Epicuticular wax on stomata of damaged silver fir trees (Abies alba Mili.

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Tomislav Bačić

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Condition of epistomatal wax on the abaxial surface of the current and previous-year needles of damaged silver fir trees (Abies alba Mill., both from the polluted Risnjak and "clean" Donja Dobra sites in Gorski Kotar region, both influenced by pollutants coming from Europe, during two years, three times a year, were examined with Scanning Electron Microscope. In the course of time the wax tubules on the epistomatal rims of stomata in polluted, but also in "clean" needles surface, become fused and agglomerated rapidly to various extents of morphologically different types of amorphous wax crusts, primarily compact and particulate ones. This process begins very early, especially in polluted Risnjak site, and may be interpreted as a possible result of air pollution. However, the recrystalization, or production of new tubules, also appears relatively quickly in mostly cases. Quantitative estimations indicate a very large total amount of amorphous wax crusts in the current-year needles, and a very high percentage of the same wax in previous-year needles. Amorphous wax crusts cover stomatal pores, as well as the rims, disturbing the normal gas exchange. Statistically there is a signicant tendency of increase in wax degradation in the needles of the polluted site in comparison with those of the unpolluted one, but there is an insignificant wax degradation among the needles of damaged trees within each site. These results confirmed most of the research done in our preliminary report.

Population differentiation in tree-ring growth response of white fir (Abies concolor) to climate: Implications for predicting forest responses to climate change

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jensen, Deborah Bowne [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

1993-01-01

Forest succession models and correlative models have predicted 200--650 kilometer shifts in the geographic range of temperate forests and forest species as one response to global climate change. Few studies have investigated whether population differences may effect the response of forest species to climate change. This study examines differences in tree-ring growth, and in the phenotypic plasticity of tree-ring growth in 16-year old white fir, Abies concolor, from ten populations grown in four common gardens in the Sierra Nevada of California. For each population, tree-ring growth was modelled as a function of precipitation and degree-day sums. Tree-ring growth under three scenarios of doubled CO₂ climates was estimated.

Regulation of Water Use in the Southernmost European Fir (Abies pinsapo Boiss.: Drought Avoidance Matters

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Raúl Sánchez-Salguero

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The current scenario of global warming has resulted in considerable uncertainty regarding the capacity of forest trees to adapt to increasing drought. Detailed ecophysiological knowledge would provide a basis to forecast expected species dynamics in response to climate change. Here, we compare the water balance (stomatal conductance, xylem water potential, needle osmotic adjustment of Abies pinsapo, a relict drought-sensitive Mediterranean fir, along an altitudinal gradient. We related these variables to soil water and nutrient availability, air temperature, atmospheric water potential, and vapour pressure deficit during two consecutive years. Our results indicate that A. pinsapo closed stomata rapidly over a very narrow range of soil water availability and atmospheric dryness. This isohydric response during water stress suggests that this relict conifer relied on the plant hormone abscisic acid to maintain closed stomata during sustained drought, instead of needle desiccation to passively drive stomatal closure, needle osmotic adjustment or a plastic response of the xylem to different levels of water availability. Both the soil and foliar nutrient contents suggest that the studied populations are not limited by nutrient deficiencies, and drought was stronger in the warmer low-elevation areas.

Volatile Profile of Croatian Lime Tree (Tilia sp., Fir Honeydew (Abies alba and Sage (Salvia officinalis Honey

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Olivera Koprivnjak

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Volatile profiles of lime tree (Tilia sp., fir honeydew (Abies alba and sage (Salvia officinalis honey produced in Croatia have been studied by using headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS analysis. Melissopalynological and sensory characterization have been performed in order to check the reliability of botanical origin of the samples. In case of sage honey, sensory characteristics are reported for the first time and are rather uniform including: colour characterized as beige to jade, depending on the consistency; odour characterized as between light and medium intensity, slightly pungent and wooden; taste characterized as low sweetness, expressive acidity and apple caramel, with persistent fruity aftertaste. Characteristic volatile profiles of the analyzed honeys are described. Taking into consideration similarities with lime and fir honey volatile profiles reported in literature, characteristic volatile compounds resulting from qualitative data evaluation are proposed. Sage honey volatile profile has been reported for the first time and it was found quite different compared to the other studied honeys showing the lowest number of peaks among the studied honeys, 34. Several compounds belonging to the sage honey volatile profile have been identified for the first time in honeys. They include tetrahydro-2,2,5,5-tetramethylfuran, 3-hexenyl ester of butanoic acid, 2-methylbenzene, maltol, methyl ester of 3-furanocarboxylic acid and benzeneacetic acid. Based on the obtained results and with the lack of comparative literature data, they are proposed as characteristic volatiles for the volatile pattern of sage honey.

Understanding the Physiology of Postharvest Needle Abscission in Balsam Fir

OpenAIRE

Lada, Rajasekaran R.; MacDonald, Mason T.

2015-01-01

Balsam fir (Abies balsamea) trees are commonly used as a specialty horticultural species for Christmas trees and associated greenery in eastern Canada and United States. Postharvest needle abscission has always been a problem, but is becoming an even bigger challenge in recent years presumably due to increased autumn temperatures and earlier harvesting practices. An increased understanding of postharvest abscission physiology in balsam fir may benefit the Christmas tree industry while simulta...

Comparison of the Diversity of Basidiomycetes from Dead Wood of the Manchurian fir (Abies holophylla) as Evaluated by Fruiting Body Collection, Mycelial Isolation, and 454 Sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Yeongseon; Jang, Seokyoon; Min, Mihee; Hong, Joo-Hyun; Lee, Hanbyul; Lee, Hwanhwi; Lim, Young Woon; Kim, Jae-Jin

2015-10-01

In this study, three different methods (fruiting body collection, mycelial isolation, and 454 sequencing) were implemented to determine the diversity of wood-inhabiting basidiomycetes from dead Manchurian fir (Abies holophylla). The three methods recovered similar species richness (26 species from fruiting bodies, 32 species from mycelia, and 32 species from 454 sequencing), but Fisher's alpha, Shannon-Wiener, Simpson's diversity indices of fungal communities indicated fruiting body collection and mycelial isolation displayed higher diversity compared with 454 sequencing. In total, 75 wood-inhabiting basidiomycetes were detected. The most frequently observed species were Heterobasidion orientale (fruiting body collection), Bjerkandera adusta (mycelial isolation), and Trichaptum fusco-violaceum (454 sequencing). Only two species, Hymenochaete yasudae and Hypochnicium karstenii, were detected by all three methods. This result indicated that Manchurian fir harbors a diverse basidiomycetous fungal community and for complete estimation of fungal diversity, multiple methods should be used. Further studies are required to understand their ecology in the context of forest ecosystems.

Using silviculture to influence carbon sequestration in southern Appalachian spruce-fir forests

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Patrick T. Moore; R. Justin DeRose; James N. Long; Helga. van Miegroet

2012-01-01

Enhancement of forest growth through silvicultural modification of stand density is one strategy for increasing carbon (C) sequestration. Using the Fire and Fuels Extension of the Forest Vegetation Simulator, the effects of even-aged, uneven-aged and no-action management scenarios on C sequestration in a southern Appalachian red spruce-Fraser fir forest were modeled....

Population dynamics of dwarf mistletoe on young true firs in the central Sierra Nevada, California

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Robert E Scharpf; J. R. Jr. Parmeter

1982-01-01

Young red firs (Abies magnifica A. Murr.) and white firs (A. concolor [Gord. & Glend.] Lindl. ex Hildebr.) on the Stanislaus National Forest, California, were inoculated with seeds of dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium abietinum) for 5 successive years. Only 3 to 4 percent of about 7000 seeds placed on branches...

Dwarf mistletoe in red and white firs in California–23 to 28 years after inoculation

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John R. Parmeter Jr.; Robert F. Scharpf

1989-01-01

Spread and buildup of dwarf mistletoe, Arceuthobium abietinum, was studied on inoculated white fir, Abies concolor, and red fir, A. magnifica, in northern California for 23 to 28 years. At the end of these studies (1986), and in the absence of overstory infection, 13 of 23 trees had dwarf mistletoe populations...

From America to Eurasia: a multigenomes history of the genus Abies.

Science.gov (United States)

Semerikova, Svetlana A; Khrunyk, Yuliya Y; Lascoux, Martin; Semerikov, Vladimir L

2018-03-15

The origin of conifer genera, the main components of mountain temperate and boreal forests, was deemed to arise in the Mesozoic, although paleontological records and molecular data point to a recent diversification, presumably related to Neogene cooling. The geographical area(s) where the modern lines of conifers emerged remains uncertain, as is the sequence of events leading to their present distribution. To gain further insights into the biogeography of firs (Abies), we conducted phylogenetic analyses of chloroplast, mitochondrial and nuclear markers. The species tree, generated from ten single-copy nuclear genes, yielded probably the best phylogenetic hypothesis available for Abies. The tree obtained from five regions of chloroplast DNA largely corresponded to the nuclear species tree. Ancestral area reconstructions based on fossil calibrated chloroplast DNA and nuclear DNA trees pointed to repeated intercontinental migrations. The mitochondrial DNA haplotype tree, however, disagreed with nuclear and chloroplast DNA trees. It consisted of two clusters: one included mainly American haplotypes, while the other was composed of only Eurasian haplotypes. Presumably, this conflict is due to inter-continental migrations and introgressive hybridization, accompanied by the capture of the mitotypes from aboriginal species by the invading firs. Given that several species inhabiting Northeastern Asia carry American mitotypes and mutations typical for the American cluster, whereas no Asian mitotypes were detected within the American species, we hypothesize that Abies migrated from America to Eurasia, but not in the opposite direction. The direction and age of intercontinental migrations in firs are congruent with other conifers, such as spruces and pines of subsection Strobus, suggesting that these events had the same cause. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increasing Aridity is Enhancing Silver Fir (Abies Alba Mill). Water Stress in its South-Western Distribution Limit

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Macias, M. [Department of Geology, University of Helsinki, Gustaf Haellstroeminkatu 2, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki (Finland); Andreu, L.; Bosch, O.; Gutierrez, E. [Departament d' Ecologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avgda. Diagonal, 645, Barcelona, 08028, Catalonia (Spain); Camarero, J.J. [Unidad de Recursos Forestales, Centro de Investigacion Agroalimentaria, Gobierno de Aragon, Apdo. 727, Zaragoza, 50080, Aragon (Spain)

2006-12-15

Tree populations located at the geographical distribution limit of the species may provide valuable information about the response of tree growth to climate warming across climatic gradients. Dendroclimatic information was extracted from a network of 10 silver-fir (Abies alba) populations in the south-western distribution limit of the species (Pyrenees, NE Iberian Peninsula). Ring-width chronologies were built for five stands sampled in mesic sites from the Main Range in the Pyrenees, and for five forests located in the southern Peripheral Ranges where summer drought is more pronounced. The radial growth of silver-fir in this region is constrained by water stress during the summer previous to growth, as suggested by the negative relationship with previous September temperature and, to a lesser degree, by a positive relationship with previous end of summer precipitation. Climatic data showed a warming trend since the 1970s across the Pyrenees, with more severe summer droughts. The recent warming changed the climate-growth relationships, causing higher growth synchrony among sites, and a higher year-to-year growth variation, especially in the southernmost forests. Moving-interval response functions suggested an increasing water-stress effect on radial growth during the last half of the 20th century. The growth period under water stress has extended from summer up to early autumn. Forests located in the southern Peripheral Ranges experienced a more intense water stress, as seen in a shift of their response to precipitation and temperature. The Main-Range sites mainly showed a response to warming. The intensification of water-stress during the late 20th century might affect the future growth performance of the highly-fragmented A. alba populations in the southwestern distribution limit of the species.

Phoretic mites of three bark beetles (Pityokteines spp.) on silver fir

Science.gov (United States)

Milan Pernek; Boris Hrasovec; Dinka Matosevic; Ivan Pilas; Thomas Kirisits; John C. Moser

2008-01-01

The species composition and abundance of phoretic mites of the bark beetles Pityokteines curvidens P. spinidens, and P. vorontzowi on Silver fir (Abies alba) were investigated in 2003 at two locations (Trakoscan and Litoric) in Croatia. Stem sections and...

Improvement of grafting procedures for the ornamental species: II. Abies concolor [(Gord. & Glend. Lindl

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Ioan Blada

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The achieved results concerning the grafting silver-fir - Abies concolor [(Gord. & Glend. Lindl] scions on white-fir (Abies alba Mill. rootstocks are reporting in this article. The double-side-veneer grafting method and the plastic tape and the ecological CeraltinŽ wax were applied in four experimental variants. The side-veneer-grafting method and the classic materials, such as raffia and the hot wax were used at the two controls involved in this experiment. The grafting success expressed in percents, were transformed in arcsin square root of percent values, and a two-way analysis of variance was performed. Highly significant (p < 0.001 statistical differences were found between grafting variants, including controls. The Duncan Multiple Range Test showed that the four experimental grafting variants were highly significantly (p < 0.01 be-tter than the two controls. The grafting success of the best experimental variant has surpassed the two controls by 129 and 153%, respectively. Consequently, the double-side-veneer grafting method, the new developed plastic tape and the ecological CeraltinŽ wax have contributed to this grafting success owing to which they are recommended to be used for grafting silver-fir ornamental trees.

Microbial Activity in Forest Soil Under Beech, Spruce, Douglas Fir and Fir

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Hajnal-Jafari Timea

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research was to investigate the microbial activity in forest soil from different sites under deciduous and coniferous trees in Serbia. One site on Stara planina was under beech trees (Fagus sp. while another under mixture of spruce (Picea sp. and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga sp.. The site on Kopaonik was under mixture of beech (Fagus sp. and spruce (Picea sp. trees. The site on Tara was dominantly under fir (Abies sp., beech (Fagus sp. and spruce (Picea sp.. The total number of bacteria, the number of actinobacteria, fungi and microorganisms involved in N and C cycles were determined using standard method of agar plates. The activities of dehydrogenase and ß-glucosidase enzymes were measured by spectrophotometric methods. The microbial activity was affected by tree species and sampling time. The highest dehydrogenase activity, total number of bacteria, number of actinobacteria, aminoheterotrophs, amylolytic and cellulolytic microorganisms were determined in soil under beech trees. The highest total number of fungi and number of pectinolytic microorganisms were determined in soil under spruce and Douglas fir trees. The correlation analyses proved the existence of statistically significant interdependency among investigated parameters.

Some observations on age relationships in spruce-fir regeneration

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Barton M. Blum

1973-01-01

Measurement of the ages of seedlings of balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L) Mill.), red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.), and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) 15 years after the first harvest of a two-cut shelterwood operation revealed that very few potential crop-tree seedlings in the sample occurred as advance...

Provenance variability in nursery growth of subalpine fir

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Charlie Cartwright; Cheng Ying

2011-01-01

Subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa [Hook] Nutt.) is a wide-ranging, high-elevation species in the interior of British Columbia. It is commonly harvested for lumber, but replanting of it is limited. Some reticence is based upon wood quality and rate of growth, but there are also seed and nursery culturing difficulties. This study investigated seedling growth traits of 111...

Cisovka - the relic population of Abies alba and its relationship to man-made silver-fir stands in Białowieża primeval forest

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Leon Mejnartowicz

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In Białowieża Primeval Forest, in 1823 Stanisław Górski discovered on the Cisovka Hag, a relic population of European silver-fir (Abies alba Mill.. This population is isolated and most away, 120 km to the North-East, from the border of European-silver-fir distribution. Besides the natural population Cisovka, there are also man-made silver fir stands and clumps in the Polish and Belorussian part of Białowieża Primeval Forest. In the Polish part there are four such artificial stands. If the seed-producing silver-fir stands really originated from the Cisovka population, then they are a very valuable part of the declining population and an easy accessible seed source. However, if these populations were introduced to the Białowieża Primeval Forest, then they are a potential source of dangerous genetic pollution of the Cisovka population. The relationship of the genetic structure of the Cisovka population to man-made silver-fir-stands in Białowieża Forest was investigated with the help of 17 loci of 1 1 enzyme systems. Genetic diversity of Cisovka population is characterized by the smallest mean number of alleles per locus (Mal= 1.353, includes all loci studied and per polimorphic locus Malp = 2.00. In Cisovka population there is very low-grade of polimorphic loci (Pp = 11.765 with the mean 37.255 for all studied populations. Expected heterozygosity, He = 0.079 revealed very low-grade of genetic diversity in the population. The observed heterozygosity (Ho = 0.123 was similar to this characterictic in other populations. A dendrogram based on Neis genetic distance coefficient (D among 9 silver-fir populations was constructed. Cisovka in the UPGMA dendrogram is a distinct population separated from other ones by a very great genetic distance (D = 0.06. Also two man-made silver-fir (B I and 132 stands are separated from others. Only populations B3 and B4 are combined into one subgroup linked to the population Tomaszów Lubelski. Basing on the

Mortality and growth of dwarf mistletoe-infected red and white fir and the efficacy of thinning for reducing associated losses

Science.gov (United States)

H. K. Mehl; S. R. Mori; S. J. Frankel; D. M. Rizzo

2013-01-01

In managed forests dominated by true fir (Abies) species, stands are often restocked using understory trees retained during timber harvest, making the effects of dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium spp.) infestation on small true fir a concern. This study examined the response of small red (A. magnifica) and...

Animal damage to young spruce and fir in Maine

Science.gov (United States)

Barton M. Blum

1977-01-01

The loss of terminal buds on small balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) and spruce (Picea spp.) trees because of nipping by mammals or birds has increased on the Penobscot Experimental Forest in recent years. The cut stem is smooth and slightly angled; there is no sign of tearing. Unnipped trees grew about 13 percent more than...

Records of Fraser\\'s dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei Fraser 1956 from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Although Fraser's dolphins Lagenodelphis hosei are considered to inhabit deep tropical waters worldwide, their occurrence in the tropical eastern Atlantic Ocean from the Gulf of Guinea southwards to Angola is only represented by two specimen records from Ghana. During cetacean surveys carried out concurrently with ...

Effects of soil calcium and aluminum on the physiology of balsam fir and red spruce saplings in northern New England

Science.gov (United States)

Richard L. Boyce; Paul G. Schaberg; Gary J. Hawley; Joshua M. Halman; Paula F. Murakami

2013-01-01

We examined the influence of calcium (Ca) and aluminum (Al) nutrition on the foliar physiology of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) and balsam fir [Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.] in northern New England, USA. At the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (NH, USA), spruce and fir saplings were sampled from control, Al-, and Ca-supplemented...

Understanding the physiology of postharvest needle abscission in balsam fir

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Mason Thane Macdonald

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Balsam fir (Abies balsamea trees are commonly used as a specialty horticultural species for Christmas trees and associated greenery in eastern Canada and United States. Postharvest needle abscission has always been a problem, but is becoming an even bigger challenge in recent years presumably due to increased autumn temperatures and earlier harvesting practices. An increased understanding of postharvest abscission physiology in balsam fir may benefit the Christmas tree industry while simultaneously advancing our knowledge in senescence and abscission of conifers in general. Our paper describes the dynamics of needle abscission in balsam fir while identifying key factors that modify abscission patterns. Concepts such as genotypic abscission resistance, nutrition, environmental factors, and postharvest changes in water conductance and hormone evolution are discussed as they relate to our understanding of the balsam fir abscission physiology. Our paper ultimately proposes a pathway for needle abscission via ethylene and also suggests other potential alternative pathways based on our current understanding.

Early survival and height growth of Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine seedlings and variations in site factors following treatment of logging residues.

Science.gov (United States)

W. Lopushlnsky; D. Zabowskl; T.D. Anderson

1992-01-01

Logging residues were broadcast burned, piled and burned, removed, or left in place after clearcutting in a high-elevation subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.) lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud.) forest in north-central Washington. Survival, height growth and foliar nutrient content of planted Douglas-fir...

Species effect on the water use efficiency of a mixed forest of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) and silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) in Belgium Ardennes.

Science.gov (United States)

Soubie, Rémy; Heinesch, Bernard; Aubinet, Marc; Vincke, Caroline

2010-05-01

Induced by climate change, intensity and frequency of droughts should be more important for the next century. How does water availability affect the physiology of woody plants at the species and stand scale? Carbon and water vapour fluxes measurements of a mixed forest (deciduous and coniferous) were performed for over ten years by the eddy covariance method in Belgian Ardennes (Aubinet et al, 2001) as a part of the CarboEurope project. Whereas carbon fluxes have been analyzed in detailed and good estimations of the Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) and Gross Primary Production (GPP) were obtained, a thorough analysis of water vapour fluxes remains to be done. Improving analysis of water vapour fluxes and monitoring species transpiration will contribute to the estimation of the water use efficiency, WUE, at both the species and stand scale. The WUE well characterizes the vegetation productivity and ecosystem response to environmental factors. It also allows evaluating the sensitivity of temperate woody species to drought. The species concerned are beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) and silver fir (Abies alba Mill.). Since summer 2009 we monitor and analyze each species water use by measuring sap flow with the thermal dissipation method (Granier, 1987). Results at the species level will then be upscaled and compared to stand water vapour fluxes measurements obtained by the eddy covariance methodology. Transpiration of each species will be analyzed in relation with their own phenological and ecophysiological attributes, ecosystem soil and atmospheric conditions, to clarify among others their behaviour in case of water deficit. Data are actually analysed, the presented results will concern the 2009, and a part of 2010 growing season.

Genetics Home Reference: Fraser syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

... FRAS1 gene mutations are the most common cause, accounting for about half of cases of Fraser syndrome . ... Fras1/Frem family of extracellular matrix proteins: structure, function, and association with Fraser syndrome and the mouse ...

Bark beetle Polygraphus proximus: a new aggressive far eastern invader on Abies species in Siberia and European Russia

Science.gov (United States)

Yuri Baranchikov; Evgeniy Akulov; Sergey. Astapenko

2011-01-01

Polygraphus proximus Brandford (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) is a common feeder on Far Eastern firs: Abies nephrolepis, A. hollophyll, and A. sachalinensis. Its native range occupies northeastern China, Korea, Japan, Kurile and Sakhalin Islands, and the southern part of the Russian Far East (Primorskiy and...

Grand Fir Nutrient Management in the Inland Northwestern USA

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Dennis R. Parent

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Grand fir (Abies grandis (Douglas ex D. Don Lindley is widely distributed in the moist forests of the Inland Northwest. It has high potential productivity, its growth being nearly equal to western white pine, the most productive species in the region. There are large standing volumes of grand fir in the region. Nutritionally, the species has higher foliage cation concentrations than associated conifers, especially potassium (K and calcium (Ca. In contrast, it has lower nitrogen (N foliage concentrations, which creates favorable nutrient balance on N-limited sites. Despite concentration differences, grand fir stores proportionally more nutrients per tree than associated species because of greater crown biomass. Although few fertilization trials have examined grand fir specifically, its response is inferred from its occurrence in many monitored mixed conifer stands. Fertilization trials including grand fir either as a major or minor component show that it has a strong diameter and height growth response ranging from 15% to 50% depending in part on site moisture availability and soil geology. Grand fir tends to have a longer response duration than other inland conifers. When executed concurrently with thinning, fertilization often increases the total response. Late rotation application of N provides solid investment returns in carefully selected stands. Although there are still challenges with the post-fertilization effects on tree mortality, grand fir will continue to be an important species with good economic values and beneficial responses to fertilization and nutrient management.

Nuclear Microsatellite Primers for the Endangered Relict Fir, Abies pinsapo (Pinaceae and Cross-Amplification in Related Mediterranean Species

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Laura Navarro-Sampedro

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Twelve nuclear microsatellite primers (nSSR were developed for the endangered species Abies pinsapo Boiss. to enable the study of gene flow and genetic structure in the remaining distribution areas. Microsatellite primers were developed using next-generation sequencing (454 data from a single Abies pinsapo individual. Primers were applied to thirty individuals from the three extant localities. The number of alleles per locus ranged from one to four. Cross-amplification was tested for other Abies species from the Mediterranean Basin, and most of the loci showed higher polymorphisms in the Mediterranean species than in A. pinsapo. These microsatellite markers provide tools for conservation genetic studies in Abies pinsapo as well other Abies species from the Mediterranean Basin.

Northern flying squirrel mycophagy and truffle production in fir forests in northeastern California

Science.gov (United States)

J.R. Waters; K.S. McKelvey; C.J. Zabel; D.L. Luoma

2000-01-01

In this paper we summarize the results of four studies in which we either examined the feeding habits of the northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus), a mycophagous (consuming fungi) small mammal, or compared the abundance of truffles (sporocarps of hypogeous mycorrhizal fungi) among different types of fir (Abies) forest....

Effectiveness of the lactococcal abortive infection systems AbiA, AbiE, AbiF and AbiG against P335 type phages.

Science.gov (United States)

Tangney, Mark; Fitzgerald, Gerald F

2002-04-23

Four lactococcal abortive infection mechanisms were introduced into strains which were sensitive hosts for P335 type phages and plaque assay experiments performed to assess their effect on five lactococcal bacteriophages from this family. Results indicate that AbiA inhibits all five P335 phages tested, while AbiG affects phiP335 itself and phiQ30 but not the other P335 species phages. AbiA was shown to retard phage Q30 DNA replication as previously reported for other phages. It was also demonstrated that AbiG, previously shown to act at a point after DNA replication in the cases of c2 type and 936 type phages, acts at the level of, or prior to phage Q30 DNA replication. AbiE and AbiF had no effect on the P335 type phages examined.

The neural signature of the Fraser illusion: An explorative EEG study on Fraser-like displays

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Xuyan eYun

2015-07-01

Full Text Available We studied neural correlates accompanying the Fraser spiral illusion. The Fraser spiral illusion consists of twisted cords superimposed on a patchwork background arranged in concentric circles, which is typically perceived as a spiral. We tested four displays: the Fraser spiral illusion and three variants derived from it by orthogonally combining featural properties. In our stimuli, the shape of the cords comprised either concentric circles or a single spiral. The cords themselves consisted of black and white lines in parallel to the contour of the cords (i.e. parallel cords, or oblique line elements (i.e. twisted cords. The displays with twisted cords successfully induced illusory percepts, i.e. circles looked like spirals (the Fraser spiral illusion and spirals looked like circles (i.e., a ‘reverse Fraser illusion’. We compared the event-related potentials in a Stimulus (Circle, Spiral × Percept (Circle, Spiral design. A significant main effect of Stimulus was found at the posterior scalp in an early component (P220-280 and a significant main effect of Percept was found over the anterior scalp in a later component (P350-450. Although the EEG data suggest stimulus-based processing in posterior area in an early time window and Percept based processing in the later time window, an overall clear-cut stimulus-percept segregation was not found due to additional interaction effects. Instead, the data, especially in the later time window in the anterior area, point at differential processing for the condition comprising circle shapes but spiral percepts (i.e. the Fraser illusion.

Stem volume losses in grand firs topkilled by western spruce budworm in Idaho

Science.gov (United States)

George T. Ferrell; Robert F. Scharpf

1982-01-01

Mature grand firs (Abies grandis [Dougl. ex D. Don] Lindl.) were sampled in two stands, one cutover and one virgin, in the Little Salmon River drainage in west-central Idaho, to estimate stem volume losses associated with topkilling. Damage to the stands resulted from three outbreaks of western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis...

Fir Decline and Mortality in the Southern Siberian Mountains

Science.gov (United States)

Kharuk, Viacheslav I.; Im, Sergei T.; Petrov, Ilya A.; Dvinskaya, Mariya, L.; Fedotova, Elena V.; Ranson, Kenneth J.

2016-01-01

Increased dieback and mortality of dark needle conifer (DNC) stands (composed of fir (Abies sibirica),Siberian pine (Pinus sibirica) and spruce (Picea obovata))were documented in Russia during recent decades. Here we analyzed spatial and temporal patterns of fir decline and mortality in the southern Siberian Mountains based on satellite, in situ and dendrochronological data. The studied stands are located within the boundary between DNC taiga to the north and forest-steppe to the south. Fir decline and mortality were observed to originate where topographic features contributed to maximal water-stress risk, i.e., steep (1825),convex, south-facing slopes with a shallow well-drained root zone. Fir regeneration survived droughts and increased stem radial growth, while upper canopy trees died. Tree ring width(TRW) growth negatively correlated with vapor pressure deficit (VPD), drought index and occurrence of late frosts, and positively with soil water content. Previous year growth conditions (i.e., drought index, VPD, soil water anomalies)have a high impact on current TRW (r 0.600.74). Fir mortality was induced by increased water stress and severe droughts (as a primary factor) in synergy with bark-beetles and fungi attacks (as secondary factors). Dendrochronology data indicated that fir mortality is a periodic process. In a future climate with increased aridity and drought frequency, fir (and Siberian pine) may disappear from portions of its current range (primarily within the boundary with the forest steppe)and is likely to be replaced by drought-tolerant species such as Pinus sylvestris and Larix sibirica.

Growth Response of Silver Fir and Bosnian Pine from Kosovo

OpenAIRE

Elvin Toromani; Faruk Bojaxhi

2010-01-01

Background and Purpose: This paper explore the growth-climate relationships in total ring width chronologies of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) and Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii Christ). The objective of this study is to quantify the climate influence on radial growth of both species. The relationships between climate and ring widths were analyzed using extreme growing years (called pointer years), simple correlations and response functions analysis (bootstrapped coefficients). The objectives...

Fraser syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barisic, Ingeborg; Odak, Ljubica; Loane, Maria

2013-01-01

Fraser syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by cryptophthalmos, cutaneous syndactyly, laryngeal, and urogenital malformations. We present a population-based epidemiological study using data provided by the European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies (EUROCAT) network of...

A comparison of postburn woodpecker foraging use of white fir (Abies concolor) and Jeffrey Pine (Pinus jeffreyi)

Science.gov (United States)

Kerry L. Farris; Steve Zack

2008-01-01

We examined the temporal patterns of the structural decay, insect infestation and woodpecker foraging patterns on white-fir and yellow pine following a prescribed burn in Lassen National Park, CA. Our objectives were to: 1) describe how pine and fir differ in their decay patterns and insect activity, and 2) determine how these differences reflect woodpecker foraging...

Bioecology of the conifer swift moth, Korscheltellus gracilis, a root feeder associated with spruce-fir decline

Science.gov (United States)

William E. Wallner; David L. Wagner; Bruce L. Parker; Donald L. Tobi

1991-01-01

During the past two decades, the decline of red spruce, Picea rubens Sargent, and balsam fir, Abies balsamea (L), at high elevations (900-1200 m) in eastern North America has evoked concern about the effects of anthropogenic deposition upon terrestrial ecosystems. In many high-elevation forests across New England, as many as 50...

A severity rating system for evaluating stand-level balsam woolly adelgid (Hemiptera: Adelgidae) damage in two Abies species in western North America

Science.gov (United States)

Kathryn H. Hrinkevich; Robert A. Progar; David C. Shaw

2016-01-01

Severity rating systems are fundamental to understanding the impacts of disturbance agents in forest stands. The balsam woolly adelgid (BWA), Adelges piceae (Ratzeburg) (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), is an invasive forest pest in North America that infests and causes mortality in true fir, Abies spp. There is currently no single...

Ecologie et croissance de Abies alba Mill. en peuplements purs et mélangés dans le Massif Vosgien (Nord-est de la France)

OpenAIRE

Pinto , Paulina

2006-01-01

The objective of this work was to determine the ecological niche and growth of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) in the Vosges Mountains (north-east France), in relation to environmental conditions and inter-specific competition. The data set used to study the ecological niche consisted in 325 phytoecological relevés extracted from the EcoPlant database. To study the growth of silver fir, 143 plots were carried out in this work using a stratified sampling design according to stand composition, el...

Imago feeding preference of the black fir sawyer Monochamus urussovi Fisch. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae

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Grodnitsky Dmitry

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Mass outbreaks of the black fir sawyer M. urussovi regularly occur in forest stands dominated by Siberian fir Abies sibirica; outbreaks have been observed only on fir and exclusively in Siberia, although the beetle is also found in the vast territory including Finland, Poland, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, China, Russian Far East and Japan. A closely related common species M. sutor has never produced outbreaks; its larvae have been registered only in Scots pine. Feeding preferences of the two species were compared under experimental conditions; total numbers of tested specimens were 132 (M. urussovi and 40 (M. sutor. M. sutor beetles were caught in nature, M. urussovi pupas and young adults were collected from fir trunks; pupas were reared to beetles. Each beetle was placed into a covered plastic enclosure for 24 hours and offered cut shoots of fir, spruce, Siberian pine, Scots pine, larch, birch and willow; all cuts were of the same length and diameter, needles and leaves had been previously removed. Beetles of the two species showed different feeding preference. M. sutor imagoes completely ignored fir shoots, definitely preferring Scots pine. M. urussovi feeding behavior was different: beetles did consume bark, bast and cambium of fir. However, they were mainly fed on Scots pine shoots. Feeding preference given to Scots pine by beetles grown in fir trunks can be explained by the hypothesis that this species originated on pine. Mass outbreaks of M. urussovi in Siberian fir-dominated forest ecosystems occur, because these plant communities are historically young (evidently much less than 10 000 years and yet unbalanced, transitional sort of ecosystems, so fir did not have enough evolutionary time to get adapted to injure by the sawyer and Ophiostoma fungi carried by beetles.

Distinct genecological patterns in seedlings of Norway spruce and silver fir from a mountainous landscape.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Aline; Sperisen, Christoph; Howe, Glenn Thomas; Brang, Peter; Walthert, Lorenz; St Clair, John Bradley; Heiri, Caroline

2017-01-01

Understanding the genecology of forest trees is critical for gene conservation, for predicting the effects of climate change and climate change adaptation, and for successful reforestation. Although common genecological patterns have emerged, species-specific details are also important. Which species are most vulnerable to climate change? Which are the most important adaptive traits and environmental drivers of natural selection? Even though species have been classified as adaptive specialists vs. adaptive generalists, large-scale studies comparing different species in the same experiment are rare. We studied the genecology of Norway spruce (Picea abies) and silver fir (Abies alba), two co-occurring but ecologically distinct European conifers in Central Europe. For each species, we collected seed from more than 90 populations across Switzerland, established a seedling common-garden test, and developed genecological models that associate population variation in seedling growth and phenology to climate, soil properties, and site water balance. Population differentiation and associations between seedling traits and environmental variables were much stronger for Norway spruce than for silver fir, and stronger for seedling height growth than for bud phenology. In Norway spruce, height growth and second flushing were strongly associated with temperature and elevation, with seedlings from the lowlands being taller and more prone to second flush than seedlings from the Alps. In silver fir, height growth was more weakly associated with temperature and elevation, but also associated with water availability. Soil characteristics explained little population variation in both species. We conclude that Norway spruce has become an adaptive specialist because trade-offs between rapid juvenile growth and frost avoidance have subjected it to strong diversifying natural selection based on temperature. In contrast, because silver fir has a more conservative growth habit, it has

Incidence of butt rot in a tree species experiment in northern Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ronnberg, J; Vollbrecht, G.; Thomsen, Iben Margrete

1999-01-01

The susceptibility to infections by Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. was examined in a 28-year-old tree species experiment in northern Jutland, Denmark. Silver fir (Abies alba Mill.), Caucasian fir (Abies nordmanniana (Stev.) Spach), grand fir (Abies grandis (Dougl) Lindl.), noble fir (Abies...... trees infected, respectively. Silver fir and Caucasian fir were almost free from infections. Maximum extension of H. annosum rot columns were in Japanese larch (18 dm). Heterobasidion annosum was found to be the most important decay causing fungus. Mating tests assigned all isolated strains of H...

Altitudinal variation in growth, bud break and susceptibility to balsam twig aphid damage of balsam fir from 6 Vermont seed sources

Science.gov (United States)

Ronald C. Wilkinson; Paul G. Schaberg

1992-01-01

Differences in 10-year heights, 4-year growth from 1987 through 1990, relative timing of budbreak and damage by the balsam twig aphid (Mindarus abietinus Koch.) among balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) from 6 Vermont seed sources originating from different elevations were examined. Height differences among seed sources were...

Wood anatomical relationships within Abies spp. from the Mediterranean area: a phyletic approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Esteban, L. G.; Palacios, P. de; Garcia Fernandez, F.; Martin, J. A.

2009-07-01

An analysis was made of the wood anatomy of seven species, one subspecies and two varieties of the genus Abies from the Mediterranean area (A. alba, A. borisii-regis, A. cephalonica, A. cilicica, A. nordmanniana, A. nordmanniana subsp. equi-trojani, A. numidica, A. pinsapo, A. pinsapo var. marocana and A. pinsapo var. tazaotana) in order to find phyletically relevant features to help clarify and complement the evolutionary patterns based on molecular studies. The wood structure within the genus was qualitatively similar, except for specific features characteristic of certain provenances. However, the wood biometry allowed the different taxa to be grouped in accordance with their anatomical similarity. A. alba, A. pinsapo, A. pinsapo var. marocana and A. pinsapo var. tazaotana possess biometric features which distinguish them from the other Mediterranean firs. Furthermore, A. numidica showed biometric features which distinguish it from the eastern firs (A. borisii-regis, A. cephalonica, A. cilicica, A. nordmanniana and A. nordmanniana subsp. equi-trojani) and place it closer to certain Iberian populations of A. pinsapo. The maximum ray height in number of cells, frequency of rays with more than 30 cells and tracheid length can be regarded as specific patterns of the Mediterranean fir phylum. (Author) 72 refs.

Variability of silver fir (Abies alba Mill. cones – variability of cone parameters

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Aniszewska Monika

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This study aimed at determining the shape of closed silver fir cones from the Jawor Forest District (Wroclaw, based purely on measurements of their length and thickness. Using these two parameters, the most accurate estimations were achieved with a fourth-degree polynomial fitting function. We then calculated the cones’ surface area and volume in three different ways: 1 Using the fourth-degree polynomial shape estimation, 2 Introducing indicators of compliance (k1, k2, k3 to calculate the volume and then comparing it to its actual value as measured in a pitcher filled with water, 3 Comparing the surface area of the cones as calculated with the polynomial function to the value obtained from ratios of indicators of compliance (ratios k4 and k5. We found that the calculated surface area and volume were substantially higher than the corresponding measured values. Test values of cone volume and surface area as calculated by our model were 8% and 5% lower, respectively, compared to direct measurements. We also determined the fir cones apparent density to be 0.8 g·cm-3on average. The gathered data on cone surface area, volume and bulk density is a valuable tool for optimizing the thermal peeling process in mill cabinets to acquire high quality seeds.

Allozyme variation and possible phylogenetic implications in Abies cephalonica Loudon and some related eastern Mediterranean firs

Science.gov (United States)

B. Fady; M. T. Conkle

1993-01-01

A total of 22 loci were assayed in several populations of Abies cephalonica, A. borisii regis, A. bornmuelleriana and A. alba using horizontal starch gel electrophoresis. Within and between-population diversity were analyzed as well as between-species diversity. Mean expected heterozygosity was...

Contrasting effects of environmental change on the radial growth of co-occurring beech and fir trees across Europe

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bosela, M.; Lukac, M.; Castagneri, D.; Sedmák, R.; Biber, P.; Carrer, M.; Konopka, B.; Nola, P.; Nagel, T.; Popa, I.; Roibu, C. C.; Svoboda, M.; Trotsiuk, V.; Büntgen, Ulf

2018-01-01

Roč. 615 (2018), s. 1460-1469 ISSN 0048-9697 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1415 Institutional support: RVO:68378076 Keywords : fagus-sylvatica l. * abies-alba * silver fir * climate - change * site productivity * summer drought * norway spruce * bark beetle * range core * forests * Dendroecology * Climate change * Growth sensitivity * Mixed forests * Plant- climate interactions * Tree rings Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 4.900, year: 2016

Increased genetic divergence between two closely related fir species in areas of range overlap

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jing; Abbott, Richard J; Ingvarsson, Pär K; Liu, Jianquan

2014-01-01

Because of introgressive hybridization, closely related species can be more similar to each other in areas of range overlap (parapatry or sympatry) than in areas where they are geographically isolated from each other (allopatry). Here, we report the reverse situation based on nuclear genetic divergence between two fir species, Abies chensiensis and Abies fargesii, in China, at sites where they are parapatric relative to where they are allopatric. We examined genetic divergence across 126 amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers in a set of 172 individuals sampled from both allopatric and parapatric populations of the two species. Our analyses demonstrated that AFLP divergence was much greater between the species when comparisons were made between parapatric populations than between allopatric populations. We suggest that selection in parapatry may have largely contributed to this increased divergence. PMID:24772279

Possible causes of the recent rapid increase in the radial increment of silver fir in the Western Carpathians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bošeľa, Michal; Petráš, Rudolf; Sitková, Zuzana; Priwitzer, Tibor; Pajtík, Jozef; Hlavatá, Helena; Sedmák, Róbert; Tobin, Brian

2014-01-01

Silver fir is one of the most productive and ecologically valuable native European tree species, however, it has been experiencing decline which has periodically occurred over its natural range. This paper aims to investigate the recent climate–growth relationships of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) and its temporal change along the course of its life. Long-term tree-ring databases, as well as records on climate, atmospheric SO 2 , NO 3 and acid concentrations from four different regions in the Western Carpathians were used. The results provide clear evidence of significant increase of silver fir's radial increment over the entire Western Carpathian area since 1970–1980. The results indicated that the most probable factors behind the rapid recovery of tree radial increment were reductions in emissions of NO 3 and SO 2 , alongside a significant increase in mean June, July and April temperatures. Highlights: • Silver fir radial growth was mostly related to mean month late winter temperatures. • Silver fir growth also responded to summer, especially July temperatures. • Strength of the climate–growth response has gradually increased since 1960–1980. • SO 2 , NO 3 , and recent climate change as major factor of the rapid radial growth recovery. -- Reductions of SO 2 and NO 3 emission along with climate change are the major causes of the recent recovery of Silver fir radial growth

Association of Far-Infrared Radiation Therapy and Ankle-Brachial Index of Patients on Hemodialysis with Peripheral Artery Occlusive Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Szu-Chia; Lee, Mei-Yueh; Huang, Jiun-Chi; Kuo, I-Ching; Mai, Hsiu-Chin; Kuo, Po-Lin; Chang, Jer-Ming; Hwang, Shang-Jyh; Chen, Hung-Chun

2016-01-01

Background and Aim: The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is recognized to be a good marker for atherosclerosis, and is useful in the diagnosis of peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAOD) which is prevalent among patients on hemodialysis (HD). Methods: This randomized trial aimed to evaluate the effect of far-infrared radiation (FIR) therapy on ABI in HD patients with PAOD. PAOD was defined as patients with ABI < 0.95. One hundred and eight HD patients were enrolled, including 50 in the control group and 58 in the FIR group. A WS TY101 FIR emitter was applied for 40 minutes during each HD session, three times per week for six months. The ABI was measured before and after the FIR therapy. Results: Regardless of FIR therapy, the bilateral ABI decreased (in the FIR group, left: 0.88±0.22 to 0.85±0.24, p = 0.188; right: 0.92±0.20 to 0.90±0.23, p = 0.372; in control group, left: 0.91±0.23 to 0.88±0.21, p = 0144; right: 0.93±0.17 to 0.89±0.21, p = 0.082). Multivariate logistic analysis of the FIR group revealed that high uric acid (odds ratio [OR]: 2.335; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.117-4.882; p =0.024) and aspirin use (OR: 16.463; 95% CI: 1.787-151.638; p =0.013) were independently associated with increased bilateral ABI after FIR therapy. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that ABI is not increased after FIR therapy in HD patients with PAOD. However, in the FIR group, patients with higher uric acid level or those who used aspirin have increased bilateral ABI after FIR therapy.

Contrasting effects of environmental change on the radial growth of co-occurring beech and fir trees across Europe

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bošela, M.; Lukac, M.; Castagneri, D.; Sedmák, R.; Biber, P.; Carrer, M.; Konopka, B.; Nola, P.; Nagel, T.; Popa, I.; Roibu, C. C.; Svoboda, M.; Trotsiuk, V.; Büntgen, Ulf

2018-01-01

Roč. 615, feb (2018), s. 1460-1469 ISSN 0048-9697 Institutional support: RVO:86652079 Keywords : fagus-sylvatica l. * abies-alba * silver fir * climate - change * site productivity * summer drought * norway spruce * bark beetle * range core * forests * Dendroecology * Climate change * Growth sensitivity * Mixed forests * Plant- climate interactions * Tree rings Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour OBOR OECD: Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7) Impact factor: 4.900, year: 2016

Leaching of cell wall components caused by acid deposition on fir needles and trees

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shigihara, Ado [Department of Material and Life Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Kanagawa University, 3-27-1, Rokkakubashi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama 221-8686 (Japan)], E-mail: r200670202@kanagawa-u.ac.jp; Matsumoto, Kiyoshi [Department of Material and Life Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Kanagawa University, 3-27-1, Rokkakubashi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama 221-8686 (Japan); Sakurai, Naoki [Faculty of Integrated Arts and Science, Hiroshima University, 1-7-1, Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8521 (Japan); Igawa, Manabu [Department of Material and Life Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Kanagawa University, 3-27-1, Rokkakubashi, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama 221-8686 (Japan)

2008-07-15

Virgin fir forests have been declining since the 1960s at Mt. Oyama, which is located at the eastern edge of the Tanzawa Mountains and adjacent to the Kanto plain in Japan. An acid fog frequently occurs in the mountains. We collected throughfall and stemflow under fir trees and rainfall every week during January-December 2004 at Mt. Oyama to clarify the influence of acid fog on the decline of fir (Abies firma) needles. In relation to throughfall and stemflow, D-mannose, D-galactose, and D-glucose are the major neutral sugar components; only D-glucose is a major component of rainfall. The correlation coefficient between the total neutral sugars and uronic acid (as D-galacturonic acid), which is a key component of the cross-linking between pectic polysaccharides, was high except for rainfall. The leached amount of calcium ion, neutral sugars, uronic acid, and boron is related to the nitrate ion concentration in throughfall. Results of a laboratory exposure experiment using artificial fog water simulating the average composition of fog water observed at Mt. Oyama (simulated acid fog: SAF) on the fir seedling needles also shows a large leaching of these components from the cell walls of fir needles. The leaching amount increased concomitantly with decreasing pH of the SAF solution. We also observed that a dimeric rhamnogalacturonan II-borate complex (dRG-II-B) that exists in the cell wall as pectic polysaccharide was converted to monomeric RG-II (mRG-II) by the leaching of calcium ion and boron. Results not only of field observations but also those of laboratory experiments indicate a large effect of acid depositions on fir needles.

Metabolite changes in conifer buds and needles during forced bud break in Norway spruce (Picea abies and European silver fir (Abies alba

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Priyanka eDhuli

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Environmental changes such as early spring and warm spells induce bud burst and photosynthetic processes in cold-acclimated coniferous trees and consequently, cellular metabolism in overwintering needles and buds. The purpose of the study was to examine metabolism in conifers under forced deacclimation (artificially induced spring by exposing shoots of Picea abies (boreal species and Abies alba (temperate species to a greenhouse environment (22°C, 16/8 h D/N cycle over a nine week period. Each week, we scored bud opening and collected samples for GC/MS–based metabolite profiling. We detected a total of 169 assigned metabolites and 80 identified metabolites, comprising compounds such as mono- and disaccharides, Krebs cycle acids, amino acids, polyols, phenolics and phosphorylated structures. Untargeted multivariate statistical analysis based on PCA and cluster analysis segregated samples by species, tissue type, and stage of tissue deacclimations. Similar patterns of metabolic regulation in both species were observed in buds (amino acids, Krebs cycle acids and needles (hexoses, pentoses, and Krebs cycle acids. Based on correlation of bud opening score with compound levels, distinct metabolites could be associated with bud and shoot development, including amino acids, sugars and acids with known osmolyte function, and secondary metabolites. This study has shed light on how elevated temperature affects metabolism in buds and needles of conifer species during the deacclimation phase, and contributes to the discussion about how phenological characters in conifers may respond to future global warming.

Presence of Microplastics in the Fraser River, British Columbia

Science.gov (United States)

Bourdages, M.; Ehrenbrink, B. P. E.; Marsh, S. J.; Gillies, S. L.; Paine, J. K.; Bogaerts, P.; Strangway, A.; Robertson, K.; Groeneweg, A.

2017-12-01

Microplastics are a source of anthropogenic contamination in watercourses and water bodies around the world. The extent of the implications associated with microplastics, however, is not fully known. These plastic particles, less than 5mm in diameter by definition, threaten a wide range of aquatic and land-based organisms, as the ingestion of microplastics by aquatic organisms can form blockages in digestive tracts, and can provide pathways for other contaminants to enter their bodies (Ziajahromi et al. 2017). Land-based organisms can then ingest the contaminated organisms, potentially impacting their health. Microplastics can be introduced into the aquatic environment through aquatic or land-based sources (Ziajahromi et al. 2017). A river system that is at a particular threat from microplastic contamination is the Fraser River. The Fraser River is a major salmon bearing river system in British Columbia and drains an area of over 220,000 km2. Potential sources of microplastic contamination include pulp and lumber mills near Prince George and Quesnel, the agriculturally dominated Fraser Valley, and the highly urbanized and industrialized stretch of the Lower Mainland east of Vancouver. Preliminary tests in the summer of 2016 on 200 liters of Fraser River water, processed through a 45 µm sieve, revealed the presence of microplastics, including the detection of blue dye polyethylene by Raman spectroscopy. Since then additional water samples were taken monthly at the Fraser River Observatory in Fort Langley from October 2016 to March 2017, and then bi-weekly commencing in April 2017. These samples are to be analysed at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in the Fall of 2017. This ongoing project aims at identifying the presence, amount, and type of microplastics being transported by the Fraser River to the coastal ocean. Ziajahromi, S.,et al., 2017. Wastewater treatment plants as a pathway for microplastics: Development of a new approach to sample wastewater

Height-Diameter Models for Mixed-Species Forests Consisting of Spruce, Fir, and Beech

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Petráš Rudolf

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Height-diameter models define the general relationship between the tree height and diameter at each growth stage of the forest stand. This paper presents generalized height-diameter models for mixed-species forest stands consisting of Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst., Silver fir (Abies alba L., and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L. from Slovakia. The models were derived using two growth functions from the exponential family: the two-parameter Michailoff and three-parameter Korf functions. Generalized height-diameter functions must normally be constrained to pass through the mean stand diameter and height, and then the final growth model has only one or two parameters to be estimated. These “free” parameters are then expressed over the quadratic mean diameter, height and stand age and the final mathematical form of the model is obtained. The study material included 50 long-term experimental plots located in the Western Carpathians. The plots were established 40-50 years ago and have been repeatedly measured at 5 to 10-year intervals. The dataset includes 7,950 height measurements of spruce, 21,661 of fir and 5,794 of beech. As many as 9 regression models were derived for each species. Although the “goodness of fit” of all models showed that they were generally well suited for the data, the best results were obtained for silver fir. The coefficient of determination ranged from 0.946 to 0.948, RMSE (m was in the interval 1.94-1.97 and the bias (m was -0.031 to 0.063. Although slightly imprecise parameter estimation was established for spruce, the estimations of the regression parameters obtained for beech were quite less precise. The coefficient of determination for beech was 0.854-0.860, RMSE (m 2.67-2.72, and the bias (m ranged from -0.144 to -0.056. The majority of models using Korf’s formula produced slightly better estimations than Michailoff’s, and it proved immaterial which estimated parameter was fixed and which parameters

Spatial correlations between browsing on balsam fir by white-tailed deer and the nutritional value of neighboring winter forage.

Science.gov (United States)

Champagne, Emilie; Moore, Ben D; Côté, Steeve D; Tremblay, Jean-Pierre

2018-03-01

Associational effects, that is, the influence of neighboring plants on herbivory suffered by a plant, are an outcome of forage selection. Although forage selection is a hierarchical process, few studies have investigated associational effects at multiple spatial scales. Because the nutritional quality of plants can be spatially structured, it might differently influence associational effects across multiple scales. Our objective was to determine the radius of influence of neighbor density and nutritional quality on balsam fir ( Abies balsamea ) herbivory by white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) in winter. We quantified browsing rates on fir and the density and quality of neighboring trees in a series of 10-year-old cutovers on Anticosti Island (Canada). We used cross-correlations to investigate relationships between browsing rates and the density and nutritional quality of neighboring trees at distances up to 1,000 m. Balsam fir and white spruce ( Picea glauca ) fiber content and dry matter in vitro true digestibility were correlated with fir browsing rate at the finest extra-patch scale (across distance of up to 50 m) and between cutover areas (300-400 m). These correlations suggest associational effects, that is, low nutritional quality of neighbors reduces the likelihood of fir herbivory (associational defense). Our results may indicate associational effects mediated by intraspecific variation in plant quality and suggest that these effects could occur at scales from tens to hundreds of meters. Understanding associational effects could inform strategies for restoration or conservation; for example, planting of fir among existing natural regeneration could be concentrated in areas of low nutritional quality.

Effect of Hydropriming and Biopriming on Seed Germination and Growth of Two Mexican Fir Tree Species in Danger of Extinction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramón Zulueta-Rodríguez

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Abies spp. in general have been shown to need a period of cold stratification to break dormancy and germinate, but this can be very time consuming. In this study, hydropriming by itself and in combination with biopriming was carried out on Abies hickelii and Abies religiosa seeds. For biopriming, three species of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria ( Pseudomonas fluorescens, P. putida and Bacillus subtilis were tested. The purpose was to determine if germination and growth could be improved for these two endangered species. Our results demonstrated that treating A. hickelii and A. religiosa with both hydropriming and biopriming with certain strains of Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR could improve germination rates up to 91% for A. hickelii and up to 68% for A. religiosa. Importantly, these treatments showed no significant negative impact on the growth of A. religiosa and actually improved growth in A. hickelii. The application of both hydropriming and biopriming offer possibly an alternative methodology to improve germination, survival and preservation of these fir tree species of Mexico that are at risk of extinction.

Seasonal dynamics of structure and functional activity of ectomycorrhizal roots of the Siberian fir

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. A. Sizonenko

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of our work was to study seasonal dynamics of the Siberian fir Abies sibirica Ledeb. ectomycorrhizal morpho-anatomical structure, respiration rate and fluorescence. The study was carried out in the bilberry-sphagnum spruce forest in the middle taiga of the Komi Republic, Russia. The morpho-anatomical structure and fluorescence parameters were studied by light and luminescence microscopy. Thin root respiration was studied in intact fine roots in the field using an infrared gas analyzer. 12 subtypes of fungal mantels were revealed in ectomycorrhizal fir roots; their amount and composition demonstrated seasonal dynamic changes. At the beginning vegetation stage, the diversity and proportion of pseudoparenchymatous and double covers were maximal. Plant component of ectomycorrhizae that includes cortical parenchyma and stele had high activity of fluorescence during the entire vegetation period. The dynamics of staining of fungal component (fungal mantel and Hartig net was more contrasting. The highest fluorescence intensity of cortical parenchyma was found in ectomycorrhizae with maximal fungal mantel thickness. High proportion of tannin cells in cortical parenchyma was related with low intensity of fungal mantel and Hartig net fluorescence. During vegetation season, maximal amount of intensively strained ectomycorrhizal elements occurred in July and unstrained – in June and August. Relation between fine roots respiration and an increase of brightly strained ectomycorrhizal structural elements in fir roots was not statistically significant. Root CO2-emission was lower in May and September in comparison with summer months. For respiration rate of fir fine roots we found its strong positive correlation with the litter temperature.

Providing an Authentic Research Experience for University of the Fraser Valley Undergraduate Students by Investigating and Documenting Seasonal and Longterm Changes in Fraser Valley Stream Water Chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillies, S. L.; Marsh, S. J.; Peucker-Ehrenbrink, B.; Janmaat, A.; Bourdages, M.; Paulson, D.; Groeneweg, A.; Bogaerts, P.; Robertson, K.; Clemence, E.; Smith, S.; Yakemchuk, A.; Faber, A.

2017-12-01

Undergraduate students in the Geography and Biology Departments at the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) have been provided the opportunity to participate in the time series sampling of the Fraser River at Fort Langley and Fraser Valley tributaries as part of the Global Rivers Observatory (GRO, www.globalrivers.org) which is coordinated by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Woods Hole Research Center. Student research has focussed on Clayburn, Willband and Stoney Creeks that flow from Sumas Mountain northwards to the Fraser River. These watercourses are increasingly being impacted by anthropogenic activity including residential developments, industrial activity, and agricultural landuse. Students are instructed in field sampling protocols and the collection of water chemistry data and the care and maintenance of the field equipment. Students develop their own research projects and work in support of each other as teams in the field to collect the data and water samples. Students present their findings as research posters at local academic conferences and at UFV's Student Research Day. Through their involvement in our field research our students have become more aware of the state of our local streams, the methods used to monitor water chemistry and how water chemistry varies seasonally.

Fir Engraver (FIDL)

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George T. Ferrell

1986-01-01

The fir engraver, Scolytus ventralis LeConte, belongs to the family of insects called bark beetles, which live between the bark and wood of host trees. A wide-ranging, native beetle, the fir engraver attacks most species of fir in the Western United States. Epidemics can cause severe tree mortality. From 1977 to 1978, for example, the fir engraver killed an estimated 1...

Climate-growth relationships of Abies spectabilis in a central Himalayan treeline ecotone

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Schwab, Niels; Kaczka, Ryszard J.; Schickhoff, Udo

2017-04-01

Climate warming is expected to induce treelines to advance to higher elevations. Empirical studies in diverse mountain ranges, however, give evidence of both advancing alpine treelines as well as rather insignificant responses. The large spectrum of responses is not fully understood. In the framework of investigating the sensitivity and response of a near-natural treeline ecotone in Rolwaling Himal, Nepal, to climate warming we present results from dendroclimatological analyses of Abies spectabilis (Himalayan Fir) increment cores. Tree ring width was measured and cross-dated. After standardization, the chronology was correlated with temperature and precipitation variables. Preliminary results point to positive correlations with autumn temperature and precipitation. We will present improved climate-growth relationships. The resulting climate - tree growth relationships may be used as an indication of future growth patterns and treeline dynamics under climate change conditions.

Fish vs. power: Remaking salmon, science and society on the Fraser River, 1900--1960

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Evenden, Matthew Dominic

Overlapping resource demands made the Fraser River a contested site of development politics in twentieth century British Columbia. Since the turn of the century, power interests surveyed the river's flow, sited dams and promoted development schemes. Fisheries interests, on the other hand, sought to maintain the river as salmon spawning habitat. They questioned the necessity of dams, supported fisheries research and rehabilitation and organized anti-development coalitions. Before the mid-1950s a number of dam projects proceeded on Fraser tributaries and major landslides at Hells Gate modeled the dangers of main stem development. Because of the concerted political lobbying of fisheries groups, the skeptical appraisal of fisheries scientists to development proposals and the legal and political authority of the federal Department of Fisheries and the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission, major dam projects were defeated on the Fraser in the late 1950s. Delayed development on the Fraser helped to spur hydroelectric projects on other rivers in the province; the fish-power problem on the Fraser altered the province's spatial economy of power. Once development began on the Columbia and Peace Rivers, the Fraser was protected by implication. The study combines approaches from environmental history, the history of science and political economy to demonstrate the intersections and interactions between nature, knowledge and society. Research was conducted at eleven archives in Canada and the United States in the papers of organizations, corporations, government departments, politicians, scientists and individuals.

Foliar responses of understorey Abies lasiocarpa to different degrees of release cutting of Betula papyrifera and conifer mixed species stand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, J.R.; Letchford, T. [Ministry of Forests, Prince George, BC (Canada). Red Rock Research Station; Comeau, P.G. [BC Ministry of Forests, Victoria, BC (Canada); Coopersmith, D. [BC Ministry of Forests, Prince George, BC (Canada)

2000-07-01

Foliar responses of subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.) to thinning were studied in a 35-yr-old mixed stand of paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) and conifers. The stand regenerated naturally after a wildfire with a canopy dominated by paper birch (average height 9.8 m) and an understorey dominated by subalpine fir (average height 1.6 m). The stand was thinned to four densities of birch: 0, 600 and 1200 stems ha{sup -1} and control (Unthinned at 2300-6400 stems ha{sup -1}) in the autumn of 1995. The understorey conifers, mainly subalpine fir, were thinned to 1200 stems ha{sup -1}. The study used a completely randomized split-plot design. Three sample trees were systematically selected from each treatment replicate and each tree stratum (upper, intermediate and lower understorey). One-year-old and older age class needles were collected from one south-facing branch within the fifth whorl from the tree top. Thinning of paper birch significantly (p<0.001) increased leaf area and dry weight per 100 needles for intermediate and short trees except in the 0 birch treatment. Understorey subalpine fir trees in 600 stems ha{sup -1} birch (T3) had the largest leaf area and leaf dry weight per 100 1-yr-old needles. Specific leaf area (SLA) decreased from unthinned (T1) to 0 birch (T4). Lower understorey trees had the largest SLA. One-year-old needles had significantly higher N, P and K concentrations in all the thinning treatments. These responses are consistent with the shade tolerance of subalpine fir. The results suggest that when managing a paper birch-conifers mixed wood forest it may be of benefit to understorey conifers to leave a birch canopy as a nursing crop.

Modelling initial mortality of Abies religiosa in a crown fire in Mexico

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Salomé Temiño-Villota

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Aim of study: The objectives of this work were to determine which morphological and fire severity variables may help explain the mortality of adult Abies religiosa (Kunth Schltdl. & Cham., to model the probability of this species after being affected by crown fire, and to obtain more elements to classify the sacred fir in terms of fire resistance. This type of studies are relevant to estimate the impact of crown fires on the climax forests that forms this species.Area of study: The burned forest was located in the southern Mexico City, borough.Material and methods: Morphological variables and fire severity indicators were collected for 335 Abies religiosa trees burned by a mixed severity fire. Logistic regression was used to analyze data and develop models that best explained tree mortality.Main results: Survival was 26.9%. The models for height (p≤0.0001, diameter at breast height (p=0.0082, crown length (p≤0.0001 and crown base height (p≤0.0001 were significant, with a negative relationship between each one of these variables and probability of mortality. The significant severity variables were lethal scorch height (p≤0.0001 and crown kill (p≤ 0.0001, which have a direct relationship with probability of mortality.Highlights: This species is moderately fire-resistant. Crown kill ≥ 70% markedly increases mortality. Silvicultural activities such as pruning, thinning and fuel management can reduce the risk of crown fires.

Modelling initial mortality of Abies religiosa in a crown fire in Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Temiño-Villota, S.; Rodríguez-Trejo, D.A.; Molina Terrén, D.M.; Ryan, K.

2016-07-01

Aim of the study: The objectives of this work were to determine which morphological and fire severity variables may help explain the mortality of adult Abies religiosa (Kunth) Schltdl. & Cham., to model the probability of this species after being affected by crown fire, and to obtain more elements to classify the sacred fir in terms of fire resistance. This type of studies are relevant to estimate the impact of crown fires on the climax forests that forms this species. Area of study: The burned forest was located in the southern Mexico City, borough. Material and methods: Morphological variables and fire severity indicators were collected for 335 Abies religiosa trees burned by a mixed severity fire. Logistic regression was used to analyze data and develop models that best explained tree mortality. Main results: Survival was 26.9%. The models for height (p≤0.0001), diameter at breast height (p=0.0082), crown length (p≤0.0001) and crown base height (p≤0.0001) were significant, with a negative relationship between each one of these variables and probability of mortality. The significant severity variables were lethal scorch height (p≤0.0001) and crown kill (p≤ 0.0001), which have a direct relationship with probability of mortality. Highlights: This species is moderately fire-resistant. Crown kill ≥ 70% markedly increases mortality. Silvicultural activities such as pruning, thinning and fuel management can reduce the risk of crown fires. (Author)

Douglas-Fir Tussock Moth- and Douglas-Fir Beetle-Caused Mortality in a Ponderosa Pine/Douglas-Fir Forest in the Colorado Front Range, USA

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José F. Negrón

2014-12-01

Full Text Available An outbreak of the Douglas-fir tussock moth, Orgyia pseudotsugata McDunnough, occurred in the South Platte River drainage on the Pike-San Isabel National Forest in the Colorado Front Range attacking Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb. Franco. Stocking levels, species composition, and tree size in heavily and lightly defoliated stands were similar. Douglas-fir tussock moth defoliation resulted in significant Douglas-fir mortality in the heavily defoliated stands, leading to a change in dominance to ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa Lawson. Douglas-fir beetle, Dendroctonus pseudotsuqae Hopkins, populations increased following the defoliation event but caused less mortality, and did not differ between heavily and lightly defoliated stands. Douglas-fir tussock moth-related mortality was greatest in trees less than 15 cm dbh (diameter at 1.4 m above the ground that grew in suppressed and intermediate canopy positions. Douglas-fir beetle-related mortality was greatest in trees larger than 15 cm dbh that grew in the dominant and co-dominant crown positions. Although both insects utilize Douglas-fir as its primary host, stand response to infestation is different. The extensive outbreak of the Douglas-fir tussock moth followed by Douglas-fir beetle activity may be associated with a legacy of increased host type growing in overstocked conditions as a result of fire exclusion.

White Free Speech: The Fraser Event and its Enlightenment Legacies

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Goldie Osuri

2011-04-01

Full Text Available This essay discusses the 2005 Australia-wide controversy about the white supremacist comments made by Macquarie University academic Associate Professor Andrew Fraser. It locates the means by which this white supremacism manifested itself not only through Fraser comments, but also through arguments surrounding free speech/academic freedom. Using whiteness theory and its examination of whiteness as an Enlightenment legacy, Osuri argues that the collusion between Fraser’s white supremacism and the free speech/academic freedom argument is based on a disavowal of how whiteness operates, as Aileen Moreton-Robinson describes it, as an epistemological and ontological a priori, an embodied form of knowledge-production, and collective white hegemony.

Geologic map of the Fraser 7.5-minute quadrangle, Grand County, Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Shroba, Ralph R.; Bryant, Bruce; Kellogg, Karl S.; Theobald, Paul K.; Brandt, Theodore R.

2010-01-01

The geologic map of the Fraser quadrangle, Grand County, Colo., portrays the geology along the western boundary of the Front Range and the eastern part of the Fraser basin near the towns of Fraser and Winter Park. The oldest rocks in the quadrangle include gneiss, schist, and plutonic rocks of Paleoproterozoic age that are intruded by younger plutonic rocks of Mesoproterozoic age. These basement rocks are exposed along the southern, eastern, and northern margins of the quadrangle. Fluvial claystone, mudstone, and sandstone of the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation, and fluvial sandstone and conglomeratic sandstone of the Lower Cretaceous Dakota Group, overlie Proterozoic rocks in a small area near the southwest corner of the quadrangle. Oligocene rhyolite tuff is preserved in deep paleovalleys cut into Proterozoic rocks near the southeast corner of the quadrangle. Generally, weakly consolidated siltstone and minor unconsolidated sediments of the upper Oligocene to upper Miocene Troublesome Formation are preserved in the post-Laramide Fraser basin. Massive bedding and abundant silt suggest that loess or loess-rich alluvium is a major component of the siltstone in the Troublesome Formation. A small unnamed fault about one kilometer northeast of the town of Winter Park has the youngest known displacement in the quadrangle, displacing beds of the Troublesome Formation. Surficial deposits of Pleistocene and Holocene age are widespread in the Fraser quadrangle, particularly in major valleys and on slopes underlain by the Troublesome Formation. Deposits include glacial outwash and alluvium of non-glacial origin; mass-movement deposits transported by creep, debris flow, landsliding, and rockfall; pediment deposits; tills deposited during the Pinedale and Bull Lake glaciations; and sparse diamictons that may be pre-Bull Lake till or debris-flow deposits. Some of the oldest surficial deposits may be as old as Pliocene.

Mistletoe lectin is not the only cytotoxic component in fermented preparations of Viscum album from white fir (Abies pectinata

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Ramos Mac

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Preparations of mistletoe (Viscum album are the form of cancer treatment that is most frequently used in the complementary medicine. Previous work has shown that these preparations are able to exert cytotoxic effects on carcinoma cells, the extent of which might be influenced by the host tree species and by the content of mistletoe lectin. Methods Using colorimetric assays, we have now compared the cytotoxic effects of Viscum album preparations (VAPs obtained from mistletoe growing on oak (Quercus robur and Q. petraea, VAP-Qu, apple tree (Malus domestica,, VAP-M, pine (Pinus sylvestris, VAP-P or white fir (Abies pectinata, VAP-A, on the in vitro growth of breast and bladder carcinoma cell lines. While MFM-223, KPL-1, MCF-7 and HCC-1937 were the breast carcinoma cell lines chosen, the panel of tested bladder carcinoma cells comprised the T-24, TCC-SUP, UM-UC-3 and J-82 cell lines. Results Each of the VAPs inhibited cell growth, but the extent of this inhibition differed with the preparation and with the cell line. The concentrations of VAP-Qu, VAP-M and VAP-A which led to a 50 % reduction of cell growth (IC50 varied between 0.6 and 0.03 mg/ml. Higher concentrations of VAP-P were required to obtain a comparable effect. Purified mistletoe lectin I (MLI led to an inhibition of breast carcinoma cell growth at concentrations lower than those of VAPs, but the sensitivity towards purified MLI did not parallel that towards VAPs. Bladder carcinoma cells were in most cases more sensitive to VAPs treatment than breast carcinoma cells. The total mistletoe lectin content was very high in VAP-Qu (54 ng/mg extract, intermediate in VAP-M (25 ng/mg extract, and very low in VAP-P (1.3 ng/mg extract and in VAP-A (1 ng/mg extract. As to be expected from the low content of mistletoe lectin, VAP-P led to relatively weak cytotoxic effects. Most remarkably, however, the lectin-poor VAP-A revealed a cytotoxic effect comparable to, or even stronger

Redescription of Sertularia notabilis Fraser, 1947 (Sertulariidae, Hydrozoa)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Migotto, A.E.; Vervoort, W.

1998-01-01

An obscure species of the large leptolid genus Sertularia, S. notabilis Fraser, 1947, originally described from Tortuga Island, Venezuela, and not recorded since, is re-described and recorded from Brazilian coastal waters. This material is compared with Fraser’s type series; its relationship with

A method for reconstructing the development of the sapwood area of balsam fir.

Science.gov (United States)

Coyea, M R; Margolis, H A; Gagnon, R R

1990-09-01

Leaf area is commonly estimated as a function of sapwood area. However, because sapwood changes to heartwood over time, it has not previously been possible to reconstruct either the sapwood area or the leaf area of older trees into the past. In this study, we report a method for reconstructing the development of the sapwood area of dominant and codominant balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.). The technique is based on establishing a species-specific relationship between the number of annual growth rings in the sapwood area and tree age. Because the number of annual growth rings in the sapwood of balsam fir at a given age was found to be independent of site quality and stand density, the number of rings in sapwood (NRS) can be predicted from the age of a tree thus: NRS = 14.818 (1 - e(-0.031 age)), unweighted R(2) = 0.80, and NRS = 2.490 (1 - e(-0.038 age)), unweighted R(2) = 0.64, for measurements at breast height and at the base of the live crown, respectively. These nonlinear asymptotic regression models based only on age, were not improved by adding other tree variables such as diameter at breast height, diameter at the base of the live crown, total tree height or percent live crown.

Douglas-Fir Tussock Moth

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Boyd E. Wickman; Richard R. Mason; Galen C. Trostle

1981-01-01

The Douglas-fir tussock moth (Orgyia pseudotsugata McDunnough) is an important defoliator of true firs and Douglas-fir in Western North America. Severe tussock moth outbreaks have occurred in British Columbia, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, California, Arizona, and New Mexico, but the area subject to attack is more extensive

Selected beetle assemblages captured in pitfall traps baited with deer dung or meat in balsam fir and sugar maple forests of central Quebec.

Science.gov (United States)

Brousseau, Pierre-Marc; Cloutier, Conrad; Hébert, Christian

2010-08-01

Vertebrate dung and carrion are rich and strongly attractive resources for numerous beetles that are often closely linked to them. The presence and abundance of beetles exploiting such resources are influenced by various ecological factors including climate and forest cover vegetation. We studied selected assemblages of coprophilous and necrophagous beetles in Quebec along a 115-km north-south transect in three balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Miller) forest sites and in a fourth forest site dominated by sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall), close to the southern fir site. Beetle abundance was estimated using a sampling design comprising replicated pitfall traps baited with red deer meat or dung in each site. A total of 8,511 beetles were caught and identified to family level, 95.7% of which belonged to families with known coprophilous or necrophagous behavior. Meat-baited pitfall traps caught nearly 15 times as many beetles as dung-baited traps. All Histeridae, Hydrophilidae, Scarabaeidae, and Silphidae were identified to species to examine specific diversity variation among sites. For the beetles caught in the meat-baited traps (majority of captures), decreases in abundance and species richness were observed from south to north along the fir forest transect, with evidence of decreasing specific diversity as measured by the Shannon index of diversity. Strong differences in species assemblages were also observed between the southern maple and fir forest sites. The Silphidae and Histeridae were more abundant in the maple forest, whereas the Hydrophilidae and Ptilidae were more abundant in the fir forest.

Landscape-scale effects of fire severity on mixed-conifer and red fir forest structure in Yosemite National Park

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Kane, Van R.; Lutz, James A.; Roberts, Susan L.; Smith, Douglas F.; McGaughey, Robert J.; Povak, Nicholas A.; Brooks, Matthew L.

2013-01-01

While fire shapes the structure of forests and acts as a keystone process, the details of how fire modifies forest structure have been difficult to evaluate because of the complexity of interactions between fires and forests. We studied this relationship across 69.2 km2 of Yosemite National Park, USA, that was subject to 32 fires ⩾40 ha between 1984 and 2010. Forests types included ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), white fir-sugar pine (Abies concolor/Pinus lambertiana), and red fir (Abies magnifica). We estimated and stratified burned area by fire severity using the Landsat-derived Relativized differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (RdNBR). Airborne LiDAR data, acquired in July 2010, measured the vertical and horizontal structure of canopy material and landscape patterning of canopy patches and gaps. Increasing fire severity changed structure at the scale of fire severity patches, the arrangement of canopy patches and gaps within fire severity patches, and vertically within tree clumps. Each forest type showed an individual trajectory of structural change with increasing fire severity. As a result, the relationship between estimates of fire severity such as RdNBR and actual changes appears to vary among forest types. We found three arrangements of canopy patches and gaps associated with different fire severities: canopy-gap arrangements in which gaps were enclosed in otherwise continuous canopy (typically unburned and low fire severities); patch-gap arrangements in which tree clumps and gaps alternated and neither dominated (typically moderate fire severity); and open-patch arrangements in which trees were scattered across open areas (typically high fire severity). Compared to stands outside fire perimeters, increasing fire severity generally resulted first in loss of canopy cover in lower height strata and increased number and size of gaps, then in loss of canopy cover in higher height strata, and eventually the transition to open areas with few or no trees. However

Growth of silver fir (Abies alba Mill. on originally agricultural land in the region of the White Carpathians

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Jaroslav Simon

2012-01-01

Full Text Available At the Ploščiny-Triangl locality belonging to the northernmost part of the CHKO Bílé Karpaty (Protected Landscape Area White Carpathians, altitude 739 m, typological unit – Nutrient Rich Fir-Beech Forest, comparative analysis was carried out of selected biometrical quantities of the time series of stands originated on former agricultural land and stands originated by the alternation of forest generations. On the basis of examinations it is possible to formulate following conclusions: - the height increment culmination occurs at stands originated on former agricultural land earlier, viz. at an age of about 20 years;- on the other hand, the culmination of volume increment related to a mean stem occurs later, at current increment at an age of 80 years, at a mean increment at an age of 140 years;- the growth curve of a mean stand height of both variants is analogical up to an age of about 20–25 years, further values of stands established on former agricultural land are lower approaching an asymptote of 30 m;- stands of both variants do not show symptoms of rot or other damage to the reference period of about 150 years.As for the current condition of natural regeneration of silver fir and succession distribution on unused agricultural land it is possible to state that it is considerably reduced on the basis of intensive pressure of particularly red deer.

Douglas-fir tussock moth- and Douglas-fir beetle-caused mortality in a ponderosa pine/Douglas-fir forest in the Colorado Front Range, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Jose F. Negron; Ann M. Lynch; Willis C. Schaupp; Vladimir Bocharnikov

2014-01-01

An outbreak of the Douglas-fir tussock moth, Orgyia pseudotsugata McDunnough, occurred in the South Platte River drainage on the Pike-San Isabel National Forest in the Colorado Front Range attacking Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco. Stocking levels, species composition, and tree size in heavily and lightly defoliated stands were similar. Douglas-fir...

Weather, logging, and tree growth associated with fir engraver attack scars in white fir

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George T. Ferrell

1973-01-01

The boles of 32 recently killed, and 41 living, white fir were examined for embedded fir engraver (Scolytus ventralis) attack scars. Of 287 scars found in annual rings for the years 1934-69, only 2 to 3 percent represented reproductively successful attacks. Trends in scar abundance were directly correlated with trends in white fir killed by ...

Environmental Assessment of Short-Term Construction Projects at the 150th Fighter Wing, New Mexico Air National Guard, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

2003-01-01

smaller tree species include one-seeded juniper (Juniperus monosperma) and occasionally low oaks, such as gray oak ( Quercus grisea). Wildlife in...Cercocarpus montanus), yucca, gambel oak ( Quercus gambelii), prickley pear (Opuntia phaeacantha), blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), sideoats grama (B...Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmanni), subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) (in the north), and corkbark fir (Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica ) (in the south) are

Esfera pública, reconhecimento e minorias: o diálogo Habermas-Fraser

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Maria Eugenia

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Nancy Fraser delineou uma compreensão procedimental do reconhecimento que tem possibilidade de combater políticas estreitas de autenticidade de grupo. Jürgen Habermas enfatiza um modelo deliberativo e uma análise histórica da esfera pública, por meio de um aprendizado teórico que culminou em 1992, com Faktizität und Geltung. Pretendemos demonstrar, com base em Fraser e Habermas, que, diante de um contexto de exclusão do espaço público oficial, é necessário ampliar arenas discursivas, sob pena de reproduzirmos e mantermos as assimetrias dominantes. Fraser, em Scales of Justice, defende uma esfera pública transnacional na qual há uma rearticulação dos processos decisórios, superando as fronteiras dos estados nacionais territorialmente situados. Propugnamos analisar a evolução das concepções de esfera pública em Habermas e Fraser ao longo de suas trajetórias teóricas. Em Habermas, até 2011, havia uma ambiguidade que oscilava entre a abordagem fina de patriotismo constitucional e a concepção densa de autocompreensão europeia. Com efeito, pretendemos investigar como Habermas, em Sobre a constituição da Europa - um ensaio, Habermas soluciona tal ambiguidade em relação à compreensão de esfera pública, lecionando que os cidadãos, por meio da tecnologia digital e de padrões morais, avaliam as estruturas econômicas europeias, confrontando as instituições existentes com as exigências de uma justiça global. Sustentamos, com base em Habermas, que tais discussões devem ser efetivadas no interior de um Parlamento mundial composto de Estados e cidadãos.

Bifunctional cis-Abienol Synthase from Abies balsamea Discovered by Transcriptome Sequencing and Its Implications for Diterpenoid Fragrance Production*

Science.gov (United States)

Zerbe, Philipp; Chiang, Angela; Yuen, Macaire; Hamberger, Björn; Hamberger, Britta; Draper, Jason A.; Britton, Robert; Bohlmann, Jörg

2012-01-01

The labdanoid diterpene alcohol cis-abienol is a major component of the aromatic oleoresin of balsam fir (Abies balsamea) and serves as a valuable bioproduct material for the fragrance industry. Using high-throughput 454 transcriptome sequencing and metabolite profiling of balsam fir bark tissue, we identified candidate diterpene synthase sequences for full-length cDNA cloning and functional characterization. We discovered a bifunctional class I/II cis-abienol synthase (AbCAS), along with the paralogous levopimaradiene/abietadiene synthase and isopimaradiene synthase, all of which are members of the gymnosperm-specific TPS-d subfamily. The AbCAS-catalyzed formation of cis-abienol proceeds via cyclization and hydroxylation at carbon C-8 of a postulated carbocation intermediate in the class II active site, followed by cleavage of the diphosphate group and termination of the reaction sequence without further cyclization in the class I active site. This reaction mechanism is distinct from that of synthases of the isopimaradiene- or levopimaradiene/abietadiene synthase type, which employ deprotonation reactions in the class II active site and secondary cyclizations in the class I active site, leading to tricyclic diterpenes. Comparative homology modeling suggested the active site residues Asp-348, Leu-617, Phe-696, and Gly-723 as potentially important for the specificity of AbCAS. As a class I/II bifunctional enzyme, AbCAS is a promising target for metabolic engineering of cis-abienol production. PMID:22337889

Growth Response of Silver Fir and Bosnian Pine from Kosovo

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Elvin Toromani

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Background and Purpose: This paper explore the growth-climate relationships in total ring width chronologies of silver fir (Abies alba Mill. and Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichii Christ. The objective of this study is to quantify the climate influence on radial growth of both species. The relationships between climate and ring widths were analyzed using extreme growing years (called pointer years, simple correlations and response functions analysis (bootstrapped coefficients. The objectives of this study were: (1 to define the pattern of climatic response of each species, (2 to highlight the influence of local ecological conditions on tree's growth, and (3 to compare the response of silver fir and Bosnian pine to climate. Responses of total ring width to climate were estimated by establishing the mean relationship between growth and climate through simple correlations analysis and bootstrapped response functions. The response to climatic variability was also assessed by analyzing pointer years which correspond to abrupt changes in growth pattern and revealing the tree-growth response to extreme climatic events. For the period 1908-2008 the mean sensitivity (MS of total ring width chronology for Bosnian pine (0.209 was higher than silver fir (0.169 suggesting that Bosnian pine is more sensitive to climate (pointer years were more frequent in ring width chronology of Bosnian pine than in silver fir ring width chronology. The high values of first-order autocorrelations for Bosnian pine (0.674 indicated a strong dependence of current growth on the previous year’s growth. Pointer years analysis underlined the high sensitivity to spring temperatures and precipitation for both species. Radial growth for both species depends strongly on spring climate variables (temperatures and precipitation which play a significant role particularly for earlywood production. Material and Methods: We selected 12 silver fir trees and 15 Bosnian pine trees and took two 5

FIR-laser scattering for JT-60

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itagaki, Tokiyoshi; Matoba, Tohru; Funahashi, Akimasa; Suzuki, Yasuo

1977-09-01

An ion Thomson scattering method with far infrared (FIR) laser has been studied for measuring the ion temperature in large tokamak JT-60 to be completed in 1981. Ion Thomson scattering has the advantage of measuring spatial variation of the ion temperature. The ion Thomson scattering in medium tokamak (PLT) and future large tokamak (JET) requires a FIR laser of several megawatts. Research and development of FIR high power pulse lasers with power up to 0.6 MW have proceeded in ion Thomson scattering for future high-temperature tokamaks. The FIR laser power will reach to the desired several megawatts in a few years, so JAERI plans to measure the ion temperature in JT-60 by ion Thomson scattering. A noise source of the ion Thomson scattering with 496 μm-CH 3 F laser is synchrotron radiation of which the power is similar to NEP of the Schottky-barrier diode. However, the synchrotron radiation power is one order smaller than that when a FIR laser is 385 μm-D 2 O laser. The FIR laser power corresponding to a signal to noise ratio of 1 is about 4 MW for CH 3 F laser, and 0.4 MW for D 2 O laser if NEP of the heterodyne mixer is one order less. A FIR laser scattering system for JT-60 should be realized with improvement of FIR laser power, NEP of heterodyne mixer and reduction of synchrotron radiation. (auth.)

Cryptophthalmos and Bilateral Renal Agenesis with Cleft Lip and Palate: Fraser Syndrome: Case Report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emre Pabuçcu

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Fraser syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder consisting of multiple anomalies including variable expression of cryptophthalmos, syndactyly, abnormal genitalia, malformations of the nose, ear and larynx, renal agenesis, oro-facial clefts, skeletal defects, umbilical hernia and mental retardation. Antenatally detected multiple congenital fetal anomalies during 22nd week of gestation is reported in this paper. Fraser Syndrome was diagnosed according to major and minor criteria. Early antenatal detection is mandatory and clinician should be awere of the high recurrence rates of this syndrome among siblings threatening subsequent pregnancies and should inform affected families.

Influence of large wood on channel morphology and sediment storage in headwater mountain streams, Fraser Experimental Forest, Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Sandra E. Ryan; Erica L. Bishop; J. Michael Daniels

2014-01-01

Large fallen wood can have a significant impact on channel form and process in forested mountain streams. In this study, four small channels on the Fraser Experimental Forest near Fraser, Colorado, USA, were surveyed for channel geometries and large wood loading, including the size, source, and characteristics of individual pieces. The study is part of a larger effort...

Variation of Maximum Tree Height and Annual Shoot Growth of Smith Fir at Various Elevations in the Sygera Mountains, Southeastern Tibetan Plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yafeng; Čufar, Katarina; Eckstein, Dieter; Liang, Eryuan

2012-01-01

Little is known about tree height and height growth (as annual shoot elongation of the apical part of vertical stems) of coniferous trees growing at various altitudes on the Tibetan Plateau, which provides a high-elevation natural platform for assessing tree growth performance in relation to future climate change. We here investigated the variation of maximum tree height and annual height increment of Smith fir (Abies georgei var. smithii) in seven forest plots (30 m×40 m) along two altitudinal transects between 3,800 m and 4,200/4,390 m above sea level (a.s.l.) in the Sygera Mountains, southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Four plots were located on north-facing slopes and three plots on southeast-facing slopes. At each site, annual shoot growth was obtained by measuring the distance between successive terminal bud scars along the main stem of 25 trees that were between 2 and 4 m high. Maximum/mean tree height and mean annual height increment of Smith fir decreased with increasing altitude up to the tree line, indicative of a stress gradient (the dominant temperature gradient) along the altitudinal transect. Above-average mean minimum summer (particularly July) temperatures affected height increment positively, whereas precipitation had no significant effect on shoot growth. The time series of annual height increments of Smith fir can be used for the reconstruction of past climate on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. In addition, it can be expected that the rising summer temperatures observed in the recent past and anticipated for the future will enhance Smith fir's growth throughout its altitudinal distribution range. PMID:22396738

Cooperation of three WRKY-domain transcription factors WRKY18, WRKY40, and WRKY60 in repressing two ABA-responsive genes ABI4 and ABI5 in Arabidopsis

OpenAIRE

Liu, Zhi-Qiang; Yan, Lu; Wu, Zhen; Mei, Chao; Lu, Kai; Yu, Yong-Tao; Liang, Shan; Zhang, Xiao-Feng; Wang, Xiao-Fang; Zhang, Da-Peng

2012-01-01

Three evolutionarily closely related WRKY-domain transcription factors WRKY18, WRKY40, and WRKY60 in Arabidopsis were previously identified as negative abscisic acid (ABA) signalling regulators, of which WRKY40 regulates ABI4 and ABI5 expression, but it remains unclear whether and how the three transcription factors cooperate to regulate expression of ABI4 and ABI5. In the present experiments, it was shown that WRKY18 and WRKY60, like WRKY40, interact with the W-box in the promoters of ABI4 a...

Leaf gas exchange of understory spruce-fir saplings in relict cloud forests, southern Appalachian Mountains, USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reinhardt, K.; Smith, W.K. [Wake Forest Univ., Winston-Salem, NC (United States). Dept. of Biology

2008-01-15

Global climate change is expected to increase regional cloud ceiling levels in many mountainous forested areas of the world. This study investigated environmental influences on the gas exchange physiology of understory red spruce and Fraser fir trees at 2 sites in the Appalachian mountains. The study hypothesized that the humid, cloudy environment would influence the photosynthetic performance of the trees, and that the species would adapt to low, diffuse light. The study also predicted that leaf conductance to carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) would be high as a result of low leaf-to-air-vapour pressure deficit (LAVD). The study demonstrated that leaf conductance decreased exponentially as LAVD increased. Predawn leaf water potentials remained stable, while late afternoon values declined. It was concluded that leaf gas exchange was correlated with the response of leaf conductance and LAVD. The cloudy, humid environment strongly influenced tree leaf gas exchange and water relations. It was suggested that further research is needed to investigate cloud impacts on carbon gain and water relations. 72 refs., 1 tab., 8 figs.

Doubling sockeye salmon production in the Fraser River—Is this sustainable development?

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Michael A.; Healey, Michael C.

1993-11-01

We evaluate a proposal to double sockeye salmon production from the Fraser River and conclude that significant changes will be required to current management processes, particularly the way available catch is allocated, if the plan is to be consistent with five major principles embodied in the concept of sustainable development. Doubling sockeye salmon production will not, in itself, increase economic equity either regionally or globally. Developing nations may actually be hindered in their attempts to institute other, nonsalmon fisheries in the North Pacific Ocean as a result of the possible interception of salmon. Further, other users of the Fraser River basin will have to forgo opportunities so that salmon habitat can be conserved. If doubling sockeye salmon production is to meet the goal of doing more with less, it will be necessary to develop more efficient technologies to harvest the fish. If increasing salmon production is to reflect the integration of environmental and economic decision making at the highest level, then a serious attempt must be made to incorporate environmental assets into national economic accounting. Finally, to promote biodiversity and cultural self-sufficiency within the Fraser River basin, it will be important to safeguard the small, less-productive salmon stocks as well as the large ones and to allocate a substantial portion of the increased production to the Native Indian community.

Ecological requirements of Abies alba in the French Alps derived from dendro-ecological analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rolland, C.; Michalet, R.; Desplanque, C.; Petetin, A.; Aime, S. [Univ. Joseph Fourier, Grenoble (France). Centre de Biologie Alpine

1999-06-01

We used dendro-ecological techniques to investigate fundamental relationships between climate and growth of Abies alba (silver fir) in eastern France. Seven Abies forests in the Trieves region of the French Alps were chosen to represent a wide range of ecological conditions based on the results of previous forest vegetation surveys. In each forest, four trees were sampled in each of five different stands with two cores per tree. These 280 cores were studied using two separate dendro-ecological methods: the pointer years method (based on extreme growth events), and correlation functions between tree ring-widths and monthly climatic data. Data from 11 meteorological stations were combined to provide a regional analysis of precipitation and minimum and maximum temperatures. The two dendro-ecological methods appear to be complementary, as the first technique emphasizes common and low intensity linear correlations between ring-widths and climatic variations, and the second method emphasizes extreme and unusual climatic events such as exceptionally cold or dry years. Across all sites, drought in the previous year was consistently correlated with a low growth rate; however, other climatic variables varied substantially among sites. For example, drought in the current year reduced growth more in the low elevation sites than in the high elevation sites and severe winter frost reduced growth the most in the high altitude sites and the driest site. Moreover, certain growth responses are better correlated with the age of the stands, the canopy closure and the floristic composition of the community than the abiotic factors, emphasizing the value of dendro-ecological sampling based on phytosociological units 63 refs, 4 figs, 1 tab

A century of hydrological variability and trends in the Fraser River Basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Déry, Stephen J; Hernández-Henríquez, Marco A; Owens, Philip N; Parkes, Margot W; Petticrew, Ellen L

2012-01-01

This study examines the 1911–2010 variability and trends in annual streamflow at 139 sites across the Fraser River Basin (FRB) of British Columbia (BC), Canada. The Fraser River is the largest Canadian waterway flowing to the Pacific Ocean and is one of the world’s greatest salmon rivers. Our analyses reveal high runoff rates and low interannual variability in alpine and coastal rivers, and low runoff rates and high interannual variability in most streams in BC’s interior. The interannual variability in streamflow is also low in rivers such as the Adams, Chilko, Quesnel and Stuart where the principal salmon runs of the Fraser River occur. A trend analysis shows a spatially coherent signal with increasing interannual variability in streamflow across the FRB in recent decades, most notably in spring and summer. The upward trend in the coefficient of variation in annual runoff coincides with a period of near-normal annual runoff for the Fraser River at Hope. The interannual variability in streamflow is greater in regulated rather than natural systems; however, it is unclear whether it is predominantly flow regulation that leads to these observed differences. Environmental changes such as rising air temperatures, more frequent polarity changes in large-scale climate teleconnections such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and retreating glaciers may be contributing to the greater range in annual runoff fluctuations across the FRB. This has implications for ecological processes throughout the basin, for example affecting migrating and spawning salmon, a keystone species vital to First Nations communities as well as to commercial and recreational fisheries. To exemplify this linkage between variable flows and biological responses, the unusual FRB runoff anomalies observed in 2010 are discussed in the context of that year’s sockeye salmon run. As the climate continues to warm, greater variability in annual streamflow, and hence in

A century of hydrological variability and trends in the Fraser River Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Déry, Stephen J.; Hernández-Henríquez, Marco A.; Owens, Philip N.; Parkes, Margot W.; Petticrew, Ellen L.

2012-06-01

This study examines the 1911-2010 variability and trends in annual streamflow at 139 sites across the Fraser River Basin (FRB) of British Columbia (BC), Canada. The Fraser River is the largest Canadian waterway flowing to the Pacific Ocean and is one of the world’s greatest salmon rivers. Our analyses reveal high runoff rates and low interannual variability in alpine and coastal rivers, and low runoff rates and high interannual variability in most streams in BC’s interior. The interannual variability in streamflow is also low in rivers such as the Adams, Chilko, Quesnel and Stuart where the principal salmon runs of the Fraser River occur. A trend analysis shows a spatially coherent signal with increasing interannual variability in streamflow across the FRB in recent decades, most notably in spring and summer. The upward trend in the coefficient of variation in annual runoff coincides with a period of near-normal annual runoff for the Fraser River at Hope. The interannual variability in streamflow is greater in regulated rather than natural systems; however, it is unclear whether it is predominantly flow regulation that leads to these observed differences. Environmental changes such as rising air temperatures, more frequent polarity changes in large-scale climate teleconnections such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and retreating glaciers may be contributing to the greater range in annual runoff fluctuations across the FRB. This has implications for ecological processes throughout the basin, for example affecting migrating and spawning salmon, a keystone species vital to First Nations communities as well as to commercial and recreational fisheries. To exemplify this linkage between variable flows and biological responses, the unusual FRB runoff anomalies observed in 2010 are discussed in the context of that year’s sockeye salmon run. As the climate continues to warm, greater variability in annual streamflow, and hence in

Climate Risk Modelling of Balsam Woolly Adelgid Damage Severity in Subalpine Fir Stands of Western North America.

Science.gov (United States)

Hrinkevich, Kathryn H; Progar, Robert A; Shaw, David C

2016-01-01

The balsam woolly adelgid (Adelges piceae (Ratzeburg) (Homoptera: Adelgidae)) (BWA) is a nonnative, invasive insect that threatens Abies species throughout North America. It is well established in the Pacific Northwest, but continues to move eastward through Idaho and into Montana and potentially threatens subalpine fir to the south in the central and southern Rocky Mountains. We developed a climatic risk model and map that predicts BWA impacts to subalpine fir using a two-step process. Using 30-year monthly climate normals from sites with quantitatively derived BWA damage severity index values, we built a regression model that significantly explained insect damage. The sites were grouped into two distinct damage categories (high damage and mortality versus little or no mortality and low damage) and the model estimates for each group were used to designate distinct value ranges for four climatic risk categories: minimal, low, moderate, and high. We then calculated model estimates for each cell of a 4-kilometer resolution climate raster and mapped the risk categories over the entire range of subalpine fir in the western United States. The spatial variation of risk classes indicates a gradient of climatic susceptibility generally decreasing from the Olympic Peninsula in Washington and the Cascade Range in Oregon and Washington moving eastward, with the exception of some high risk areas in northern Idaho and western Montana. There is also a pattern of decreasing climatic susceptibility from north to south in the Rocky Mountains. Our study provides an initial step for modeling the relationship between climate and BWA damage severity across the range of subalpine fir. We showed that September minimum temperature and a metric calculated as the maximum May temperature divided by total May precipitation were the best climatic predictors of BWA severity. Although winter cold temperatures and summer heat have been shown to influence BWA impacts in other locations, these

Effect of clear cutting on snow accumulation and water outflow at Fraser, Colorado

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. A. Troendle

1997-01-01

Full Text Available This paper compares of snowpack accumulation and ablation, evapotranspiration, and water outflow from clearcut and forested plots within a high elevation (2900 m mixed conifer forest at the Fraser Experimental Forest near Fraser, Colorado, USA. Also presented is a method for defining contributing area where outflow is measured from unbounded plots. Plots were monitored from 1980 to 1990 and again in 1993. The clearcut plot was harvested in late 1984. Evapotranspiration (ET of the forested plot at zero discharge (ETo was estimated at 426 mm while the ET was 500 mm at the mean precipitation of 596 mm. ET was dependent on precipitation with about 28% of precipitation input in excess of 426 mm contributing to increased ET, while the remainder contributed to increased outflow. During the six monitored post-harvest years, Peak Water Equivalent of the snowpack averaged 36% higher on the cut plot than on the control, and the mean discharge increased from 85 mm to 356 mm. Area estimates were obtained from the slopes of the regression of outflow on precipitation inputs. Hydrologic parameters corresponded closely to those previously determined at Fraser Experimental Forest using other methods, lending credence to the validity of the area estimates.

Experiences from Auditory Brainstem Implantation (ABIs) in four paediatric patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Lundin, Karin; Stillesjö, Fredrik; Nyberg, Gunnar; Rask-Andersen, Helge

2016-01-01

Indications for auditory brainstem implants (ABIs) have been widened from patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) to paediatric patients with congenital cochlear malformations, cochlear nerve hypoplasia/aplasia, or cochlear ossification after meningitis. We present four ABI surgeries performed in children at Uppsala University Hospital in Sweden since 2009. Three children were implanted with implants from Cochlear Ltd. (Lane Cove, Australia) and one child with an implant from MedEl GMBH (Innsbruck, Austria). A boy with Goldenhar syndrome was implanted with a Cochlear Nucleus ABI24M at age 2 years (patient 1). Another boy with CHARGE syndrome was implanted with a Cochlear Nucleus ABI541 at age 2.5 years (patient 2). Another boy with post-ossification meningitis was implanted with a Cochlear Nucleus ABI24M at age 4 years (patient 3). A girl with cochlear aplasia was implanted with a MedEl Synchrony ABI at age 3 years (patient 4). In patients 1, 2, and 3, the trans-labyrinthine approach was used, and in patient 4 the retro-sigmoid approach was used. Three of the four children benefited from their ABIs and use it full time. Two of the full time users had categories of auditory performance (CAP) score of 4 at their last follow up visit (6 and 2.5 years postoperative) which means they can discriminate consistently any combination of two of Ling's sounds. One child has not been fully evaluated yet, but is a full time user and had CAP 2 (responds to speech sounds) after 3 months of ABI use. No severe side or unpleasant stimulation effects have been observed so far. There was one case of immediate electrode migration and one case of implant device failure after 6.5 years. ABI should be considered as an option in the rehabilitation of children with similar diagnoses.

First record of Fraser's dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei for the Dutch Caribbean

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Witte, R.H.; Buurt, van G.; Debrot, A.O.; Bermudez-Villapol, L.A.; Simal, F.

2012-01-01

A dead dolphin found on Bonaire in August 2011 is identified as adult Fraser's dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei, a new species for the Dutch Caribbean. A first closer examination showed a collapsed lung, stomach parasite infection and abundant mouth ulceration as indications of its health status. The

News from the Library: Gordon Fraser presents his book, "Quantum Exodus"

CERN Multimedia

CERN Library

2012-01-01

The book "Quantum Exodus" will be presented by the author Gordon Fraser on Thursday 14 June at 4 P.M. in the Library, Building 52-1-052.   "Quantum Exodus" by Gordon Fraser, Oxford University Press, 2012. Here's what the publisher says about the book: "It was no accident that the Holocaust and the Atomic Bomb happened at the same time. (...) Atomic science had attracted a lot of Jewish talent, and as Albert Einstein and other quantum exiles scattered, they realized that they held the key to a weapon of unimaginable power. Convinced that their gentile counterparts in Germany had come to the same conclusion, and having witnessed what the Nazis were prepared to do, the exiles were afraid. They had to get to the Atomic Bomb first. The Nazis meanwhile had acquired a more pressing objective: their persecution of the Jews had evolved into extermination. Two dreadfu...

Estimating seed crops of conifer and hardwood species

Science.gov (United States)

Philip M. McDonald

1992-01-01

Cone, acorn, and berry crops of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws. var. ponderosa), sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana Dougl.), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), California white fir (Abies concolor var. lowiana (Gord...

Survey for balsam woolly adegid in Washington and Oregon.

Science.gov (United States)

I. Ragenovich; B. Willhite; R. Mitchell; D. Overhulser; K. Ripley

2002-01-01

Balsam woolly adelgid (BWA) is an introduced insect that has had a significant impact on Abies tree species in the Pacific Northwest. During the late 1950s and 1960s, it caused extensive mortality of grand fir (A. grandis), subalpine fir (A. lasiocarpa), and silver fir (A. amabilis), particularly in the...

Changes in the contents of nitrogen fractions with loosing vital capacity of the Siberian fir Abies sibirica Ledeb. seeds

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S. G. Prokushkin

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Siberian fir seeds often lose their germinating capacity during storage. This results from, among other factors, changing contents of nitrogen compounds in the seeds, especially those of protein fractions. This paper focuses on analyzing changes of these compounds in nonviable seeds of the species depending on ecological and conditions and stand location, as well as on tree growth class (Kraft growth classes I and IV. The contents of the total and protein nitrogen in the nonviable seeds of the trees of growth classes I and IV appeared to vary widely and to depend on stand location and seed location in the tree crown. The maximum contents were in the seeds located in the upper part of the crown. The seeds from the middle and lower crown parts contained much less total and protein nitrogen. The hard-to-solve protein fraction dominated over other protein fraction in the seeds from the upper part of the crowns of the trees of growth classes I and IV. However, this fraction, like prolamines, changed uniformly throughout the crowns, whereas seed glutelin content varied insignificantly among the crown parts. Albumins and globulins showed a uniform crown top-to-bottom decrease. A comparison of viable seed with unviable seeds for contents of the nitrogen forms revealed a marked decrease in the total and protein nitrogen in the latter, especially for the trees of growth class IV. The seeds that lost their germinating capacity exhibited increasingly hard-to-solve protein fraction and drastically decreasing albumins and globulins wherever the seeds were in the crown. Their glutelin and prolamine contents changed inconsiderably.The changes of the quantitative ratio between the protein fractions found by the study cause, along with other physiological and biochemical factors, the loss of viability of Siberian fir seeds during storage.

AbiA, a Lactococcal Abortive Infection Mechanism Functioning in Streptococcus thermophilus

OpenAIRE

Tangney, Mark; Fitzgerald, Gerald F.

2002-01-01

The lactococcal abortive infection mechanisms AbiA and AbiG were introduced into Streptococcus thermophilus 4035, and a range of phages capable of infecting this host were examined for sensitivity to these mechanisms. AbiA proved effective against six phages when examined at a growth temperature of 30°C but had no effect on any of the phages when tested at 37 or 42°C. AbiG failed to affect any of the S. thermophilus phages at 30, 37, or 42°C.

AbiA, a lactococcal abortive infection mechanism functioning in Streptococcus thermophilus.

Science.gov (United States)

Tangney, Mark; Fitzgerald, Gerald F

2002-12-01

The lactococcal abortive infection mechanisms AbiA and AbiG were introduced into Streptococcus thermophilus 4035, and a range of phages capable of infecting this host were examined for sensitivity to these mechanisms. AbiA proved effective against six phages when examined at a growth temperature of 30 degrees C but had no effect on any of the phages when tested at 37 or 42 degrees C. AbiG failed to affect any of the S. thermophilus phages at 30, 37, or 42 degrees C.

Civic Fragmentation or Voluntary Association? Habermas, Fraser, and Charter School Segregation

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Terri S.

2010-01-01

In this essay, Terri Wilson puts the argument developed by Kathleen Knight Abowitz that charter schools could be considered as counterpublic spaces into interaction with empirical research that explores patterns of voluntary self-segregation in charter schools. Wilson returns to the theoretical tension between Jurgen Habermas and Nancy Fraser over…

Fraser and the Cheerleader: Values and the Boundaries of Student Speech

Science.gov (United States)

Ehrensal, Patricia A. L.

2012-01-01

Student speech has and continues to be a contested issue in schools. The Supreme Court ruled in "Tinker" that students do not shed their rights at the schoolhouse gate; in the "Kuhlmeier" and "Fraser" decisions, however, the Court gave school officials greater latitude in regulating student speech, especially when it…

On the Vectorization of FIR Filterbanks

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Barbedo Jayme Garcia Arnal

2007-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a vectorization technique to implement FIR filterbanks. The word vectorization, in the context of this work, refers to a strategy in which all iterative operations are replaced by equivalent vector and matrix operations. This approach allows that the increasing parallelism of the most recent computer processors and systems be properly explored. The vectorization techniques are applied to two kinds of FIR filterbanks (conventional and recursi ve, and are presented in such a way that they can be easily extended to any kind of FIR filterbanks. The vectorization approach is compared to other kinds of implementation that do not explore the parallelism, and also to a previous FIR filter vectorization approach. The tests were performed in Matlab and , in order to explore different aspects of the proposed technique.

On the Vectorization of FIR Filterbanks

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Amauri Lopes

2007-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a vectorization technique to implement FIR filterbanks. The word vectorization, in the context of this work, refers to a strategy in which all iterative operations are replaced by equivalent vector and matrix operations. This approach allows that the increasing parallelism of the most recent computer processors and systems be properly explored. The vectorization techniques are applied to two kinds of FIR filterbanks (conventional and recursi ve, and are presented in such a way that they can be easily extended to any kind of FIR filterbanks. The vectorization approach is compared to other kinds of implementation that do not explore the parallelism, and also to a previous FIR filter vectorization approach. The tests were performed in Matlab and C, in order to explore different aspects of the proposed technique.

Silver fir and Douglas fir are more tolerant to extreme droughts than Norway spruce in south-western Germany

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vitali, V.; Büntgen, Ulf; Bauhus, J.

2017-01-01

Roč. 23, č. 12 (2017), s. 5108-5119 ISSN 1354-1013 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1415 Institutional support: RVO:86652079 Keywords : temperate forest trees * picea-abies karst. * climate- change * water relations * vosges mountains * growth-patterns * species stands * scots pine * alba * productivity * Abies alba * Central Europe * climate change * dendroecology * drought tolerance * forest management * Picea abies * Pseudotsuga menziesii Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour OBOR OECD: Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7) Impact factor: 8.502, year: 2016

Gordon Fraser (1943-2013)

CERN Document Server

2013-01-01

We were deeply saddened to learn that Gordon Fraser had passed away on 3 January. During his 25-year career at CERN, until his retirement in 2002, he made many valuable contributions to the Laboratory, in particular as editor of CERN Courier.   Gordon’s life in science began at Imperial College London, where he obtained a PhD with the theory group of the future Nobel laureate Abdus Salam. He then spent time at Tel Aviv University in Yuval Ne’eman’s group and at Brighton University, before changing career to become a journalist, at first for Computer Weekly in London. He moved into scientific editing at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in 1975 and it was from there that he was hired to join the publications team at CERN in 1977. By 1982 Gordon had become the editor of the CERN Courier. During his time at the helm, both particle physics and the Courier changed considerably. Under his careful stewardship aspects of publishing were outsourced, leading to a...

Soil chemistry and nutrition of North American spruce-fir stands: Evidence of recent change

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joslin, J.D.; Kelly, J.M.; Van Miegroet, H.

1992-01-01

One set of hypotheses offered to explain the decline of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) in eastern North America focuses on the effect of acidic deposition on soil chemistry changes that may affect nutrient availability and root function. Long-term soils data suggests that soil acidification has occurred in some spruce stands over the past 50 yr, with plant uptake and cation leaching both contributing to the loss of cations. Studies of tree ring chemistry also have indicated changes in Ca/Al and Mg/Al ratios in red spruce wood, suggesting increases in the ionic strength of soil solution. Irrigation studies using strong acid inputs have demonstrated accelerated displacement of base cations from upper horizons. Spruce-fir (Abies spp.) nutrient budgets indicate that current net Ca and Mg leaching loss rates are of the same order of magnitude as losses to whole tree harvest removals, spread out over a 50-yr rotation. For most cations, red spruce foliar nutrient levels decline with elevation, but it is difficult to assess the contribution of the elevational gradient in atmospheric deposition to this pattern. Compared to northeastern sites, spruce-fir soil solutions in the southern Appalachians have higher nitrate levels and higher Al concentrations, which at times approach the Al toxicity threshold for red spruce seedlings and frequently are at levels known to interfere with cation uptake. There is little evidence that either nutrient deficiencies or Al toxicity are primary causes of red spruce decline in the Northeast, though both may play a role in the Southeast

[Contribution of soil fauna to litter decomposition of Abies faxoniana and Rhododendron lapponicum across an alpine timberline ecotone in Western Sichuan, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Li Feng; He, Run Lian; Yang, Lin; Chen, Ya Mei; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Jian

2016-11-18

Soil fauna is an important biological factor in regulation litter decomposition. In order to quantify the contributions of soil fauna to the mass losses of litter of two dominant species fir (Abies faxoniana) and rhododendron (Rhododendron lapponicum) in the alpine timberline ecotone (coniferous forest-timberline-alpine meadow) of western Sichuan, China, a field litterbag experiment was conducted from May 2013 to November 2014. Samples of air-dried leaf litter were placed in nylon litterbags of two different mesh sizes, i.e. 3.00 mm (with the soil animals) and 0.04 mm (excluded the soil animals). The results showed that the decomposition rate of A. faxoniana (k: 0.209-0.243) was higher than that of R. lapponicum (k: 0.173-0.189) across the timberline ecotone. Soil fauna had significant contributions to litter decomposition of two species, the contributions of soil fauna to mass loss showed a decreasing trend with increasing altitude. From the coniferous forest to the alpine meadow, the mass losses caused by soil fauna for the fir litter accounted for 15.2%, 13.2% and 9.8%, respectively and that for the rhododendron litter accounted for 20.1%, 17.5% and 12.4%, respectively. Meanwhile, the daily average contributions caused by soil fauna for the fir and rhododendron litter decomposition accounted for 0.17%, 0.13%, 0.12% and 0.26%, 0.25%, 0.23%, respectively. Relatively, soil fauna had more influence on alpine rhododendron decomposition. Two-way ANOVA showed that species, altitude and their interaction had significant impact on the litter mass loss and decomposition rate caused by soil fauna. The daily average contribution caused by soil fauna for the fir and rhododendron litter decomposition accounted for 0.25% and 0.44% in the first growing season, then 0.10% and 0.19% in the second growing season, both were higher than that of snow-covered season (0.07% and 0.12%). Regression analysis showed that the environmental factors (daily average temperature, freezing and

Evaluating the Fraser Health Balanced Scorecard--a formative evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnardo, Catherine; Jivanni, Amin

2009-01-01

Fraser Health (FH), a large, Canadian, integrated health care network, adopted the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) approach to monitor organizational performance in 2006. This paper reports on the results of a formative evaluation, conducted in April, 2008, to assess the usefulness of the BSC as a performance-reporting system and a performance management tool. Results indicated that the BSC has proven to be useful for reporting performance but is not currently used for performance management in a substantial way.

Plantas asociadas a los bosques de Abies guatemalensis (Pinaceae del occidente de Guatemala Plants associated to Abies guatemalensis (Pinaceae forests in Western Guatemala

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José Vicente Martínez Arévalo

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Hay una carencia de información detallada sobre la composición y estructura de las comunidades montanas guatemaltecas. El objetivo del estudio fue contribuir al conocimiento de la flora de bosques de abeto (Abies guatemalensis, para esto se hizo el levantamiento florístico en bosques de abeto del occidente de Guatemala. Se encontraron 119 especies, 92 géneros, 50 familias en cuatro divisiones. Las familias más numerosas fueron: Asteraceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae, Lamiaceae, Apiaceae y Solanaceae y los géneros más abundantes Salvia, Alchemilla y Bidens. Las especies se ubicaron en cuatro estratos, 33 en el herbáceo inferior, 49 en el herbáceo superior, 30 en arbustos y siete en árboles. Se hace énfasis en la contribución del estudio al conocimiento de la flora de bosques de A. guatemalensis y la necesidad de otros similares en los demás bosques de esta especie, que sirva para fomentar su conocimiento y conservación. Se consideraron seis grupos de distribución geográfica, el principal es del centro de México a Centroamérica con 67% de especies. Se realiza una comparación fitogeográfica y de composición florística, con otras áreas de Abies de Guatemala y México. Se propone que a pesar de haber familias y géneros comunes, que proporcionan la estructura general entre los bosques de abeto, se deben considerar las particularidades florísticas de cada área, en el manejo y conservación influidas por suelo, latitud y microclima.The fragments of Abies guatemalensis forests in Western Guatemala are the reservoirs of plant species that have been poorly documented, missing the opportunity to expand the knowledge of the local flora and its use in conservation planning. To assess this, a floristic study was done in areas between 2 950-3 360masl in Western Guatemala between 2010-2011. Ten locations were sampled: in each a 500m² plot was surveyed, and plants were classified in four strata by plant height (0.05-30m. A total of 119 species

The conserved splicing factor SUA controls alternative splicing of the developmental regulator ABI3 in Arabidopsis.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sugliani, M.; Brambilla, V.; Clerkx, E.J.M.; Koornneef, M.; Soppe, W.J.J.

2010-01-01

ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3) is a major regulator of seed maturation in Arabidopsis thaliana. We detected two ABI3 transcripts, ABI3- and ABI3-ß, which encode full-length and truncated proteins, respectively. Alternative splicing of ABI3 is developmentally regulated, and the ABI3-ß transcript

Performance and Size of Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd (F&N)

OpenAIRE

Othaman, Ridhuan

2017-01-01

The main study is to analyze about the overall of the risk and the performance of the Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd (F&N). All the is get from annual report that get from the Bursa Malaysia. The measurement of the company is used in variety of ratio such as liquidity risk, operational risk, credit risk and financial risk. These ratio is useful to know well about the company.

ABI3 ectopic expression reduces in vitro and in vivo cell growth properties while inducing senescence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Riggins Gregory J

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mounting evidence has indicated that ABI3 (ABI family member 3 function as a tumor suppressor gene, although the molecular mechanism by which ABI3 acts remains largely unknown. Methods The present study investigated ABI3 expression in a large panel of benign and malignant thyroid tumors and explored a correlation between the expression of ABI3 and its potential partner ABI3-binding protein (ABI3BP. We next explored the biological effects of ABI3 ectopic expression in thyroid and colon carcinoma cell lines, in which its expression was reduced or absent. Results We not only observed that ABI3 expression is reduced or lost in most carcinomas but also that there is a positive correlation between ABI3 and ABI3BP expression. Ectopic expression of ABI3 was sufficient to lead to a lower transforming activity, reduced tumor in vitro growth properties, suppressed in vitro anchorage-independent growth and in vivo tumor formation while, cellular senescence increased. These responses were accompanied by the up-regulation of the cell cycle inhibitor p21 WAF1 and reduced ERK phosphorylation and E2F1 expression. Conclusions Our result links ABI3 to the pathogenesis and progression of some cancers and suggests that ABI3 or its pathway might have interest as therapeutic target. These results also suggest that the pathways through which ABI3 works should be further characterized.

Validation of early GOES-16 ABI on-orbit geometrical calibration accuracy using SNO method

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Fangfang; Shao, Xi; Wu, Xiangqian; Kondratovich, Vladimir; Li, Zhengping

2017-09-01

The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) onboard the GOES-16 satellite, which was launched on 19 November 2016, is the first next-generation geostationary weather instrument in the west hemisphere. It has 16 spectral solar reflective and emissive bands located in three focal plane modules (FPM): one visible and near infrared (VNIR) FPM, one midwave infrared (MWIR), and one longwave infrared (LWIR) FPM. All the ABI bands are geometeorically calibrated with new techniques of Kalman filtering and Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine the accurate spacecraft attitude and orbit configuration to meet the challenging image navigation and registration (INR) requirements of ABI data. This study is to validate the ABI navigation and band-to-band registration (BBR) accuracies using the spectrally matched pixels of the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) M-band data and the ABI images from the Simultaneous Nadir Observation (SNO) images. The preliminary results showed that during the ABI post-launch product test (PLPT) period, the ABI BBR errors at the y-direction (along the VIIRS track direction) is smaller than at the x-direction (along the VIIRS scan direction). Variations in the ABI BBR calibration residuals and navigation difference to VIIRS can be observed. Note that ABI is not operational yet and the data is experimental and still under testing. Effort is still ongoing to improve the ABI data quality.

Douglas-fir growth and yield: research 1909-1960.

Science.gov (United States)

R.O. Curtis; D.D. Marshall

2004-01-01

Systematic research on growth and yield of Douglas-fir began in 1909. This line of early research evolved over time and culminated in publication of USDA Bulletin 201, The Yield of Douglas-fir in the Pacific Northwest. B201 had an enormous influence on development of Douglas-fir forestry and was arguably the most influential single research publication ever produced in...

The Arabidopsis CROWDED NUCLEI genes regulate seed germination by modulating degradation of ABI5 protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Wenming; Guan, Chunmei; Feng, Jian; Liang, Yan; Zhan, Ni; Zuo, Jianru; Ren, Bo

2016-07-01

In Arabidopsis, the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays a vital role in inhibiting seed germination and in post-germination seedling establishment. In the ABA signaling pathway, ABI5, a basic Leu zipper transcription factor, has important functions in the regulation of seed germination. ABI5 protein localizes in nuclear bodies, along with AFP, COP1, and SIZ1, and was degraded through the 26S proteasome pathway. However, the mechanisms of ABI5 nuclear body formation and ABI5 protein degradation remain obscure. In this study, we found that the Arabidopsis CROWDED NUCLEI (CRWN) proteins, predicted nuclear matrix proteins essential for maintenance of nuclear morphology, also participate in ABA-controlled seed germination by regulating the degradation of ABI5 protein. During seed germination, the crwn mutants are hypersensitive to ABA and have higher levels of ABI5 protein compared to wild type. Genetic analysis suggested that CRWNs act upstream of ABI5. The observation that CRWN3 colocalizes with ABI5 in nuclear bodies indicates that CRWNs might participate in ABI5 protein degradation in nuclear bodies. Moreover, we revealed that the extreme C-terminal of CRWN3 protein is necessary for its function in the response to ABA in germination. Our results suggested important roles of CRWNs in ABI5 nuclear body organization and ABI5 protein degradation during seed germination. © 2015 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Graft union formation in Douglas-fir.

Science.gov (United States)

D.L. Copes

1969-01-01

Greenhouse-grown Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) graft unions were examined between 2 and 84 days after grafting. Room temperature was maintained at 60-70 F throughout the growing season. In most respects grafts of Douglas-fir followed development patterns previously reported for spruce and pine grafts, but specific differences...

Two-dimensional FIR compaction filter design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vijayakumar, N.; Prabhu, K.M.M.

2001-01-01

The design of signal-adapted multirate filter banks has been an area of research interest. The authors present the design of a 2-D finite impulse response (FIR) compaction filter followed by a 2-D FIR filter bank that packs the maximum energy of the input process into a few subbands. The energy

Size of Douglas-fir trees in relation to distance from a mixed red alder - Douglas-fir stand

Science.gov (United States)

R.E. Miller; D.L. Reukema; T.A. Max

1993-01-01

Variation in diameter, height, and stem volume of 57-year-old Douglas-fir(Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) was related to distance of these trees from a 27 m wide strip in the same Douglas-fir plantation that had been interplanted with red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.). Within the...

Using Silviculture to Influence Carbon Sequestration in Southern Appalachian Spruce-Fir Forests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick T. Moore

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Enhancement of forest growth through silvicultural modification of stand density is one strategy for increasing carbon (C sequestration. Using the Fire and Fuels Extension of the Forest Vegetation Simulator, the effects of even-aged, uneven-aged and no-action management scenarios on C sequestration in a southern Appalachian red spruce-Fraser fir forest were modeled. We explicitly considered C stored in standing forest stocks and the fate of forest products derived from harvesting. Over a 100-year simulation period the even-aged scenario (250 Mg C ha⁻¹ outperformed the no-action scenario (241 Mg C ha⁻¹ in total carbon (TC sequestered. The uneven-aged scenario approached 220 Mg C ha⁻¹, but did not outperform the no-action scenario within the simulation period. While the average annual change in C (AAC of the no-action scenario approached zero, or carbon neutral, during the simulation, both the even-aged and uneven-aged scenarios surpassed the no-action by year 30 and maintained positive AAC throughout the 100-year simulation. This study demonstrates that silvicultural treatment of forest stands can increase potential C storage, but that careful consideration of: (1 accounting method (i.e., TC versus AAC; (2 fate of harvested products and; (3 length of the planning horizon (e.g., 100 years will strongly influence the evaluation of C sequestration.

Effects of ultraviolet-B irradiation on seedling growth in the Pinaceae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sullivan, J.H.; Teramura, A.H.

1988-01-01

Ten conifer species were grown in an unshaded greenhouse at the University of Maryland under 3 levels of biologically effective ultraviolet-B radiation. Ultraviolet-B radiation was supplied by Westinghouse FS-40 sunlamps and effective daily doses were 0, 12.4, and 19.1 kJ m-2. During the irradiation period, seedling growth and the development of stress symptoms were monitored. After 22 weeks of irradiation, seedlings were harvested and morphological characteristics analyzed. Visual symptoms included needle discoloration and stunting in three of the ten species tested. Seedling height was significantly reduced by supplemental UV-B in Pinus contorta (lodgepole pine), Pinus resinosa (red pine), and Pinus taeda (loblolly pine). Biomass increased in Picea engelmannii (Engelmann spruce). Abies fraseri (Fraser fir), Pinus edulus (pinyon pine), and Pinus nigra (black pine) were unaffected by UV-B while biomass reductions exceeding 5% were observed in all other species tested. These deleterious effects occurred despite the presence of morphological characteristics which would tend to reduce UV-B effectiveness. Generally, the effects of supplemental UV-B dose were less for those species native to higher elevations, implying the presence of natural adaptations to UV-B

Individual taper models for natural cedar and Taurus fir mixed stands of Bucak Region, Turkey

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Ramazan Özçelik

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In this study, we assessed the performance of different types of taper equations for predicting tree diameters at specific heights and total stem volumes for mixed stands of Taurus cedar (Cedrus libani A. Rich. and Taurus fir (Abies cilicica Carr.. We used data from mixed stands containing a total of 131 cedar and 124 Taurus fir trees. We evaluated six commonly used and well-known forestry taper functions developed by a variety of researchers (Biging (1984, Zakrzewski (1999, Muhairwe (1999, Fang et al. (2000, Kozak (2004, and Sharma and Zhang (2004. To address problems related to autocorrelation and multicollinearity in the hierarchical data associated with the construction of taper models, we used appropriate statistical procedures for the model fitting. We compared model performances based on the analysis of three goodness-of-fit statistics and found the compatible segmented model of Fang et al. (2000 to be superior in describing the stem profile and stem volume of both tree species in mixed stands. The equation used by Zakrzewski (1999 exhibited the poorest fitting results of the three taper equations. In general, we found segmented taper equations to provide more accurate predictions than variable-form models for both tree species. Results from the non-linear extra sum of squares method indicate that stem tapers differ among tree species in mixed stands. Therefore, a different taper function should be used for each tree species in mixed stands in the Bucak district. Using individual-specific taper equations yields more robust estimations and, therefore, will enhance the prediction accuracy of diameters at different heights and volumes in mixed stands.

Justicia como redistribución, reconocimiento y representación: las reconciliaciones de Nancy Fraser

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Clara Iglesias

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Si nos preguntamos por el desarrollo de la Teoría Crítica y sus marcos conceptuales, es imprescindible tener en cuenta el pensamiento de Nancy Fraser. Con el presente artículo se pretende desglosar el entramado conceptual del que se vale Fraser, tomando para ello principalmente dos de sus obras: ¿Redistribución o reconocimiento? y Escalas de justicia. Con ello el artículo se centra en la consideración de conceptos clave para la elaboración de una teoría crítica capaz de integrar las reivindicaciones actuales presentes en los movimientos sociales, y con ello la puesta de manifiesto de la injusticia y su posible reparación, sin perder de vista en ningún momento el correlato social fáctico de la teoría.

Supporting frail seniors through a family physician and Home Health integrated care model in Fraser Health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grace Haeson Park

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Background: A major effort is underway to integrate primary and community care in Canada's western province of British Columbia and in Fraser Health, its largest health authority. Integrated care is a critical component of Fraser Health's planning, to meet the challenges of caring for a growing, elderly population that is presenting more complex and chronic medical conditions. Description of integrated practice: An integrated care model partners family physicians with community-based home health case managers to support frail elderly patients who live at home. It is resulting in faster response times to patient needs, more informed assessments of a patient's state of health and pro-active identification of emerging patient issues. Early results: The model is intended to improve the quality of patient care and maintain the patients’ health status, to help them live at home confidently and safely, as long as possible. Preliminary pilot data measuring changes in home care services is showing positive trends when it comes to extending the length of a person's survival/tenure in the community (living in their home vs. admitted to residential care or deceased. Conclusion: Fraser Health's case manager–general practitioner partnership model is showing promising results including higher quality, appropriate, coordinated and efficient care; improved patient, caregiver and physician interactions with the system; improved health and prevention of acute care visits by senior adult patients.

Professor Barry Fraser's contributions to science education research

Science.gov (United States)

Aldridge, Jill M.

2011-09-01

In this article, I endeavour to convey the depth of Barry Fraser's contributions to science education research, including his tireless endeavours to promote and advance research, especially the field of learning environments, the realisation of his vision to create one of the largest doctoral programs in science and mathematics education in the world, his leadership capacity in terms of guiding and leading an internationally renowned centre and large-scale cross-national and cross-cultural studies, his dedication towards human capacity building in Africa, Asia and elsewhere, his capacity as a mentor and editor that have seen the publication of numerous journal articles and books and the ongoing success of science education research journals.

Effects of acidic deposition on nutrient uptake, nutrient cycling and growth processes of vegetation in the spruce-fir ecosystem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McLaughlin, S.B.; Garten, C.T.; Wullschleger, S.D. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)] [and others

1996-10-16

This report summarizes progress in three years of field research designed to evaluate biological and chemical indicators of the current and future health of the Southern Appalachian spruce-fir ecosystem. The emphasis of this research has been on the identification and understanding of mechanisms through which current levels of acidic deposition are impacting ecosystem processes. The identification of these principal mechanisms and key biological indicators of change was designed to improve our capabilities to detect, monitor, and assess the effects of air quality regulations and attendant future air quality changes on ecosystem response. Individual research tasks focused on the following research areas: (1) the significance of foliar uptake of atmospheric sources of nitrogen in relationship to plant utilization of N from available soil reserves; (2) linkages between atmospheric inputs to the soil surface, solution chemistry, and decomposition in the upper organic soil horizons; (3) effects of soil solution chemistry on uptake of cations and aluminum by fine roots; and (4) the effects of varying rates of calcium supply on carbon metabolism of Fraser fir and red spruce, and the relationship between calcium levels in wood cells and integrity of wood formed in bole and branches. Each of the individual tasks was designed to focus upon a mechanism or process that we consider critical to understanding chemical and biological linkages. These linkages will be important determinants in understanding the basis of past and potential future responses of the high elevation Southern Appalachian Forest to acidic deposition and other co-occurring environmental stresses. This report contains (1) background and rationale for the research undertaken in 1992-94; (2) a summary of principal research findings; (3) publications from this research; and (4) characterization of data sets produced by this research which will be the basis of future research, analyses and/or publications.

Douglas-fir tussock moth: an annotated bibliography.

Science.gov (United States)

Robert W. Campbell; Lorna C. Youngs

1978-01-01

This annotated bibliography includes references to 338 papers. Each deals in some way with either the Douglas-fir tussock moth, Orgyia pseudotsugata (McDunnough), or a related species. Specifically, 210 publications and 82 unpublished documents make some reference, at least, to the Douglas-fir tussock moth; 55 are concerned with other species in...

Students' Attitudes toward ABI/INFORM on CD-ROM: A Factor Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Vicky; Lau, Shuk-fong

Two years after the introduction of CD-ROM bibliographic database searching in the Memphis State University libraries (Tennessee), a survey was conducted to examine students' attitudes toward the business database, ABI/INFORM. ABI/INFORM contains indexes and abstracts of articles from over 800 journals on management, accounting, banking, human…

ABI3 mediates dehydration stress recovery response in Arabidopsis thaliana by regulating expression of downstream genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bedi, Sonia; Sengupta, Sourabh; Ray, Anagh; Nag Chaudhuri, Ronita

2016-09-01

ABI3, originally discovered as a seed-specific transcription factor is now implicated to act beyond seed physiology, especially during abiotic stress. In non-seed plants, ABI3 is known to act in desiccation stress signaling. Here we show that ABI3 plays a role in dehydration stress response in Arabidopsis. ABI3 gene was upregulated during dehydration stress and its expression was maintained during subsequent stress recovery phases. Comparative gene expression studies in response to dehydration stress and stress recovery were done with genes which had potential ABI3 binding sites in their upstream regulatory regions. Such studies showed that several genes including known seed-specific factors like CRUCIFERIN1, CRUCIFERIN3 and LEA-group of genes like LEA76, LEA6, DEHYDRIN LEA and LEA-LIKE got upregulated in an ABI3-dependent manner, especially during the stress recovery phase. ABI3 got recruited to regions upstream to the transcription start site of these genes during dehydration stress response through direct or indirect DNA binding. Interestingly, ABI3 also binds to its own promoter region during such stress signaling. Nucleosomes covering potential ABI3 binding sites in the upstream sequences of the above-mentioned genes alter positions, and show increased H3 K9 acetylation during stress-induced transcription. ABI3 thus mediates dehydration stress signaling in Arabidopsis through regulation of a group of genes that play a role primarily during stress recovery phase. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulations of a FIR Oscillator with Large Slippage parameter at Jefferson Lab for FIR/UV pump-probe experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benson, Stephen V.; Campbell, L. T.; McNeil, B.W.T.; Neil, George R.; Shinn, Michelle D.; Williams, Gwyn P.

2014-01-01

We previously proposed a dual FEL configuration on the UV Demo FEL at Jefferson Lab that would allow simultaneous lasing at FIR and UV wavelengths. The FIR source would be an FEL oscillator with a short wiggler providing diffraction-limited pulses with pulse energy exceeding 50 microJoules, using the exhaust beam from a UVFEL as the input electron beam. Since the UV FEL requires very short pulses, the input to the FIR FEL is extremely short compared to a slippage length and the usual Slowly Varying Envelope Approximation (SVEA) does not apply. We use a non-SVEA code to simulate this system both with a small energy spread (UV laser off) and with large energy spread (UV laser on)

Climatic correlations in the stable isotope records of silver fir (Abies pindrow) trees from Kashmir, India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramesh, R.; Bhattacharya, S.K.; Gopalan, K.

1986-01-01

A high degree of coherence in the annual stable isotopic records along different radial directions of a silver fir tree and between two members of this species from the Kashmir Valley has recently been reported by us. Since such a common pattern of isotopic variability is most likely due to the climatic fluctuations in the site, we have compared the mean δD, δ 13 C and δ 18 O records of these trees with instrumentally measured climatic parameters recorded in a nearby weather station to identify the climatic parameters predominantly influencing the isotopic record. A multiple regression analysis of the two records for the period 1903-1932 yields the following: δD is most sensitive to the amount of growing season precipitation, followed by mean maximum temperature. Tree cellulose shows an amount effect analogous to precipitation samples. The temperature coefficient for δD is in good agreement with earlier estimates based on spatial correlations. δ 13 C is significantly related to humidity and cloud amount. The signs of the regression coefficients are consistent with the recent model of Francey and Farquhar for 13 C/ 12 C fractionation in C 3 plants. δ 18 O of cellulose appears to be controlled significantly by relative humidity. δ 18 O shows less overall correlation with climatic parameters than δD and δ 13 C. δD of carbon bound hydrogen and δ 18 O of tree cellulose are linearly related with a slope of 7.9±0.3, suggesting evaporative enrichment in leaf water. (orig.)

Bedrock type significantly affects individual tree mortality for various conifers in the inland Northwest, U.S.A

Science.gov (United States)

James A. Moore; David A Hamilton; Yu Xiao; John Byrne

2004-01-01

Individual tree mortality models for western white pine (Pinus monticola Dougl. ex D. Don), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), grand fir (Abies grandis (Dougl. ex D. Don) Lindl.), western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex. D. Don), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), and western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) were developed using data...

Trapping Douglas-fir beetle (Dendroctonus pseudotsugae) with pheromone baited multiple-funnel traps does not reduce Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) mortality

Science.gov (United States)

R.A. Progar; N. Sturdevant; M.J. Rinella

2010-01-01

Douglas-fir beetle (Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins) (DFB) causes considerable mortality to Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) in western North American forests. We evaluated the use of semiochemical-baited multiple-funnel traps for the protection of small, high-value stands of trees, such as those occurring...

The relation between ankle-brachial index (ABI and coronary artery disease severity and risk factors: an angiographic study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masoumeh Sadeghi

2011-07-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The current study aims to determine the relation between ankle–brachialindex (ABI and angiographic findings and major cardiovascular risk factors in patients withsuspected coronary artery diseases (CAD in Isfahan.METHODS: In this cross-sectional descriptive-analytic research, patients with suspected CADwere studied. Characteristics of studied subjects including demographics, familial history, pastmedical history and atherosclerotic risk factors such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension,hyperlipidemia and smoking were obtained using a standard questionnaire. ABI was measuredin all studied patients. ABI ≤ 0.9 (ABI+ was considered as peripheral vessel disease and ABI >0.9 (ABI- was considered as normal. Then, all studied patients underwent coronary arteryangiography. The results of the questionnaire and angiographic findings were compared in ABI+and ABI- groups. Data were analyzed by SPSS 15 using ANOVA, t-test, Spearman's rankcorrelation coefficient, and discriminant analysis.RESULTS: In this study, 125 patients were investigated. ABI ≤ 0.9 was seen in 25 patients (20%.The prevalence of ABI+ among men and women was 25.9% and 7.5%, respectively (P = 0.01. Theprevalence of atherosclerotic risk factors was significantly higher in ABI+ patients than in ABIones(P < 0.05. ABI+ patients had more significant stenosis than ABI- ones. The mean ofocclusion was significantly higher in ABI+ patients with left main artery (LMA, right coronaryartery (RCA, left anterior descending artery (LAD, diagonal artery 1 (D1 and left circumflexartery (LCX involvements (P < 0.05.CONCLUSION: The findings of this research indicated that ABI could be a useful method inassessing both the atherosclerotic risk factors and the degree of coronary involvements insuspected patients. However, in order to make more accurate decisions for using this method indiagnosing and preventing CAD, we should plan further studies in large sample sizes of generalpopulation

2000 emission inventory for the Lower Fraser Valley airshed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-10-01

This emissions inventory is a compilation of all emissions in the Lower Fraser Valley International Airshed. Its objective is to harmonize the inventory data of Canada's Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD), the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) and Whatcom County in the United States. It provides an idea of the current state of air emissions on both sides of the Canada-United States border. This inventory provides information regarding the types of emissions sources in the region, their location and the amount of air pollution emitted within a given time frame. It is designed to help manage air quality by identifying sectors which need to be more vigilant. The common air pollutants addressed in the inventory include total particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, and ammonia. The greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The inventory distinguishes between point, area, and mobile sources. Carbon monoxide emissions are found to be dominated by cars, trucks and non-road engines. Nitrogen oxide emissions are also dominated by cars, trucks, marine vessels and non-road engines. Natural sources such as trees and vegetation contribute to volatile organic compounds, as do cars, lights trucks and solvent evaporation from industrial, commercial and consumer products. Marine vessels are the largest contributors of sulphur oxide emissions in the region. In addition, the petroleum industry emits 26 per cent of sulphur oxide emissions in the region. Significant amounts of particulate matter come from area sources such as wind erosion in the agricultural sector. Point sources for PM include bulk shipping terminals and the wood products industry. Agriculture contributes the largest amount of ammonia in the region. refs., tabs., figs

Methylated Fatty Acids from Heartwood and Bark of Pinus sylvestris, Abies alba, Picea abies, and Larix decidua: Effect of Strong Acid Treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed Zidan Mohamed Salem

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Methylated fatty acid (FA compounds in the heartwood and bark of some softwood species, specifically Pinus sylvestris, Abies alba, Picea abies, and Larix decidua, grown in the Czech Republic were evaluated. Strong H2SO4 was used for methylation of the lipids. The highest content of lipid was found in P. abies bark (40.132 mg/g o.d. sample, and the lowest content was in A. alba wood (11.027 mg/g o.d. sample. The highest concentration of FAs was observed in L. decidua bark. The highest percentages of FAs in wood of P. sylvestris were arachidic acid and oleic acid. In bark, the highest percentages of FAs were stearic acid, palmitic acid, and oleic acid. The FAs with the highest concentrations in A. alba wood were arachidic acid, palmitic acid, pentadecanoic acid, and margarinic, and those in bark were behenic acid, lignoceric acid, and arachidic acid. P. abies wood FAs showed arachidic acid, palmitic acid, and margarinic acid, and the bark contained lignoceric acid and arachidic acid. The FAs of L. decidua wood were arachidic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid, and in bark they were pentacosylic acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, lignoceric acid, arachidic acid, and behenic acid. The lack of typically dominant unsaturated fatty acids (e.g. 18:1, 18:2, compared to literature values were attributed to the application of strong acid for the hydrolysis.

Identifying Subalpine Fir (Abies lasiocarpa Attacked by the Balsam Woolly Adelgid (Adelges piceae Using Spectral Measurements of the Foliage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen P. Cook

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Balsam woolly adelgid is an invasive pest of firs in the United States. Aerial surveys are conducted for detection of adelgid infestations but other remotely sensed data may also be useful. Our objective was to determine if high spectral resolution, branch-level data can be used to distinguish infested from noninfested trees. Stepwise discriminant analysis yielded a three-variable model (the red-green index and two narrow-bands (one at 670 nm and the other at 1912 nm that classified infested versus non-infested trees with 94% accuracy compared with the 83% accuracy obtained with a single-variable model. The response of trees in narrow spectral bands was integrated across wavebands to simulate measurements from the multispectral SPOT5-HRVIR sensor. Stepwise discriminant analysis again yielded a three-variable model (simple ratio, the SPOT5-HRVIR band in the SWIR region and NDVI with similar accuracy (93% at discriminating infested from non-infested trees compared with the 83% accuracy obtained with a single-variable model.

Trinidad Reservoir Salvage Archaeology, 1972.

Science.gov (United States)

1974-09-30

Components:. Acer glabrum, Alnus tennuifolia, BlepharoneUron tricholepis, Ceano- thus fendlerif Chamabati aria Millef aim, Festuca arizonica , Holodiscus...southern part), !j. occi- dentalis, Orvzopsis hymeihiodes, Purshia tridentata, Quercus emorvi, _q- gambelii, _q. grisea, _q. undulata, Sporobolus...evergreen trees Dominants: Corkbark fir (Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica ) Engelmann spruce (Picea engel- mannii) Other Components: Abies lasiocarpa, Acer

Crustal surface wave velocity structure of the east Albany-Fraser Orogen, Western Australia, from ambient noise recordings

Science.gov (United States)

Sippl, C.; Kennett, B. L. N.; Tkalčić, H.; Gessner, K.; Spaggiari, C. V.

2017-09-01

Group and phase velocity maps in the period range 2-20 s for the Proterozoic east Albany-Fraser Orogen, Western Australia, are extracted from ambient seismic noise recorded with the 70-station ALFREX array. This 2 yr temporary installation provided detailed coverage across the orogen and the edge of the Neoarchean Yilgarn Craton, a region where no passive seismic studies of this scale have occurred to date. The surface wave velocities are rather high overall (>3 km s-1 nearly everywhere), as expected for exposed Proterozoic basement rocks. No clear signature of the transition between Yilgarn Craton and Albany-Fraser Orogen is observed, but several strong anomalies corresponding to more local geological features were obtained. A prominent, NE-elongated high-velocity anomaly in the northern part of the array is coincident with a Bouguer gravity high caused by the upper crustal metamorphic rocks of the Fraser Zone. This feature disappears towards longer periods, which hints at an exclusively upper crustal origin for this anomaly. Further east, the limestones of the Cenozoic Eucla Basin are clearly imaged as a pronounced low-velocity zone at short periods, but the prevalence of low velocities to periods of ≥5 s implies that the uppermost basement in this area is likewise slow. At longer periods, slightly above-average surface wave velocities are imaged below the Eucla Basin.

Zoological and productivity aspects of silver-fir die-back

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eichhorn, O.

1985-08-25

Using more recent findings and knowledge concerning root aphids, their taxonomy, host specificity, occurrence, distribution and damaging effect, the article shows that they are not the primary cause of silver-fir die-back despite their high level of constance and that they do not play any part in the course of the disease. Neither can other single insect species or several other insect species together which are harmful to silver firs like shoot bell-moth, bud bell-moth, weevil, longicorn and bark beetle, be blamed to be the primary cause of fir die-back. The article discusses reasons why constance and abundance of the bark beetle is surprisingly low even in seriously diseased trees. External appearance of the health condition of trees (proportion of dried-out crown or stag-headedness, number of needle-leaf generations, stork-nest-type crown configuration) and their rate of annual growth agree well. No phytopathogenic nematodes were detected in the inner bark/sapwood area of the trunks and in the roots of diseased silver firs. Nematodes, therefore, are ruled out as a primary cause of fir die-back.

Arabidopsis ABI5 plays a role in regulating ROS homeostasis by activating CATALASE 1 transcription in seed germination.

Science.gov (United States)

Bi, Chao; Ma, Yu; Wu, Zhen; Yu, Yong-Tao; Liang, Shan; Lu, Kai; Wang, Xiao-Fang

2017-05-01

It has been known that ABA INSENSITIVE 5 (ABI5) plays a vital role in regulating seed germination. In the present study, we showed that inhibition of the catalase activity with 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (3-AT) inhibits seed germination of Col-0, abi5 mutants and ABI5-overexpression transgenic lines. Compared with Col-0, the seeds of abi5 mutants showed more sensitive to 3-AT during seed germination, while the seeds of ABI5-overexpression transgenic lines showed more insensitive. H 2 O 2 showed the same effect on seed germination of Col-0, abi5 mutants and ABI5-overexpression transgenic lines as 3-AT. These results suggest that ROS is involved in the seed germination mediated by ABI5. Further, we observed that T-DNA insertion mutants of the three catalase members in Arabidopsis displayed 3-AT-insensitive or -hypersensitive phenotypes during seed germination, suggesting that these catalase members regulate ROS homeostasis in a highly complex way. ABI5 affects reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis by affecting CATALASE expression and catalase activity. Furthermore, we showed that ABI5 directly binds to the CAT1 promoter and activates CAT1 expression. Genetic evidence supports the idea that CAT1 functions downstream of ABI5 in ROS signaling during seed germination. RNA-sequencing analysis indicates that the transcription of the genes involved in ROS metabolic process or genes responsive to ROS stress is impaired in abi5-1 seeds. Additionally, expression changes in some genes correlative to seed germination were showed due to the change in ABI5 expression under 3-AT treatment. Together, all the findings suggest that ABI5 regulates seed germination at least partly by affecting ROS homeostasis.

Far infrared radiation (FIR): its biological effects and medical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Vatansever, Fatma; Hamblin, Michael R

2012-11-01

Far infrared (FIR) radiation (λ = 3-100 μm) is a subdivision of the electromagnetic spectrum that has been investigated for biological effects. The goal of this review is to cover the use of a further sub-division (3- 12 μm) of this waveband, that has been observed in both in vitro and in vivo studies, to stimulate cells and tissue, and is considered a promising treatment modality for certain medical conditions. Technological advances have provided new techniques for delivering FIR radiation to the human body. Specialty lamps and saunas, delivering pure FIR radiation (eliminating completely the near and mid infrared bands), have became safe, effective, and widely used sources to generate therapeutic effects. Fibers impregnated with FIR emitting ceramic nanoparticles and woven into fabrics, are being used as garments and wraps to generate FIR radiation, and attain health benefits from its effects.

Evaluation of a New Temporary Immersion Bioreactor System for Micropropagation of Cultivars of Eucalyptus, Birch and Fir

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Edward Businge

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The use of liquid instead of solid culture medium for the micropropagation of plants offers advantages such as better access to medium components and scalability through possible automation of the processes. The objective of this work was to compare a new temporary immersion bioreactor (TIB to solid medium culture for the micropropagation of a selection of tree species micropropagated for commercial use: Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana (Steven Spach, Eucalyptus (E. grandis x E. urophylla, Downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh, and Curly birch (Betula pendula var. carelica. Cultivation of explants in the TIB resulted in a significant increase of multiplication rate and fresh weight of Eucalyptus and B. pendula, but not Betula pubescens. In addition, the fresh weight of embryogenic tissue and the maturation frequency of somatic embryos increased significantly when an embryogenic cell line of A. nordmanniana was cultivated in the TIB compared to solid culture medium. These results demonstrate the potential for scaling up and automating micropropagation by shoot multiplication and somatic embryogenesis in commercial tree species using a temporary immersion bioreactor.

A Radio Study of the Ultra-luminous FIR Galaxy NGC 6240

Science.gov (United States)

Colbert, E.; Wilson, A. S.; Bland-Hawthorn, J.

1993-05-01

A number of galaxies observed in the IRAS mission are noted to emit ~ 99% of their bolometric flux in the FIR, with FIR luminosities in excess of 10(11) Lsun. The interacting galaxy NGC 6240 has often been referred to as the ``proto-typical'' ultra-luminous (L_FIR >~ 10(12) Lsun) FIR galaxy. The origin of the FIR excess remains a disputed subject in the literature. New observations of NGC 6240 were taken with the VLA at 20cm in the B-configuration, and at 3.6cm in the A-configuration. No significant radio emission was detected from or near the possible ultra-massive ``dark core'' hypothesized by Bland-Hawthorn et. al. (1991); however, approximately 30% of Seyfert galaxies have 20 cm radio luminosities weaker than the upper limit derived from the radio maps. The non-thermal radio emission from luminous FIR galaxies is tightly correlated with the FIR emission. Previous radio observations of NGC 6240 revealed two compact, steep-spectrum nuclear sources, nearly coincident with the two nuclear sources seen in optical images. The 2 images from the new VLA observations and 5 images from previous VLA observations are used to identify the morphological and spectral features of the strong, compact components in the nuclear regions (~ 3 kpc) from the nucleus. Feasible explanations for the radio emission are discussed. The models that have been proposed in the literature for the FIR excess of NGC 6240 are evaluated for consistency with the observed radio emission.

Functional analysis of the isoforms of an ABI3-like factor of Pisum sativum generated by alternative splicing.

Science.gov (United States)

Gagete, Andrés P; Riera, Marta; Franco, Luis; Rodrigo, M Isabel

2009-01-01

At least seven isoforms (PsABI3-1 to PsABI3-7) of a putative, pea ABI3-like factor, originated by alternative splicing, have been identified after cDNA cloning. A similar variability had previously only been described for monocot genes. The full-length isoform, PsABI3-1, contains the typical N-terminal acidic domains and C-terminal basic subdomains, B1 to B3. Reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis revealed that the gene is expressed just in seeds, starting at middle embryogenesis; no gene products are observed in embryo axes after 18 h post-imbibition although they are more persistent in cotyledons. The activity of the isoforms was studied by yeast one-hybrid assays. When yeast was transformed with the isoforms fused to the DNA binding domain of Gal4p, only the polypeptides PsABI3-2 and PsABI3-7 failed to complement the activity of Gal4p. Acidic domains A1 and A2 exhibit transactivating activity, but the former requires a small C-terminal extension to be active. Yeast two-hybrid analysis showed that PsABI3 is able to heterodimerize with Arabidopsis thaliana ABI5, thus proving that PsABI3 is functionally active. The minimum requirement for the interaction PsABI3-AtABI5 is the presence of the subdomain B1 with an extension, 81 amino acids long, at their C-terminal side. Finally, a transient onion transformation assay showed that both the active PsABI3-1 and the inactive PsABI3-2 isoforms are localized to nuclei. Considering that the major isoforms remain approximately constant in developing seeds although their relative proportion varied, the possible role of splicing in the regulatory network of ABA signalling is discussed.

Thinking Allowed: Use of Egocentric Speech after Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)

Science.gov (United States)

Rees, Sian A.; Skidmore, David

2011-01-01

This paper explores the use of thinking aloud made by young people who have sustained a severe acquired brain injury (ABI). The phenomenon is compared with the concepts of egocentric speech and inner speech before the form of thinking aloud by pupils with ABI is examined. It is suggested that by using thinking aloud, this group of pupils is able…

ABI4 regulates primary seed dormancy by regulating the biogenesis of abscisic acid and gibberellins in arabidopsis.

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Kai Shu

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Seed dormancy is an important economic trait for agricultural production. Abscisic acid (ABA and Gibberellins (GA are the primary factors that regulate the transition from dormancy to germination, and they regulate this process antagonistically. The detailed regulatory mechanism involving crosstalk between ABA and GA, which underlies seed dormancy, requires further elucidation. Here, we report that ABI4 positively regulates primary seed dormancy, while negatively regulating cotyledon greening, by mediating the biogenesis of ABA and GA. Seeds of the Arabidopsis abi4 mutant that were subjected to short-term storage (one or two weeks germinated significantly more quickly than Wild-Type (WT, and abi4 cotyledons greened markedly more quickly than WT, while the rates of germination and greening were comparable when the seeds were subjected to longer-term storage (six months. The ABA content of dry abi4 seeds was remarkably lower than that of WT, but the amounts were comparable after stratification. Consistently, the GA level of abi4 seeds was increased compared to WT. Further analysis showed that abi4 was resistant to treatment with paclobutrazol (PAC, a GA biosynthesis inhibitor, during germination, while OE-ABI4 was sensitive to PAC, and exogenous GA rescued the delayed germination phenotype of OE-ABI4. Analysis by qRT-PCR showed that the expression of genes involved in ABA and GA metabolism in dry and germinating seeds corresponded to hormonal measurements. Moreover, chromatin immunoprecipitation qPCR (ChIP-qPCR and transient expression analysis showed that ABI4 repressed CYP707A1 and CYP707A2 expression by directly binding to those promoters, and the ABI4 binding elements are essential for this repression. Accordingly, further genetic analysis showed that abi4 recovered the delayed germination phenotype of cyp707a1 and cyp707a2 and further, rescued the non-germinating phenotype of ga1-t. Taken together, this study suggests that ABI4 is a key

FIR Filter Sharpening by Frequency Masking and Pipelining-Interleaving Technique

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CIRIC, M. P.

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This paper focuses on the improvements of digital filters with a highly sharp transition zone on the Xilinx FPGA chips by combining a sharpening method based on the amplitude change function and frequency masking and PI (Pipelining-Interleaving techniques. A linear phase requires digital filter realizations with Finite Impulse Response (FIR filters. On the other hand, a drawback of FIR filters applications is a low computational efficiency, especially in applications such as filter sharpening techniques, because this technique uses processing the data by repeated passes through the same filter. Computational efficiency of FIR filters can be significantly improved by using some of the multirate techniques, and such a degree of computation savings cannot be achieved in multirate implementations of IIR (Infinite Impulse Response filters. This paper shows the realization of a filter sharpening method with FIR filters combined with frequency masking and PI (Pipelining-Interleaving technique in order to effectively realize the filter with improved characteristic. This realization at the same time keeps the good features of FIR filters such as the linear phase characteristic.

Abscisic Acid Antagonizes Ethylene Production through the ABI4-Mediated Transcriptional Repression of ACS4 and ACS8 in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Zhijun; Yu, Yanwen; Li, Shenghui; Wang, Juan; Tang, Saijun; Huang, Rongfeng

2016-01-04

Increasing evidence has revealed that abscisic acid (ABA) negatively modulates ethylene biosynthesis, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. To identify the factors involved, we conducted a screen for ABA-insensitive mutants with altered ethylene production in Arabidopsis. A dominant allele of ABI4, abi4-152, which produces a putative protein with a 16-amino-acid truncation at the C-terminus of ABI4, reduces ethylene production. By contrast, two recessive knockout alleles of ABI4, abi4-102 and abi4-103, result in increased ethylene evolution, indicating that ABI4 negatively regulates ethylene production. Further analyses showed that expression of the ethylene biosynthesis genes ACS4, ACS8, and ACO2 was significantly decreased in abi4-152 but increased in the knockout mutants, with partial dependence on ABA. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative PCR assays showed that ABI4 directly binds the promoters of these ethylene biosynthesis genes and that ABA enhances this interaction. A fusion protein containing the truncated ABI4-152 peptide accumulated to higher levels than its full-length counterpart in transgenic plants, suggesting that ABI4 is destabilized by its C terminus. Therefore, our results demonstrate that ABA negatively regulates ethylene production through ABI4-mediated transcriptional repression of the ethylene biosynthesis genes ACS4 and ACS8 in Arabidopsis. Copyright © 2016 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transactivation of the Brassica napus napin promoter by ABI3 requires interaction of the conserved B2 and B3 domains of ABI3 with different cis-elements: B2 mediates activation through an ABRE, whereas B3 interacts with an RY/G-box.

Science.gov (United States)

Ezcurra, I; Wycliffe, P; Nehlin, L; Ellerström, M; Rask, L

2000-10-01

The transcriptional activator ABI3 is a key regulator of gene expression during embryo maturation in crucifers. In monocots, the related VP1 protein regulates the Em promoter synergistically with abscisic acid (ABA). We identified cis-elements in the Brassica napus napin napA promoter mediating regulation by ABI3 and ABA, by analyzing substitution mutation constructs of napA in transgenic tobacco plantlets ectopically expressing ABI3. In transient analysis using particle bombardment of tobacco leaf sections, a tetramer of the distB ABRE (abscisic acid-responsive element) mediated transactivation by ABI3 and ABI3-dependent response to ABA, whereas a tetramer of the composite RY/G complex, containing RY repeats and a G-box, mediated only ABA-independent transactivation by ABI3. Deletion of the conserved B2 and B3 domains of ABI3 abolished transactivation of napA by ABI3. The two domains of ABI3 interact with different cis-elements: B2 is necessary for ABA-independent and ABA-dependent activations through the distB ABRE, whereas B3 interacts with the RY/G complex. Thus B2 mediates the interaction of ABI3 with the protein complex at the ABRE. The regulation of napA by ABI3 differs from Em regulation by VP1, in that the B3 domain of ABI3 is essential for the ABA-dependent regulation of napA.

Charting shifts and moving forward in abnormal times: An interview with Nancy Fraser

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Julia Sichieri Moura

2016-09-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1677-2954.2016v15n1p1 In this interview Nancy Fraser elucidates important conceptual topics of her theory, she also shares her analysis of the global financial crisis and how it has changed the setting for theorists of justice. Her account reminds us of critical theory’s important role in helping us think - and act – differently in difficult times.

In vitro propagation of fraser photinia using Azospirillum-mediated root development.

Science.gov (United States)

Llorente, Berta E; Larraburu, Ezequiel E

2013-01-01

Fraser photinia (Photinia × fraseri Dress.) is a woody plant of high ornamental value. The traditional propagation system for photinia is by rooting apical cuttings using highly concentrated auxin treatments. However, photinia micropropagation is an effective alternative to traditional in vivo propagation which is affected by the seasonal supply of cuttings, the long time required to obtain new plants, and the difficulties in rooting some clones.A protocol for in vitro propagation of fraser photinia using the plant growth-promoting ability of some rhizobacteria is described here. Bacterial inoculation is a new tool in micropropagation protocols that improves plant development in in vitro culture. Shoots culture on a medium containing MS macro- and microelements, Gamborg's vitamins (BM), N (6)-benzyladenine (BA, 11.1 μM), and gibberellic acid (1.3 μM) produce well-established explants. Proliferation on BM medium supplemented with 4.4 μM BA results in four times the number of shoots per initial shoot that develops monthly. Consequently, there is a continuous supply of plant material since shoot production is independent of season. Azospirillum brasilense inoculation, after 49.2 μM indole-3-butyric acid pulse treatment, stimulates early rooting of photinia shoots and produces significant increase in root fresh and dry weights, root surface area, and shoot fresh and dry weights in comparison with controls. Furthermore, inoculated in vitro photinia plants show anatomical and morphological changes that might lead to better adaptation in ex vitro conditions after transplanting, compared with the control plants.

Multi-decadal establishment for single-cohort Douglas-fir forests

Science.gov (United States)

James A. Freund; Jerry F. Franklin; Andrew J. Larson; James A. Lutz

2014-01-01

The rate at which trees regenerate following stand-replacing wildfire is an important but poorly understood process in the multi-century development of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) forests. Temporal patterns of Douglas-fir establishment reconstructed from old-growth forests (>450 year) have...

Activation of mRNA translation by phage protein and low temperature: the case of Lactococcus lactis abortive infection system AbiD1

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Ehrlich S Dusko

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Abortive infection (Abi mechanisms comprise numerous strategies developed by bacteria to avoid being killed by bacteriophage (phage. Escherichia coli Abis are considered as mediators of programmed cell death, which is induced by infecting phage. Abis were also proposed to be stress response elements, but no environmental activation signals have yet been identified. Abis are widespread in Lactococcus lactis, but regulation of their expression remains an open question. We previously showed that development of AbiD1 abortive infection against phage bIL66 depends on orf1, which is expressed in mid-infection. However, molecular basis for this activation remains unclear. Results In non-infected AbiD1+ cells, specific abiD1 mRNA is unstable and present in low amounts. It does not increase during abortive infection of sensitive phage. Protein synthesis directed by the abiD1 translation initiation region is also inefficient. The presence of the phage orf1 gene, but not its mutant AbiD1R allele, strongly increases abiD1 translation efficiency. Interestingly, cell growth at low temperature also activates translation of abiD1 mRNA and consequently the AbiD1 phenotype, and occurs independently of phage infection. There is no synergism between the two abiD1 inducers. Purified Orf1 protein binds mRNAs containing a secondary structure motif, identified within the translation initiation regions of abiD1, the mid-infection phage bIL66 M-operon, and the L. lactis osmC gene. Conclusion Expression of the abiD1 gene and consequently AbiD1 phenotype is specifically translationally activated by the phage Orf1 protein. The loss of ability to activate translation of abiD1 mRNA determines the molecular basis for phage resistance to AbiD1. We show for the first time that temperature downshift also activates abortive infection by activation of abiD1 mRNA translation.

Climate-Induced Mortality of Siberian Pine and Fir in the Lake Baikal Watershed, Siberia

Science.gov (United States)

Kharuk, Viacheslav I.; Im, Sergei T.; Petrova, IIya A.; Golyukov, Alexei S.; Ranson, Kenneth J.; Yagunov, Mikhail N.

2016-01-01

Siberian pine (Pinus sibirica) and fir (Abies sibirica) (so called "dark needle conifers", DNC) showed decreased radial growth increment within the Lake Baikal watershed since the 1980s with increasing mortality recorded since the year 2000. Tree ring width was strongly correlated with vapor pressure deficit, aridity and root zone moisture. Water stress from droughts made trees more susceptible to insect attacks causing mortality in about 10% of DNC stands within the Lake Baikal watershed. Within Siberia DNC mortality increased in the southern part of the DNC range. Biogeographically, tree mortality was located within the DNC - forest-steppes transition. Tree mortality was significantly correlated with drought and soil moisture anomalies. Within the interior of the DNC range mortality occurred within relief features with high water stress risk (i.e., steep convex south facing slopes with shallow well-drained soils). In general, DNC mortality in Siberia was induced by increased aridity and severe drought (inciting factors) in synergy with biotic attacks (contributing factor). In future climate scenarios with predicted increase in aridity DNC could be eliminated from the southern part of its current range and will be replaced by drought-resistant conifers and broadleaf species (e.g., Larix sibirica, Pinus silvestris, and Betula pubescence).

Is There Synchronicity in Nitrogen Input and Output Fluxes at the Noland Divide Watershed, a Small N-Saturated Forested Catchment in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

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H. Van Miegroet

2001-01-01

Full Text Available High-elevation red spruce [Picea rubens Sarg.]-Fraser fir [Abies fraseri (Pursh. Poir] forests in the Southern Appalachians currently receive large nitrogen (N inputs via atmospheric deposition (30 kg N ha�1 year�1 but have limited N retention capacity due to a combination of stand age, heavy fir mortality caused by exotic insect infestations, and numerous gaps caused by windfalls and ice storms. This study examined the magnitude and timing of the N fluxes into, through, and out of a small, first-order catchment in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It also examined the role of climatic conditions in causing interannual variations in the N output signal. About half of the atmospheric N input was exported annually in the streamwater, primarily as nitrate (NO3-N. While most incoming ammonium (NH4-N was retained in the canopy and the forest floor, the NO3-N fluxes were very dynamic in space as well as in time. There was a clear decoupling between NO3-N input and output fluxes. Atmospheric N input was greatest in the growing season while largest NO3-N losses typically occurred in the dormant season. Also, as water passed through the various catchment compartments, the NO3-N flux declined below the canopy, increased in the upper soil due to internal N mineralization and nitrification, and declined again deeper in the mineral soil due to plant uptake and microbial processing. Temperature control on N production and hydrologic control on NO3-N leaching during the growing season likely caused the observed inter-annual variation in fall peak NO3-N concentrations and N discharge rates in the stream.

GC/MS Analysis of Oil Extractives from Wood and Bark of Pinus sylvestris, Abies alba, Picea abies, and Larix decidua

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Mohamed Zidan Mohamed Salem

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Wood and bark oil extractives components (OECs of Pinus sylvestris, Abies alba, Picea abies, and Larix decidua grown in the Czech Republic were analyzed using gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry (GC/MS. The analysis showed the presence of monoterpene, sesquiterpene, diterpenoids, and resin acids. The highest percentages of OECs in the wood of P. sylvestris were α-fenchyl alcohol (26.04%, D-fenchyl alcohol (12.39%, and L-borneol (8.81%; the OECs in the bark included α-methyl-γ-butyrolactone (31.88% and isodecyl octyl phthalate (15.85%. The most frequently occurring OEC in A. alba wood were 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-pentanone (73.36%, α-cedrol (10.08%, and 2,6-dimethyl-1,3,6-heptatriene (7.35%; the most OECs in the bark were di(2-ethylhexylphthalate (59.83%, methyl cyclopentane (16.63%, and 13-epimanool (6.31%. P. abies wood OECs included 4-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-pentanone (29.42%, α-cedrol (26.98%, ∆3-carene (6.08%, and terpinen-4-ol (5.42%; the most OECs in the bark were di(2-ethylhexylphthalate (30.91%, cyclohexane (12.89%, caryophyllene oxide (8.90%, and α-pinene (4.59%. OECs of L. decidua wood were α-terpineol (26.06%, isoborneol (14.12%, camphene (11.78%, D-fenchyl alcohol (10.39%, and larixol (4.85%; OECs in the bark were larixol (33.29%, phthalic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (16.96%, 13-epimanool (15.40%, and cyclohexane (8.44%.

Allelochemicals and activities in a replanted Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) tree ecosystem.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, C H; Chen, L C; Xu, X H; Wang, P; Wang, S L

2008-12-24

Autotoxicity is a major reason for replant problems in managed tree ecosystems. Studies have related phenolics-based allelochemicals to autotoxicity. We selected a 20-year-old replanted Chinese fir [Cunninghamia lancealata (Lamb.) Hook] tree ecosystem to isolate, identify, determine the biological activity of, and quantify soil phytotoxins. Eight common phenolics (coumarin, vanillin, isovanillin, and p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, benzoic, cinnamic, and ferulic acids), friedelin, and a novel cyclic dipeptide (6-hydroxy-1,3-dimethyl-8-nonadecyl-[1,4]-diazocane-2,5-diketone) were obtained by using the bioassay-guided isolation technique from toxic soil of the replanted Chinese fir tree ecosystem. Chemical structures were determined by spectroscopic means, including 2D-NMR (COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY) experiments. High concentrations of soil phenolics and friedelin were observed in the natural evergreen broadleaf forest (CK) rather than in the Chinese fir tree ecosystem. The phenolics and friedelin were not phytotoxic to Chinese fir trees. However, the cyclic dipeptide inhibited Chinese fir growth at soil concentrations determined in the replanted Chinese fir tree ecosystem. There was a significantly higher soil concentration of cyclic dipeptide in the replanted Chinese fir tree ecosystem than in a fresh Chinese fir tree ecosystem. The results suggest that phenolics and friedelin are not key allelochemicals since they are weakly phytotoxic and are detected in low concentrations in the replanted Chinese fir tree ecosystem, while cyclic dipeptide is a highly active allelochemical with a phytotoxic effect that limits offspring growth in the replanted Chinese fir tree ecosystem. The discovery of cyclic dipeptide, as well as a further understanding of its potential action mechanism in the replanted Chinese fir tree ecosystem, may contribute to solving the replant problems in managed tree ecosystems.

Climate change and the Lower Fraser Valley. rev. ed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, E.; Langlois, D.

2000-01-01

The climatic changes that are expected to occur in British Columbia's Lower Fraser Valley over the next century were described in this report which included information about the science of climate change and the development of global climate models that provide estimates of global climate for the coming century. The confidence that scientists have in these models was reflected in the fact that most can simulate the important seasonal and geographical large scale features of the global climate, and that many of the large scale changes that are effected by greenhouse gas concentrations can be explained in terms of physical processes which operate around the world. The models also reproduce with reasonable accuracy the variations of climate such as the El Nino phenomena., the cooling due to the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991 and the global warming that occurred over the past 100 years. Three climate stations were analyzed in this study to assess the climate change of the Valley. Climatic change is influenced by increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere which in turn cause accelerated global warming. Scientists generally believe that the combustion of fossil fuels and other human activities are a major reason for the increased concentration of carbon dioxide. Plant respiration and the decomposition of organic matter releases 10 times more CO 2 than that released anthropogenically, but these releases are in balance with plant photosynthesis. The rate of warming in the Lower Fraser Valley is uncertain, but climate models suggest it could be about 3 to 4 degrees warming with wetter winters and drier summers by the end of the century. The Valley currently has mild temperatures and high precipitation because of its proximity to the Pacific Oceans and the surrounding mountains. Global warming can have an impact on sea levels along the coast, spring flooding, summer drought, coastal ecosystems, air quality, occurrences of forest fires, and recreation

Quantum mechanical features of optically pumped CW FIR lasers

Science.gov (United States)

Seligson, D.; Leite, J. R. R.; Sanchez, A.; Feld, M. S.; Ducloy, M.

1977-01-01

Quantum mechanical predictions for the gain of an optically pumped CW FIR laser are presented for cases in which one or both of the pump and FIR transitions are pressure or Doppler broadened. The results are compared to those based on the rate equation model. Some of the quantum mechanical predictions are verified in CH3OH.

ROOT and x32-ABI

CERN Document Server

Rauschmayr, N

2013-01-01

x32-ABI is an application binary interface, which has been introduced in Linux kernel 3.4. This interface is based on the x86-64 instruction set but uses 32-bit as size for pointers and C-datatype long instead of 64-bit. Thus software can profit from lower memory footprint but also form faster system calls. Several Root-benchmarks have been evaluated in this context and results regarding memory consumption and CPU-time are shown.

Katastroofide järel heldelt lubatud abi pole alati kohale jõudnud / Kaivo Kopli

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Kopli, Kaivo

2005-01-01

ÜRO peasekretär Kofi Annan kutsus üles täitma lubadusi anda abi Lõuna-Aasia tsunamis kannatanud riikidele. Artiklis tuuakse näiteid juhtumite kohta, kus looduskatastroofi järel on riikide abi jäänud lubatust väiksemaks

Identification and functional analysis of two alternatively spliced transcripts of ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3) in linseed flax (Linum usitatissimum L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yanyan; Zhang, Tianbao; Song, Xiaxia; Zhang, Jianping; Dang, Zhanhai; Pei, Xinwu; Long, Yan

2018-01-01

Alternative splicing is a popular phenomenon in different types of plants. It can produce alternative spliced transcripts that encode proteins with altered functions. Previous studies have shown that one transcription factor, ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3), which encodes an important component in abscisic acid (ABA) signaling, is subjected to alternative splicing in both mono- and dicotyledons. In the current study, we identified two homologs of ABI3 in the genome of linseed flax. We screened two alternatively spliced flax LuABI3 transcripts, LuABI3-2 and LuABI3-3, and one normal flax LuABI3 transcript, LuABI3-1. Sequence analysis revealed that one of the alternatively spliced transcripts, LuABI3-3, retained a 6 bp intron. RNA accumulation analysis showed that all three transcripts were expressed during seed development, while subcellular localization and transgene experiments showed that LuABI3-3 had no biological function. The two normal transcripts, LuABI3-1 and LuABI3-2, are the important functional isoforms in flax and play significant roles in the ABA regulatory pathway during seed development, germination, and maturation.

Identification and functional analysis of two alternatively spliced transcripts of ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3 in linseed flax (Linum usitatissimum L..

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanyan Wang

Full Text Available Alternative splicing is a popular phenomenon in different types of plants. It can produce alternative spliced transcripts that encode proteins with altered functions. Previous studies have shown that one transcription factor, ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3, which encodes an important component in abscisic acid (ABA signaling, is subjected to alternative splicing in both mono- and dicotyledons. In the current study, we identified two homologs of ABI3 in the genome of linseed flax. We screened two alternatively spliced flax LuABI3 transcripts, LuABI3-2 and LuABI3-3, and one normal flax LuABI3 transcript, LuABI3-1. Sequence analysis revealed that one of the alternatively spliced transcripts, LuABI3-3, retained a 6 bp intron. RNA accumulation analysis showed that all three transcripts were expressed during seed development, while subcellular localization and transgene experiments showed that LuABI3-3 had no biological function. The two normal transcripts, LuABI3-1 and LuABI3-2, are the important functional isoforms in flax and play significant roles in the ABA regulatory pathway during seed development, germination, and maturation.

Frontiers in Reproduction (FIR): An Assessment of Success1

Science.gov (United States)

Ascoli, Mario; Mebane, Dorianne; Fazleabas, Asgerally T.

2016-01-01

The Frontiers in Reproduction (FIR) course has been held annually since 1998 at the Marine Biological Laboratories in Woods Hole, MA. The primary purpose of the course is to train young reproductive biologists in cutting-edge techniques that would strengthen their career opportunities. An initial evaluation of the FIR course was conducted by surveying the participants who took the course between 1998 and 2002. The findings of this survey were published in Biology of Reproduction in 2006, which highlighted the overall positive impact the course had on the training and upward career trajectory of the participants during the first 5 yr. The current study was designed to access the continued impact of FIR at the 10-yr mark by evaluating the participants who took the course between 1998 and 2008 using two different survey mechanisms. Based on these evaluations and feedback from the participants, it was evident that 1) FIR continues to have a significant positive impact on the careers of the participants, 2) the majority of the participants continue to be involved in research or administration related to the reproductive sciences, 3) nearly 90% of the attendees have been successful in obtaining funding for their research, and 4) most alumni have published at least five manuscripts in higher impact journals since they took the course. Therefore, it is evident that FIR participants are highly successful and continue to significantly impact the advances in the reproductive sciences worldwide. PMID:27335071

Power Efficient Design of Parallel/Serial FIR Filters in RNS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petricca, Massimo; Albicocco, Pietro; Cardarilli, Gian Carlo

2012-01-01

It is well known that the Residue Number System (RNS) provides an efficient implementation of parallel FIR filters especially when the filter order and the dynamic range are high. The two main drawbacks of RNS, need of converters and coding overhead, make a serialized implementation of the FIR...

Design and Implementation of Direct Form FIR Filter

OpenAIRE

Kumar, Hanny; Kumar, Kamal

2016-01-01

The research article presents the design of the direct form of the Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filter using VHDL programming language. Multimedia technology and broadband communication demand the low power and high performance design applications in Digital Signal Processing (DSP). The digital filters are most important element of the communication system and DSP. In the paper, 7 tap FIR filter is implemented in Xilinx 14.2 software and functionally simulated in Modelsim 10.1 b software. Th...

FIR Filter of DS-CDMA UWB Modem Transmitter

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Kyu-Min; Cho, Sang-In; Won, Hui-Chul; Choi, Sang-Sung

This letter presents low-complexity digital pulse shaping filter structures of a direct sequence code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) ultra wide-band (UWB) modem transmitter with a ternary spreading code. The proposed finite impulse response (FIR) filter structures using a look-up table (LUT) have the effect of saving the amount of memory by about 50% to 80% in comparison to the conventional FIR filter structures, and consequently are suitable for a high-speed parallel data process.

FIR interferometer and scattering measurements of ATF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, C.H.; Hutchinson, D.P.; Fockedey, Y.; Vander Sluis, K.L.; Bennett, C.A.

1989-01-01

A 15-channel far-infrared (FIR) interferometer system has been constructed to measure the electron densities on the ATF plasmas. The system consists of a pair of cw 214-μm difluoromethane (CH 2 F 2 ) lasers, optically pumped by separate CO 2 lasers. The large number of channels is achieved by the use of reflective beam expansion optics to create a beam of 2 cm /times/ 45 cm. After passing through the plasma discharge, the elongated beam produced by the cylindrical mirrors is dissected by an array of 15 off-axis paraboloid reflectors, each of which illuminates a single Schottky-diode detector. The use of the beam expanding optics system reduces the number of optical elements required for the interferometer to approximately 2-3 per channel. The FIR laser beams are transported from the laser room to the experimental area by 25 mm i.d. dielectric waveguides purged with dry nitrogen. The system can also be operated at a wavelength of 119-μm by changing the gas in FIR laser cavities to methanol for high density experiments. Details of the system are described. A study is underway to determine the optimum design of a FIR scattering system for the ATF. This scattering system will be used to investigate density fluctuations with scale lengths from 0.1 cm to the plasma radius. The laser for this scattering system may be operated at wavelengths of 447, 307, 214, 184, and 119 μm with power levels of 100 to 500 mW. A summary of the study is presented. 6 refs., 1 fig

AbiV, a Novel Antiphage Abortive Infection Mechanism on the Chromosome of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris MG1363

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haaber, Jakob Brandt Borup; Moineau, Sylvain; Fortier, Louis-Charles

2008-01-01

phenotype was caused by a chromosomal gene turned on by a promoter from the inserted construct. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis confirmed that there were higher levels of transcription of a downstream open reading frame (ORF) in the phage-resistant integrants than in the phage-sensitive strain L. lactis...... searches revealed no homology to other phage resistance mechanisms, and thus, this novel Abi mechanism was designated AbiV. The mode of action of AbiV is unknown, but the activity of AbiV prevented cleavage of the replicated phage DNA of 936-like phages....

Survey of Trojan fir seed orchard in Edremit-Gurgendag Region of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abies nordmanniana ssp. Equitrojani, with a limited distribution in Northwestern Anatolia (Kazdaglari Mountain ranges), is one of the four Abies taxa naturally grown in Turkey. Regeneration problems are caused when establishing seed orchards for this important conifer. Seed and cone pests are the main problems ...

Inhibition of the growth of Alexandrium tamarense by algicidal substances in Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata).

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Wei-Dong; Liu, Jie-Sheng; Li, Hong-Ye; Zhang, Xin-Lian; Qi, Yu-Zao

2009-10-01

The wood sawdust from Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) exhibited stronger inhibition on the growth of Alexandrium tamarense than those from alder (Alnus cremastogyne), pine (Pinus massoniana), birch (Betula alnoides) and sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum). The water extract, acetone-water extract and essential oil from fir sawdust were all shown to inhibit the growth of A. tamarense. The inhibition of fir essential oil was the strongest among all the above wood sources while the half effective concentration was only 0.65 mg/L. These results suggested that the fir essential oil may play an important role in the algicidal effect of Chinese fir.

First report of Phytophthora ramorum infecting grand fir in California

Science.gov (United States)

K.L. Riley; G.A. Chastagner

2011-01-01

Phytophthora ramorum was detected on grand fir in 2003 and 2005 in a Christmas tree plantation near Los Gatos, CA, in association with infected California bay laurel. Isolates derived from stem lesions were used to inoculate grand fir seedlings in two tests. Isolations from lesions on inoculated plants were positive for P. ramorum...

Early verification of a hybrid between noble and California red firs

Science.gov (United States)

Roy R. Silen; William B. Critchfield; Jerry F. Franklin

1965-01-01

Hybrids between Abies procera Rehd., and Abies magnifica A. Murr., made reciprocally at Marys Peak near Corvallis, Oreg., and near Placerville, Calif., suggest that no significant genetic barriers prevent crossing of the two species where ranges overlap. Hence, maintenance of species differences must be looked for in other factors...

Fertilizing Douglas-fir forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Richard E. Miller; Roger D. Right

1979-01-01

This report supplements a slide-tape presentation of the same title. Part I of the report describes the current practice of nitrogen fertilization of Douglas-fir forests in western Washington and Oregon and the effects of this fertilization on tree growth and water quality. Part II discusses factors that affect costs and revenues from investments in forest...

The ABA-INSENSITIVE-4 (ABI4) transcription factor links redox, hormone and sugar signaling pathways.

Science.gov (United States)

Foyer, Christine H; Kerchev, Pavel I; Hancock, Robert D

2012-02-01

The cellular reduction-oxidation (redox) hub processes information from metabolism and the environment and so regulates plant growth and defense through integration with the hormone signaling network. One key pathway of redox control involves interactions with ABSCISIC ACID (ABA). Accumulating evidence suggests that the ABA-INSENSITIVE-4 (ABI4) transcription factor plays a key role in transmitting information concerning the abundance of ascorbate and hence the ability of cells to buffer oxidative challenges. ABI4 is required for the ascorbate-dependent control of growth, a process that involves enhancement of salicylic acid (SA) signaling and inhibition of jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathways. Low redox buffering capacity reinforces SA- JA- interactions through the mediation of ABA and ABI4 to fine-tune plant growth and defense in relation to metabolic cues and environmental challenges. Moreover, ABI4-mediated pathways of sugar sensitivity are also responsive to the abundance of ascorbate, providing evidence of overlap between redox and sugar signaling pathways.

76 FR 16236 - Prohibition Against Certain Flights Within the Tripoli (HLLL) Flight Information Region (FIR)

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-23

... Tripoli (HLLL) Flight Information Region (FIR) AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department... the Tripoli (HLLL) Flight Information Region (FIR) by all U.S. air carriers; U.S. commercial operators...) Flight Information Region (FIR). (a) Applicability. This section applies to the following persons: (1...

Interim Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Western Mountains, Valleys, and Coast Region

Science.gov (United States)

2008-04-01

elevations in the local area dominated by conifers (e.g., spruce (Picea), fir (Abies), hemlock (Tsuga), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga), coast redwood...annual temperature is 33 to 62 ºF (1 to 17 ºC) (USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service 2006a). Low-elevation mixed conifer forests are...redox concentrations and those that do not, for hue 10YR, to meet the definition of a depleted matrix. Due to inaccurate color reproduction , do not use

Rebalancing the Simon Fraser University’s Academic Pension Plan’s Balanced Fund: A Case Study

OpenAIRE

Wang, Yingshuo; Ren, Jing

2012-01-01

The purpose of the paper is to investigate the rebalancing strategy for Simon Fraser University’s Academic Pension Plan’s Balanced Fund. First, we examine performances of a “no rebalancing” fund and rebalanced funds with different rebalancing frequencies and thresholds based on the historic data. The results show that the rebalancing frequency and thresholds do not significantly affect the performance of the portfolio. Additionally, the rebalanced portfolios significantly outperform the “no r...

Significant mean and extreme climate sensitivity of Norway spruce and silver fir at mid-elevation mesic sites in the Alps.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Carrer

Full Text Available Climate forcing is the major abiotic driver for forest ecosystem functioning and thus significantly affects the role of forests within the global carbon cycle and related ecosystem services. Annual radial increments of trees are probably the most valuable source of information to link tree growth and climate at long-term time scales, and have been used in a wide variety of investigations worldwide. However, especially in mountainous areas, tree-ring studies have focused on extreme environments where the climate sensitivity is perhaps greatest but are necessarily a biased representation of the forests within a region. We used tree-ring analyses to study two of the most important tree species growing in the Alps: Norway spruce (Picea abies and silver fir (Abies alba. We developed tree-ring chronologies from 13 mesic mid-elevation sites (203 trees and then compared them to monthly temperature and precipitation data for the period 1846-1995. Correlation functions, principal component analysis and fuzzy C-means clustering were applied to 1 assess the climate/growth relationships and their stationarity and consistency over time, and 2 extract common modes of variability in the species responses to mean and extreme climate variability. Our results highlight a clear, time-stable, and species-specific response to mean climate conditions. However, during the previous-year's growing season, which shows the strongest correlations, the primary difference between species is in their response to extreme events, not mean conditions. Mesic sites at mid-altitude are commonly underrepresented in tree-ring research; we showed that strong climatic controls of growth may exist even in those areas. Extreme climatic events may play a key role in defining the species-specific responses on climatic sensitivity and, with a global change perspective, specific divergent responses are likely to occur even where current conditions are less limited.

Proposed non-interferometric FIR electron density measuring scheme for Tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dodel, G; Kunz, W [Stuttgart Univ. (TH) (Germany, F.R.). Inst. fuer Plasmaforschung

1979-08-01

Extension of FIR polarimetry to electron density measurements in Tokamaks is suggested as a possible alternative for devices in which FIR interferometry is not applicable or difficult to handle due to reduced accessibility or strong mechanical vibrations. The method is numerically simulated. The relative experimental simplicity compared with interferometry has to be paid for with symmetry assumptions which enter into the evaluation process.

In vitro binding of Sorghum bicolor transcription factors ABI4 and ABI5 to a conserved region of a GA 2-OXIDASE promoter: possible role of this interaction in the expression of seed dormancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Cantoro, Renata; Crocco, Carlos Daniel; Benech-Arnold, Roberto Luis; Rodríguez, María Verónica

2013-12-01

The precise adjustment of the timing of dormancy release according to final grain usage is still a challenge for many cereal crops. Grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] shows wide intraspecific variability in dormancy level and susceptibility to pre-harvest sprouting (PHS). Both embryo sensitivity to abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellin (GA) metabolism play an important role in the expression of dormancy of the developing sorghum grain. In previous works, it was shown that, simultaneously with a greater embryo sensitivity to ABA and higher expression of SbABA-INSENSITIVE 4 (SbABI4) and SbABA-INSENSITIVE 5 (SbABI5), dormant grains accumulate less active GA4 due to a more active GA catabolism. In this work, it is demonstrated that the ABA signalling components SbABI4 and SbABI5 interact in vitro with a fragment of the SbGA 2-OXIDASE 3 (SbGA2ox3) promoter containing an ABA-responsive complex (ABRC). Both transcription factors were able to bind the promoter, although not simultaneously, suggesting that they might compete for the same cis-acting regulatory sequences. A biological role for these interactions in the expression of dormancy of sorghum grains is proposed: either SbABI4 and/or SbABI5 activate transcription of the SbGA2ox3 gene in vivo and promote SbGA2ox3 protein accumulation; this would result in active degradation of GA4, thus preventing germination of dormant grains. A comparative analysis of the 5'-regulatory region of GA2oxs from both monocots and dicots is also presented; conservation of the ABRC in closely related GA2oxs from Brachypodium distachyon and rice suggest that these species might share the same regulatory mechanism as proposed for grain sorghum.

The ISS Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR): a Summary of Capabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Gati, F.; Hill, M. E.

2002-01-01

The Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR) is a modular, multi-user scientific research facility that will fly in the U.S. laboratory module, Destiny, of the International Space Station (ISS). The FIR will be one of the two racks that will make up the Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) - the other being the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR). The ISS will provide the FCF with the necessary resources, such as power and cooling. While the ISS crew will be available for experiment operations, their time will be limited. The FCF is, therefore, being designed for autonomous operations and remote control operations. Control of the FCF will be primarily through the Telescience Support Center (TSC) at the Glenn Research Center. The FCF is being designed to accommodate a wide range of combustion and fluids physics experiments within the ISS resources and constraints. The primary mission of the FIR, however, is to accommodate experiments from four major fluids physics disciplines: Complex Fluids; Multiphase Flow and Heat Transfer; Interfacial Phenomena; and Dynamics and Stability. The design of the FIR is flexible enough to accommodate experiments from other science disciplines such as Biotechnology. The FIR flexibility is a result of the large volume dedicated for experimental hardware, easily re-configurable diagnostics that allow for unique experiment configurations, and it's customizable software. The FIR will utilize six major subsystems to accommodate this broad scope of fluids physics experiments. The major subsystems are: structural, environmental, electrical, gaseous, command and data management, and imagers and illumination. Within the rack, the FIR's structural subsystem provides an optics bench type mechanical interface for the precise mounting of experimental hardware; including optical components. The back of the bench is populated with FIR avionics packages and light sources. The interior of the rack is isolated from the cabin through two rack doors that are hinged near

Oxidative stability of cnicken thigh meat after treatment of abies alba essential oil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Pavelková

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In the present work, the effect of the Abies alba essential oil in two different concentrations on oxidative stability of chicken thigh muscles during chilled storage was investigated. In the experiment were chickens of hybrid combination Cobb 500 after 42 days of the fattening period slaughtered.  All the broiler chickens were fed with the same feed mixtures and were kept under the same conditions. The feed mixtures were produced without any antibiotic preparations and coccidiostatics. After slaughtering was dissection obtained fresh chicken thigh with skin from left half-carcass which were divided into five groups (n = 5: C - control air-packaged group; A1 - vacuum-packaged experimental group; A2 - vacuum-packaged experimental group with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA solution 1.50% w/w; A3 - vacuum-packaged experimental group with Abies alba oil 0.10% v/w and A4 - vacuum-packaged experimental group with Abies alba oil 0.20% v/w. The Abies alba essential oil was applicate on ground chicken things and immediately after dipping, each sample was packaged using a vacuum packaging machine and storage in refrigerate at 4 ±0.5 °C. Thiobarbituric acid (TBA value expressed in number of malondialdehyde was measured in the process of first storage day of 1st, 4th, 8th, 12th and 16th day after slaughtering and expressed on the amount of malondialdehyde (MDA in 1 kg sample. The treatments of chicken things with Abies alba essential oil show statistically significant differences between all testing groups and control group, where higher average value of MDA measured in thigh muscle of broiler chickens was in samples of control group (0.4380 mg.kg-1 compared to experimental groups A1 (0.124 mg.kg-1, A2 (0.086 mg.kg-1, A3 (0.082 mg.kg-1 and A4 (0.077 mg.kg-1 after 16-day of chilled storage. Experiment results show that the treatment of chicken thigh with Abies alba essential oil positively influenced on the reduction of oxidative processes in thigh

Phenotypic Consequences of Altering the Copy Number of abiA, a Gene Responsible for Aborting Bacteriophage Infections in Lactococcus lactis†

OpenAIRE

Dinsmore, Polly K.; Klaenhammer, Todd R.

1994-01-01

The abiA gene (formerly hsp) encodes an abortive phage infection mechanism which inhibits phage DNA replication. To analyze the effects of varying the abiA gene dosage on bacteriophage resistance in Lactococcus lactis, various genetic constructions were made. An IS946-based integration vector, pTRK75, was used to integrate a single copy of abiA into the chromosomes of two lactococcal strains, MG1363 and NCK203. In both strains, a single copy of abiA did not confer any significant phage resist...

Lignin distribution in waterlogged archaeological Picea abies (L.) Karst degraded by erosion bacteria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Nanna Bjerregaard; Schmitt, Uwe Schmitt; Koch, Gerald

2014-01-01

The lignin distribution in poles of waterlogged archaeological Picea abies (L.) Karst, which was decayed by erosion bacteria (EB) under anoxic conditions for approximately 400 years, was topochemically identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution UV-microspectrophotome......The lignin distribution in poles of waterlogged archaeological Picea abies (L.) Karst, which was decayed by erosion bacteria (EB) under anoxic conditions for approximately 400 years, was topochemically identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution UV...

FIR signature verification system characterizing dynamics of handwriting features

Science.gov (United States)

Thumwarin, Pitak; Pernwong, Jitawat; Matsuura, Takenobu

2013-12-01

This paper proposes an online signature verification method based on the finite impulse response (FIR) system characterizing time-frequency characteristics of dynamic handwriting features. First, the barycenter determined from both the center point of signature and two adjacent pen-point positions in the signing process, instead of one pen-point position, is used to reduce the fluctuation of handwriting motion. In this paper, among the available dynamic handwriting features, motion pressure and area pressure are employed to investigate handwriting behavior. Thus, the stable dynamic handwriting features can be described by the relation of the time-frequency characteristics of the dynamic handwriting features. In this study, the aforesaid relation can be represented by the FIR system with the wavelet coefficients of the dynamic handwriting features as both input and output of the system. The impulse response of the FIR system is used as the individual feature for a particular signature. In short, the signature can be verified by evaluating the difference between the impulse responses of the FIR systems for a reference signature and the signature to be verified. The signature verification experiments in this paper were conducted using the SUBCORPUS MCYT-100 signature database consisting of 5,000 signatures from 100 signers. The proposed method yielded equal error rate (EER) of 3.21% on skilled forgeries.

From the Aldine Press to Aldus@SFU: Showcasing Simon Fraser University Library’s Aldines Online

OpenAIRE

Bordini, Alessandra

2017-01-01

This report stems from a joint commemoration in 2015 of the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of Simon Fraser University and the five-hundredth anniversary of the death of pioneering Renaissance publisher and scholar Aldus Manutius. To mark these occasions, Publishing@SFU and SFU Library Special Collections joined forces to create a web-based resource comprising an outstanding selection of Aldines from the Wosk–McDonald collection, one of the largest such in North America. This report detai...

Insect pests on firs in air pollution areas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pfeffer, A

1962-01-01

Fir trees growing in areas contaminated by fluorine exhalations show clearly signs of a chronic injury leading finally to the death of the trees. In such contaminated areas individual trees show different degrees of susceptibility and resistance. In contaminated fir stands the disappearance of primary, monophagous bark beetles of the genus Pityokteines Fuchs was noted; while Pissodes piceae Ill. and the twig inhabiting bark beetles Cryphalus piceae Rtzb. C. abietis Rtzb. and Pityophthorus pityographus Rtzb. remained in small numbers. A population increase, however, occurred in Dreyfusia piceae Rtzb., D. nuesslini C.B. and in the wood-wasp Panrurus juvencus L.

Influence of soil fungi community in selected mountain stands on the development of Cylindrocarpon destructans (Zins. Scholt.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefan Kowalski

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A trial based on the method of biotic series (M a ń k a, 1974 was undertaken in order to study the effect of the fungal communities isolated from the soil, rhizosphere, roots, and mycorhiza of silver fir self-seed on the development of a parasitic fungus Cylindrocarpon destructans (Zins. Scholt., which causes dying of fir seedlings in some mountain forests (K o w a l s k i, 1980a. It was found that on the plots where the self-regeneration of the fir (Abies alba Mil. was good the resistance index of the investigated soil fungal community was about four times as high as in the plots where no self-seed of silver fir was observed.

Portugal palus ELilt abi põlengutega võitlemiseks / Kajar Kase

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Kase, Kajar

2005-01-01

Sellel aastal on Portugali metsatulekahjudes hukkunud juba 15 inimest ja hetkel on kahjustatud 140 000 hektarit metsa. Appi on tõtanud Prantsusmaa, Saksamaa, Itaalia, Hispaania ja Hollandi helikopterid ja lennukid. Kaart: Abi Portugalile

How wind affects growth in treeline Picea abies

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kašpar, J.; Hošek, Jiří; Treml, V.

2017-01-01

Roč. 127, č. 2 (2017), s. 1-12 ISSN 1664-2201 Institutional support: RVO:68378289 Keywords : height increment * picea abies * radial growth * thigmomorphogenesis * tree rings Subject RIV: GK - Forestry OBOR OECD: Forestry Impact factor: 2.281, year: 2016 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs00035-017-0186-x.pdf

Notes on Cordulegaster Leach, and Neallogaster Cowley, from China, and the identity of Anotogaster annandalei Fraser (Insecta: Odonata: Anisoptera: Cordulegastridae)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pelt, van G.J.

1996-01-01

A translation of the Chinese description of a female of Neallogaster annandalei (Fraser, 1923), by Zhou (1988) is given and compared with the original description of Anotogaster annandalei. It is concluded that this species should be included in the genus Cordulegaster. A translation of the original

E3B1/ABI-1 Isoforms Are Down-Regulated in Cancers of Human Gastrointestinal Tract

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafia A. Baba

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The expression of E3B1/ABI-1 protein and its role in cancer progression and prognosis are largely unknown in the majority of solid tumors. In this study, we examined the expression pattern of E3B1/ABI-1 protein in histologically confirmed cases of esophageal (squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, gastro-esophageal junction, colorectal cancers and corresponding normal tissues freshly resected from a cohort of 135 patients, by Western Blotting and Immunofluorescence Staining. The protein is present in its phosphorylated form in cells and tissues. Depending on the extent of phosphorylation it is either present in hyper-phosphorylated (M. Wt. 72 kDa form or in hypo-phosphorylated form (M. Wt. 68 kDa and 65 kDa. A thorough analysis revealed that expression of E3B1/ABI-1 protein is significantly decreased in esophageal, gastro-esophageal junction and colorectal carcinomas irrespective of age, gender, dietary and smoking habits of the patients. The decrease in expression of E3B1/ABI-1 was consistently observed for all the three isoforms. However, the decrease in the expression of isoforms varied with different forms of cancers. Down-regulation of E3B1/ABI-1 expression in human carcinomas may play a critical role in tumor progression and in determining disease prognosis.

Effect of abscisic acid on stomatal opening in isolated epidermal strips of abi mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roelfsema, MRG; Prins, HBA

Abscisic acid-insensitive mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana L. var. Landsberg erecta were selected for their decreased sensitivity to ABA during germination. Two of these mutants, abi-1 and abi-2, display a wilty phenotype as adult plants, indicating disturbed water relations. Experiments were

A preliminary study of the deterioration of alder and Douglas-fir chips in outdoor piles.

Science.gov (United States)

Ernest. Wright

1954-01-01

In the fall of 1952, E. E. Matson of the Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station learned that the Fir-Tex Insulating Board Company bf St. Helens, Oregon was considering mixing alder with Douglas-fir chips for outside storage. Since alder heartwood i s more susceptible to decay than that of Douglas-fir, the question arose whether mixing the two might...

Molecular characterization of a genomic region in a Lactococcus bacteriophage that is involved in its sensitivity to the phage defense mechanism AbiA.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinsmore, P K; Klaenhammer, T R

1997-05-01

A spontaneous mutant of the lactococcal phage phi31 that is insensitive to the phage defense mechanism AbiA was characterized in an effort to identify the phage factor(s) involved in sensitivity of phi31 to AbiA. A point mutation was localized in the genome of the AbiA-insensitive phage (phi31A) by heteroduplex analysis of a 9-kb region. The mutation (G to T) was within a 738-bp open reading frame (ORF245) and resulted in an arginine-to-leucine change in the predicted amino acid sequence of the protein. The mutant phi31A-ORF245 reduced the sensitivity of phi31 to AbiA when present in trans, indicating that the mutation in ORF245 is responsible for the AbiA insensitivity of phi31A. Transcription of ORF245 occurs early in the phage infection cycles of phi31 and phi31A and is unaffected by AbiA. Expansion of the phi31 sequence revealed ORF169 (immediately upstream of ORF245) and ORF71 (which ends 84 bp upstream of ORF169). Two inverted repeats lie within the 84-bp region between ORF71 and ORF169. Sequence analysis of an independently isolated AbiA-insensitive phage, phi31B, identified a mutation (G to A) in one of the inverted repeats. A 118-bp fragment from phi31, encompassing the 84-bp region between ORF71 and ORF169, eliminates AbiA activity against phi31 when present in trans, establishing a relationship between AbiA and this fragment. The study of this region of phage phi31 has identified an open reading frame (ORF245) and a 118-bp DNA fragment that interact with AbiA and are likely to be involved in the sensitivity of this phage to AbiA.

Architectural analysis of Douglas-fir forests

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuiper, L.C.

1994-01-01

The architecture of natural and semi-natural Douglas-fir forest ecosystems in western Washington and western Oregon was analyzed by various case-studies, to yield vital information needed for the design of new silvicultural systems with a high level of biodiversity, intended for low-input

A SNP resource for Douglas-fir: de novo transcriptome assembly and SNP detection and validation.

Science.gov (United States)

Howe, Glenn T; Yu, Jianbin; Knaus, Brian; Cronn, Richard; Kolpak, Scott; Dolan, Peter; Lorenz, W Walter; Dean, Jeffrey F D

2013-02-28

Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), one of the most economically and ecologically important tree species in the world, also has one of the largest tree breeding programs. Although the coastal and interior varieties of Douglas-fir (vars. menziesii and glauca) are native to North America, the coastal variety is also widely planted for timber production in Europe, New Zealand, Australia, and Chile. Our main goal was to develop a SNP resource large enough to facilitate genomic selection in Douglas-fir breeding programs. To accomplish this, we developed a 454-based reference transcriptome for coastal Douglas-fir, annotated and evaluated the quality of the reference, identified putative SNPs, and then validated a sample of those SNPs using the Illumina Infinium genotyping platform. We assembled a reference transcriptome consisting of 25,002 isogroups (unique gene models) and 102,623 singletons from 2.76 million 454 and Sanger cDNA sequences from coastal Douglas-fir. We identified 278,979 unique SNPs by mapping the 454 and Sanger sequences to the reference, and by mapping four datasets of Illumina cDNA sequences from multiple seed sources, genotypes, and tissues. The Illumina datasets represented coastal Douglas-fir (64.00 and 13.41 million reads), interior Douglas-fir (80.45 million reads), and a Yakima population similar to interior Douglas-fir (8.99 million reads). We assayed 8067 SNPs on 260 trees using an Illumina Infinium SNP genotyping array. Of these SNPs, 5847 (72.5%) were called successfully and were polymorphic. Based on our validation efficiency, our SNP database may contain as many as ~200,000 true SNPs, and as many as ~69,000 SNPs that could be genotyped at ~20,000 gene loci using an Infinium II array-more SNPs than are needed to use genomic selection in tree breeding programs. Ultimately, these genomic resources will enhance Douglas-fir breeding and allow us to better understand landscape-scale patterns of genetic variation and potential responses to

REVEAL II: Seasonality and spatial variability of particle and visibility conditions in the Fraser Valley

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pryor, S.C.; Barthelmie, R.J.

2000-01-01

This paper presents data collected during a year-long field experiment (REVEAL II) in the Fraser Valley, British Columbia. The data are used to provide information regarding ambient visibility conditions and fine particle concentrations in the valley. Although average fine mass measured during RE...... taken at a number of sites during REVEAL II are used to evaluate a simple method for obtaining (classed) quantitative estimates of visual range from this medium without requiring access to specialized instrumentation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved....

Soil spore bank communities of ectomycorrhizal fungi in endangered Chinese Douglas-fir forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Zhugui; Shi, Liang; Tang, Yangze; Hong, Lizhou; Xue, Jiawang; Xing, Jincheng; Chen, Yahua; Nara, Kazuhide

2018-01-01

Chinese Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga sinensis) is an endangered Pinaceae species found in several isolated regions of China. Although soil spore banks of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi can play an important role in seedling establishment after disturbance, such as in the well-known North American relative (Pseudotsuga menziesii), we have no information about soil spore bank communities in relict forests of Chinese Douglas-fir. We conducted bioassays of 73 soil samples collected from three Chinese Douglas-fir forests, using North American Douglas-fir as bait seedlings, and identified 19 species of ECM fungi. The observed spore bank communities were significantly different from those found in ECM fungi on the roots of resident trees at the same sites (p = 0.02). The levels of potassium (K), nitrogen (N), organic matter, and the pH of soil were the dominant factors shaping spore bank community structure. A new Rhizopogon species was the most dominant species in the spore banks. Specifically, at a site on Sanqing Mountain, 22 of the 57 surviving bioassay seedlings (representing 21 of the 23 soil samples) were colonized by this species. ECM fungal richness significantly affected the growth of bioassay seedlings (R 2  = 0.20, p = 0.007). Growth was significantly improved in seedlings colonized by Rhizopogon or Meliniomyces species compared with uncolonized seedlings. Considering its specificity to Chinese Douglas-fir, predominance in the soil spore banks, and positive effect on host growth, this new Rhizopogon species could play critical roles in seedling establishment and forest regeneration of endangered Chinese Douglas-fir.

Belowground competition from overstory trees influences Douglas-fir sapling morphology in thinned stands

Science.gov (United States)

Warren D. Devine; Timothy B. Harrington

2009-01-01

We evaluated effects of belowground competition on morphology of naturally established coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) saplings in 60- to 80-year-old thinned Douglas-fir stands in southwestern Washington. We separately quantified belowground competition from overstory and understory sources...

Severity of a mountain pine beetle outbreak across a range of stand conditions in Fraser Experimental Forest, Colorado, United States

Science.gov (United States)

Anthony G. Vorster; Paul H. Evangelista; Thomas J. Stohlgren; Sunil Kumar; Charles C. Rhoades; Robert M. Hubbard; Antony S. Cheng; Kelly Elder

2017-01-01

The recent mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) outbreaks had unprecedented effects on lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) in western North America. We used data from 165 forest inventory plots to analyze stand conditions that regulate lodgepole pine mortality across a wide range of stand structure and species composition at the Fraser...

A leucine repeat motif in AbiA is required for resistance of Lactococcus lactis to phages representing three species.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinsmore, P K; O'Sullivan, D J; Klaenhammer, T R

1998-05-28

The abiA gene encodes an abortive bacteriophage infection mechanism that can protect Lactococcus species from infection by a variety of bacteriophages including three unrelated phage species. Five heptad leucine repeats suggestive of a leucine zipper motif were identified between residues 232 and 266 in the predicted amino acid sequence of the AbiA protein. The biological role of residues in the repeats was investigated by incorporating amino acid substitutions via site-directed mutagenesis. Each mutant was tested for phage resistance against three phages, phi 31, sk1, and c2, belonging to species P335, 936, and c2, respectively. The five residues that comprise the heptad repeats were designated L234, L242, A249, L256, and L263. Three single conservative mutations of leucine to valine in positions L235, L242, and L263 and a double mutation of two leucines (L235 and L242) to valines did not affect AbiA activity on any phages tested. Non-conservative single substitutions of charged amino acids for three of the leucines (L235, L242, and L256) virtually eliminated AbiA activity on all phages tested. Substitution of the alanine residue in the third repeat (A249) with a charged residue did not affect AbiA activity. Replacement of L242 with an alanine elimination phage resistance against phi 31, but partial resistance to sk1 and c2 remained. Two single proline substitutions for leucines L242 and L263 virtually eliminated AbiA activity against all phages, indicating that the predicted alpha-helical structure of this region is important. Mutations in an adjacent region of basic amino acids had various effects on phage resistance, suggesting that these basic residues are also important for AbiA activity. This directed mutagenesis analysis of AbiA indicated that the leucine repeat structure is essential for conferring phage resistance against three species of lactococcal bacteriophages.

Phase I and pharmacokinetic trial of carboplatin and albumin-bound paclitaxel, ABI-007 (Abraxane®) on three treatment schedules in patients with solid tumors

Science.gov (United States)

Stinchcombe, Thomas E.; Socinski, Mark A.; Walko, Christine M.; O’Neil, Bert H.; Collichio, Frances A.; Ivanova, Anastasia; Mu, Hua; Hawkins, Michael J.; Goldberg, Richard M.; Lindley, Celeste; Dees, E Claire

2010-01-01

Purpose Albumin-bound paclitaxel, ABI-007 (Abraxane ®), has a different toxicity profile than solvent-based paclitaxel, including a lower rate of severe neutropenia. The combination of ABI-007 and carboplatin may have significant activity in a variety of tumor types including non-small and small cell lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of ABI-007, on three different schedules in combination with carboplatin. Methods Forty-one patients with solid tumors were enrolled, and received ABI-007 in combination with carboplatin AUC of 6 on day 1. Group A received ABI-007 at doses ranging from 220 to 340 mg/m2 on day 1 every 21 days; group B received ABI-007 at 100 or 125 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15 every 28 days; and group C received ABI-007 125 or 150 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 every 21 days. Dose-limiting toxicities were assessed after the first cycle. Doses were escalated in cohorts of three to six patients. Fifteen patients participated in a pharmacokinetic study investigating the effects of the sequence of infusion. ABI-007 was infused first followed by carboplatin in cycle 1, and vice versa in cycle 2. Results The MTD of ABI-007 in combination with carboplatin was 300, 100, and 125 mg/m2 in groups A, B, and C, respectively. Myelosuppression was the primary dose limiting toxicity. No unexpected or new toxicities were reported. Sequence of infusion did not affect either the pharmacokinetics of ABI-007 or the degree of neutropenia. Responses were seen in melanoma, lung, bladder, esophageal, pancreatic, breast cancer, and cancer of unknown primary. Conclusions The recommended dose for phase II studies of ABI-007 in combination with carboplatin (AUC of 6) is 300, 100, 125 mg/m2 for the schedules A, B, and C, respectively. The combination of ABI-007 and carboplatin is well tolerated and active in this heavily pretreated patient population. PMID:17285317

Rapid warming forces contrasting growth trends of subalpine fir ( Abies fabri ) at higher- and lower-elevations in the eastern Tibetan Plateau

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Wenzhi; Jia, Min; Wang, Genxu; Zhu, Wanze; McDowell, Nate G.

2017-10-01

Tree radial growth is expected to increase at higher elevations under climate warming, while lower elevation tree growth is expected to decline. However, numerous studies have found tree radial growth responds consistently to climate along elevational gradients. Here, we sampled five plots across the subalpine Abies fabri forest belt on Gongga Mountain in the eastern Tibetan Plateau to determine tree radial growth trends and responses to climate. Three commonly used detrending methods all consistently showed that tree radial growth at high elevation (> 3100 m) increased, while tree growth declined at the lower elevations (2700 m–2900 m) over the last three decades. Increasing late-growing season temperature positively (p < 0.05) correlated to tree radial growth at higher elevations, but the sign of this relationship reversed to become negative at lower elevations. Moving-window correlation analyses indicated the difference between high and low elevations response to temperature variation increased strongly with warming. Placing our result into the global context, 62% of 39 published studies found that trees along elevation gradients respond divergently to warming, and that these are located in warmer and wetter regions of the Earth. Notably, 28% of studies found non-significant responses to temperature at both high and low elevations. Our findings in the subalpine mountain forest in the eastern Tibetan Plateau were consistent with the majority of published datasets, and imply increasing temperature benefit for tree populations at higher elevation, while warming dampens growth at lower elevations.

Woody tissue analysis using an element ratio technique (DRIS)

Science.gov (United States)

Kurt H. Riitters; L.F. Ohmann; D.F. Grigal

1991-01-01

The diagnosis and recommendation integrated system (DRIS) was used to describe the variation of 12 elements in woody tree tissue and balsam fir (Abies balsamae (L.) Mill.), sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.), jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), red pine (Pinus resinosa alt.), and aspen (

de Abies religiosa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. G. Álvarez-Moctezuma

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Los bosques de Abies religiosa en el Ajusco (México están en declinación. Se requiere reestablecer poblaciones a partir de algunos árboles supervivientes en laderas afectadas. Los objetivos fueron evaluar las condiciones in vitro que permitan el establecimiento aséptico de semillas y seleccionar el inóculo más adecuado para la producción de plántulas en A. religiosa. Para la germinación in vitro se probaron desinfectantes (H2O2, C2H5OH, NaOCl. Se evaluaron inóculos (semilla completa, embriones aislados completos o mitades -corte transversal-, y cotiledones y primeras hojas verdaderas de plántulas germinadas in vitro para su establecimiento in vitro. El mejor tratamiento para desinfectar la semilla de A. religiosa es sumergirla en H2O2 (3 % v/v y agitar 24 h. Los mejores inóculos para la propagación in vitro fueron la semilla completa y primeras hojas primarias.

Redundant and distinct functions of the ABA response loci ABA-INSENSITIVE(ABI)5 and ABRE-BINDING FACTOR (ABF)3.

Science.gov (United States)

Finkelstein, Ruth; Gampala, Srinivas S L; Lynch, Tim J; Thomas, Terry L; Rock, Christopher D

2005-09-01

Abscisic acid-responsive gene expression is regulated by numerous transcription factors, including a subgroup of basic leucine zipper factors that bind to the conserved cis-acting sequences known as ABA-responsive elements. Although one of these factors, ABA-insensitive 5 (ABI5), was identified genetically, the paucity of genetic data for the other family members has left it unclear whether they perform unique functions or act redundantly to ABI5 or each other. To test for potential redundancy with ABI5, we identified the family members with most similar effects and interactions in transient expression systems (ABF3 and ABF1), then characterized loss-of-function lines for those loci. The abf1 and abf3 monogenic mutant lines had at most minimal effects on germination or seed-specific gene expression, but the enhanced ABA- and stress-resistance of abf3 abi5 double mutants revealed redundant action of these genes in multiple stress responses of seeds and seedlings. Although ABI5, ABF3, and ABF1 have some overlapping effects, they appear to antagonistically regulate each other's expression at specific stages. Consequently, loss of any one factor may be partially compensated by increased expression of other family members.

Stand-structural effects on Heterobasidion abietinum-related mortality following drought events in Abies pinsapo.

Science.gov (United States)

Linares, Juan Carlos; Camarero, Jesús Julio; Bowker, Matthew A; Ochoa, Victoria; Carreira, José Antonio

2010-12-01

Climate change may affect tree-pathogen interactions. This possibility has important implications for drought-prone forests, where stand dynamics and disease pathogenicity are especially sensitive to climatic stress. In addition, stand structural attributes including density-dependent tree-to-tree competition may modulate the stands' resistance to drought events and pathogen outbreaks. To assess the effects of stand structure on root-rot-related mortality after severe droughts, we focused on Heterobasidion abietinum mortality in relict Spanish stands of Abies pinsapo, a drought-sensitive fir. We compared stand attributes and tree spatial patterns in three plots with H. abietinum root-rot disease and three plots without root-rot. Point-pattern analyses were used to investigate the scale and extent of mortality patterns and to test hypotheses related to the spread of the disease. Dendrochronology was used to date the year of death and to assess the association between droughts and growth decline. We applied a structural equation modelling approach to test if tree mortality occurs more rapidly than predicted by a simple distance model when trees are subjected to high tree-to-tree competition and following drought events. Contrary to expectations of drought mortality, the effect of precipitation on the year of death was strong and negative, indicating that a period of high precipitation induced an earlier tree death. Competition intensity, related to the size and density of neighbour trees, also induced an earlier tree death. The effect of distance to the disease focus was negligible except in combination with intensive competition. Our results indicate that infected trees have decreased ability to withstand drought stress, and demonstrate that tree-to-tree competition and fungal infection act as predisposing factors of forest decline and mortality.

Transcriptional regulation of ABI3- and ABA-responsive genes including RD29B and RD29A in seeds, germinating embryos, and seedlings of Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakashima, Kazuo; Fujita, Yasunari; Katsura, Koji; Maruyama, Kyonoshin; Narusaka, Yoshihiro; Seki, Motoaki; Shinozaki, Kazuo; Yamaguchi-Shinozaki, Kazuko

2006-01-01

ABA-responsive elements (ABREs) are cis-acting elements and basic leucine zipper (bZIP)-type ABRE-binding proteins (AREBs) are transcriptional activators that function in the expression of RD29B in vegetative tissue of Arabidopsis in response to abscisic acid (ABA) treatment. Dehydration-responsive elements (DREs) function as coupling elements of ABRE in the expression of RD29A in response to ABA. Expression analysis using abi3 and abi5 mutants showed that ABI3 and ABI5 play important roles in the expression of RD29B in seeds. Base-substitution analysis showed that two ABREs function strongly and one ABRE coupled with DRE functions weakly in the expression of RD29A in embryos. In a transient transactivation experiment, ABI3, ABI5 and AREB1 activated transcription of a GUS reporter gene driven by the RD29B promoter strongly but these proteins activated the transcription driven by the RD29A promoter weakly. In 35S::ABI3 Arabidopsis plants, the expression of RD29B was up-regulated strongly, but that of RD29A was up-regulated weakly. These results indicate that the expression of RD29B having ABREs in the promoter is up-regulated strongly by ABI3, whereas that of RD29A having one ABRE coupled with DREs in the promoter is up-regulated weakly by ABI3. We compared the expression of 7000 Arabidopsis genes in response to ABA treatment during germination and in the vegetative growth stage, and that in 35S::ABI3 plants using a full-length cDNA microarray. The expression of ABI3- and/or ABA-responsive genes and cis-elements in the promoters are discussed.

Properties of predictor based on relative neighborhood graph localized FIR filters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, John Aasted

1995-01-01

A time signal prediction algorithm based on relative neighborhood graph (RNG) localized FIR filters is defined. The RNG connects two nodes, of input space dimension D, if their lune does not contain any other node. The FIR filters associated with the nodes, are used for local approximation...... of the training vectors belonging to the lunes formed by the nodes. The predictor training is carried out by iteration through 3 stages: initialization of the RNG of the training signal by vector quantization, LS estimation of the FIR filters localized in the input space by RNG nodes and adaptation of the RNG...... nodes by equalizing the LS approximation error among the lunes formed by the nodes of the RNG. The training properties of the predictor is exemplified on a burst signal and characterized by the normalized mean square error (NMSE) and the mean valence of the RNG nodes through the adaptation...

Managing coarse woody debris in forests of the Rocky Mountains

Science.gov (United States)

Russell T. Graham; Alan E. Harvey; Martin F. Jurgensen; Theresa B. Jain; Jonalea R. Tonn; Deborah S. Page-Dumroese

1994-01-01

Recommendations for managing coarse woody debris after timber harvest were developed for 14 habitat types, ranging from ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) habitat types of Arizona to subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) habitat types of western Montana. Ectomycorrhizae were used as a bioindicator of healthy, productive forest soils....

Mechanical property estimation with ABI and FEM simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, Kamal; Singh, P.K.; Das, Gautam; Bhasin, Vivek; Vaze, K.K.; Ghosh, A.K.

2007-01-01

A combined mechanical property evaluation methodology with ABI (Automated Ball Indentation) simulation and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) analysis is evolved to evaluate the mechanical properties for material. The experimental load deflection data is converted into meaningful mechanical properties for this material. An ANN database is generated with the help of contact type finite element analysis by numerically simulating the ABI process for various magnitudes of yield strength (σ yp ) (200 MPa - 500 MPa) with a range of strain hardening exponent (n) (0.1 - 0.5) and strength coefficient (K) (500 MPa - 1500 MPa). For the present problem, a ball indenter of 1.57 mm diameter having Young's modulus approximately 100 times more than the test piece is used to minimize the error due to indenter deformation. Test piece dimension is kept large enough in comparison to the indenter configuration in the simulation to minimize the deflection at the outer edge of the test piece. Further this database after the neural network training; is used to analyze measured material properties of different test pieces. The ANN predictions are reconfirmed with contact type finite element analysis for an arbitrary selected test sample. The methodology evolved in this work can be extended to predict material properties for any irradiated nuclear material in the service. (author)

Lectotype designations of new species of hydroids (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa), described by C.M. Fraser, from Allan Hancock Pacific and Caribbean Sea Expeditions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Calder, D.R.; Vervoort, W.; Hochberg, F.G.

2009-01-01

Hydroids of the Allan Hancock Pacific Expeditions, and those of the Allan Hancock Caribbean Sea Expedition, were examined by Charles McLean Fraser in a series of reports published between 1938 and 1948. A total of 159 new nominal species was described from material collected in the eastern Pacific

Projected future suitable habitat and productivity of Douglas-fir in western North America

Science.gov (United States)

Aaron R. Weiskittel; Nicholas L. Crookston; Gerald E. Rehfeldt

2012-01-01

Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) is one of the most common and commercially important species in western North America. The species can occupy a range of habitats, is long-lived (up to 500 years), and highly productive. However, the future of Douglas-fir in western North America is highly uncertain due to the expected changes in climate conditions....

The role of auxins in somatic embryogenesis of Abies alba

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vondráková, Zuzana; Eliášová, Kateřina; Fischerová, Lucie; Vágner, Martin

2011-01-01

Roč. 6, č. 4 (2011), s. 587-596 ISSN 1895-104X R&D Projects: GA MŠk OC 158 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Keywords : Auxin inhibitor * Fir * Phytohormone Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.000, year: 2011

FIR laser-development program. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danielwicz, E.J.; Hodges, D.T.

1980-01-01

The important features for a source intended for use as a local oscillator in a low noise receiver have been tested on a developmental model of a cw FIR laser package. High output power (45 mW), good long term amplitude stability (+- 3%), high spectral purity and excellent frequency stability have all been demonstrated in the laboratory environment

VELOCITY-RESOLVED [C ii] EMISSION AND [C ii]/FIR MAPPING ALONG ORION WITH HERSCHEL.

Science.gov (United States)

Goicoechea, Javier R; Teyssier, D; Etxaluze, M; Goldsmith, P F; Ossenkopf, V; Gerin, M; Bergin, E A; Black, J H; Cernicharo, J; Cuadrado, S; Encrenaz, P; Falgarone, E; Fuente, A; Hacar, A; Lis, D C; Marcelino, N; Melnick, G J; Müller, H S P; Persson, C; Pety, J; Röllig, M; Schilke, P; Simon, R; Snell, R L; Stutzki, J

2015-10-10

We present the first ~7.5'×11.5' velocity-resolved (~0.2 km s -1 ) map of the [C ii] 158 μ m line toward the Orion molecular cloud 1 (OMC 1) taken with the Herschel /HIFI instrument. In combination with far-infrared (FIR) photometric images and velocity-resolved maps of the H41 α hydrogen recombination and CO J =2-1 lines, this data set provides an unprecedented view of the intricate small-scale kinematics of the ionized/PDR/molecular gas interfaces and of the radiative feedback from massive stars. The main contribution to the [C ii] luminosity (~85 %) is from the extended, FUV-illuminated face of the cloud ( G 0 >500, n H >5×10 3 cm -3 ) and from dense PDRs ( G ≳10 4 , n H ≳10 5 cm -3 ) at the interface between OMC 1 and the H ii region surrounding the Trapezium cluster. Around ~15 % of the [C ii] emission arises from a different gas component without CO counterpart. The [C ii] excitation, PDR gas turbulence, line opacity (from [ 13 C ii]) and role of the geometry of the illuminating stars with respect to the cloud are investigated. We construct maps of the L [C ii]/ L FIR and L FIR / M Gas ratios and show that L [C ii]/ L FIR decreases from the extended cloud component (~10 -2 -10 -3 ) to the more opaque star-forming cores (~10 -3 -10 -4 ). The lowest values are reminiscent of the "[C ii] deficit" seen in local ultra-luminous IR galaxies hosting vigorous star formation. Spatial correlation analysis shows that the decreasing L [C ii]/ L FIR ratio correlates better with the column density of dust through the molecular cloud than with L FIR / M Gas . We conclude that the [C ii] emitting column relative to the total dust column along each line of sight is responsible for the observed L [C ii]/ L FIR variations through the cloud.

Provenance variation in subalpine fir grown as an exotic tree species in Denmark and Iceland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skúlason, Brynjar

Neonectria neomacrospora in Denmark. In Iceland the corkbark fir showed superior results, especially for survival rate and Christmas tree quality. The White River provenance from British Columbia is recommended for use in Denmark. The Mount Taylor provenance from the Cibola National Forest in New Mexico...... fir (A. lasiocarpa var. lasiocarpa) and corkbark fir (A. lasiocarpa var. arizonica (Merriam) Lemmon) was established at three sites in Denmark and at one site in Iceland in 1999. Adaptability, Christmas tree quality, growth rhythm and susceptibility to pests and pathogens were measured and assessed...... and the most spring frost damage on buds. The westernmost subalpine fir provenances from Washington state and British Columbia showed the overall best results in Denmark, with the highest survival (after 15 years), fastest height growth and highest Christmas tree quality and profitability, as well as both good...

Pakistan vajab abi - kas maailma tõesti ei huvita? / Urmas Jaagant

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Suurkask, Heiki, 1972-

2010-01-01

Pakistan saab igal aastal suurt rahvusvahelist abi. Mitmed riigid on üleujutustes Pakistani toetanud nüüdki kümnete miljonite dollaritega, kuid riikide tahe annetada on erinev, sest mitte iga abidollarit ei suunata Pakistanis sinna, kus seda tegelikult vajatakse

Chrysophycean stomatocysts from Morskie Oko and Żabie Oko lakes in the Tatra National Park, Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jolanta Cabała

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Sixteen chrysophycean stomatocysts are reported from the lakes Morskie Oko and Żabie Oko in the Tatra National Park, Poland. Of these, six morphotypes are new to Poland, and two morphotypes plus one forma are new to science. These stomatocysts are illustrated with SEM micrographs and described according to International Statospore Working Group (ISWG guidelines. The comparison of stomatocyst community between Morskie Oko and Żabie Oko lakes is given.

An audio FIR-DAC in a BCD process for high power Class-D amplifiers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Doorn, T.S.; van Tuijl, Adrianus Johannes Maria; Schinkel, Daniel; Annema, Anne J.; Berkhout, M.; Berkhout, M.; Nauta, Bram

A 322 coefficient semi-digital FIR-DAC using a 1-bit PWM input signal was designed and implemented in a high voltage, audio power bipolar CMOS DMOS (BCD) process. This facilitates digital input signals for an analog class-D amplifier in BCD. The FIR-DAC performance depends on the ISI-resistant

Identification of varieties and gene flow in Douglas fir exemplified in artificially established stands in Germany

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara Fussi

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb. Franco] is an economically valuable non-native tree species in Germany and is considered very promising in view of global climate change. Therefore, the genetic characterization of Douglas-fir populations and seed stands in Germany is essential. We studied coastal and interior Douglas-fir varieties, both present in Germany, by using eleven isoenzyme and four microsatellite loci. By analyzing eight reference populations of known origin we were able to identify the two varieties on the population level using Bayesian and distance based methods. Seven populations present in Bavaria were then successfully assigned to one of the two varieties. Within varieties we found stronger grouping within the interior variety than within the coastal one. Despite lower differences within coastal Douglas-fir we have first indications for the origin of two populations. For two Bavarian populations, natural regeneration was included and genetic data revealed no significant genetic difference between adults and offspring. The parentage analysis for one of the studied stands revealed that a large proportion of adults took part in the reproduction, but some trees were more successful than others in transferring their genes to the next generation. Our study was able to improve variety identification of Douglas-fir using isoenzyme markers and nuclear microsatellites and study reproductive patterns, both are important issues for the management of Douglas-fir stands in Bavaria.

In Vitro antioxidant activity of extracts from the leaves of Abies ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Traditionally, the leaves of Abies pindrow Royle are employed as an ayurvedic remedy for fever, hypoglycaemic, respiratory and inflammatory conditions. In this study, dichloromethane, methanol and acetone extracts of A. pindrow leaves were analysed for their phytochemical content and in vitro antioxidant activities.

Trace elements, potassium, 40K and 137Cs in distinctive parts of fir from Gorski Kotar - Croatia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barisic, D.; Vertacnik, A.; Lulic, S.; Kauzlaric, Z.; Hus, M.; Seletkovic, Z.; Kezic, N.

1996-01-01

Radionuclides, as well as other cations, which are either constitutive elements/trace elements of soils, or deposited as a fallout through wet/dry deposition processes due to global atmospheric contamination, can migrate upwards by plant uptake. Long-term observations of 137 Cs activities in nectar honeys indicate the uniform lowering of caesium transfer to nectar plants. In the same time, the 137 Cs activities of honey-dew honeys are significantly high and almost constant over long time period after contamination. Due to this, the research of potassium, caesium, as well as some other trace element content in distinctive parts of coniferous trees from Gorski Kotar has been started. The results of total K, Rb, Sr, Co, Cu, Zn and Cr, as well as of 40 K and 137 Cs determination in fir branches and needles from Lividraga (Table 1.) indicate the relatively high cations' mobility in youngest part of fir branches shoots. The majority of observed elements migrates into the youngest shoots, which is especially evident for univalent cations 40 K, total potassium, 137 Cs and rubidium in fir branches. Their concentrations generally are significantly higher in branches than in respective needles. The two-valent cations like strontium or zinc show less significant concentration increase in younger vs. older fir branches' parts (Figure 1.). Strontium concentrations have been increasing in the older needles in contrast to concentrations in fir branches. High 137 Cs activities found in the youngest shoots relatively long time after the soil contamination indicate the fir as a potentially good bioindicator for caesium. high mobility of cations in the youngest parts of fir branches, and theirs piling up in youngest tops of branches and needles suggest the fir to be used as the possible bioindicator of other, especially univalent cations fate. (author)

Abies semenovii B. Fedtsch. at the Peter the Great Botanical Garden

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tkachenko Kirill

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Abies semenovii B. Fedtsch. (Pinaceae is an extremely rare flora species of the Central Asia (Kirghizia; it has been cultivated at the Peter the Great Botanical Garden of the Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS since 1949, where it was first introduced into general cultivation. Since 2000, upon reaching the age of 43 years, the seed reproduction of the plants is being marked. An X-ray test proved seeds, collected in 2014, to be filled and full. In spring 2015, first time in the 67 years of cultivating this specie in St. Petersburg area, first young crops were received. Abies semenovii – a cold hard and decorative tree – has to be introduced into the gardening of St. Petersburg and shall be promoted into the Karelia and further to the northern regions of the European part of the Russian Federation.

Two attempts at grounding social critique in „ordinary“ actors’ perspectives: The critical theories of Nancy Fraser and Axel Honneth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivković Marjan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes two contemporary, „third-generation“ perspectives within critical theory - Nancy Fraser’s and Axel Honneth’s - with the aim of examining the degree to which the two authors succeed in grounding the normative criteria of social critique in the perspectives of ’ordinary’ social actors, as opposed to speculative social theory. To that end, the author focuses on the influential debate between Fraser and Honneth Redistribution or Recognition? which concerns the appropriate normative foundations of a „post-metaphysical“ critical theory, and attempts to reconstruct the fundamental 29 disagreements between Fraser and Honneth over the meaning and tasks of critical theory. The author concludes that both critical theorists ultimately secure the normative foundations of critique through substantive theorizations of the social, which frame the two authors’ „reconstructions“ of the normativity of everyday social action, but argues that post-metaphysical critical theory does not have to abandon comprehensive social theory in order to be epistmologically „non-authoritarian“. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 43007: Ethics and Politics of Environment: Institutions, Techniques and Norms Facing the Challenge of Environmental Change

Effect of clear cutting on nutrient fluxes in a subalpine forest at Fraser, Colorado

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J. O. Reuss

1997-01-01

Full Text Available Nutrient fluxes were investigated on a forested and a clearcut plot in a mixed conifer high elevation (2900 m forest at the Fraser Experimental Forest in Fraser, Colorado, USA. Plots were located on a coarse loamy mixed Dystric Cryochrept with relatively high base saturation (30-90% and underlain by an impermeable clay subsoil. Following harvest in late 1984, annual mean NO3 concentrations of 195 to 198 μmol l-1 were observed from 1988 through 1990 and concentrations were still above reference levels in 1993. Total nitrogen loss attributable to leaching following harvest was estimated at 48kg ha-1 over 8 years. Over this same period, atmospheric nitrogen inputs exceeded annual outflow of NH4 plus NO3 from the control plots by approximately 11 kg N ha-1. A slight enrichment Of SO4 and Cl was observed from the harvested plot in 1986 but concentrations later fell below control plot levels, apparently due to dilution by the increased discharge from the harvested plot which was three to four times that from the control plot. Elevated Ca, Mg, and Na concentrations followed a similar pattern to NO3 due to exchange reactions, while a depression in alkalinity of about one-third the amount of NO3 found was also observed. Enrichment of K occurred primarily in water collected at less than 1 m depth. Increases in base cation loss due to leaching after harvest were about twice the amount that can be accounted for by the increased flux of NO3, SO4, and Cl anions. The excess reflects the increased water flux and consequent leaching of base cations in association with HCO3 and organic anions.

Inheritance of graft compatibility in Douglas fir.

Science.gov (United States)

D.L. Copes

1973-01-01

Graft compatibility of genetically related and unrelated rootstock-scion combinations was compared. Scion clones were 75% compatible when grafted on half-related rootstocks but only 56% compatible when grafted on unrelated rootstocks. Most variance associated with graft incompatibility in Douglas-fir appears to be caused by multiple genes.

The Douglas-Fir Genome Sequence Reveals Specialization of the Photosynthetic Apparatus in Pinaceae

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David B. Neale

2017-09-01

Full Text Available A reference genome sequence for Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb. Franco (Coastal Douglas-fir is reported, thus providing a reference sequence for a third genus of the family Pinaceae. The contiguity and quality of the genome assembly far exceeds that of other conifer reference genome sequences (contig N50 = 44,136 bp and scaffold N50 = 340,704 bp. Incremental improvements in sequencing and assembly technologies are in part responsible for the higher quality reference genome, but it may also be due to a slightly lower exact repeat content in Douglas-fir vs. pine and spruce. Comparative genome annotation with angiosperm species reveals gene-family expansion and contraction in Douglas-fir and other conifers which may account for some of the major morphological and physiological differences between the two major plant groups. Notable differences in the size of the NDH-complex gene family and genes underlying the functional basis of shade tolerance/intolerance were observed. This reference genome sequence not only provides an important resource for Douglas-fir breeders and geneticists but also sheds additional light on the evolutionary processes that have led to the divergence of modern angiosperms from the more ancient gymnosperms.

Fraser Valley System Reinforcement Project: Environmental planning and assessment report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-06-01

Transmission facilities in the south central Fraser Valley, British Columbia, need reinforcement in order to meet anticipated growth in power demand. This objective could be met by reinforcing substation facilities (adding 500-kV equipment and connection to transmission line 5L41) at the McLellan Substation in Surrey, at the Clayburn Substation in Matsqui, or at the Atchelitz Substation in Chilliwack. An assessment is provided of the environmental evaluation criteria applied to these potential sites for substation reinforcement and the rationale for selection of the Clayburn site as the environmentally most effective alternative. The Clayburn site is already cleared and managed for a 230-kV substation; environmental, land use, and socioeconomic impacts are considered manageable. The existing right-of-way for the 500-kV loop in to the substation can be utilized. In addition, the results of an environmental assessment and mitigation plan for the Clayburn substation reinforcement are described. The most significant factors that will require possible mitigative measures include fisheries, water quality, floodplain management, visual and recreational aspects, and heritage resources. 16 figs., 5 tabs

Effect of stand edge on the natural regeneration of spruce, beech and Douglas-fir

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Lumír Dobrovolný

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Our work aimed at studying the strategy of woody plants regeneration during the regeneration of a spruce stand with the admixture of beech and Douglas-fir by border cutting (NW-SE aspect on acidic sites of higher elevations in the Bohemian-Moravian Upland. Spruce is better adapted to bear shade than Douglas-fir. Nevertheless, in optimal light conditions up to a distance of ca. 35 m (about 16% DIFFSF from the stand edge, the Douglas-fir can put the spruce into danger as to height growth. By contrast to beech, the density of spruce is significantly higher within the distance of 45 m (about 15% DIFFSF from the stand edge but further on the situation would change to the benefit of beech. The density of Douglas-fir significantly dominates over beech within a distance of 35 m from the stand edge; from 55 m (less than 15% DIFFSF, the situation changes in favour of beech. Beech can survive in full shade deep in the stand core waiting for its opportunity to come. As compared to spruce and Douglas-fir, the height growth of beech was at all times significantly greater at a distance of 25 m from the stand edge. Converted to practical conditions, spruce and Douglas-fir with individually admixed beech seedlings showed good prosperity approximately up to a distance of one stand height from the edge. A mixture of spruce and beech did well at a greater distance but good prosperity at a distance of 2–3 stand heights was shown only by beech. Thus, border regeneration eliminates disadvantages of the climatic extremes of clear-cutting and specifics of shelterwood felling during which one – usually shade-tolerant tree species dominates in the natural regeneration (e.g. beech.

A new conifer herbarium

Science.gov (United States)

William B. Critchfield

1966-01-01

At the Institute of Forest Genetics, Placerville, California), we have recently organized a specialized herbarium of pines (Pinus) and firs {Abies). Incorporated in it are the many specimens that have accumulated since the Institute was established in 1925. Like the Eddy Arboretum, the herbarium is an integral part of our...

Growth of bear-damaged trees in a mixed plantation of Douglas-fir and red alder.

Science.gov (United States)

Richard E. Miller; Harry W. Anderson; Donald L. Reukema; Timothy A. Max

2007-01-01

Incidence and effects of tree damage by black bear (Ursus americanus altifrontalis) in a 50-year-old, coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. menziesii) plantation are described. Bears girdled or partially girdled 35 dominant or codominant Douglas-fir trees per acre, but only in that...

NOAA GOES-R Series Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) Level 1b Radiances

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) instrument samples the radiance of the Earth in sixteen spectral bands using several arrays of detectors in the instrument’s...

Conversion of SPORL pretreated Douglas fir forest residues into microbial lipids with oleaginous yeasts

Science.gov (United States)

Bruce S. Dien; Junyong Zhu; Patricia J. Slininger; Cletus P. Kurtzman; Bryan R. Moser; Patricia J. O' Bryan; Roland Gleisner; Michael A. Cotta

2016-01-01

Douglas fir is the dominant commercial tree grown in the United States. In this study Douglas fir residue was converted to single cell oils (SCO) using oleaginous yeasts. Monosaccharides were extracted from the woody biomass by pretreating with sulfite and dilute sulfuric acid (SPORL process) and hydrolyzing using commercial cellulases. A new SPORL process that uses pH...

The impact of visual air quality on tourism revenues in Greater Vancouver and the Lower Fraser Valley

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McNeill, R. [Environment Canada, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Roberge, A.

2000-07-01

The Greater Vancouver area has been experiencing common episodes of poor visibility as a result of urban and agricultural sources of emissions. A study was conducted to determine the response of tourists in the Vancouver and Lower Fraser Valley Regions to visible air quality and to estimate the potential losses in tourist revenue due to poor visibility episodes. This was accomplished using an interactive survey of tourists in 1999. The results were statistically analyzed to develop visibility response functions. A simple economic model based on the visibility response function was then created to predict losses in tourist revenue. The group of tourists were shown four photographic slides of the Valley and Vancouver area depicting various stages of degradation in visibility. They were asked to rate each slide as either acceptable or unacceptable (if they would not make a return visit). Unacceptability rates for the four camera locations were statistically analyzed. The effect of clouds and the measurable visibility parameter was examined. The model predicts future tourist revenue losses in the amount of $7.45 million for the Greater Vancouver Area and $1.32 million in the Fraser Valley. It was recommended that further research should be conducted with more camera locations to provide a wider variety of viewpoints for assessment. This study can provide direction in setting policies to improve visibility in the region. 25 refs., 20 tabs., 4 figs., 3 appendices.

2005 nonroad engine fleet characterization in the Canadian Lower Fraser Valley : final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mak, J.; Chan, N.; Campbell, K.; Preston, K.; Bolechowsky, K.

2007-12-01

Metro Vancouver conducts an emission inventory for the Lower Fraser Valley on a five year basis. This report presented an estimate of the nonroad engine fleet population and emissions in the Canadian portion of the Lower Fraser Valley (CLFV). The nonroad engine fleet includes internal combustion engines of different fuel types used in mobile equipment such as on-road vehicles, aircraft, locomotives and ocean-going marine vessels. Some examples of nonroad equipment that were estimated included agricultural tractors; airport ground equipment; forklifts; excavators; generator sets; lawn mowers; railroad maintenance equipment; pleasure boats; and off-road motorcycles. The purpose of the study was to assist Metro Vancouver and other levels of government in determining what progress has been made in improving air quality, as well as the effect of policies and regulations on the environment in terms of nonroad vehicles. The report presented the objectives of the nonroad engine fleet characterization project which were to review the current data on nonroad engine populations and associated information, and confirm or improve the data through appropriate means; prepare estimates of 2005 emissions in the CLFV based on the revised engine counts using the United States Environmental Protection Agency's nonroad 2005 model; and prepare backcasts and forecasts of the 2005 nonroad engine emission estimates for 1990 to 2030 in five-year increments. Results were presented and analysed into the following 9 equipment type categories: agricultural, airport ground support, commercial, construction, industrial, lawn and garden, railway maintenance, recreational marine and recreational off-road vehicle. Four fuel types were considered for each type of equipment, notably gasoline, diesel, liquefied petroleum gases and compressed natural gas. The report described the methodologies and sources and presented the equipment population data. Emission results for carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides

Twenty-Five year (1982-2007) history of lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe animal vectors and ethephon control on the Fraser Experimental Forest in Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas. Nicholls

2009-01-01

This is a summary of the 25-year history of studies of mammal and bird vectors of lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium americanum), ethephon control of dwarf mistletoe, and the ecology of the most important dwarf mistletoe vector, the gray jay (Persisoreus canadensis), on the USDA Forest Service, Fraser Experimental Forest...

Douglas-fir displays a range of growth responses to ...

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) growth in the Pacific Northwest is affected by climatic, edaphic factors and Swiss needle cast (SNC) disease. We examine Douglas-fir growth responses to temperature, dewpoint deficit (DPD), soil moisture, and SNC using time series intervention analysis of intra-annual tree-ring width data collected at nine forest stands in western Oregon, USA. The effects of temperature and SNC were similar in importance on tree growth at all sites. Previous-year DPD during the annual drought period was a key factor limiting growth regionally. Winter temperature was more important at high elevation cool sites, whereas summer temperature was more important at warm and dry sites. Growth rate increased with summer temperature to an optimum (Topt) then decreased at higher temperatures. At drier sites, temperature and water affected growth interactively such that Topt decreased with decreasing summer soil moisture. With climate change, growth rates increased at high elevation sites and declined at mid-elevation inland sites since ~1990. Growth response to climate is masked by SNC regionally. We conclude that as temperature rises and precipitation patterns shift towards wetter winters and drier summers, Douglas-fir will experience greater temperature and water stress and an increase in severity of SNC. By the end of the 21st century, climate models predict hotter, drier summers and warmer, wetter winters in the Pac

O Casamento entre Pessoas do Mesmo Sexo na Suprema Corte Norte-Americana: uma reflexão baseada no diálogo entre Honneth-Fraser

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Eugenia Bunchaft

2016-12-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2177-7055.2016v37n74p233 Este trabalho objetiva analisar a decisão majoritária no julgamento do caso Obergefell v. Hodges à luz dos referenciais teóricos desenvolvidos por Axel Honneth e Nancy Fraser e seus reflexos na interpretação e na crítica de posturas proativas do Poder Judiciário. Sustenta-se que o voto de Justice Kennedy contempla um conjunto de discursos implícitos que não apenas estabelecem a subordinação de status de casais homossexuais não casados - que é tão criticada por Fraser - mas essencializam a identidade gay. Utiliza-se o método de indução analítica e a análise crítica do discurso feminista. Outrossim, o trabalho também emprega a documentação indireta.

Nutrients in foliage and wet deposition of nitrate, ammonium and sulfate in washing tree top in Abies religiosa forests

Science.gov (United States)

E.R Peña-Mendoza; A. Gómez-Guerrero; Mark Fenn; P. Hernández de la Rosa; D. Alvarado Rosales

2016-01-01

The nutritional content and tree top in the forests are evaluated of Abies religiosa, San Miguel Tlaixpan (SMT) and Rio Frio (RF), State of Mexico. The work had two parts. In the first, the nutritional content was evaluated in new foliage (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) in Abies religiosa trees, in periods of spring, summer and winter, in...

Aby Warburg, Images and Exhibitions. Aby Warburg, Bilderreihen und Ausstellungen edited by Uwe Fleckner and Isabelle Woldt, Akademie Verlag, 2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew Rampley

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This article reviews the latest volume in the collected works of Aby Warburg published by Akademie Verlag. The volume consists of exhibitions and plates of images Warburg compiled to illustrate lectures in the period between 1925-1929. The review focuses on two key issues raised by the publication: the light it casts on the Mnemosyne Atlas Warburg was working on at the same time, and, in particular, how it helps shape perceptions of the broader intellectual direction of Warburg's thinking in the final half decade of his life.

Optimal uneven-aged stocking guides: an application to spruce-fir stands in New England

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffrey H. Gove; Mark J. Ducey

2014-01-01

Management guides for uneven-aged forest stands periodically need to be revisited and updated based on new information and methods. The current silvicultural guide for uneven-aged spruce-fir management in Maine and the northeast (Frank, R.M. and Bjorkbom, J.C. 1973 A silvicultural guide for spruce-fir in the northeast. General Technical Report NE-6, Forest Service. U.S...

Balsam fir conservation and red spruce ecosystem restoration initiatives in the West Virginia highlands

Science.gov (United States)

Corey A. Bonasso; David W. Saville

2010-01-01

The West Virginia Highlands Conservancy has been working for more than a decade to protect, conserve, and restore the spruce-fir forests in West Virginia. Beginning in the mid 1990s an effort was initiated to conserve balsam fir in West Virginia where it reaches its southern most extent in North America. This work led to further efforts which have focused on the...

Some economic considerations in thinning Douglas-fir.

Science.gov (United States)

Norman P. Worthington

1957-01-01

Many thousands of acres of young Douglas-fir stands in western Washington are ready for commercial thinning. This is true even after liberal allowance is made for premerchantable and under stocked stands, unfavorable topography, and lack of markets. However, with but few exceptions, regular systematic thinning is not being practiced even in favorably located, operable...

Nest trees of northern flying squirrels in the Sierra Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Marc D. Meyer; Douglas A. Kelt; Malcolm P. North

2005-01-01

We examined the nest-tree preferences of northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus) in an old-growth, mixed-conifer and red fir (Abies magnifica) forest of the southern Sierra Nevada of California. We tracked 27 individuals to 122 nest trees during 3 summers. Flying squirrels selected nest trees that were larger in diameter and...

Influence of soil site class on growth and decay of northern white-cedar and two associates in Maine

Science.gov (United States)

P.V. Hofmeyer; R.S. Seymour; L.S. Kenefic

2009-01-01

Basal area growth of outwardly sound northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) was compared with that of balsam fir (Abies balsamea [L.] Mill.) and red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) across site and light exposure class gradients on 60 sites throughout northern Maine. Once adjusted for sapwood area,...

A postal survey of data in general practice on the prevalence of Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) in patients aged 18-65 in one county in the west of Ireland.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Finnerty, Fionnuala

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: Very little is known about the prevalence of acquired brain injury (ABI) in Ireland. ABI prevalence has previously been obtained from Belgian general practitioners using a postal survey. We attempted to ascertain the prevalence of ABI in County Mayo through a postal survey of all general practitioners in the county.The specific objectives of this project were to:1. identify whether general practitioners are a. aware of patients with ABI aged 18-65 in their practices b. able to provide prevalence data on ABI in patients aged 18-65 c. able to provide data on age, gender and patient diagnosis 2. analyse prevalence of ABI from any available data from general practitioners. METHODS: A pilot postal survey was performed initially in order to assess the feasibility of the study. It was established that general practitioners did have the necessary information required to complete the questionnaire. A main postal survey was then undertaken. A postal questionnaire was administered to all general practices in County Mayo in the west of Ireland (n = 59). The response rate was 32.2% (n = 19). RESULTS: General practitioners who replied on behalf of their practice could provide data on patient age, gender and diagnosis. In the nineteen practices, there were 57 patients with ABI. The age-specific prevalence of ABI in the area surveyed was estimated at 183.7 per 100,000. The mean patient population per practice was 2,833 (SD = 950). There were found to be significantly more patients with ABI in rural areas than urban areas (p = 0.006). There were also significant differences in the ages of patients in the different ABI categories. Patients whose ABI was of traumatic origin were significantly younger than those patients with ABI of haemorrhagic origin (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Although this is a small-scale study, we have ascertained that general practitioners do have data on patients with ABI. Also, some prevalence data now exist where none was available before. These can

The transcription factor ABI4 Is required for the ascorbic acid-dependent regulation of growth and regulation of jasmonate-dependent defense signaling pathways in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerchev, Pavel I; Pellny, Till K; Vivancos, Pedro Diaz; Kiddle, Guy; Hedden, Peter; Driscoll, Simon; Vanacker, Hélène; Verrier, Paul; Hancock, Robert D; Foyer, Christine H

2011-09-01

Cellular redox homeostasis is a hub for signal integration. Interactions between redox metabolism and the ABSCISIC ACID-INSENSITIVE-4 (ABI4) transcription factor were characterized in the Arabidopsis thaliana vitamin c defective1 (vtc1) and vtc2 mutants, which are defective in ascorbic acid synthesis and show a slow growth phenotype together with enhanced abscisic acid (ABA) levels relative to the wild type (Columbia-0). The 75% decrease in the leaf ascorbate pool in the vtc2 mutants was not sufficient to adversely affect GA metabolism. The transcriptome signatures of the abi4, vtc1, and vtc2 mutants showed significant overlap, with a large number of transcription factors or signaling components similarly repressed or induced. Moreover, lincomycin-dependent changes in LIGHT HARVESTING CHLOROPHYLL A/B BINDING PROTEIN 1.1 expression were comparable in these mutants, suggesting overlapping participation in chloroplast to nucleus signaling. The slow growth phenotype of vtc2 was absent in the abi4 vtc2 double mutant, as was the sugar-insensitive phenotype of the abi4 mutant. Octadecanoid derivative-responsive AP2/ERF-domain transcription factor 47 (ORA47) and AP3 (an ABI5 binding factor) transcripts were enhanced in vtc2 but repressed in abi4 vtc2, suggesting that ABI4 and ascorbate modulate growth and defense gene expression through jasmonate signaling. We conclude that low ascorbate triggers ABA- and jasmonate-dependent signaling pathways that together regulate growth through ABI4. Moreover, cellular redox homeostasis exerts a strong influence on sugar-dependent growth regulation.

High-intensity coherent FIR radiation from sub-picosecond electron bunches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kung, P.H.; Lihn, Hung-chi; Wiedemann, H.; Bocek, D.

1994-01-01

A facility to generate high-intensity, ultra-short pulses of broad-band far-infrared radiation has been assembled and tested at Stanford. The device uses sub-picosecond relativistic electron bunches to generate coherent radiation through transition or synchrotron radiation in the far-infrared (FIR) regime between millimeter waves and wavelengths of about 100 μm and less. Experimental results show a peak radiation power of greater than 0.33 MW within a micro-bunch and an average FIR radiation power of 4 mW. The average bunch length of 2856 micro-bunches within a 1 μsec macro-pulse is estimated to be about 480 sec. Simulations experimental setup and results will be discussed

Light thinning in century-old Douglas-fir.

Science.gov (United States)

Robert W. Steele

1948-01-01

A stand-improvement study in century-old Douglas-fir at the Wind River Experimental Forest provides an example of a commercial thinning that gave a substantial intermediate harvest, salvaged considerable material that would have been lost through mortality, greatly increased the net growth rate, and improved the general vigor of the stand, leaving the forest in a more...

Chemical composition of douglas-fir foliage on mule deer winter range. Research report No. RR 91003-CA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Waterhouse, M J; Armleder, H M; Dawson, R J

1991-01-01

In the interior of British Columbia, Douglas-fir litterfall is a major source of mule deer winter food. An earlier study found that preference for Douglas-fir foliage was correlated with tree diameter. This study identified the underlying factors of selection so that wildlife managers might have a wider range of forage enhancement options on mule deer winter range. Samples of Douglas-fir foliage were collected from trees at Knife Creek and Big Lake, and analyzed for minerals, tannins, and in vitro digestible dry matter.

Global Reprogramming of Transcription in Chinese Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata during Progressive Drought Stress and after Rewatering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruiyang Hu

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata, an evergreen conifer, is the most commonly grown afforestation species in southeast China due to its rapid growth and good wood qualities. To gain a better understanding of the drought-signalling pathway and the molecular metabolic reactions involved in the drought response, we performed a genome-wide transcription analysis using RNA sequence data. In this study, Chinese fir plantlets were subjected to progressively prolonged drought stress, up to 15 d, followed by rewatering under controlled environmental conditions. Based on observed morphological changes, plantlets experienced mild, moderate, or severe water stress before rehydration. Transcriptome analysis of plantlets, representing control and mild, moderate, and severe drought-stress treatments, and the rewatered plantlets, identified several thousand genes whose expression was altered in response to drought stress. Many genes whose expression was tightly coupled to the levels of drought stress were identified, suggesting involvement in Chinese fir drought adaptation responses. These genes were associated with transcription factors, signal transport, stress kinases, phytohormone signalling, and defence/stress response. The present study provides the most comprehensive transcriptome resource and the first dynamic transcriptome profiles of Chinese fir under drought stress. The drought-responsive genes identified in this study could provide further information for understanding the mechanisms of drought tolerance in Chinese fir.

On the changing contribution of snow to the hydrology of the Fraser River Basin, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Dery, S. J.; Kang, D.; Shi, X.; Gao, H.

2013-12-01

This talk will present an application of the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model to the Fraser River Basin (FRB) of British Columbia (BC), Canada over the latter half of the 20th century. The Fraser River is the longest waterway in BC and supports the world's most abundant Pacific Ocean salmon populations. Previous modeling and observational studies have demonstrated that the FRB is a snow-dominated system but with climate change it may evolve to a pluvial regime. Thus the goal of this study is to evaluate the changing contribution of snow to the hydrology of the watershed over the latter half of the 20th century. To this end, a 0.25° atmospheric forcing dataset is used to drive the VIC model from 1948 to 2006 at a daily time step over a domain covering the entire FRB. A model evaluation is first conducted over 11 major sub-watersheds of the FRB to quantitatively assess the spatial variations of snow water equivalent (SWE) and runoff. The ratio of the spatially averaged maximum SWE to runoff (RSR) is used to quantify the contribution of snow to the runoff in the 11 sub-watersheds of interest. From 1948 to 2006, RSR exhibits a significant decreasing trend in 9 of the 11 sub-watersheds (at a 0.05 of p-value according to the Mann-Kendall Test statistics). Changes in snow accumulation and melt lead to significant advances of the spring freshet throughout the basin. As the climate continues to warm, ecological processes and human usage of natural resources in the FRB may be substantially affected by its transition from a snow to a hybrid (nival/pluvial) and even a rain-dominated watershed.

Eficiencia de una modificación de la prueba de Fraser para la alternativa de localización en el problema de muestra / Efficiency of a modification the Fraser's test for alternative location on the problem of sample

OpenAIRE

Hidalgo Troya, Arsenio

2009-01-01

Se propone una familia de pruebas de rangos para el problema de localización en una muestra, usando como función de puntajes, la función percentil de la Distribución Lambda Generalizada (DLG), extendiendo la idea de Fraser de la función puntajes normales. Se obtienen las expresiones de las eficacias de las pruebas propuestas como funciones de los parámetros de curtósis de la distribución usada como función de puntajes y de la distribución muestreada. Por medio de un estudio de simulación se m...

Predicting mortality for five California conifers following wildfire

Science.gov (United States)

Sharon M. Hood; Sheri L. Smith; Daniel R. Cluck

2010-01-01

Fire injury was characterized and survival monitored for 5677 trees >25cm DBH from five wildfires in California that occurred between 2000 and 2004. Logistic regression models for predicting the probability of mortality 5-years after fire were developed for incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens (Torr.) Florin), white fir (Abies concolor (Gord. & Glend.) Lindl. ex...

Climate extremes and predicted warming threaten Mediterranean Holocene firs forests refugia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Salguero, Raúl; Camarero, J Julio; Carrer, Marco; Gutiérrez, Emilia; Alla, Arben Q; Andreu-Hayles, Laia; Hevia, Andrea; Koutavas, Athanasios; Martínez-Sancho, Elisabet; Nola, Paola; Papadopoulos, Andreas; Pasho, Edmond; Toromani, Ervin; Carreira, José A; Linares, Juan C

2017-11-21

Warmer and drier climatic conditions are projected for the 21st century; however, the role played by extreme climatic events on forest vulnerability is still little understood. For example, more severe droughts and heat waves could threaten quaternary relict tree refugia such as Circum-Mediterranean fir forests (CMFF). Using tree-ring data and a process-based model, we characterized the major climate constraints of recent (1950-2010) CMFF growth to project their vulnerability to 21st-century climate. Simulations predict a 30% growth reduction in some fir species with the 2050s business-as-usual emission scenario, whereas growth would increase in moist refugia due to a longer and warmer growing season. Fir populations currently subjected to warm and dry conditions will be the most vulnerable in the late 21st century when climatic conditions will be analogous to the most severe dry/heat spells causing dieback in the late 20th century. Quantification of growth trends based on climate scenarios could allow defining vulnerability thresholds in tree populations. The presented predictions call for conservation strategies to safeguard relict tree populations and anticipate how many refugia could be threatened by 21st-century dry spells.

Theology and psychology – the interdisciplinary work of Fraser Watts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Willem J. Smith

2005-10-01

Full Text Available In the preface to his book, Theology and Psychology, Fraser Watts, a lecturer in Theology and Natural Science at the University of Cambridge, states that he approaches “… the interface between theology and psychology by looking at each discipline from the perspective of the other. This includes a religious perspective on several current hot topics in psychology, such as evolution, neuroscience, and computer intelligence. I also consider theological topics like divine action, salvation history and eschatology, in each case using the psychological perspective in a different way”. By taking an interdisciplinary approach, Watts aims at proposing a psychology of religious experience. He considers theology to be the rational reflection on the Christian tradition. When exponents of this tradition are in dialogue with exponents of psychology, the focus falls on human nature. Watts admits that a certain lack of competence in one of the two disciplines can be a problem when working in an interdisciplinary way. However, he is willing to take the risk. Watts worked in psychology for 25 years and was also involved with a medical research council, before taking up a position at the Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge.

Quantifying the FIR interaction enhancement in paired galaxies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Cong; Sulentic, J.W.

1990-01-01

We studied the ''Catalogue of Isolated Pairs of Galaxies in the Northern Hemisphere'' by Karachentsev (1972) and a well matched comparison sample taken from the ''Catalogue of Isolated Galaxies'' by Karachentseva (1973) in order to quantify the enhanced FIR emission properties of interacting galaxies. 8 refs, 6 figs

True fir spacing trials: 10-year results.

Science.gov (United States)

Robert O. Curtis

2008-01-01

Eighteen precommercial thinning trials were established in true fir-hemlock stands in the Olympic Mountains and the west side of the Cascade Range during the period 1987 through 1994. This paper updates a previous report, with results for the first 10 years after establishment. Results are given for (1) all trees, (2) the largest 80 per acre of any species, and (3)...

Final Scientific/Technical report for "ABI8: Prototype of a novel signaling factor"

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Finkelstein, Ruth R. [Univ. of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States)

2013-02-21

The Arabidopsis thaliana ABSCISIC ACID-INSENSITIVE8 locus encodes a highly conserved plant-specific protein that mediates abscisic acid (ABA) and sugar responses essential for growth. Although initial database comparisons revealed no domains of predictable function, it has recently been re-annotated as a member of the Glycosyltransferase family A. However, this function has not been demonstrated experimentally and no specific substrates have been identified. Mutations affecting ABI8 are near-lethal due to pleiotropic yet specific effects including altered ABA signaling, sugar transport, cell wall synthesis, root meristem maintenance, vascular patterning, and male sterility. Because the predicted sequence initially provided no clues, we used a guilt by association strategy to address function of this protein by determining its subcellular localization and identifying interacting proteins. Our studies showed that ABI8 is localized to the endomembrane system and may interact with proteins implicated in Golgi trafficking, lignification, and stress signaling. We found that the root meristem arrest reflects decreased auxin accumulation and resulting decreases in regulators required for meristem identity, all of which can be rescued by added glucose. Further studies showed that this glucose-dependence reflects reduced glucose uptake as well as the decreased expression of sugar-mobilizing enzymes. This work suggests that ABI8 may regulate trafficking of membrane proteins such as auxin transporters and cellulose synthase, but this hypothesis has not yet been tested. The altered gene expression is likely to be a secondary or later effect of this pleiotropic mutation.

Early survival and growth of planted Douglas-fir with red alder in four mixed regimes.

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall D. Murray; Richard E. Miller

1986-01-01

To quantify between-species interactions, we measured and compared survival and growth of planted Douglas-fir and associated planted and volunteer red alder at a location on the west side of the Cascade Range in Washington. The planted alder were wildlings dug either from a nearby area or from a distant, coastal site and interplanted into a 3-year-old Douglas-fir...

Gladiolus hybridus ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE 5 (GhABI5) is an important transcription factor in ABA signaling that can enhance Gladiolus corm dormancy and Arabidopsis seed dormancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jian; Seng, Shanshan; Sui, Juanjuan; Vonapartis, Eliana; Luo, Xian; Gong, Benhe; Liu, Chen; Wu, Chenyu; Liu, Chao; Zhang, Fengqin; He, Junna; Yi, Mingfang

2015-01-01

The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) regulates plant development and is crucial for abiotic stress response. In this study, cold storage contributes to reducing endogenous ABA content, resulting in dormancy breaking of Gladiolus. The ABA inhibitor fluridone also promotes germination, suggesting that ABA is an important hormone that regulates corm dormancy. Here, we report the identification and functional characterization of the Gladiolus ABI5 homolog (GhABI5), which is a basic leucine zipper motif transcriptional factor (TF). GhABI5 is expressed in dormant vegetative organs (corm, cormel, and stolon) as well as in reproductive organs (stamen), and it is up-regulated by ABA or drought. Complementation analysis reveals that GhABI5 rescues the ABA insensitivity of abi5-3 during seed germination and induces the expression of downstream ABA response genes in Arabidopsis thaliana (EM1, EM6, and RD29B). Down-regulation of GhABI5 in dormant cormels via virus induced gene silence promotes sprouting and reduces the expression of downstream genes (GhLEA and GhRD29B). The results of this study reveal that GhABI5 regulates bud dormancy (vegetative organ) in Gladiolus in addition to its well-studied function in Arabidopsis seeds (reproductive organ).

Gladiolus hybridus ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE 5 (GhABI5 is an important transcription factor in ABA signaling that can enhance Gladiolus corm dormancy and Arabidopsis seed dormancy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian eWu

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA regulates plant development and is crucial for abiotic stress response. In this study, cold storage contributes to reducing endogenous ABA content, resulting in dormancy breaking of Gladiolus. The ABA inhibitor fluridone also promotes germination, suggesting that ABA is an important hormone that regulates corm dormancy. Here, we report the identification and functional characterization of the Gladiolus ABI5 homolog (GhABI5, which is a basic leucine zipper motif transcriptional factor (TF. GhABI5 is expressed in dormant vegetative organs (corm, cormel and stolon as well as in reproductive organs (stamen, and it is up-regulated by ABA or drought. Complementation analysis reveals that GhABI5 rescues the ABA insensitivity of abi5-3 during seed germination and induces the expression of downstream ABA response genes in Arabidopsis thaliana (EM1, EM6 and RD29B. Down-regulation of GhABI5 in dormant cormels via Virus Induced Gene Silence (VIGS promotes sprouting and reduces the expression of downstream genes (GhLEA and GhRD29B. The results of this study reveal that GhABI5 regulates bud dormancy (vegetative organ in Gladiolus in addition to its well-studied function in Arabidopsis seeds (reproductive organ.

The Minnesota approach to non-timber forest product marketing: the balsam bough industry and other examples

Science.gov (United States)

John. Krantz

2001-01-01

Minnesota is a leading state in the production of holiday wreaths. It is estimated that the companies producing wreaths in Minnesota have total sales exceeding $20 million and growing. Wreaths are sold in all states in the U.S., mainly by non-profit groups for fundraising. The boughs harvested from the balsam fir (Abies balsamea) are used in 98...

Molecular characterization of a genomic region in a Lactococcus bacteriophage that is involved in its sensitivity to the phage defense mechanism AbiA.

OpenAIRE

Dinsmore, P K; Klaenhammer, T R

1997-01-01

A spontaneous mutant of the lactococcal phage phi31 that is insensitive to the phage defense mechanism AbiA was characterized in an effort to identify the phage factor(s) involved in sensitivity of phi31 to AbiA. A point mutation was localized in the genome of the AbiA-insensitive phage (phi31A) by heteroduplex analysis of a 9-kb region. The mutation (G to T) was within a 738-bp open reading frame (ORF245) and resulted in an arginine-to-leucine change in the predicted amino acid sequence of t...

The Transcription Factor ABI4 Is Required for the Ascorbic Acid–Dependent Regulation of Growth and Regulation of Jasmonate-Dependent Defense Signaling Pathways in Arabidopsis[C][W

Science.gov (United States)

Kerchev, Pavel I.; Pellny, Till K.; Vivancos, Pedro Diaz; Kiddle, Guy; Hedden, Peter; Driscoll, Simon; Vanacker, Hélène; Verrier, Paul; Hancock, Robert D.; Foyer, Christine H.

2011-01-01

Cellular redox homeostasis is a hub for signal integration. Interactions between redox metabolism and the ABSCISIC ACID-INSENSITIVE-4 (ABI4) transcription factor were characterized in the Arabidopsis thaliana vitamin c defective1 (vtc1) and vtc2 mutants, which are defective in ascorbic acid synthesis and show a slow growth phenotype together with enhanced abscisic acid (ABA) levels relative to the wild type (Columbia-0). The 75% decrease in the leaf ascorbate pool in the vtc2 mutants was not sufficient to adversely affect GA metabolism. The transcriptome signatures of the abi4, vtc1, and vtc2 mutants showed significant overlap, with a large number of transcription factors or signaling components similarly repressed or induced. Moreover, lincomycin-dependent changes in LIGHT HARVESTING CHLOROPHYLL A/B BINDING PROTEIN 1.1 expression were comparable in these mutants, suggesting overlapping participation in chloroplast to nucleus signaling. The slow growth phenotype of vtc2 was absent in the abi4 vtc2 double mutant, as was the sugar-insensitive phenotype of the abi4 mutant. Octadecanoid derivative-responsive AP2/ERF-domain transcription factor 47 (ORA47) and AP3 (an ABI5 binding factor) transcripts were enhanced in vtc2 but repressed in abi4 vtc2, suggesting that ABI4 and ascorbate modulate growth and defense gene expression through jasmonate signaling. We conclude that low ascorbate triggers ABA- and jasmonate-dependent signaling pathways that together regulate growth through ABI4. Moreover, cellular redox homeostasis exerts a strong influence on sugar-dependent growth regulation. PMID:21926335

Effects of manganese and manganese-nitrogen applications on growth and nutrition of Douglas-fir seedlings.

Science.gov (United States)

M. A. Radwan; John S. Shumway; Dean S. DeBell

1979-01-01

Effects of manganese (Mn) on Douglas-fir grown in soil, with and without urea, and in nutrient solution were investigated. In addition, Mn sorption by forest soils was evaluated. Results show that Douglas-fir does not respond to added Mn and is quite tolerant to high Mn levels. Moreover, Mn sorption by soils is high. It is doubtful that Mn toxicity is of practical...

Demonstrating a New Census of Infrared Galaxies with ALMA (DANCING-ALMA). I. FIR Size and Luminosity Relation at z = 0-6 Revealed with 1034 ALMA Sources

Science.gov (United States)

Fujimoto, Seiji; Ouchi, Masami; Shibuya, Takatoshi; Nagai, Hiroshi

2017-11-01

We present the large statistics of the galaxy effective radius R e in the rest-frame far-infrared (FIR) wavelength {R}{{e}({FIR})} obtained from 1627 Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) 1 mm band maps that become public by 2017 July. Our ALMA sample consists of 1034 sources with the star formation rate ˜ 100{--}1000 {M}⊙ {{yr}}-1 and the stellar mass ˜ {10}10{--}{10}11.5 {M}⊙ at z = 0-6. We homogeneously derive {R}{{e}({FIR})} and FIR luminosity L FIR of our ALMA sources via the uv-visibility method with the exponential disk model, carefully evaluating selection and measurement incompletenesses by realistic Monte-Carlo simulations. We find that there is a positive correlation between {R}{{e}({FIR})} and L FIR at the >99% significance level. The best-fit power-law function, {R}{{e}({FIR})}\\propto {L}{FIR}α , provides α =0.28+/- 0.07, and shows that {R}{{e}({FIR})} at a fixed L FIR decreases toward high redshifts. The best-fit α and the redshift evolution of {R}{{e}({FIR})} are similar to those of R e in the rest-frame UV (optical) wavelength {R}{{e}({UV})} ({R}{{e}({Opt}.)}) revealed by Hubble Space Telescope (HST) studies. We identify that our ALMA sources have significant trends of {R}{{e}({FIR})}≲ {R}{{e}({UV})} and {R}{{e}({Opt}.)}, which suggests that the dusty starbursts take place in compact regions. Moreover, {R}{{e}({FIR})} of our ALMA sources is comparable to {R}{{e}({Opt}.)} of quiescent galaxies at z ˜ 1-3 as a function of stellar mass, supporting the evolutionary connection between these two galaxy populations. We also investigate rest-frame UV and optical morphologies of our ALMA sources with deep HST images, and find that ˜30%-40% of our ALMA sources are classified as major mergers. This indicates that dusty starbursts are triggered by not only the major mergers but also the other mechanism(s).

Improved density measurement by FIR laser interferometer on EAST tokamak

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, Jie, E-mail: shenjie1988@ipp.ac.cn; Jie, Yinxian; Liu, Haiqing; Wei, Xuechao; Wang, Zhengxing; Gao, Xiang

2013-11-15

Highlights: • In 2012, the water-cooling Mo wall was installed in EAST. • A schottky barrier diode detector is designed and used on EAST for the first time. • The three-channel far-infrared laser interferometer can measure the electron density. • The improved measurement and latest experiment results are reported. • The signal we get in this experiment campaign is much better than we got in 2010. -- Abstract: A three-channel far-infrared (FIR) hydrogen cyanide (HCN) laser interferometer is in operation since 2010 to measure the line averaged electron density on experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST). The HCN laser signal is improved by means of a new schottky barrier diode (SBD) detector. The improved measurement and latest experiment results of the three-channel FIR laser interferometer on EAST tokamak are reported.

Improved density measurement by FIR laser interferometer on EAST tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, Jie; Jie, Yinxian; Liu, Haiqing; Wei, Xuechao; Wang, Zhengxing; Gao, Xiang

2013-01-01

Highlights: • In 2012, the water-cooling Mo wall was installed in EAST. • A schottky barrier diode detector is designed and used on EAST for the first time. • The three-channel far-infrared laser interferometer can measure the electron density. • The improved measurement and latest experiment results are reported. • The signal we get in this experiment campaign is much better than we got in 2010. -- Abstract: A three-channel far-infrared (FIR) hydrogen cyanide (HCN) laser interferometer is in operation since 2010 to measure the line averaged electron density on experimental advanced superconducting tokamak (EAST). The HCN laser signal is improved by means of a new schottky barrier diode (SBD) detector. The improved measurement and latest experiment results of the three-channel FIR laser interferometer on EAST tokamak are reported

Tree-ring stable isotopes record the impact of a foliar fungal pathogen on CO(2) assimilation and growth in Douglas-fir.

Science.gov (United States)

Saffell, Brandy J; Meinzer, Frederick C; Voelker, Steven L; Shaw, David C; Brooks, J Renée; Lachenbruch, Barbara; McKay, Jennifer

2014-07-01

Swiss needle cast (SNC) is a fungal disease of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) that has recently become prevalent in coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest. We used growth measurements and stable isotopes of carbon and oxygen in tree-rings of Douglas-fir and a non-susceptible reference species (western hemlock, Tsuga heterophylla) to evaluate their use as proxies for variation in past SNC infection, particularly in relation to potential explanatory climate factors. We sampled trees from an Oregon site where a fungicide trial took place from 1996 to 2000, which enabled the comparison of stable isotope values between trees with and without disease. Carbon stable isotope discrimination (Δ(13)C) of treated Douglas-fir tree-rings was greater than that of untreated Douglas-fir tree-rings during the fungicide treatment period. Both annual growth and tree-ring Δ(13)C increased with treatment such that treated Douglas-fir had values similar to co-occurring western hemlock during the treatment period. There was no difference in the tree-ring oxygen stable isotope ratio between treated and untreated Douglas-fir. Tree-ring Δ(13)C of diseased Douglas-fir was negatively correlated with relative humidity during the two previous summers, consistent with increased leaf colonization by SNC under high humidity conditions that leads to greater disease severity in following years. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cytokinin profiles in the conifer tree Abies nordmanniana

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Hanne Nina; Veierskov, Bjarke; Hansen-Møller, Jens

2009-01-01

in the crown and root system were sampled destructively in 4- and 6-year-old trees and analyzed for a range of cytokinins by LC-MS/MS. No seasonal patterns were detected in the root samples, and a major portion of cytokinin was in conjugated forms. Dramatic and consistent seasonal changes occurred in the crown......Abstract  Conifer trees are routinely manipulated hormonally to increase flowering, branching, or adjust crown shape for production purposes. This survey of internal cytokinin levels provides a background for such treatments in Abies nordmanniana, a tree of great economic interest. Reference points...

Deterioration of beetle-killed Douglas-fir in Oregon and Washington: a summary of findings to date.

Science.gov (United States)

Ernest Wright; K.H. Wright

1954-01-01

In 1952 and 1953 cooperative research was conducted by the Pacific Northwest Forest Experiment Station and the Research Department of Weyerhaeuser Timber Company to obtain information concerning the rate of deterioration of beetle-killed Douglas-fir. The study was prompted by an outbreak of the Douglas-fir beetle that developed in 1951 and has since killed an estimated...

Amenability of European silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) to preservative treatment by the full-cell process in longitudinal, tangential, radial and triplex flow pathways on the base of wood drying

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Usta, Ilker [Wood Products Industrial Engineering, Hacettepe University, 06532-Beytepe, Ankara (Turkey)

2006-08-15

This paper discusses the effects of wood drying upon treatability (as determined by preservative uptake and gain-in-weight retention) of European silver fir on the two moisture content (MC) levels which were designed to be above and below the fibre saturation point (FSP). The treatability behaviour was investigated for individual flow pathways: longitudinal (L, along the stem), tangential (T, along the growth rings) and radial (R, along the rays), and also for the triplex (t, cumulative of all three directions: all faces left open). As the FSP was observed 32.7%, MC of the experimental samples-for each flow path-nominated to around 50% and 9% by recommended kiln drying schedule using a conventional kiln. The samples were then treated with a 2.5% concentration of commercial Tanalith C of CCA (chromium/copper/arsenic) via a mild schedule of full-cell impregnation process using a model pressure treatment plant. Treatability of European silver fir was noticed in different behaviour in either flow paths before and after drying. According to the experimental results, MC regulate the preservative uptake (as the percentage of void volume filled with preservative, VVF%) along the grain (L) and VVF% was improved by kiln drying process effectively, however, it was seemed to be contradictory across the grain (in both T and R). In the cumulative form (t), treatability-in either above or below the FSP-was appeared to be slightly greater than that for L due to support of the longitudinal flow. Therefore, it could be suggested that wood material which is subjected to be used in constructional purposes has to be initially dried to below the FSP, and - for efficient preservative treatment - it has to be treated with all faces unsealed (free from any pre-coating and/or painting). This shall be more ideal which in turn influences the quality of treated wood allowing better performance in its service life. (author)

Stem infection by dwarf mistletoe in California firs

Science.gov (United States)

John R. Parmeter; Robert F. Scharpf

1982-01-01

In fir stands infested with dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium abietinum Engelm. ex Munz.), the majority of susceptible understory trees had one or more stem infections. Most stem infections entered through infected branches and grew slowly around the stem, resulting in small amounts of decay or stem killing. Decay was not found in trees less than 50...

Developmental decline in height growth in Douglas-fir.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbara J. Bond; Nicole M. Czarnomski; Clifton Cooper; Michael E. Day; Michael S. Greenwood

2007-01-01

The characteristic decline in height growth that occurs over a tree's lifespan is often called "age-related decline." But is the reduction in height growth in aging trees a function of age or of size? We grafted shoot tips across different ages and sizes of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) trees to determine whether...

Predicting Douglas-fir's response to a warming climate

Science.gov (United States)

Andrea Watts; Sheel Bansal; Connie Harrington; Brad. St. Clair

2015-01-01

Douglas-fir is an iconic tree in the Pacific Northwest. Although individual trees may appear to be identical, genetic differences within each tree have resulted from adaptation to the local environment. These genetic differences over time have resulted in differences among populations that are important to the species' survival and growth in changing climates....

A CLOSER VIEW OF THE RADIO-FIR CORRELATION: DISENTANGLING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF STAR FORMATION AND ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS ACTIVITY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moric, I.; Smolcic, V.; Riechers, D. A.; Scoville, N.; Kimball, A.; Ivezic, Z.

2010-01-01

We extend the Unified Radio Catalog, a catalog of sources detected by various (NVSS, FIRST, WENSS, GB6) radio surveys, and SDSS, to IR wavelengths by matching it to the IRAS Point and Faint Source catalogs. By fitting each NVSS-selected galaxy's NUV-NIR spectral energy distribution (SED) with stellar population synthesis models we add to the catalog star formation rates (SFRs), stellar masses, and attenuations. We further add information about optical emission-line properties for NVSS-selected galaxies with available SDSS spectroscopy. Using an NVSS 20 cm (F 1.4 G Hz ∼> 2.5 mJy) selected sample, matched to the SDSS spectroscopic ('main' galaxy and quasar) catalogs and IRAS data (0.04 < z ∼< 0.2) we perform an in-depth analysis of the radio-FIR correlation for various types of galaxies, separated into (1) quasars, (2) star-forming, (3) composite, (4) Seyfert, (5) LINER, and (6) absorption line galaxies using the standard optical spectroscopic diagnostic tools. We utilize SED-based SFRs to independently quantify the source of radio and FIR emission in our galaxies. Our results show that Seyfert galaxies have FIR/radio ratios lower than, but still within the scatter of, the canonical value due to an additional (likely active galactic nucleus (AGN)) contribution to their radio continuum emission. Furthermore, IR-detected absorption and LINER galaxies are on average strongly dominated by AGN activity in both their FIR and radio emission; however their average FIR/radio ratio is consistent with that expected for star-forming galaxies. In summary, we find that most AGN-containing galaxies in our NVSS-IRAS-SDSS sample have FIR/radio flux ratios indistinguishable from those of the star-forming galaxies that define the radio-FIR correlation. Thus, attempts to separate AGNs from star-forming galaxies by their FIR/radio flux ratios alone can separate only a small fraction of the AGNs, such as the radio-loud quasars.

Mustafa Bin Bâlî ve İlm-i Firâset’i Mustafa Bin Bâlî And İlm-i Firâset

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramazan SARIÇİÇEK

2012-12-01

Full Text Available There wasn’t any study over this work which was Mustafa bin Bâlî’s, who lived 16th century, plain-text. But there is some information about works which were made over firâset, physiognomy and like sciences.2 The study which we make over this work comes last stage and it is firstly presented to science-world here. Although it is said that it was compiled from Fahreddin Razi veMuhyiddin-i Arabî at primary of the work, it is quality of an academicstudy which was prepared with study of many more works over scienceof firâset. Not only Fahreddin Razi and Muhyiddin-i Arabî but also theauthor benefited from works of many more scientists from HamdullahHamdi to İbni Sina. we can say that it is unique in its field with thiscourse. In that works, which were written in this field, are generallyover application of firaset science. That is, they pay attention overresults instead of the basic criterion of this science. Nevertheless,thiswork is a well-coorinated study which was made over firaset aswhole.That work compile and gather informations about firaset withcare of an academician while they are in bits and disorganized atanother works.In addition, the work is included various verses like Arabic,Persian and Turkish in spite it is plain-text. As for aspect of language,also it is included materials of language which belonging to Turkish ofAncient Anatolian. 16. yüzyılda yaşayan Mustafa bin Bâlî’nin mensur olan bu eseri üzerinde daha önce bir çalışma yapılmamıştır. Ancak firâset, kıyâfet ve benzeri ilimler üzerinde yapılan çalışmalarda hakkında bazı bilgiler verilmiştir.1 Bizim ise bu eser üzerinde yaptığımız çalışma son aşamasına gelmiş olmakla beraber ilk defa burada bilim âleminin dikkatine sunulmaktadır.Her ne kadar eserin başında Fahreddin Razi ve Muhyiddin-i Arabî’den derlendiği söyleniyor ise de eser firâset ilmi üzerine daha birçok eser de taranarak hazırlanmış akademik bir �

Structure and productivity of mixed spruce and fir forests on Mt. Kopaonik

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Šljukić Biljana

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The subject of this research are mixed forests of spruce and fir in the area of NP Kopaonik, which belong to the community of spruce and fir - Abieti-Piceetum abietis Mišić et Popović, 1978. The basis for the study of the structural development and production potential of these forests are data from 12 sample plots, with the average size of 0.18 ha. In terms of coenoecological affiliation all the sample plots belong to the group of ecological units - forests of spruce and fir (Abieti-Piceetum abietis, Mišić et Popović, 1978 on acid brown and brown podzolic soils, which are differentiated into 5 ecological units: Abieti-Piceetum abietis oxalidetosum on brown podzolic soil, Abieti-Piceetum abietis oxalidetosum on acid brown soil, Abieti-Piceetum abietis vaccinietosum on brown podzolic soil, Abieti-Piceetum abietis typicum on brown podzolic soil and Abieti-Piceetum abietis Dr.ymetosum on brown pozolic soil. In structural terms, these forests are characterized by very diverse structural forms, ranging from the structure of even-aged stands to typical multi-storey, unevenaged-aged stands. The form of cumulative curves of tree distribution is in most cases determined by spruce as the dominant species. At the same time, thin and medium-thick trees dominate, while the presence of stems with large dimensions is minimal. The average volume of these forestse is 777 m3•ha-1, with a mixture ratio of 0.7: 0.3 in favor of spruce. The average value of the current volume increment is 14 m3•ha-1, with a 68% share of spruce and 32% of fir. The percentage of increment ranges from 1.6% to 2.5% in all sample plots and is somewhat higher for fir. The site potential, stand characteristics and relations among the tree species have resulted in structural complexity, high productivity and ecological stability of these forests. Therefore, future forest management should avoid radical measures and procedures that would violate the established relationships and

An examination of the genetic control of Douglas-fir vascular tissue phytochemicals: implications for black bear foraging.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruce A. Kimball; G.R. Johnson; Dale L. Nolte; Doreen L. Griffin

1999-01-01

Silvicultural practices can influence black bear (Ursus americanus) foraging preferences for Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) cambial-zone vascular tissues, but little is known about the role of genetics. To study the impact of genetic selection, vascular tissue samples were collected from Douglas-fir trees in six half-sib families from five...

Two commercial thinnings in century-old Douglas-fir.

Science.gov (United States)

Robert W. Steele

1954-01-01

As young-growth forests replace old-growth forests as the primary source of Douglas-fir raw material, the technique of managing young stands becomes increasingly important. Managers of young-growth timber need to know whether it is economical and silviculturally feasible to make thinnings in stands that are close to rotation age. Final harvest of some stands of this...

Síndrome de Fraser: relato de caso nas vias lacrimais

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Helena Tavares Lorena

2014-04-01

Full Text Available A síndrome de Fraser é uma condição sistêmica caracterizada por criptoftalmo, sindactilia e anomalia da genitália, podendo se associar com alterações dos rins, do ouvido, do nariz, da laringe e do esqueleto. O criptoftalmo pode representar um achado isolado, representado por herança autossômica dominante, associado a outras anomalias congênitas, relatado como herança autossômica recessiva. Criança do sexo feminino, 9 meses, avaliada no ambulatório de vias lacrimais da Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Filha de pais consanguíneos. Ao exame, foram observados criptoftalmo total à esquerda, epífora em olho direito associada à secreção mucopurulenta, nariz em sela, implantação baixa das orelhas, malformação de conduto auditivo, aumento de grandes lábios e sindactilia de mãos e pés. A tomografia de crânio evidenciou braquicefalia ausência de septo pelúcido, proeminência dos ventrículos laterais, importante falha óssea na calota craniana, presença de afilamento do manto tecidual cerebral, fossa posterior pequena, desorganização do segmento anterior, afacia e descolamento total da retina.

Natural regeneration of Douglas-fir and associated species using modified clear-cutting systems in the Oregon Cascades.

Science.gov (United States)

Jerry F. Franklin

1963-01-01

Clear cutting is the standard harvesting system in old-growth Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forests in the Pacific Northwest. Usually these clear cuts are in "staggered settings" of 15 to 80 acres with the surrounding stand left uncut to provide seed and serve as a firebreak. However, satisfactory natural regeneration of Douglas-fir...

Management, morphological, and environmental factors influencing Douglas-fir bark furrows in the Oregon Coast Range

Science.gov (United States)

Sheridan, Christopher D.; Puettmann, Klaus J.; Huso, Manuela M.P.; Hagar, Joan C.; Falk, Kristen R.

2013-01-01

Many land managers in the Pacific Northwest have the goal of increasing late-successional forest structures. Despite the documented importance of Douglas-fir tree bark structure in forested ecosystems, little is known about factors influencing bark development and how foresters can manage development. This study investigated the relative importance of tree size, growth, environmental factors, and thinning on Douglas-fir bark furrow characteristics in the Oregon Coast Range. Bark furrow depth, area, and bark roughness were measured for Douglas-fir trees in young heavily thinned and unthinned sites and compared to older reference sites. We tested models for relationships between bark furrow response and thinning, tree diameter, diameter growth, and environmental factors. Separately, we compared bark responses measured on trees used by bark-foraging birds with trees with no observed usage. Tree diameter and diameter growth were the most important variables in predicting bark characteristics in young trees. Measured environmental variables were not strongly related to bark characteristics. Bark furrow characteristics in old trees were influenced by tree diameter and surrounding tree densities. Young trees used by bark foragers did not have different bark characteristics than unused trees. Efforts to enhance Douglas-fir bark characteristics should emphasize retention of larger diameter trees' growth enhancement.

Structure and Composition of a Dry Mixed-Conifer Forest in Absence of Contemporary Treatments, Southwest, USA

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Douglas Cram

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Dry mixed-conifer forests in the Southwest occupy an important ecological and hydrological role in upper watersheds. In the absence of reoccurring fire and silvicultural treatments over the last 50 years, we quantified forest structure and composition on prevailing north and south aspects of a dry mixed-conifer forest in southcentral New Mexico using mixed models and ordination analysis in preparation for an experiment in ecological restoration. Results indicated overstory and midstory were dominated by Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii and shade tolerant/fire intolerant white fir (Abies concolor with interspersed mature aspen on north aspects, and Douglas-fir and Southwestern white pine (Pinus strobiformis on south aspects. Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa, which was historically co-dominant with Douglas-fir on north and south aspects, was subdominant on south aspects and almost entirely absent on north aspects. Regeneration was dominated by white fir saplings and seedlings on north aspects while ponderosa pine was completely absent. South aspect saplings and seedlings were characterized by Douglas-fir and Southwestern white pine, but almost no ponderosa pine. Ordination analysis characterized the effect of aspect on species composition. Understanding contemporary forest structure and composition is important when planning for desired future conditions that are to be achieved through ecological restoration using silvicultural techniques designed to foster resilience.

Increased water deficit decreases Douglas fir growth throughout western US forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Restaino, Christina M; Peterson, David L; Littell, Jeremy

2016-08-23

Changes in tree growth rates can affect tree mortality and forest feedbacks to the global carbon cycle. As air temperature increases, evaporative demand also increases, increasing effective drought in forest ecosystems. Using a spatially comprehensive network of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) chronologies from 122 locations that represent distinct climate environments in the western United States, we show that increased temperature decreases growth via vapor pressure deficit (VPD) across all latitudes. Using an ensemble of global circulation models, we project an increase in both the mean VPD associated with the lowest growth extremes and the probability of exceeding these VPD values. As temperature continues to increase in future decades, we can expect deficit-related stress to increase and consequently Douglas fir growth to decrease throughout its US range.

Software development for efficient description of FIR filters of wireless LAN systems, in VHDL

OpenAIRE

Καινούργιος, Σωτήριος

2005-01-01

Υλοποίηση παραμετροποιημένων FIR φίλτρων με την βοήθεια της γλώσσας περιγραφής υλικού VHDL. Μελέτη των αποτελεσμάτων για χώρο και περιοχή που καταλαμβάνει ο σχεδιαμσός. FIR implementation with the description language VHDL. We discuss their results for area and the delay of each diagram (FIR filter).

Ion Flux in Roots of Chinese Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) under Aluminum Stress

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Zhihui; Huang, Binlong; Xu, Shanshan; Chen, Yu; Cao, Guangqiu; Ding, Guochang; Lin, Sizu

2016-01-01

Chinese fir is a tall, fast-growing species that is unique to southern China. In Chinese fir plantations, successive plantings have led to a decline in soil fertility, and aluminum toxicity is thought to be one of the main reasons for this decline. In this study, Non-invasive Micro-test Technology was used to study the effect of aluminum stress on the absorption of 4 different ions in the roots of the Chinese fir clone FS01. The results are as follows: with increased aluminum concentration and longer periods of aluminum stress, the H+ ion flow gradually changed from influx into efflux; there was a large variation in the K+ efflux, which gradually decreased with increasing duration of aluminum stress; and 1 h of aluminum stress uniformly resulted in Ca2+ influx, but it changed from influx to efflux after a longer period of aluminum stress. Changes in the different concentrations of aluminum had the largest influence on Mg2+. PMID:27270726

MIMO FIR feedforward design for zero error tracking control

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heertjes, M.F.; Bruijnen, D.J.H.

2014-01-01

This paper discusses a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) finite impulse response (FIR) feedforward design. The design is intended for systems that have (non-)minimum phase zeros in the plant description. The zeros of the plant (either minimum or non-minimum phase) are used in the shaping of the

NEEDLE ANATOMY CHANGES WITH INCREASING TREE AGE IN DOUGLAS FIR

Science.gov (United States)

Morphological differences between old growth and sapling (Pseudotsuga menziesii, (Mirb.) Franco) Douglas fir trees may extend to differences in needle anatomy. We used microscopy with image analysis to compare and quantify anatomical parameters in cross-sections of previous year...

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) emissions from Abies alba in a French forest.

Science.gov (United States)

Moukhtar, S; Couret, C; Rouil, L; Simon, V

2006-02-01

Air quality studies need to be based on accurate and reliable data, particularly in the field of the emissions. Biogenic emissions from forests, crops, and grasslands are now considered as major compounds in photochemical processes. Unfortunately, depending on the type of vegetation, these emissions are not so often reliably defined. As an example, although the silver fir (Abies alba) is a very widespread conifer tree in the French and European areas, its standard emission rate is not available in the literature. This study investigates the isoprene and monoterpenes emission from A. alba in France measured during the fieldwork organised in the Fossé Rhénan, from May to June 2003. A dynamic cuvette method was used. Limonene was the predominant monoterpene emitted, followed by camphene, alpha-pinene and eucalyptol. No isoprene emission was detected. The four monoterpenes measured showed different behaviours according to micrometeorological conditions. In fact, emissions of limonene, alpha-pinene and camphene were temperature-dependant while eucalyptol emissions were temperature and light dependant. Biogenic volatile organic compounds emissions were modeled using information gathered during the field study. Emissions of the three monoterpenes previously quoted were achieved using the monoterpenes algorithm developed by Tingey et al. (1980) [Tingey D, Manning M, Grothaus L, Burns W. Influence of light and temperature on monoterpene emission rates from slash pine. Plant Physiol 1980;65: 797-801.] and the isoprene algorithm [Guenther, A., Monson, R., Fall, R., 1991. Isoprene and monoterpene emission rate variability: observations with eucalyptus and emission rate algorithm development. J Geophys Res 26A: 10799-10808.]; [Guenther, A., Zimmerman, P., Harley, P., Monson, R., Fall, R., 1993. Isoprene and monoterpene emission rate variability: model evaluation and sensitivity analysis. J Geophys Res 98D: 12609-12617.]) was used for the eucalyptol emission. With these

Changes in wood product proportions in the Douglas-fir region with respect to size, age, and time.

Science.gov (United States)

R.A. Monserud; X. Zhou

2007-01-01

We examine both the variation and the changing proportions of different wood products obtained from trees and logs in the Douglas-fir region of the Northwestern United States. Analyses are based on a large product recovery database covering over 40 years of recovery studies; 13 studies are available for Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.)...

Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Western Mountains, Valleys, and Coast Region (Version 2.0)

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-01

monophylla or P. edulis), junipers (Juniperus), cottonwoods (e.g., Populus fremontii), willows (Salix), or hardwoods (e.g., Quercus , Platanus...pine in association with incense cedar and California black oak ( Quercus kelloggii) on the western slopes and Jeffrey pine on the eastern slopes...corkbark fir (Abies lasiocarpa var. arizonica ), limber pine (Pinus flexilis), and bristlecone pine (P. aristata) (Bailey 1995). Black Hills (MLRA

Fuels planning: Managing forest structure to reduce fire hazard

Science.gov (United States)

David L. Peterson; Morris C. Johnson; James K. Agee; Theresa B. Jain; Donald McKenzie; Elizabeth D. Reinhardt

2003-01-01

Prior to the 20th century, low intensity fires burned regularly in most arid to semiarid forest ecosystems, with ignitions caused by lightning and humans (e.g., Baisan and Swetnam 1997, Allen et al. 2002, Hessl et al. 2004). Low intensity fires controlled regeneration of fire sensitive (e.g., grand fir [Abies grandis]) species (Arno and Allison-Bunnell 2002), promoted...

Five-Year Impacts of Swiss Needle Cast on Douglas-fir in Interior Forests of Oregon, USA

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FILIP, Gregory

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In 2001 and 2006, we examined 590 Douglas-firs in 59 stands age 10-23 years in the northern Cascade Mountain foothills in Oregon, USA. Mean 5-year-dbh growth was 6.1 cm and total-height growth was 3.6 m. Mean needle-retention index increased by 3.4 over 5 years, and mid-crown retention increased by 1.2 years. Mean percentages of stomata occluded by pseudothecia of Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii were 13.6% for 2000-(2-year-old needles and 1.7% for 2001-(1-year-old needles sampled in 2002, and 13.3% for 2004 (2-year-old needles sampled in 2006. Mean crown-length to sapwood-area ratio was 5.2 cm/cm2 in 2006. There were poor correlations (R2 <0.3 among all variables except for a moderate correlation between stand elevation and either 2000-stomata occluded (R2 = 0.43 or 2004-stomata occluded (R2 = 0.50, where there were fewer pseudothecia at the higher elevations. Either 5 years is not enough time to evaluate the affects of Swiss needle cast on Douglas-fir growth in the Oregon Cascades or there was no significant effect of Swiss needle cast during the latest outbreak on Douglas-fir growth. Based on our results and their interpretation, forest managers may need not alter their current practices in the northern Oregon Cascades, and managing a mix of Douglas-fir and western hemlock at lower elevations and noble fir at higher elevations will help offset any future stand-growth declines due to Swiss needle cast.

Douglas-fir displays a range of growth responses to temperature, water, and Swiss needle cast in western Oregon, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) growth in the Pacific Northwest is affected by climatic, edaphic factors and Swiss needle cast (SNC) disease. We examine Douglas-fir growth responses to temperature, dewpoint deficit (DPD), soil moisture, and SNC ...

Massive decline of Cystoseira abies-marina forests in Gran Canaria Island (Canary Islands, eastern Atlantic

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José Valdazo

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Brown macroalgae within the genus Cystoseira are some of the most relevant “ecosystem-engineers” found throughout the Mediterranean and the adjacent Atlantic coasts. Cystoseira-dominated assemblages are sensitive to anthropogenic pressures, and historical declines have been reported from some regions. In particular, Cystoseira abies-marina, thriving on shallow rocky shores, is a key species for the ecosystems of the Canary Islands. In this work, we analyse changes in the distribution and extension of C. abies-marina in the last decades on the island of Gran Canaria. This alga dominated the shallow rocky shores of the entire island in the 1980s; a continuous belt extended along 120.5 km of the coastline and occupied 928 ha. In the first decade of the 21st century, fragmented populations were found along 52.2 km of the coastline and occupied 12.6 ha. Today, this species is found along 37.8 km of the coastline and occupies only 7.4 ha, mainly as scattered patches. This regression has been drastic around the whole island, even in areas with low anthropogenic pressure; the magnitude of the decline over time and the intensity of local human impacts have not shown a significant correlation. This study highlights a real need to implement conservation and restoration policies for C. abies-marina in this region.

Modelling the internal boundary layer over the lower fraser valley, British Columbia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Batchvarova, E. [National Inst. of Meteorology and Hydrology, Sofia (Bulgaria); Steyn, D. [Univ. of British Columbia, Dept. of Geography, Vancouver (Canada); Cai, X. [Univ. of Birmingham, School of Geography, Edgbaston (United Kingdom); Gryning, S.E. [Risoe National Lab., Roskilde (Denmark); Baldi, M. [Inst. for Atmospheric Physics, IFA-CNR, Rome (Italy)

1997-10-01

In this study we use the very extensive data-set on temporal and spatial structure of the internal boundary layer on the Lower Faser Valley, Canada, collected during the so-called Pacific `93 field campaign, to study the ability of the simple applied model by Gryning and Batchvarova (1996) and the CSU-RAMS meso-scale model summarised in Pielke et al. (1992) to describe the development and variability of the internal boundary layer depth during the course of a day. Given the complexity of topography, coastline and land-use in the Lower Fraser Valley region, both models perform remarkably well. The simple applied model performs extremely well, given its simplicity. It is clear that correct specification of spatially resolved surface sensible heat flux and wind field are crucial to the success of this model which can be operated at very fine spatial resolution. The 3D model performs extremely well, though it too must capture the local wind field correctly for complete success. Its limited horizontal resolution results in strongly smoothed internal boundary layer height fields. (LN)

Response of individual Douglas-fir trees to release.

Science.gov (United States)

Donald L. Reukema

1961-01-01

To evaluate effects of different degrees of release on individual Douglas-fir trees, a study was started in 1952 in a 41-year-old, site IV stand at the Wind River Experimental Forest. A remeasurement at the end of four growing seasons showed that dominants respond more quickly and positively to the removal of competing trees than codominants or intermediates. A second...

A temática das uniões homoafetivas no Supremo Tribunal Federal à luz do debate Honneth-Fraser The issue of homosexual unions in the Federal Supreme Court in light of the debate Honneth-Fraser

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Maria Eugenia Bunchaft

2012-06-01

Full Text Available O debate sobre os direitos das uniões homoafetivas constitui um dos tópicos mais controversos do direito constitucional. Como se sabe, a união homoafetiva não foi reconhecida expressamente no § 3º do artigo 226 da CF, inexistindo norma específica. O presente artigo pretende investigar a posição de ministros do STF em relação ao tema das uniões homoafetivas, em conexão com as filosofias do reconhecimento propostas por Axel Honneth e Nancy Fraser. Nesse sentido, os fundamentos filosóficos das teorias do reconhecimento podem ser um instrumental teórico fundamental para a compreensão de determinadas formas de ativismo judicial que objetivam a proteção de minorias estigmatizadas cujas pretensões normativas são desconsideradas pelo processo político. Pretendemos demonstrar que o paradigma da autorrealização proposto por Honneth é impreciso e incapaz de legitimar formas de ativismo judicial voltadas para a proteção dos direitos das uniões homoafetivas.The homosexual union rights are debated as one of the most controversial topics of Constitutional Law. It is known that the homosexual union was not explicitly recognized by the article 226 § 3º from FC, as there is no specific regulation for this subject. This paper intends to investigate STF ministers' position in relation to homosexual union according to Axel Honneth and Nancy Fraser philosophies of recognition. In this sense, the philosophical basis from recognition theories may be a theoretical instrument to comprehend some forms of judicial activism which aims are to protect stigmatized minorities whose regulatory intentions are disregarded by the political process. We intend to demonstrate that the Honneth's paradigm of achievement is imprecise and can't legitimate forms of judicial activism aimed to protect the rights of homosexual unions.

FIR: An Effective Scheme for Extracting Useful Metadata from Social Media.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Long-Sheng; Lin, Zue-Cheng; Chang, Jing-Rong

2015-11-01

Recently, the use of social media for health information exchange is expanding among patients, physicians, and other health care professionals. In medical areas, social media allows non-experts to access, interpret, and generate medical information for their own care and the care of others. Researchers paid much attention on social media in medical educations, patient-pharmacist communications, adverse drug reactions detection, impacts of social media on medicine and healthcare, and so on. However, relatively few papers discuss how to extract useful knowledge from a huge amount of textual comments in social media effectively. Therefore, this study aims to propose a Fuzzy adaptive resonance theory network based Information Retrieval (FIR) scheme by combining Fuzzy adaptive resonance theory (ART) network, Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI), and association rules (AR) discovery to extract knowledge from social media. In our FIR scheme, Fuzzy ART network firstly has been employed to segment comments. Next, for each customer segment, we use LSI technique to retrieve important keywords. Then, in order to make the extracted keywords understandable, association rules mining is presented to organize these extracted keywords to build metadata. These extracted useful voices of customers will be transformed into design needs by using Quality Function Deployment (QFD) for further decision making. Unlike conventional information retrieval techniques which acquire too many keywords to get key points, our FIR scheme can extract understandable metadata from social media.

Scaling of Supply Voltage in Design of Energy Saver FIR Filter on 28nm FPGA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pandey, Bishwajeet; Jain, Vishal; Sharma, Rashmi

2017-01-01

In this work, we are going to analyze the effect of main supply voltage, auxiliary supply voltage, local voltage of different power bank, and supply voltage in GTX transceiver and BRAM on power dissipation of our FIR design using Verilog during implementation on 28nm FPGA. We have also taken three.......33%, 86%, 90.67%, 65.33%, 52%, and 48.67% reduction in IO power dissipation of FIR Filter design on CSG324 package of Artix-7 FPGA family....

Optimum FIR filter for sampled signals in presence of jitter

Science.gov (United States)

Cattaneo, Paolo Walter

1996-02-01

The requirements of the integrated readout electronics for calorimetry at high luminosity hadron colliders pose new challenges both to hardware design and to the performance of signal processing algorithms. Both aspects have been treated in detail by the FERMI(RD16) collaboration [C. Alippi et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 344 (1994) 180], from which this work has been motivated. The estimation of the amplitude of sampled signals is usually performed with a digital FIR filter, or with a more sophisticated non linear digital filter using FIR filters as building blocks [S.J. Inkinen and J. Niittylahti, Trainable FIR-order statistic hybrid filters, to be published in IEEE Trans. Circuits and Systems; H. Alexanian et al., FERMI Collaboration, Optimized digital feature extraction in the FERMI microsystem Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A 357 (1995)]. In presence of significant signal phase jitter with respect to the clock, the phase dependence of the filter output can be a major source of error. This is especially true for measurements of large amplitudes for which the effect of electronic noise becomes negligible. This paper reports on the determination of digital FIR filters that optimize the signal over noise ratio due to known jitter distributions for different filter lengths. As the presence of electronic noise is neglected, the results are mainly relevant for measurements of large signals. FERMI is a collaboration with the aim of designing integrated electronics for the read out of calorimeter detectors in particle physics experiments at hadron colliders. It includes: CERN, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Physics and Measurement Technology, University of Linköping, Sweden; Center for Industrial Microelectronics and Materials Technology, University of Linköping, Sweden; LPNHE Universities Paris VI-VII, Paris, France; Dipartimento di Elettronica, Politecnico di Milano, Italy, Sezine INFN, Pavia, Italy; Dipartimento di Fisica Nucleare e Teorica dell'Universitá e Sezione

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Abies nephrolepis (Pinaceae: Abietoideae

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Dong-Keun Yi

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The plant chloroplast (cp genome has maintained a relatively conserved structure and gene content throughout evolution. Cp genome sequences have been used widely for resolving evolutionary and phylogenetic issues at various taxonomic levels of plants. Here, we report the complete cp genome of Abies nephrolepis. The A. nephrolepis cp genome is 121,336 base pairs (bp in length including a pair of short inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb of 139 bp each separated by a small single copy (SSC region of 54,323 bp (SSC and a large single copy region of 66,735 bp (LSC. It contains 114 genes, 68 of which are protein coding genes, 35 tRNA and four rRNA genes, six open reading frames, and one pseudogene. Seventeen repeat units and 64 simple sequence repeats (SSR have been detected in A. nephrolepis cp genome. Large IR sequences locate in 42-kb inversion points (1186 bp. The A. nephrolepis cp genome is identical to Abies koreana’s which is closely related to taxa. Pairwise comparison between two cp genomes revealed 140 polymorphic sites in each. Complete cp genome sequence of A. nephrolepis has a significant potential to provide information on the evolutionary pattern of Abietoideae and valuable data for development of DNA markers for easy identification and classification.

Static and dynamic bending has minor effects on xylem hydraulics of conifer branches (Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris).

Science.gov (United States)

Mayr, Stefan; Bertel, Clara; Dämon, Birgit; Beikircher, Barbara

2014-09-01

The xylem hydraulic efficiency and safety is usually measured on mechanically unstressed samples, although trees may be exposed to combined hydraulic and mechanical stress in the field. We analysed changes in hydraulic conductivity and vulnerability to drought-induced embolism during static bending of Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris branches as well as the effect of dynamic bending on the vulnerability. We hypothesized this mechanical stress to substantially impair xylem hydraulics. Intense static bending caused an only small decrease in hydraulic conductance (-19.5 ± 2.4% in P. abies) but no shift in vulnerability thresholds. Dynamic bending caused a 0.4 and 0.8 MPa decrease of the water potential at 50 and 88% loss of conductivity in P. sylvestris, but did not affect vulnerability thresholds in P. abies. With respect to applied extreme bending radii, effects on plant hydraulics were surprisingly small and are thus probably of minor eco-physiological importance. More importantly, results indicate that available xylem hydraulic analyses (of conifers) sufficiently reflect plant hydraulics under field conditions. © 2014 The Authors. Plant, Cell & Environment published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Flight periodicity of the Douglas-fir beetle, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in Colorado, U.S.A

Science.gov (United States)

Jose F. Negron; Willis C. Schaupp; Lee Pederson

2011-01-01

There are about 500 species of bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in the United States (Wood 1982). A number of them are important disturbance agents in forested ecosystems, occasionally creating large tracts of dead trees. One eruptive species is the Douglas-fir beetle, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins, which utilizes Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga...

Exogenous putrescine affects endogenous polyamine levels and the development of Picea abies somatic embryos

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Vondráková, Zuzana; Eliášová, Kateřina; Vágner, Martin; Martincová, Olga; Cvikrová, Milena

2015-01-01

Roč. 75, č. 2 (2015), s. 405-414 ISSN 0167-6903 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LD13050 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : Exogenous putrescine * Somatic embryogenesis * Picea abies Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 2.333, year: 2015

Adaptive Evolution and Demographic History of Norway Spruce (Picea Abies)

OpenAIRE

Källman, Thomas

2009-01-01

One of the major challenges in evolutionary biology is to determine the genetic basis of adaptive variation. In Norway spruce (Picea abies) the timing of bud set shows a very strong latitudinal cline despite a very low genetic differentiation between populations. The timing of bud set in Norway spruce is under strong genetic control and triggered by changes in photoperiod, but no genes controlling this response have so far been described. In this thesis we used a combination of functional stu...

Índice Tornozelo-Braquial (ITB determinado por esfigmomanômetros oscilométricos automáticos Assessing Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI by using automated oscillometric devices

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Takao Kawamura

2008-05-01

Full Text Available FUNDAMENTO: Índice Tornozelo-Braquial (ITB é essencial na prática clínica, mas dificuldades técnicas na sua execução pelo padrão de referência Doppler vascular (DV tornam-no ainda pouco utilizado. OBJETIVO: Avaliar aplicabilidade da determinação do ITB com uso de esfigmomanômetros oscilométricos automáticos (EOA e sugerir a utilização dos índices delta-Bráquio-Braquial (delta-BB e delta-ITB como marcadores de risco cardiovascular. MÉTODOS: Estudo descritivo e observacional de 247 pacientes ambulatoriais (56,2% feminino, média 62,0 anos submetidos à determinação do ITB com aferição simultânea da pressão arterial (PA em membros superiores (MMSS e inferiores (MMII utilizando-se dois EOA (OMRON-HEM705CP. Nos casos em que não foi possível aferir PA em pelo menos um dos MMII utilizou-se DV. Os pacientes divididos em Grupo N (ITB normal: 0,91 a 1,30 e Grupo A (ITB alterado: 1,30 tiveram comparados entre si os valores de delta-ITB (diferença absoluta ITB/MMII e delta-BB (diferença absoluta PAS/MMSS. RESULTADOS: Utilizando-se EOA foi possível determinar ITB em 90,7%. Com dados do Grupo N determinaram-se valores de referência (VR no percentil 95 de delta-ITB (0-0,13 e delta-BB (0-8 mmHg. Quando comparado com o Grupo N, o Grupo A apresentou prevalência mais elevada tanto de delta-ITB (30/52 contra 10/195; Razão de Chances: 25,23; pBACKGROUND: Assessing Ankle-Brachial Index is an essential procedure in clinical settings, but since its measurement by the gold standard Doppler Ultrasonic (DU technique is impaired by technical difficulties, it is underperformed. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of an automated oscillometric device (AOD by performing Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI assessments and to suggest delta brachial-brachial (delta-BB and delta-ABI as markers of cardiovascular risk. METHODS: In this observational and descriptive study, 247 patients (56.2% females, mean age 62.0 years had their

Assessing the effects of vegetation types on carbon storage fifteen years after reforestation on a Chinese fir site

Science.gov (United States)

Qinkui Wang; Silong Wang; Jianwei Zhang

2009-01-01

Forest ecosystems play a significant role in sequestering carbon (C) in biomass and soils. Plantations established in subtropical China since the 1980s, mainly of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) in monocultures, have proved to be major C sinks. However, information is lacking about whether mixing Chinese fir with broadleaved tree...

Diameter Growth, Biological Rotation Age and Biomass of Chinese Fir in Burning and Clearing Site Preparations in Subtropical China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hua Zhou

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Sustained forest management of Cunninghamia lanceolata (Chinese fir plantations in subtropical China is restricted by the limited availability of quantitative data. This study combines inventory data and tree-ring analysis of Chinese fir from natural and plantation forests that were subjected to controlled burning or brush clearing site preparations. Inter-annual variation of Chinese fir tree-ring widths were measured for the controlled burning, brush clearing and natural forest sites. The mean annual diametric growth of Chinese fir was 0.56 cm·year−1 for the natural forest, 0.80 cm·year−1 for the brush clearing site and 1.10 cm·year−1 for the controlled burning site. The time needed to reach the minimum cutting/logging diameter of 15 cm was 14 years in the controlled burning site, 19 years in the brush clearing site and >40 years in the natural forest. The biological rotation ages for the burning, cutting and natural forest sites were 15, 26 and >100 years, respectively. The total aboveground biomasses for the burning and clearing sites were 269.8 t·ha−1 and 252 t·ha−1, respectively. These results suggest that the current 25-year cutting cycle greatly underestimates the growth rate of Chinese fir plantations.

Implementing information technology to improve workplace health: a web-based information needs assessment of managers in Fraser Health, British Columbia.

Science.gov (United States)

Sandhu, Jag S; Anderson, Keith; Keen, Dave; Yassi, Annalee

2005-01-01

A web-based questionnaire-survey was administered primarily to determine what information is useful to managers in Fraser Health, of British Columbia to support decision-making for workplace health and safety. The results indicated that managers prefer electronic quarterly reports, with targets, goals, and historical trends rated as "very important." Over 85.7% "agree" that if information was readily available in the "most beneficial" format, they would be able to improve workplace health. Recommendations include that managers be presented with clear and concise workplace health reports that facilitate analysis for decision-making.

Arabidopsis MADS-Box Transcription Factor AGL21 Acts as Environmental Surveillance of Seed Germination by Regulating ABI5 Expression.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Lin-Hui; Wu, Jie; Zhang, Zi-Sheng; Miao, Zi-Qing; Zhao, Ping-Xia; Wang, Zhen; Xiang, Cheng-Bin

2017-06-05

Seed germination is a crucial checkpoint for plant survival under unfavorable environmental conditions. Abscisic acid (ABA) signaling plays a vital role in integrating environmental information to regulate seed germination. It has been well known that MCM1/AGAMOUS/DEFICIENS/SRF (MADS)-box transcription factors are key regulators of seed and flower development in Arabidopsis. However, little is known about their functions in seed germination. Here we report that MADS-box transcription factor AGL21 is a negative regulator of seed germination and post-germination growth by controlling the expression of ABA-INSENSITIVE 5 (ABI5) in Arabidopsis. The AGL21-overexpressing plants were hypersensitive to ABA, salt, and osmotic stresses during seed germination and early post-germination growth, whereas agl21 mutants were less sensitive. We found that AGL21 positively regulated ABI5 expression in seeds. Consistently, genetic analyses showed that AGL21 is epistatic to ABI5 in controlling seed germination. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays further demonstrated that AGL21 could directly bind to the ABI5 promoter in plant cells. Moreover, we found that AGL21 responded to multiple environmental stresses and plant hormones during seed germination. Taken together, our results suggest that AGL21 acts as a surveillance integrator that incorporates environmental cues and endogenous hormonal signals into ABA signaling to regulate seed germination and early post-germination growth. Copyright © 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Apuntes sobre algunos reguladores del crecimiento vegetal que participan en la respuesta de las plantas frente al estrés abiótico

OpenAIRE

Chávez Suárez, Licet; Álvarez Fonseca, Alexander; Ramírez Fernández, Ramiro

2012-01-01

El estrés abiótico es una de las principales causas de las pérdidas de las producciones agrícolas a nivel mundial. Los reguladores del crecimiento vegetal tales como el ácido abscícico, el etileno, el ácido jasmónico y el ácido salicílico son esenciales en la respuesta de las plantas al estrés abiótico. Se describen las generalidades de estas moléculas así como su función en la respuesta de la planta frente al estrés abiótico. The abiotic stress is one of the most significative cause of th...

An advanced strategy for wind speed forecasting using expert 2-D FIR filters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MOGHADDAM, A. A.

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Renewable energies such as wind and solar have become the most attractive means of electricity generation nowadays. Social and environmental benefits as well as economical issues result in further utilization of such these energy resources. In this regard, wind energy plays an important roll in operation of small-scale power systems like Micro Grid. On the other hand, wind stochastic nature in different time and place horizons, makes accurate forecasting of its behavior an inevitable task for market planners and energy management systems. In this paper an advanced strategy for wind speed estimation has been purposed and its superior performance is compared to that of conventional methods. The model is based on linear predictive filtering and image processing principles using 2-D FIR filters. To show the efficiency of purposed predictive model different FIR filters are designed and tested through similar data. Wind speed data have been collected during the period January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2009 from Casella automatic weather station at Plymouth. It is observed that 2-D FIR filters act more accurately in comparison with 1-D conventional representations; however, their prediction ability varies considerably through different filter sizing.

Linking carbon supply to root cell-wall chemistry and mechanics at high altitudes in Abies georgei

Science.gov (United States)

Genet, Marie; Li, Mingcai; Luo, Tianxiang; Fourcaud, Thierry; Clément-Vidal, Anne; Stokes, Alexia

2011-01-01

Background and Aims The mobile carbon supply to different compartments of a tree is affected by climate, but its impact on cell-wall chemistry and mechanics remains unknown. To understand better the variability in root growth and biomechanics in mountain forests subjected to substrate mass movement, we investigated root chemical and mechanical properties of mature Abies georgei var. smithii (Smith fir) growing at different elevations on the Tibet–Qinghai Plateau. Methods Thin and fine roots (0·1–4·0 mm in diameter) were sampled at three different elevations (3480, 3900 and 4330 m, the last corresponding to the treeline). Tensile resistance of roots of different diameter classes was measured along with holocellulose and non-structural carbon (NSC) content. Key Results The mean force necessary to break roots in tension decreased significantly with increasing altitude and was attributed to a decrease in holocellulose content. Holocellulose was significantly lower in roots at the treeline (29·5 ± 1·3 %) compared with those at 3480 m (39·1 ± 1·0 %). Roots also differed significantly in NSC, with 35·6 ± 4·1 mg g−1 dry mass of mean total soluble sugars in roots at 3480 m and 18·8 ± 2·1 mg g−1 dry mass in roots at the treeline. Conclusions Root mechanical resistance, holocellulose and NSC content all decreased with increasing altitude. Holocellulose is made up principally of cellulose, the biosynthesis of which depends largely on NSC supply. Plants synthesize cellulose when conditions are optimal and NSC is not limiting. Thus, cellulose synthesis in the thin and fine roots measured in our study is probably not a priority in mature trees growing at very high altitudes, where climatic factors will be limiting for growth. Root NSC stocks at the treeline may be depleted through over-demand for carbon supply due to increased fine root production or winter root growth. PMID:21186240

Early genetic evaluation of open-pollinated Douglas-fir families

Science.gov (United States)

Kurt H. Riitters; David A. Perry

1987-01-01

In a test of early genetic evaluation of the growth potential of 14 families of open-pollinated Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) [Mirb.] Franco), measures of growth and phenology of seedligns grown in a coldframe were correlated with height of saplings in evaluation plantations at 9, 12, and 15 years. fifteen-year height was most strongly...

Status and prospects of a compact FIR FEL driven by a magnetron-based microtron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Young Uk; Kazakevitch, Grigori M.; Lee, Byung Cheol; Kim, Sun Kook; Cho, Sung Oh; Gavrilov, Nicolai G.; Lee, Jongmin

2002-01-01

A magnetron-based microtron as a driver of FIR FEL has several prominent advantages in cost, size, beam quality and operation convenience. However, it has some disadvantages due to the instability of the RF frequency and a low current. In order to overcome these disadvantages, the frequency stability of the magnetron was improved, and the interaction between the electron beam and the FIR radiation was enhanced by using a high-performance undulator and a low-loss waveguide-mode optical resonator. The FEL is now under upgrade in order to extend the wavelength range to cover 90-300 μm, which can be done by increasing the energy range of electron beam to 4.3-7 MeV. In this paper, we report the results of investigations on output characteristics of the FEL depending on cavity detuning, electron beam matching, and RF instability. Based on the results, we discuss the prospects of wide-band FIR FELs driven by magnetron-based microtrons as potent sources of radiation for scientific applications

The COP9 Signalosome regulates seed germination by facilitating protein degradation of RGL2 and ABI5.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan Jin

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The control of seed germination and seed dormancy are critical for the successful propagation of plant species, and are important agricultural traits. Seed germination is tightly controlled by the balance of gibberellin (GA and abscisic acid (ABA, and is influenced by environmental factors. The COP9 Signalosome (CSN is a conserved multi-subunit protein complex that is best known as a regulator of the Cullin-RING family of ubiquitin E3 ligases (CRLs. Multiple viable mutants of the CSN showed poor germination, except for csn5b-1. Detailed analyses showed that csn1-10 has a stronger seed dormancy, while csn5a-1 mutants exhibit retarded seed germination in addition to hyperdormancy. Both csn5a-1 and csn1-10 plants show defects in the timely removal of the germination inhibitors: RGL2, a repressor of GA signaling, and ABI5, an effector of ABA responses. We provide genetic evidence to demonstrate that the germination phenotype of csn1-10 is caused by over-accumulation of RGL2, a substrate of the SCF (CRL1 ubiquitin E3 ligase, while the csn5a-1 phenotype is caused by over-accumulation of RGL2 as well as ABI5. The genetic data are consistent with the hypothesis that CSN5A regulates ABI5 by a mechanism that may not involve CSN1. Transcriptome analyses suggest that CSN1 has a more prominent role than CSN5A during seed maturation, but CSN5A plays a more important role than CSN1 during seed germination, further supporting the functional distinction of these two CSN genes. Our study delineates the molecular targets of the CSN complex in seed germination, and reveals that CSN5 has additional functions in regulating ABI5, thus the ABA signaling pathway.

Factors affecting diurnal stem contraction in young Douglas-fir

Science.gov (United States)

Warren D. Devine; Constance Harrington

2011-01-01

Diurnal fluctuation in a tree's stem diameter is a function of daily growth and of the tree's water balance, as water is temporarily stored in the relatively elastic outer cambial and phloem tissues. On a very productive site in southwestern Washington, U.S.A we used recording dendrometers to monitor stem diameter fluctuations of Douglas-fir at plantation...

Effects of bear damage on Douglas-fir lumber recovery

Science.gov (United States)

Eini C. Lowell; Dennis Dykstra; George McFadden

2009-01-01

Bear activily resulting in injury to Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) trees has been documented as early as the mid-1850s in the Pacific Northwest. The study reported in this article was designed to help managers decide whether the common practice of removing the damaged but potentially valuable butt section of the bottom log and...

True fir-hemlock spacing trials: design and first results.

Science.gov (United States)

Robert O. Curtis; Gary W. Clendenen; Jan A. Henderson

2000-01-01

A series of 18 precommercial thinning trials was established in true fir-hemlock stands in the Olympic Mountains and along the west side of the Cascade Range in Washington and Oregon from 1987 through 1994. This paper documents establishment of these installations and presents some preliminary observations and results. Substantial differences in growth rates in height...

Environmental Assessment/Overseas Environmental Assessment for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Initial Operational Test and Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

2009-09-01

shrub layer. White fir (Abies concolor) occurs at elevations above approximately 8,000 feet, with single leaf pinyon ( Pinus monophylla) and limber...pine ( Pinus flexilis). The South Range lies in the northeastern portion of the Mojave Desert. Creosote bush, white bursage, and saltbush...pools of water, of sufficient extent, to sustain populations during drought . Wildlife species associated with Mojave Desert habitats found in the

Cultural Resources in the Southern Lake Erie Basin: A Predictive Study.

Science.gov (United States)

1981-01-01

American elm , black ash, and silver maple; also associated were slippery elm , burr oak, swamp white oak, and bitternut hickory. Another type of swamp...American elm -red maple-black ash association dominated the wetter sites. Associated were slippery elm , burr oak, swamp white oak, and bitternut...americana Red elm ( slippery elm ) U. rubra Balsam fir Abies balsanea Hackberry Celtis occidentalis American hazel Corylus americana Eastern hemlock

Prevalence and association of oral candidiasis with dysphagia in individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Odgaard, Lene; Nielsen, Jørgen Feldbæk; Kothari, Mohit

Objective: To describe the prevalence of oral candidiasis (OC) in individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) and to evaluate the association of OC with improvement in dysphagia. Design: Longitudinal observational study. Methods: Individuals with ABI admitted to a rehabilitation centre were...... recruited over a one-year period. OC-data were collected by clinical examinations and verified by cultivation/microscopy in every 3 weeks during first 10 weeks of admission. Data on dysphagia were collected through medical record reviews. Dysphagia improvement was defined by: 1) First positive change.......7%, respectively. The OC prevalence was 24.8% after one week of admission and reduced to 10.1% after ten weeks of admission. Adjusted hazard ratios for improvement in dysphagia were 0.64-0.77 in OC compared to without OC, though not statistically significant. Conclusion: Prevalence of OC was high at admission...

In vivo evaluation of the effect of stimulus distribution on FIR statistical efficiency in event-related fMRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Jansma, J Martijn; de Zwart, Jacco A; van Gelderen, Peter; Duyn, Jeff H; Drevets, Wayne C; Furey, Maura L

2013-05-15

Technical developments in MRI have improved signal to noise, allowing use of analysis methods such as Finite impulse response (FIR) of rapid event related functional MRI (er-fMRI). FIR is one of the most informative analysis methods as it determines onset and full shape of the hemodynamic response function (HRF) without any a priori assumptions. FIR is however vulnerable to multicollinearity, which is directly related to the distribution of stimuli over time. Efficiency can be optimized by simplifying a design, and restricting stimuli distribution to specific sequences, while more design flexibility necessarily reduces efficiency. However, the actual effect of efficiency on fMRI results has never been tested in vivo. Thus, it is currently difficult to make an informed choice between protocol flexibility and statistical efficiency. The main goal of this study was to assign concrete fMRI signal to noise values to the abstract scale of FIR statistical efficiency. Ten subjects repeated a perception task with five random and m-sequence based protocol, with varying but, according to literature, acceptable levels of multicollinearity. Results indicated substantial differences in signal standard deviation, while the level was a function of multicollinearity. Experiment protocols varied up to 55.4% in standard deviation. Results confirm that quality of fMRI in an FIR analysis can significantly and substantially vary with statistical efficiency. Our in vivo measurements can be used to aid in making an informed decision between freedom in protocol design and statistical efficiency. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Physiological responses of planting frozen and thawed Douglas-fir seedlings

Science.gov (United States)

M. Anisul Islam; Kent G. Apostol; Douglass F. Jacobs; R. Kasten Dumroese

2008-01-01

We studied the short-term (7-day) physiological responses of planting thawed and frozen root plugs of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) seedlings in 2 separate experiments under cool-moist and warm-dry growing conditions, respectively. Our results showed that shoot water potential, root hydraulic conductance, net photosynthesis (A), and...

Competitive relations between Douglas-fir and Pacific madrone on shallow soils in a Mediterranean climate

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zheng Q.; Newton, M.; Tappeiner, J. C.

1995-01-01

A large area of Pacific Coast forests is characterized by shallow soil, with negligible rainfall in the growing season. This study explores water-seeking strategy on such a site. We studied availability of bedrock water and its effects on growth and ecophysiology of 11-yr-old planted Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) and sprouting Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii Pursh). The study was carried out at three regulated densities of madrone sprouts on shallow ( 0.05) among three densities of madrone. However, cover in plots with the highest density of madrone (1322 sprout clumps/ha) depleted 50 mm of water from the 1.5 m layer by June, whereas vegetation on lower density treatments withdrew 15-28 mm by June, with later withdrawal distributed more uniformly through the growing season. Madrone density significantly affected basal diameter (P a?? 0.0001) and height growth (P a?? 0.002) of Douglas-fir. Madrone was consistently taller than Douglas-fir in all plots. The height of 11-yr-old madrone sprout clumps (424-465 cm) did not differ significantly among densities. Madrone leaf area index and biomass were higher at the high density of madrone than at medium density (P a?? 0.045, LAI; P a?? 0.001, biomass). Physiological advantages and rooting habits of madrone give it a competitive advantage over Douglas-fir in this area that it might not have if bedrock did not provide the principal water reservoir for summer growth.

FiR 1 reactor in service for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) and isotope production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auterinen, I.; Salmenhaara, S.E.J. . Author

2004-01-01

The FiR 1 reactor, a 250 kW Triga reactor, has been in operation since 1962. The main purpose for the existence of the reactor is now the Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT), but FiR 1 has also an important national role in providing local enterprises and research institutions in the fields of industrial measurements, pharmaceuticals, electronics etc. with isotope production and activation analysis services. In the 1990's a BNCT treatment facility was built at the FiR 1 reactor located at Technical Research Centre of Finland. A special new neutron moderator material Fluental TM (Al+AlF3+Li) developed at VTT ensures the superior quality of the neutron beam. Also the treatment environment is of world top quality after a major renovation of the whole reactor building in 1997. Recently the lithiated polyethylene neutron shielding of the beam aperture was modified to ease the positioning of the patient close to the beam aperture. Increasing the reactor power to 500 kW would allow positioning of the patient further away from the beam aperture. Possibilities to accomplish a safety analysis for this is currently under considerations. Over thirty patients have been treated at FiR 1 since May 1999, when the license for patient treatment was granted to the responsible BNCT treatment organization, Boneca Corporation. Currently three clinical trial protocols for tumours in the brain as well as in the head and neck region are recruiting patients. (author)

EuroFIR eBASIS: application for health claims submissions and evaluations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kiely, M.; Black, L.J.; Plumb, J.; Kroon, P.; Hollman, P.C.H.; Larsen, J.C.; Speijers, G.; Kapsokefalou, M.; Sheehan, D.; Gry, J.; Finglas, P.M.

2010-01-01

Background: The European Food Information Resource (EuroFIR) network has established the eBASIS (Bioactive Substances in Food Information System) online food composition and biological effects database for plant-derived bioactive compounds (phytochemicals). On the basis of submitted evidence, the

[A comparative study on soil fauna in native secondary evergreen broad-leaved forest and Chinese fir plantation forests in subtropics].

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Shaokui; Wang, Silong; Hu, Yalin; Gao, Hong; Zhang, Xiuyong

2004-10-01

In this study, we investigated the response of soil animal communities to the replacement of native secondary forest by Chinese fir plantation forest and successive rotation of Chinese fir in subtropics. Three adjacent forest stands, i.e., native secondary evergreen broad-leaved forest stand (control) and Chinese fir plantation stands of first (20 yr) and second (20 yr) rotations were selected for the comparison of soil fauna. All animals were extracted from the floor litter and 0-15 cm soil layer of the stands in Summer, 2003 by using Tullgren method, wet funnel method and hand-sorting method. Compared to two Chinese fir plantation forests, the native secondary evergreen broad-leaved forest had a higher abundance and a higher taxonomic diversity of animals in soil and litter, but there were no significant differences in the biomass and productivity of soil fauna between all study stands. The abundance or diversity did not differ significantly between the first rotation and second rotation stands, too. The results supported that vegetation cover might be one of the main forces driving the development of soil animal communities, and the effect of successive rotation of Chinese fir on the development of soil fauna was a slow-running process.

Reproduction following small group cuttings in virgin Douglas-fir.

Science.gov (United States)

Norman P. Worthington

1953-01-01

Quick and adequate regeneration of Douglas-fir forests as they are harvested is a major forest management problem in the Puget Sound region. Clear-cutting by staggered settings has not always resulted in adequate regeneration even where no part of the area is more than one-fourth mile from a seed source. Single tree selection, experimented with extensively, has many...

Nuevos genes reguladores de la tolerancia a estrés abiótico en Arabidopsis.

OpenAIRE

MARTÍNEZ MACÍAS, FÉLIX

2015-01-01

Martínez Macías, F. (2015). Nuevos genes reguladores de la tolerancia a estrés abiótico en Arabidopsis [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. doi:10.4995/Thesis/10251/48560. TESIS

Can a fake fir tell the truth about Swiss needle cast?

Science.gov (United States)

A key question in dendrochronology to reconstruct forest disturbance history is how to distinguish between the effects of Swiss needle cast (SNC) and other forest disturbance agents (e.g., Douglas-fir beetle, tussock moth, western spruce budworm, laminated root rot, Armillaria ro...

Kto zje żabę Haberschracka? : symbolika żaby w Poliptyku Augustiańskim Mikołaja Haberschracka, XV w

OpenAIRE

Tytko, Marek Mariusz

1998-01-01

Tekst dotyczy symboliki żaby w Poliptyku Augustiańskim namalowanym przez Mikołaja Haberschracka z Nowej Wsi koło Krakowa w XV w. Obraz powstał w 1468 r. Ufundowany był przez przeora klasztoru i konwent zakonu augustianów w Krakowie. Augustianie krakowscy byli twórcami programu ideowego tego poliptyku. W tekście opisano konteksty biblijne, teologiczne i historyczne dla tego obrazu. Autor artykułu stawia hipotezę o symbolicznym znaczeniu żab w obrazie. Żaby oznaczać mogą tam (alternatywnie): 1)...

Design optimisation of powers-of-two FIR filter using self-organising random immigrants GA

Science.gov (United States)

Chandra, Abhijit; Chattopadhyay, Sudipta

2015-01-01

In this communication, we propose a novel design strategy of multiplier-less low-pass finite impulse response (FIR) filter with the aid of a recent evolutionary optimisation technique, known as the self-organising random immigrants genetic algorithm. Individual impulse response coefficients of the proposed filter have been encoded as sum of signed powers-of-two. During the formulation of the cost function for the optimisation algorithm, both the frequency response characteristic and the hardware cost of the discrete coefficient FIR filter have been considered. The role of crossover probability of the optimisation technique has been evaluated on the overall performance of the proposed strategy. For this purpose, the convergence characteristic of the optimisation technique has been included in the simulation results. In our analysis, two design examples of different specifications have been taken into account. In order to substantiate the efficiency of our proposed structure, a number of state-of-the-art design strategies of multiplier-less FIR filter have also been included in this article for the purpose of comparison. Critical analysis of the result unambiguously establishes the usefulness of our proposed approach for the hardware efficient design of digital filter.

Complex bud architecture and cell-specific chemical patterns enable supercooling of Picea abies bud primordial

Science.gov (United States)

Bud primordia of Picea abies, despite a frozen shoot, stay ice free down to -50 °C by a mechanism termed supercooling whose biophysical and biochemical requirements are poorly understood. Bud architecture was assessed by 3D-reconstruction, supercooling and freezing patterns by infrared video thermog...

The economic significance of mortality in old-growth Douglas-fir management.

Science.gov (United States)

R.O. McMahon

1961-01-01

Current mortality in the Douglas-fir subregion, exclusive of catastrophic mortality, approximates a billion feet a year. The Forest Service report "Timber Resources for America's Future" recommended "...utilizing a substantial portion of the unsalvaged mortality loss..." as one means of permanently increasing the Nation's timber supply and...

Tree-ring stable isotopes record the impact of a foliar fungal pathogen on CO2 assimilation and growth in Douglas-fir

Science.gov (United States)

Swiss needle cast (SNC) is a fungal disease of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) that has recently become prevalent in coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest. We used growth measurements and stable isotopes of carbon and oxygen in tree-rings of Douglas-fir and a non-susceptible...

Habitat management for red tree voles in Douglas-fir forests.

Science.gov (United States)

M.H. Huff; R.S. Holthausen; K.B. Aubry

1992-01-01

The relations between arboreal rodents and trees causes the animals to be particularly sensitive to the effects of timber harvesting.Among arboreal rodents,we consider the redtree vole to be the most vulnerable to local extinctions resulting from the loss or fragmentation of old-growth Douglas-fir forests. Redtree voles are nocturnal,canopy dwelling, and difficult to...

Fire severity unaffected by spruce beetle outbreak in spruce-fir forests in southwestern Colorado.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrus, Robert A; Veblen, Thomas T; Harvey, Brian J; Hart, Sarah J

2016-04-01

Recent large and severe outbreaks of native bark beetles have raised concern among the general public and land managers about potential for amplified fire activity in western North America. To date, the majority of studies examining bark beetle outbreaks and subsequent fire severity in the U.S. Rocky Mountains have focused on outbreaks of mountain pine beetle (MPB; Dendroctonus ponderosae) in lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) forests, but few studies, particularly field studies, have addressed the effects of the severity of spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirby) infestation on subsequent fire severity in subalpine Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) forests. In Colorado, the annual area infested by spruce beetle outbreaks is rapidly rising, while MPB outbreaks are subsiding; therefore understanding this relationship is of growing importance. We collected extensive field data in subalpine forests in the eastern San Juan Mountains, southwestern Colorado, USA, to investigate whether a gray-stage (fire) spruce beetle infestation affected fire severity. Contrary to the expectation that bark beetle infestation alters subsequent fire severity, correlation and multivariate generalized linear regression analysis revealed no influence of pre-fire spruce beetle severity on nearly all field or remotely sensed measurements of fire severity. Findings were consistent across moderate and extreme burning conditions. In comparison to severity of the pre-fire beetle outbreak, we found that topography, pre-outbreak basal area, and weather conditions exerted a stronger effect on fire severity. Our finding that beetle infestation did not alter fire severity is consistent with previous retrospective studies examining fire activity following other bark beetle outbreaks and reiterates the overriding influence of climate that creates conditions conducive to large, high-severity fires in the subalpine zone of Colorado. Both bark beetle outbreaks and

Ozone fumigation under dark/light conditions of Norway Spruce (Picea Abies) and Scots Pine (Pinus Sylvestris)

Science.gov (United States)

Canaval, Eva; Jud, Werner; Hansel, Armin

2015-04-01

Norway Spruce (Picea abies) and Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) represent dominating tree species in the northern hemisphere. Thus, the understanding of their ozone sensitivity in the light of the expected increasing ozone levels in the future is of great importance. In our experiments we investigated the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of 3-4 year old Norway Spruce and Scots Pine seedlings under ozone fumigation (50-150 ppbv) and dark/light conditions. For the experiments the plants were placed in a setup with inert materials including a glass cuvette equipped with a turbulent air inlet and sensors for monitoring a large range of meteorological parameters. Typical conditions were 20-25°C and a relative humidity of 70-90 % for both plant species. A fast gas exchange rate was used to minimize reactions of ozone in the gas phase. A Switchable-Reagent-Ion-Time-of-Flight-MS (SRI-ToF-MS) was used to analyze the VOCs at the cuvette outlet in real-time during changing ozone and light levels. The use of H3O+ and NO+ as reagent ions allows the separation of certain isomers (e.g. aldehydes and ketones) due to different reaction pathways depending on the functional groups of the molecules. Within the Picea abies experiments the ozone loss, defined as the difference of the ozone concentration between cuvette inlet and outlet, remained nearly constant at the transition from dark to light. This indicates that a major part of the supplied ozone is depleted non-stomatally. In contrast the ozone loss increased by 50 % at the transition from dark to light conditions within Pinus sylvestris experiments. In this case the stomata represent the dominant loss channel. Since maximally 0.1% of the ozone loss could be explained by gas phase reactions with monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, we suggest that ozone reactions on the surface of Picea abies represent the major sink in this case and lead to an light-independent ozone loss. This is supported by the fact that we detected

Dust records in the Pleistocene sediments of Fraser Island: palaeoclimatic reconstruction of wind erosion over the last 600 ka

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Longmore, M.E.; McTainsh, G.H.

1997-01-01

Full text: Pleistocene lake sediments from a relic perched freshwater lake on Fraser Island have been found to date back to ca.600 ka using U/Th analysis of the organics. This sequence is one of the three longest terrestrial records of environmental change in Australia and the contained evidence of vegetation, fire and lake level changes (Longmore and Heijnis, 1996) and is an invaluable contribution to palaeoclimatic reconstruction. A younger sequence, dated by conventional radiocarbon analysis, has 6.5 m of continuous organic sedimentation from ca. 30 ka to the present. The last 8.5 ka has been analysed in detail, showing a mid-Holocene 'dry' period (Longmore, 1996). Continental aeolian dust from extreme wind erosional events has been measured in modern atmospheres (McTainsh, 1989; Knight et al., 1995) and deep sea cores (Hesse, 1994), but the terrestrial record of wind erosion during the Pleistocene is sparse. We will report on a pilot project to determine the presence of aeolian dust from extreme wind erosional events in the past in the sediments of Fraser Island lakes. Due to the highly weathered, well-sorted, siliceous nature of the dune sands forming the Island and the highly organic nature of the lake sediments (80-95% LOI), these are some of the few terrestrial sequences that permit separation of aeolian dust from local catchment materials. In the future, oxygen isotope and XRD analysis of the extracted dust will allow the most likely source of the entrained material to be determined and thus provide further evidence as to the wind regime during the last 600ka and 30ka respectively. The separation of dust from these terrestrial sequences is a major achievement and potentially may make a significant contribution to global palaeoclimatic models

Simulation of carbon and water budgets of a Douglas-fir forest

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wijk, van M.T.; Dekker, S.C.; Bouten, W.; Kohsiek, W.; Mohren, G.M.J.

2001-01-01

The forest growth/hydrology model FORGRO–SWIF, consisting of a forest growth and a soil water model, was applied to quantify the inter-annual variability of the carbon and water budgets of a Douglas-fir forest (Pseudotsuga menziessii (Mirb.) Franco) in The Netherlands. With these budgets, the water

Eco-physiological characteristics and variation in water source use between montane Douglas-Fir and lodgepole pine trees in southwestern Alberta

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, S.; Flanagan, L. B.

2009-12-01

Winter weather on the Canadian prairies is now warmer and drier than 50 years ago and this has implications for soil water re-charge in montane ecosystems with consequences for tree and ecosystem function. We used measurements of the hydrogen isotope ratio of tree stem water to analyze the use of different water sources (winter snow melt, ground water, summer precipitation) in two montane forest sites, one dominated by Douglas-Fir and the other dominated by lodgepole pine trees. On average during the growing season (May-October) stem water in both Douglas-Fir and lodgepole pine trees was composed of 60% summer precipitation. However, during late summer Douglas-Fir trees showed an increased use of ground water as summer precipitation was minimal and ground water was accessible at the bottom of a relatively large soil reservoir. The low summer precipitation and reduced soil water availability in the shallow soils at the lodgepole pine site resulted in severely reduced photosynthetic capacity in late summer. Increased precipitation during the autumn resulted in recovery of photosynthetic gas exchange in lodgepole pine before winter dormancy was induced by low temperatures. Stomatal limitation of photosynthesis, as estimated from measurements of the carbon isotope composition of leaf tissue, was higher in Douglas-Fir than lodgepole pine. This was also associated with lower midday water potential values in Douglas-Fir and sapwood cross-sectional area that was only 70% of that measured in lodgepole pine. The vulnerability of xylem to loss of conductivity with declines in water potential was very similar between the two species. However, midday water potential in Douglas-Fir approached values where cavitation and loss of conductivity were apparent, while in lodgepole pine midday water potential was always much higher than the point at which loss of hydraulic conductivity occurred. These data suggest that, despite the presence of Douglas-Fir on deeper and higher quality

Affiliative and "self-as-doer" identities: Relationships between social identity, social support, and emotional status amongst survivors of acquired brain injury (ABI).

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, R Stephen; Muldoon, Orla T; Gallagher, Stephen; Fortune, Donal G

2015-01-01

Social support is an important factor in rehabilitation following acquired brain injury (ABI). Research indicates that social identity makes social support possible and that social identity is made possible by social support. In order to further investigate the reciprocity between social identity and social support, the present research applied the concepts of affiliative and "self-as-doer" identities to an analysis of relationships between social identity, social support, and emotional status amongst a cohort of 53 adult survivors of ABI engaged in post-acute community neurorehabilitation. Path analysis was used to test a hypothesised mediated model whereby affiliative identities have a significant indirect relationship with emotional status via social support and self-as-doer identification. Results support the hypothesised model. Evidence supports an "upward spiral" between social identity and social support such that affiliative identity makes social support possible and social support drives self-as-doer identity. Our discussion emphasises the importance of identity characteristics to social support, and to emotional status, for those living with ABI.

ABI Base Recall: Automatic Correction and Ends Trimming of DNA Sequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Elyazghi, Zakaria; Yazouli, Loubna El; Sadki, Khalid; Radouani, Fouzia

2017-12-01

Automated DNA sequencers produce chromatogram files in ABI format. When viewing chromatograms, some ambiguities are shown at various sites along the DNA sequences, because the program implemented in the sequencing machine and used to call bases cannot always precisely determine the right nucleotide, especially when it is represented by either a broad peak or a set of overlaying peaks. In such cases, a letter other than A, C, G, or T is recorded, most commonly N. Thus, DNA sequencing chromatograms need manual examination: checking for mis-calls and truncating the sequence when errors become too frequent. The purpose of this paper is to develop a program allowing the automatic correction of these ambiguities. This application is a Web-based program powered by Shiny and runs under R platform for an easy exploitation. As a part of the interface, we added the automatic ends clipping option, alignment against reference sequences, and BLAST. To develop and test our tool, we collected several bacterial DNA sequences from different laboratories within Institut Pasteur du Maroc and performed both manual and automatic correction. The comparison between the two methods was carried out. As a result, we note that our program, ABI base recall, accomplishes good correction with a high accuracy. Indeed, it increases the rate of identity and coverage and minimizes the number of mismatches and gaps, hence it provides solution to sequencing ambiguities and saves biologists' time and labor.

The Andalusian Bipolar Family (ABiF) Study: Protocol and sample description.

Science.gov (United States)

Guzman-Parra, Jose; Rivas, Fabio; Strohmaier, Jana; Forstner, Andreas; Streit, Fabian; Auburger, Georg; Propping, Peter; Orozco-Diaz, Guillermo; González, Maria José; Gil-Flores, Susana; Cabaleiro-Fabeiro, Francisco Javier; Del Río-Noriega, Francisco; Perez-Perez, Fermin; Haro-González, Jesus; de Diego-Otero, Yolanda; Romero-Sanchiz, Pablo; Moreno-Küstner, Berta; Cichon, Sven; Nöthen, Markus M; Rietschel, Marcella; Mayoral, Fermin

2017-06-12

Here, we present the first description of the Andalusian Bipolar Family (ABiF) Study. This longitudinal investigation of families from Andalusia, Spain commenced in 1997 with the aim of elucidating the molecular genetic causes of bipolar affective disorder. The cohort has since contributed to a number of key genetic findings, as reported in international journals. However, insight into the genetic underpinnings of the disorder in these families remains limited. In the initial 1997-2003 study phase, 100 multiplex bipolar disorder and other mood disorder families were recruited. The ongoing second phase of the project commenced in 2013, and involves follow-up of a subgroup of the originally recruited families. The aim of the follow-up investigation is to generate: i) longitudinal clinical data; ii) results from detailed neuropsychological assessments; and iii) a more extensive collection of biomaterials for future molecular biological studies. The ABiF Study will thus generate a valuable resource for future investigations into the aetiology of bipolar affective disorder; in particular the causes of high disease loading within multiply affected families. We discuss the value of this approach in terms of new technologies for the identification of high-penetrance genetic factors. These new technologies include exome and whole genome sequencing, and the use of induced pluripotent stem cells or model organisms to determine functional consequences. Copyright © 2017 SEP y SEPB. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

ELi abi ettevõtjale lükkub osaliselt edasi / Silva Männik

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Männik, Silva, 1974-

2004-01-01

Eesti ettevõtjatele lubatud Euroopa Liidu tõukefondide raha taotlemine Ettevõtluse Arendamise Sihtasutuses viibib majandusministeeriumis vastuvõtmata määruste tõttu. Diagrammid: Struktuurifondidest saadava abi kõrval peab Eesti liikmemaksu tasuma; EAS plaanis jagada tänavu ligi 800 miljonit krooni struktuurifondide raha. Nimekiri: Põhiosa euroabist läheb töötajate arengusse ja transporti. 5 prioriteeti. Vt. samas: Raha venimine kõige hullem. AS-i E-Arsenal juht Jüri Tümanok rahade viibimisest

Douglas-fir plantations in Europe: a retrospective test of assisted migration to address climate change.

Science.gov (United States)

Isaac-Renton, Miriam G; Roberts, David R; Hamann, Andreas; Spiecker, Heinrich

2014-08-01

We evaluate genetic test plantations of North American Douglas-fir provenances in Europe to quantify how tree populations respond when subjected to climate regime shifts, and we examined whether bioclimate envelope models developed for North America to guide assisted migration under climate change can retrospectively predict the success of these provenance transfers to Europe. The meta-analysis is based on long-term growth data of 2800 provenances transferred to 120 European test sites. The model was generally well suited to predict the best performing provenances along north-south gradients in Western Europe, but failed to predict superior performance of coastal North American populations under continental climate conditions in Eastern Europe. However, model projections appear appropriate when considering additional information regarding adaptation of Douglas-fir provenances to withstand frost and drought, even though the model partially fails in a validation against growth traits alone. We conclude by applying the partially validated model to climate change scenarios for Europe, demonstrating that climate trends observed over the last three decades warrant changes to current use of Douglas-fir provenances in plantation forestry throughout Western and Central Europe. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Modelling and prediction for chaotic fir laser attractor using rational function neural network.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, S

2001-02-01

Many real-world systems such as irregular ECG signal, volatility of currency exchange rate and heated fluid reaction exhibit highly complex nonlinear characteristic known as chaos. These chaotic systems cannot be retreated satisfactorily using linear system theory due to its high dimensionality and irregularity. This research focuses on prediction and modelling of chaotic FIR (Far InfraRed) laser system for which the underlying equations are not given. This paper proposed a method for prediction and modelling a chaotic FIR laser time series using rational function neural network. Three network architectures, TDNN (Time Delayed Neural Network), RBF (radial basis function) network and the RF (rational function) network, are also presented. Comparisons between these networks performance show the improvements introduced by the RF network in terms of a decrement in network complexity and better ability of predictability.

No relationship between fir decline and air pollution in the Bavarian forest

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kandler, O. (Muenchen University, Muenchen (Germany))

1992-11-01

The alleged relationship between fir decline and air pollution in the Bavarian Forest, claimed by Visser and Molenaar (1992), is due to the use of an inadequate measure of the degree of air pollution and a biased set of tree ring data.

Analysis of Seasonal Soil Organic Carbon Content at Bukit Jeriau Forest, Fraser Hill, Pahang

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad Adnan Mohamed; Ahmad Adnan Mohamed; Sahibin Abd Rahim; David Allan Aitman; Mohd Khairul Amri Kamarudin; Mohd Khairul Amri Kamarudin

2016-01-01

Soil carbon is the carbon held within the soil, primarily in association with its organic content. The total soil organic carbon study was determined in a plot at Bukit Jeriau forest in Bukit Fraser, Pahang, Malaysia. The aim of this study is to determine the changing of soil organic carbon between wet season and dry season. Soil organic carbon was fined out using titrimetric determination. The soil organic carbon content in wet season is 223.24 t/ ha while dry season is 217.90 t/ ha. The soil pH range in wet season is between 4.32 to 4.45 and in dry season in 3.95 to 4.08 which is considered acidic. Correlation analysis showed that soil organic carbon value is influenced by pH value and climate. Correlation analysis between clay and soil organic carbon with depth showed positively significant differences and clay are very much influenced soil organic carbon content. Correlation analysis between electrical conductivity and soil organic carbon content showed negative significantly difference on wet season and positively significant different in dry season. (author)

Examining controls on peak annual streamflow and floods in the Fraser River Basin of British Columbia

Science.gov (United States)

Curry, Charles L.; Zwiers, Francis W.

2018-04-01

The Fraser River Basin (FRB) of British Columbia is one of the largest and most important watersheds in western North America, and home to a rich diversity of biological species and economic assets that depend implicitly upon its extensive riverine habitats. The hydrology of the FRB is dominated by snow accumulation and melt processes, leading to a prominent annual peak streamflow invariably occurring in May-July. Nevertheless, while annual peak daily streamflow (APF) during the spring freshet in the FRB is historically well correlated with basin-averaged, 1 April snow water equivalent (SWE), there are numerous occurrences of anomalously large APF in below- or near-normal SWE years, some of which have resulted in damaging floods in the region. An imperfect understanding of which other climatic factors contribute to these anomalously large APFs hinders robust projections of their magnitude and frequency. We employ the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) process-based hydrological model driven by gridded observations to investigate the key controlling factors of anomalous APF events in the FRB and four of its subbasins that contribute nearly 70 % of the annual flow at Fraser-Hope. The relative influence of a set of predictors characterizing the interannual variability of rainfall, snowfall, snowpack (characterized by the annual maximum value, SWEmax), soil moisture and temperature on simulated APF at Hope (the main outlet of the FRB) and at the subbasin outlets is examined within a regression framework. The influence of large-scale climate modes of variability (the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation - ENSO) on APF magnitude is also assessed, and placed in context with these more localized controls. The results indicate that next to SWEmax (univariate Spearman correlation with APF of ρ ^ = 0.64; 0.70 (observations; VIC simulation)), the snowmelt rate (ρ ^ = 0.43 in VIC), the ENSO and PDO indices (ρ ^ = -0.40; -0.41) and (�

The afterlife of antiquity and modern art: Aby Warburg on Manet

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dimitrios Latsis

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Aby Warburg’s manuscript on Édouard Manet – unpublished during his lifetime and presented here for the first time in English – constitutes one of his rare, substantial commentaries on nineteenth century art. Using “Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe” as a departure point, Warburg proceeds from his customary meticulous investigation of the central motif’s “visual archeology,” to a larger reflection on the evolution of the representation of nature in art and the image of antiquity that modernity has created for itself.

Characterization of variable EST SSR markers for Norway spruce (Picea abies L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Spiess Nadine

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Norway spruce is widely distributed across Europe and the predominant tree of the Alpine region. Fast growth and the fact that timber can be harvested cost-effectively in relatively young populations define its status as one of the economically most important tree species of Northern Europe. In this study, EST derived simple sequence repeat (SSR markers were developed for the assessment of putative functional diversity in Austrian Norway spruce stands. Results SSR sequences were identified by analyzing 14,022 publicly available EST sequences. Tri-nucleotide repeat motifs were most abundant in the data set followed by penta- and hexa-nucleotide repeats. Specific primer pairs were designed for sixty loci. Among these, 27 displayed polymorphism in a testing population of 16 P. abies individuals sampled across Austria and in an additional screening population of 96 P. abies individuals from two geographically distinct Austrian populations. Allele numbers per locus ranged from two to 17 with observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.075 to 0.99. Conclusions We have characterized variable EST SSR markers for Norway spruce detected in expressed genes. Due to their moderate to high degree of variability in the two tested screening populations, these newly developed SSR markers are well suited for the analysis of stress related functional variation present in Norway spruce populations.

Power and Aging Characterization of Digital FIR Filters Architectures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Calimera, Andrea; Liu, Wei; Macii, Enrico

2012-01-01

-variation, temperature and aging induced variations pose new challenges in the fabrication of the next generation of ICs. This work presents a detailed power and aging characterization of digital FIR filters in an industrial 45nm CMOS technology, and a design space exploration of different filter architectures...... with respect to throughput, area, power dissipation and aging. The exploration is intended to provide new design guidelines when considering aging of components in power/performance tradeoffs....

Transcriptome Characterization of the Chinese Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb. Hook. and Expression Analysis of Candidate Phosphate Transporter Genes

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Ming Li

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb. Hook. is the most important afforestation tree species in China because of its excellent timber quality and high yield. However, the limited availability of phosphorus in forest soils is widespread and has become an important factor in the declining productivity of Chinese fir plantations. Here we used the Illumina HiSeq™ 2000 DNA sequencing platform to sequence root, stem, and leaf transcriptomes of one-year old Chinese fir clones with phosphorus treatment. Approximately 236,529,278 clean reads were obtained and generated 35.47 G of sequencing data. These reads were assembled into 413,806 unigenes with a mean length of 520 bp. In total, 109,596 unigenes were annotated in the NR (NCBI non-redundant database, 727,287 genes were assigned for GO (Gene Ontology terms, information for 92,001 classified unigenes was assigned to 26 KOG (Karyotic Orthologous Groups categories, and 57,042 unigenes were significantly matched with 132 KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes predicted pathways. In total, 49 unigenes were identified as exhibiting inorganic phosphate transporter activity, and 14 positive genes’ expression patterns in different phosphorus deficiency treatments were analyzed by qRT-PCR to explore their putative functions. This study provides a basic foundation for functional genomic studies of the phosphate transporter in Chinese fir, and also presents an extensive annotated sequence resource for molecular research.

Chemodiversity of the Essential Oil from Leaves of Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei.

Science.gov (United States)

Schicchi, Rosario; Geraci, Anna; Rosselli, Sergio; Maggio, Antonella; Bruno, Maurizio

2017-02-01

Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei (Pinaceae) is a species occurring in a very small population only in a restricted area of Sicily. Its taxonomic classification as different species has been object of discussion. In this work the chemical composition of the essential oil from the leaves is presented for the first time and compared to the essential oils from other euroasiatic species reported in literature. Peculiar characteristics of the essential oil of A. nebrodensis are highlighted. © 2017 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

Koolieeliku hirmudega toimetulek kui oma probleemidega toimetuleku õppimine ja lähedaste abi selles / Merle Taimalu

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Taimalu, Merle

2001-01-01

Eestis ja Soomes 1993-1994.a. läbi viidud ühisuurimusest laste turvalisuse kohta, kus üheks eesmärgiks oli välja selgitada, kuidas koolieelikud oma hirmudega toime tulevad ja kuivõrd nad saavad ja kasutavad lähedaste täiskasvanute abi

Early testing of adaptedness to temperature and water availability in Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sonesson, Johan

2000-01-01

Long-term climate changes have been evident in the past. In the future an increase in the rate of climate change is predicted owing to man-made emissions. Studies of adaptedness to different climatic conditions are of great importance for the design of appropriate breeding and gene conservation programmes. This thesis presents studies of adaptedness to temperature and water availability in Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies and explores the possibilities of utilising differences in adaptedness to obtain juvenile-mature (J-M) correlations strong enough for efficient early testing. Offspring from clones in two Swedish Pinus sylvestris seed orchards and one Picea abies seed orchard were grown in growth chambers for one and two growth periods respectively. Two temperature regimes and two irrigation regimes were applied in a factorial design. Both species expressed high phenotypic plasticity and additive variance for height growth and biomass traits. This implies that these populations should be able to adapt both to short-term and to long-term climate changes. Genotype by environment (GxE) interaction indicated strong differences in adaptedness to temperature and low differences in adaptedness to water availability. Parent rank changes between treatments indicated that climate change could seriously alter the ranking of clones in breeding populations and thus decrease the genetic gain obtained in previous selections. Differences in stability among parents suggested that culling of unstable genotypes could be a way to reduce the negative effects of GxE interaction. Genetic correlations between growth chamber and 14-30 year old field progeny trials with the same parents were mainly weak for both species. The correlations were improved by the drought treatment in the Picea abies experiment suggesting that further development of early testing methods for this species should include treatments with limiting water availability

Norway spruce (Picea abies) genetic transformation with modified Cry3A gene of Bacillus thuringiensis

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bříza, Jindřich; Pavingerová, Daniela; Vlasák, Josef; Niedermeierová, Hana

2013-01-01

Roč. 60, č. 3 (2013), s. 395-400 ISSN 0001-527X R&D Projects: GA MZe QH71290; GA ČR(CZ) GAP502/11/1471 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Cry3A gene modification * Picea abies * Agrobacterium tumefaciens Subject RIV: EB - Genetic s ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 1.389, year: 2013

The vibrational properties of Chinese fir wood during moisture sorption process

Science.gov (United States)

Jiali Jiang; Jianxiong Lu; Zhiyong Cai

2012-01-01

The vibrational properties of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) wood were investigated in this study as a function of changes in moisture content (MC) and grain direction. The dynamic modulus of elasticity (DMOE) and logarithmic decrement σ were examined using a cantilever beam vibration testing apparatus. It was observed that DMOE and 6 of wood vaned...

Foliar essential oils and deer browsing preference of Douglas-fir genotypes

Science.gov (United States)

M.A. Radwan

1978-01-01

Yield and composition of essential oils were compared in foliage of Douglas-fir. Five clones with different susceptibilities to deer browsing were used; foliage was collected during the dormant season. There were no qualitative differences among the oils of the different clones, but the oils differed quantitatively in all variables measured. Eight variables appeared...

After a child's acquired brain injury (ABI): An ethnographic study of being a parent.

Science.gov (United States)

Rashid, Marghalara; Goez, Helly R; Caine, Vera; Yager, Jerome Y; Joyce, Anthony S; Newton, Amanda S

2016-11-30

To explore the meanings associated with being a parent of a child with an aquired brain injury (ABI). An ethnographic study was conducted with parents of children aged 3 to 10 years who had acquired a severe brain injury. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit parents from the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta. Data collection involved participant observation, fieldwork and semi-structured interviews. Field notes and interviews transcriptions were analysed using a thematic analysis framework and informed by symbolic interactionism theory. Six parent dyads (mothers and fathers) and 4 mothers participated in the study.Parents' meanings of `parenting' a child with severe brain injury were shaped by the injury, wide range of familial dynamics, and interactions. Six main themes related to parental meanings emerged from our data: (1) Getting `back to normal'; (2) Relying on a support system; (3) Worrying something bad may happen after the injury; (4) Going through a range of emotions following the injury; (5) Changing family dynamics after the injury; and (6) Ongoing performativity. Parents' meanings of `parenting' a child are extensively impacted by their child's functioning after the ABI. Having a greater appreciation of these experiences may be beneficial for medical professionals.

Efficient FIR Filter Implementations for Multichannel BCIs Using Xilinx System Generator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Usman Ghani

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Brain computer interface (BCI is a combination of software and hardware communication protocols that allow brain to control external devices. Main purpose of BCI controlled external devices is to provide communication medium for disabled persons. Now these devices are considered as a new way to rehabilitate patients with impunities. There are certain potentials present in electroencephalogram (EEG that correspond to specific event. Main issue is to detect such event related potentials online in such a low signal to noise ratio (SNR. In this paper we propose a method that will facilitate the concept of online processing by providing an efficient filtering implementation in a hardware friendly environment by switching to finite impulse response (FIR. Main focus of this research is to minimize latency and computational delay of preprocessing related to any BCI application. Four different finite impulse response (FIR implementations along with large Laplacian filter are implemented in Xilinx System Generator. Efficiency of 25% is achieved in terms of reduced number of coefficients and multiplications which in turn reduce computational delays accordingly.

Efficient FIR Filter Implementations for Multichannel BCIs Using Xilinx System Generator.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghani, Usman; Wasim, Muhammad; Khan, Umar Shahbaz; Mubasher Saleem, Muhammad; Hassan, Ali; Rashid, Nasir; Islam Tiwana, Mohsin; Hamza, Amir; Kashif, Amir

2018-01-01

Background . Brain computer interface (BCI) is a combination of software and hardware communication protocols that allow brain to control external devices. Main purpose of BCI controlled external devices is to provide communication medium for disabled persons. Now these devices are considered as a new way to rehabilitate patients with impunities. There are certain potentials present in electroencephalogram (EEG) that correspond to specific event. Main issue is to detect such event related potentials online in such a low signal to noise ratio (SNR). In this paper we propose a method that will facilitate the concept of online processing by providing an efficient filtering implementation in a hardware friendly environment by switching to finite impulse response (FIR). Main focus of this research is to minimize latency and computational delay of preprocessing related to any BCI application. Four different finite impulse response (FIR) implementations along with large Laplacian filter are implemented in Xilinx System Generator. Efficiency of 25% is achieved in terms of reduced number of coefficients and multiplications which in turn reduce computational delays accordingly.

Inheritance of germinative energy and germinative capacity in Douglas-fir

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas E. Greathouse

1966-01-01

In the West foresters have had considerable difficulty in reforesting south-facing slopes. We considered this problem when we selected plus-trees for the first Douglas-fir seed orchard in Region 6. We were, however, faced with the need to answer such questions as these: (1) Should we try to produce seed inherently suited for south slopes? (2) If so, should we strive to...

Growth after precommercial thinning in two stands of Douglas-fir.

Science.gov (United States)

Robert W. Steele

1955-01-01

Twenty years ago, portions of two young Douglas-fir stands on the Wind River Experimental Forest in Skamania County, Washington, were thinned by removing some of the trees in the suppressed and intermediate crown classes. At time of thinning, one stand, (A), was 23 years old and the second, (B), was 30 years old. In both cases site quality is IV. The trees taken out...

A homozygous missense variant in VWA2, encoding an interactor of the Fraser-complex, in a patient with vesicoureteral reflux.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amelie T van der Ven

Full Text Available Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT are the most common cause (40-50% of chronic kidney disease (CKD in children. About 40 monogenic causes of CAKUT have so far been discovered. To date less than 20% of CAKUT cases can be explained by mutations in these 40 genes. To identify additional monogenic causes of CAKUT, we performed whole exome sequencing (WES and homozygosity mapping (HM in a patient with CAKUT from Indian origin and consanguineous descent. We identified a homozygous missense mutation (c.1336C>T, p.Arg446Cys in the gene Von Willebrand factor A domain containing 2 (VWA2. With immunohistochemistry studies on kidneys of newborn (P1 mice, we show that Vwa2 and Fraser extracellular matrix complex subunit 1 (Fras1 co-localize in the nephrogenic zone of the renal cortex. We identified a pronounced expression of Vwa2 in the basement membrane of the ureteric bud (UB and derivatives of the metanephric mesenchyme (MM. By applying in vitro assays, we demonstrate that the Arg446Cys mutation decreases translocation of monomeric VWA2 protein and increases translocation of aggregated VWA2 protein into the extracellular space. This is potentially due to the additional, unpaired cysteine residue in the mutated protein that is used for intermolecular disulfide bond formation. VWA2 is a known, direct interactor of FRAS1 of the Fraser-Complex (FC. FC-encoding genes and interacting proteins have previously been implicated in the pathogenesis of syndromic and/or isolated CAKUT phenotypes in humans. VWA2 therefore constitutes a very strong candidate in the search for novel CAKUT-causing genes. Our results from in vitro experiments indicate a dose-dependent neomorphic effect of the Arg446Cys homozygous mutation in VWA2.

Antibiotikaeinsatz in der Bayerischen Schweinehaltungspraxis ABYS: Antibiotikaeinsatz und Antibiotikaresistenz in ökologischen Betrieben

OpenAIRE

Bassitta, R.; Bartuschat, A.; Harms, K.; Bauer, J.; Straubinger, RK; Poljak, S.; Storch, J.; Dennhöfer, J.; Schwaller, A.; Hamann, Jörn; Hölzel, CS

2017-01-01

Between 2012 and 2014, ABYS study recorded antibiotic use, detection and resistance data for 23 organic and 35 conventional pig farms. Antibiotic contents of farm-made fertilizers were assessed by LC/MS-MS. Phenotypic antimicrobial resistance was investigated in Escherichia (E.) coli (indicator bacteria); antimicrobial resistance genes of the total bacterial microbiota (sul(II), tet(A), tet(B), tet(M); marker Measured in nUDD (number of animals treated multiplied by treatment days), col...

Effects of sulfuric, nitric, and mixed acid rain on Chinese fir sapling growth in Southern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xin; Fu, Zhiyuan; Zhang, Bo; Zhai, Lu; Meng, Miaojing; Lin, Jie; Zhuang, Jiayao; Wang, G Geoff; Zhang, Jinchi

2018-05-23

The influence of acid rain on plant growth includes direct effects on foliage as well as indirect soil-mediated effects that cause a reduction in root growth. In addition, the concentration of NO 3 - in acid rain increases along with the rapid growth of nitrogen deposition. In this study, we investigated the impact of simulated acid rain with different SO 4 2- /NO 3 - (S/N) ratios, which were 1:0, 5:1, 1:1, 1:5 and 0:1, on Chinese fir sapling growth from March 2015 to April 2016. Results showed that Chinese fir sapling height growth rate (HGR) and basal diameter growth rate (DGR) decreased as acid rain pH decreased, and also decreased as the percentage of NO 3 - increased in acid rain. Acid rain pH significantly decreased the Chlorophyll a (Chla) and Chlorophyll b (Chlb) content, and Chla and Chlb contents with acid rain S/N 1:5 were significantly lower than those with S/N 1:0 at pH 2.5. The chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, maximal efficiency of Photosystem II photochemistry (Fv/Fm) and non-photochemical quenching coefficient (NPQ), with most acid rain treatments were significantly lower than those with CK treatments. Root activities first increased and then decreased as acid rain pH decreased, when acid rain S/N ratios were 1:1, 1:5 and 0:1. Redundancy discriminant analysis (RDA) showed that the Chinese fir DGR and HGR had positive correlations with Chla, Chlb, Fv/Fm ratio, root activity, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities in roots under the stress of acid rain with different pH and S/N ratios. The structural equation modelling (SEM) results showed that acid rain NO 3 - concentration and pH had stronger direct effects on Chinese fir sapling HGR and DGR, and the direct effects of acid rain NO 3 - concentration and pH on HGR were lower than those on DGR. Our results suggest that the ratio of SO 4 2- to NO 3 - in acid rain is an important factor which could affect the sustainable development of monoculture Chinese fir plantations in southern China

Structural lumber from dense stands of small-diameter Douglas-fir trees.

Science.gov (United States)

David W. Green; Eini C. Lowell; Roland Hernandez

2005-01-01

Small-diameter trees growing in overstocked dense stands are often targeted for thinning to reduce fire hazard and improve forest health and ecosystem diversity. In the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain regions, Douglas-fir can be a predominant species in such stands. In this study, mechanical properties and grade yield of structural products were estimated for 2 by...

Pest management in Douglas-fir seed orchards: a microcomputer decision method

Science.gov (United States)

James B. Hoy; Michael I. Haverty

1988-01-01

The computer program described provides a Douglas-fir seed orchard manager (user) with a quantitative method for making insect pest management decisions on a desk-top computer. The decision system uses site-specific information such as estimates of seed crop size, insect attack rates, insecticide efficacy and application costs, weather, and crop value. At sites where...

Spatial Pattern of the Mitochondrial and Chloroplast Genetic Variation in Poland as a Result of the Migration of Abies alba Mill. from Different Glacial Refugia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Litkowiec

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Currently, the information on the gene pool of silver fir (Abies alba Mill. at the northeastern edge of its distribution in Poland is scarce and insufficient. Using the advantage provided by markers with different modes of inheritance, a hypothesis that gene flow via both seeds and pollen contributed to the genetic structure across the entire analyzed region was investigated. The geographic distribution of maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA, nad5-4 and paternally inherited chloroplast DNA (cpDNA, psbC variation was studied in 81 Polish populations and three reference populations from Ukraine and Romania. The spatial pattern of mtDNA haplotypes (dispersed via seeds indicated that the Apennine Peninsula was the only maternal glacial refugium for the entire territory of Poland and also the Ukraine no 1 population, whereas the other two populations—Ukraine no 2 and Romania—had the haplotype representing the Balkan origin. By contrast, the cpDNA haplotypes (dispersed via pollen from all studied Polish and reference populations showed that A. alba colonized the current natural range from two genetically distinct glacial refugia located on the Apennine and Balkan peninsulas. The occurrence of cpDNA haplotypes varied among the studied populations. Additionally, statistical analyses were used to infer the genetic structure of examined populations. Two distinct groups of A. alba populations were identified showing the postglacial geographic distribution of haplotypes of both mtDNA and cpDNA. A. alba is an important ecological and economic component of forest ecosystems in Europe. An understanding of the Holocene history of this species is relevant for planning sustainable forest management, and acquired data can contribute to strategies of conservation and restoration.

Analysis of phytohormones and secondary plant products (main flavonoids and terpenes) in healthy and damaged needles from the natural location. Nachweis von Phytohormonen und sekundaeren Pflanzenstoffen (vor allem Flavonoiden und Terpenen) in gesunden und geschaedigten Nadeln vom natuerlichen Standort

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kraus, M [Technische Univ. Muenchen (Germany, F.R.). Inst. fuer Botanik und Mikrobiologie

1989-07-01

The determination of the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) in needles of fir (Abies alba Mill.) is difficult due to the small amount of ABA and the large volume of phenolic and terpenoic compounds, which have similar structures compared with ABA. The quantitative analysis of ABA in purified extracts was not possible by HPLC because of deficient separation. A qualified method for exact quantification is gas chromatography using an electron capture detector. In this way ABA was completely separated from all other substances. Starting from the question, whether the content of secondary plant products of needles of Picea abies (L.) Karst. is influenced by damage, spruces from Wank Mountain were analysed. The needle concentrations of different compounds were influenced significantly by the class of damage as well as by the level of altitude. (orig.).

ClRTL1 Encodes a Chinese Fir RNase III–Like Protein Involved in Regulating Shoot Branching

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Xia Li

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Identification of genes controlling shoot branching is crucial for improving plant architecture and increasing crop yield or biomass. A branching mutant of Chinese fir named “Dugansha” (Cunninghamia lanceolata var. dugan. has been isolated in our laboratory. We chose the cDNA-AFLP technique and an effective strategy to screen genes that potentially regulate shoot branching in Chinese fir using this mutant. An RNase III-like1 cDNA fragment named ClRTL1 was identified as a potential positive regulator. To investigate the function of ClRTL1 in regulating shoot branching, we cloned the full-length cDNA sequence from C. lanceolata (Lamb. Hook, deduced its secondary structure and function, and overexpressed the coding sequence in Arabidopsis. The ClRTL1 cDNA is 1045 bp and comprises an open reading frame of 705 bp. It encodes a protein of 235 amino acids. The deduced secondary structure of the ClRTL1 indicates that it is a mini-RNase III-like protein. The expression analysis and phenotypes of 35S: ClRTL1 in A. thaliana implies that ClRTL1 plays a role in promoting shoot branching in Chinese fir.

SOLIS IV. Hydrocarbons in the OMC-2 FIR4 Region, a Probe of Energetic Particle Irradiation of the Region

Science.gov (United States)

Favre, C.; Ceccarelli, C.; López-Sepulcre, A.; Fontani, F.; Neri, R.; Manigand, S.; Kama, M.; Caselli, P.; Jaber Al-Edhari, A.; Kahane, C.; Alves, F.; Balucani, N.; Bianchi, E.; Caux, E.; Codella, C.; Dulieu, F.; Pineda, J. E.; Sims, I. R.; Theulé, P.

2018-06-01

We report new interferometric images of cyclopropenylidene, c-C3H2, toward the young protocluster OMC-2 FIR 4. The observations were performed at 82 and 85 GHz with the NOrthern Extended Millimeter Array (NOEMA) as part of the project Seeds Of Life In Space (SOLIS). In addition, IRAM-30 m data observations were used to investigate the physical structure of OMC-2 FIR 4. We find that the c-C3H2 gas emits from the same region where previous SOLIS observations showed bright HC5N emission. From a non-LTE analysis of the IRAM-30 m data, the c-C3H2 gas has an average temperature of ∼40 K, a H2 density of ∼3 × 105 cm‑3, and a c-C3H2 abundance relative to H2 of (7 ± 1) × 10‑12. In addition, the NOEMA observations provide no sign of significant c-C3H2 excitation temperature gradients across the region (about 3–4 beams), with T ex in the range 8 ± 3 up to 16 ± 7 K. We thus infer that our observations are inconsistent with a physical interaction of the OMC-2 FIR 4 envelope with the outflow arising from OMC-2 FIR 3, as claimed by previous studies. The comparison of the measured c-C3H2 abundance with the predictions from an astrochemical PDR model indicates that OMC-2 FIR 4 is irradiated by an FUV field ∼1000 times larger than the interstellar one, and by a flux of ionizing particles ∼4000 times larger than the canonical value of 1 × 10‑17 s‑1 from the Galaxy cosmic rays, which is consistent with our previous HC5N observations. This provides an important and independent confirmation of other studies that one, or more, source inside the OMC-2 FIR 4 region emits energetic (≥10 MeV) particles. Based on observations carried out under project number L15AA with the IRAM NOEMA Interferometer. IRAM is supported by INSU/CNRS (France), MPG (Germany) and IGN (Spain).

Growth phenology of coast Douglas-fir seed sources planted in diverse environments

Science.gov (United States)

Peter J. Gould; Constance A. Harrington; J. Bradley St. Clair

2012-01-01

The timing of periodic life cycle events in plants (phenology) is an important factor determining how species and populations will react to climate change. We evaluated annual patterns of basal-area and height growth of coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotusuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) seedlings from four seed sources...

The protostar OMC-2 FIR 4: Results from the CHESS Herschel/HIFI spectral survey

Science.gov (United States)

Kama, Mihkel; Lopez-Sepulcre, Ana; Ceccarelli, Cecilia; Dominik, Carsten; Caux, Emmanuel; Fuente, Asuncion

2013-07-01

The intermediate-mass protostar OMC-2 FIR 4 in Orion is the focus of several ongoing studies, including a CHESS key programme Herschel/HIFI spectral survey. In this poster, we review recent CHESS results on this source, including the properties of the central hot core, the presence of a compact outflow, the spatial variation of the chemical composition, and the discovery of a tenuous foreground cloud. The HIFI spectrum of FIR 4 contains 719 lines from 40 species and isotopologs. Cooling by lines detectable with our sensitivity contributes 2% of the total in the 480 to 1900 GHz range. The total line flux is dominated by CO, followed by H2O and CH3OH. Initial comparisons with spectral surveys of other sources will also be presented.

Structural properties of laminated Douglas fir/epoxy composite material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spera, D.A. (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cleveland, OH (USA). Lewis Research Center); Esgar, J.B. (Sverdrup Technology, Inc., Cleveland, OH (USA)); Gougeon, M.; Zuteck, M.D. (Gougeon Bros., Bay City, MI (USA))

1990-05-01

This publication contains a compilation of static and fatigue and strength data for laminated-wood material made from Douglas fir and epoxy. Results of tests conducted by several organizations are correlated to provide insight into the effects of variables such as moisture, size, lamina-to-lamina joint design, wood veneer grade, and the ratio of cyclic stress to steady stress during fatigue testing. These test data were originally obtained during development of wood rotor blades for large-scale wind turbines of the horizontal-axis (propeller) configuration. Most of the strength property data in this compilation are not found in the published literature. Test sections ranged from round cylinders 2.25 in. in diameter to rectangular slabs 6 in. by 24 in. in cross section and approximately 30 ft long. All specimens were made from Douglas fir veneers 0.10 in. thick, bonded together with the WEST epoxy system developed for fabrication and repair of wood boats. Loading was usually parallel to the grain. Size effects (reduction in strength with increase in test volume) are observed in some of the test data, and a simple mathematical model is presented that includes the probability of failure. General characteristics of the wood/epoxy laminate are discussed, including features that make it useful for a wide variety of applications. 9 refs.

Natural Regeneration in a Multi-Layered Pinus sylvestris-Picea abies Forest after Target Diameter Harvest and Soil Scarification

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Lars Drössler

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Forest management in Sweden can be characterized by even-aged silviculture heavily relying on three established harvest regimes: clearcutting, the seed-tree method, and the shelterwood system. Less intense, small-scale retention harvest systems such as single tree and group selection harvest are rarely used. In addition, natural regeneration dynamics without enrichment planting have barely been studied. Consequently, this study examined natural regeneration establishment in a multi-layered Pinus sylvestris-Picea abies forest stand in southwest Sweden after target diameter harvesting and soil scarification. The creation of forest canopy gaps had a positive effect on total seedling density five years after harvest, mainly due to a significantly higher number of Betula pendula individuals. Seedling density of more desirable tree species suitable for continuous cover forestry such as Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea and Picea abies also increased substantially in gaps when compared to pre-harvest conditions or the unharvested plots. In contrast, soil scarification did not increase the number of seedlings of desired tree species due to a significant decrease in Picea abies abundance. Soil moisture and gap size significantly improved Betula pendula seedling establishment while a larger number of Quercus petraea seedlings were observed in Vaccinium myrtillus patches. We conclude that canopy gaps are beneficial under the encountered stand conditions to initiate forest regeneration, and that soil scarification without the timely occurrence of a mast year of desired tree species is not effective in the type of forest studied.

Evaluation of strength property variations across 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joints using automated ball indentation (ABI) technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagaraju, S.; GaneshKumar, J.; Vasantharaja, P.; Vasudevan, M.; Laha, K.

2017-01-01

The variations of strength properties across 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joints fabricated by different arc welding processes such as shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), tungsten inert gas (TIG) and activated tungsten inert gas (A-TIG) have been evaluated employing automatic ball indentation (ABI) technique. ABI tests were conducted at 298 K across various zones of the weld joints comprising of base metal, weld metal, heat affected zone (HAZ) and intercritical HAZ (ICHAZ) regions. The flow curves obtained from ABI tests were correlated with corresponding conventional tensile test results. In general, the tensile strength decreased systematically across the weld joint from weld metal to base metal. Inter critical HAZ exhibited the least strength implying that it is the weakest zone. The incomplete phase transformation in the ICHAZ during weld thermal cycle caused the softening. The A-TIG weld metal exhibited higher UTS and strain hardening values due to higher carbon in the martensite. The strain hardening exponent exhibited only slight variation across the various regions of the weld joints. A-TIG weld joint exhibited higher weld metal and HAZ strength, marginally higher UTS to YS ratio in the weld metal and HAZ compared to that of the other two processes. Hence, among the three welding processes chosen, A-TIG welding process is found to be superior in producing a 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joint with better strength properties.

Evaluation of strength property variations across 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joints using automated ball indentation (ABI) technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagaraju, S. [Nuclear Recycle Board, BARCF, Kalpakkam (India); GaneshKumar, J.; Vasantharaja, P. [Metallurgy and Materials Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam (India); Vasudevan, M., E-mail: dev@igcar.gov.in [Metallurgy and Materials Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam (India); Laha, K. [Metallurgy and Materials Group, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam (India)

2017-05-17

The variations of strength properties across 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joints fabricated by different arc welding processes such as shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), tungsten inert gas (TIG) and activated tungsten inert gas (A-TIG) have been evaluated employing automatic ball indentation (ABI) technique. ABI tests were conducted at 298 K across various zones of the weld joints comprising of base metal, weld metal, heat affected zone (HAZ) and intercritical HAZ (ICHAZ) regions. The flow curves obtained from ABI tests were correlated with corresponding conventional tensile test results. In general, the tensile strength decreased systematically across the weld joint from weld metal to base metal. Inter critical HAZ exhibited the least strength implying that it is the weakest zone. The incomplete phase transformation in the ICHAZ during weld thermal cycle caused the softening. The A-TIG weld metal exhibited higher UTS and strain hardening values due to higher carbon in the martensite. The strain hardening exponent exhibited only slight variation across the various regions of the weld joints. A-TIG weld joint exhibited higher weld metal and HAZ strength, marginally higher UTS to YS ratio in the weld metal and HAZ compared to that of the other two processes. Hence, among the three welding processes chosen, A-TIG welding process is found to be superior in producing a 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joint with better strength properties.

Stump-to-truck cable logging cost equations for young-growth douglas-fir

Science.gov (United States)

Chris B. LeDoux; Roger D. Fight; Tom L. Ortman

1986-01-01

Logging cost simulators and data from logging cost studies have been assembled and converted into a series of equations that can be used to estimate the cost of logging young-growth coastal Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco var. menziesii) in mountainous terrain of the Pacific Northwest. These equations were...

Dinàmica dels micronutrients en la caiguda i descomposició de la virosta de tres sistemes forestals del Montseny

OpenAIRE

Caritat, Antònia

1990-01-01

The dynamics of Mn, Fe and Zn has been studiedin the litterfall and in the decomposition process in individual monospecific stands of holm oak (Quercus ilex), beech (Fagus sylvatica) and fir (Abies alba) in the Montseny mountains. Usually, micronutrient concentrations in different litterfall fractions are higher than those in biomass due to the increase in dead organs. Beech is the forest with the highest manganese and iron return in litterfall. It has been observed that the maximum micronutr...

Significantly higher Carabid beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) catch in conventionally than in organically managed Christmas tree plantations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bagge, Søren; Lund, Malthe; Rønn, Regin

2012-01-01

Carabid beetles play an important role as consumers of pest organisms in forestry and agriculture. Application of pesticides may negatively affect abundance and activity of carabid beetles, thus reducing their potential beneficial effect. We investigated how abundance and diversity of pitfall...... trapped carabid beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) varied between conventionally and organically managed Caucasian Fir (Abies nordmanniana (Stev.)) plantations, in northern Zealand, Denmark. We recorded significantly higher numbers of carabid beetle specimens and species at conventionally than at organically...

BOLE WATER CONTENT SHOWS LITTLE SEASONAL VARIATION IN CENTURY-OLD DOUGLAS-FIR TREES

Science.gov (United States)

Purportedly, large Douglas-fir trees in the American Pacific Northwest use water stored in bole tissues to ameliorate the effects of seasonal summer drought, the water content of bole tissues being drawn down over the summer months and replenished during the winter. Continuous mo...

Management of spruce-fir in even-aged stands in the central Rocky Mountains

Science.gov (United States)

Robert R. Alexander; Carleton B. Edminster

1980-01-01

Potential production of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir in the central Rocky Mountains is simulated for vario.us combinations of stand density, site quality, ages, and thinning schedules. Such estimates are needed to project future development of stands managed in different ways for various uses.

Lack of caching of direct-seeded Douglas fir seeds by deer mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sullivan, T.P.

1978-01-01

Seed caching by deer mice was investigated by radiotagging seeds in forest and clear-cut areas in coastal British Columbia. Deer mice tend to cache very few Douglas fir seeds in the fall when the seed is uniformly distributed and is at densities comparable with those used in direct-seeding programs. (author)

MO-DE-207A-07: Filtered Iterative Reconstruction (FIR) Via Proximal Forward-Backward Splitting: A Synergy of Analytical and Iterative Reconstruction Method for CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, H

2016-01-01

Purpose: This work is to develop a general framework, namely filtered iterative reconstruction (FIR) method, to incorporate analytical reconstruction (AR) method into iterative reconstruction (IR) method, for enhanced CT image quality. Methods: FIR is formulated as a combination of filtered data fidelity and sparsity regularization, and then solved by proximal forward-backward splitting (PFBS) algorithm. As a result, the image reconstruction decouples data fidelity and image regularization with a two-step iterative scheme, during which an AR-projection step updates the filtered data fidelity term, while a denoising solver updates the sparsity regularization term. During the AR-projection step, the image is projected to the data domain to form the data residual, and then reconstructed by certain AR to a residual image which is in turn weighted together with previous image iterate to form next image iterate. Since the eigenvalues of AR-projection operator are close to the unity, PFBS based FIR has a fast convergence. Results: The proposed FIR method is validated in the setting of circular cone-beam CT with AR being FDK and total-variation sparsity regularization, and has improved image quality from both AR and IR. For example, AIR has improved visual assessment and quantitative measurement in terms of both contrast and resolution, and reduced axial and half-fan artifacts. Conclusion: FIR is proposed to incorporate AR into IR, with an efficient image reconstruction algorithm based on PFBS. The CBCT results suggest that FIR synergizes AR and IR with improved image quality and reduced axial and half-fan artifacts. The authors was partially supported by the NSFC (#11405105), the 973 Program (#2015CB856000), and the Shanghai Pujiang Talent Program (#14PJ1404500).

MODELING THE ANOMALY OF SURFACE NUMBER DENSITIES OF GALAXIES ON THE GALACTIC EXTINCTION MAP DUE TO THEIR FIR EMISSION CONTAMINATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kashiwagi, Toshiya; Suto, Yasushi; Taruya, Atsushi; Yahata, Kazuhiro [Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Kayo, Issha [Department of Physics, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8510 (Japan); Nishimichi, Takahiro, E-mail: kashiwagi@utap.phys.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8568 (Japan)

2015-02-01

The most widely used Galactic extinction map is constructed assuming that the observed far-infrared (FIR) fluxes come entirely from Galactic dust. According to the earlier suggestion by Yahata et al., we consider how FIR emission of galaxies affects the SFD map. We first compute the surface number density of Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR7 galaxies as a function of the r-band extinction, A {sub r,} {sub SFD}. We confirm that the surface densities of those galaxies positively correlate with A {sub r,} {sub SFD} for A {sub r,} {sub SFD} < 0.1, as first discovered by Yahata et al. for SDSS DR4 galaxies. Next we construct an analytical model to compute the surface density of galaxies, taking into account the contamination of their FIR emission. We adopt a log-normal probability distribution for the ratio of 100 μm and r-band luminosities of each galaxy, y ≡ (νL){sub 100} {sub μm}/(νL) {sub r}. Then we search for the mean and rms values of y that fit the observed anomaly, using the analytical model. The required values to reproduce the anomaly are roughly consistent with those measured from the stacking analysis of SDSS galaxies. Due to the limitation of our statistical modeling, we are not yet able to remove the FIR contamination of galaxies from the extinction map. Nevertheless, the agreement with the model prediction suggests that the FIR emission of galaxies is mainly responsible for the observed anomaly. Whereas the corresponding systematic error in the Galactic extinction map is 0.1-1 mmag, it is directly correlated with galaxy clustering and thus needs to be carefully examined in precision cosmology.

Intra-image referencing for simplified assessment of HER2-expression in breast cancer metastases using the Affibody molecule ABY-025 with PET and SPECT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sandberg, Dan; Tolmachev, Vladimir; Olofsson, Helena; Carlsson, Joergen; Lindman, Henrik [Uppsala University, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala (Sweden); Velikyan, Irina; Soerensen, Jens [Uppsala University, Section of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala (Sweden); Wennborg, Anders; Feldwisch, Joachim [Affibody AB, Solna (Sweden)

2017-08-15

In phase I/II-studies radiolabelled ABY-025 Affibody molecules identified human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression in breast cancer metastases using PET and SPECT imaging. Here, we wanted to investigate the utility of a simple intra-image normalization using tumour-to-reference tissue-ratio (T/R) as a HER2 status discrimination strategy to overcome potential issues related to cross-calibration of scanning devices. Twenty-three women with pre-diagnosed HER2-positive/negative metastasized breast cancer were scanned with [{sup 111}In]-ABY-025 SPECT/CT (n = 7) or [{sup 68}Ga]-ABY-025 PET/CT (n = 16). Uptake was measured in all metastases and in normal spleen, lung, liver, muscle, and blood pool. Normal tissue uptake variation and T/R-ratios were established for various time points and for two different doses of injected peptide from a total of 94 whole-body image acquisitions. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to verify HER2 expression in 28 biopsied metastases. T/R-ratios were compared to IHC findings to establish the best reference tissue for each modality and each imaging time-point. The impact of shed HER2 in serum was investigated. Spleen was the best reference tissue across modalities, followed by blood pool and lung. Spleen-T/R was highly correlated to PET SUV in metastases after 2 h (r = 0.96,P < 0.001) and reached an accuracy of 100% for discriminating IHC HER2-positive and negative metastases at 4 h (PET) and 24 h (SPECT) after injection. In a single case, shed HER2 resulted in intense tracer retention in blood. In the remaining patients shed HER2 was elevated, but without significant impact on ABY-025 biodistribution. T/R-ratios using spleen as reference tissue accurately quantify HER2 expression with radiolabelled ABY-025 imaging in breast cancer metastases with SPECT and PET. Tracer binding to shed HER2 in serum might affect quantification in the extreme case. (orig.)

Importance of Arboreal Cyanolichen Abundance to Nitrogen Cycling in Sub-Boreal Spruce and Fir Forests of Central British Columbia, Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ania Kobylinski

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The importance of N2-fixing arboreal cyanolichens to the nitrogen (N-balance of sub-boreal interior hybrid spruce (Picea glauca × engelmannii and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa forests was examined at field sites in central BC, Canada. Host trees were accessed by a single-rope climbing technique and foliage as well as arboreal macrolichen functional groups were sampled by branch height in eight random sample trees from each of two high (High Cyano and two low (Low Cyano cyanolichen abundance sites for a total of 32 sample trees. Natural abundances of stable isotopes of N (15N, 14N and carbon (13C, 12C were determined for aggregate host tree and epiphytic lichen samples, as well as representative samples of upper organic and soil horizons (Ae and Bf from beneath host trees. As expected, N2-fixing cyanolichens had 2–6-fold greater N-contents than chlorolichens and a δ15N close to atmospheric N2, while foliage and chlorolichens were more depleted in 15N. By contrast, soils at all trees and sites were 15N-enriched (positive δ15N, with declining (not significant δ15N with increased tree-level cyanolichen abundance. Lichen functional groups and tree foliage fell into three distinct groups with respect to δ13C; the tripartite cyanolichen Lobaria pulmonaria (lightest, host-tree needles (intermediate, and bipartite cyanolichens, hair (Alectoria and Bryoria spp. and chlorolichens (heaviest. Branch height of host trees was an effective predictor of needle δ13C. Our results showed a modest positive correlation between host tree foliage N and cyanolichen abundance, supporting our initial hypothesis that higher cyanolichen abundances would elevate host tree foliar N. Further study is required to determine if high cyanolichen abundance enhances host tree and/or stand-level productivity in sub-boreal forests of central BC, Canada.

Dynamic phenotypic plasticity in photosynthesis and biomass patterns in Douglas-fir seedlings

Science.gov (United States)

A. C. Koehn; G. I. McDonald; D. L. Turner; D. L. Adams

2010-01-01

As climate changes, understanding the mechanisms long-lived conifers use to adapt becomes more important. Light gradients within a forest stand vary constantly with the changes in climate, and the minimum light required for survival plays a major role in plant community dynamics. This study focuses on the dynamic plasticity of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var....

Estimating biomass of shrubs and forbs in central Washington Douglas-fir stands.

Science.gov (United States)

Craig M. Olson; Robert E. Martin

1981-01-01

Understory plants in closed 70-year-old even-aged Douglas-fir stands in north central Washington were destructively sampled to determine the relationship of ground cover and height to dry weight. Weight of plant material can be estimated from the product of plant height and percentage of ground cover on 50- x 100-centimeter (cm) quadrats. Correlation coefficients for...

Use of dominant tree heights in determining site index for Douglas-fir.

Science.gov (United States)

George R. Staebler

1948-01-01

Measuring heights of Douglas-fir trees for the determination of site index is a time-consuming job, especially in dense stands. Both dominant and codominant trees must be measured since site index curves represent the average height of dominants and codominants. It has been suggested that considerable time might be saved if only dominant trees were measured, since...

Regulation of somatic embryo development in Norway spruce (Picea abies). A molecular approach to the characterization of specific developmental stages

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sabala, I. [Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala (Sweden). Dept. of Forest Genetics

1998-12-31

Embryo development is a complex process involving a set of strictly regulated events. The regulation of these events is poorly understood especially during the early stages of embryo development. Somatic embryos go through the same developmental stages as zygotic embryos making them an ideal model system for studying the regulation of embryo development. We have used embryogenic cultures of Picea abies to study some aspects of the regulation of embryo development in gymnosperms. The bottle neck during somatic embryogenesis is the switch from the proliferation stage to the maturation stage. This switch is initiated by giving somatic embryos a maturation treatment i.e. the embryos are treated with abscisic acid (ABA). Somatic embryos which respond to ABA by forming mature somatic embryos were stimulated to secret a 70 kDa protein, AF70. The af70 gene was isolated and characterised. The expression of the af70 gene was constitutive in embryos but was highly ABA-induced in seedlings. Moreover, expression of this gene was stimulated during cold acclimation of Picea abies seedlings. A full length Picea abies cDNA clone Pa18, encoding a protein with the characteristics of plant lipid transfer proteins (LTPs), was isolated and characterised. The Pa18 gene is constitutively expressed in embryogenic cultures of Picea abies representing different stages of development as well as in nonembryogenic callus and seedlings. In situ hybridization showed that Pa18 gene is expressed in all embryonic cells of proliferating somatic embryos but the expression of the gene in mature somatic and zygotic embryos is restricted to the outer cell layer. Southern blot analysis at different stringencies was consistent with a single gene. An alteration in expression of Pa18 causes disturbance in the formation of the proper outer cell layer in the maturing somatic embryos. In addition to its influence on embryo development the Pa18 gene product also inhibits growth of Agrobacterium tumefaciens 195

Long-term behaviour of timber structures in torrent control

Science.gov (United States)

Rickli, Christian; Graf, Frank

2014-05-01

Timber is widely used for protection measures in torrent control. However, life span of woody constructions such as timber check dams is limited due to fungal decay. However, only sparse scientific information is available on the long-term behaviour of timber structures and the colonisation with decay fungi. Related to this, in practice a controversial discussion has been going on if either Norway Spruce (Picea abies) or Silver Fir (Abies alba) is more enduring and if bark removal increases resistance against fungal decay. In order to going into this matter a series of 15 timber check dams built in 1996 has been monitored. The constructions were alternatively realised with Norway Spruce and Silver Fir, half of them each with remaining and removed bark, respectively. The scientific investigations included the documentation of colonisation with rot fungi and the identification of decayed zones with a simple practical approach as well as based on drilling resistance. Colonisation by decay fungi started three years after construction (e.g. Gloeophyllum sepiarium), detecting two years later first parts with reduced wood resistance. Sixteen years after construction decay was found on all check dams but two. Wood quality was markedly better in watered sections compared to the occasionally dry lateral abutment sections. Taking the whole check dams into consideration, slightly more decay was detected in Norway Spruce compared to logs in Silver Fir and both the practical approach and the drilling resistance measurement yielded in more defects on logs without bark. However, due to limited number of replications and fungal data, it was not possible to statistically verify these results. Statistical analysis was restricted to the drilling resistance data and fruit-bodies of decay fungi of the uppermost log of each check dam. Based on this limited analysis significant differences in the effect on the drilling resistance were found for watered sections and lateral abutments

Chemical and morphological characteristics of key tree species of the Carpathian Mountains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mankovska, Blanka; Godzik, Barbara; Badea, Ovidiu; Shparyk, Yuri; Moravcik, Pavel

2004-01-01

Concentrations of Al, B, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, N, Na, P, S and Zn in the foliage of white fir (Abies alba), Norway spruce (Picea abies) and common beech (Fagus sylvatica) from 25 sites of the Carpathian Mts. forests (Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine) are discussed in a context of their limit values. S/N ratio was different from optimum in 90% of localities when compared with the European limit values. Likewise we found increase of Fe and Cu concentrations compared with their background levels in 100% of locations. Mn concentrations were increased in 76% of localities. Mn mobilization values indicate the disturbance of physiological balance leading to the change of the ratio with Fe. SEM-investigation of foliage waxes from 25 sites in the Carpathian Mts. showed, that there is a statistically significant difference in mean wax quality. Epistomatal waxes were damaged as indicated by increased development of net and amorphous waxes. The most damaged stomata in spruce needles were from Yablunitsa, Synevir and Brenna; in fir needles from Stoliky, and in beech leaves from Mala Fatra, Morske Oko and Beregomet. Spruce needles in the Carpathian Mts. had more damaged stomata than fir needles and beech leaves. Spruce seems to be the most sensitive tree species to environmental stresses including air pollution in forests of the Carpathian Mountains. Foliage surfaces of three forest tree species contained Al, Si, Ca, Fe, Mg, K, Cl, Mn, Na, Ni and Ti in all studied localities. Presence of nutrition elements (Ca, Fe, Mg, K and Mn) on foliage surface hinders opening and closing stomata and it is not physiologically usable for tree species. - Chemical composition of foliage and structure of epicuticular waxes indicated phytotoxic effects of air pollution in many forest sites of the Carpathian Mountains

[Quantification of Wood Flour and Polypropylene in Chinese Fir/Polypropylene Composites by FTIR].

Science.gov (United States)

Lao, Wan-li; Li, Gai-yun; Zhou, Qun; Qin, Te-fu

2015-06-01

The ratio of wood and plastic in Wood Plastic Composites (WPCss) influences quality and price, but traditional thermochemical methods cannot rapidly and accurately quantify the ratio of wood/PP in WPCss. This paper was addressed to investigate the feasibility of quantifying the wood flour content and plastic content in WPCss by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. With Chinese fir, polypropylene (PP) and other additives as raw materials, 13 WPCs samples with different wood flour contents, ranging from 9.8% to 61.5%, were prepared by modifying wood flour, mixing materials and extrusion pelletizing. The samples were analyzed by FTIR with the KBr pellets technique. The absorption peaks of WPCss at 1059, 1 033 and 1 740 cm(-1) are considered as characteristic of Chinese fir, and the absorption peaks at 1 377, 2 839 and 841 cm(-1) are typical of PP by comparing the spectra of WPCss with that of Chinese fir, PP and other additives. The relationship between the wood flour content, PP content in WPCss and their characteristic IR peaks height ratio was established. The results show that there is a strong linear correlation between the wood flour content in WPCss and I1 059/l 1 377/I1 033, /I1377, R2 are 0.992 and 0.993 respectively; there is a high linear correlation between the PP content in WPCss and I1 377/I1 740, I2 839 /I1 740 R2 are 0.985 and 0.981, respectively. Quantitative methods of the wood flour content and PP content in WPCss by FTIR were developed, the predictive equations of the wood flour content in WPCss are y = 53.297x-9. 107 and y = 55.922x-10.238, the predictive equations of the PP content in WPCss are y = 6.828 5x+5.403 6 and y = 8.719 7x+3.295 8. The results of the accuracy test and precision test show that the method has strong repeatability and high accuracy. The average prediction relative deviations of the wood flour content and PP content in WPCss are about 5%. The prediction accuracy has been improved remarkably, compared to

Evolution of a short-term study of lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe vectors that turned into a long-term study of the remarkable gray jay on the Fraser Experimental Forest,Colorado, 1982-2009

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas H. Nicholls

2014-01-01

This is a summary of a 5-year short-term study that evolved into 28 years of long-term research on the US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service's Fraser Experimental Forest in Colorado. The study was begun in 1982 by Forest Service Research Scientists Thomas H. Nicholls and Frank G. Hawksworth to determine the importance of mammal and bird vectors in the long-...

Evaluation of the present genetic conservation efforts in Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies, Quercus spp., Fagus sylvatica, and Pinus pinaster

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kramer, K.

2015-01-01

Information on genetic diversity and gene conservation activities were combined with climatic data to evaluate the present genetic conservation efforts in Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies, Quercus spp., Fagus sylvatica, and Pinus pinaster. Combinations of climatic variables explained much of the

Long-term Responses of Canopy-understorey Interactions to Disturbance Severity in Primary Picea abies Forests

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bače, R.; Schurman, J.S.; Brabec, Marek; Čada, V.; Deprés, T.; Janda, P.; Lábusová, J.; Mikoláš, M.; Morrissey, R. C.; Mrhalová, H.; Nagel, T.A.; Nováková, M. H.; Seedre, M.; Synek, M.; Trotsiuk, V.; Svoboda, M.

2017-01-01

Roč. 28, č. 6 (2017), s. 1128-1139 ISSN 1100-9233 Grant - others:GA ČR(CZ) GA15-14840S Institutional support: RVO:67985807 Keywords : Disturbance regime * Natural regeneration * Primary forest * Picea abies (L.) Karst * Windstorms * Bark beetle * Understory light availability * Saplings and poles * Canopy openness * Mountain forest Subject RIV: BB - Applied Statistics, Operational Research OBOR OECD: Statistics and probability Impact factor: 2.924, year: 2016

Volume growth trends in a Douglas-fir levels-of-growing-stock study.

Science.gov (United States)

Robert O. Curtis

2006-01-01

Mean curves of increment and yield in gross total cubic volume and net merchantable cubic volume were derived from seven installations of the regional cooperative Levels-of-Growing-Stock Study (LOGS) in Douglas-fir. The technique used reduces the seven curves for each treatment for each variable of interest to a single set of readily interpretable mean curves. To a top...

A diameter increment model for Red Fir in California and Southern Oregon

Science.gov (United States)

K. Leroy Dolph

1992-01-01

Periodic (10-year) diameter increment of individual red fir trees in Califomia and southern Oregon can be predicted from initial diameter and crown ratio of each tree, site index, percent slope, and aspect of the site. The model actually predicts the natural logarithm ofthe change in squared diameter inside bark between the startand the end of a 10-year growth period....

Ecology and silviculture of the spruce-fir forests of eastern North America

Science.gov (United States)

Marinus. Westveld

1953-01-01

Using the climax forest as a guide to growing the species best suited to the climate and the site, the author offers a silvicultural system for managing the spruce-fir forests of eastern North America. Based on ecological principles, such silviculture is aimed to bring about forests that are inherently healthy and have a natural resistance to insects and disease.

DFSIM with economics: A financial analysis option for the DFSIM Douglas-fir simulator.

Science.gov (United States)

Roger O. Fight; Judith M. Chittester; Gary W. Clendenen

1984-01-01

A modified version of the DFSIM Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. menziesii) growth and yield simulator, DFSIM WITH ECONOMICS, now has an economics option that allows the user to estimate present net worth at the same time a silvicultural regime is simulated. If desired, the economics option will apply a...

Ground-based forest harvesting effects on soil physical properties and Douglas-fir growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Adrian Ares; Thomas A. Terry; Richard E. Miller; Harry W. Anderson; Barry L. Flaming

2005-01-01

Soil properties and forest productivity can be affected by heavy equipment used for harvest and site preparation but these impacts vary greatly with site conditions and operational practices. We assessed the effects of ground-based logging on soil physical properties and subsequent Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb) Franco] growth on a highly...

Variation in phenology and monoterpene patterns of defoliated and nondefoliated Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca).

Science.gov (United States)

Rose-Marie Muzika; Judith Engle; Catherine Parks; Boyd. Wickman

1993-01-01

Foliage was collected from paired Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco) trees characterized as either "resistant" or "susceptible" western spruce budworm (Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) attack. Resistant trees produced more...

Network Performance Evaluation of Abis Interface over DVB-S2 in the GSM over Satellite Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. B. Musabekov

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with establishing a GSM link over Satellite. Abis interface, which is defined between Base Transceiver Station (BTS and Base Station Controller (BSC, in a GSM network is considered here to be routed over the Satellite. The satellite link enables a quick and cost-effective GSM link in meagerly populated areas. A different scenario comparison was done to understand the impact of Satellite environment on network availability comparing to terrestrial scenario. We have implemented an Abis interface over DVB S2 in NS2 and evaluated the performance over the high delay and loss satellite channel. Network performance was evaluated with respect to Satellite channel delay and DVB S2 encapsulation efficiency under different amount of user traffic and compared with the terrestrial scenario. The results clearly showed an increased amount of SDCCH and TCH channels required in the case of satellite scenario for the same amount of traffic in comparison to conventional terrestrial scenario. We have optimized the parameters based on the simulation results. Link budget estimation considering DVB-S2 platform was done to find satellite bandwidth and cost requirements for different network setups.

Fine roots in stands of Fagus sylvatica and Picea abies along a gradient of soil acidification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braun, Sabine; Cantaluppi, Leonardo; Flueckiger, Walter

2005-01-01

Root length of naturally grown young beech trees (Fagus sylvatica L.) was investigated in 26 forest plots of differing base saturation and nitrogen deposition. The relative length of finest roots (<0.25 mm) was found to decrease in soils with low base saturation. A similar reduction of finest roots in plots with high nitrogen deposition was masked by the effect of base saturation. The formation of adventitious roots was enhanced in acidic soils. The analysis of 128 soil profiles for fine roots of all species present in stands of either Fagus sylvatica L., Picea abies [Karst.] L. or both showed a decreased rooting depth in soils with ≤20% base saturation and in hydromorphic soils. For base rich, well drained soils an average rooting depth of 108 cm was found. This decreased by 28 cm on acidic, well drained soils. The results suggest an effect of the current soil acidification in Switzerland and possibly also of nitrogen deposition on the fine root systems of forest trees. - Fine root length of Fagus sylvatica and fine root depth in stands of Fagus sylvatica and/or Picea abies were impaired in soils with low base saturation

The dependence of water potential in shoots of Picea abies on air and soil water status

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Sellin

Full Text Available Where there is sufficient water storage in the soil the water potential (Ψx in shoots of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L. Karst.] is strongly governed by the vapour pressure deficit of the atmosphere, while the mean minimum values of Ψx usually do not drop below –1.5 MPa under meteorological conditions in Estonia. If the base water potential (Ψb is above –0.62 MPa, the principal factor causing water deficiency in shoots of P. abies may be either limited soil water reserves or atmospheric evaporative demand depending on the current level of the vapour pressure deficit. As the soil dries the stomatal control becomes more efficient in preventing water losses from the foliage, and the leaf water status, in turn, less sensitive to atmospheric demand. Under drought conditions, if Ψb falls below –0.62 MPa, the trees' water stress is mainly caused by low soil water availability. Further declines in the shoot water potential (below –1.5 MPa can be attributed primarily to further decreases in the soil water, i.e. to the static water stress.Key words. Hydrology (evapotranspiration · plant ecology · soil moisture.

ABI domain-containing proteins contribute to surface protein display and cell division in Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Frankel, Matthew B; Wojcik, Brandon M; DeDent, Andrea C; Missiakas, Dominique M; Schneewind, Olaf

2010-10-01

The human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus requires cell wall anchored surface proteins to cause disease. During cell division, surface proteins with YSIRK signal peptides are secreted into the cross-wall, a layer of newly synthesized peptidoglycan between separating daughter cells. The molecular determinants for the trafficking of surface proteins are, however, still unknown. We screened mutants with non-redundant transposon insertions by fluorescence-activated cell sorting for reduced deposition of protein A (SpA) into the staphylococcal envelope. Three mutants, each of which harboured transposon insertions in genes for transmembrane proteins, displayed greatly reduced envelope abundance of SpA and surface proteins with YSIRK signal peptides. Characterization of the corresponding mutations identified three transmembrane proteins with abortive infectivity (ABI) domains, elements first described in lactococci for their role in phage exclusion. Mutations in genes for ABI domain proteins, designated spdA, spdB and spdC (surface protein display), diminish the expression of surface proteins with YSIRK signal peptides, but not of precursor proteins with conventional signal peptides. spdA, spdB and spdC mutants display an increase in the thickness of cross-walls and in the relative abundance of staphylococci with cross-walls, suggesting that spd mutations may represent a possible link between staphylococcal cell division and protein secretion. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

DIRECT IMAGING OF A COMPACT MOLECULAR OUTFLOW FROM A VERY LOW LUMINOSITY OBJECT: L1521F-IRS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takahashi, Satoko [Joint ALMA Observatory, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Vitacura, Santiago (Chile); Ohashi, Nagayoshi [Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Bourke, Tyler L., E-mail: satoko.takahashi@nao.ac.jp [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States)

2013-09-01

Studying the physical conditions of very low luminosity objects (VeLLOs; L{sub bol} < 0.1 L{sub Sun }) is important for understanding the earliest evolutionary stage of protostars and brown dwarfs. We report interferometric observations of the VeLLO L1521F-IRS, in {sup 12}CO (2-1) line emission and the 1.3 mm continuum emission, using the Submillimeter Array. With the {sup 12}CO (2-1) high-resolution observations, we have spatially resolved a compact but poorly collimated molecular outflow associated with L1521F-IRS for the first time. The blueshifted and redshifted lobes are aligned along the east and west side of L1521F-IRS with a lobe size of Almost-Equal-To 1000 AU. The estimated outflow mass, maximum outflow velocity, and outflow force are (9.0-80) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -4} M{sub Sun }, 7.2 km s{sup -1}, and (7.4-66) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -7} M{sub Sun} km s{sup -1} yr{sup -1}, respectively. The estimated outflow parameters such as size, mass, and momentum rate are similar to values derived for other VeLLOs, and are located at the lower end of values compared to previously studied outflows associated with low- to high-mass star-forming regions. Low-velocity less collimated (1.5 km s{sup -1}/1200 AU) and higher-velocity compact (4.0 km s{sup -1}/920 AU) outflow components are suggested by the data. These velocity structures are not consistent with those expected in the jet-driven or wind-driven outflow models, perhaps suggesting a remnant outflow from the first hydrostatic core as well as an undeveloped outflow from the protostar. Detection of an infrared source and compact millimeter continuum emission suggests the presence of the protostar, while its low bolometric luminosity (0.034-0.07 L{sub Sun }) and small outflow suggests that L1521F is in the earliest protostellar stage (<10{sup 4} yr) and contains a substellar mass object. The bolometric (or internal) luminosity of L1521F-IRS suggests that the current mass accretion rate is an order of

Prescribed fire opportunities in grasslands invaded by Douglas-fir: state-of-the-art guidelines

Science.gov (United States)

George E. Gruell; James K. Brown; Charles L. Bushey

1986-01-01

Provides information on use of prescribed fire to enhance productivity of bunchgrass ranges that have been invaded by Douglas-fir. Six vegetative "situations" representative of treatment opportunities most commonly encountered in Montana are discussed. Included are fire prescription considerations and identification of the resource objective, fire objective,...

ALMA WILL DETERMINE THE SPECTROSCOPIC REDSHIFT z > 8 WITH FIR [O III] EMISSION LINES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inoue, A. K.; Shimizu, I. [College of General Education, Osaka Sangyo University, 3-1-1 Nakagaito, Daito, Osaka 574-8530 (Japan); Tamura, Y. [Institute of Astronomy, The University of Tokyo, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-0015 (Japan); Matsuo, H. [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Okamoto, T. [Department of Cosmosciences, Graduate School of Science, Hokkaido University, N10 W8, Kitaku, Sapporo 060-0810 (Japan); Yoshida, N., E-mail: akinoue@las.osaka-sandai.ac.jp [Department of Physics, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan)

2014-01-10

We investigate the potential use of nebular emission lines in the rest-frame far-infrared (FIR) for determining spectroscopic redshift of z > 8 galaxies with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). After making a line emissivity model as a function of metallicity, especially for the [O III] 88 μm line which is likely to be the strongest FIR line from H II regions, we predict the line fluxes from high-z galaxies based on a cosmological hydrodynamics simulation of galaxy formation. Since the metallicity of galaxies reaches at ∼0.2 Z {sub ☉} even at z > 8 in our simulation, we expect the [O III] 88 μm line as strong as 1.3 mJy for 27 AB objects, which is detectable at a high significance by <1 hr integration with ALMA. Therefore, the [O III] 88 μm line would be the best tool to confirm the spectroscopic redshifts beyond z = 8.

EuroFIR Guideline on calculation of nutrient content of foods for food business operators.

Science.gov (United States)

Machackova, Marie; Giertlova, Anna; Porubska, Janka; Roe, Mark; Ramos, Carlos; Finglas, Paul

2018-01-01

This paper presents a Guideline for calculating nutrient content of foods by calculation methods for food business operators and presents data on compliance between calculated values and analytically determined values. In the EU, calculation methods are legally valid to determine the nutrient values of foods for nutrition labelling (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011). However, neither a specific calculation method nor rules for use of retention factors are defined. EuroFIR AISBL (European Food Information Resource) has introduced a Recipe Calculation Guideline based on the EuroFIR harmonized procedure for recipe calculation. The aim is to provide food businesses with a step-by-step tool for calculating nutrient content of foods for the purpose of nutrition declaration. The development of this Guideline and use in the Czech Republic is described and future application to other Member States is discussed. Limitations of calculation methods and the importance of high quality food composition data are discussed. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Geographical Variation in the Terpene Composition of the Leaf Oil of Douglas Fir,

Science.gov (United States)

The two forms of Douglas fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii and var. glauca, differ quite considerably with regard to the monoterpenes of...their leaf oils. Several chemical races, differing quantitatively in certain monoterpenes , appear to exist in each variety and the leaf oil composition seems to be particularly useful in classifying intermediate forms. (Author)

CudaFilters: A SignalPlant library for GPU-accelerated FFT and FIR filtering

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Nejedlý, Petr; Plešinger, Filip; Halámek, Josef; Jurák, Pavel

2018-01-01

Roč. 48, č. 1 (2018), s. 3-9 ISSN 0038-0644 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA17-13830S; GA MŠk(CZ) LO1212; GA MŠk ED0017/01/01 Institutional support: RVO:68081731 Keywords : CUDA * FFT filter * FIR filter * GPU acceleration * SignalPlant Impact factor: 1.609, year: 2016

Effectiveness of fungicides in protecting Douglas-fir shoots from infection by Phytophthora ramorum

Science.gov (United States)

G.A. Chastagner; E.M. Hansen; K.L. Riley; W. Sutton

2006-01-01

The effectiveness of 20 systemic and contact fungicides in protecting Douglas-fir seedlings from infection by Phytophthora ramorum was determined. Some systemic products were applied about a week prior to bud break, while most treatments were applied just after bud break. In addition to the fungicides, two surfactants were included in the post-bud...

Progress on FIR interferometry and Thomson Scattering measurements on HIT-SI3

Science.gov (United States)

Everson, Christopher; Jarboe, Thomas; Morgan, Kyle

2017-10-01

Spatially resolved measurements of the electron temperature (Te) and density (ne) will be fundamental in assessing the degree to which HIT-SI3 demonstrates closed magnetic flux and energy confinement. Further, electron temperature measurements have not yet been made on an inductively-driven spheromak. Far infrared (FIR) interferometer and Thomson Scattering (TS) systems have been installed on the HIT-SI3 spheromak. The TS system currently implemented on HIT-SI3 was originally designed for other magnetic confinement experiments, and progress continues toward modifying and optimizing for HIT-SI3 plasmas. Initial results suggest that the electron temperature is of order 10 eV. Plans to modify the TS system to provide more sensitivity and accuracy at low temperatures are presented. The line-integrated ne is measured on one chord by the FIR interferometer, with densities near 5x1019 m-3. Four cylindrical volumes have been added to the HIT-SI3 apparatus to enhance passive pumping. It is hoped that this will allow for more control of the density during the 2 ms discharges. Density measurements from before and after the installation of the passive pumping volumes are presented for comparison.

Modelling Age- and Density-Related Gas Exchange of Picea abies Canopies in the Fichtelgebirge, Germany

OpenAIRE

Falge, Eva; Tennhunen, John D.; Ryel, Ronald J.; Alsheimer, Martina; Köstner, Barbara

2000-01-01

International audience; Differences in canopy exchange of water and carbon dioxide that occur due to changes in tree structure and density in montane Norway spruce stands of Central Germany were analyzed with a three dimensional microclimate and gas exchange model STANDFLUX. The model was used to calculate forest radiation absorption, the net photosynthesis and transpiration of single trees, and gas exchange of tree canopies. Model parameterizations were derived for six stands of Picea abies ...

Current utilization and long term strategy of the Finnish TRIGA research reactor FiR 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auterinen, Iiro; Salmenhaara, Seppo

2008-01-01

FiR 1 (TRIGA Mark II, 250 kW) has an important international role in the development of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) for cancer. The safety and efficacy of BNCT is studied for several different cancers: - primary glioblastoma, a highly malignant brain tumour (since 1999); - recurrent glioblastoma or anaplastic astrocytoma (since 2001); - recurrent inoperable head and neck carcinoma (since 2003). It is one of the few facilities in the world providing this kind of treatments. The successes in the BNCT development have now created a demand for these treatments, although they are given on an experimental basis. Well over 100 patients treated now since May 1999: - at least 1 patient irradiation / week, often 2 (Tuesday and Thursday) - patients are referred to BNCT-treatments from several hospitals, also outside research protocols; - the hospitals pay for the treatment. The FiR 1 reactor has proven to be a reliable neutron source for the BNCT treatments; no patient irradiations have been cancelled because of a failure of the reactor. The BNCT facility has become a center of extensive academic research especially in medical physics. Nuclear education and training continue to play also a role at FiR 1 in the form of university courses and training of nuclear industry personnel. FiR 1 is one of the two sources in Scandinavia for short lived radioisotopes used in tracer studies in industry. The main isotope produced is Br-82 in the form of either KBr or ethylene bromide. Other typical isotopes are Na-24, Ar-41, La-140. The isotopes are used mainly in tracer studies in industry (Indmeas Inc., Finland). Typical activity of one irradiated Br-sample is 20 - 80 GBq; total activity produced in one year is over 3 TBq; the reactor operating time needed for the isotope production is one or two days per week. Accelerator based neutron sources are developed for BNCT. The prospect is that when BNCT will achieve a status of a fully accepted and efficient treatment modality for

Examining controls on peak annual streamflow and floods in the Fraser River Basin of British Columbia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. L. Curry

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The Fraser River Basin (FRB of British Columbia is one of the largest and most important watersheds in western North America, and home to a rich diversity of biological species and economic assets that depend implicitly upon its extensive riverine habitats. The hydrology of the FRB is dominated by snow accumulation and melt processes, leading to a prominent annual peak streamflow invariably occurring in May–July. Nevertheless, while annual peak daily streamflow (APF during the spring freshet in the FRB is historically well correlated with basin-averaged, 1 April snow water equivalent (SWE, there are numerous occurrences of anomalously large APF in below- or near-normal SWE years, some of which have resulted in damaging floods in the region. An imperfect understanding of which other climatic factors contribute to these anomalously large APFs hinders robust projections of their magnitude and frequency. We employ the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC process-based hydrological model driven by gridded observations to investigate the key controlling factors of anomalous APF events in the FRB and four of its subbasins that contribute nearly 70 % of the annual flow at Fraser-Hope. The relative influence of a set of predictors characterizing the interannual variability of rainfall, snowfall, snowpack (characterized by the annual maximum value, SWEmax, soil moisture and temperature on simulated APF at Hope (the main outlet of the FRB and at the subbasin outlets is examined within a regression framework. The influence of large-scale climate modes of variability (the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation – ENSO on APF magnitude is also assessed, and placed in context with these more localized controls. The results indicate that next to SWEmax (univariate Spearman correlation with APF of ρ ^   =  0.64; 0.70 (observations; VIC simulation, the snowmelt rate (ρ ^   =  0.43 in VIC, the

Growth and yield of a managed 30-year-old noble fir plantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall D. Murray

1988-01-01

A thinned and fertilized noble fir plantation produced 3,450 cubic feet per acre 30 years after it was planted in western Washington. More than half of this volume was in trees with diameter at breast height of 10 inches and larger. Current annual increment the last 6 years was 295 cubic feet per acre. Ornamental boughs have been harvested annually for about a 15-year...

Automated knot detection with visual post-processing of Douglas-fir veneer images

Science.gov (United States)

C.L. Todoroki; Eini C. Lowell; Dennis Dykstra

2010-01-01

Knots on digital images of 51 full veneer sheets, obtained from nine peeler blocks crosscut from two 35-foot (10.7 m) long logs and one 18-foot (5.5 m) log from a single Douglas-fir tree, were detected using a two-phase algorithm. The algorithm was developed using one image, the Development Sheet, refined on five other images, the Training Sheets, and then applied to...

The Douglas-fir genome sequence reveals specialization of the photosynthetic apparatus in Pinaceae

Science.gov (United States)

David B. Neale; Patrick E. McGuire; Nicholas C. Wheeler; Kristian A. Stevens; Marc W. Crepeau; Charis Cardeno; Aleksey V. Zimin; Daniela Puiu; Geo M. Pertea; U. Uzay Sezen; Claudio Casola; Tomasz E. Koralewski; Robin Paul; Daniel Gonzalez-Ibeas; Sumaira Zaman; Richard Cronn; Mark Yandell; Carson Holt; Charles H. Langley; James A. Yorke; Steven L. Salzberg; Jill L. Wegrzyn

2017-01-01

A reference genome sequence for Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco (Coastal Douglas-fir) is reported, thus providing a reference sequence for a third genus of the family Pinaceae. The contiguity and quality of the genome assembly far exceeds that of other conifer reference genome sequences (contig N50 = 44,136 bp and scaffold N50...

Silvicultural research and the evolution of forest practices in the Douglas-fir region.

Science.gov (United States)

Robert O. Curtis; Dean S. DeBell; Richard E. Miller; Michael Newton; J. Bradley St. Clair; William I. Stein

2007-01-01

Silvicultural practices in the Douglas-fir region evolved through a combination of formal research, observation, and practical experience of forest managers and silviculturists, and changing economic and social factors. This process began more than a century ago and still continues. It has had a great influence on the economic well-being of the region and on the...

Dreyfusia nordmannianae in Northern and Central Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ravn, Hans Peter; Havill, N.P.; Akbulut, S.

2013-01-01

The silver fir woolly adelgid, Dreyfusia nordmannianae, is the most severe pest occurring on Abies nordmanniana in Central and Northern Europe. The adelgid is particularly damaging to trees in Christmas tree plantations. Dreyfusia nordmannianae is native to the Caucasus region and alien to Europe...... were examined for phylogenetic structure. There was no evidence of differentiation, suggesting that these Dreyfusia species have recently diverged or require taxonomic revision. All existing published and unpublished reports on natural enemies of D. nordmannianae in its place of origin were reviewed...

Strontium isotopes reveal distant sources of architectural timber in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico

OpenAIRE

English, Nathan B.; Betancourt, Julio L.; Dean, Jeffrey S.; Quade, Jay

2001-01-01

Between A.D. 900 and 1150, more than 200,000 conifer trees were used to build the prehistoric great houses of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, in what is now a treeless landscape. More than one-fifth of these timbers were spruce (Picea) or fir (Abies) that were hand-carried from isolated mountaintops 75–100 km away. Because strontium from local dust, water, and underlying bedrock is incorporated by trees, specific logging sites can be identified by comparing 87Sr/86Sr ratios in construction beams fr...

A tool for automatic generation of RTL-level VHDL description of RNS FIR filters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Re, Andrea Del; Nannarelli, Alberto; Re, Marco

2004-01-01

Although digital filters based on the Residue Number System (RNS) show high performance and low power dissipation, RNS filters are not widely used in DSP systems, because of the complexity of the algorithms involved. We present a tool to design RNS FIR filters which hides the RNS algorithms to th...

Realized gains from block-plot coastal Douglas-fir trials in the northern Oregon Cascades

Science.gov (United States)

Terrence Z. Ye; Keith J.S. Jayawickrama; J. Bradley. St. Clair

2010-01-01

Realized gains for coastal Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) were evaluated using data collected from 15-year-old trees from five field trials planted in large block plots in the northern Oregon Cascades. Three populations with different genetic levels (elite--high predicted gain; intermediate--moderate predicted gain; and an...

Fine-scale variability in growth-climate relationships of Douglas-fir, North Cascade Range, Washington.

Science.gov (United States)

Michael J. Case; David L. Peterson

2005-01-01

Information about the sensitivity to climate of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) is valuable because it will allow forest managers to maximize growth, better understand how carbon sequestration may change over time, and better model and predict future ecosystem responses to climatic change. We examined the effects of climatic...

Foliar nitrogen metabolism of adult Douglas-fir trees is affected by soil water availability and varies little among provenances.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Baoguo; Kreuzwieser, Jürgen; Dannenmann, Michael; Junker, Laura Verena; Kleiber, Anita; Hess, Moritz; Jansen, Kirstin; Eiblmeier, Monika; Gessler, Arthur; Kohnle, Ulrich; Ensminger, Ingo; Rennenberg, Heinz; Wildhagen, Henning

2018-01-01

The coniferous forest tree Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is native to the pacific North America, and is increasingly planted in temperate regions worldwide. Nitrogen (N) metabolism is of great importance for growth, resistance and resilience of trees. In the present study, foliar N metabolism of adult trees of three coastal and one interior provenance of Douglas-fir grown at two common gardens in southwestern Germany (Wiesloch, W; Schluchsee, S) were characterized in two subsequent years. Both the native North American habitats of the seed sources and the common garden sites in Germany differ in climate conditions. Total and mineral soil N as well as soil water content were higher in S compared to W. We hypothesized that i) provenances differ constitutively in N pool sizes and composition, ii) N pools are affected by environmental conditions, and iii) that effects of environmental factors on N pools differ among interior and coastal provenances. Soil water content strongly affected the concentrations of total N, soluble protein, total amino acids (TAA), arginine and glutamate. Foliar concentrations of total N, soluble protein, structural N and TAA of trees grown at W were much higher than in trees at S. Provenance effects were small but significant for total N and soluble protein content (interior provenance showed lowest concentrations), as well as arginine, asparagine and glutamate. Our data suggest that needle N status of adult Douglas-fir is independent from soil N availability and that low soil water availability induces a re-allocation of N from structural N to metabolic N pools. Small provenance effects on N pools suggest that local adaptation of Douglas-fir is not dominated by N conditions at the native habitats.

The Effect of Heat Treatment on the Pull-off Strength of Optionally Varnished Surfaces of Five Wood Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Musa Atar

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the effects of heat treatment, following optional treatment with synthetic, water-based, and alkyd varnishes, on the pull-off strength of wooden materials sampled from oriental beech (Fagus orientalis L., oak (Quercus petraea Liebl., black poplar (Populus nigra L., pine (Pinus sylvestris L., and fir (Abies bornmulleriana M.. The test samples were subjected to heat treatment at temperatures of 165 °C and 175 °C for periods of 2 and 4 h with a total of 4 variations. With respect to the wood type, the samples of beech wood yielded the highest results for pull-off strength, while fir wood yielded the lowest. With respect to the varnish types, the highest pull-off strength was found in the samples of synthetic varnished beech (5,452 with a 37.2% improvement at 175 °C heat treatment for 4 h, while the lowest results were obtained in the samples of fir (0.991 with a 48.5% decrease at 175 °C heat treatment for 4 h. In conclusion, heat treatment significantly decreased the pull-off strength of the woods.

Regional patterns of increasing Swiss needle cast impacts on Douglas-fir growth with warming temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

The fungal pathogen, Phaeocryptopus gaeumannii, occurs wherever Douglas-fir is found but disease damage is believed to be limited in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) to the Oregon Coast Range and is of no concern outside the coastal fog zone [1]. However, knowledge remains limited on...

Evaluating the usability of a single UK community acquired brain injury (ABI) rehabilitation service website: implications for research methodology and website design.

Science.gov (United States)

Newby, Gavin; Groom, Christina

2010-04-01

Information provision is an important resource for those living with acquired brain injury (ABI) and their families. Web-based health information services are now common additions to health service provision. Ideally, they should be easy to use and provide useful, relevant and accurate information. ABI injuries do not affect individuals in the same way, and survivors can have a wide range of abilities and impairments. Therefore, any informational resource intended for this group should take account of their needs and help to compensate for their limitations. This pilot study recruited a group of individuals with ABI (of a median Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale rating of "lower moderate disability") who were clients of a UK National Health Service rehabilitation service and asked them to assess a specialised website provided by that service and hosted by their employing Primary Care Trust organisation. Participants completed a practical task and then gave their opinions on various aspects of website design, and content. They were also asked to suggest improvements and recommend additions. Overall the results were favourable. However, improvements in the legibility, layout and writing style were identified. There were also requests to add more information on the existing topics and add additional topics. The discussion also evaluates the utility of the methodology and the implications of the results for others considering constructing their own website.

The FIR-Radio Correlation in Rapidly Star-Forming Galaxies: The Spectral Index Problem and Proton Calorimetry

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Todd A.; Lacki, Brian C.

We review the physics of the FIR-radio correlation (FRC) of star-forming galaxies, focusing on "electron calorimetry" as an explanation. We emphasize the importance of the "spectral index problem"—that galaxies have flatter GHz synchrotron spectra than predicted in the strong-cooling calorimeter limit. We argue that these shallow spectra require significant bremsstrahlung and/or ionization losses for the primary and secondary CR electron/positron populations. This then implies that CR protons suffer strong pionic losses before escape in dense starburst galaxies ("proton calorimetry"), and that these systems should be gamma-ray bright, forming a FIR-gamma-ray correlation. Implications for the diffuse non-thermal cosmic gamma-ray and neutrino backgrounds are mentioned. Caveats and uncertainties, as well as other solutions to the "spectral index problem" such as rapid advection of CRs in starburst superwinds, are highlighted.

Plasticity in physiological traits in conifers: implications for response to climate change in the western U.S.

Science.gov (United States)

Grulke, N E

2010-06-01

Population variation in ecophysiological traits of four co-occurring montane conifers was measured on a large latitudinal gradient to quantitatively assess their potential for response to environmental change. White fir (Abies concolor) had the highest variability, gross photosynthetic rate (Pg), and foliar carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) content. Despite low water use efficiency (WUE), stomatal conductance (gs) of fir was the most responsive to unfavorable environmental conditions. Pinus lambertiana exhibited the least variability in Pg and WUE, and is likely to be the most vulnerable to environmental changes. Pinus ponderosa had an intermediate level of variability, and high needle growth at its higher elevational limits. Pinus Jeffreyi also had intermediate variability, but high needle growth at its southern latitudinal and lower elevational limits. The attributes used to assess tree vigor were effective in predicting population vulnerability to abiotic (drought) and biotic (herbivore) stresses. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Manipulating stand structure of Douglas-fir plantations for wildlife habitat and wood production

Science.gov (United States)

Timothy B. Harrington

2010-01-01

In southwestern Oregon, a study was initiated by Oregon State University (OSU) in 1983 to determine effects of hardwood competition on Douglas-fir plantation development. The use of herbicides to uniformly suppress competing vegetation—especially fast-growing hardwoods—proved to be an effective approach to ensure dominance and a high level of productivity for planted...

Dwarf mistletoe does not increase trunk taper in released red firs in California

Science.gov (United States)

Robert F. Scharpf

1977-01-01

Dwarf mistletoe had no noticeable effect on trunk taper of young, dominant and codominant red firs 4 to 22 inches (10.2 to 55.9 cm) d.b.h. Also, taper was not influenced by live crown ratio of infected and uninfected trees. Trees less than 7 inches d.b.h. had significantly more taper than larger trees, irrespective of dwarf mistletoe.

Growth and morphogenesis of shoot initials of Douglas fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, in vitro

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Evers, P.W.

1984-01-01

An optimalized method of micropropagation of Douglas fir is described. Seasonal changes were found in optima for nitrate and sucrose in the medium and in the optimum for the light intensity during the culture of shoot initials. Differences in morphogenesis were obtained from shoot initials that had

Nitrogen turnover in fresh Douglas fir litter directly after additions of moisture and inorganic nitrogen

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Raat, K.J.; Tietema, A.; Verstraten, J.M.

2010-01-01

The effects of wetting and drying and inorganic nitrogen (N) addition on carbon (C) and N turnover in fresh Douglas fir litter (Speuld forest, the Netherlands) were investigated. Litter was incubated for 9 days in the laboratory, receiving different moisture and N addition treatments. Following the

Lactococcal Abortive Infection Protein AbiV Interacts Directly with the Phage Protein SaV and Prevents Translation of Phage Proteins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haaber, Jakob Brandt Borup; Samson, J.E.; Labrie, S.J.

2010-01-01

RNAs and proteins suggested that AbiV blocks the activation of late gene transcription, probably by a general inhibition of translation. Using size exclusion chromatography coupled with on-line static light scattering and refractometry, as well as fluorescence quenching experiments, we also demonstrated that both...

Susceptibility of Shallow Landslide in Fraser Hill Catchment, Pahang Malaysia

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Wan Nor Azmin Sulaiman

2010-01-01

Full Text Available In tropical areas especially during monsoon seasons intense precipitation is the main caused that trigger the natural shallow landslide phenomena. This phenomenon can be disastrous and widespread in occurrence even in undisturbed forested catchment. In this paper, an attempt has been made to evaluate the susceptibility of natural hill slopes to failure for a popular hill resort area, the Fraser Hill Catchment under different rainfall regimes and soil thickness. A Digital Elevation Model (DEM was prepared for the 8.2 km2 catchment. A GIS based deterministic model was then applied to predict the spatial landslide occurrence within catchment. Model input parameters include bulk density, friction angle, cohesion and hydraulic conductivity were gathered through in situ and lab analysis as well as from previous soil analysis records. Landslides locations were recorded using GPS as well as previous air photos and satellite imagery to establish landslide source areas inventory. The landslide susceptibility map was produced under different precipitation event’s simulation to see the effects of precipitation to stability of the hill slopes of the catchment. The results were categorized into naturally unstable (Defended, Upper Threshold, Lower Threshold, marginal instability (Quasi Stable and stable area (Moderately Stable and Stable. Results of the simulation indicated notable change in precipitation effect on Defended area is between 10mm to 40mm range in a single storm event. However, when storm event is exceeded 120mm, the result on Defended area produced by the model tends to be constant further on. For area categorized as naturally unstable (Factor of Safety, SF<1, with 110 mm of precipitation in a single storm event and soil depth at 2 meters and 4 meters could affect 69.51% and 69.88% respectively of the catchment area fall under that class. In addition, the model was able to detect 4% more of the landslide inventory under shallower soil depth of

Direct-Digital Modulation (DIDIMO) Transmitter with -156dBc/Hz Rx-Band Noise using FIR structure

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fukuda, Shuichi; Miya, Shinji; Io, Miho; Hamashita, Koichi; Nauta, Bram

2012-01-01

A direct-digital modulation (DIDIMO) transmitter employing 3-taps 10-bit Finite Impulse Response configuration is proposed and evaluated. FIR-DIDIMO provides simultaneous combination of D/A conversion, up-conversion, power control and also quantization noise filtering at arbitrary offset frequency

Variation in water potential, hydraulic characteristics and water source use in montane Douglas-fir and lodgepole pine trees in southwestern Alberta and consequences for seasonal changes in photosynthetic capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, Shilo F; Flanagan, Lawrence B; Sharp, Eric J; Cai, Tiebo

2012-02-01

Tree species response to climate change-induced shifts in the hydrological cycle depends on many physiological traits, particularly variation in water relations characteristics. We evaluated differences in shoot water potential, vulnerability of branches to reductions in hydraulic conductivity, and water source use between Pinus contorta Dougl. ex Loud. var. latifolia Engelm. (lodgepole pine) and Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco (interior Douglas-fir), and determined the consequences for seasonal changes in photosynthetic capacity. The Douglas-fir site had soil with greater depth, finer texture and higher organic matter content than soil at the lodgepole pine site, all factors that increased the storage of soil moisture. While the measured xylem vulnerability curves were quite similar for the two species, Douglas-fir had lower average midday shoot water potentials than did lodgepole pine. This implied that lodgepole pine exhibited stronger stomatal control of transpiration than Douglas-fir, which helped to reduce the magnitude of the water potential gradient required to access water from drying soil. Stable hydrogen isotope measurements indicated that Douglas-fir increased the use of groundwater during mid-summer when precipitation inputs were low, while lodgepole pine did not. There was a greater reduction of photosynthetic carbon gain in lodgepole pine compared with Douglas-fir when the two tree species were exposed to seasonal declines in soil water content. The contrasting patterns of seasonal variation in photosynthetic capacity observed for the two species were a combined result of differences in soil characteristics at the separate sites and the inherent physiological differences between the species.

Nitrogen, corn, and forest genetics: the agricultural yield strategy-implications for Douglas-fir management.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy R. Silen

1982-01-01

Agricultural yield strategy simply aims to increase number of grain bearing stalks per acre. Forestry strategies look to thinning, fertilizer, and genetics, each to provide gains. The agricultural strategies applied to Douglas-fir appear to be impractical for long rotations. Concern is expressed for commitments to perpetual inputs of materials and energy to keep a...

Variations of wood delta 13C and water-use efficiency of Abies alba during the last century

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bert, D.; Leavitt, S.W.; Dupouey, J.L.

1997-01-01

Variations of intrinsic water-use efficiency during the last century were investigated based on analysis of δ 13 C in tree rings of Abies alba from the Jura Mountains (eastern France). To separate the effects related to the age of the tree at the time the tree ring was formed from effects due to environmental changes, analyzed wood samples were extracted from a very large sample set including different tree ages and calendar dates of wood formation. For the first 75 yr of the life of Abies alba, δ 13 of wood holocellulose increases with the age of the tree from -24.4%o at age 15 to approximately -22.5%o at age 75. Between the ages of 75 and 150 values remain constant at -22.5%. Consequently, the effect of the tree age on isotopic discrimination has to be taken into account in studies on the long-term environmental effects on δ 13 in tree rings. Divergent trends of δ 13 during the last century were observed between tree rings formed at age 40 and bulk air data. The isotopic discrimination Δ varied insignificantly around a mean of 17.3%o between the 1860s and the 1930s. It then decreased to 15.8%o from the 1930s to the 1980s. Using these results and classical models of carbon discrimination, we calculated that the intrinsic water-use efficiency (A/g w , the ratio of CO 2 assimilation rate to stomatal conductance for water vapor), integrated over the year, has increased by 30% between the 1930s and the 1980s. These results, obtained at the level of mature trees, are consistent with the physiological effects of increasing CO 2 concentrations as observed in controlled experiments on young seedlings. They are consistent with the strong increases in radial growth observed for Abies alba in western Europe over the past decades. However, other long-term environmental changes such as increasing nitrogen deposition could cause similar effects. (author)

Growth responses of young Douglas-fir and tanoak 11 years after various levels of hardwood removal and understory suppression in southwestern Oregon, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Harrington, T.B.; Tappeiner, John C.

1997-01-01

At two sites in southwestern Oregon, height, diameter, and crown width of young Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and sprout-origin tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus) were measured 1–11 years after reducing the density of a 2-year-old tanoak stand to 0%, 25%, 50%, and 100% of its initial cover. Some plots also included suppression of understory vegetation. Tanoak cover developed linearly with time, with steepness of the growth trajectory increasing at a diminishing rate with increasing percentage of initial tanoak cover. Fifth-year cover of understory vegetation declined linearly with increasing percentage of initial tanoak cover (R2 = 0.29). Survival of Douglas-fir (96–100%) differed little among initial abundances of tanoak, while growth trajectories for its size became increasingly exponential with decreasing percentage of initial tanoak cover. Eleventh-year heights of Douglas-fir were similar for 0%, 25%, and 50% of initial tanoak cover; however, diameter increased linearly with decreasing percentage of initial tanoak cover (R2 = 0.73), and the slope of the relationship steepened with understory suppression. Our results indicate that young stands exhibiting a wide range of stand compositions and productivities can be established by early manipulations of tanoak and understory abundance. Complete removal of tanoak plus understory suppression are necessary to maximize Douglas-fir growth, while productive, mixed stands can be achieved by removing 50% or more of tanoak cover.

Fungal endophytes in woody roots of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)

Science.gov (United States)

J. A. Hoff; Ned B. Klopfenstein; Geral I. McDonald; Jonalea R. Tonn; Mee-Sook Kim; Paul J. Zambino; Paul F. Hessburg; J. D. Rodgers; T. L. Peever; L. M. Carris

2004-01-01

The fungal community inhabiting large woody roots of healthy conifers has not been well documented. To provide more information about such communities, a survey was conducted using increment cores from the woody roots of symptomless Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) growing in dry forests...

Overstory response to alternative thinning treatments in young Douglas-fir forests of Western Oregon.

Science.gov (United States)

Liane R. Davis; Klaus J. Puettmann; Gabriel F. Tucker

2007-01-01

An increase in land dominated by young second-growth Douglas-fir forests in the Pacific Northwest has coincided with heightened concerns over loss of old-growth habitat. In search of options for managing young forests to provide late-successional forest structures, the Young Stand Thinning and Diversity Study was designed to test the effectiveness of modified thinning...

Plastic cages to protect Douglas-fir seedlings from animal damage in western Oregon.

Science.gov (United States)

Glen C. Crouch

1980-01-01

Effects of plastic mesh cages designed to protect Douglas-fir seedlings from animals were evaluated in western Oregon. In two tests over 5-year periods, caging increased survival by 0 and 13 percent and increased height growth by 0.8 and 1.2 feet compared with uncaged trees. Benefits from caging might have been greater if damage had been more prevalent during the tests...

Regeneration in mixed conifer and Douglas-fir shelterwood cuttings in the Cascade Range of Washington.

Science.gov (United States)

K.W. Seidel

1983-01-01

A survey of shelterwood cuttings in mixed conifer and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) forests in the Cascade Range in Washington showed that, on the average, shelterwood units were adequately-stocked with a mixture of advance, natural postharvest, and planted reproduction of a number of species. Shelterwood cuttings in the...

Morphology and accumulation of epicuticular wax on needles of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii)

Science.gov (United States)

Constance A. Harrington; William C. Carlson

2015-01-01

Past studies have documented differences in epicuticular wax among several tree species but little attention has been paid to changes in accumulation of foliar wax that can occur during the year. We sampled current-year needles from the terminal shoots of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) in late June/early...

Simulation study of the photon quality correction factors of ionization chambers for FiR 1 epithermal neutron beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koivunoro, H.; Uusi-Simola, J.; Savolainen, S.; Kotiluoto, P.; Auterinen, I.; Kosunen, A.

2006-01-01

At FiR 1 BNCT facility in Finland, neutron-insensitive Mg(Ar) ionization chambers are used for photon dose measurements in an epithermal neutron beam. Previously, photon sensitivity factors for the chamber for the measurements in a water phantom in FiR 1 beam have been determined experimentally from measurements in 60 Co gamma and in a 6 MV clinical accelerator photon beams. However, the response of the ionization chamber in a water phantom depends on energy spectrum and angle of the photons and the secondary electrons created inside the phantom and may differ depending on type of the irradiation source (accelerator vs. an epithermal neutron beam). Also, the experimental sensitivity factor does not take into account the possible perturbations in the photon production in phantom caused by the ionization chamber materials. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the photon quality correction factors (k Qγ ) for the Mg(Ar) chamber at the FiR 1 beam through computer simulations. In this study, the k Qγ factors have been determined for Mg(Ar) chamber from Monte Carlo calculations of absorbed photon dose at two depths in a water phantom using MCNP code. The k qγ factors obtained with this method are compared to the sensitivity factors determined with measurements in an accelerator photon beam and to the k Qγ factors published previously. (author)

CITOGENETICS EFFECTS INDUCED BY THE ASCORBIC ACID TREATMENT OF LARIX DECIDUA MILL. SSP. CARPATICA AND PICEA ABIES (L. KARST

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ioana Ieremia

2006-08-01

Full Text Available The paper present the influence of ascorbic acid upon the mitotic division of Larix decidua Mill ssp. carpatica and Picea abies (L. Karst. The treatment is applied of two variants, germinated seed in ascorbic acid (variantAand germinated seeds in disttilate water, than treated with ascorbic acid in 3 concentrations (variant B.

Hands-on Activities Designed to Familiarize Users with Data from ABI on GOES-R and AHI on Himawari-8

Science.gov (United States)

Lindstrom, S. S.; Schmit, T.; Gerth, J.; Gunshor, M. M.; Mooney, M. E.; Whittaker, T. M.

2016-12-01

Recent and ongoing launches of next-generation geostationary satellites offer a challenge to familiarize National Weather Service (and other) forecasters with the new capabilities of different spectral channels sensed by the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) on GOES-R and the Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) on Himawari-8. Hands on HTML5-based applets developed at the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies allow for quick comparisons of reflectance in the visible (0.4 to 0.7 um) and near-infrared channels (0.86 to 2.2 um) and brightness temperatures in the infrared (3.9 to 13.3 um). The web apps to explore the different channels on ABI and AHI are at http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/webapps/bandapp/; those that offer guidance on how to produce Red/Green/Blue composites are at http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/webapps/satrgb/overview.html. This talk will briefly discuss highlights from both websites, and suggest ways the applications can be used to educate forecasters and the general public.

Ferric iron remediation and stabilisation (firs) - developing a new robust electrokinetic remediation technique for heavy metal and radionuclide contaminated sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faulkner, D.; Hopkinson, L.; Cundy, A.

2005-01-01

Electrokinetic remediation is an emerging technology that has generated considerable interest as a technique for the in-situ remediation of contaminated clay-rich soils and sediments. Despite promising experimental results, however, at present there is no standardised universal electrokinetic soil/sediment remediation approach. Many of the current technologies are technically complex and energy intensive, and geared towards the removal of 90% or more of specific contaminants, under very specific field or laboratory-based conditions. However, in the real environment a low-tech, low-energy contaminant reduction / containment technique may be more appropriate and realistic. Such a technique, FIRS (Ferric Iron Remediation and Stabilisation), is discussed here. The FIRS technique involves the application of a low magnitude (typically less than 0.2 V/cm) direct electric potential between two or more sacrificial, iron-rich, electrodes emplaced either side of a contaminated soil or sediment. The electric potential is used to generate a strong pH (and Eh) gradient within the soil column (pH 2 - 13), which acts to re-mobilize contaminants in the treated soil, and force the precipitation of an impermeable, sorptive iron-rich barrier or 'pan' in the soil between the electrodes. Geochemical data from bench-scale treatment cells indicate that the FIRS technique can significantly reduce the concentration of a range of heavy metals and radionuclides in contaminated soils, by remobilization of contaminants followed by precipitation on, or around, the iron-rich barrier generated by the technique. In addition, arsenic seems highly amenable to the FIRS treatment, due to its solubility under the high pH conditions generated near to the cathode, and its marked geochemical affinity with the freshly precipitated iron oxides and oxy-hydroxides in the iron barrier. Geotechnical tests indicate that the iron barrier produced by the technique is practically impervious (permeability 10 -9 m

High Resolution Thz and FIR Spectroscopy of SOCl_2

Science.gov (United States)

Martin-Drumel, M. A.; Cuisset, A.; Sadovskii, D. A.; Mouret, G.; Hindle, F.; Pirali, O.

2013-06-01

Thionyl chloride (SOCl_2) is an extremely powerful oxidant widely used in industrial processes and playing a role in the chemistry of the atmosphere. In addition, it has a molecular configuration similar to that of phosgene (COCl_2), and is therefore of particular interest for security and defense applications. Low resolution vibrational spectra of gas phase SOCl_2 as well as high resolution pure rotational transitions up to 25 GHz have previously been investigated. To date no high resolution data are reported at frequencies higher than 25 GHz. We have investigated the THz absorption spectrum of SOCl_2 in the spectral region 70-650 GHz using a frequency multiplier chain coupled to a 1 m long single path cell containing a pressure of about 15 μbar. At the time of the writing, about 8000 pure rotational transitions of SO^{35}Cl_2 with highest J and K_a values of 110 and 50 respectively have been assigned on the spectrum. We have also recorded the high resolution FIR spectra of SOCl_2 in the spectral range 50-700 wn using synchrotron radiation at the AILES beamline of SOLEIL facility. A White-type cell aligned with an absorption path length of 150 m has been used to record, at a resolution of 0.001 wn, two spectra at pressures of 5 and 56 μbar of SOCl_2. On these spectra all FIR modes of SOCl_2 are observed (ν_2 to ν_6) and present a resolved rotational structure. Their analysis is in progress. T. J. Johnson et al., J. Phys. Chem. A 107, 6183 (2003) D. E. Martz and R. T. Lagemann, J. Chem. Phys. 22,1193 (1954) H. S. P. Müller and M. C. L. Gerry, J. Chem. Soc. Faraday Trans. 90, 3473 (1994)

Functions for biomass and basic density of stem, crown and root system of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skovsgaard, Jens Peter; Bald, Caroline; Nord-Larsen, Thomas

2011-01-01

Models for predicting the biomass of forest trees are becoming increasingly important for assessing forest resources and carbon sequestration in forests. We developed functions for predicting the biomass and basic density of above- and below-ground parts of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.)...

Vegetation and Ecological Characteristics of Mixed-Conifer and Red Fir Forests at the Teakettle Experimental Forest

Science.gov (United States)

Malcolm North; Brian Oakley; Jiquan Chen; Heather Erickson; Andrew Gray; Antonio Izzo; Dale Johnson; Siyan Ma; Jim Marra; Marc Meyer; Kathryn Purcell; Tom Rambo; Dave Rizzo; Brent Roath; Tim. Schowalter

2002-01-01

Detailed analysis of mixed-conifer and red fir forests were made from extensive, large vegetation sampling, systematically conducted throughout the Teakettle Experimental Forest. Mixed conifer is characterized by distinct patch conditions of closed-canopy tree clusters, persistent gaps and shrub thickets. This heterogeneous spatial structure provides contrasting...

Pruning high-value Douglas-fir can reduce dwarf mistletoe severity and increase longevity in Central Oregon

Science.gov (United States)

Helen M. Maffei; Gregory M. Filip; Nancy E. Grulke; Brent W. Oblinger; Ellis Q. Margolis; Kristen L. Chadwick

2016-01-01

Mid- to very large-sized Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menzieseii var. menziesii) that were lightly- to moderately-infected by dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium douglasii) were analyzed over a 14-year period to evaluate whether mechanical pruning could eradicate mistletoe (or at least delay the onset of severe infection) without...

Effects of heat treatment on some physical properties of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) wood

Science.gov (United States)

Xianjun Li; Zhiyong Cai; Qunying Mou; Yiqiang Wu; Yuan Liu

2011-01-01

In this study the effect of heat treatment on some physical properties of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) was investigated. Wood specimens were subjected to heat treatment at 160, 180, 200 and 220°C for 1, 2, 3 and 4h. The results show that heat treatment resulted in a darkened color, decreased moisture performance and increased dimensional stability of...

Revised Site Index Curves for Balsam Fir and White Spruce in the Lake States

Science.gov (United States)

Willard H. Carmean; Jerold T. Hahn

1981-01-01

The original site index curves for balsam fir and white spruce are revised from a breast height age to a total age basis. Site index values from these revised curves are thus comparable to index values for other species that are based upon total tree age. This note also includes formulations for estimating site index by using computers or programmable, hand-...

Effects of water suspension and wet-dry cycling on fertility of Douglas-fir pollen.

Science.gov (United States)

Donald L. Copes; Nan C. Vance

2000-01-01

Studies were made to determine how long Douglas-fir pollen remains viable after suspension in cool water form 0 to 34 days. Linear regression analysis of in vivo and in vitro tests indicated that filled seed efficiency and pollen viability, respectively, decreased about 3 percent per day. The relation may have been nonlinear the first 6 days, as little decrease...

Time stamp generation with inverse FIR filters for Positron Emission Tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Namias, Mauro

2009-01-01

Photon coincidence detection is the process by which Positron Emission Tomography (PET) works. This requires the determination of the time of impact of each coincident photon at the detector system, also known as time stamp. In this work, the timestamp was generated by means of digital time-domain deconvolution with FIR filters for a INa(Tl) based system. The detector deadtime was reduced from 350 ns to 175 ns while preserving the system's energy resolution and a direct relation between the amount of light collected and the temporal resolution was found.(author)

A low-power asynchronous data-path for a FIR filter bank

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Lars Skovby; Sparsø, Jens

1996-01-01

This paper describes a number of design issues relating to the implementation of low-power asynchronous signal processing circuits. Specifically, the paper addresses the design of a dedicated processor structure that implements an audio FIR filter bank which is part of an industrial application....... The algorithm requires a fixed number of steps and the moderate speed requirement allows a sequential implementation. The latter, in combination with a huge predominance of numerically small data values in the input data stream, is the key to a low-power asynchronous implementation. Power is minimized in two...

DNA-Methylierung nach abiotischen und biotischen Einflüssen und Expressionsanalyse pathogeninduzierter Gene in Picea abies (L.) Karst.

OpenAIRE

Baumann, Ruediger

2006-01-01

Basierend auf Beobachtungen über phänotypische Änderungen in Vollgeschwisterfamilien der Fichte,Picea abies, aus unterschiedlichen Kreuzungsumwelten wurde nach der geneti-schen Untersuchung mit EST-Markern eine kapillarelektrophoretische Untersuchung der DNA durchgeführt. Dabei wurden signifikante Unterschiede im Methylcytosin(mC)-Gehalt festgestellt. Messungen der mC-Gehalte nach Hitzeschock zeigten, den Einfluss der Um-weltbedingungen auf die Methylierung der DNA. Untersuchungen zur Dynamik...

Simulating historical disturbance regimes and stand structures in old-forest ponderosa pine/Douglas-fir forests

Science.gov (United States)

Mike Hillis; Vick Applegate; Steve Slaughter; Michael G. Harrington; Helen Smith

2001-01-01

Forest Service land managers, with the collaborative assistance from research, applied a disturbance based restoration strategy to rehabilitate a greatly-altered, high risk Northern Rocky Mountain old-forest ponderosa pine-Douglas-fir stand. Age-class structure and fire history for the site have been documented in two research papers (Arno and others 1995, 1997)....

Plasticity in physiological traits in conifers: Implications for response to climate change in the western U.S

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grulke, N.E.

2010-01-01

Population variation in ecophysiological traits of four co-occurring montane conifers was measured on a large latitudinal gradient to quantitatively assess their potential for response to environmental change. White fir (Abies concolor) had the highest variability, gross photosynthetic rate (Pg), and foliar carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) content. Despite low water use efficiency (WUE), stomatal conductance (gs) of fir was the most responsive to unfavorable environmental conditions. Pinus lambertiana exhibited the least variability in Pg and WUE, and is likely to be the most vulnerable to environmental changes. Pinus ponderosa had an intermediate level of variability, and high needle growth at its higher elevational limits. Pinus Jeffreyi also had intermediate variability, but high needle growth at its southern latitudinal and lower elevational limits. The attributes used to assess tree vigor were effective in predicting population vulnerability to abiotic (drought) and biotic (herbivore) stresses. - Variability in ecophysiological attributes of western U.S. conifers suggests relative capacity of species and populations to respond to environmental change.

Plasticity in physiological traits in conifers: Implications for response to climate change in the western U.S

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grulke, N.E., E-mail: ngrulke@fs.fed.u [Pacific Southwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 4955 Canyon Crest Drive, Riverside, CA 92507 (United States)

2010-06-15

Population variation in ecophysiological traits of four co-occurring montane conifers was measured on a large latitudinal gradient to quantitatively assess their potential for response to environmental change. White fir (Abies concolor) had the highest variability, gross photosynthetic rate (Pg), and foliar carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) content. Despite low water use efficiency (WUE), stomatal conductance (gs) of fir was the most responsive to unfavorable environmental conditions. Pinus lambertiana exhibited the least variability in Pg and WUE, and is likely to be the most vulnerable to environmental changes. Pinus ponderosa had an intermediate level of variability, and high needle growth at its higher elevational limits. Pinus Jeffreyi also had intermediate variability, but high needle growth at its southern latitudinal and lower elevational limits. The attributes used to assess tree vigor were effective in predicting population vulnerability to abiotic (drought) and biotic (herbivore) stresses. - Variability in ecophysiological attributes of western U.S. conifers suggests relative capacity of species and populations to respond to environmental change.

Forestry adaptation measures at the decline of Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst. stands as exemplified by the Silesian Beskids, Czech Republic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petr Čermák

2011-01-01

Full Text Available At the beginning of this century, particularly after 2003, decline of Picea abies occurred at Forest District Jablunkov in the Silesian Beskids. This decline is of the complex character disease caused by the synergetic effects of abiotic, biotic and anthropogenic factors. Under conditions of climatic changes, it is possible to expect that similar episodes will repeat and appear also in other regions. Forestry will have to respond to them by changes in forest management. Measures proposed and discussed in this paper can be a starting point in their basic principles for other similar regions. Fundamental spheres of possible measures are as follows: chemical adaptations of the soil environment, i.e. liming or fertilization (if to realise them or not, changes in the species composition (particularly the rate of the decrease of Picea abies, participation of Fagus sylvatica and increasing the diversity of tree species, modification of the rotation (decrease and regeneration period (increase.

Reconstructing a sediment pulse: Modeling the effect of placer mining on Fraser River, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Ferguson, R. I.; Church, M.; Rennie, C. D.; Venditti, J. G.

2015-07-01

Gold mining along 525 km of the Fraser River between 1858 and 1909 added an estimated 1.1 × 108 t of tailings, half gravel and the rest finer, to the river's natural sediment load. We simulate the response using a 1-D multigrain size morphodynamic model. Since premining conditions are unknown and modern data are insufficient for tuning the process representation, we devised a novel modeling strategy which may be useful in other data-poor applications. We start the model from a smoothed version of the modern longitudinal profile with bed grain size distributions optimized to match alternative assumptions about natural sediment supply and compare runs that include mining with control runs that can be used to quantify the effects of deficiencies in process representation and initialization. Simulations with an appropriate choice of natural supply rate closely match the best available test data, which consist of a detailed 1952-1999 gravel budget for the distal part of the model domain. The simulations suggest that the main response to mining was rapid bed fining, which allowed a major increase in bed load transport rate with only slight (~0.1 m) mean aggradation within the mining region and most of the excess sediment exported well beyond the mountain front within the mining period or soon afterward. We compare this pattern of response by a large, powerful river with previous case studies of river adjustment to sediment supply change.