Mata; R. K. Watkins; M. R. Kaufmann

1991-01-01

Water potential was measured in five ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) in each of four stands of different growing-stock levels at two locations in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Mean water potentials at dawn and midday varied significantly among growing-stock levels at one location, but differences were not consistent. Mean dawn and midday water potentials...

Celebration of Growing Older: A Community-Wide Program on Elder Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roche, B. J.

To address some of the social, health, economic and cultural issues of growing older in America, Greenfield Community College (GCC) in Massachusetts sponsored a Celebration of Growing Older program. The 2-month long series of events was designed to educate the public, both young and old, about the myths of aging and to challenge some assumptions…

Region growing using superpixels with learned shape prior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borovec, Jiří; Kybic, Jan; Sugimoto, Akihiro

2017-11-01

Region growing is a classical image segmentation method based on hierarchical region aggregation using local similarity rules. Our proposed method differs from classical region growing in three important aspects. First, it works on the level of superpixels instead of pixels, which leads to a substantial speed-up. Second, our method uses learned statistical shape properties that encourage plausible shapes. In particular, we use ray features to describe the object boundary. Third, our method can segment multiple objects and ensure that the segmentations do not overlap. The problem is represented as an energy minimization and is solved either greedily or iteratively using graph cuts. We demonstrate the performance of the proposed method and compare it with alternative approaches on the task of segmenting individual eggs in microscopy images of Drosophila ovaries.

A New Method to Grow SiC: Solvent-Laser Heated Floating Zone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodworth, Andrew A.; Neudeck, Philip G.; Sayir, Ali

2012-01-01

The solvent-laser heated floating zone (solvent-LHFZ) growth method is being developed to grow long single crystal SiC fibers. The technique combines the single crystal fiber growth ability of laser heated floating zone with solvent based growth techniques (e.g. traveling solvent method) ability to grow SiC from the liquid phase. Initial investigations reported in this paper show that the solvent-LHFZ method readily grows single crystal SiC (retains polytype and orientation), but has a significant amount of inhomogeneous strain and solvent rich inclusions.

Adaptive response to exercise of fast-growing and slow-growing chicken strains: Blood oxidative status and non-enzymatic antioxidant defense.

PubMed

Mattioli, S; Dal Bosco, A; Ruggeri, S; Martino, M; Moscati, L; Pesca, C; Castellini, C

2017-09-01

The adaptation of chickens to free-range rearing systems mainly involves the locomotory behavior, which is very different in fast-growing (FG) and slow-growing (SG) strains. This study aimed to compare the effect of moderate locomotory activity (induced and prolonged) on the blood oxidative status in a slow-growing chicken strain with that in a fast-growing one. Thirty FG (Ross 308) birds and 30 SG (Hubbard) birds were divided into 2 groups for each strain and subjected to different treatments: no exercise (the control group [C]) and 1 h of walking at 4 km/h (the exercise group [E]). Daily exercise was promoted by operators, who walked behind the animals around a paddock. Blood samples were obtained weekly from both groups. For the E group, samples were obtained before exercise (E1) and after exercise (E2). Oxidative markers (creatine kinase [CK], reactive oxygen molecular substance [ROMS], thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS]), and antioxidant compounds (α-tocopherol [α-T], γ-tocopherol [γ-T], δ-tocopherol [δ-T], α-tocotrienol [α-T3], γ-tocotrienol [γ-T3], retinol, and carotenoids) were evaluated. In both strains, the CK level was higher in chickens subjected to exercise; however, its increase was greater in the FG group than in the SG one (1.56-fold vs. 1.08-fold). The antioxidant status was worse in FG strain birds subjected to exercise, whereas the status remained nearly the same in the SG strain birds. The α-T and retinol concentrations were significantly reduced by exercise, primarily in the FG group, whereas the other antioxidant compounds (α-T3, γ-T3, γ-T, δ-T, lutein, and zeaxanthin) were unaffected by strain or treatment. The FG and SG strains had different responses to exercise, and only the SG showed a progressive reduction in TBARS and ROMS values during the 28-day experiment. Accordingly, moderate exercise may be beneficial only when the birds have suitable behavioral characteristics (e.g., higher kinetic activity

How do bubbles grow in a weakly supersaturated solution?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enriquez, Oscar; Sun, Chao; Lohse, Detlef; Prosperetti, Andrea; van der Meer, Devaraj

2013-11-01

Beer, champagne and soft-drinks are water-based solutions which owe their ``bubbliness'' to a moderate degree of carbon dioxide supersaturation. Bubbles grow sequentially from nucleation sites due to solute concentration gradients and detach due to buoyancy. The leading mass transfer mechanism is diffusion, but the advection caused by the moving surface also plays an important role. Now, what happens at the limit of very weak supersaturation? We take an experimental look at CO2 bubbles growing in water under such a condition. Nucleation sites are provided by hydrophobic micro-cavities on a silicon chip, therefore controlling the number and position of bubbles. Although advection is negligible, measured growth rates for an isolated bubble differ noticeably from a purely diffusive theoretical solution. We can explain the differences as effects of the concentration boundary layer around the bubble. Initially, its interaction with the surface on which the bubble grows slows the process down. Later on, the growth rate is enhanced by buoyancy effects caused by the depletion of the solute in the surroundings of the bubble. When neighboring bubbles are brought into play they interact through their boundary layers, further slowing down their growth rates.

Nucleoli from growing oocytes inhibit the maturation of enucleolated, full-grown oocytes in the pig.

PubMed

Kyogoku, Hirohisa; Ogushi, Sugako; Miyano, Takashi; Fulka, Josef

2011-06-01

In mammals, the nucleolus of full-grown oocyte is essential for embryonic development but not for oocyte maturation. In our study, the role of the growing oocyte nucleolus in oocyte maturation was examined by nucleolus removal and/or transfer into previously enucleolated, growing (around 100 µm in diameter) or full-grown (120 µm) pig oocytes. In the first experiment, the nucleoli were aspirated from growing oocytes whose nucleoli had been compacted by actinomycin D treatment, and the enucleolated oocytes were matured in vitro. Most of non-treated or actinomycin D-treated oocytes did not undergo germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD; 13% and 12%, respectively). However, the GVBD rate of enucleolated, growing oocytes significantly increased to 46%. The low GVBD rate of enucleolated, growing oocytes was restored again by the re-injection of nucleoli from growing oocytes (23%), but not when nucleoli from full-grown oocytes were re-injected into enucleolated, growing oocytes (49%). When enucleolated, full-grown oocytes were injected with nucleoli from growing or full-grown oocytes, the nucleolus in the germinal vesicle was reassembled (73% and 60%, respectively). After maturation, the enucleolated, full-grown oocytes injected with nucleoli from full-grown oocytes matured to metaphase II (56%), whereas injection with growing-oocyte nucleoli reduced this maturation to 21%. These results suggest that the growing-oocyte nucleolus is involved in the oocyte's meiotic arrest, and that the full-grown oocyte nucleolus has lost the ability. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Soybeans Growing inside the Advanced Astroculture Plant Growth Chamber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

This composite image shows soybean plants growing in the Advanced Astroculture experiment aboard the International Space Station during June 11-July 2, 2002. DuPont is partnering with NASA and the Wisconsin Center for Space Automation and Robotics (WCSAR) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to grow soybeans aboard the Space Station to find out if they have improved oil, protein, carbohydrates or secondary metabolites that could benefit farmers and consumers. Principal Investigators: Dr. Tom Corbin, Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc., a Dupont Company, with headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, and Dr. Weijia Zhou, Wisconsin Center for Space Automation and Robotics (WCSAR), University of Wisconsin-Madison.

But How Do You Grow Plants Without Dirt?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howells, Ronald F.

1978-01-01

Describes a class project on hydroponic farming (growing plants in water and in organic nutrients rather than dirt). Students formed a corporation to raise necessary funds and paid dividends from the proceeds earned selling the crop. (JMB)

The growing timber resource of Michigan, 1966.

Treesearch

Clarence D. Chase; Ray E. Pfeifer; John S. Spencer

1969-01-01

The third (1966) Forest Survey of Michigan shows sizable gains in growing-stock and sawtimber volumes since 1955, despite a small decline in the commercial forest area. Presented are statistics on forest area and timber volume, growth, mortality, ownership, stocking, and use. Also presented is a projection of timber growth, removals, and inventory to 1996.

7 CFR 319.37-8 - Growing media.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... shall be free of sand, soil, earth, and other growing media, except as provided in paragraph (b), (c..., coir, cork, glass wool, organic and inorganic fibers, peat, perlite, phenol formaldehyde, plastic... greenhouse must be free from sand and soil and must have screening with openings of not more than 0.6 mm (0.2...

7 CFR 319.37-8 - Growing media.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... shall be free of sand, soil, earth, and other growing media, except as provided in paragraph (b), (c..., coir, cork, glass wool, organic and inorganic fibers, peat, perlite, phenol formaldehyde, plastic... greenhouse must be free from sand and soil and must have screening with openings of not more than 0.6 mm (0.2...

7 CFR 319.37-8 - Growing media.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... shall be free of sand, soil, earth, and other growing media, except as provided in paragraph (b), (c..., coir, cork, glass wool, organic and inorganic fibers, peat, perlite, phenol formaldehyde, plastic... greenhouse must be free from sand and soil and must have screening with openings of not more than 0.6 mm (0.2...

NASA's Growing Commitment: The Space Garden

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

Astronauts cannot live on dehydrated ice cream alone. Like everyone else, they need their vegetables. Enter VEGGIE, the Deployable Vegetable System, currently under development by Orbital Technologies Corporation (ORBITEC). VEGGIE is the latest in a long line of vegetable production units ORBITEC is currently working on, with NASA assistance, to grow salad crops to supplement prepackaged foods during long stays in space. The primary goal of the VEGGIE project is to provide flight crews with palatable, nutritious, and safe sources of fresh food with minimal volume and operational resources. In addition, ORBITEC recognizes the age-old adage that gardening is good for the soul, and it acknowledges that gardens are beneficial for relaxation and recreation. As evidence, astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS), who often stay for periods of 6 months, have been enjoying plant experiments, which provide them with much missed greenery and can occupy valuable free time with an enjoyable task. VEGGIE is a project that grew out of technology developed by ORBITEC for the Biomass Production System (BPS). The BPS is equivalent in size to a Space Shuttle middeck locker, and provides four plant growth chambers. Each chamber has independent control of temperature, humidity, nutrient and water delivery, lighting, and atmospheric composition. The BPS flew to the ISS in 2002, and astronaut Dan Bursch had positive comments about his interaction with the plants while in orbit. Astronaut Peggy Whitson had similarly positive remarks during the following expedition while she was growing soybeans for another experiment. Whitson reflects on her time in space with the plantings on Expedition 5, "Although it doesn t sound like much, it was really exciting to see something green. I assumed that this was just because I really enjoy plants, but it surprised me that both of my crewmates were just as excited. They wanted photos of themselves with the plants and asked if they could eat

A Little Salesmanship "Grows" a Long Way

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montas, Leah

2012-01-01

Goshen Elementary PTA's membership shrank the first year the author was PTA president. In the back of her mind, she was bothered by the fact that their membership numbers had dropped. So, after she attended a regional session with her vice president on growing membership, she got the courage to propose something different. They discussed with…

Growing a New Generation of Music Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burrack, Frederick

2009-01-01

In many parts of the United States, there is a growing shortage of music teachers to take the place of the retiring teachers. This is most evident in rural areas. If music teachers are not available to fill openings, music positions are sometimes combined, spreading music teachers too thin and requiring them to possess multiple music…

Growing evidence for human health benefits of boron

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Growing evidence from numerous laboratories using a variety of experimental models shows that boron is a bioactive beneficial, perhaps essential, element for humans. Reported beneficial actions of boron include arthritis alleviation or risk reduction; bone growth and maintenance; central nervous sys...

Linking growing degree-days and cranberry plant phenology

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Steffan lab has coordinated cranberry growers as citizen scientists since 2014 to record growing degree-days and make observations of cranberry plant phenology. The data from the last three years was analyzed to link plant phenology with degree-days....

Nanoscale interfacial defect shedding in a growing nematic droplet.

PubMed

Gurevich, Sebastian; Provatas, Nikolas; Rey, Alejandro

2017-08-01

Interfacial defect shedding is the most recent known mechanism for defect formation in a thermally driven isotropic-to-nematic phase transition. It manifests in nematic-isotropic interfaces going through an anchoring switch. Numerical computations in planar geometry established that a growing nematic droplet can undergo interfacial defect shedding, nucleating interfacial defect structures that shed into the bulk as +1/2 point defects. By extending the study of interfacial defect shedding in a growing nematic droplet to larger length and time scales, and to three dimensions, we unveil an oscillatory growth mode involving shape and anchoring transitions that results in a controllable regular distributions of point defects in planar geometry, and complex structures of disclination lines in three dimensions.

Experiencing the "Growing Edge": Transformative Teacher Education to Foster Social Justice Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baily, Supriya; Stribling, Stacia M.; McGowan, Chandra L.

2014-01-01

This article explores how teachers' perceptions of social justice issues are developed through experiential learning opportunities and maps their transformations in thinking onto the three levels of responsibility identified by Berger's "growing edge." The study looked at where teachers were on the growing edge and examples of how they…

An overview of crop growing condition monitoring in China agriculture remote sensing monitoring system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Qing; Zhou, Qing-bo; Zhang, Li

2009-07-01

China is a large agricultural country. To understand the agricultural production condition timely and accurately is related to government decision-making, agricultural production management and the general public concern. China Agriculture Remote Sensing Monitoring System (CHARMS) can monitor crop acreage changes, crop growing condition, agriculture disaster (drought, floods, frost damage, pest etc.) and predict crop yield etc. quickly and timely. The basic principles, methods and regular operation of crop growing condition monitoring in CHARMS are introduced in detail in the paper. CHARMS can monitor crop growing condition of wheat, corn, cotton, soybean and paddy rice with MODIS data. An improved NDVI difference model was used in crop growing condition monitoring in CHARMS. Firstly, MODIS data of every day were received and processed, and the max NDVI values of every fifteen days of main crop were generated, then, in order to assessment a certain crop growing condition in certain period (every fifteen days, mostly), the system compare the remote sensing index data (NDVI) of a certain period with the data of the period in the history (last five year, mostly), the difference between NDVI can indicate the spatial difference of crop growing condition at a certain period. Moreover, Meteorological data of temperature, precipitation and sunshine etc. as well as the field investigation data of 200 network counties were used to modify the models parameters. Last, crop growing condition was assessment at four different scales of counties, provinces, main producing areas and nation and spatial distribution maps of crop growing condition were also created.

Evaluation of Free To Grow, Phase II: Detailed Profile of the Free To Grow Project in California. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrington, Mary

The Free to Grow pilot project, developed by the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science and its Head Start project, operated between 1994 and 1999. Following a 2-year planning and development stage, 5 project sites went on to complete the 3-year implementation phase in California, Colorado, Kentucky, New York, and Puerto Rico; the…

Simplified Bioreactor For Growing Mammalian Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spaulding, Glenn F.

1995-01-01

Improved bioreactor for growing mammalian cell cultures developed. Designed to support growth of dense volumes of mammalian cells by providing ample, well-distributed flows of nutrient solution with minimal turbulence. Cells relatively delicate and, unlike bacteria, cannot withstand shear forces present in turbulent flows. Bioreactor vessel readily made in larger sizes to accommodate greater cell production quantities. Molding equipment presently used makes cylinders up to 30 centimeters long. Alternative sintered plastic techniques used to vary pore size and quantity, as necessary.

Contact zoonosis related to aquaculture: a growing concern

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aquaculture develops fast worldwide, with new cultured species and increased global transport of live aquaculture products. There is a growing recognition of zoonotic disease agents causing epidemics and carrier states in cultured fish and shellfish, especially from warm water systems, transmitted t...

Pueblo Girls: Growing Up in Two Worlds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keegan, Marcia

This book portrays San Ildefonso Pueblo on the east bank of the Rio Grande river in New Mexico through the lives of Sonja, age 10, and her sister Desiree, age 8. Growing up in San Ildefonso Pueblo, the girls enjoy the same activities as other American girls, such as basketball, cheerleading, playing video games, and sending e-mail. But they also…

Postponed Parenthood: A Growing Canadian Family Pattern.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlesinger, Benjamin; Schlesinger, Rachel

Postponed parenthood is a growing family pattern in Canada. To examine this trend, an exploratory study of 46 couples who were delayed parents was conducted in Toronto. The members of each couple had worked at least 5 years prior to the birth of their first child after the mother was age 30. Responses by both husbands and wives to a questionnaire…

Fast-growing Acer rubrum differs from slow-growing Quercus alba in leaf, xylem and hydraulic trait coordination responses to simulated acid rain.

PubMed

Medeiros, Juliana S; Tomeo, Nicholas J; Hewins, Charlotte R; Rosenthal, David M

2016-08-01

We investigated the effects of historic soil chemistry changes associated with acid rain, i.e., reduced soil pH and a shift from nitrogen (N)- to phosphorus (P)-limitation, on the coordination of leaf water demand and xylem hydraulic supply traits in two co-occurring temperate tree species differing in growth rate. Using a full-factorial design (N × P × pH), we measured leaf nutrient content, water relations, leaf-level and canopy-level gas exchange, total biomass and allocation, as well as stem xylem anatomy and hydraulic function for greenhouse-grown saplings of fast-growing Acer rubrum (L.) and slow-growing Quercus alba (L.). We used principle component analysis to characterize trait coordination. We found that N-limitation, but not P-limitation, had a significant impact on plant water relations and hydraulic coordination of both species. Fast-growing A. rubrum made hydraulic adjustments in response to N-limitation, but trait coordination was variable within treatments and did not fully compensate for changing allocation across N-availability. For slow-growing Q. alba, N-limitation engendered more strict coordination of leaf and xylem traits, resulting in similar leaf water content and hydraulic function across all treatments. Finally, low pH reduced the propensity of both species to adjust leaf water relations and xylem anatomical traits in response to nutrient manipulations. Our data suggest that a shift from N- to P-limitation has had a negative impact on the water relations and hydraulic function of A. rubrum to a greater extent than for Q. alba We suggest that current expansion of A. rubrum populations could be tempered by acidic N-deposition, which may restrict it to more mesic microsites. The disruption of hydraulic acclimation and coordination at low pH is emphasized as an interesting area of future study. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

How fast can your company afford to grow?

PubMed

Churchill, N C; Mullins, J W

2001-05-01

Everyone knows that starting a business requires cash, and growing a business requires even more. But few people understand that a profitable company that tries to grow too fast can run out of cash even if its products are great successes. So a big challenge for managers of any growing concern is to strike the proper balance between consuming cash and generating it. Authors Neil Churchill and John Mullins offer a framework to help identify and manage the level of growth that a company's cash flow can support. They present a formula to calculate an organization's self-financeable growth (SFG) rate, taking into account three critical factors: a company's operating cash cycle--the amount of time the company's money is tied up in inventory and other current assets before customers pay for goods and services; the amount of cash needed to finance each dollar of sales; and the amount of cash generated by each dollar of sales. The authors offer a detailed hypothetical example that carefully considers these three factors; they then illustrate how a company can influence its SFG rate by carefully managing some combination of those factors--that is, some mix of speeding cash flow, reducing costs, and raising prices. They expand on the original example by showing how to include income taxes and depreciation; plan for asset replacement; and identify which one of multiple product lines holds the greatest growth potential. The authors also discuss how various kinds of businesses--manufacturing firms, importers, and service companies--differ greatly in their abilities to finance growth from internally generated funds.

How to grow great leaders.

PubMed

Ready, Douglas A

2004-12-01

Few leaders excel at both the unit and enterprise levels. More than ever, though, corporations need people capable of running business units, functions, or regions and focusing on broader company goals. It's up to organizations to develop leaders who can manage the inherent tensions between unit and enterprise priorities. Take the example of RBC Financial Group, one of the largest, most profitable companies in Canada. In the mid-1990's, RBC revamped its competitive strategy in a couple of ways. After the government announced that the Big Six banks in Canada could neither merge with nor acquire one another, RBC decided to grow through cross-border acquisitions. Additionally, because customers were starting to seek bundled products and services, RBC reached across its traditional stand-alone businesses to offer integrated solutions. These changes in strategy didn't elicit immediate companywide support. Instinctively, employees reacted against what would amount to a delicate balancing act: They would have to lift their focus out of their silos while continuing to meet unit goals. However, by communicating extensively with staff members, cross-fertilizing talent across unit boundaries, and targeting rewards to shape performance, RBC was able to cultivate rising leaders with the unit expertise and the enterprise vision to help the company fulfill its new aims. Growing such well-rounded leaders takes sustained effort because unit-enterprise tensions are quite real. Three common conditions reinforce these tensions. First, most organizational structures foster silo thinking and unimaginative career paths. Second, most companies lack venues for airing and resolving conflicts that arise when there are competing priorities. Third, many have misguided reward systems that pit unit performance against enterprise considerations. Such long-established patterns of organizational behavior are tough to break. Fortunately, as RBC discovered, people can be trained to think and work

Nucleoli from growing oocytes support the development of enucleolated full-grown oocytes in the pig.

PubMed

Kyogoku, Hirohisa; Ogushi, Sugako; Miyano, Takashi

2010-02-01

Recent research has shown that the maternal nucleolus is essential for embryonic development. The morphology of the nucleolus in growing oocytes differs from that in full-grown oocytes. We determined the ability of nucleoli from growing oocytes to substitute for nucleoli of full-grown oocytes in terms of supporting embryonic development in this study. Growing (around 100 microm in diameter) and full-grown porcine oocytes (120 microm) were collected from small (0.6-1.0 mm) and large antral follicles (4-5 mm), respectively. The nucleolus was aspirated from full-grown oocytes by micromanipulation, and the resulting enucleolated oocytes were matured to metaphase II; the nucleoli originating from full-grown and growing oocytes were then injected into the oocytes. The Chromatin of growing oocytes was aspirated with the nucleolus during the enucleolation process. Growing oocytes were thus treated with actinomycin D to release the chromatin from their nucleoli, and the nucleoli were collected and transferred to the enucleolated and matured full-grown oocytes. After activation by electro-stimulation, nucleoli were formed in pronuclei of sham-operated oocytes. Enucleolated oocytes that had been injected with nucleoli from either full-grown or growing, however, did not form any nucleoli in the pronuclei. No enucleolated oocytes developed to blastocysts, whereas enucleolated oocytes injected with nucleoli from full-grown oocytes (15%) or growing oocytes (18%) developed to blastocysts. These results indicate that the nucleoli from growing oocytes can substitute for nucleoli from full-grown oocytes during early embryonic development. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Exploring the potential for actinobacteria as defensive symbionts in fungus-growing termites.

PubMed

Visser, Anna A; Nobre, Tânia; Currie, Cameron R; Aanen, Duur K; Poulsen, Michael

2012-05-01

In fungus-growing termites, fungi of the subgenus Pseudoxylaria threaten colony health through substrate competition with the termite fungus (Termitomyces). The potential mechanisms with which termites suppress Pseudoxylaria have remained unknown. Here we explore if Actinobacteria potentially play a role as defensive symbionts against Pseudoxylaria in fungus-growing termites. We sampled for Actinobacteria from 30 fungus-growing termite colonies, spanning the three main termite genera and two geographically distant sites. Our isolations yielded 360 Actinobacteria, from which we selected subsets for morphological (288 isolates, grouped in 44 morphotypes) and for 16S rRNA (35 isolates, spanning the majority of morphotypes) characterisation. Actinobacteria were found throughout all sampled nests and colony parts and, phylogenetically, they are interspersed with Actinobacteria from origins other than fungus-growing termites, indicating lack of specificity. Antibiotic-activity screening of 288 isolates against the fungal cultivar and competitor revealed that most of the Actinobacteria-produced molecules with antifungal activity. A more detailed bioassay on 53 isolates, to test the specificity of antibiotics, showed that many Actinobacteria inhibit both Pseudoxylaria and Termitomyces, and that the cultivar fungus generally is more susceptible to inhibition than the competitor. This suggests that either defensive symbionts are not present in the system or that they, if present, represent a subset of the community isolated. If so, the antibiotics must be used in a targeted fashion, being applied to specific areas by the termites. We describe the first discovery of an assembly of antibiotic-producing Actinobacteria occurring in fungus-growing termite nests. However, due to the diversity found, and the lack of both phylogenetic and bioactivity specificity, further work is necessary for a better understanding of the putative role of antibiotic-producing bacteria in the fungus-growing

Enzymatic Basis for Differentiation of Rhizobium into Fast- and Slow-Growing Groups

PubMed Central

Drets, G. Martinez-De; Arias, A.

1972-01-01

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, and other enzymes related to carbohydrate metabolism were studied in rhizobia. A nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase was detected in strains of the fast-growing group of Rhizobium but not in strains of the slow-growing group. An enzymatic differentiation of rhizobia was established. PMID:4400417

Growing with EASE: Eating, Activity, and Self-Esteem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huettig, Carol; Rich, Shannon; Engelbrecht, Jo Ann; Sanborn, Charlotte; Essery, Eve; DiMarco, Nancy; Velez, Luisa; Levy, Luba

2006-01-01

A diverse group of professionals associated with Texas Woman's University's Institute for Women's Health, working collaboratively with school administrators, teachers, family support teams, and family members, developed Growing with EASE: Eating, Activity, and Self-Esteem, a nutrition program for young children and their families. In tracking the…

GROWING UP WITHOUT SIBLINGS AND ADULT SOCIABILITY BEHAVIORS

PubMed Central

Trent, Katherine; Spitze, Glenna D.

2011-01-01

We use data from the National Survey of Families and Households to examine a range of sociability behaviors for adults who grew up with and without siblings. Compared to adults who grew up with siblings, adults who grew up without siblings have less frequent social activities with relatives, and the difference is greater among those who did not live with both parents growing up. Differences in engaging in certain social events between adults who grew up without and with siblings vary by age. Differences in participation in sports, youth, or school related group activities for those who grew up without and with siblings vary by gender. Thus, there are some differences in adult sociability behaviors between those who grew up with and without siblings; however, our pattern of findings suggests that these differences are not large or pervasive across a range of sociability behaviors and may grow smaller with age. PMID:22180694

Mutant number distribution in an exponentially growing population

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, Peter; Antal, Tibor

2015-01-01

We present an explicit solution to a classic model of cell-population growth introduced by Luria and Delbrück (1943 Genetics 28 491-511) 70 years ago to study the emergence of mutations in bacterial populations. In this model a wild-type population is assumed to grow exponentially in a deterministic fashion. Proportional to the wild-type population size, mutants arrive randomly and initiate new sub-populations of mutants that grow stochastically according to a supercritical birth and death process. We give an exact expression for the generating function of the total number of mutants at a given wild-type population size. We present a simple expression for the probability of finding no mutants, and a recursion formula for the probability of finding a given number of mutants. In the ‘large population-small mutation’ limit we recover recent results of Kessler and Levine (2014 J. Stat. Phys. doi:10.1007/s10955-014-1143-3) for a fully stochastic version of the process.

David Adler Lectureship Award: A Chance to Grow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canfield, Paul

2014-03-01

Having a chance to grow has been a vital, key, aspect to my research career. A successful condensed matter, new materials group thrives when it can have multiple make-measure-think cycles running in parallel and series. The ability to explore phase space and design, discover and grow new compounds is the starting point for many research projects and, sometimes, new fields. In this talk I want to provide an overview of several of the motivations that can lead to sample growth and also provide some examples of how new materials can lead to the intellectual / technical growth of a group as well. Examples will be drawn, as time allows, from work on magnetic, non-magnetic, low-Tc, and high Tc superconductors as well as heavy Fermions, spin-glasses and quasicrystals. Much of this work was supported by the US DOE, Office of Basic Energy Science, Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering, under Contract No. DE-AC02-07CH11358.

The growing problems of dental caries and obesity: an Australian perspective.

PubMed

Hopcraft, M S; Beaumont, S

2016-10-07

Preventable diet-related diseases such as dental caries and obesity are a growing global problem, causing a significant burden on public health systems. Although there has been good evidence for the links between sugar consumption and dental caries for many decades, we are now seeing stronger links implicating sugar in obesity. There is a growing worldwide movement to tackle these problems by targeting the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages through a range of public policy measures.

Nurturing a growing field: Computers & Geosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mariethoz, Gregoire; Pebesma, Edzer

2017-10-01

Computational issues are becoming increasingly critical for virtually all fields of geoscience. This includes the development of improved algorithms and models, strategies for implementing high-performance computing, or the management and visualization of the large datasets provided by an ever-growing number of environmental sensors. Such issues are central to scientific fields as diverse as geological modeling, Earth observation, geophysics or climatology, to name just a few. Related computational advances, across a range of geoscience disciplines, are the core focus of Computers & Geosciences, which is thus a truly multidisciplinary journal.

I'm Positive: Growing Up with Self-Esteem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kansas State Univ., Manhattan. Cooperative Extension Service.

This document presents "I'm Positive: Growing Up With Self-Esteem," an informal, personal study course designed to strengthen the reader's ability to nurture self-esteem in children from birth through adolescence. Special emphasis is given to four parenting skills: acceptance, encouragement, empowerment, and love. Weekly activities are provided…

An Archeological Survey in the Gypsum Breaks on the Elm Fork of the Red River,

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-01-01

Tamarix gallica salt cedar Salix nigra black willow Opuntia lindenheimeri prickly pear cactus* Artemisia filifolia sand sage Bouteloua gracilis blue...125 projectile points were recovered including Gary, Bonham, Hayes barbed, Alba barbed, knives, drills, scrapers, gouges, cores, grinding stones

Growing a market economy

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

Basu, N.; Pryor, R.J.

1997-09-01

This report presents a microsimulation model of a transition economy. Transition is defined as the process of moving from a state-enterprise economy to a market economy. The emphasis is on growing a market economy starting from basic microprinciples. The model described in this report extends and modifies the capabilities of Aspen, a new agent-based model that is being developed at Sandia National Laboratories on a massively parallel Paragon computer. Aspen is significantly different from traditional models of the economy. Aspen`s emphasis on disequilibrium growth paths, its analysis based on evolution and emergent behavior rather than on a mechanistic view ofmore » society, and its use of learning algorithms to simulate the behavior of some agents rather than an assumption of perfect rationality make this model well-suited for analyzing economic variables of interest from transition economies. Preliminary results from several runs of the model are included.« less

Building and using our sun-heated greenhouse. Grow vegetables all year-round

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

Nearing, H.; Nearing, S.

1977-01-01

Experience with unheated greenhouses in Maine and Vermont is described from the viewpoint of vegetarian, homesteading organic gardeners. The necessity of extending the growing season in the north in order to have fresh vegetables year round is discussed. Locating, building, and maintaining soil and growing conditions in the greenhouse are included. Plants for each season in the greenhouse are discussed. (MHR)

Visualizing Cytoplasmic Calcium in Polarizing Zygotes and Growing Rhizoids of Fucus Serratus.

PubMed

Brownlee, Colin

1989-04-01

Evidence for spatial variations in cytoplasmic free Ca 2+ in tip-growing cells is briefly summarized. Methods are described for detecting such gradients using fura-2 with dual wavelength excitation fluorescence microscopy. Results so far indicate that gradients of Ca 2+ are present in growing rhizoid cells but physiologically significant gradients have not yet been detected in the early stages of polarization.

A Technical College Grow-Your-Own Leadership Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Ken; Sanders-McBryde, Tennie

2012-01-01

With the retirement of baby boomers (born 1946-1964) looming, considerable discussion and research has been conducted into succession planning and the educational impact from the loss of these leadership skills and experiences in community colleges. To prepare for this eventuality, many community colleges have begun Grow-Your-Own (GYO) leadership…

Warming and elevated CO2 lead to longer growing season in temperate grassland

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Observational data over time suggest that as climate has warmed the growing season has lengthened, although experimental warming shortens early-growing species’ life cycles. Are other plant species living longer? We found that experimental warming in a temperate, semi-arid grassland led to earlier l...

An Inexpensive Apparatus for Growing Photosynthetic Microorganisms in Exotic Atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, David J.; Herbert, Stephen K.

2005-02-01

Given the need for a light source, cyanobacteria and other photosynthetic microorganisms can be difficult and expensive to grow in large quantities. Lighted growth chambers and incubators typically cost 50-100% more than standard microbiological incubators. Self-shading of cells in liquid cultures prevents the growth of dense suspensions. Growing liquid cultures on a shaker table or lighted shaker incubator achieves greater cell densities, but adds considerably to the cost. For experiments in which gases other than air are required, the cost for conventional incubators increases even more. We describe an apparatus for growing photosynthetic organisms in exotic atmospheres that can be built relatively inexpensively (approximately $100 U.S.) using parts available from typical hardware or department stores (e.g., Wal-mart or K-mart). The apparatus uses microfiltered air (or other gases) to aerate, agitate, and mix liquid cultures, thus achieving very high cell densities (A750 > 3). Because gases are delivered to individual culture tubes, a variety of gas mixes can be used without the need for enclosed chambers. The apparatus works with liquid cultures of unicellular and filamentous species, and also works with agar slants.

Toward Self-Growing Soft Robots Inspired by Plant Roots and Based on Additive Manufacturing Technologies.

PubMed

Sadeghi, Ali; Mondini, Alessio; Mazzolai, Barbara

2017-09-01

In this article, we present a novel class of robots that are able to move by growing and building their own structure. In particular, taking inspiration by the growing abilities of plant roots, we designed and developed a plant root-like robot that creates its body through an additive manufacturing process. Each robotic root includes a tubular body, a growing head, and a sensorized tip that commands the robot behaviors. The growing head is a customized three-dimensional (3D) printer-like system that builds the tubular body of the root in the format of circular layers by fusing and depositing a thermoplastic material (i.e., polylactic acid [PLA] filament) at the tip level, thus obtaining movement by growing. A differential deposition of the material can create an asymmetry that results in curvature of the built structure, providing the possibility of root bending to follow or escape from a stimulus or to reach a desired point in space. Taking advantage of these characteristics, the robotic roots are able to move inside a medium by growing their body. In this article, we describe the design of the growing robot together with the modeling of the deposition process and the description of the implemented growing movement strategy. Experiments were performed in air and in an artificial medium to verify the functionalities and to evaluate the robot performance. The results showed that the robotic root, with a diameter of 50 mm, grows with a speed of up to 4 mm/min, overcoming medium pressure of up to 37 kPa (i.e., it is able to lift up to 6 kg) and bending with a minimum radius of 100 mm.

Toward Self-Growing Soft Robots Inspired by Plant Roots and Based on Additive Manufacturing Technologies

PubMed Central

Mondini, Alessio

2017-01-01

Abstract In this article, we present a novel class of robots that are able to move by growing and building their own structure. In particular, taking inspiration by the growing abilities of plant roots, we designed and developed a plant root-like robot that creates its body through an additive manufacturing process. Each robotic root includes a tubular body, a growing head, and a sensorized tip that commands the robot behaviors. The growing head is a customized three-dimensional (3D) printer-like system that builds the tubular body of the root in the format of circular layers by fusing and depositing a thermoplastic material (i.e., polylactic acid [PLA] filament) at the tip level, thus obtaining movement by growing. A differential deposition of the material can create an asymmetry that results in curvature of the built structure, providing the possibility of root bending to follow or escape from a stimulus or to reach a desired point in space. Taking advantage of these characteristics, the robotic roots are able to move inside a medium by growing their body. In this article, we describe the design of the growing robot together with the modeling of the deposition process and the description of the implemented growing movement strategy. Experiments were performed in air and in an artificial medium to verify the functionalities and to evaluate the robot performance. The results showed that the robotic root, with a diameter of 50 mm, grows with a speed of up to 4 mm/min, overcoming medium pressure of up to 37 kPa (i.e., it is able to lift up to 6 kg) and bending with a minimum radius of 100 mm. PMID:29062628

Ribbon growing method and apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrison, Andrew D. (Inventor)

1989-01-01

A method and apparatus are described which facilitate the growing of silicon ribbon. A container for molten silicon has a pair of passages in its bottom through which filaments extend to a level above the molten silicon, so as the filaments are pulled up they drag up molten silicon to form a ribbon. A pair of guides surround the filaments along most of the height of the molten silicon, so that the filament contacts only the upper portion of the melt. This permits a filament to be used which tends to contaminate the melt if it is in long term contact with the melt. This arrangement also enables a higher melt to be used without danger that the molten silicon will run out of any bottom hole.

Effects of saltcedar invasion and biological control on small mammals

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Effects of invasive saltcedars (Tamarix spp.) on bird populations and communities have received considerable interest, but impacts on other vertebrate taxa have received less attention. Moreover, only one published study examined effects on vertebrates of biological control efforts directed at saltc...

Grow--a computer subroutine that projects the growth of trees in the Lake States' forests.

Treesearch

Gary J. Brand

1981-01-01

A computer subroutine, Grow, has been written in 1977 Standard FORTRAN to implement a distance-independent, individual tree growth model for Lake States' forests. Grow is a small and easy-to-use version of the growth model. All the user has to do is write a calling program to read initial conditions, call Grow, and summarize the results.

A New Approach to PD--and Growing Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baum, Kenneth; Krulwich, David

2017-01-01

Why don't most well-meaning efforts to improve teaching and grow key teachers' capacity to act as instructional leaders show success? Kenneth Baum and David Krulwich think they know why: While we set up "collaborative" procedures and meetings in which teachers work together to explore effective instruction--critical friends groups, data…

Lime-amended growing medium causes seedling growth distortions

Treesearch

R. Kasten Dumroese; Gale Thompson; David L. Wenny

1990-01-01

Although a commercial growing medium with incorporated agricultural lime had been successfully used for years, it caused growth distortion of coniferous and deciduous seedlings during 1988. Seedlings grown in the amended medium were stunted and chlorotic, often with disfigured needles and multiple tops. Seedlings grown in the same medium without incorporated lime grew...

America's Growing Dilemma: Pesticides in Food and Water.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strauss, Valerie; Sullivan, Monica, Ed.

Public concern about the safety of continued reliance on pesticides in agricultural production is widespread and growing. The lack of understanding of how food is grown, the role of pesticides in food production, the risk assessment and regulatory processes and alternatives to pesticide use limits citizen participation in food safety debates and…

Room to Grow; Career Guidance in Elementary School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faust, Helen F.; And Others

Room to Grow is a career guidance program for children ages nine to twelve years. Conditions given attention to in this program are: (1) family attitudes and values, (2) socioeconomic conditions, (3) educational expectations, and (4) development of self concept. A general introduction to the program is presented. Fifteen projects for the teacher…

Growing reforestation conifer stock: Utilizing peat/sawdust medium

Treesearch

Janice K. Schaefer

2009-01-01

Western Forest Systems, Incorporated (WFS) (Lewiston, ID) has been utilizing a peat/sawdust blended mix as our growing medium for the past 10 years. Our decision to change from a peat/vermiculite blend to a peat/Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) sawdust blend involved worker health and safety issues, seedling culture, seedling production, and...

The New, the Newly Reborn and the Growing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reese, Susan

2005-01-01

A growing school population and deteriorating facilities are among the problems faced by the nation's educational system. Finding solutions to both the overcrowding and the crumbling condition of this nation's schools has fueled a bit of a construction boom, first among colleges and now in the nation's school districts. Within different states and…

Capturing dynamic processes of change in GROW mutual help groups for mental health.

PubMed

Finn, Lizzie D; Bishop, Brian J; Sparrow, Neville

2009-12-01

The need for a model that can portray dynamic processes of change in mutual help groups for mental health (MHGMHs) is emphasized. A dynamic process model has the potential to capture a more comprehensive understanding of how MHGMHs may assist their members. An investigation into GROW, a mutual help organization for mental health, employed ethnographic, phenomenological and collaborative research methods. The study examined how GROW impacts on psychological well being. Study outcomes aligned with the social ecological paradigm (Maton in Understanding the self-help organization: frameworks and findings. Sage, Thousand Oaks 1994) indicating multifactorial processes of change at and across three levels of analysis: group level, GROW program/community level and individual level. Outcome themes related to life skills acquisition and a change in self-perception in terms of belonging within community and an increased sense of personal value. The GROW findings are used to assist development of a dynamic multi-dimensional process model to explain how MHGMHs may promote positive change.

Ferromanganese crusts and nodules, rocks that grow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mizell, Kira; Hein, James

2016-01-01

Ferromanganese (Fe-Mn) crusts and nodules are marine sed- imentary mineral deposits, composed mostly of iron and manganese oxides. They precipitate very slowly from seawa- ter, or for nodules also from deep-sea sediment pore waters, recording the chemical signature of these source waters as they grow. Additional elements incorporate via sorption pro- cesses onto the Fe-Mn oxides, including rare and valuable metals that can reach concentrations that are economically valuable.

Screening of beta-glucan contents in commercially cultivated and wild growing mushrooms.

PubMed

Sari, Miriam; Prange, Alexander; Lelley, Jan I; Hambitzer, Reinhard

2017-02-01

Mushrooms have unique sensory properties and nutritional values as well as health benefits due to their bioactive compounds, especially beta-glucans. Well-known edible and medicinal mushroom species as well as uncommon or unknown species representing interesting sources of bioactive beta-glucans have been widely studied. Commercially cultivated and wild growing mushrooms were analysed for their beta-glucan contents. Enzymatic determinations of all glucans, alpha-glucans and beta-glucans in 39 mushrooms species were performed, leading to very remarkable results. Many wild growing species present high beta-glucan contents, especially Bracket fungi. The well-known cultivated species Agaricus bisporus, Lentinula edodes and Cantharellus cibarius as well as most screened wild growing species show higher glucan contents in their stipes than caps. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conifers growing on anthracite mine soils respond to fertilization

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

Davidson, W.H.; Sowa, E.A.

1982-12-01

Anthracite mine soils will support vegetation. To confirm this one needs only to look at the sizeable number of acres revegetated since passage of the 1963 Pennsylvania Anthracite Strip Mine and Conservation Act. In spite of the large number of acres revegetated, many planted trees, particularly conifers, grow poorly on anthracite mine soils. It is not uncommon for trees of a single species to differ widely in growth, not only from one mine soil to another but even on the same one. Studies were conducted on anthracite mine soils and breaker refuse to examine the growth response of some plantedmore » conifers to 1) slow-release fertilizer and 2) granular fertilizer. Annual height growth was used to measure response. Japanese larch (Larix leptolepis) growing on mine soil responded to slow-release fertilizer in the first year. Red (Pinus resinosa), white (P. strobus), and Austrian (P. nigra) pines did not respond until the second year after treatment. The response lasted for 3 years. This fertilizer did not affect growth of white spruce (Picea glauca) on mine soil, but it had a significant effect for the full, 4 year term of the study on Austrian pine growing on coal breaker refuse. Red and Scotch (P. sylvestris) pines on breaker refuse did not respond to granular fertilizer until the third year and the response was short-lived. Even though significant growth responses were obtained with these treatments, the height differences were relatively small.« less

School Tobacco Policies in a Tobacco-Growing State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hahn, Ellen J.; Rayens, Mary Kay; Rasnake, Rob; York, Nancy; Okoli, Chizimuzo T.C.; Riker, Carol A.

2005-01-01

This study examined factors associated with tobacco-free policies and tobacco cessation in schools serving children in grades 6 to 12 in a tobacco-growing state using a cross-sectional telephone survey of school administrators from public and private middle and high schools (N = 691), representing 117 of the 120 Kentucky counties. Trained health…

VENDING PERMITS FOOD SERVICE TO GROW WITH COLLEGE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

RUSHING, JOE B.

WHEN FUNDS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR BUILDING A CAFETERIA AT THE JUNIOR COLLEGE OF BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA, USE OF VENDING MACHINES PROVED TO BE AN EFFECTIVE MEANS OF PROVIDING FOOD SERVICE TO THE STUDENTS OF THE GROWING COLLEGE. SANDWICH SERVICE HAD ALREADY BEEN FOUND UNSATISFACTORY, AND LACK OF KITCHEN FACILITIES PRECLUDED PREPARATION OF FOOD ON…

Acoustic emission from a growing crack

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, Laurence J.

1989-01-01

An analytical method is being developed to determine the signature of an acoustic emission waveform from a growing crack and the results of this analysis are compared to experimentally obtained values. Within the assumptions of linear elastic fracture mechanics, a two dimensional model is developed to examine a semi-infinite crack that, after propagating with a constant velocity, suddenly stops. The analytical model employs an integral equation method for the analysis of problems of dynamic fracture mechanics. The experimental procedure uses an interferometric apparatus that makes very localized absolute measurements with very high fidelity and without acoustically loading the specimen.

Growing Cutting-edge X-ray Optics

ScienceCinema

Conley, Ray

2018-03-02

Ever imagined that an Xbox controller could help open a window into a world spanning just one billionth of a meter? Brookhaven Lab's Ray Conley grows cutting-edge optics called multilayer Laue lenses (MLL) one atomic layer at a time to focus high-energy x-rays to within a single nanometer. To achieve this focusing feat, Ray uses a massive, custom-built atomic deposition device, an array of computers, and a trusty Xbox controller. These lenses will be deployed at the Lab's National Synchrotron Light Source II, due to begin shining super-bright light on pressing scientific puzzles in 2015.

Growing together: a qualitative study of leading nurse scholars in Thailand.

PubMed

Turale, S; Klunklin, A; Chontawan, R

2010-06-01

Asia-Pacific nursing education and research is growing but little is known about the nature and development of nursing scholarship in the region. This qualitative study explored the perspectives of 14 leading Thai scholars about the development, facilitators and barriers relating to Thailand's nursing scholarship. In-depth interviews were digitally recorded, and data were subjected to content analysis. Five themes arose: (1) growing together, (2) visionary leadership, (3) external support to grow nurse scholars, (4) developing nursing through research, and (5) barriers to scholarship. A history of visionary nursing leadership was revealed, underpinned by leaders' values of growing nursing together. Resource sharing among universities, and a significant number of scholarships for study abroad were major facilitators of scholarship growth. Barriers to scholarship included high teaching loads, especially for newly graduated faculty; a low rate of research publications; not enough mentorship for research and changes to teaching practice; and a wide range of different agencies providing courses for entry to practice. Scholarship development in Thailand is a role model for a number of South-East Asian countries, with inclusiveness and collaboration to facilitate the growth of nursing education inside and outside of the country as a hallmark of its character. However, against a backdrop of nursing shortages, Thai scholars are challenged, in the future, to produce meaningful research outcomes, including publications of studies; to collaborate with other health professionals; change practices to overcome high teaching loads; and provide the much needed mentorship for young scholars.

A parsimonious tree-grow method for haplotype inference.

PubMed

Li, Zhenping; Zhou, Wenfeng; Zhang, Xiang-Sun; Chen, Luonan

2005-09-01

Haplotype information has become increasingly important in analyzing fine-scale molecular genetics data, such as disease genes mapping and drug design. Parsimony haplotyping is one of haplotyping problems belonging to NP-hard class. In this paper, we aim to develop a novel algorithm for the haplotype inference problem with the parsimony criterion, based on a parsimonious tree-grow method (PTG). PTG is a heuristic algorithm that can find the minimum number of distinct haplotypes based on the criterion of keeping all genotypes resolved during tree-grow process. In addition, a block-partitioning method is also proposed to improve the computational efficiency. We show that the proposed approach is not only effective with a high accuracy, but also very efficient with the computational complexity in the order of O(m2n) time for n single nucleotide polymorphism sites in m individual genotypes. The software is available upon request from the authors, or from http://zhangroup.aporc.org/bioinfo/ptg/ chen@elec.osaka-sandai.ac.jp Supporting materials is available from http://zhangroup.aporc.org/bioinfo/ptg/bti572supplementary.pdf

Grow Your Own Teachers: Grassroots Change for Teacher Education. Teaching for Social Justice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skinner, Elizabeth A., Ed.; Garreton, Maria Teresa, Ed.; Schultz, Brian D., Ed.

2011-01-01

"Grow Your Own Teachers" describes the evolution of a local school reform movement in Chicago that now serves as a model for change in schools and teacher preparation programs across the country. Grounded in the grassroots organizing tradition, the Grow Your Own (GYO) teacher initiative involves collaboration between community-based…

Transcriptional switch of dormant tumors to fast-growing angiogenic phenotype.

PubMed

Almog, Nava; Ma, Lili; Raychowdhury, Raktima; Schwager, Christian; Erber, Ralf; Short, Sarah; Hlatky, Lynn; Vajkoczy, Peter; Huber, Peter E; Folkman, Judah; Abdollahi, Amir

2009-02-01

Tumor dormancy has important implications for early detection and treatment of cancer. Lack of experimental models and limited clinical accessibility constitute major obstacles to the molecular characterization of dormant tumors. We have developed models in which human tumors remain dormant for a prolonged period of time (>120 days) until they switch to rapid growth and become strongly angiogenic. These angiogenic tumors retain their ability to grow fast once injected in new mice. We hypothesized that dormant tumors undergo a stable genetic reprogramming during their switch to the fast-growing phenotype. Genome-wide transcriptional analysis was done to dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying the switch of dormant breast carcinoma, glioblastoma, osteosarcoma, and liposarcoma tumors. A consensus expression signature distinguishing all four dormant versus switched fast-growing tumors was generated. In alignment with our phenotypic observation, the angiogenesis process was the most significantly affected functional gene category. The switch of dormant tumors was associated with down-regulation of angiogenesis inhibitor thrombospondin and decreased sensitivity of angiogenic tumors to angiostatin. The conversion of dormant tumors to exponentially growing tumors was also correlated with regulation and activation of pathways not hitherto linked to tumor dormancy process, such as endothelial cell-specific molecule-1, 5'-ecto-nucleotidase, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3, epidermal growth factor receptor, insulin-like growth factor receptor, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase signaling. Further, novel dormancy-specific biomarkers such as H2BK and Eph receptor A5 (EphA5) were discovered. EphA5 plasma levels in mice and mRNA levels in tumor specimens of glioma patients correlated with diseases stage. These data will be instrumental in identifying novel early cancer biomarkers and could provide a rationale for development of dormancy-promoting tumor therapy

Lilienfeld Prize Talk: How do massive black holes grow?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rees, Martin

2017-01-01

The supermassive black holes in galactic nuclei evolve in symbiosis with their hosts. This paper will review how they grow, with particular emphasis on mergers, and on the complex phenomena associated with the tidal capture and disruption of stars.

How Do Normal Faults Grow?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, C. A. L.; Bell, R. E.; Rotevatn, A.; Tvedt, A. B. M.

2015-12-01

Normal faulting accommodates stretching of the Earth's crust and is one of the fundamental controls on landscape evolution and sediment dispersal in rift basins. Displacement-length scaling relationships compiled from global datasets suggest normal faults grow via a sympathetic increase in these two parameters (the 'isolated fault model'). This model has dominated the structural geology literature for >20 years and underpins the structural and tectono-stratigraphic models developed for active rifts. However, relatively recent analysis of high-quality 3D seismic reflection data suggests faults may grow by rapid establishment of their near-final length prior to significant displacement accumulation (the 'coherent fault model'). The isolated and coherent fault models make very different predictions regarding the tectono-stratigraphic evolution of rift basin, thus assessing their applicability is important. To-date, however, very few studies have explicitly set out to critically test the coherent fault model thus, it may be argued, it has yet to be widely accepted in the structural geology community. Displacement backstripping is a simple graphical technique typically used to determine how faults lengthen and accumulate displacement; this technique should therefore allow us to test the competing fault models. However, in this talk we use several subsurface case studies to show that the most commonly used backstripping methods (the 'original' and 'modified' methods) are, however, of limited value, because application of one over the other requires an a priori assumption of the model most applicable to any given fault; we argue this is illogical given that the style of growth is exactly what the analysis is attempting to determine. We then revisit our case studies and demonstrate that, in the case of seismic-scale growth faults, growth strata thickness patterns and relay zone kinematics, rather than displacement backstripping, should be assessed to directly constrain

Agriculturally Relevant Climate Extremes and Their Trends in the World's Major Growing Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xiao; Troy, Tara J.

2018-04-01

Climate extremes can negatively impact crop production, and climate change is expected to affect the frequency and severity of extremes. Using a combination of in situ station measurements (Global Historical Climatology Network's Daily data set) and multiple other gridded data products, a derived 1° data set of growing season climate indices and extremes is compiled over the major growing regions for maize, wheat, soybean, and rice for 1951-2006. This data set contains growing season climate indices that are agriculturally relevant, such as the number of hot days, duration of dry spells, and rainfall intensity. Before 1980, temperature-related indices had few trends; after 1980, statistically significant warming trends exist for each crop in the majority of growing regions. In particular, crops have increasingly been exposed to extreme hot temperatures, above which yields have been shown to decline. Rainfall trends are less consistent compared to temperature, with some regions receiving more rainfall and others less. Anomalous temperature and precipitation conditions are shown to often occur concurrently, with dry growing seasons more likely to be hotter, have larger drought indices, and have larger vapor pressure deficits. This leads to the confluence of a variety of climate conditions that negatively impact crop yields. These results show a consistent increase in global agricultural exposure to negative climate conditions since 1980.

Growing Bladder-Cancer Cells In Three-Dimensional Clusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spaulding, Glenn F.; Prewett, Tacey L.; Goodwin, Thomas J.

1995-01-01

Artificial growth process helps fill gaps in cancer research. Cell cultures more accurate as models for in vivo studies and as sources of seed cells for in vivo studies. Effected in horizontal rotating bioreactor described in companion article, "Simplified Bioreactor for Growing Mammalian Cells" (MSC-22060). Provides aggregates of cells needed to fill many of gaps.

Growing an Ideology: How the Mormons Do It

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

philosophy, belief, choice, behavior, doctrine, religion, religious, religiosity , church, Mormon, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...to explain a generic construct of prescriptions based on a shared philosophy helps us understand human behavior and interaction. B. PURPOSE This...thesis seeks to understand how ideology- based organizations grow, for understanding ideological promulgation is imperative to understanding conflicts

Using airborne hyperspectral imagery for mapping saltcedar infestations in west Texas

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Rio Grande of west Texas contains, by far, the largest infestation of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) in Texas. The objective of this study was to evaluate airborne hyperspectral imagery and different classification techniques for mapping saltcedar infestations. Hyperspectral imagery with 102 usable ba...

Applying broadband spectra to assess biological control of saltcedar in West Texas

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In Texas, natural resource managers, government officials, and scientists need effective means for monitoring biological control of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) with the saltcedar leaf beetle (Diorhadba spp.). This study was conducted to evaluate broadband spectra within visible, red-edge, and near-inf...

Multiple-level defoliation assessment with hyperspectral data: integration of continuum-removed absorptions and red edges

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hyperspectral data were collected from 40 canopies of saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima), 10 healthy canopies and 30 canopies defoliated by an introduced biological control agent, the saltcedar leaf beetle (Diorhabda elongata). These data were assessed to detect categories of defoliation in response to...

Evaluating airborne hyperspectral imagery for mapping saltcedar infestations in west Texas

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Rio Grande of west Texas contains by far the largest infestation of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) in Texas. The objective of this study was to evaluate airborne hyperspectral imagery and different classification techniques for mapping saltcedar infestations. Hyperspectral imagery with 102 usable band...

Enzymatic saccharification of dilute acid pretreated saline crops for fermentable sugar production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Four saline crops [athel (Tamarix aphylla L), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), Jose Tall Wheatgrass (Agropyron elongatum), and Creeping Wild Ryegrass (Leymus triticoides)] that are used in farms for salt uptake from soil and drainage irrigation water have the potential for fuel ethanol product...

Enzymatic saccharization of dilute acid pretreated saline crops for fermentable sugar production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Four saline crops [athel (Tamarix aphylla L), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), Jose Tall Wheatgrass (Agropyron elongatum), and Creeping Wild Ryegrass (Leymus triticoides)] that are used in farms for salt uptake from soil and drainage irrigation water have the potential for fuel ethanol product...

Identifying the core microbial community in the gut of fungus-growing termites.

PubMed

Otani, Saria; Mikaelyan, Aram; Nobre, Tânia; Hansen, Lars H; Koné, N'Golo A; Sørensen, Søren J; Aanen, Duur K; Boomsma, Jacobus J; Brune, Andreas; Poulsen, Michael

2014-09-01

Gut microbes play a crucial role in decomposing lignocellulose to fuel termite societies, with protists in the lower termites and prokaryotes in the higher termites providing these services. However, a single basal subfamily of the higher termites, the Macrotermitinae, also domesticated a plant biomass-degrading fungus (Termitomyces), and how this symbiont acquisition has affected the fungus-growing termite gut microbiota has remained unclear. The objective of our study was to compare the intestinal bacterial communities of five genera (nine species) of fungus-growing termites to establish whether or not an ancestral core microbiota has been maintained and characterizes extant lineages. Using 454-pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, we show that gut communities have representatives of 26 bacterial phyla and are dominated by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Spirochaetes, Proteobacteria and Synergistetes. A set of 42 genus-level taxa was present in all termite species and accounted for 56-68% of the species-specific reads. Gut communities of termites from the same genus were more similar than distantly related species, suggesting that phylogenetic ancestry matters, possibly in connection with specific termite genus-level ecological niches. Finally, we show that gut communities of fungus-growing termites are similar to cockroaches, both at the bacterial phylum level and in a comparison of the core Macrotermitinae taxa abundances with representative cockroach, lower termite and higher nonfungus-growing termites. These results suggest that the obligate association with Termitomyces has forced the bacterial gut communities of the fungus-growing termites towards a relatively uniform composition with higher similarity to their omnivorous relatives than to more closely related termites. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Hazard Monitoring of Growing Lava Flow Fields Using Seismic Tremor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eibl, E. P. S.; Bean, C. J.; Jónsdottir, I.; Hoskuldsson, A.; Thordarson, T.; Coppola, D.; Witt, T.; Walter, T. R.

2017-12-01

An effusive eruption in 2014/15 created a 85 km2 large lava flow field in a remote location in the Icelandic highlands. The lava flows did not threaten any settlements or paved roads but they were nevertheless interdisciplinarily monitored in detail. Images from satellites and aircraft, ground based video monitoring, GPS and seismic recordings allowed the monitoring and reconstruction of a detailed time series of the growing lava flow field. While the use of satellite images and probabilistic modelling of lava flows are quite common tools to monitor the current and forecast the future growth direction, here we show that seismic recordings can be of use too. We installed a cluster of seismometers at 15 km from the vents and recorded the ground vibrations associated with the eruption. This seismic tremor was not only generated below the vents, but also at the edges of the growing lava flow field and indicated the parts of the lava flow field that were most actively growing. Whilst the time resolution is in the range of days for satellites, seismic stations easily sample continuously at 100 Hz and could therefore provide a much better resolution and estimate of the lava flow hazard in real-time.

Coalescence driven self-organization of growing nanodroplets around a microcap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyett, Brendan; Hao, Hao; Lohse, Detlef; Zhang, Xuehua

The coalescence between growing droplets is important for the surface coverage and spatial arrangements of droplets on surfaces. In this work, total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy is utilized to in-situ investigate the formation of nanodroplets around the rim of a polymer microcap, with sub-micron spatial and millisecond temporal resolution. We observe that the coalescence among droplets occurs frequently during their growth by solvent exchange. Our experimental results show that the position of the droplet from two merged droplets is related to the size of the parent droplets. The position of the coalesced droplet and the ratio of parent droplet sizes obey a scaling law, reflecting a coalescence preference based on the size inequality. As a result of droplet coalescence, the angles between the centroids of two neighbouring droplets increase with time, obeying a nearly symmetrical arrangement of droplets at various time intervals. The evolution of the position and number from coalescence of growing droplets is modelled. The mechanism for coalescence driven self-organization of growing droplets is general, applicable to microcaps of different sizes and droplets of different liquids. The understanding from this work may be valuable for positioning nanodroplets by nucleation and growth without using templates.

Coalescence driven self-organization of growing nanodroplets around a microcap.

PubMed

Dyett, Brendan; Hao, Hao; Lohse, Detlef; Zhang, Xuehua

2018-04-04

The coalescence between growing droplets is important for the surface coverage and spatial arrangements of droplets on surfaces. In this work, total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy is utilized to in situ investigate the formation of nanodroplets around the rim of a polymer microcap, with sub-micron spatial and millisecond temporal resolution. We observe that the coalescence among droplets occurs frequently during their growth by solvent exchange. Our experimental results show that the position of the droplet from two merged droplets is related to the size of the parent droplets. The position of the coalesced droplet and the ratio of parent droplet sizes obey a scaling law, reflecting a coalescence preference based on the size inequality. As a result of droplet coalescence, the angles between the centroids of two neighbouring droplets increase with time, obeying a nearly symmetrical arrangement of droplets at various time intervals. The evolution of the position and number from coalescence of growing droplets is modelled. The mechanism for coalescence driven self-organization of growing droplets is general, applicable to microcaps of different sizes and droplets of different liquids. The understanding from this work may be valuable for positioning nanodroplets by nucleation and growth without using templates.

The Growing Complexity of Sino-Indian Ties

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

with a record of dealing with North Korea , Iran , and Libya, reflects China’s growing diplomatic confidence and underscores its view of Pakistan as a...issues. Dr. Pant’s most recent books include The US-India Nuclear Pact: Policy, Process and Great Power Politics (Oxford Univer- sity Press, 2011...membership at the United Nations (UN) but also opposed attempts to condemn the PRC for its actions in Korea . Yet, the issue of Tibet soon emerged as the

Shape of the growing front of biofilms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xin; Stone, Howard A.; Golestanian, Ramin

2017-12-01

The spatial organization of bacteria in dense biofilms is key to their collective behaviour, and understanding it will be important for medical and technological applications. Here we study the morphology of a compact biofilm that undergoes unidirectional growth, and determine the condition for the stability of the growing interface as a function of the nutrient concentration and mechanical tension. Our study suggests that transient behaviour may play an important role in shaping the structure of a biofilm.

Quantitation of Cellular Dynamics in Growing Arabidopsis Roots with Light Sheet Microscopy

PubMed Central

Birnbaum, Kenneth D.; Leibler, Stanislas

2011-01-01

To understand dynamic developmental processes, living tissues have to be imaged frequently and for extended periods of time. Root development is extensively studied at cellular resolution to understand basic mechanisms underlying pattern formation and maintenance in plants. Unfortunately, ensuring continuous specimen access, while preserving physiological conditions and preventing photo-damage, poses major barriers to measurements of cellular dynamics in growing organs such as plant roots. We present a system that integrates optical sectioning through light sheet fluorescence microscopy with hydroponic culture that enables us to image, at cellular resolution, a vertically growing Arabidopsis root every few minutes and for several consecutive days. We describe novel automated routines to track the root tip as it grows, to track cellular nuclei and to identify cell divisions. We demonstrate the system's capabilities by collecting data on divisions and nuclear dynamics. PMID:21731697

Tamarisk: ecohydrology of a successful plant

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nagler, Pamela L.; Quigley, Martin F.

2013-01-01

The title of this chapter is adapted from an influential 1987 paper, "Tamarix: Impacts of a Successful Weed" (Brotherson and Field, 1987). That paper made the case for tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) removal, as a high-water-use, invasive species that out-competed and displaced native vegetation on western U.S. rivers. The paper declared that tamarisk was capable of drying up water courses, using as much as 4 m of water per year (expressed as the depth of water applied to an indefinite area the same way rainfall is expressed), water could otherwise support environmental or human water needs. It was also thought to out-compete native trees for establishment sites due to prolific seed production. The paper concluded: "A firm commitment must be made concerning the control of saltcedar because of its unparalleled aggressiveness." This conclusion became the reigning paradigm in riparian restoration efforts for the next decade.

Growing stock and woody biomass assessment in Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, Delhi, India.

PubMed

Kushwaha, S P S; Nandy, S; Gupta, Mohini

2014-09-01

Biomass is an important entity to understand the capacity of an ecosystem to sequester and accumulate carbon over time. The present study, done in collaboration with the Delhi Forest Department, focused on the estimation of growing stock and the woody biomass in the so-called lungs of Delhi--the Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary in northern Aravalli hills. The satellite-derived vegetation strata were field-inventoried using stratified random sampling procedure. Growing stock was calculated for the individual sample plots using field data and species-specific volume equations. Biomass was estimated from the growing stock and the specific gravity of the wood. Among the four vegetation types, viz. Prosopis juliflora, Anogeissus pendula, forest plantation and the scrub, the P. juliflora was found to be the dominant vegetation in the area, covering 23.43 km(2) of the total area. The study revealed that P. juliflora forest with moderate density had the highest (10.7 m(3)/ha) while A. pendula forest with moderate density had the lowest (3.6 m(3)/ha) mean volume. The mean woody biomass was also found to be maximum in P. juliflora forest with moderate density (10.3 t/ha) and lowest in A. pendula forest with moderate density (3.48 t/ha). The total growing stock was estimated to be 20,772.95 m(3) while total biomass worked out to be 19,366.83 t. A strong correlation was noticed between the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the growing stock (R(2) = 0.84)/biomass (R(2) = 0.88). The study demonstrated that growing stock and the biomass of the woody vegetation in Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary could be estimated with high accuracy using optical remote sensing data.

Optimizing eastern gamagrass forage harvests using growing degree days

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tripsacum dactyloides (L.) L., commonly known as eastern gamagrass is useful for grazing, stored forage, soil amelioration and conservation, and potentially as a biofuel feedstock. Our goal was to calculate accumulated growing degree days (GDD) from existing datasets collected for eastern gamagrass...

Observed and Projected Changes in Thermal Growing Degree-Days and Growing Season and Their Divergent Responses to Warming over China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, H.

2017-12-01

Vegetation growth and phenology are largely regulated by the growing degree-days (GDD) and growing season (GS). By choosing 0°C, 5°C and 10°C, three key based temperatures (Tb) for vegetation growth, the GDD and GS in China during the observed period (1960-2011) were developed using homogenized daily mean temperatures (Td) in 536 meteorological stations. In addition, the GDD10 and GS10 in China were projected under the representative concentration pathway scenarios (RCPs) during 1961-2099, using the Td (0.5°×0.5°) derived from five general circulation models (GCMs), after model evaluation. Advance in the start of the growing season (SOS; 4.86-6.71 days; SOS0 > SOS5 > SOS10) and delay in the end of the growing season (EOS; 4.32-6.19 days; EOS0 < EOS5 < EOS10) lengthened the GS by 10.76-11.02 days during the observed period, while the GDD has totally increased by 218.92-339.40°C·d (GDD0 > GDD5 > GDD10), in China as a whole. Each observed variation has a substantial acceleration mostly in 1987 or 1996, and a speed reduction or a trend reversal in the early 2000s. Increases in the GDD10 and GS10 would continue in the 21st century, causing northward shifts in the temperature zones. Finally in the long-term (2071-2099), the nationally average GDD10 and GS10 would be 279.1°C·d higher and 16.5 d longer for RCP 2.6, and 964.4°C·d higher and 50.3 d longer for RCP 8.5, relative to 1981-2010. Regionally, the GDD enhancement were stronger in the tropics, east, northeast and northwest China during the observed period, and tend to be in southern China in the future. The largest GS extensions are consistently in the eastern and southern parts of the Tibetan Alpine zone, particularly in the future. During the observed period, advance in SOS and delay in EOS drove the GS extensions in the eastern monsoon zone and northwest arid/semi-arid zone respectively. In the future, an advanced SOS drives the GS extension in the northern (> ca. 33°N) Tibetan Alpine zone, the

Civil conflict sensitivity to growing-season drought.

PubMed

von Uexkull, Nina; Croicu, Mihai; Fjelde, Hanne; Buhaug, Halvard

2016-11-01

To date, the research community has failed to reach a consensus on the nature and significance of the relationship between climate variability and armed conflict. We argue that progress has been hampered by insufficient attention paid to the context in which droughts and other climatic extremes may increase the risk of violent mobilization. Addressing this shortcoming, this study presents an actor-oriented analysis of the drought-conflict relationship, focusing specifically on politically relevant ethnic groups and their sensitivity to growing-season drought under various political and socioeconomic contexts. To this end, we draw on new conflict event data that cover Asia and Africa, 1989-2014, updated spatial ethnic settlement data, and remote sensing data on agricultural land use. Our procedure allows quantifying, for each ethnic group, drought conditions during the growing season of the locally dominant crop. A comprehensive set of multilevel mixed effects models that account for the groups' livelihood, economic, and political vulnerabilities reveals that a drought under most conditions has little effect on the short-term risk that a group challenges the state by military means. However, for agriculturally dependent groups as well as politically excluded groups in very poor countries, a local drought is found to increase the likelihood of sustained violence. We interpret this as evidence of the reciprocal relationship between drought and conflict, whereby each phenomenon makes a group more vulnerable to the other.

Nosocomial rapidly growing mycobacterial infections following laparoscopic surgery: CT imaging findings.

PubMed

Volpato, Richard; de Castro, Claudio Campi; Hadad, David Jamil; da Silva Souza Ribeiro, Flavya; Filho, Ezequiel Leal; Marcal, Leonardo P

2015-09-01

To identify the distribution and frequency of computed tomography (CT) findings in patients with nosocomial rapidly growing mycobacterial (RGM) infection after laparoscopic surgery. A descriptive retrospective study in patients with RGM infection after laparoscopic surgery who underwent CT imaging prior to initiation of therapy. The images were analyzed by two radiologists in consensus, who evaluated the skin/subcutaneous tissues, the abdominal wall, and intraperitoneal region separately. The patterns of involvement were tabulated as: densification, collections, nodules (≥1.0 cm), small nodules (<1.0 cm), pseudocavitated nodules, and small pseudocavitated nodules. Twenty-six patients met the established criteria. The subcutaneous findings were: densification (88.5%), small nodules (61.5%), small pseudocavitated nodules (23.1 %), nodules (38.5%), pseudocavitated nodules (15.4%), and collections (26.9%). The findings in the abdominal wall were: densification (61.5%), pseudocavitated nodules (3.8%), and collections (15.4%). The intraperitoneal findings were: densification (46.1%), small nodules (42.3%), nodules (15.4%), and collections (11.5%). Subcutaneous CT findings in descending order of frequency were: densification, small nodules, nodules, small pseudocavitated nodules, pseudocavitated nodules, and collections. The musculo-fascial plane CT findings were: densification, collections, and pseudocavitated nodules. The intraperitoneal CT findings were: densification, small nodules, nodules, and collections. • Rapidly growing mycobacterial infection may occur following laparoscopy. • Post-laparoscopy mycobacterial infection CT findings are densification, collection, and nodules. • Rapidly growing mycobacterial infection following laparoscopy may involve the peritoneal cavity. • Post-laparoscopy rapidly growing mycobacterial intraperitoneal infection is not associated with ascites or lymphadenopathy.

Evolutionary Game Theory in Growing Populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melbinger, Anna; Cremer, Jonas; Frey, Erwin

2010-10-01

Existing theoretical models of evolution focus on the relative fitness advantages of different mutants in a population while the dynamic behavior of the population size is mostly left unconsidered. We present here a generic stochastic model which combines the growth dynamics of the population and its internal evolution. Our model thereby accounts for the fact that both evolutionary and growth dynamics are based on individual reproduction events and hence are highly coupled and stochastic in nature. We exemplify our approach by studying the dilemma of cooperation in growing populations and show that genuinely stochastic events can ease the dilemma by leading to a transient but robust increase in cooperation.

Parallelized Seeded Region Growing Using CUDA

PubMed Central

Park, Seongjin; Lee, Hyunna; Seo, Jinwook; Lee, Kyoung Ho; Shin, Yeong-Gil; Kim, Bohyoung

2014-01-01

This paper presents a novel method for parallelizing the seeded region growing (SRG) algorithm using Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) technology, with intention to overcome the theoretical weakness of SRG algorithm of its computation time being directly proportional to the size of a segmented region. The segmentation performance of the proposed CUDA-based SRG is compared with SRG implementations on single-core CPUs, quad-core CPUs, and shader language programming, using synthetic datasets and 20 body CT scans. Based on the experimental results, the CUDA-based SRG outperforms the other three implementations, advocating that it can substantially assist the segmentation during massive CT screening tests. PMID:25309619

Parallelized seeded region growing using CUDA.

PubMed

Park, Seongjin; Lee, Jeongjin; Lee, Hyunna; Shin, Juneseuk; Seo, Jinwook; Lee, Kyoung Ho; Shin, Yeong-Gil; Kim, Bohyoung

2014-01-01

This paper presents a novel method for parallelizing the seeded region growing (SRG) algorithm using Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) technology, with intention to overcome the theoretical weakness of SRG algorithm of its computation time being directly proportional to the size of a segmented region. The segmentation performance of the proposed CUDA-based SRG is compared with SRG implementations on single-core CPUs, quad-core CPUs, and shader language programming, using synthetic datasets and 20 body CT scans. Based on the experimental results, the CUDA-based SRG outperforms the other three implementations, advocating that it can substantially assist the segmentation during massive CT screening tests.

An ecophysiological study of plants growing on the fly ash deposits from the "Nikola Tesla-A" thermal power station in Serbia.

PubMed

Pavlović, Pavle; Mitrović, Miroslava; Djurdjević, Lola

2004-05-01

This ecophysiological research on the ash deposits from the "Nikola Tesla-A" thermal power station in Serbia covered 10 plant species (Tamarix gallica, Populus alba, Spiraea van-hauttei, Ambrosia artemisifolia, Amorpha fruticosa, Eupatorium cannabinum, Crepis setosa, Epilobium collinum, Verbascum phlomoides, and Cirsium arvense). This paper presents the results of a water regime analysis, photosynthetic efficiency and trace elements (B, Cu, Mn, Zn, Pb, and Cd) content in vegetative plant parts. Water regime parameters indicate an overall stability in plant-water relations. During the period of summer drought, photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm) was low, ranging from 0.429 to 0.620 for all the species that were analyzed. An analysis of the tissue trace elements content showed a lower trace metal concentration in the plants than in the ash, indicating that heavy metals undergo major concentration during the combustion process and some are not readily taken up by plants. The Zn and Pb concentrations in all of the examined species were normal whereas Cu and Mn concentrations were in the deficiency range. Boron concentrations in plant tissues were high, with some species even showing levels of more than 100 microg/g (Populus sp., Ambrosia sp., Amorpha sp., and Cirsium sp.). The presence of Cd was not detected. In general, it can be concluded from the results of this research that biological recultivation should take into account the existing ecological, vegetation, and floristic potential of an immediate environment that is abundant in life forms and ecological types of plant species that can overgrow the ash deposit relatively quickly. Selected species should be adapted to toxic B concentrations with moderate demands in terms of mineral elements (Cu and Mn).

Propagating native Salicaceae for riparian restoration on the Hopi reservation in Arizona

Treesearch

Thomas D. Landis; David R. Dreesen; Jeremy R. Pinto; R. Kasten Dumroese

2006-01-01

The USDA Forest Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Hopi Tribe Office of Range Management have been working together on native plant restoration projects in northeastern Arizona. The aggressive exotic plants, Russian-olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L. [Elaeagnaceae]) and salt-cedar (Tamarix ramosissima...

Employing spatial information technologies to monitor biological control of saltcedar in West Texas

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The saltcedar leaf beetle (Diorhadha spp.) has shown promise as a biocontrol agent for saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) invasions in the United States. In Texas, natural resource managers need assistance in monitoring biological control of invasive saltcedars. This study describes application of a medium fo...

Identifying saltcedar with hyperspectral data and support vector machines

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) are a group of dense phreatophytic shrubs and trees that are invasive to riparian areas throughout the United States. This study determined the feasibility of using hyperspectral data and a support vector machine (SVM) classifier to discriminate saltcedar from other cover t...

Leaf beetles lasso tamarisk without hurting the relatives in Texas and the Southwest USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This online trade journal article summarizes recent progress in biological control of tamarisks (Tamarix spp., Tamaricaceae) in North America. Tamarisks are a group of five exotic Eurasian shrub/tree species plus hybrids (also known collectively as saltcedar) that have invaded over 1 million hectar...

Impact of non-native plant removal on lizards in riparian habitats in the southwestern United States

Treesearch

Heather L. Bateman; Alice Chung-MacCoubrey; Howard L. Snell

2008-01-01

Many natural processes in the riparian cottonwood (Populus deltoides) forest of the Middle Rio Grande (MRG) in the southwestern United States have been disrupted or altered, allowing non-native plants such as saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) and Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) to establish. We investigated...

Results after 20 years from a western larch levels-of-growing-stock study.

Treesearch

K.W. Seidel

1987-01-01

The 20-year growth response from a levels-of-growing-stock study in an even-aged western larch stand in eastern Oregon, first thinned at age 33, showed that trees growing at low stand densities grew more rapidly in diameter than trees in high-density plots. Height growth was relatively uniform among density levels. Both basal-area and total cubic-volume increment...

Influence of halophytic hosts on their parasites—the case of Plicosepalus acaciae

PubMed Central

Veste, Maik; Todt, Henning; Breckle, Siegmar-W.

2015-01-01

Halophytes develop various morphological and physiological traits that enable them to grow successfully on saline substrates. Parasitic plants on halophytic hosts may also encounter salt stress. We investigated the mistletoe Plicosepalus acaciae (syn: Loranthus acacia; Loranthaceae), which occurs on 5 halophytic and at least 10 non-halophytic hosts in the Southern Arava Valley (Israel). Plicosepalus acaciae is a common parasite north of Eilat to the Dead Sea area and in the Jordan Valley. Morphological and physiological responses of P. acaciae to salinity were investigated by comparison of plants on halophytic with those on non-halophytic hosts. Ion patterns of different host–parasite associations were determined as was the development of leaf succulence at different growth stages. The leaf water content of P. acaciae increased and leaves developed succulence when growing on halophytic hosts, especially on Tamarix species, where leaf water content was three times higher than that on non-halophytic hosts and the leaf volume increased four to five times. The reason for increased succulence was a higher ion concentration of, and osmotic adjustment with, Na+ and Cl−. Plicosepalus acaciae showed a high morphological and ecophysiological plasticity, enabling it to cope with salt stress, and can be classified as a facultative eu-halophyte, which increases its halo-succulence according to the host. Host–parasite associations are a model system for the investigation of halophytes under different salt stress conditions. PMID:25515726

A dynamic cellular vertex model of growing epithelial tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Shao-Zhen; Li, Bo; Feng, Xi-Qiao

2017-04-01

Intercellular interactions play a significant role in a wide range of biological functions and processes at both the cellular and tissue scales, for example, embryogenesis, organogenesis, and cancer invasion. In this paper, a dynamic cellular vertex model is presented to study the morphomechanics of a growing epithelial monolayer. The regulating role of stresses in soft tissue growth is revealed. It is found that the cells originating from the same parent cell in the monolayer can orchestrate into clustering patterns as the tissue grows. Collective cell migration exhibits a feature of spatial correlation across multiple cells. Dynamic intercellular interactions can engender a variety of distinct tissue behaviors in a social context. Uniform cell proliferation may render high and heterogeneous residual compressive stresses, while stress-regulated proliferation can effectively release the stresses, reducing the stress heterogeneity in the tissue. The results highlight the critical role of mechanical factors in the growth and morphogenesis of epithelial tissues and help understand the development and invasion of epithelial tumors.

Relationships of a growing magnetic flux region to flares

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, S. F.; Bentley, R. D.; Schadee, A.; Antalova, A.; Kucera, A.; Dezso, L.; Gesztelyi, L.; Harvey, K. L.; Jones, H.; Livi, S. H. B.

1984-01-01

The evolution of flare sites at the boundaries of major new and growing magnetic flux regions within complexes of active regions has been analyzed using H-alpha images. A spectrum of possible relationships of growing flux regions to flares is described. An 'intimate' interaction between old and new flux and flare sites occurs at the boundaries of their regions. Forced or 'intimidated' interaction involves new flux pushing older, lower flux density fields toward a neighboring old polarity inversion line, followed by the occurrence of a flare. In 'influential' interaction, magnetic lines of force over an old polarity inversion line reconnect to new emerging flux, and a flare occurs when the magnetic field overlying the filament becomes too weak to prevent its eruption. 'Inconsequential' interaction occurs when a new flux region is too small or has the wrong orientation for creating flare conditions. 'Incidental' interaction involves a flare occurring without any significant relationship to new flux regions.

Towards Automatic Image Segmentation Using Optimised Region Growing Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alazab, Mamoun; Islam, Mofakharul; Venkatraman, Sitalakshmi

Image analysis is being adopted extensively in many applications such as digital forensics, medical treatment, industrial inspection, etc. primarily for diagnostic purposes. Hence, there is a growing interest among researches in developing new segmentation techniques to aid the diagnosis process. Manual segmentation of images is labour intensive, extremely time consuming and prone to human errors and hence an automated real-time technique is warranted in such applications. There is no universally applicable automated segmentation technique that will work for all images as the image segmentation is quite complex and unique depending upon the domain application. Hence, to fill the gap, this paper presents an efficient segmentation algorithm that can segment a digital image of interest into a more meaningful arrangement of regions and objects. Our algorithm combines region growing approach with optimised elimination of false boundaries to arrive at more meaningful segments automatically. We demonstrate this using X-ray teeth images that were taken for real-life dental diagnosis.

Process for growing silicon carbide whiskers by undercooling

DOEpatents

Shalek, Peter D.

1987-01-01

A method of growing silicon carbide whiskers, especially in the .beta. form, using a heating schedule wherein the temperature of the atmosphere in the growth zone of a furnace is first heated to or beyond the growth temperature and then is cooled to or below the growth temperature to induce nucleation of whiskers at catalyst sites at a desired point in time which results in the selection.

Efficient coarse simulation of a growing avascular tumor

PubMed Central

Kavousanakis, Michail E.; Liu, Ping; Boudouvis, Andreas G.; Lowengrub, John; Kevrekidis, Ioannis G.

2013-01-01

The subject of this work is the development and implementation of algorithms which accelerate the simulation of early stage tumor growth models. Among the different computational approaches used for the simulation of tumor progression, discrete stochastic models (e.g., cellular automata) have been widely used to describe processes occurring at the cell and subcell scales (e.g., cell-cell interactions and signaling processes). To describe macroscopic characteristics (e.g., morphology) of growing tumors, large numbers of interacting cells must be simulated. However, the high computational demands of stochastic models make the simulation of large-scale systems impractical. Alternatively, continuum models, which can describe behavior at the tumor scale, often rely on phenomenological assumptions in place of rigorous upscaling of microscopic models. This limits their predictive power. In this work, we circumvent the derivation of closed macroscopic equations for the growing cancer cell populations; instead, we construct, based on the so-called “equation-free” framework, a computational superstructure, which wraps around the individual-based cell-level simulator and accelerates the computations required for the study of the long-time behavior of systems involving many interacting cells. The microscopic model, e.g., a cellular automaton, which simulates the evolution of cancer cell populations, is executed for relatively short time intervals, at the end of which coarse-scale information is obtained. These coarse variables evolve on slower time scales than each individual cell in the population, enabling the application of forward projection schemes, which extrapolate their values at later times. This technique is referred to as coarse projective integration. Increasing the ratio of projection times to microscopic simulator execution times enhances the computational savings. Crucial accuracy issues arising for growing tumors with radial symmetry are addressed by

Growing Together with the Treetures. Activity Guide. Series 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schnell, Bobbi; Blau, Judith H.; Hinrichs, Jennifer Judd

This activity guide is designed to be used with the Growing Together program. Tree-related activities are correlated to the Benchmarks for Scientific Literacy, the recommended standards for mathematics, science, and technology suggested by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The Treature Educational Program is dedicated…

Growth and yield of western larch: 15-year results of a levels-of-growing-stock study.

Treesearch

K.W. Seidel

1982-01-01

The 15-year growth response from a levels-of-growing-stock study in an even-aged western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) stand in northeastern Oregon, first thinned at age 33, showed that trees growing at lower stand densities grew more rapidly in diameter but did not grow faster in height than trees in high density plots. Both basal area and...

Photosynthetic Control of Atmospheric Carbonyl Sulfide during the Growing Season

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, J. Elliott; Carmichael, Gregory R.; Chai, T.; Mena-Carrasco, M.; Tang, Y.; Blake, D. R.; Blake, N. J.; Vay, Stephanie A.; Collatz, G. James; Baker, I.;

How do normal faults grow?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Christopher; Bell, Rebecca; Rotevatn, Atle; Tvedt, Anette

2016-04-01

Normal faulting accommodates stretching of the Earth's crust, and it is arguably the most fundamental tectonic process leading to continent rupture and oceanic crust emplacement. Furthermore, the incremental and finite geometries associated with normal faulting dictate landscape evolution, sediment dispersal and hydrocarbon systems development in rifts. Displacement-length scaling relationships compiled from global datasets suggest normal faults grow via a sympathetic increase in these two parameters (the 'isolated fault model'). This model has dominated the structural geology literature for >20 years and underpins the structural and tectono-stratigraphic models developed for active rifts. However, relatively recent analysis of high-quality 3D seismic reflection data suggests faults may grow by rapid establishment of their near-final length prior to significant displacement accumulation (the 'coherent fault model'). The isolated and coherent fault models make very different predictions regarding the tectono-stratigraphic evolution of rift basin, thus assessing their applicability is important. To-date, however, very few studies have explicitly set out to critically test the coherent fault model thus, it may be argued, it has yet to be widely accepted in the structural geology community. Displacement backstripping is a simple graphical technique typically used to determine how faults lengthen and accumulate displacement; this technique should therefore allow us to test the competing fault models. However, in this talk we use several subsurface case studies to show that the most commonly used backstripping methods (the 'original' and 'modified' methods) are, however, of limited value, because application of one over the other requires an a priori assumption of the model most applicable to any given fault; we argue this is illogical given that the style of growth is exactly what the analysis is attempting to determine. We then revisit our case studies and demonstrate

Nutritionally mediated placental growth restriction in the growing adolescent: consequences for the fetus.

PubMed

Wallace, Jacqueline M; Aitken, Raymond P; Milne, John S; Hay, William W

2004-10-01

Human adolescent pregnancy is characterized by poor pregnancy outcome; the risks of spontaneous miscarriage, prematurity, and low birth weight are particularly acute in girls who are still growing at the time of conception. Studies using a highly controlled sheep paradigm demonstrate that, in growing adolescents who are overnourished throughout pregnancy, growth of the placenta is impaired, resulting in a decrease in lamb birth weight relative to control-fed adolescents of equivalent age. Rapid maternal growth is also associated with increased spontaneous abortion rates in late gestation and a reduction in gestation length. Nutritionally sensitive hormones of the maternal somatotrophic axis may orchestrate nutrient partitioning in this paradigm and the particular role of growth hormone is discussed. At midgestation, the placentae of rapidly growing dams exhibit less proliferation in the fetal trophectoderm and reduced placental mRNA expression of a range of angiogenic factors. These changes occur before differences in placental size are apparent but may impact on subsequent vascularity. By late pregnancy, placental mass in the rapidly growing versus the control dams is reduced by approximately 45%; the fetuses display asymmetric growth restriction and are hypoxic and hypoglycemic. These growth-restricted pregnancies are associated with major reductions in absolute uterine and umbilical blood flows, leading to attenuated fetal oxygen, glucose, and amino acid uptakes. Placental glucose transport capacity is markedly reduced in the rapidly growing dams but is normal when expressed on a weight-specific placental basis. Thus, it is the small size of the placenta per se rather than alterations in its nutrient metabolism or transfer capacity that is the major limitation to fetal growth in the growing adolescent sheep. Information obtained from this highly controlled paradigm is clearly relevant to the clinical management of human adolescent pregnancies. In addition, the

Rapidly growing mycobacteria in Singapore, 2006-2011.

PubMed

Tang, S S; Lye, D C; Jureen, R; Sng, L-H; Hsu, L Y

2015-03-01

Nontuberculous mycobacteria infection is a growing global concern, but data from Asia are limited. This study aimed to describe the distribution and antibiotic susceptibility profiles of rapidly growing mycobacterium (RGM) isolates in Singapore. Clinical RGM isolates with antibiotic susceptibility tests performed between 2006 and 2011 were identified using microbiology laboratory databases and minimum inhibitory concentrations of amikacin, cefoxitin, clarithromycin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, imipenem, linezolid, moxifloxacin, sulfamethoxazole or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tigecycline and tobramycin were recorded. Regression analysis was performed to detect changes in antibiotic susceptibility patterns over time. A total of 427 isolates were included. Of these, 277 (65%) were from respiratory specimens, 42 (10%) were related to skin and soft tissue infections and 36 (8%) were recovered from blood specimens. The two most common species identified were Mycobacterium abscessus (73%) and Mycobacterium fortuitum group (22%), with amikacin and clarithromycin being most active against the former, and quinolones and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole against the latter. Decreases in susceptibility of M. abscessus to linezolid by 8.8% per year (p 0.001), M. fortuitum group to imipenem by 9.5% per year (p 0.023) and clarithromycin by 4.7% per year (p 0.033) were observed. M. abscessus in respiratory specimens is the most common RGM identified in Singapore. Antibiotic options for treatment of RGM infections are increasingly limited. Copyright © 2014 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Civil conflict sensitivity to growing-season drought

PubMed Central

von Uexkull, Nina; Croicu, Mihai; Fjelde, Hanne; Buhaug, Halvard

2016-01-01

To date, the research community has failed to reach a consensus on the nature and significance of the relationship between climate variability and armed conflict. We argue that progress has been hampered by insufficient attention paid to the context in which droughts and other climatic extremes may increase the risk of violent mobilization. Addressing this shortcoming, this study presents an actor-oriented analysis of the drought–conflict relationship, focusing specifically on politically relevant ethnic groups and their sensitivity to growing-season drought under various political and socioeconomic contexts. To this end, we draw on new conflict event data that cover Asia and Africa, 1989–2014, updated spatial ethnic settlement data, and remote sensing data on agricultural land use. Our procedure allows quantifying, for each ethnic group, drought conditions during the growing season of the locally dominant crop. A comprehensive set of multilevel mixed effects models that account for the groups’ livelihood, economic, and political vulnerabilities reveals that a drought under most conditions has little effect on the short-term risk that a group challenges the state by military means. However, for agriculturally dependent groups as well as politically excluded groups in very poor countries, a local drought is found to increase the likelihood of sustained violence. We interpret this as evidence of the reciprocal relationship between drought and conflict, whereby each phenomenon makes a group more vulnerable to the other. PMID:27791091

Mechanotransduction mechanisms in growing spherically structured tissues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Littlejohns, Euan; Dunlop, Carina M.

2018-04-01

There is increasing experimental interest in mechanotransduction in multi-cellular tissues as opposed to single cells. This is driven by a growing awareness of the importance of physiologically relevant three-dimensional culture and of cell–cell and cell–gel interactions in directing growth and development. The paradigm biophysical technique for investigating tissue level mechanobiology in this context is to grow model tissues in artificial gels with well-defined mechanical properties. These studies often indicate that the stiffness of the encapsulating gel can significantly alter cellular behaviours. We demonstrate here potential mechanisms linking tissue growth with stiffness-mediated mechanotransduction. We show how tissue growth in gel systems generates points at which there is a significant qualitative change in the cellular stress and strain experienced. We show analytically how these potential switching points depend on the mechanical properties of the constraining gel and predict when they will occur. Significantly, we identify distinct mechanisms that act separately in each of the stress and strain fields at different times. These observations suggest growth as a potential physical mechanism coupling gel stiffness with cellular mechanotransduction in three-dimensional tissues. We additionally show that non-proliferating areas, in the case that the constraining gel is soft compared with the tissue, will expand and contract passively as a result of growth. Central compartment size is thus seen to not be a reliable indicator on its own for growth initiation or active behaviour.

Personal stories of growing up sexually.

PubMed

Beausang, C C

2000-01-01

Prevention of problems related to sexuality during adolescence continues to be a major public health challenge. Describing childhood perceptions of sexuality is an important step in understanding sexual issues during adolescence. However, there is a paucity of information about sexuality in early life. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe recurrent themes in personal stories of growing up sexually. A thematic analysis with a narrative perspective was applied using the method described by Miles and Huberman (1994). Four interrelated themes pervaded the stories: parents as teachers, sex is secret, learning by experience, and first intercourse as a turning point. These findings have major implications for sexual health education and counseling in addition to further research.

The role of sports in making sense of the process of growing old.

PubMed

Eman, Josefin

2012-12-01

Drawing on interviews with 22 athletically active old men and women, the study explores whether and how the practice of sports can affect old adults' processes of sense-making about old age and the process of growing old in ways that challenge dominant constructions about old age. Thereto, the study will explore the possible impact of gender in this process. The results show that men and women who continue to practice competitive sports into old age make sense of the process of growing old by focusing primarily on their physical abilities, at least in the context of sports. This focus on capability age allows them partly, although not completely, to challenge the usual thinking about old age and the process of growing old. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Growing Your Business by Adapting Employer Child Care Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spencer, Becky

2012-01-01

As an early childhood professional for 30 years operating both traditional and employer child care programs, the author believes that traditional center owners and operators have an opportunity to grow their business, serve more children and families, and stay relevant for future workforce needs by integrating employer child care practices into…

"Growing trees backwards": Description of a stand reconstruction model

Treesearch

Jonathan D. Bakker; Andrew J. Sanchez Meador; Peter Z. Fule; David W. Huffman; Margaret M. Moore

2008-01-01

We describe an individual-tree model that uses contemporary measurements to "grow trees backward" and reconstruct past tree diameters and stand structure in ponderosa pine dominated stands of the Southwest. Model inputs are contemporary structural measurements of all snags, logs, stumps, and living trees, and radial growth measurements, if available. Key...

The velocity field of growing ear cartilage.

PubMed Central

Cox, R W; Peacock, M A

1978-01-01

The velocity vector field of the growing rabbit ear cartilage has been investigated between 12 and 299 days. Empirical curves have been computed for path lines and for velocities between 12 and 87 days. The tissue movement has been found to behave as an irrotational flow of material. Stream lines and velocity equipotential lines have been calculated and provide akinematic description of the changes during growth. The importance of a knowledge of the velocity vector in physical descriptions of growth and morphological differentiation at the tissue and cellular levels is emphasized. PMID:689993

Propagating native plants for the Hopi Nation

Treesearch

Thomas D. Landis; David R. Dreesen; Jeremy R. Pinto; R. Kasten Dumroese

2006-01-01

The Hopi reservation is located in northeast Arizona (Fig. 1) where the tribe has been working to eradicate exotic salt-cedar (Tamarix ramosissima Leneb.[Tamaricaceae]) and Russian-olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia L.[Elaeagnaceae]) from streams and wetlands. Although only comprising about 2% of the reservation, these riparian and...

Saltcedar and Southwestern Willow Flycatchers: Lessons From Long-term Studies in Central Arizona

Treesearch

M. K. Sogge; E. H. Paxton; April A. Tudor

2006-01-01

The endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus: SWWF) is a riparian-obligate bird that breeds only in dense, typically wet riparian vegetation. Since the mid-1990s, biologists have discovered a substantial number of flycatchers breeding in habitat dominated by exotic saltcedar (Tamarix ramossisima) in...

Process for growing silicon carbide whiskers by undercooling

DOEpatents

Shalek, P.D.

1987-10-27

A method of growing silicon carbide whiskers, especially in the [beta] form, is disclosed using a heating schedule wherein the temperature of the atmosphere in the growth zone of a furnace is first heated to or beyond the growth temperature and then is cooled to or below the growth temperature to induce nucleation of whiskers at catalyst sites at a desired point in time which results in the selection. 3 figs.

The terroir of vineyards - climatic variability in an Austrian wine-growing region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerersdorfer, T.

2010-09-01

The description of a terroir is a concept in viticulture that relates the sensory attributes of wine to the environmental conditions in which the grapes grow. Many factors are involved including climate, soil, cultivar, human practices and all these factors interact manifold. The study area of Carnuntum is a small wine-growing region in the eastern part of Austria. It is rich of Roman remains which play a major role in tourism and the marketing strategies of the wines as well. An interdisciplinary study on the environmental characteristics particularly with regard to growing conditions of grapes was started in this region. The study is concerned with the description of the physiogeographic properties of the region and with the investigation of the dominating viticultural functions. Grape-vines depend on climatic conditions to a high extent. Compared to other influencing factors like soil, climate plays a significant role. In the framework of this interdisciplinary project climatic variability within the Carnuntum wine-growing region is investigated. On the one hand microclimatic variations are influenced by soil type and by canopy management. On the other hand the variability is a result of the topoclimate (altitude, aspect and slope) and therefore relief is a major terroir factor. Results of microclimatic measurements and variations are presented with focus on the interpretation of the relationship between relief, structure of the vineyards and the climatic conditions within the course of a full year period.

"Growing Up WILD": Teaching Environmental Education in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fortino, Carol; Gerretson, Helen; Button, Linda; Masters, Vivian

2014-01-01

A growing body of research, both nationally and internationally, indicates that children in the early childhood years (birth to age 8) learn primarily through their senses and from direct experience. They develop an understanding about the world through play, exploration, and creative activities as well as by watching and imitating adults and…

Cell wall integrity signaling in plants: "To grow or not to grow that's the question".

PubMed

Voxeur, Aline; Höfte, Herman

2016-09-01

Plants, like yeast, have the ability to monitor alterations in the cell wall architecture that occur during normal growth or in changing environments and to trigger compensatory changes in the cell wall. We discuss how recent advances in our understanding of the cell wall architecture provide new insights into the role of cell wall integrity sensing in growth control. Next we review the properties of membrane receptor-like kinases that have roles in pH control, mechano-sensing and reactive oxygen species accumulation in growing cells and which may be the plant equivalents of the yeast cell wall integrity (CWI) sensors. Finally, we discuss recent findings showing an increasing role for CWI signaling in plant immunity and the adaptation to changes in the ionic environment of plant cells. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Mechanical Stress Induces Remodeling of Vascular Networks in Growing Leaves

PubMed Central

Bar-Sinai, Yohai; Julien, Jean-Daniel; Sharon, Eran; Armon, Shahaf; Nakayama, Naomi; Adda-Bedia, Mokhtar; Boudaoud, Arezki

2016-01-01

Differentiation into well-defined patterns and tissue growth are recognized as key processes in organismal development. However, it is unclear whether patterns are passively, homogeneously dilated by growth or whether they remodel during tissue expansion. Leaf vascular networks are well-fitted to investigate this issue, since leaves are approximately two-dimensional and grow manyfold in size. Here we study experimentally and computationally how vein patterns affect growth. We first model the growing vasculature as a network of viscoelastic rods and consider its response to external mechanical stress. We use the so-called texture tensor to quantify the local network geometry and reveal that growth is heterogeneous, resembling non-affine deformations in composite materials. We then apply mechanical forces to growing leaves after veins have differentiated, which respond by anisotropic growth and reorientation of the network in the direction of external stress. External mechanical stress appears to make growth more homogeneous, in contrast with the model with viscoelastic rods. However, we reconcile the model with experimental data by incorporating randomness in rod thickness and a threshold in the rod growth law, making the rods viscoelastoplastic. Altogether, we show that the higher stiffness of veins leads to their reorientation along external forces, along with a reduction in growth heterogeneity. This process may lead to the reinforcement of leaves against mechanical stress. More generally, our work contributes to a framework whereby growth and patterns are coordinated through the differences in mechanical properties between cell types. PMID:27074136

Intracellular chloride ion concentration in differentiating neuronal cell and its role in growing neurite

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

Nakajima, Ken-ichi; Marunaka, Yoshinori; Department of Bio-Ionomics, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto 602-8566

Chloride ion (Cl{sup −}) is one of the most abundant anions in our body. Increasing evidence suggests that Cl{sup −} plays fundamental roles in various cellular functions. We have previously reported that electroneutral cation-chloride cotransporters, such as Na{sup +}-K{sup +}-2Cl{sup −} cotransporter 1 (NKCC1) and K{sup +}-Cl{sup −} cotransporter 1 (KCC1), are involved in neurite outgrowth during neuronal differentiation. In the present study, we studied if there is correlation between intracellular Cl{sup −} concentrations ([Cl{sup −}]{sub i}) and the length of growing neurites. We measured [Cl{sup −}]{sub i} in the cell body and growing neurite tips using halide-sensitive fluorescent dyemore » N-(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-6-methoxyquinolinium bromide (MQAE), revealing that [Cl{sup −}]{sub i} in the tip of growing neurite was higher than that in cell body in a single cell. Importantly, there was a significant positive correlation between the length of growing neurite and [Cl{sup −}]{sub i} in neurite tip. Bumtanide (BMT), an inhibitor of NKCC1, significantly inhibited neurite outgrowth and decreased [Cl{sup −}]{sub i} in neurite tip. The results obtained in the present study and our previous studies together strongly suggest that high [Cl{sup −}]{sub i} in neurite tip region is crucial for efficient neurite outgrowth. - Highlights: • Intracellular Cl{sup −} concentrations ([Cl{sup −}]{sub i}) in the tip of growing neurite is higher than that in cell body in a single cell. • There is a significant positive correlation between the length of growing neurite and [Cl{sup −}]{sub i} in neurite tip. • Bumetanide significantly inhibits neurite outgrowth and decreased [Cl{sup −}]{sub i} in neurite tip. • High [Cl{sup −}]{sub i} in neurite tip region is crucial for efficient neurite outgrowth.« less

USING SOIL AND OTHER PLANT GROWING MEDIA EFFECTIVELY. HORTICULTURE-SERVICE OCCUPATIONS, MODULE NO. 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Center for Vocational and Technical Education.

ONE OF A SERIES DESIGNED TO PREPARE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FOR HORTICULTURE SERVICE OCCUPATIONS, THIS MODULE HAS AS ITS MAJOR OBJECTIVE TO DEVELOP THE APPRECIATIONS, UNDERSTANDINGS, AND ABILITIES NEEDED TO USE PLANT GROWING MEDIA IN GROWING HORTICULTURAL PLANTS. IT WAS DEVELOPED BY A NATIONAL TASK FORCE ON THE BASIS OF DATA FROM STATE STUDIES.…

Management and dermoscopy of fast-growing nevi in pregnancy: case report and literature review.

PubMed

Zampetti, Anna; Feliciani, Claudio; Landi, Francesco; Capaldo, M L; Rotoli, M; Amerio, P L

2006-01-01

The relationship between pregnancy and a change in melanocytic nevi is still controversial. Moreover, management of the rapid evolution of a nevus in an unauspicious melanocytic lesion can be a clinical challenge in pregnancy. This article examines a case of a fast-growing deep penetrating nevus in a pregnant woman and provides a literature review of articles relative to pregnancy and nevi change, the management of fast-growing pigmented lesions, and the role and usefulness of dermoscopy in these cases. Recent studies have documented that pregnancy is not associated with any significant change in the size of melanocytic nevi. The management of fast-growing melanocytic lesions during this period compulsorily leans toward excision. Dermoscopy can be useful, providing clinicohistopathologic correlations and a better assignment of the lesion. This case report and review provide important management considerations for nevi during pregnancy. Early intervention with aggressive treatment measures is the best management for fast-growing lesions, and epiluminescence dermoscopy can assist the management, although still remaining a second-level examination, useful for documentation and for a better classification of the lesion.

Who Bears the Growing Cost of Science at Universities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehrenberg, Ronald G.; Rizzo, Michael J.; Jakubson, George H.

This paper sketches the reasons for the tremendous increase in university expenditure on research out of internal funds including changes in federal indirect cost reimbursement policies and the growing cost of start-up funds for new faculty. It presents evidence, based on a survey of department chairs, deans, and vice presidents for research at…

Coppicing to convert small cull trees to growing stock

Treesearch

Gerald A. Walters

1972-01-01

Several tree species are now being planted in Hawaii to reforest areas on which firetree (Myrica faya Ait.)-a plant pest of little commercial value-has been killed. The potential of converting cull trees of five ofthe replacement species into growing stock trees by coppicing was evaluated. Australian toon and tropical ash showed the greatest...

Young Indigenous Students en Route to Generalising Growing Patterns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Jodie

2016-01-01

This paper presents a hypothesised learning trajectory for a Year 3 Indigenous student en route to generalising growing patterns. The trajectory emerged from data collected across a teaching experiment (students n = 18; including a pre-test and three 45-minute mathematics lessons) and clinical interviews (n = 3). A case study of one student is…

Identification on commercialized products of AFLP markers able to discriminate slow- from fast-growing chicken strains.

PubMed

Fumière, Olivier; Dubois, Marc; Grégoire, Dimitrie; Théwis, André; Berben, Gilbert

2003-02-26

The European chicken meat market is characterized by numerous quality marks: "Label de Qualité Wallon" in Belgium, "Label Rouge" in France, denominations of geographical origin, organic agriculture, etc. Most of those certified productions have specifications requiring the use of slow-growing chicken strains. The amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) technique has been used to search molecular markers able to discriminate slow-growing chicken strains from fast-growing ones and to authenticate certified products. Two pairs of restriction enzymes (EcoRI/MseI and EcoRI/TaqI) and 121 selective primer combinations were tested on individual DNA samples from chicken products essentially in carcass form that were ascribed as belonging to either slow- or fast-growing strains. Within the resulting fingerprints, two fragments were identified as type-strains specific markers. One primer combination gives a band (333 bp) that is specific for slow-growing chickens, and another primer pair generates a band (372 bp) that was found to be characteristic of fast-growing chickens. The two markers were isolated, cloned, and sequenced. The effectiveness and the specificity of the two interesting determinants were assessed on individuals of two well-known strains (ISA 657 and Cobb 500) and on commercialized products coming from various origins.

Seasonality of clinical isolation of rapidly growing mycobacteria.

PubMed

Han, X Y

2008-09-01

Rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) are environmental organisms that have emerged as significant human pathogens. RGM infections show remarkable geographic variations. In this study, based on data from Houston, Texas, RGM were isolated from clinical cultures year-round, although peaks in the summer and autumn correlating with the seasonal variation of temperature and rainfall also were noted. These results may offer some explanation for the summer occurrence of RGM outbreaks at diverse locations.

Seasonality of clinical isolation of rapidly growing mycobacteria

PubMed Central

HAN, X. Y.

2008-01-01

SUMMARY Rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) are environmental organisms that have emerged as significant human pathogens. RGM infections show remarkable geographic variations. In this study, based on data from Houston, Texas, RGM were isolated from clinical cultures year-round, although peaks in the summer and autumn correlating with the seasonal variation of temperature and rainfall also were noted. These results may offer some explanation for the summer occurrence of RGM outbreaks at diverse locations. PMID:18005476

Celebrating the International Year of Crystallography with a Wisconsin High School Crystal Growing Competition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guzei, Ilia A.

2014-01-01

In honor of the 2014 International Year of Crystallography, the first Wisconsin Crystal Growing Competition was successfully organized and conducted. High school students from 26 schools across the state competed for prizes by growing large crystals of CuSO[subscript4]·5(H[subscript2]O). This paper describes how the event was planned and carried…

Growing the Nuclear Workforce Through Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kilburn, Micha

2015-10-01

Many students don't encounter physics in the classroom until college or the end of high school. Most college students never encounter nuclear physics in the classroom. In order to grow the nuclear science workforce, students need to be aware of the field much earlier in the education. However, teaching teens about nuclear science can be a daunting task at the outset. I will present and describe successful outreach curricula and programs that can be duplicated by any college, university or laboratory. These include workshops for boy scouts and girl scouts as well as teaching nuclear science with magnetic marbles. I will also present some results from assessments of JINA-CEE's more intensive programs aimed at recruiting youth to the field. JINA-CEE

Phytoremediated marine sediments as suitable peat-free growing media for production of red robin photinia (Photinia x fraseri).

PubMed

Mattei, Paola; Gnesini, Alessandro; Gonnelli, Cristina; Marraccini, Chiara; Masciandaro, Grazia; Macci, Cristina; Doni, Serena; Iannelli, Renato; Lucchetti, Stefano; Nicese, Francesco P; Renella, Giancarlo

2018-06-01

Sediments dredged by an industrial port, slightly contaminated by heavy metals and petroleoum hydrocarbons, were phytoremediated and used as peat-free growing media for the red robin photinia (Photinia x fraseri L.). Plants were grown on sediment only (S), sediment mixed with composted pruning residues (S + PR), sediment fertilized with controlled release fertilizers (S + F) and peat-based growing media as control (C). Plant elongation and dry weight, leaf contents of chlorophyll, malondialdehyde (MDA), macronutrients and heavy metals were determined at the end of one growing season. Environmental impact related to the use of sediment-based as compared to peat-based growing media was assessed by the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). Sediment-based growing media presented significantly higher bulk density, pH and electrical conductivity values, lower C and N contents, and significantly higher total and available P. Red robin photinia grown on S + F growing media showed morphological and chemical parameters similar to those of control plants (C), whereas plants grown on S and S + PR showed lower growth. Leaf concentration of nutrients and heavy metals varied depending on the considered element and growing media, but were all within the common values for ornamental plants, whereas the highest MDA concentrations were found in plants grown on traditional growing media. The LCA indicated the use of sediments as growing media reduced the C footprint of ornamental plant production and the contribute of growing media to the environmental impact per produced plant. We concluded that sediments phytoremediation and use in plant nursery is a practical alternative re-use option for dredged sediments. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Growing old: a psychoanalyst's point of view.

PubMed

Quinodoz, Danielle

2009-08-01

With the help of clinical examples, the author shows that psychoanalysis or psychotherapy after the age of 70 can be a fascinating experience, one that enables patients to reconstruct their internal history in such a way that their final years can be given their rightful place in the overall journey through life. Often it will be a matter of going beyond the conflict between paralysing time with the illusion of keeping death at bay and taking the transient nature of life into account in order to perceive its true flavour. We can grow old passively, juxtaposing different periods of our life without linking them together, thereby creating the illusion of time without end; or we can grow old actively, integrating the different phases of our life into a coherent historical narrative. This representation of time leaves the door open for experiences which the author calls 'small seconds of eternity'. We can all experience such moments when we are deeply moved - joyfully or painfully - by something, so that we perceive another quality of time that goes beyond its chronological dimension without all the same negating it. Helping elderly people to identify these seconds of eternity and catch hold of them can be an invaluable experience for them. Perhaps we need to see our life unfold through the chronology of its different phases in order to discover, second by second, how to express on an everyday basis something of which we have had an inkling in some second of eternity.

A habitat overlap analysis derived from Maxent for Tamarisk and the South-western Willow Flycatcher

Treesearch

Patricia York; Paul Evangelista; Sunil Kumar; James Graham; Curtis Flather; Thomas Stohlgren

2011-01-01

Biologic control of the introduced and invasive, woody plant tamarisk (Tamarix spp, saltcedar) in south-western states is controversial because it affects habitat of the federally endangered South-western Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus). These songbirds sometimes nest in tamarisk where floodplain-level invasion replaces native habitats. Biologic control...

Levels of novel hybridization in the saltcedar invasion compared over seven decades

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hybridization is proposed as one process that can enhance a plant species’ invasive ability. We quantified the levels of hybridization of 180 saltcedar plants (Tamarix spp.) of varying ages that span the history of an invasion along the Green River, UT, USA. Plants ranging in establishment dates fro...

An integrated approach to salt cedar control and rehabilitation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Salt cedar (Tamarix spp.), a small tree native to Central Asia has invaded more than 4.7 million acres in the western United States. Planted in the early 1800s as an ornamental and later for windbreaks and soil stabilization, it escaped cultivation, infesting riparian and adjacent communities. Thre...

Extinction of a fast-growing oyster and changing ocean circulation in Pliocene tropical America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirby, Michael X.; Jackson, Jeremy B. C.

2004-12-01

Ocean circulation changed profoundly in the late Cenozoic around tropical America as a result of constriction and final closure of the Central American seaway. In response, regional planktonic productivity is thought to have decreased in the Caribbean Sea. Previous studies have shown that shallow-marine communities reflect these changes by reorganizing from a suspension-feeder dominated community to a more carbonate-rich, phototrophic-based community. Although changes in diversity, abundance, and body size of various shallow-marine invertebrates have previously been examined, no study has specifically used growth rate in suspension feeders to examine the effect that changes in ocean circulation may have had on shallow-marine communities. Here we show that a fast-growing oyster went extinct concurrently with changes in ocean circulation and planktonic productivity in the Pliocene. Faster-growing Crassostrea cahobasensis went extinct, whereas slower-growing Crassostrea virginica and columbiensis survived to the Holocene. Miocene Pliocene C. cahobasensis grew 522% faster in shell carbonate and 251% faster in biomass relative to Quaternary C. virginica and C. columbiensis. Although differences in growth are due to proximate differences in environment, the disappearance of faster-growing C. cahobasensis from shallow-marine environments and the continued survival of slower-growing C. virginica and C. columbiensis in marginal-marine environments (e.g., estuaries, lagoons) is consistent with the view that concurrent changes in ocean circulation and declining primary production resulted in the restriction of Crassostrea to marginal-marine environments.

Geographically Sourcing Cocaine's Origin - Delineation of the Nineteen Major Coca Growing Regions in South America.

PubMed

Mallette, Jennifer R; Casale, John F; Jordan, James; Morello, David R; Beyer, Paul M

2016-03-23

Previously, geo-sourcing to five major coca growing regions within South America was accomplished. However, the expansion of coca cultivation throughout South America made sub-regional origin determinations increasingly difficult. The former methodology was recently enhanced with additional stable isotope analyses ((2)H and (18)O) to fully characterize cocaine due to the varying environmental conditions in which the coca was grown. An improved data analysis method was implemented with the combination of machine learning and multivariate statistical analysis methods to provide further partitioning between growing regions. Here, we show how the combination of trace cocaine alkaloids, stable isotopes, and multivariate statistical analyses can be used to classify illicit cocaine as originating from one of 19 growing regions within South America. The data obtained through this approach can be used to describe current coca cultivation and production trends, highlight trafficking routes, as well as identify new coca growing regions.

Math and Science Gateways to California's Fastest Growing Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

EdSource, 2008

2008-01-01

Some students--and parents--think math and science are not too important for their future. As everyday life becomes more dependent on technology, most people will need a better background in math and science to succeed in today's global economy. To get high-paying jobs in some of California's fastest-growing occupations, a strong background in…

Some Consequences of Growing Up in a Nonintact Family.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Falbo, Toni

The associations between growing up in a family disrupted by divorce and the interpersonal orientations of young adults were investigated in a survey of white college students (N=1720). The majority of subjects (89%) came from intact homes. Subjects from divorced families (N=106) had a more external locus of control and felt lonelier than those…

Double regions growing algorithm for automated satellite image mosaicking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Yihua; Chen, Chen; Tian, Jinwen

2011-12-01

Feathering is a most widely used method in seamless satellite image mosaicking. A simple but effective algorithm - double regions growing (DRG) algorithm, which utilizes the shape content of images' valid regions, is proposed for generating robust feathering-line before feathering. It works without any human intervention, and experiment on real satellite images shows the advantages of the proposed method.

Growing Literacy. Eighteenth Yearbook of the College Reading Association.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sturtevant, Elizabeth G., Ed.; Linek, Wayne M., Ed.

Focusing on the theme of what literacy is and how it grows, this book presents 25 essays and studies that explore literacy growth in young children, teens, college students, and adults. Essays and studies in the book are (1) "Kindergarten Children's Uses of Oral Language and Social Interaction in Literacy Activities during Unstructured Play" (J.K.…

The Cultivation of Arabidopsis for Experimental Research Using Commercially Available Peat-Based and Peat-Free Growing Media

PubMed Central

Drake, Tiffany; Keating, Mia; Summers, Rebecca; Yochikawa, Aline; Pitman, Tom

2016-01-01

Experimental research involving Arabidopsis thaliana often involves the quantification of phenotypic traits during cultivation on compost or other growing media. Many commercially-available growing media contain peat, but peat extraction is not sustainable due to its very slow rate of formation. Moreover, peat extraction reduces peatland biodiversity and releases stored carbon and methane into the atmosphere. Here, we compared the experimental performance of Arabidopsis on peat-based and several types of commercially-available peat-free growing media (variously formed from coir, composted bark, wood-fibre, and domestic compost), to provide guidance for reducing peat use in plant sciences research with Arabidopsis. Arabidopsis biomass accumulation and seed yield were reduced by cultivation on several types of peat-free growing media. Arabidopsis performed extremely poorly on coir alone, presumably because this medium was completely nitrate-free. Some peat-free growing media were more susceptible to fungal contamination. We found that autoclaving of control (peat-based) growing media had no effect upon any physiological parameters that we examined, compared with non-autoclaved control growing media, under our experimental conditions. Overall, we conclude that Arabidopsis performs best when cultivated on peat-based growing media because seed yield was almost always reduced when peat-free media were used. This may be because standard laboratory protocols and growth conditions for Arabidopsis are optimized for peat-based media. However, during the vegetative growth phase several phenotypic traits were comparable between plants cultivated on peat-based and some peat-free media, suggesting that under certain circumstances peat-free media can be suitable for phenotypic analysis of Arabidopsis. PMID:27088495

78 FR 69006 - Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Rule: Standards for Growing, Harvesting, Packing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-18

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration 21 CFR Parts 16 and 112... for Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption; Extension of Comment... Proposed Rule: Standards for Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption...

Resprout and survival of willows (Salix purpurea and S. incana), Poplars (Populus nigra) and Tamaris (Tamarix gallica) cuttings in marly gullies with Southern aspect in a mountainous and Mediterranean climate (Southern Alps, France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rey, Freddy; Labonne, Sophie; Dangla, Laure; Lavandier, Géraud

2014-05-01

In the Southern French Alps under a mountainous and Mediterranean climate, a current strategy of bioengineering is developed for trapping sediment in marly gullies with surface area less than 1 ha. It is based on the use of structures in the form of brush layers and brush mats of cuttings on deadwood microdams. Purple and white Willows (Salix purpurea and S. incana) are recommended here as they proved their efficiency to resprout and survive in such environment. However, these species installed in Southern gullies did not survive in previous experiments, due to the too harsh conditions of solar radiation and drought. We thus decided to test other species, namely black Poplar (Populus nigra) and Tamaris (Tamarix gallica), which proved their resistance to drought conditions in other experiments. To this view, bioengineering structures have been built in 2010 in eroded marly gullies in the Roubines and Fontaugier catchments (Southern Alps, France). We tested two installation modalities: one in spring and a second in autumn. Seventy-eight bioengineering structures (50 in spring and 28 in autumn), among which 32 made with Poplar cuttings and 28 with Tamaris cuttings, as well as 11 structures with purple Willow and 7 with white Willow as controls, were built in 6 experimental gullies. After 3 observation years for each modality (2010 to 2012, and 2011 to 2013, respectively), results first revealed that Willow species succeeded in surviving in gullies in Southern aspect (76 % for the cuttings installed in spring and 52 % for those installed in autumn), which is in contradiction with previous results. Second, Poplar showed a good ability to survive (62 % for the cuttings installed in spring and 33 % for those installed in autumn). Tamaris obtained the worst score with 26 % and 38 % of survival for the cuttings installed in spring and autumn, respectively. Globally, excepted for Tamaris, survival rates were better for the cuttings installed in spring. The bioengineering

A "carbonizing dragon": China's fast growing CO2 emissions revisited.

PubMed

Minx, Jan C; Baiocchi, Giovanni; Peters, Glen P; Weber, Christopher L; Guan, Dabo; Hubacek, Klaus

2011-11-01

China's annual CO(2) emissions grew by around 4 billion tonnes between 1992 and 2007. More than 70% of this increase occurred between 2002 and 2007. While growing export demand contributed more than 50% to the CO(2) emission growth between 2002 and 2005, capital investments have been responsible for 61% of emission growth in China between 2005 and 2007. We use structural decomposition analysis to identify the drivers for China's emission growth between 1992 and 2007, with special focus on the period 2002 to 2007 when growth was most rapid. In contrast to previous analysis, we find that efficiency improvements have largely offset additional CO(2) emissions from increased final consumption between 2002 and 2007. The strong increases in emissions growth between 2002 and 2007 are instead explained by structural change in China's economy, which has newly emerged as the third major emission driver. This structural change is mainly the result of capital investments, in particular, the growing prominence of construction services and their carbon intensive supply chain. By closing the model for capital investment, we can now show that the majority of emissions embodied in capital investment are utilized for domestic household and government consumption (35-49% and 19-36%, respectively) with smaller amounts for the production of exports (21-31%). Urbanization and the associated changes in lifestyle are shown to be more important than other socio-demographic drivers like the decreasing household size or growing population. We argue that mitigation efforts will depend on the future development of these key drivers, particularly capital investments which dictate future mitigation costs.

Innovative use of recovered municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash as a component in growing media.

PubMed

Sormunen, Annika; Teo, Kanniainen; Tapio, Salo; Riina, Rantsi

2016-07-01

The utilisation of municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash has been extensively studied, for example, in the unbound layers of roads and the products of cement and concrete industry. On the other hand, less attention has been given to other innovative utilisation possibilities, such as using the municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash as a component in growing media of plants. The municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash contains useful substances, such as calcium, that can influence plant growth in a positive manner. Therefore, the utilisation of this waste-derived material in the growing media may substitute the use of commercial fertilisers. Since the municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash also contains hazardous substances that can be toxic to plants, the main aim of this study was to add different amounts of recovered municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash in the growing media and to evaluate the effect of this material on plant growth. Based on the obtained results, the concentration of, for example copper and zinc, increased in test plants; ryegrass and barley, when recovered municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash was added in their growing media. On the other hand, this did not have a significant effect on plant growth, if compared with the growth of plants in commercially produced growing medium. Furthermore, the replacement of natural sand with municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash had a positive liming effect in the growing media. Overall, these findings suggest that the utilisation of recovered municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash as a component in growing media is possible and, thus, may allow more widespread and innovative use of this waste-derived material. © The Author(s) 2016.

Feasibility of growing olives on selected sites along coastal Texas

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Five sites along the Texas coastline (Seadrift, Galveston, Brazoria, Santa Fe, and Orange) were evaluated for feasibility of growing olives in these areas. In addition, two non-coastal sites (Carrizo Springs and Weslaco) were also included in the study for comparative purposes. Flowering and fruit ...

Vertical transmission as the key to the colonization of Madagascar by fungus-growing termites?

PubMed Central

Nobre, T.; Eggleton, P.; Aanen, D. K.

2010-01-01

The mutualism between fungus-growing termites (Macrotermitinae) and their mutualistic fungi (Termitomyces) began in Africa. The fungus-growing termites have secondarily colonized Madagascar and only a subset of the genera found in Africa is found on this isolated island. Successful long-distance colonization may have been severely constrained by the obligate interaction of the termites with fungal symbionts and the need to acquire these symbionts secondarily from the environment for most species (horizontal symbiont transmission). Consistent with this hypothesis, we show that all extant species of fungus-growing termites of Madagascar are the result of a single colonization event of termites belonging to one of the only two groups with vertical symbiont transmission, and we date this event at approximately 13 Mya (Middle/Upper Miocene). Vertical symbiont transmission may therefore have facilitated long-distance dispersal since both partners disperse together. In contrast to their termite hosts, the fungal symbionts have colonized Madagascar multiple times, suggesting that the presence of fungus-growing termites may have facilitated secondary colonizations of the symbiont. Our findings indicate that the absence of the right symbionts in a new environment can prevent long-distance dispersal of symbioses relying on horizontal symbiont acquisition. PMID:19828546

Growing Readers and Writers with Help from Mother Goose.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamner, Devon

Primary-grade children can learn rhythm and rhyme from nursery rhymes. But those same poems can be used to help young students make connections to letters, sounds, and word chunks. This lesson lets Mother Goose help children grow as readers and writers. During the 5-10 minutes per day for these lessons, students will: develop a feel for the rhythm…

Exact calculations of survival probability for diffusion on growing lines, disks, and spheres: The role of dimension.

PubMed

Simpson, Matthew J; Baker, Ruth E

2015-09-07

Unlike standard applications of transport theory, the transport of molecules and cells during embryonic development often takes place within growing multidimensional tissues. In this work, we consider a model of diffusion on uniformly growing lines, disks, and spheres. An exact solution of the partial differential equation governing the diffusion of a population of individuals on the growing domain is derived. Using this solution, we study the survival probability, S(t). For the standard non-growing case with an absorbing boundary, we observe that S(t) decays to zero in the long time limit. In contrast, when the domain grows linearly or exponentially with time, we show that S(t) decays to a constant, positive value, indicating that a proportion of the diffusing substance remains on the growing domain indefinitely. Comparing S(t) for diffusion on lines, disks, and spheres indicates that there are minimal differences in S(t) in the limit of zero growth and minimal differences in S(t) in the limit of fast growth. In contrast, for intermediate growth rates, we observe modest differences in S(t) between different geometries. These differences can be quantified by evaluating the exact expressions derived and presented here.

Content of selected elements in Boletus badius fruiting bodies growing in extremely polluted wastes.

PubMed

Mleczek, Mirosław; Siwulski, Marek; Mikołajczak, Patrycja; Gąsecka, Monika; Sobieralski, Krzysztof; Szymańczyk, Mateusz; Goliński, Piotr

2015-01-01

The aim of the study was to analyse levels of 17 trace elements and 5 major minerals in 11 Boletus badius fruiting bodies able to grow in extremely polluted waste (flotation tailings) and polluted soil in southern Poland. The presented data widen the limited literature data about the abilities of wild-growing mushroom species to grow on heavily contaminated substrates. Content of elements in waste, soil and mushrooms was analysed by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) and cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS - Hg). The industrial areas differed greatly as regards the content of elements in flotation tailings and soil; therefore differences in Ag, Ba, Cd, Co, Fe, Mo, Ni, Pb, Ca, K, Mg, Na and P accumulation in mushrooms were observed. The highest contents of elements in mushrooms were observed for: As, Al, Cu and Zn (86 ± 28, 549 ± 116, 341 ± 59 and 506 ± 40 mg kg(-1) dry matter, respectively). Calculated bioconcentration factor (BCF) values were higher than 1 for Al (15.1-16.9), Fe (10.6-24.4) and Hg (10.2-16.4) only. The main value of the presented results is the fact that one of the common wild-growing mushroom species was able to grow on flotation tailings containing over 22 g kg(-1) of As and, additionally, effective accumulation of other elements was observed. In view of the high content of the majority of analysed elements in fruiting bodies, edible mushrooms from such polluted areas are nonconsumable.

Comparison of phenology models for predicting the onset of growing season over the Northern Hemisphere.

PubMed

Fu, Yang; Zhang, Haicheng; Dong, Wenjie; Yuan, Wenping

2014-01-01

Vegetation phenology models are important for examining the impact of climate change on the length of the growing season and carbon cycles in terrestrial ecosystems. However, large uncertainties in present phenology models make accurate assessment of the beginning of the growing season (BGS) a challenge. In this study, based on the satellite-based phenology product (i.e. the V005 MODIS Land Cover Dynamics (MCD12Q2) product), we calibrated four phenology models, compared their relative strength to predict vegetation phenology; and assessed the spatial pattern and interannual variability of BGS in the Northern Hemisphere. The results indicated that parameter calibration significantly influences the models' accuracy. All models showed good performance in cool regions but poor performance in warm regions. On average, they explained about 67% (the Growing Degree Day model), 79% (the Biome-BGC phenology model), 73% (the Number of Growing Days model) and 68% (the Number of Chilling Days-Growing Degree Day model) of the BGS variations over the Northern Hemisphere. There were substantial differences in BGS simulations among the four phenology models. Overall, the Biome-BGC phenology model performed best in predicting the BGS, and showed low biases in most boreal and cool regions. Compared with the other three models, the two-phase phenology model (NCD-GDD) showed the lowest correlation and largest biases with the MODIS phenology product, although it could catch the interannual variations well for some vegetation types. Our study highlights the need for further improvements by integrating the effects of water availability, especially for plants growing in low latitudes, and the physiological adaptation of plants into phenology models.

Comparison of Phenology Models for Predicting the Onset of Growing Season over the Northern Hemisphere

PubMed Central

Fu, Yang; Zhang, Haicheng; Dong, Wenjie; Yuan, Wenping

2014-01-01

Vegetation phenology models are important for examining the impact of climate change on the length of the growing season and carbon cycles in terrestrial ecosystems. However, large uncertainties in present phenology models make accurate assessment of the beginning of the growing season (BGS) a challenge. In this study, based on the satellite-based phenology product (i.e. the V005 MODIS Land Cover Dynamics (MCD12Q2) product), we calibrated four phenology models, compared their relative strength to predict vegetation phenology; and assessed the spatial pattern and interannual variability of BGS in the Northern Hemisphere. The results indicated that parameter calibration significantly influences the models' accuracy. All models showed good performance in cool regions but poor performance in warm regions. On average, they explained about 67% (the Growing Degree Day model), 79% (the Biome-BGC phenology model), 73% (the Number of Growing Days model) and 68% (the Number of Chilling Days-Growing Degree Day model) of the BGS variations over the Northern Hemisphere. There were substantial differences in BGS simulations among the four phenology models. Overall, the Biome-BGC phenology model performed best in predicting the BGS, and showed low biases in most boreal and cool regions. Compared with the other three models, the two-phase phenology model (NCD-GDD) showed the lowest correlation and largest biases with the MODIS phenology product, although it could catch the interannual variations well for some vegetation types. Our study highlights the need for further improvements by integrating the effects of water availability, especially for plants growing in low latitudes, and the physiological adaptation of plants into phenology models. PMID:25279567

Global patterns of domestic cannabis cultivation: sample characteristics and patterns of growing across eleven countries.

PubMed

Potter, Gary R; Barratt, Monica J; Malm, Aili; Bouchard, Martin; Blok, Thomas; Christensen, Anne-Sofie; Decorte, Tom; Frank, Vibeke Asmussen; Hakkarainen, Pekka; Klein, Axel; Lenton, Simon; Perälä, Jussi; Werse, Bernd; Wouters, Marije

2015-03-01

This article aims to provide an overview of: demographic characteristics; experiences with growing cannabis; methods and scale of growing operations; reasons for growing; personal use of cannabis and other drugs; participation in cannabis and other drug markets; contacts with the criminal justice system for respondents to an online survey about cannabis cultivation drawn from eleven countries (N=6530). Important similarities and differences between the national samples recruited will be discussed. This paper utilizes data from the online web survey of predominantly 'small-scale' cannabis cultivators in eleven countries conducted by the Global Cannabis Cultivation Research Consortium (GCCRC). Here we focus primarily on descriptive statistics to highlight key similarities and differences across the different national samples. Overall there was a great deal of similarity across countries in terms of: demographic characteristics; experiences with growing cannabis; methods and scale of growing operations; reasons for growing; use of cannabis and other drugs; participation in cannabis and other drug markets, and; contacts with the criminal justice system. In particular, we can recognise that a clear majority of those small-scale cannabis cultivators who responded to our survey are primarily motivated for reasons other than making money from cannabis supply and have minimal involvement in drug dealing or other criminal activities. These growers generally come from 'normal' rather than 'deviant' backgrounds. Some differences do exist between the samples drawn from different countries suggesting that local factors (political, geographical, cultural, etc.) may have some influence on how small-scale cultivators operate, although differences in recruitment strategies in different countries may also account for some differences observed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Wildfire, Exotic Vegetation, and Breeding Bird Habitat in the Rio Grande Bosque

Treesearch

D. Max Smith; Jeff F. Kelly; Deborah M. Finch

2006-01-01

Wildfires in the Middle Rio Grande bosque have likely increased in frequency due to absence of the natural flood regime and current drought conditions. Native cottonwoods (Populus spp.) do not tolerate or recover from wildfire as well as exotic vegetation, particularly salt cedar, also known as tamarisk (Tamarix spp.). There is...

Tamarisk and river restoration along the San Pedro and Gila Rivers

Treesearch

Juliet Stromberg; Sharon Lite; Charles Paradzick

2005-01-01

The abundance of tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima and related species) along the San Pedro and Gila River flood plains varies with differences in stream flow regimes. Tamarisk abundance, relative to Fremont cottonwood and Goodding willow, is greater at sites with more intermittent stream flows and deeper and more fluctuating ground-water levels....

Diorhabda elongate and saltcedar control: 10 years later

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima), native to Central Asia, is a shrub or small tree that has invaded more than 1.9 million hectares of habitat in southwestern and western United States. Saltcedar was brought to the United States in the early 1800s as an ornamental and later planted for windbreaks and...

Integrated weed management approach to control saltcedar

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima), native to Central Asia, is a shrub or small tree that has invaded more than 1.9 million hectares of habitat in southwestern and western United States. Saltcedar was brought to the United States in the early 1800s as an ornamental and later planted for windbreaks and ...

The relationship between apical root resorption and orthodontic tooth movement in growing subjects.

PubMed

Xu, Tianmin; Baumrind, S

2002-07-01

To investigate the relationship between apical root resorption and orthodontic tooth movement in growing subjects. 58 growing subjects were collected randomly into the study sample and another 40 non-treated cases were used as control. The apical resoption of the upper central incisors was measured on periapical film and the incisor displacement was measured on lateral cephalogram. Using multiple linear regression analysis to examine the relationship between root resoption and the displacement of the upper incisor apex in each of four direction (retraction, advancement, intrusion and extrusion). The statistically significant negative association were found between resorption and both intrusion (P < 0.001) and extrusion (P < 0.05), but no significant association was found between resorption and both retraction and advancement. The regression analysis implied an average of 2.29 mm resorption in the absence of apical displacement. The likelihood that the magnitude of displacement of the incisor root is positively associated with root resoption in the population of treated growing subjects is very small.

GROWING TRANSVERSE OSCILLATIONS OF A MULTISTRANDED LOOP OBSERVED BY SDO/AIA

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

Wang, Tongjiang; Ofman, Leon; Su, Yang

The first evidence of transverse oscillations of a multistranded loop with growing amplitudes and internal coupling observed by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory is presented. The loop oscillation event occurred on 2011 March 8, triggered by a coronal mass ejection (CME). The multiwavelength analysis reveals the presence of multithermal strands in the oscillating loop, whose dynamic behaviors are temperature-dependent, showing differences in their oscillation amplitudes, phases, and emission evolution. The physical parameters of growing oscillations of two strands in 171 A are measured and the three-dimensional loop geometry is determined using STEREO-A/EUVI data. These strandsmore » have very similar frequencies, and between two 193 A strands a quarter-period phase delay sets up. These features suggest the coupling between kink oscillations of neighboring strands and the interpretation by the collective kink mode as predicted by some models. However, the temperature dependence of the multistranded loop oscillations was not studied previously and needs further investigation. The transverse loop oscillations are associated with intensity and loop width variations. We suggest that the amplitude-growing kink oscillations may be a result of continuous non-periodic driving by magnetic deformation of the CME, which deposits energy into the loop system at a rate faster than its loss.« less

Solutal Convection Around Growing Protein Crystal and Diffusional Purification in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Chun P.; Chernov, Alexander A.

2004-01-01

At least some protein crystals were found to preferentially trap microheterogeneous impurities. The latter are, for example, dimmer molecules of the crystallizing proteines (e.g. ferritin, lysozyme), or the regular molecules on which surfaces small molecules or ions are adsorbed (e.g. acetilated lysozyme) and modi@ molecular charge. Impurities may induce lattice defects and deteriorate structural resolution. Distribution of impurities between mother solution and gorwing crystal is defined by two interrelated distribution coefficients: kappa = rho(sup c, sub 2) and K = (rho(sup c, sub 2)/rho(sup c, sub 1)/rho(sub 2)/rho(sub 1). Here, rho(sub 2), rho(sub 1) and rho(sup c, sub 2) are densities of impurity (2) and regular protein (1) in solution at the growing interface and within the crystal ("c"). For the microheterogeneous impurities studied, K approx. = 2 - 4, so that kappa approx. - 10(exp 2) - 10(exp 3), since K = kappa (rho(sub 1)/rho(sup c, sub 1) and protein solubility ratio rho(sub 1)/rho(sub=p c, sub 2) much less than 1. Therefore, a crystal growing in absence of convection purifies mother solution around itself, grows cleaner and, probably, more perfect. If convection is present, the solution flow permanently brings new impurities to the crystal. This work theoretically addressed two subjects: 1) onset of convection, 2) distribution of impurities.

Disease invasion risk in a growing population.

PubMed

Yuan, Sanling; van den Driessche, P; Willeboordse, Frederick H; Shuai, Zhisheng; Ma, Junling

2016-09-01

The spread of an infectious disease may depend on the population size. For simplicity, classic epidemic models assume homogeneous mixing, usually standard incidence or mass action. For standard incidence, the contact rate between any pair of individuals is inversely proportional to the population size, and so the basic reproduction number (and thus the initial exponential growth rate of the disease) is independent of the population size. For mass action, this contact rate remains constant, predicting that the basic reproduction number increases linearly with the population size, meaning that disease invasion is easiest when the population is largest. In this paper, we show that neither of these may be true on a slowly evolving contact network: the basic reproduction number of a short epidemic can reach its maximum while the population is still growing. The basic reproduction number is proportional to the spectral radius of a contact matrix, which is shown numerically to be well approximated by the average excess degree of the contact network. We base our analysis on modeling the dynamics of the average excess degree of a random contact network with constant population input, proportional deaths, and preferential attachment for contacts brought in by incoming individuals (i.e., individuals with more contacts attract more incoming contacts). In addition, we show that our result also holds for uniform attachment of incoming contacts (i.e., every individual has the same chance of attracting incoming contacts), and much more general population dynamics. Our results show that a disease spreading in a growing population may evade control if disease control planning is based on the basic reproduction number at maximum population size.

The Developmental Process of the Growing Motile Ciliary Tip Region.

PubMed

Reynolds, Matthew J; Phetruen, Tanaporn; Fisher, Rebecca L; Chen, Ke; Pentecost, Brian T; Gomez, George; Ounjai, Puey; Sui, Haixin

2018-05-22

Eukaryotic motile cilia/flagella play vital roles in various physiological processes in mammals and some protists. Defects in cilia formation underlie multiple human disorders, known as ciliopathies. The detailed processes of cilia growth and development are still far from clear despite extensive studies. In this study, we characterized the process of cilium formation (ciliogenesis) by investigating the newly developed motile cilia of deciliated protists using complementary techniques in electron microscopy and image analysis. Our results demonstrated that the distal tip region of motile cilia exhibit progressive morphological changes as cilia develop. This developmental process is time-dependent and continues after growing cilia reach their full lengths. The structural analysis of growing ciliary tips revealed that B-tubules of axonemal microtubule doublets terminate far away from the tip end, which is led by the flagellar tip complex (FTC), demonstrating that the FTC might not directly mediate the fast turnover of intraflagellar transport (IFT).

Modeling mechanical interactions in growing populations of rod-shaped bacteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winkle, James J.; Igoshin, Oleg A.; Bennett, Matthew R.; Josić, Krešimir; Ott, William

2017-10-01

Advances in synthetic biology allow us to engineer bacterial collectives with pre-specified characteristics. However, the behavior of these collectives is difficult to understand, as cellular growth and division as well as extra-cellular fluid flow lead to complex, changing arrangements of cells within the population. To rationally engineer and control the behavior of cell collectives we need theoretical and computational tools to understand their emergent spatiotemporal dynamics. Here, we present an agent-based model that allows growing cells to detect and respond to mechanical interactions. Crucially, our model couples the dynamics of cell growth to the cell’s environment: Mechanical constraints can affect cellular growth rate and a cell may alter its behavior in response to these constraints. This coupling links the mechanical forces that influence cell growth and emergent behaviors in cell assemblies. We illustrate our approach by showing how mechanical interactions can impact the dynamics of bacterial collectives growing in microfluidic traps.

Indoor and Outdoor Surface-Growing Fungi Contamination at Higher Institutional Buildings in a Malaysian University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Er, C. M.; Sunar, N. M.; Leman, A. M.; Khalid, A.; Ali, R.; Zaidi, E.; Azhar, A. T. S.

2018-04-01

Surface-growing indoor and outdoor fungi were assessed using swabbing method to investigate the indoor contamination. The painted wall surface samples were collected from two institutional buildings (B1 and B2) of a university in southern Peninsular Malaysia; indoors and outdoors. The mould concentrations varied widely between indoor and outdoor surface samples of both buildings. The total indoor surface-growing mould concentration (8776.49 CFU/cm2) is significantly higher (p<0.05) than the total concentration of outdoor surface growing mould (209.91 CFU/cm2). Respectively, the mean concentration of indoor surface-growing mould (18920.13 CFU/cm2 for B1 and 3704.67 CFU/cm2 for B2) is significantly higher than their outdoor counterparts (99.95 CFU/cm2 for b1 and for 319.86 CFU/cm2 b2) at these buildings. Besides, various air quality parameters (relative humidity, temperature and air velocity) were also measured indoors and outdoors during the study and violation of the guideline provided by ICOP-IAQ 2010 were proven in indoor environment in both buildings. The results of this assessment showed that the indoor environments of both institutional buildings were contaminated by the surface-growing mould. It also suggested the faulty designs and/or usages of building material in these institutional buildings contributed toward the contamination. An innovative solution is needed to correct the problems.

Levels-of-growing-stock cooperative study in Douglas-fir: report no. 15—The Hoskins Study, 1963-1998.

Treesearch

David D. Marshall; Robert O. Curtis

2001-01-01

The cooperative levels-of-growing-stock (LOGS) study in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) was begun to study the relations between growing stock, growth, cumulative wood production, and tree size in repeatedly thinned stands. This report summarizes results from the Hoskins installation through age 55. Growing stock has been allowed...

Mineral and organic growing media have distinct community structure, stability and functionality in soilless culture systems.

PubMed

Grunert, Oliver; Hernandez-Sanabria, Emma; Vilchez-Vargas, Ramiro; Jauregui, Ruy; Pieper, Dietmar H; Perneel, Maaike; Van Labeke, Marie-Christine; Reheul, Dirk; Boon, Nico

2016-01-05

The choice of soilless growing medium for plant nutrition, growth and support is crucial for improving the eco-sustainability of the production in horticultural systems. As our current understanding of the functional microbial communities inhabiting this ecosystem is still limited, we examined the microbial community development of the two most important growing media (organic and mineral) used in open soilless horticultural systems. We aimed to identify factors that influence community composition over time, and to compare the distribution of individual taxa across growing media, and their potential functionality. High throughput sequencing analysis revealed a distinctive and stable microbial community in the organic growing medium. Humidity, pH, nitrate-N, ammonium-N and conductivity were uncovered as the main factors associated with the resident bacterial communities. Ammonium-N was correlated with Rhizobiaceae abundance, while potential competitive interactions among both Methylophilaceae and Actinobacteridae with Rhizobiaceae were suggested. Our results revealed that soilless growing media are unique niches for diverse bacterial communities with temporal functional stability, which may possibly impact the resistance to external forces. These differences in communities can be used to develop strategies to move towards a sustainable horticulture with increased productivity and quality.

Use of belowground growing degree days to predict rooting of dormant hardwood cuttings of Populus

Treesearch

R.S., Jr. Zalesny; E.O. Bauer; D.E. Riemenschneider

2004-01-01

Planting Populus cuttings based on calendar days neglects soil temperature extremes and does not promote rooting based on specific genotypes. Our objectives were to: 1) test the biological efficacy of a thermal index based on belowground growing degree days (GDD) across the growing period, 2) test for interactions between belowground GDD and clones,...

Positive Teacher Leadership: Building Mindsets and Capacities to Grow Wellbeing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cherkowski, Sabre

2018-01-01

Linking theory and research on positive psychology and positive organisational scholarship, with a focus on positive leadership, this article provides a conceptualisation of teacher leadership as an intentional reflective process of learning to grow wellbeing for self and others. Aligned with increasing international research on the importance of…

Why hardwoods do not grow naturally in the west

Treesearch

J. A. Larsen

1924-01-01

Unfortunately the beautiful hardwood trees which are native to the Eastern States do not grow naturally in the West. We have here only aspen, cottonwood, small birch, hawthorns, cherry, and alder. On the Pacific coast are oak and maple, but limited largely to lower moist sites such as streams bed and canyons. The general absence of broad leaf trees in the West is most...

Valine needs in starting and growing Cobb (500) broilers.

PubMed

Tavernari, F C; Lelis, G R; Vieira, R A; Rostagno, H S; Albino, L F T; Oliveira Neto, A R

2013-01-01

Two independent experiments were conducted with male Cobb × Cobb 500 broilers to determine the optimal valine-to-digestible-lysine ratio for broiler development. We conducted a randomized block experiment with 7 treatments, each with 8 replicates of 25 starter birds (8 to 21 d of age) and 20 finisher (30 to 43 d of age) birds. To prevent any excess of digestible lysine, 93% of the recommended level of digestible lysine was used to evaluate the valine-to-lysine ratio. The utilized levels of dietary digestible lysine were 10.7 and 9.40 g/kg for the starting and growing phases, respectively. A control diet with 100% of the recommended level of lysine and an adequate valine-to-lysine ratio was also used. The feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and carcass parameters were evaluated. The treatments had no significant effect on the feed intakes or carcass parameters in the starter and finisher phases. However, during both of the studied phases, we observed a quadratic effect on weight gain and the feed conversion ratio. The broilers of both phases that were fed test diets with the lower valine-to-lysine (Val/Lys) ratio had poorer performance compared with those broilers fed control diets. However, when higher Val/Lys ratios were used for the starting and growing broilers that were fed test diets, the 2 groups had similar performance. During the starting phase, in broilers that were fed a higher Val/Lys ratio, weight gain, and the feed conversion ratio improved by 5.5% compared with broilers fed the basal diets. The broilers in the growing phase also had improved performance (by 7 to 8%) when the test diets had higher Val/Lys ratios. Based on the analysis of the starter phase data, we concluded that the optimal digestible Val/Lys ratio for Cobb × Cobb 500 broilers is 77%, whereas for birds in the finisher phase (30 to 43 d of age), a digestible Val/Lys ratio of 76% is suggested.

An Updated Decision Support Interface: A Tool for Remote Monitoring of Crop Growing Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Husak, G. J.; Budde, M. E.; Rowland, J.; Verdin, J. P.; Funk, C. C.; Landsfeld, M. F.

2014-12-01

Remote sensing of agroclimatological variables to monitor food production conditions is a critical component of the Famine Early Warning Systems Network portfolio of tools for assessing food security in the developing world. The Decision Support Interface (DSI) seeks to integrate a number of remotely sensed and modeled variables to create a single, simplified portal for analysis of crop growing conditions. The DSI has been reformulated to incorporate more variables and give the user more freedom in exploring the available data. This refinement seeks to transition the DSI from a "first glance" agroclimatic indicator to one better suited for the differentiation of drought events. The DSI performs analysis of variables over primary agricultural zones at the first sub-national administrative level. It uses the spatially averaged rainfall, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), water requirement satisfaction index (WRSI), and actual evapotranspiration (ETa) to identify potential hazards to food security. Presenting this information in a web-based client gives food security analysts and decision makers a lightweight portal for information on crop growing conditions in the region. The crop zones used for the aggregation contain timing information which is critical to the DSI presentation. Rainfall and ETa are accumulated from different points in the crop phenology to identify season-long deficits in rainfall or transpiration that adversely affect the crop-growing conditions. Furthermore, the NDVI and WRSI serve as their own seasonal accumulated measures of growing conditions by capturing vegetation vigor or actual evapotranspiration deficits. The DSI is currently active for major growing regions of sub-Saharan Africa, with intention of expanding to other areas over the coming years.

Heterogeneous motivations for coca growing: the case of an indigenous Aymara community in Peru.

PubMed

Garcia-Yi, Jaqueline

2014-11-01

Coca is a native bush from the Amazon rainforest from which cocaine is extracted. Growing coca is a profitable activity; however, not all farmers located in the coca-supply areas do so. Little is known about farmers' motivations for the decision to grow coca and if so, how much to grow. This article evaluates the influence of monetary and non-monetary factors on these decisions. The study is based on a survey of 496 households in an indigenous Aymara community in Peru. The results suggest, for example, that farmers are more likely to cultivate coca when their plots are characterized by flatter agricultural slopes and when in debt. In relation to the scale of coca cultivation, farmers can be classified into two groups. The larger group (73 percent) grows a high number of coca bushes when facing economic hardship; farmers in the second group (27 percent) seem to be more motivated by the potential profits from coca production relative to coffee, the alternative crop in the area. Therefore, the results support the common notion that farmers cultivate coca in accordance with economic need. Nonetheless, non-economic factors also influence the number of coca bushes cultivated and offer an additional opportunity to reduce coca cultivation if explicitly considered in drug-control policies. This research also discusses potential farmers' responses to different coca-growing reduction strategies. Common drug-control policies such as organic coffee certification, road construction, and education have mixed effects on coca cultivation, depending on the type of coca grower. As such, farmers' motivations are heterogeneous and the design of effective drug-control policies needs to reflect this. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How Copper Nanowires Grow and How To Control Their Properties.

PubMed

Ye, Shengrong; Stewart, Ian E; Chen, Zuofeng; Li, Bo; Rathmell, Aaron R; Wiley, Benjamin J

2016-03-15

Scalable, solution-phase nanostructure synthesis has the promise to produce a wide variety of nanomaterials with novel properties at a cost that is low enough for these materials to be used to solve problems. For example, solution-synthesized metal nanowires are now being used to make low cost, flexible transparent electrodes in touch screens, organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), and solar cells. There has been a tremendous increase in the number of solution-phase syntheses that enable control over the assembly of atoms into nanowires in the last 15 years, but proposed mechanisms for nanowire formation are usually qualitative, and for many syntheses there is little consensus as to how nanowires form. It is often not clear what species is adding to a nanowire growing in solution or what mechanistic step limits its rate of growth. A deeper understanding of nanowire growth is important for efficiently directing the development of nanowire synthesis toward producing a wide variety of nanostructure morphologies for structure-property studies or producing precisely defined nanostructures for a specific application. This Account reviews our progress over the last five years toward understanding how copper nanowires form in solution, how to direct their growth into nanowires with dimensions ideally suited for use in transparent conducting films, and how to use copper nanowires as a template to grow core-shell nanowires. The key advance enabling a better understanding of copper nanowire growth is the first real-time visualization of nanowire growth in solution, enabling the acquisition of nanowire growth kinetics. By measuring the growth rate of individual nanowires as a function of concentration of the reactants and temperature, we show that a growing copper nanowire can be thought of as a microelectrode that is charged with electrons by hydrazine and grows through the diffusion-limited addition of Cu(OH)2(-). This deeper mechanistic understanding, coupled to an

Application of growing nested Petri nets for modeling robotic systems operating under risk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sorokin, E. V.; Senkov, A. V.

2017-10-01

The paper studies the peculiarities of modeling robotic systems engaged in mining. Existing modeling mechanisms are considered, which are based on nested Petri nets, and a new formalism of growing Petri nets is presented that allows modeling robotic systems operating under risk. Modeling is provided both for the regular operation mode and for non-standard modes in which individual elements of the system can perform uncharacteristic functions. The example shows growing Petri nets that are used for modeling extraction of flat coal seams by a robotic system consisting of several different-type autonomous robots.

Time constraints in temperate-breeding species: Influence of growing season length on reproductive strategies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gurney, K. E. B.; Clark, R.G.; Slattery, S.M.; Smith-Downey, N. V.; Walker, J.; Armstrong, L.M.; Stephens, S.E.; Petrula, M.; Corcoran, R.M.; Martin, K.H.; Degroot, K.A.; Brook, Rodney W.; Afton, A.D.; Cutting, K.; Warren, J.M.; Fournier, M.; Koons, D.N.

2011-01-01

Organisms that reproduce in temperate regions have limited time to produce offspring successfully, and this constraint is expected to be more pronounced in areas with short growing seasons. Information concerning how reproductive ecology of endotherms might be influenced by growing season length (GSL) is rare, and species that breed over a broad geographic range provide an opportunity to study the effects of time constraints on reproductive strategies. We analyzed data from a temperate-breeding bird, the lesser scaup Aythya affinis; hereafter scaup, collected at eight sites across a broad gradient of GSL to evaluate three hypotheses related to reproductive compensation in response to varying time constraints. Clutch initiation date in scaup was unaffected by GSL and was unrelated to latitude; spring thaw dates had a marginal impact on timing of breeding. Clutch size declined during the nesting season, as is reported frequently in bird species, but was also unaffected by GSL. Scaup do not appear to compensate for shorter growing seasons by more rapidly reducing clutch size. This study demonstrates that this species is remarkably consistent in terms of timing of breeding and clutch size, regardless of growing season characteristics. Such inflexibility could make this species particularly sensitive to environmental changes that affect resource availabilities. ?? 2011 The Authors. Ecography ?? 2011 Ecography.

Time constraints in temperate-breeding species: influence of growing season length on reproductive strategies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gurney, K. E. B.; Clark, Russell G.; Slattery, Stuart; Smith-Downey, N. V.; Walker, Jordan I.; Armstrong, L.M.; Stephens, S.E.; Petrula, Michael J.; Corcoran, R.M.; Martin, K.; Degroot, K.A.; Brook, Rodney W.; Afton, Alan D.; Cutting, K.; Warren, J.M.; Fournier, M.; Koons, David N.

2011-01-01

Organisms that reproduce in temperate regions have limited time to produce offspring successfully, and this constraint is expected to be more pronounced in areas with short growing seasons. Information concerning how reproductive ecology of endotherms might be influenced by growing season length (GSL) is rare, and species that breed over a broad geographic range provide an opportunity to study the effects of time constraints on reproductive strategies. We analyzed data from a temperate-breeding bird, the lesser scaup Aythya affinis; hereafter scaup, collected at eight sites across a broad gradient of GSL to evaluate three hypotheses related to reproductive compensation in response to varying time constraints. Clutch initiation date in scaup was unaffected by GSL and was unrelated to latitude; spring thaw dates had a marginal impact on timing of breeding. Clutch size declined during the nesting season, as is reported frequently in bird species, but was also unaffected by GSL. Scaup do not appear to compensate for shorter growing seasons by more rapidly reducing clutch size. This study demonstrates that this species is remarkably consistent in terms of timing of breeding and clutch size, regardless of growing season characteristics. Such inflexibility could make this species particularly sensitive to environmental changes that affect resource availabilities.

A Review of "Life Cycle: How We Grow and Change"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Digioia, Melissa Keyes

2010-01-01

Sexuality education curricula designed for youths with special needs are sparse. "Life Cycle: How We Grow and Change" (Vavricheck & Tolle, 2008) is a new curriculum by clinical social workers Sherrie Mansfield Vavricheck and R. Kay Tolle. Each chapter addresses a particular developmental stage between birth and death. Lessons within each chapter…

Performance Incentives: Their Growing Impact on American K-12 Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Springer, Matthew G., Ed.

2009-01-01

The concept of "pay for performance" for public school teachers is once again growing in popularity and use. U.S. education is now at a critical juncture that requires thoughtful and informed consideration of this policy innovation. "Performance Incentives" offers the most up-to-date and complete analysis yet of the…

Diorhabda carinulata and tamarisk control

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima) also referred to as salt cedar, native to Central Asia, is a shrub or small tree that has invaded more than 1.9 million hectares of habitat in southwestern and western United States. Tamarisk was brought to the United States in the early 1800s as an ornamental and late...

Saltcedar control and water salvage on the Pecos River, Texas, 1999 to 2003

Treesearch

Charles R. Hart; Larry D. White; Alyson McDonald; Zhuping Sheng

2007-01-01

A large scale ecosystem restoration program was initiated in 1997 on the Pecos River in western Texas. Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.), a non-native invasive tree, had created a near monoculture along the banks of the river by replacing most native vegetation. Local irrigation districts, private landowners, federal and state agencies, and private industry...

Overview of saltcedar biological control

Treesearch

C. Jack DeLoach; Lindsey R. Milbrath; Ray Carruthers; Allen E. Knutson; Fred Nibling; Debra Eberts; David C. Thompson; David J. Kazmer; Tom L. Dudley; Dan W. Bean; Jeff B. Knight

2006-01-01

Biological control has successfully controlled 10 exotic, invasive weeds of rangelands and natural ecosystems in the United States since 1945, and control of others is in progress. We initiated biological control of saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) in 1987, using host-specific insect herbivores that regulate saltcedar populations in the Old World. We did a...

Status Changes of Bird Species Using Revegetated Riparian Habitats on the Lower Colorado River from 1977 to 1984

Treesearch

Bertin W. Anderson; William C. Hunter; Robert D. Ohmart

1989-01-01

Two dredge-spoil sites were revegetated on the lower Colorado River with native riparian trees. Another site was cleared of exotic saltcedar (Tamarix chinensis) and revegetated with native shrubs. Sites were censused for birds through all phases of revegetation. Bird species were grouped by natural-history characteristics to determine changes in the...

Levels-of-growing-stock cooperative study in Douglas-fir: report no. 14—Stampede Creek, 30-year results.

Treesearch

Robert O. Curtis; David D. Marshall

2002-01-01

Results of the Stampede Creek installation of the levels-of-growing-stock (LOGS) study in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) are summarized. To age 63 (planned completion of 60 feet of height growth), volume growth on the site III natural stand has been strongly related to level of growing stock, but basal area growth-growing stock...

Growing Aligned Carbon Nanotubes for Interconnections in ICs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jun; Ye, Qi; Cassell, Alan; Ng, Hou Tee; Stevens, Ramsey; Han, Jie; Meyyappan, M.

2005-01-01

A process for growing multiwalled carbon nanotubes anchored at specified locations and aligned along specified directions has been invented. Typically, one would grow a number of the nanotubes oriented perpendicularly to a silicon integrated-circuit (IC) substrate, starting from (and anchored on) patterned catalytic spots on the substrate. Such arrays of perpendicular carbon nanotubes could be used as electrical interconnections between levels of multilevel ICs. The process (see Figure 1) begins with the formation of a layer, a few hundred nanometers thick, of a compatible electrically insulating material (e.g., SiO(x) or Si(y)N(z) on the silicon substrate. A patterned film of a suitable electrical conductor (Al, Mo, Cr, Ti, Ta, Pt, Ir, or doped Si), having a thickness between 1 nm and 2 m, is deposited on the insulating layer to form the IC conductor pattern. Next, a catalytic material (usually, Ni, Fe, or Co) is deposited to a thickness between 1 and 30 nm on the spots from which it is desired to grow carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes are grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Unlike the matted and tangled carbon nanotubes grown by thermal CVD, the carbon nanotubes grown by PECVD are perpendicular and freestanding because an electric field perpendicular to the substrate is used in PECVD. Next, the free space between the carbon nanotubes is filled with SiO2 by means of CVD from tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS), thereby forming an array of carbon nanotubes embedded in SiO2. Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is then performed to remove excess SiO2 and form a flat-top surface in which the outer ends of the carbon nanotubes are exposed. Optionally, depending on the application, metal lines to connect selected ends of carbon nanotubes may be deposited on the top surface. The top part of Figure 2 is a scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of carbon nanotubes grown, as described above, on catalytic spots of about 100 nm diameter patterned by

A biomechanical investigation of dual growing rods used for fusionless scoliosis correction.

PubMed

Quick, M E; Grant, C A; Adam, C J; Askin, G N; Labrom, R D; Pearcy, M J

2015-01-01

The use of dual growing rods is a fusionless surgical approach to the treatment of early onset scoliosis which aims to harness potential growth and correct spinal deformity. The purpose of this study was to compare the in-vitro biomechanical response of two different dual rod designs under axial rotation loading. Six porcine spines were dissected into seven level thoracolumbar multi-segment units. Each specimen was mounted and tested in a biaxial Instron machine, undergoing nondestructive left and right axial rotation to peak moments of 4 Nm at a constant rotation rate of 8 deg. s(-1). A motion tracking system (Optotrak) measured 3D displacements of individual vertebrae. Each spine was tested in an un-instrumented state first and then with appropriately sized semi-constrained and 'rigid' growing rods in alternating sequence. The range of motion, neutral zone size and stiffness were calculated from the moment-rotation curves and intervertebral range of motion was calculated from Optotrak data. Irrespective of test sequence, rigid rods showed a significant reduction of total rotation across all instrumented levels (with increased stiffness) whilst semi-constrained rods exhibited similar rotational behavior to the un-instrumented spines (P<0.05). An 11.1% and 8.0% increase in stiffness for left and right axial rotation respectively and 14.9% reduction in total range of motion were recorded with dual rigid rods compared with semi-constrained rods. Based on these findings, the Semi-constrained growing rods were shown to not increase axial rotation stiffness compared with un-instrumented spines. This is thought to provide a more physiological environment for the growing spine compared to dual rigid rod constructs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geographically Sourcing Cocaine’s Origin - Delineation of the Nineteen Major Coca Growing Regions in South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallette, Jennifer R.; Casale, John F.; Jordan, James; Morello, David R.; Beyer, Paul M.

2016-03-01

Previously, geo-sourcing to five major coca growing regions within South America was accomplished. However, the expansion of coca cultivation throughout South America made sub-regional origin determinations increasingly difficult. The former methodology was recently enhanced with additional stable isotope analyses (2H and 18O) to fully characterize cocaine due to the varying environmental conditions in which the coca was grown. An improved data analysis method was implemented with the combination of machine learning and multivariate statistical analysis methods to provide further partitioning between growing regions. Here, we show how the combination of trace cocaine alkaloids, stable isotopes, and multivariate statistical analyses can be used to classify illicit cocaine as originating from one of 19 growing regions within South America. The data obtained through this approach can be used to describe current coca cultivation and production trends, highlight trafficking routes, as well as identify new coca growing regions.

Treating opioid dependence. Growing implications for primary care.

PubMed

Krantz, Mori J; Mehler, Philip S

2004-02-09

Almost 3 million Americans have abused heroin. The most effective treatment for this concerning epidemic is opioid replacement therapy. Although, from a historical perspective, acceptance of this therapy has been slow, growing evidence supports its efficacy. There are 3 approved medications for opioid maintenance therapy: methadone hydrochloride, levomethadyl acetate, and buprenorphine hydrochloride. Each has unique characteristics that determine its suitability for an individual patient. Cardiac arrhythmias have been reported with methadone and levomethadyl, but not with buprenorphine. Due to concerns about cardiac risk, levomethadyl use has declined and the product may ultimately be discontinued. These recent safety concerns, specifics about opioid detoxification and maintenance, and new federal initiatives were studied. Opioid detoxification has a role in both preventing acute withdrawal and maintaining long-term abstinence. Although only a minority of eligible patients are engaged in treatment, opioid maintenance therapy appears to offer the greatest public health benefits. There is growing interest in expanding treatment into primary care, allowing opioid addiction to be managed like other chronic illnesses. This model has gained wide acceptance in Europe and is now being implemented in the United States. The recent Drug Addiction Treatment Act enables qualified physicians to treat opioid-dependent patients with buprenorphine in an office-based setting. Mainstreaming opioid addiction treatment has many advantages; its success will depend on resolution of ethical and delivery system issues as well as improved and expanded training of physicians in addiction medicine.

Effect of simvastatin injections on temporomandibular joint inflammation in growing rats.

PubMed

George, Mark D; Owen, Callista M; Reinhardt, Adam L; Giannini, Peter J; Marx, David B; Reinhardt, Richard A

2013-05-01

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis often affects the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), resulting in facial deformities, and intra-articular injections of anti-inflammatory steroids used in treatment may inhibit bone growth in the developing condyle. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory properties of simvastatin (SIM), a bone anabolic drug, compared with the common steroid triamcinolone hexacetonide (TH) in experimental TMJ arthritis of growing rats. Joint inflammation was induced by injecting complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) into the TMJs of 32 growing (4-week-old) Sprague-Dawley rats while simultaneously receiving 1) ethanol drug carrier, 2) 0.1 mg of SIM, 3) 0.5 mg of SIM, or 4) 0.15 mg of TH. Six rats had no treatment to the TMJ. Animals were euthanized 28 days later, and TMJs were decalcified and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Histopathologic TMJ results showed that CFA injection along with drug carrier induced increased thickness of the articular layer on the head of the condyle and inflammation of the retrodiscal area (CFA and ethanol). Although both TH and SIM reduced the articular layer thickness, 0.5 mg of SIM was more effective at reducing subsynovial inflammation. Intra-articular simvastatin showed anti-inflammatory properties in this TMJ model, prompting its further study in the growing TMJ, where bone anabolic properties would be important. Copyright © 2013 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Growing Galaxies Gently

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2010-10-01

New observations from ESO's Very Large Telescope have, for the first time, provided direct evidence that young galaxies can grow by sucking in the cool gas around them and using it as fuel for the formation of many new stars. In the first few billion years after the Big Bang the mass of a typical galaxy increased dramatically and understanding why this happened is one of the hottest problems in modern astrophysics. The results appear in the 14 October issue of the journal Nature. The first galaxies formed well before the Universe was one billion years old and were much smaller than the giant systems - including the Milky Way - that we see today. So somehow the average galaxy size has increased as the Universe has evolved. Galaxies often collide and then merge to form larger systems and this process is certainly an important growth mechanism. However, an additional, gentler way has been proposed. A European team of astronomers has used ESO's Very Large Telescope to test this very different idea - that young galaxies can also grow by sucking in cool streams of the hydrogen and helium gas that filled the early Universe and forming new stars from this primitive material. Just as a commercial company can expand either by merging with other companies, or by hiring more staff, young galaxies could perhaps also grow in two different ways - by merging with other galaxies or by accreting material. The team leader, Giovanni Cresci (Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri) says: "The new results from the VLT are the first direct evidence that the accretion of pristine gas really happened and was enough to fuel vigorous star formation and the growth of massive galaxies in the young Universe." The discovery will have a major impact on our understanding of the evolution of the Universe from the Big Bang to the present day. Theories of galaxy formation and evolution may have to be re-written. The group began by selecting three very distant galaxies to see if they could find evidence

As the EBacc Education Beds Down, Pressures Grow for Vocational Alternatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Martin

2016-01-01

Though upper secondary education is increasingly dominated by the EBacc, there are growing calls for vocational alternatives and for schools to be more than "exam factories". This short contribution examines whether vocational education provides an alternative way forward.

Usefulness of color Doppler sonography in a growing skull fracture: case report.

PubMed

Yoshioka, H; Sakoda, K; Kohno, H; Hada, H; Kurisu, K

1997-01-01

A case of an 11-month-old infant with a growing skull fracture is described. The patient was admitted with disturbance of consciousness and left hemiparesis after a severe head injury. A pulsating protrusion appeared over the fracture line 1 month later. Color Doppler sonography revealed cerebral herniation and cystic lesion via the bony defect, together with an intracranial arterial flow pattern detected in the extracranial space. Color Doppler sonography was very useful in the diagnosis of growing skull fracture and in the evaluation of the intracranial state, including hemodynamics in this case. Successful surgical treatment was performed on the basis of sonographic data and the patient was discharged 3 months later without motor deficits.

Wartime diet for growing bobwhite quail

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nestler, R.B.; Llewellyn, L.; Benner, M.

1944-01-01

Two experiments, using 784 bobwhite quail chicks, were conducted at the Patuxent Research Refuge, Bowie, Maryland, to find a growing diet that would meet wartime restrictions. In 1941 a diet containing 14 per cent sardine fish meal was formulated and gave satisfactory results from the standpoints of survival and growth. Since fish meal now is scarce, search was made for a diet without war-restricted commodities yet equal to the above-mentioned diet in feeding value. Ten diets were compared.....In the present experiments, quail fed this same diet modified by the substitution of 0.12 per cent of D-activated sterol for vitamin A and D feeding oil fortified showed the highest survival and the best live weights at the end of both the sixth and tenth weeks. They also were among the top three groups in requiring the least quantity of feed per unit of gain in weight; however, they consumed the greatest quantity of feed.....Of the other nine diets, that which seemed most promising, considering survival, live weight, and efficiency of feed utilization, was as follows (parts by weight) : Yellow corn, ground 26.08...Millet, ground 10.00...Alfalfa leaf meal, dehydrated 7.50...Soybean oil meal, solvent-processed 50.00...Dried whey 3.00...Special steamed bonemeal 1.50...Limestone, ground 0.80...Salt mixture 1.OO...D-activated animal sterol 0.12....100.00.....At the end of ten weeks the results on this diet (Diet l l ) , as compared with that containing sardine meal (Diet 23), were as follows: Diet No. 11 Percentage survival 71, Average live weight per bird, grams 144,....Growing mash consumed, per bird-day, grams 6.8 Feed consumed per gram of gain in weight (grams) 3.8......Diet 23....Percentage survival, 80,...Avg live weight per bird, grams....145,....Growing mash consumed , per bird-day, grams...7.4...Feed consumed per gram of gain in weight (grams)....3.9. Results were unsatisfactory when expeller-processed soybean oil meal was used in this diet to replace solvent

Inference for lidar-assisted estimation of forest growing stock volume

Treesearch

Ronald E. McRoberts; Erik Næsset; Terje Gobakken

2013-01-01

Estimates of growing stock volume are reported by the national forest inventories (NFI) of most countries and may serve as the basis for aboveground biomass and carbon estimates as required by an increasing number of international agreements. The probability-based (design-based) statistical estimators traditionally used by NFIs to calculate estimates are generally...

NASA's Bioreactor: Growing Cells in a Microgravity Environment. Educational Brief.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC.

This brief discusses growing cells in a microgravity environment for grades 9-12. Students are provided with plans for building a classroom bioreactor that can then be used with the included activity on seed growth in a microgravity environment. Additional experimental ideas are also suggested along with a history and background on microgravity…

Growing up Faster, Feeling Older: Hardship in Childhood and Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Monica Kirkpatrick; Mollborn, Stefanie

2009-01-01

We examine whether hardship while growing up shapes subjective age identity, as well as three types of experiences through which it may occur. Drawing on data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we find that hardship in several domains during childhood and adolescence is associated with feeling relatively older and…

Rapidly growing glandular papilloma associated with mucus production: a case report

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Pulmonary glandular papillomas are rare neoplasms, and their very slow or absent growth over time generally facilitates establishing the diagnosis. Case presentation In an 84-year-old woman who underwent surgery for sigmoid colon cancer, a growing solitary pulmonary nodule was identified on postoperative follow-up computed tomography. A computer tomography-guided needle biopsy was performed under suspicion that the nodule was malignant. The histopathological findings suggested a glandular papilloma. Right basilar segmentectomy was carried out, and the lesion was completely resected. Postoperative histopathological examination revealed a benign glandular papilloma accompanied by mucus retention in the surrounding alveolar region. Conclusions A malignant neoplasm is usually suspected when a pulmonary tumor shows rapid growth. However, glandular papillomas associated with mucus retention also tend to grow in some cases, and should be included in the differential diagnosis. PMID:24886616

Growing-finishing performance and carcass characteristics of pigs fed normal and genetically modified low-phytate corn.

PubMed

Spencer, J D; Allee, G L; Sauber, T E

2000-06-01

A genetically modified corn hybrid homozygous for the lpa1 allele, containing low phytate (LP), and its nearly isogenic equivalent hybrid (normal) were compared in two experiments with growing-finishing swine. In Exp. 1, 210 barrows (27 kg) were allotted to one of six dietary treatments with two corn hybrids (LP and normal) and three P feeding regimens. There were five replicate pens (seven pigs/pen) per treatment. Treatments consisted of diets that were supplemented with P throughout the growing-finishing period (.2% P and .15% supplemental P during growing and finishing phases, respectively) or only during the growing phase (.2% supplemental P) or that were not supplemented with P throughout the growing-finishing period. Performance at the end of the growing phase was based on a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments with two corn hybrids and two levels of added P (0 and .2%). This resulted in 10 replicates for the treatments supplemented with .2% P. The finishing phase (73 to 112 kg) was a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments with the two types of corn and three regimens of added P during the finishing period. Breaking load (BL) and ash of the fourth metacarpal were evaluated from one pig/pen at the end of the growing phase and from all pigs after slaughter. Pigs fed the LP corn diet without added P had greater body weight gain, feed efficiency, BL, and ash content of the fourth metacarpal than pigs fed the normal corn diet without added P. Performance was similar between pigs fed the LP diet without added P and pigs fed LP and normal corn with added P. In Exp. 2, 1,092 gilts (34 kg body weight) were allotted by weight in a commercial facility to one of three treatments: 1) normal corn/soybean meal diet containing .29% and .22% available P during the growing and finishing phases, respectively; 2) LP corn/soybean meal diet with the same available P level as Treatment 1; and 3) same as Treatment 2 for 8 wk, then no inorganic P supplementation during the

Wall relaxation in growing stems: comparison of four species and assessment of measurement techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cosgrove, D. J.

1987-01-01

This study was carried out to develop improved methods for measuring in-vivo stress relaxation of growing tissues and to compare relaxation in the stems of four different species. When water uptake by growing tissue is prevented, in-vivo stress relaxation occurs because continued wall loosening reduces wall stress and cell turgor pressure. With this procedure one may measure the yield threshold for growth (Y), the turgor pressure in excess of the yield threshold (P-Y), and the physiological wall extensibility (phi). Three relaxation techniques proved useful: "turgor-relaxation", "balance-pressure" and "pressure-block". In the turgor-relaxation method, water is withheld from growing tissue and the reduction in turgor is measured directly with the pressure probe. This technique gives absolute values for P and Y, but requires tissue excision. In the balance-pressure technique, the excised growing region is sealed in a pressure chamber, and the subsequent reduction in water potential is measured as the applied pressure needed to return xylem sap to the cut surface. This method is simple, but only measures (P-Y), not the individual values of P and Y. In the pressure-block technique, the growing tissue is sealed into a pressure chamber, growth is monitored continuously, and just sufficient pressure is applied to the chamber to block growth. The method gives high-resolution kinetics of relaxation and does not require tissue excision, but only measures (P-Y). The three methods gave similar results when applied to the growing stems of pea (Pisum sativum L.), cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) and zucchini (Curcubita pepo L.) seedlings. Values for (P-Y) averaged between 1.4 and 2.7 bar, depending on species. Yield thresholds averaged between 1.3 and 3.0 bar. Compared with the other methods, relaxation by pressure-block was faster and exhibited dynamic changes in wall-yielding properties. The two pressure-chamber methods were also used to measure

State-and-transition prototype model of riparian vegetation downstream of Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ralston, Barbara E.; Starfield, Anthony M.; Black, Ronald S.; Van Lonkhuyzen, Robert A.

2014-01-01

Facing an altered riparian plant community dominated by nonnative species, resource managers are increasingly interested in understanding how to manage and promote healthy riparian habitats in which native species dominate. For regulated rivers, managing flows is one tool resource managers consider to achieve these goals. Among many factors that can influence riparian community composition, hydrology is a primary forcing variable. Frame-based models, used successfully in grassland systems, provide an opportunity for stakeholders concerned with riparian systems to evaluate potential riparian vegetation responses to alternative flows. Frame-based, state-and-transition models of riparian vegetation for reattachment bars, separation bars, and the channel margin found on the Colorado River downstream of Glen Canyon Dam were constructed using information from the literature. Frame-based models can be simple spreadsheet models (created in Microsoft® Excel) or developed further with programming languages (for example, C-sharp). The models described here include seven community states and five dam operations that cause transitions between states. Each model divides operations into growing (April–September) and non-growing seasons (October–March) and incorporates upper and lower bar models, using stage elevation as a division. The inputs (operations) can be used by stakeholders to evaluate flows that may promote dynamic riparian vegetation states, or identify those flow options that may promote less desirable states (for example, Tamarisk [Tamarix sp.] temporarily flooded shrubland). This prototype model, although simple, can still elicit discussion about operational options and vegetation response.

Effect of irrigation techniques and strategies on water footprint of growing crops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chukalla, A. D.; Krol, M. S.; Hoekstra, A. Y. Y.

2014-12-01

Reducing the water footprint (WF) of growing crops, the largest water user and a significant contributor to the WF of many consumer products, plays a significant role in integrated and sustainable water management. The water footprint for growing crop is accounted by relating the crop yield with the corresponding consumptive water use (CWU), which both can be adjusted by measures that affect the crop growth and root-zone soil water balance. This study explored the scope for reducing the water footprint of irrigated crops by experimenting set of field level technical and managerial measures: (i) irrigation technologies (Furrow, sprinkler, drip and sub-surface drip), (ii) irrigation strategies (full and a range of sustained and controlled deficit) and (iii) field management options (zero, organic and synthetic mulching). Ranges of cases were also considered: (a) Arid and semi-arid environment (b) Loam and Sandy-loam soil types and (c) for Potato, Wheat and Maize crops; under (c) wet, normal and dry years. AquaCrop, the water driven crop growth and soil water balance model, offered the opportunity to systematically experiment these measures on water consumption and yield. Further, the green and blue water footprints of growing crop corresponding to each measure were computed by separating the root zone fluxes of the AquaCrop output into the green and blue soil water stocks and their corresponding fluxes. Results showed that in arid environment reduction in irrigation supply, CWU and WF up to 300 mm, 80 mm and 75 m3/tonne respectively can be achieved for Maize by a combination of organic mulching and drip technology with controlled deficit irrigation strategies (10-20-30-40% deficit with reference to the full irrigation requirement). These reductions come with a yield drop of 0.54 tonne/ha. In the same environment under the absence of mulching practice, the sub-surface drip perform better in reducing CWU and WF of irrigated crops followed by drip and furrow irrigation

Utilization of Hardwoods Growing on Southern Pine Sites – Volume 2

Treesearch

Peter Koch

1985-01-01

This three-volume text characterizes the 22 principal hardwood species that grow among southern pines, describes the processes by which they are converted to products, describes present and potential products, analyzes the economic feasibility of such conversions, and discusses trends.

Utilization of Hardwoods Growing on Southern Pine Sites – Volume 1

Treesearch

Peter Koch

1985-01-01

This three-volume text characterizes the 22 principal hardwood species that grow among southern pines, describes the processes by which they are converted to products, describes present and potential products, analyzes the economic feasibility of such conversions, and discusses trends.

Utilization of Hardwoods Growing on Southern Pine Sites – Volume 3

Treesearch

Peter Koch

1985-01-01

This three-volume text characterizes the 22 principal hardwood species that grow among southern pines, describes the processes by which they are converted to products, describes present and potential products, analyzes the economic feasibility of such conversions, and discusses trends.

Growing Mediums in Different Environments for Sunflower and Cilantro Microgreens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, B.; Gonzalez, O.

2016-12-01

The purpose of this experiment is to investigate the growth and subsequent harvest of young seedlings known as microgreens, which have expanded into a very profitable market. The goal of the experiment is to discover whether the nutrients, soil quality and climate influences the quality, flavor, and yield of the microgreens. To conduct this experiment, locations and soil types were chosen; the locations consisted of a greenhouse (an enclosed space which held consistent sunlight, warmth, and humidity) and a lath house (a somewhat shaded location that was open to the elements as well as temperature changes), while compost, Quick Root (a growing medium that is relatively devoid of nutrients), and a combination of the two is used in this experiment. This meant that a total of six different combinations could be tested. Along with that, two different seeds were selected, sunflower seeds and cilantro seeds. Each of the results are mainly influenced by the soil type, and a partial influence by the climate. Compost has an extreme lack in growth and did not produce enough plants to record in general. The Quick Root results show only a burst of growth would occur; also, the plants did not have a strong taste, but did grow slightly quicker within the greenhouse. Another advantage to the Quick Root results is that the root size nearly tripled compared to the 50/50 root size. 50/50 holds the strongest results i.e., growth consistency and holds a stronger taste. Originally, there was an attempt to grow sunflowers uncovered, but was not attempted again due to poor results. Overall the 50/50 held a stronger growth and taste, but also would easily excel in the long run compared to the Quick Root and the compost.

Exact Solutions of Coupled Multispecies Linear Reaction–Diffusion Equations on a Uniformly Growing Domain

PubMed Central

Simpson, Matthew J.; Sharp, Jesse A.; Morrow, Liam C.; Baker, Ruth E.

2015-01-01

Embryonic development involves diffusion and proliferation of cells, as well as diffusion and reaction of molecules, within growing tissues. Mathematical models of these processes often involve reaction–diffusion equations on growing domains that have been primarily studied using approximate numerical solutions. Recently, we have shown how to obtain an exact solution to a single, uncoupled, linear reaction–diffusion equation on a growing domain, 0 < x < L(t), where L(t) is the domain length. The present work is an extension of our previous study, and we illustrate how to solve a system of coupled reaction–diffusion equations on a growing domain. This system of equations can be used to study the spatial and temporal distributions of different generations of cells within a population that diffuses and proliferates within a growing tissue. The exact solution is obtained by applying an uncoupling transformation, and the uncoupled equations are solved separately before applying the inverse uncoupling transformation to give the coupled solution. We present several example calculations to illustrate different types of behaviour. The first example calculation corresponds to a situation where the initially–confined population diffuses sufficiently slowly that it is unable to reach the moving boundary at x = L(t). In contrast, the second example calculation corresponds to a situation where the initially–confined population is able to overcome the domain growth and reach the moving boundary at x = L(t). In its basic format, the uncoupling transformation at first appears to be restricted to deal only with the case where each generation of cells has a distinct proliferation rate. However, we also demonstrate how the uncoupling transformation can be used when each generation has the same proliferation rate by evaluating the exact solutions as an appropriate limit. PMID:26407013

Exact Solutions of Coupled Multispecies Linear Reaction-Diffusion Equations on a Uniformly Growing Domain.

PubMed

Simpson, Matthew J; Sharp, Jesse A; Morrow, Liam C; Baker, Ruth E

2015-01-01

Embryonic development involves diffusion and proliferation of cells, as well as diffusion and reaction of molecules, within growing tissues. Mathematical models of these processes often involve reaction-diffusion equations on growing domains that have been primarily studied using approximate numerical solutions. Recently, we have shown how to obtain an exact solution to a single, uncoupled, linear reaction-diffusion equation on a growing domain, 0 < x < L(t), where L(t) is the domain length. The present work is an extension of our previous study, and we illustrate how to solve a system of coupled reaction-diffusion equations on a growing domain. This system of equations can be used to study the spatial and temporal distributions of different generations of cells within a population that diffuses and proliferates within a growing tissue. The exact solution is obtained by applying an uncoupling transformation, and the uncoupled equations are solved separately before applying the inverse uncoupling transformation to give the coupled solution. We present several example calculations to illustrate different types of behaviour. The first example calculation corresponds to a situation where the initially-confined population diffuses sufficiently slowly that it is unable to reach the moving boundary at x = L(t). In contrast, the second example calculation corresponds to a situation where the initially-confined population is able to overcome the domain growth and reach the moving boundary at x = L(t). In its basic format, the uncoupling transformation at first appears to be restricted to deal only with the case where each generation of cells has a distinct proliferation rate. However, we also demonstrate how the uncoupling transformation can be used when each generation has the same proliferation rate by evaluating the exact solutions as an appropriate limit.

Play School: Where Children and Families Learn and Grow Together

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDermott, Lori Berger

2012-01-01

A growing body of national research confirms that significant levels of learning and growth occur during early childhood, and that it is important, from a public policy perspective, to increase access to quality programs and services that support the development of skills and attitudes children need to succeed. Clearly, no one-size-fits-all…

Green kiwifruit modulates the colonic microbiota in growing pigs.

PubMed

Han, K S; Balan, P; Molist Gasa, F; Boland, M

2011-04-01

To investigate whether green kiwifruit modulates the composition of colonic microbiota in growing pigs. Thirty-two pigs were fed the control diet or one of the three test diets containing either cellulose, freeze-dried kiwifruit or kiwifruit fibre as the sole fibre source for 14-day study. A Ward's dendrogram of similarity cluster analysis on PCR-DGGE gels revealed that inclusion of freeze-dried kiwifruit and kiwifruit fibre into diets altered the bacterial community, indicating the presence of two distinct clusters. Quantification of different bacterial groups by qPCR demonstrated that pigs fed the freeze-dried kiwifruit or kiwifruit fibre diets had a significantly higher number (P < 0·05) of total bacteria and Bacteroides group and a lower number of Enterobacteria and Escherichia coli group, as well as a greater ratio of Lactobacillus to Enterobacteria when compared to pigs fed the control or cellulose diets. Green kiwifruit, mainly because of fibre, modulated the colonic microbiota, leading to an improved intestinal environment in growing pigs. This is the first report regarding the effect of green kiwifruit on gut microbiota using the in vivo pig model. These results provide the first evidence of interaction between green kiwifruit and colonic microbiota. © 2011 The Authors. Letters in Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Growing patterns to produce 'nitrate-free' lettuce (Lactuca sativa).

PubMed

Croitoru, Mircea Dumitru; Muntean, Daniela-Lucia; Fülöp, Ibolya; Modroiu, Adriana

2015-01-01

Vegetables can contain significant amounts of nitrate and, therefore, may pose health hazards to consumers by exceeding the accepted daily intake for nitrate. Different hydroponic growing patterns were examined in this work in order to obtain 'nitrate-free lettuces'. Growing lettuces on low nitrate content nutrient solution resulted in a significant decrease in lettuces' nitrate concentrations (1741 versus 39 mg kg(-1)), however the beneficial effect was cancelled out by an increase in the ambient temperature. Nitrate replacement with ammonium was associated with an important decrease of the lettuces' nitrate concentration (from 1896 to 14 mg kg(-1)) and survival rate. An economically feasible method to reduce nitrate concentrations was the removal of all inorganic nitrogen from the nutrient solution before the exponential growth phase. This method led to lettuces almost devoid of nitrate (10 mg kg(-1)). The dried mass and calcinated mass of lettuces, used as markers of lettuces' quality, were not influenced by this treatment, but a small reduction (18%, p < 0.05) in the fresh mass was recorded. The concentrations of nitrite in the lettuces and their modifications are also discussed in the paper. It is possible to obtain 'nitrate-free' lettuces in an economically feasible way.

Randomizing growing networks with a time-respecting null model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Zhuo-Ming; Mariani, Manuel Sebastian; Zhang, Yi-Cheng; Medo, Matúš

2018-05-01

Complex networks are often used to represent systems that are not static but grow with time: People make new friendships, new papers are published and refer to the existing ones, and so forth. To assess the statistical significance of measurements made on such networks, we propose a randomization methodology—a time-respecting null model—that preserves both the network's degree sequence and the time evolution of individual nodes' degree values. By preserving the temporal linking patterns of the analyzed system, the proposed model is able to factor out the effect of the system's temporal patterns on its structure. We apply the model to the citation network of Physical Review scholarly papers and the citation network of US movies. The model reveals that the two data sets are strikingly different with respect to their degree-degree correlations, and we discuss the important implications of this finding on the information provided by paradigmatic node centrality metrics such as indegree and Google's PageRank. The randomization methodology proposed here can be used to assess the significance of any structural property in growing networks, which could bring new insights into the problems where null models play a critical role, such as the detection of communities and network motifs.

Suppression of Pythium spp. by Trichoderma spp. during germination of tomato seeds in soilless growing media.

PubMed

Aerts, R; De Schutter, B; Rombouts, L

2002-01-01

In the Flemish horticulture Pythium spp. is an important pathogen of tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculenthum) in soilless growing media. Therefore some experiments were conducted to evaluate the possibility of decreasing the damage caused by Pythium spp. by Trichoderma spp. In a tray with several growing media, a suspension of Trichoderma conidia (10(6)/ml growing medium) was applied two weeks before sowing. On some objects, a compost extract (Biostimulus) was added. The growing media used in the experiment were rockwool, recycled rockwool and recycled coconut fibre. After sowing, the trays were covered with perlite. Three isolates of Trichoderma spp.: T. asperellum (Biofungus), T. harzianum (Tri 003) and Trichoderma sp. (KHK) and two isolates of Pythium spp.: P. ultimum (MUCL) en P. aphanidermatum (HRI, UK) were used. Propamocarb was used as a chemical standard. The use of coconut fibre growing medium resulted in a higher percentage (36%) of germination than the rockwool media when only Pythium spp. was used. The presence of the spontaneous developing microflora in the coconut fibre medium gave probably also a suppression of Pythium spp. For that reason the results of the suppression by Trichoderma spp. are not easy to explain and very variable on the different objects. Pythium ultimum was more suppressed than P. aphanidermatum on all the growing media and the application of all the Trichoderma isolates increased the germination percentage of tomato seeds. T. asperellum (Biofungus) gave on rockwool also a good result for the suppression of P. aphanidermatum (increasing of germination with 48%). This effect was comparable with the propamocarb treatment (48%). T. harzianum (Tri 003) gave a small suppression (22%) and Trichoderma sp. (KHK) gave almost no suppression of P. aphanidermatum (7%). When less Trichoderma conidia were applied the germination percentage decreased. The adding of a compost extract (Biostimulus) had no influence on the results. This experiment

Himalayan origin and evolution of Myricaria (Tamaricaeae) in the Neogene

Treesearch

Ming-Li Zhang; Hong-Hu Meng; Hong-Xiang Zhang; Byalt V. Vyacheslav; Stewart C. Sanderson

2014-01-01

The Tamaricaceae contains about eighty species [1] and four genera: Tamarix, Myricaria, Reumuria, and Hololachna [2]. This family, and Frankeniaceae, are defined as the salt-gland anatomical lineage [3]. Myricaria consists of about twelve - thirteen species [4-7] and occurs in Northern Temperate zone of Eurasia, mainly along the Asian mountains. There are eight species...

Managing saltcedar after a summer wildfire in the Texas Rolling Plains

Treesearch

Russell Fox; Rob Mitchell; Mike Davin

2001-01-01

Saltcedar (Tamarix spp) has invaded nearly one million acres of riparian ecosystems in the southwestern U.S., displacing many native species. The objectives of this study were to estimate saltcedar mortality to summer wildfire, summer wildfire followed by rollerchopping, and dormant season treatment with 25 percent triclopyr to regrowth following a summer wildfire at...

Genetic diversity and structure of an endangered desert shrub and the implications for conservation

Treesearch

Zhihao Su; Bryce A. Richardson; Li Zhuo; Xiaolong Jiang; Wenjun Li; Xiaoshan Kang

2017-01-01

Population genetic information can provide valuable insight for the conservation and management of threatened and endangered plant species. Tamarix taklamakanensis is an endangered shrub endemic to arid basins of northwestern China. This species serves to stabilize soils in this region, but has seen substantial loss in its abundance due to depletion of ground water....

Genetic and environmental influences on cold hardiness of native and introduced riparian trees

Treesearch

Jonathan M. Friedman; James E. Roelle; Brian S. Cade

2012-01-01

To explore latitudinal genetic variation in cold hardiness and leaf phenology, we planted a common garden of paired collections of native and introduced riparian trees sampled along a latitudinal gradient. The garden in Fort Collins, Colorado (latitude 40.6°N), included 681 native plains cottonwood (Populus deltoides subsp. monilifera) and introduced saltcedar (Tamarix...

Remote Sensing of Saltcedar Biological Control Effectiveness

Treesearch

Ray Carruthers; Gerald Anderson; Jack DeLoach; Jeff Knight; Shaokui Ge; Peng Gong

2006-01-01

Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) is a major invasive weed found throughout the Western United States and Mexico. Introduced into North America in the 1800s, this shrub to small tree, now infests many riparian areas where it displaces native vegetation, increases fire hazards, uses extensive amounts of water, increases flooding during high water events and...

Hybrid poplars: fast-growing, disease-resistant species has multiple uses

Treesearch

Ronald S., Jr. Zalesny

2004-01-01

The production of alternative fuels as a source of energy is a focus of concern in the United States. Intensively cultured hybrid poplar plantations have been used to supplement industrial fiber supplies in several areas of the United States, and have therefore gained attention in the North Central region. Attention is focused on poplars because they are fast growing...

Change in Length of Growing Season by State, 1895-2015

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This map shows the total change in length of the growing season, time of first fall frost and time of last spring frost from 1895 to 2015 for each of the contiguous 48 states. Data were provided by Dr. Kenneth Kunkel of NOAA's Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites. For more information: www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/indicators

How 5 Colleges Plan to Keep Growing in Hard Times

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masterson, Kathryn

2009-01-01

Momentum can stall in a time of diminished resources. For colleges on the fast track, leaders have shifted money around and made some hard choices to keep growing. The author reached out to five up-and-coming institutions to find out how they manage their ambitions during tough times. As many colleges instituted hiring freezes to save money,…

Enhanced crude oil biodegradation in soil via biostimulation.

PubMed

Al-Saleh, Esmaeil; Hassan, Ali

2016-08-02

Research on feasible methods for the enhancement of bioremediation in soil contaminated by crude oil is vital in oil-exporting countries such as Kuwait, where crude oil is a major pollutant and the environment is hostile to biodegradation. This study investigated the possibility of enhancing crude oil bioremediation by supplementing soil with cost-effective organic materials derived from two widespread locally grown trees, Conocarpus and Tamarix. Amendments in soils increased the counts of soil microbiota by up to 98% and enhanced their activity by up to 95.5%. The increase in the biodegradation of crude oil (75%) and high levels of alkB expression substantiated the efficiency of the proposed amendment technology for the bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated sites. The identification of crude-oil-degrading bacteria revealed the dominance of the genus Microbacterium (39.6%), Sphingopyxis soli (19.3%), and Bordetella petrii (19.6%) in unamended, Conocarpus-amended, and Tamarix-amended contaminated soils, respectively. Although soil amendments favored the growth of Gram-negative bacteria and reduced bacterial diversity, the structures of bacterial communities were not significantly altered.

Relation of Stem Diameter, Branch Basal Area, and Leaf Biomass in Rapidly Growing Loblolly Pine

Treesearch

Thomas M. Williams; Charles A. Gresham

2004-01-01

Twenty loblolly pines, growing in International Paper’s maximum growth experiment at Bainbridge GA, were destructively sampled at the end of the sixth growing season. Ten trees in the control and 10 in the maximum treatment were sampled. All trees were planted at a 2.4- by 3.6-m spacing and grown with complete competition control. The maximum trees also received...

Does Health Coaching Grow Capacity in Cancer Survivors? A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Barakat, Suzette; Boehmer, Kasey; Abdelrahim, Marwan; Ahn, Sangwoo; Al-Khateeb, Abdulrahman A; Villalobos, Neri Álvarez; Prokop, Larry; Erwin, Patricia J; Fleming, Kirsten; Serrano, Valentina; Spencer-Bonilla, Gabriela; Murad, Mohammad Hassan

2018-02-01

Interventions that grow patient capacity to do the work of health care and life are needed to support the health of cancer survivors. Health coaching may grow capacity. This systematic review of health coaching interventions explored coaching's ability to grow capacity of cancer survivors. The authors included randomized trials or quasi-experimental studies comparing coaching to alternative interventions, and adhered to PRISMA reporting guidelines. Data were analyzed using the Theory of Patient Capacity (BREWS: Capacity is affected by factors that influence ability to reframe Biography ["B"], mobilize or recruit Resources ["R"], interact with the Environment of care ["E"], accomplish Work ["W"]), and function Socially ["S"]). The authors reviewed 2210 references and selected 12 studies (6 randomized trials and 6 pre-post). These studies included 1038 cancer survivors, mean age 57.2 years, with various type of cancers: breast, colorectal, prostate, and lung. Health coaching was associated with improved quality of life, mood, and physical activity but not self-efficacy. Classified by potential to support growth in patient capacity, 67% of included studies reported statistically significant outcomes that support "B" (quality of life, acceptance, spirituality), 75% "R" (decreased fatigue, pain), 67% "W" (increased physical activity), and 33% "S" (social deprivation index). None addressed changing the patient's environment of care. In cancer survivors, health coaching improved quality of life and supported patient capacity by several mechanisms, suggesting an important role for "Capacity Coaching." Future interventions that improve self-efficacy and patients' environments of care are needed. Capacity Coaching may improve health and quality of life of cancer survivors.

Genetic mapping of variation in dauer larvae development in growing populations of Caenorhabditis elegans.

PubMed

Green, J W M; Snoek, L B; Kammenga, J E; Harvey, S C

2013-10-01

In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, the appropriate induction of dauer larvae development within growing populations is likely to be a primary determinant of genotypic fitness. The underlying genetic architecture of natural genetic variation in dauer formation has, however, not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we report extensive natural genetic variation in dauer larvae development within growing populations across multiple wild isolates. Moreover, bin mapping of introgression lines (ILs) derived from the genetically divergent isolates N2 and CB4856 reveals 10 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting dauer formation. Comparison of individual ILs to N2 identifies an additional eight QTLs, and sequential IL analysis reveals six more QTLs. Our results also show that a behavioural, laboratory-derived, mutation controlled by the neuropeptide Y receptor homolog npr-1 can affect dauer larvae development in growing populations. These findings illustrate the complex genetic architecture of variation in dauer larvae formation in C. elegans and may help to understand how the control of variation in dauer larvae development has evolved.

On the mechanics of growing thin biological membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rausch, Manuel K.; Kuhl, Ellen

2014-02-01

Despite their seemingly delicate appearance, thin biological membranes fulfill various crucial roles in the human body and can sustain substantial mechanical loads. Unlike engineering structures, biological membranes are able to grow and adapt to changes in their mechanical environment. Finite element modeling of biological growth holds the potential to better understand the interplay of membrane form and function and to reliably predict the effects of disease or medical intervention. However, standard continuum elements typically fail to represent thin biological membranes efficiently, accurately, and robustly. Moreover, continuum models are typically cumbersome to generate from surface-based medical imaging data. Here we propose a computational model for finite membrane growth using a classical midsurface representation compatible with standard shell elements. By assuming elastic incompressibility and membrane-only growth, the model a priori satisfies the zero-normal stress condition. To demonstrate its modular nature, we implement the membrane growth model into the general-purpose non-linear finite element package Abaqus/Standard using the concept of user subroutines. To probe efficiently and robustness, we simulate selected benchmark examples of growing biological membranes under different loading conditions. To demonstrate the clinical potential, we simulate the functional adaptation of a heart valve leaflet in ischemic cardiomyopathy. We believe that our novel approach will be widely applicable to simulate the adaptive chronic growth of thin biological structures including skin membranes, mucous membranes, fetal membranes, tympanic membranes, corneoscleral membranes, and heart valve membranes. Ultimately, our model can be used to identify diseased states, predict disease evolution, and guide the design of interventional or pharmaceutic therapies to arrest or revert disease progression.

Unpredictable Feeding Impairs Glucose Tolerance in Growing Lambs

PubMed Central

Jaquiery, Anne L.; Oliver, Mark H.; Landon-Lane, Nina; Matthews, Samuel J.; Harding, Jane E.; Bloomfield, Frank H.

2013-01-01

Irregular eating is associated with insulin resistance and metabolic disease in adults but may affect young, growing children differently. We investigated the metabolic effects of unpredictable feeding in female juvenile lambs randomly assigned to receive, for six weeks, maintenance feed given twice daily in equal portions (Control Group, C; n = 24) or the same weekly feed amount in aliquots of variable size at unpredictable times (Unpredictable Group, U; n = 21). Intravenous glucose tolerance tests (IVGTT), insulin tolerance tests (ITT), and measurement of diurnal plasma cortisol concentrations were performed pre and post the dietary intervention. Groups were compared using t test and RM ANOVA. Weight gain was similar in both groups (C 18±2%; U 16±2% of initial body weight). Glucose area under the curve (AUC) was unchanged in C (AUC pre 818±34, post 801±33 mmol.min.l−1), but increased by 20% in U (pre 830±25, post 1010±19 mmol.min.l−1; p<0.0001), with an inadequate insulin response to glucose load (log(AUC insulin first 40 minutes) post intervention C 1.49±0.04 vs U 1.36±0.04 ng.min.ml−1; p = 0.03). Insulin tolerance and diurnal variation of plasma cortisol concentrations were not different between groups. Unpredictable feeding impairs insulin response to glucose in growing lambs despite high quality food and normal weight gain. Irregular eating warrants investigation as a potentially remediable risk factor for disordered glucose metabolism. PMID:23613779

How Do Galaxies Grow?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2008-08-01

Astronomers have caught multiple massive galaxies in the act of merging about 4 billion years ago. This discovery, made possible by combining the power of the best ground- and space-based telescopes, uniquely supports the favoured theory of how galaxies form. ESO PR Photo 24/08 ESO PR Photo 24/08 Merging Galaxies in Groups How do galaxies form? The most widely accepted answer to this fundamental question is the model of 'hierarchical formation', a step-wise process in which small galaxies merge to build larger ones. One can think of the galaxies forming in a similar way to how streams merge to form rivers, and how these rivers, in turn, merge to form an even larger river. This theoretical model predicts that massive galaxies grow through many merging events in their lifetime. But when did their cosmological growth spurts finish? When did the most massive galaxies get most of their mass? To answer these questions, astronomers study massive galaxies in clusters, the cosmological equivalent of cities filled with galaxies. "Whether the brightest galaxies in clusters grew substantially in the last few billion years is intensely debated. Our observations show that in this time, these galaxies have increased their mass by 50%," says Kim-Vy Tran from the University of Zürich, Switzerland, who led the research. The astronomers made use of a large ensemble of telescopes and instruments, including ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT) and the Hubble Space Telescope, to study in great detail galaxies located 4 billion light-years away. These galaxies lie in an extraordinary system made of four galaxy groups that will assemble into a cluster. In particular, the team took images with VIMOS and spectra with FORS2, both instruments on the VLT. From these and other observations, the astronomers could identify a total of 198 galaxies belonging to these four groups. The brightest galaxies in each group contain between 100 and 1000 billion of stars, a property that makes them comparable

Growing toward Excellence: Standards for School Nutrition Programs in North Dakota.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Dakota School Food Service Association., Bismarck.

The American School Food Service Association (ASFSA) has encouraged each state to adapt "Standards of Excellence" for school nutrition programs. The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI), in cooperation with the North Dakota School Food Service Association (NDSFSA), has developed this document, "Growing Toward…

Increased photosynthesis compensates for shorter growing season in subarctic tundra - seven years of snow accumulation manipulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bosiö, Julia; Johansson, Margareta; Njuabe, Herbert; Christensen, Torben R.

2013-04-01

This study was initiated to analyze the effect of snow cover on photosynthesis and plant growth in subarctic mires underlain by permafrost. Due to their narrow environmental window these raised bogs, often referred to as palsa mires, are highly sensitive to climatic changes. In Fennoscandia palsa mires are currently subjected to climate related thawing and shift in vegetational and hydrological patterns. Yet, we know little of how these subarctic permafrost mires react and feed back to such changes. By using snow fences to hinder snow drift the accumulation of snow was increased in six plots (10x20 m) in a snow manipulation experiment on a subarctic permafrost mire in northern Sweden. The thicker snow pack prolongs the duration of the snow cover in spring, causing a delay in the onset, as well as an overall shortening of the growing season. By measuring incoming and reflected photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) we wanted to address the question whether the increased snow thickness and associated delay of the growing season start affected the absorbed PAR and the accumulated gross primary production (GPP) over the season. The reflected PAR was measured at twelve plots where six of the plots experienced increased snow accumulation (treatment), and remaining six plots were untreated (control). Minikin QT sensors with integrated data loggers logged incoming and reflected PAR hourly throughout the growing seasons of 2011 and 2012. In July - September 2010 PAR measurements were coupled with flux chamber measurements to assess GPP and light use efficiency of the plots. The increased accumulation of snow prolonged the duration of the snow cover in spring, causing a delay in the onset, as well as an overall shortening of the growing season in the treated plots. The end of the growing season was not affected by the snow manipulation. The delay of the growing season start and hence overall shortening of the growing season in the treatment plots was 18 days in 2011 and 3

Mars Gardens in the University - Red Thumbs: Growing Vegetables in Martian regolith simulant.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guinan, Edward Francis

2018-01-01

Over the next few decades NASA and private enterprise missions plan to send manned missions to Mars with the ultimate aim to establish a permanent human presence on this planet. For a self-sustaining colony on Mars it will be necessary to provide food by growing plants in sheltered greenhouses on the Martian surface. As part of an undergraduate student project in Astrobiology at Villanova University, experiments are being carried out, testing how various plants grow in Martian regolith. A wide sample of plants are being grown and tested in Mars regolith simulant commercially available from The Martian Garden (TheMartian Garden.com). This Mars regolith simulant is based on Mojave Mars Simulant (MMS) developed by NASA and JPL for the Mars Phoenix mission. The MMS is based on the Mojave Saddleback basalt similar that used by JPL/NASA. Additional reagents were added to this iron rich basalt to bring the chemical content close to actual Mars regolith. The MMS used is an approximately 90% similar to regolith found on the surface of Mars - excluding poisonous perchlorates commonly found on actual Mars surface.The students have selected various vegetables and herbs to grow and test. These include carrots, spinach, dandelions, kale, soy beans, peas, onions, garlic and of course potatoes and sweet potatoes. Plants were tested in various growing conditions, using different fertilizers, and varying light conditions and compared with identical “control plants” grown in Earth soil / humus. The results of the project will be discussed from an education view point as well as from usefulness for fundamental research.We thank The Martian Garden for providing Martian regolith simulant at education discounted prices.

Abscisic Acid accumulates at positive turgor potential in excised soybean seedling growing zones.

PubMed

Creelman, R A; Mullet, J E

1991-04-01

Abscisic acid (ABA) accumulated in soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr. cv Williams) hypocotyl elongating regions when seedlings were transferred to low water potential vermiculite (Psi = -0.3 megapascals) even though positive turgor is retained in this tissue. Accumulation of ABA in growing zones could occur from de novo biosynthesis within this tissue or transport from adjacent nongrowing zones. Both growing and nongrowing hypocotyl and root tissues accumulated significant levels of ABA when excised and dehydrated to reduce turgor. Surprisingly, excised growing zones (which experienced no water loss) also accumulated ABA when incubated in darkness for 4 hours at 100% relative humidity and 29 degrees C. Induction of ABA accumulation in the excised elongating region of the hypocotyl was not caused by disruption of root pressure or wounding. While excision of hypocotyl elongating regions induced ABA accumulation, no change in either extensin or p33 mRNA levels was observed. Accumulation of extensin or p33 mRNA required more severe wounding. This suggests that ABA is not involved in the response of these genes in wounded tissue and that wound signals are not causing ABA accumulation in excised tissue. Accumulation of ABA in excised elongating regions was correlated with growth inhibition and a decline in turgor to the yield threshold (Psi;(p) = 0.37 megapascals; R Matyssek, S Maruyama, JS Boyer [1988] Plant Physiol 86: 1163-1167). Inhibiting hypocotyl growth by transferring seedlings to lower temperatures or light did not cause ABA accumulation. We conclude that induction of ABA accumulation in growing zones is more sensitive to changes in turgor than the induction which occurs in mature tissues.

Apparatus for growing HgI.sub.2 crystals

DOEpatents

Schieber, Michael M.; Beinglass, Israel; Dishon, Giora

1978-01-01

A method and horizontal furnace for vapor phase growth of HgI.sub.2 crystals which utilizes controlled axial and radial airflow to maintain the desired temperature gradients. The ampoule containing the source material is rotated while axial and radial air tubes are moved in opposite directions during crystal growth to maintain a desired distance and associated temperature gradient with respect to the growing crystal, whereby the crystal interface can advance in all directions, i.e., radial and axial according to the crystallographic structure of the crystal. Crystals grown by this method are particularly applicable for use as room-temperature nuclear radiation detectors.

Structural Analysis of Biofilm Formation by Rapidly and Slowly Growing Nontuberculous Mycobacteria▿

PubMed Central

Williams, Margaret M.; Yakrus, Mitchell A.; Arduino, Matthew J.; Cooksey, Robert C.; Crane, Christina B.; Banerjee, Shailen N.; Hilborn, Elizabeth D.; Donlan, Rodney M.

2009-01-01

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) such as M. abscessus, M. mucogenicum, M. chelonae, and M. fortuitum, implicated in health care-associated infections, are often isolated from potable water supplies as part of the microbial flora. To understand factors that influence growth in their environmental source, clinical RGM and slowly growing MAC isolates were grown as biofilm in a laboratory batch system. High and low nutrient levels were compared, as well as stainless steel and polycarbonate surfaces. Biofilm growth was measured after 72 h of incubation by enumeration of bacteria from disrupted biofilms and by direct quantitative image analysis of biofilm microcolony structure. RGM biofilm development was influenced more by nutrient level than by substrate material, though both affected biofilm growth for most of the isolates tested. Microcolony structure revealed that RGM develop several different biofilm structures under high-nutrient growth conditions, including pillars of various shapes (M. abscessus and M. fortuitum) and extensive cording (M. abscessus and M. chelonae). Although it is a slowly growing species in the laboratory, a clinical isolate of M. avium developed more culturable biofilm in potable water in 72 h than any of the 10 RGM examined. This indicates that M. avium is better adapted for growth in potable water systems than in laboratory incubation conditions and suggests some advantage that MAC has over RGM in low-nutrient environments. PMID:19201956

Burial of gas-phase HNO(3) by growing ice surfaces under tropospheric conditions.

PubMed

Ullerstam, Maria; Abbatt, Jonathan P D

2005-10-21

The uptake of gas-phase nitric acid by ice surfaces undergoing growth by vapor deposition has been performed for the first time under conditions of the free troposphere. The investigation was performed using a coated-wall flow tube coupled to a chemical ionization mass spectrometer, at nitric acid partial pressures between 10(-7) and 10(-6) hPa, at 214, 229 and 239 K. Ice surfaces were prepared as smooth ice films from ultra-pure water. During the experiments an excess flow of water vapor was added to the carrier gas flow and the existing ice surfaces grew by depositing water vapor. The average growth rates ranged from 0.7-5 microm min(-1), values similar to those which prevail in some portions of the atmosphere. With growing ice the long term uptake of nitric acid is significantly enhanced compared to an experiment performed at equilibrium, i.e. at 100% relative humidity (RH) with respect to ice. The fraction of HNO(3) that is deposited onto the growing ice surface is independent of the growth rate and may be driven by the solubility of the nitric acid in the growing ice film rather than by condensation kinetics alone.

Popularity versus similarity in growing networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krioukov, Dmitri; Papadopoulos, Fragkiskos; Kitsak, Maksim; Serrano, Mariangeles; Boguna, Marian

2012-02-01

Preferential attachment is a powerful mechanism explaining the emergence of scaling in growing networks. If new connections are established preferentially to more popular nodes in a network, then the network is scale-free. Here we show that not only popularity but also similarity is a strong force shaping the network structure and dynamics. We develop a framework where new connections, instead of preferring popular nodes, optimize certain trade-offs between popularity and similarity. The framework admits a geometric interpretation, in which preferential attachment emerges from local optimization processes. As opposed to preferential attachment, the optimization framework accurately describes large-scale evolution of technological (Internet), social (web of trust), and biological (E.coli metabolic) networks, predicting the probability of new links in them with a remarkable precision. The developed framework can thus be used for predicting new links in evolving networks, and provides a different perspective on preferential attachment as an emergent phenomenon.

Access to capital--a growing concern.

PubMed

Carlson, Donald A

2004-01-01

Access to capital over the next ten years will be one of the biggest challenges healthcare organizations will face as they strive to remain competitive and serve their communities. Meeting the growing needs for capital will require a disciplined and honest assessment of the capital sources that will be available and the best ways of positioning an organization to maximize their uses. It is incumbent on chief executive officers and other senior leaders to create a disciplined process for allocating capital and conveying how that process will be linked to the organization's strategic plan. All of the credit constituencies "buying" healthcare need to fully understand how the organization is positioning itself for future growth and success, and detailed bond marketing plans need to be implemented well before the actual sale of a new bond issue. Large and small healthcare providers will have sufficient access to capital in the future if investors believe that senior hospital executives have a credible plan and are disciplined enough to execute it.

Fast-growing willow shrub named `Canastota`

DOEpatents

Abrahamson, Lawrence P.; Kopp, Richard F.; Smart, Lawrence B.; Volk, Timothy A.

2007-05-15

A distinct male cultivar of Salix sachalinensis.times.S. miyabeana named `Canastota`, characterized by rapid stem growth producing greater than 2.7-fold more woody biomass than its female parent (Salix sachalinensis `SX61`), 28% greater woody biomass yield than its male parent (Salix miyabeana `SX64`), and 20% greater woody biomass yield than a standard production cultivar, Salix dasyclados `SV1` when grown in the same field for the same length of time (two growing seasons after coppice) in Tully, N.Y. `Canastota` can be planted from dormant stem cuttings, produces multiple stems after coppice, and the stem biomass can be harvested when the plant is dormant. In the spring following harvest, the plant will re-sprout very vigorously, producing new stems that can be harvested after two to four years of growth. This harvest cycle can be repeated several times. `Canastota` displays a low incidence of rust disease or damage by willow sawfly.

Fast-growing willow shrub named `Canastota`

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

Abrahamson, Lawrence P; Kopp, Richard F; Smart, Lawrence B

A distinct male cultivar of Salix sachalinensis.times.S. miyabeana named `Canastota`, characterized by rapid stem growth producing greater than 2.7-fold more woody biomass than its female parent (Salix sachalinensis `SX61`), 28% greater woody biomass yield than its male parent (Salix miyabeana `SX64`), and 20% greater woody biomass yield than a standard production cultivar, Salix dasyclados `SV1` when grown in the same field for the same length of time (two growing seasons after coppice) in Tully, N.Y. `Canastota` can be planted from dormant stem cuttings, produces multiple stems after coppice, and the stem biomass can be harvested when the plant is dormant.more » In the spring following harvest, the plant will re-sprout very vigorously, producing new stems that can be harvested after two to four years of growth. This harvest cycle can be repeated several times. `Canastota` displays a low incidence of rust disease or damage by willow sawfly.« less

Decaying and growing eigenmodes in open quantum systems: Biorthogonality and the Petermann factor

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

Lee, Soo-Young

2009-10-15

We study the biorthogonality between decaying and growing eigenmodes in one-dimensional potential barrier problems. It is shown that Petermann factors K{sub n} of the eigenmodes, a measure of nonorthogonality, are involved in decaying mechanism of an initially confined particle. We also show that the decay tail of the growing modes at an exceptional point (EP), where K{sub n} become infinite, is not exponential, but {approx}t{sup 2}e{sup -{gamma}{sub EP}t}, {gamma}{sub EP} the decay rate of the decaying mode at EP. In addition, the geometrical phase near an EP is illustrated by the evolution of wave function.

Using Landsat digital data to detect moisture stress in corn-soybean growing regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, D. R.; Wehmanen, O. A.

1980-01-01

As a part of a follow-on study to the moisture stress detection effort conducted in the Large Area Crop Inventory Experiment (LACIE), a technique utilizing transformed Landsat digital data was evaluated for detecting moisture stress in humid growing regions using sample segments from Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. At known growth stages of corn and soybeans, segments were classified as undergoing moisture stress or not undergoing stress. The remote-sensing-based information was compared to a weekly ground-based index (Crop Moisture Index). This comparison demonstrated that the remote sensing technique could be used to monitor the growing conditions within a region where corn and soybeans are the major crop.

[Verrucose epidermal nevus with belated grow and pregnancy. Case report].

PubMed

Aguilera Martínez, Verónica; Cervantes Villarreal, Gustavo Enrique; Ramos Garibay, Alberto; Ruiz Mondragón, María Eugenia

2007-10-01

Verrucose epidermal nevus is a benign and congenital hyperplasia of the superficial epidermis and annexes. It expresses itself during the firs year of life, grows during childhood and in adolescence reaches its largest size. It can appear everywhere in skin surface. We present a case of late verrucose epidermal nevus with genital onset. Differential diagnosis was done with acuminated condylomas.

Tamarisk Mapping and Monitoring Using High Resolution Satellite Imagery

Treesearch

Jason W. San Souci; John T. Doyle

2006-01-01

QuickBird high resolution multispectral satellite imagery (60 cm GSD, 4 spectral bands) and calibrated products from DigitalGlobe’s AgroWatch program were used as inputs to Visual Learning System’s Feature Analyst automated feature extraction software to map localized occurrences of pervasive and aggressive Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima), an invasive...

A dual growing method for the automatic extraction of individual trees from mobile laser scanning data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Lin; Li, Dalin; Zhu, Haihong; Li, You

2016-10-01

Street trees interlaced with other objects in cluttered point clouds of urban scenes inhibit the automatic extraction of individual trees. This paper proposes a method for the automatic extraction of individual trees from mobile laser scanning data, according to the general constitution of trees. Two components of each individual tree - a trunk and a crown can be extracted by the dual growing method. This method consists of coarse classification, through which most of artifacts are removed; the automatic selection of appropriate seeds for individual trees, by which the common manual initial setting is avoided; a dual growing process that separates one tree from others by circumscribing a trunk in an adaptive growing radius and segmenting a crown in constrained growing regions; and a refining process that draws a singular trunk from the interlaced other objects. The method is verified by two datasets with over 98% completeness and over 96% correctness. The low mean absolute percentage errors in capturing the morphological parameters of individual trees indicate that this method can output individual trees with high precision.

(Re)constructing Ideals of Multicultural Education through "Grow Your Own Teachers"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madda, Christina L.; Schultz, Brian D.

2009-01-01

Reflecting on the current status of multicultural education in higher education institutions, we examine "Grow Your Own Teachers," a progressive, innovative program that not only embodies and enacts major principles of multicultural education, but also represents an ongoing effort to redefine and revitalize multicultural education within…

Interaction of Escherichia coli with growing salad spinach plants.

PubMed

Warriner, Keith; Ibrahim, Faozia; Dickinson, Matthew; Wright, Charles; Waites, William M

2003-10-01

In this study, the interaction of a bioluminescence-labeled Escherichia coli strain with growing spinach plants was assessed. Through bioluminescence profiles, the direct visualization of E. coli growing around the roots of developing seedlings was accomplished. Subsequent in situ glucuronidase (GUS) staining of seedlings confirmed that E. coli had become internalized within root tissue and, to a limited extent, within hypocotyls. When inoculated seeds were sown in soil microcosms and cultivated for 42 days, E. coli was recovered from the external surfaces of spinach roots and leaves as well as from surface-sterilized roots. When 20-day-old spinach seedlings (from uninoculated seeds) were transferred to soil inoculated with E. coli, the bacterium became established on the plant surface, but internalization into the inner root tissue was restricted. However, for seedlings transferred to a hydroponic system containing 10(2) or 10(3) CFU of E. coli per ml of the circulating nutrient solution, the bacterium was recovered from surface-sterilized roots, indicating that it had been internalized. Differences between E. coli interactions in the soil and those in the hydroponic system may be attributed to greater accessibility of the roots in the latter model. Alternatively, the presence of a competitive microflora in soil may have restricted root colonization by E. coli. The implications of this study's findings with regard to the microbiological safety of minimally processed vegetables are discussed.