N-glycan maturation mutants in Lotus japonicus for basic and applied glycoprotein research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Carina T.; Loke, Ian; Lorentzen, Andrea

2017-01-01

Studies of protein N-glycosylation are important for answering fundamental questions on the diverse functions of glycoproteins in plant growth and development. Here we generated and characterised a comprehensive collection of Lotus japonicusLORE1 insertion mutants, each lacking the activity of one...... in the target glyco-genes. For example, both mass spectrometry and immunoblotting experiments suggest that proteins derived from the α1,3-fucosyltransferase (Lj3fuct) mutant completely lacked α1,3-core fucosylation. Mass spectrometry also suggested that the Lotus japonicus convicilin 2 was one of the main...

Taxonomy Icon Data: Lotus corniculatus [Taxonomy Icon

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available Lotus corniculatus Lotus corniculatus Lotus_corniculatus_L.png Lotus_corniculatus_NL.png Lotus_corn...iculatus_S.png Lotus_corniculatus_NS.png http://biosciencedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Lotus+corn...iculatus&t=L http://biosciencedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Lotus+corniculatus&t=NL http://bioscie...ncedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Lotus+corniculatus&t=S http://biosciencedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Lotus+corniculatus&t=NS ...

Taxonomy Icon Data: Lotus japonicus [Taxonomy Icon

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available Lotus japonicus Lotus japonicus Lotus_japonicus_L.png Lotus_japonicus_NL.png Lotus_japonicus_S.png Lotus_jap...onicus_NS.png http://biosciencedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Lotus+japonicus&t=L ...http://biosciencedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Lotus+japonicus&t=NL http://biosciencedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Lotus+jap...onicus&t=S http://biosciencedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Lotus+japonicus&t=NS ...

Induced Mutation in Yellow Lotus by Gamma Irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puripunyavanich, Vichai; Boonsirichai, Kanokporn

2006-01-01

Rhizomes of American yellow lotus were irradiated at eht dosed of 0, 10, 20 and 30 Gy, 10 rhizomes per treatment. They were planted in nursery pots. Unirradiated rhizomes gave out new shoots within 3-4 days. The survival rates of the 10, 20 and 30 Gy irradiated rhizomes at one month after transplanted were 80%, 30% and 10%, respectively. The radiation dose that resulted in a 50% death rate (LD 5 0) was approximately 17 Gy. The surviving plant lets were transplanted and grown in pots as the Agricultural Occupation Promotion and Development Center in Chiangmai and Chiangrai for three years. Normally, American yellow lotus does not flower in Thailand. However, a mutant was found to bear flower in Thailand. The mutant flower appeared a little different from the wild-type flower. The tip of its petals was more rounded than the pointy wild-type tip. The mutant will be propagated for clonal production or for use as a par net in breeding crosses with Thai white and pink lotuses

Characteristics of Heavy Metals Contamination in Lotus Root in the Dongting Lake Area, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LUO Man

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Heavy metal contamination in soils in the Dongting Lake areas has evoked widespread concerns about the excessive heavy metals in aquatic product. Based on the national standards of food contaminant limits and the method of comprehensive pollution index, heavy metals of Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn in lotus root were clarified through field investigation in the Dongting Lake area. Results showed that lotus root in the Dongting Lake area was contaminated seriously by heavy metals. Cd and Pb were two main pollutants and the single pollution indices were 5.70 and 8.35 respectively. According to the comprehensive pollution index of heavy metals, lotus root in Yueyanglou District and Yuanjiang City were classified into medium pollution and Junshan District, Huarong County, Nan County, and Datong District were classified into heavy pollution. Principal component analysis showed that planting areas of lotus root were clumped and medium and heavy pollution areas were separated significantly. Habitat contamination by heavy metals and decreasing area of lotus ponds were two main factors for excessive heavy metals in lotus root. Thus, some measurements, such as habit restoration, were proposed for local government to decrease heavy metals in planting areas and to promote the healthy development of lotus root industry in the Dongting Lake area.

Sacred Space.

Science.gov (United States)

Adelstein, Pamela

2018-01-01

A space can be sacred, providing those who inhabit a particular space with sense of transcendence-being connected to something greater than oneself. The sacredness may be inherent in the space, as for a religious institution or a serene place outdoors. Alternatively, a space may be made sacred by the people within it and events that occur there. As medical providers, we have the opportunity to create sacred space in our examination rooms and with our patient interactions. This sacred space can be healing to our patients and can bring us providers opportunities for increased connection, joy, and gratitude in our daily work.

How planting configuration influences plant secondary metabolites and total N in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.)

Science.gov (United States)

Theories suggest that incorporating alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.; Alf) or birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.; BFT) into endophyte-infected tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceas Schreb.; E+TF) pasturelands may improve livestock production. We investigated how planting configuration might influence p...

Religion, group threat and sacred values

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Hammad Sheikh

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Sacred or protected values have important influences on decision making, particularly in the context of intergroup disputes. Thus far, we know little about the process of a value becoming sacred or why one person may be more likely than another to hold a sacred value. We present evidence that participation in religious ritual and perceived threat to the group lead people to be more likely to consider preferences as protected or sacred values. Specifically, three studies carried out with Americans and Palestinians show: (a that the more people participate in religious ritual the more likely they are to report a preference to be a sacred value (Studies 1--3; (b that people claim more sacred values when they are reminded of religious ritual (Study 2; and (c that the effect of religious ritual on the likelihood of holding a sacred value is amplified by the perception of high threat to the in-group (Study 3. We discuss implications of these findings for understanding intergroup conflicts, and suggest avenues for future research into the emergence and spread of sacred values.

Phytosociological studies of the sacred grove of Kanyakumari district, Tamilnadu, India

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S. Sukumaran

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Sacred groves are forest patches conserved by the local people through religious and cultural practices. These groves are important reservoirs of biodiversity, preserving indigenous plant species and serving as asylum of Rare, Endangered and Threatened (RET species. The present study was carried out in Muppuram coastal sacred grove of Kanyakumari district to reveal the plant diversity, structure and regeneration pattern of trees using quadrate method. About 102 plant species were recorded from the total area (0.2 ha of the grove studied. The vegetation of the grove clearly indicates tropical dry evergreen forest. Malvaceae was the dominant family. Young plant species were dominating than older ones (> 160 cm. To avoid the rapid environmental degradation of the sacred grove, conserving the groves is urgent and it is necessary to conduct more researches on this grove as well as other groves of the district.

Legume and Lotus japonicus Databases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hirakawa, Hideki; Mun, Terry; Sato, Shusei

2014-01-01

Since the genome sequence of Lotus japonicus, a model plant of family Fabaceae, was determined in 2008 (Sato et al. 2008), the genomes of other members of the Fabaceae family, soybean (Glycine max) (Schmutz et al. 2010) and Medicago truncatula (Young et al. 2011), have been sequenced. In this sec....... In this section, we introduce representative, publicly accessible online resources related to plant materials, integrated databases containing legume genome information, and databases for genome sequence and derived marker information of legume species including L. japonicus...

Is the lotus leaf superhydrophobic?

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Yang-Tse; Rodak, Daniel E.

2005-04-01

Superhydrophobic surfaces have important technical applications ranging from self-cleaning window glasses, paints, and fabrics to low-friction surfaces. The archetype superhydrophobic surface is that of the lotus leaf. When rain falls on lotus leaves, water beads up with a contact angle in the superhydrophobic range of about 160°. The water drops promptly roll off the leaves collecting dirt along the way. This lotus effect has, in recent years, stimulated much research effort worldwide in the fabrication of surfaces with superhydrophobicity. But, is the lotus surface truly superhydrophobic? This work shows that the lotus leaves can be either hydrophobic or hydrophilic, depending on how the water gets on to their surfaces. This finding has significant ramifications on how to make and use superhydrophobic surfaces.

Early Lotus japonicus root transcriptomic responses to symbiotic and pathogenic fungal exudates

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Marco eGiovannetti

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study is to evaluate Lotus japonicus transcriptomic responses to arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM germinated spore exudates (GSE, responsible for activating nuclear Ca2+ spiking in plant root epidermis. A microarray experiment was performed comparing gene expression in Lotus rootlets treated with GSE or water after 24 h and 48 h. The transcriptional pattern of selected genes that resulted to be regulated in the array was further evaluated upon different treatments and timings. In particular, Lotus rootlets were treated with: GSE from the pathogenic fungus Colletotrichum trifolii; short chitin oligomers (acknowledged AM fungal signals and long chitin oligomers (as activators of pathogenic responses. This experimental set up has revealed that AM GSE generates a strong transcriptomic response in Lotus roots with an extensive defense-related response after 24 hours and a subsequent downregulation after 48 hours. A similar subset of defense-related genes resulted to be upregulated also upon treatment with C. trifolii GSE, although with an opposite trend. Surprisingly, long chitin oligomers activated both defense-like and symbiosis-related genes. Among the genes regulated in the microarray, promoter-GUS assay showed that LjMATE1 activates in epidermal cells and root hairs.

The Lotus japonicus ndx gene family is involved in nodule function and maintenance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grønlund, Mette; Gustafsen, Camilla; Jensen, Dorthe Bødker

2003-01-01

To elucidate the function of the ndx homeobox genes during the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis, two Lotus japonicus ndr genes were expressed in the antisense orientation under the control of the nodule-expressed promoter Psenod12 in transgenic Lotus japonicus plants. Many of the transformants obtained...

Lotus-Inspired Nanotechnology Applications

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

user

studied in the lotus, it has come to be known as the 'Lotus effect'. Barthlott and his ... would interfere with gas exchange through the stomata located on the .... greenhouses avoiding their expensive and cumbersome cleaning, water repellant ...

Ficus religiosa L. (English: Peepal tree or sacred fig; Hindi: Pippal ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Ficus religiosa L. (English: Peepal tree or sacred fig; Hindi: Pippal) of Moraceae is a large deciduous tree that grows wild as well as cultivated. The picture shows the tree with fresh flush of leaves. The tree is planted chiefly near the temples by Hindus and Buddhists who regard it as sacred. The characteristic heart-shaped ...

Assessment of traditional ecological knowledge and beliefs in the utilisation of important plant species: The case of Buhanga sacred forest, Rwanda

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Runyambo Irakiza

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Traditional ecological knowledge is an integrated part of the African people and indeed the Rwandese for cultural purpose. Buhanga sacred forest is a relict forest of tremendous ecological importance to Rwandan society located in Musanze District. The aim of this study was to assess the traditional ecological knowledge and belief in the utilisation of some important plant species for the conservation of Buhanga sacred forest. Ecological information about ethnomedicinal and traditional practices were collected following structured questionnaire through interview involving eight traditional healers and three focus group discussions. Data were collected from the natural habitats, home gardens, farmlands and roadsides of Buhanga sacred forest. A total of 45 botanical taxa belonging to 28 families were reported to be used by the local community. Species such as Brillantaisia cicatricosa and Senna septemtrionalis were the popular species cited by traditional healers to treat human and animal diseases and ailments, respectively. The results of the study indicated that because of the cultural norms and values associated with the sacred forest, this has led to non-exploitation. The study presents key sites and plant species in which their use and belief can lead to their conservation. However, not only is it imperative to conserve traditional local knowledge for biocultural conservation motives but there is also need to train traditional healers on how to domesticate indigenous species as conservation measure because some species have become susceptible to extinction. Conservation implications: Highlighting indigenous species investigated in this research will provide a powerful tool for ensuring biodiversity conservation through community participation in a country of high population density in Africa. Some plant species that provided satisfactory Local Health Traditions among communities surrounding Buhanga can contribute as good material for further

A comparative study on antioxidant activity of different parts of lotus (Nelumbo nuficera Gaertn rhizome

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Dongmei YANG

Full Text Available Abstract In this study, the antioxidant activities of different parts of lotus (Nelumbo nuficera Gaertn rhizome were compared. The total phenolic content of lotus rhizome was determined, and Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP assay, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH radical-scavenging assay and β-carotene-linoleic acid assay were performed to assess the antioxidant activity of lotus rhizome. Results showed that there was a significant difference in total phenolic content and antioxidant activity between any two of four parts of lotus rhizome. The order of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity in different parts of lotus rhizome was as follows: peel of old lotus rhizome > peel of young lotus rhizome > flesh of old lotus rhizome > flesh of young lotus rhizome. The total phenol content is significantly positive correlated with the antioxidant activity in different parts of lotus rhizome. This study has provided a basis for further exploring the antioxidant components in lotus rhizome.

Expanding the Lotus japonicus reverse genetics toolbox – Development of LORE1 retrotransposon mutagenesis and artificial miRNA-mediated silencing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Urbanski, Dorian Fabian

2011-01-01

. The protocols developed in the current project are now the cornerstone of a new LORE1 reverse genetics resource characterized by efficient mutant line generation and accurate mutation annotation. In parallel, artificial microRNAs (amiRNAs) were designed based on both Arabidopsis and Lotus backbones......Currently, the most common approach to studying Lotus japonicus (Lotus) genes is forward genetics in which a gene responsible for the studied phenotype is identified through map-based cloning. In reverse genetics, the activity of a gene of interest is modified to discover its mutant phenotype....... Prior to this project, the only reverse genetics resource available in Lotus was the TILLING resource. In an attempt to advance Lotus genetic studies, present study is focused on the development of two additional resources. The first is based on insertional mutagenesis and the second on harnessing post...

Identification and Functional Characterisation of Nod Factor Receptor (NFR) Paralogs in Lotus japonicus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard, Gitte; Radutoiu, Elena Simona; Stougaard, Jens

an important missing link in plant-bacterial communication. This picture changed with the cloning of LysM-domain containing receptor-like kinases (LysM-RLKs) in different legume species. In Lotus japonicus, two LysM-RLKs, Nod Factor Receptor 1 (NFR1) and Nod Factor Receptor 5 (NFR5), are believed to bind Nod...... using the sequences of NFR1 and NFR5. Microsattelite markers were developed from each TAC clone containing the LysM-RLK, permitting us to locate the genes on a genetic map of Lotus japonicus. In order to get more insight into the function of these genes an inverse genetic approach using RNAi has been...

Integrated Emergy and Economic Evaluation of Lotus-Root ...

Science.gov (United States)

Lotus (Neumbo nucifera, Gaertn) is the most important aquatic vegetable in China, with a cultivation history of over 3000 years. The emergy, energy, material, and money flows of three lotus root cultivation modes in Wanqingsha, Nansha District, Guangzhou, China were examined using Energy Systems Language models and emergy evaluation to better understand their ecological and economic characteristics on multiple spatial and temporal scales. The natural resource foundations, economic characteristics and sustainability of these modes were evaluated and compared. The results showed that although all three modes were highly dependent on purchased emergy inputs, their potential impacts as measured by the local (ELRL) and global (ELRW) environmental loading ratios were less than 1.2 and 0.7, respectively. The lotus-fish mode was the most sustainable with its emergy index of sustainable development (EISD) 2.09 and 2.13 times that of the pure lotus and lotus-shrimp modes, respectively. All three lotus-root production modes had superior economic viability, since their Output/Input ratio ranged from 2.56 to 4.95. The results indicated that agricultural systems may have different environmental impacts and sustainability characteristics at different spatial and temporal scales, and that these impacts and characteristics can be simultaneously explored using integrated emergy and economic evaluations. This study provides some major new insights about agriculture and its potenti

Lotus corniculatus Crop Growth of in Crude Oil Contaminated Soil. Part 2 Biomass Metals Bioaccumulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florica Morariu

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Phytoremediation involves the ability of plants to remove pollutants and is a promise on low costs and efficient processes for cleaning oil polluted soil. Studies for phytoremediation of soils polluted with petroleum products were critical and were based on monitoring strategies implemented efficiency. These strategies are based on the necessity of treating polluted soil and plant cultivation. Treatment was performed with recycled materials, sewage sludge as fertilizer and fly ash as amendment. The studies took on the characteristics of qualitative and quantitative of Lotus corniculatus crops, plants tolerant to conditions for phytoremediation strategy implemented on polluted soils by 80.5 ± 3.9 g·kg-1 D.M. The use of sewage sludge mixed with fly ash resulted in formation of a layer covering the surface with vegetable grown by 85 - 94 % in July and by 67 - 83 % in August. In Lotus corniculatus crops have not been registered bioaccumulation of toxic metals according to legislation from Romania.

Condensed Tannin Concentrations of Three Lotus Species Grown in Different Environments Contenido de Taninos Condensados en Germoplasma de Tres Especies del Género Lotus en Diferentes Ambientes

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Hernán Acuña

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Condensed tannins (CT present in Lotus spp., depending on their concentration in the plant, can prevent bloating and improve protein absorption in ruminants. With the objective to know the variability of this characteristic, the CT concentration (% dry matter basis was determined by the butanol-HCl procedure in 13 cultivars of Lotus corniculatus L. (Lc introduced from North and South America and Oceania, 11 accessions of Lotus tenuis Waldst. & Kit. ex Willd. (Lt, and 22 accessions of Lotus uliginosus Schkuhr (Lu collected in Chile, from 32° to 38° S and 36° to 46° S, respectively. The field experiments, with two randomized complete blocks, were established in autumn 1998, in five different environments in the central-southern zone of Chile (clay soil, sandy soil, and three volcanic soils with different levels of water availability. The herbage sampling was conducted in spring-summer 1999-2000, when the plants were in full flowering. Significant differences between cultivars or accessions were found within each site, in total CT and/or in extractable or protein or fiber bound fractions of CT concentrations. The Lc and Lu genotypes showed high variability, with a range of 4.7 to 8.7% and 6.3 to 11.0%, and means of 6.1 and 8.2%, respectively, of total CT. The Lt general mean was 4.8%, considerably higher than the figures reported in the literature, and had low variability. This information will contribute to select genotypes for the improvement of this species by selection and breedingLos taninos condensados (TC presentes en Lotus spp ., dependiendo de su concentración en la planta, pueden evitar el meteorismo y favorecer la absorción de proteína en rumiantes. Con el objetivo de conocer la variabilidad de esta característica se determinó por el método del butanol-HCl la concentración (% base materia seca de TC en 13 cultivares de Lotus corniculatus L. (Lc introducidos de Norteamérica, Sudamérica y Oceanía, 11 accesiones de Lotus

Integrated multi-omics analysis supports role of lysophosphatidylcholine and related glycerophospholipids in the Lotus japonicus-Glomus intraradices mycorrhizal symbiosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Vijayakumar, Vinod; Liebisch, Gerhard; Buer, Benjamin; Xue, Li; Gerlach, Nina; Blau, Samira; Schmitz, Jessica; Bucher, Marcel

2016-02-01

Interaction of plant roots with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is a complex trait resulting in cooperative interactions among the two symbionts including bidirectional exchange of resources. To study arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis (AMS) trait variation in the model plant Lotus japonicus, we performed an integrated multi-omics analysis with a focus on plant and fungal phospholipid (PL) metabolism and biological significance of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC). Our results support the role of LPC as a bioactive compound eliciting cellular and molecular response mechanisms in Lotus. Evidence is provided for large interspecific chemical diversity of LPC species among mycorrhizae with related AMF species. Lipid, gene expression and elemental profiling emphasize the Lotus-Glomus intraradices interaction as distinct from other arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) interactions. In G. intraradices, genes involved in fatty acid (FA) elongation and biosynthesis of unsaturated FAs were enhanced, while in Lotus, FA synthesis genes were up-regulated during AMS. Furthermore, FAS protein localization to mitochondria suggests FA biosynthesis and elongation may also occur in AMF. Our results suggest the existence of interspecific partitioning of PL resources for generation of LPC and novel candidate bioactive PLs in the Lotus-G. intraradices symbiosis. Moreover, the data advocate research with phylogenetically diverse Glomeromycota species for a broader understanding of the molecular underpinnings of AMS. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The WRKY Transcription Factor Genes in Lotus japonicus

OpenAIRE

Song, Hui; Wang, Pengfei; Nan, Zhibiao; Wang, Xingjun

2014-01-01

WRKY transcription factor genes play critical roles in plant growth and development, as well as stress responses. WRKY genes have been examined in various higher plants, but they have not been characterized in Lotus japonicus. The recent release of the L. japonicus whole genome sequence provides an opportunity for a genome wide analysis of WRKY genes in this species. In this study, we identified 61 WRKY genes in the L. japonicus genome. Based on the WRKY protein structure, L. japonicus WRKY (...

Genetic diversity and symbiotic compatibility among rhizobial strains and Desmodium incanum and Lotus spp. plants

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Camille E Granada

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This work aimed to evaluate the symbiotic compatibility and nodulation efficiency of rhizobia isolated from Desmodium incanum, Lotus corniculatus, L. subbiflorus, L. uliginosus and L. glaber plants by cross-inoculation. Twelve reference strains and 21 native isolates of rhizobia were genetically analyzed by the BOX-PCR technique, which showed a high genetic diversity among the rhizobia studied. The isolates were also characterized based on their production of indolic compounds and siderophores, as well as on their tolerance to salinity. Fifteen of the 33 rhizobia analyzed were able to produce indolic compounds, whereas 13 produced siderophores. All the tested rhizobia were sensitive to high salinity, although some were able to grow in solutions of up to 2% NaCl. Most of the native rhizobia isolated from L. uliginosus were able to induce nodulation in all plant species studied. In a greenhouse experiment using both D. incanum and L. corniculatus plants, the rhizobia isolate UFRGS Lu2 promoted the greatest plant growth. The results demonstrate that there are native rhizobia in the soils of southern Brazil that have low host specificity and are able to induce nodulation and form active nodules in several plant species.

The Sacred in Mircea Eliade

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Lucas Risoto de Mesa

2014-08-01

Full Text Available This paper is an exposition of the main concepts of Mircea Eliade and how they articulate between them. Firstly, we will talk about his most important concept: the sacred. Secondly, we will talk about the foundation of the world that allow the foundation of the sacred by the primitive man. Thirdly, we will deal with the concept of repetition defined as the sacred in time. Then, we will have to speak about the two big conceptions of time: the cyclical conception and the linear conception. Last, we will speak about the forgetfulness of the sacred in modern society

Volume Transport Stream Function Calculated from World Ocean Atlas 2013 (WOA13-VTSF) and Climatological Wind (NCEI Accession 0138646)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The dataset consists of calculated annual and monthly mean ocean volume transport stream function on 1 degree resolution using the WOA13 (T, S) and corresponding...

The dewetting properties of lotus leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jihua; Sheng, Xianliang; Jiang, Lei

2009-02-03

The high dewetting abilities of lotus leaves can be transited to a complete wetting state by soaking the leaves in water at a depth of 50 cm for 2 h. However, after being dried by N2 gas, the high dewetting behavior of lotus leaves may be mostly restored. This indicates that experimental procedure might considerably affect the dewetting abilities of lotus leaves. To discover the mechanism underlying this interesting dewetting phenomena, the dewetting force was used to characterize the dewetting abilities of surfaces, and model studies to mimic the papillae were done. Surface hydrophobicity, sizes, rise angles, and secondary structures of the models' sides affected their dewetting force with water. So we suggested that the dewetting states, Cassie or Wenzel's state, of lotus surfaces depend much on the depth of water, i.e., the hydraulic pressure. On the other hand, the primary structures of papillae in Cassie's state led to a high receding angle with respect to the plane of the leaf during the dewetting measurement. The secondary structures and micro/nano arrays of papillae increased the dewetting abilities of lotus leaves, since no water intruded between papillae. However, the structures of papillae in Wenzle's state significantly reduced the dewetting abilities of lotus leaves after being soaked at a depth of 50 cm for 2 h. Therefore, as for novel designs of microdevices floating on water, including the use of the high dewetting properties of suphydrophobic materials, surface (primary or secondary) microstructure and external pressure, such as static hydraulic pressure, must be taken into account.

Combined N-glycome and N-glycoproteome analysis of the Lotus japonicus seed globulin fraction shows conservation of protein structure and glycosylation in legumes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dam, Svend Secher; Thaysen-Andersen, Morten; Stenkjær, Eva

2013-01-01

Legume food allergy, such as allergy toward peanuts and soybeans, is a health issue predicted to worsen as dietary advice recommends higher intake of legume-based foods. Lotus japonicus (Lotus) is an established legume plant model system for studies of symbiotic and pathogenic microbial...... interactions and, due to its well characterized genotype/phenotype and easily manipulated genome, may also be suitable for studies of legume food allergy. Here we present a comprehensive study of the Lotus N-glycoproteome. The global and site-specific N-glycan structures of Lotus seed globulins were analyzed...

On the Characteristics and the Development Significance of Hangzhou Lotus Culture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi Hongbin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Lotus is the symbol of honesty, goodness, beauty and purity in the eyes of the Chinese people. The development of tourism in Hangzhou is inseparable from the lotus culture connotation. This paper analyzes the necessity to enhance the lotus culture in the city of Hangzhou, and discusses the Hangzhou Lotus Culture and its regional characteristics. The article indicates the further significance of the development of lotus culture tourism resources in Hangzhou.

Durable Lotus-effect surfaces with hierarchical structure using micro- and nanosized hydrophobic silica particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebert, Daniel; Bhushan, Bharat

2012-02-15

Surfaces with a very high apparent water contact angle (CA) and low water contact angle hysteresis (CAH) exhibit many useful characteristics, among them extreme water repellency, low drag for fluid flow, and a self-cleaning effect. The leaf of the Lotus plant (Nelumbo nucifera) achieves these properties using a hierarchical structure with roughness on both the micro- and nanoscale. It is of great interest to create durable surfaces with the so-called "Lotus effect" for many important applications. In this study, hierarchically structured surfaces with Lotus-effect properties were fabricated using micro- and nanosized hydrophobic silica particles and a simple spray method. In addition, hierarchically structured surfaces were prepared by spraying a nanoparticulate coating over a micropatterned surface. To examine the similarities between surfaces using microparticles versus a uniform micropattern as the microstructure, CA and CAH were compared across a range of pitch values for the two types of microstructures. Wear experiments were performed using an atomic force microscope (AFM), a ball-on-flat tribometer, and a water jet apparatus to verify multiscale wear resistance. These surfaces have potential uses in engineering applications requiring Lotus-effect properties and high durability. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sustainability and sacred values

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John Cairns Jr.

2002-09-01

Full Text Available Successful implementation of the quest for sustainable use of the planet requires that human society both reexamine and expand present views of what is sacred and what is not. The most important aspect will be going beyond a homocentric focus to a biocentric emphasis. A unifying theme would be the desire to leave a habitable planet for human descendants and those of other species. It is unlikely that society can be confident of achieving sustainability until persuasive evidence supporting this belief has existed for several generations. In order for sustainable use of the planet to persist indefinitely, the conditions essential to this state must be morally preserved on sacred grounds. Viewing natural systems as sacred requires not only preventing damage to them but, wherever possible, repairing damage to them caused by humankind.

Root nodule symbiosis in Lotus japonicus drives the establishment of distinctive rhizosphere, root, and nodule bacterial communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Zgadzaj, Rafal; Garrido-Oter, Ruben; Jensen, Dorthe Bodker; Koprivova, Anna; Schulze-Lefert, Paul; Radutoiu, Simona

2016-12-06

Lotus japonicus has been used for decades as a model legume to study the establishment of binary symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing rhizobia that trigger root nodule organogenesis for bacterial accommodation. Using community profiling of 16S rRNA gene amplicons, we reveal that in Lotus, distinctive nodule- and root-inhabiting communities are established by parallel, rather than consecutive, selection of bacteria from the rhizosphere and root compartments. Comparative analyses of wild-type (WT) and symbiotic mutants in Nod factor receptor5 (nfr5), Nodule inception (nin) and Lotus histidine kinase1 (lhk1) genes identified a previously unsuspected role of the nodulation pathway in the establishment of different bacterial assemblages in the root and rhizosphere. We found that the loss of nitrogen-fixing symbiosis dramatically alters community structure in the latter two compartments, affecting at least 14 bacterial orders. The differential plant growth phenotypes seen between WT and the symbiotic mutants in nonsupplemented soil were retained under nitrogen-supplemented conditions that blocked the formation of functional nodules in WT, whereas the symbiosis-impaired mutants maintain an altered community structure in the nitrogen-supplemented soil. This finding provides strong evidence that the root-associated community shift in the symbiotic mutants is a direct consequence of the disabled symbiosis pathway rather than an indirect effect resulting from abolished symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Our findings imply a role of the legume host in selecting a broad taxonomic range of root-associated bacteria that, in addition to rhizobia, likely contribute to plant growth and ecological performance.

Production of Complex Multiantennary N-Glycans in Nicotiana benthamiana Plants1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Nagels, Bieke; Van Damme, Els J.M.; Pabst, Martin; Callewaert, Nico; Weterings, Koen

2011-01-01

In recent years, plants have been developed as an alternative expression system to mammalian hosts for the production of therapeutic proteins. Many modifications to the plant glycosylation machinery have been made to render it more human because of the importance of glycosylation for functionality, serum half-life, and the safety profile of the expressed proteins. These modifications include removal of plant-specific β1,2-xylose and core α1,3-fucose, and addition of bisecting N-acetylglucosamine, β1,4-galactoses, and sialic acid residues. Another glycosylation step that is essential for the production of complex human-type glycans is the synthesis of multiantennary structures, which are frequently found on human N-glycans but are not generated by wild-type plants. Here, we report both the magnICON-based transient as well as stable introduction of the α1,3-mannosyl-β1,4-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GnT-IV isozymes a and b) and α1,6-mannosyl-β1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GnT-V) in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. The enzymes were targeted to the Golgi apparatus by fusing their catalytic domains to the plant-specific localization signals of xylosyltransferase and fucosyltransferase. The GnT-IV and -V modifications were tested in the wild-type background, but were also combined with the RNA interference-mediated knockdown of β1,2-xylosyltransferase and α1,3-fucosyltransferase. Results showed that triantennary Gn[GnGn] and [GnGn]Gn N-glycans could be produced according to the expected activities of the respective enzymes. Combination of the two enzymes by crossing stably transformed GnT-IV and GnT-V plants showed that up to 10% tetraantennary [GnGn][GnGn], 25% triantennary, and 35% biantennary N-glycans were synthesized. All transgenic plants were viable and showed no aberrant phenotype under standard growth conditions. PMID:21233332

Doğal florada yetişen sarıçiçekli gazal boynuzu (Lotus corniculatus L. ve dar yapraklı gazal boynuzunun (Lotus tenuis Waldst. & Kit. toprak tercihleri, komşu bitkileri ve yem değerleri

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Ferat Uzun

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In this study, soil preferences of wild birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L. and narrowleaf birdsfoot trefoil (L tenuis Waldst. & Kit. species growing in natural flora of the Black Sea Region (Turkey and the plant species which they interact with, as well as their feed values were investigated. Dominant forage species that interact with L. corniculatus and L. tenuis were determined by the visual estimation method at 126 and 86 locations, respectively, and also seed and soil samples from each location were collected. L. corniculatus preferred soils having higher lime (90.9 vs. 66.4 g kg-1, P=0.003, pH (7.41 vs. 7.14, P=0.001 and containing lower organic matter (20.0 vs. 26.8 g kg-1, P=0.001 compared to L. tenuis. L. corniculatus was neighbor to 89 different species (20.2% legume, 22.5% grass and 57.3% others, whereas L. tenuis was neighbor to 61 different species (41.0% legume, 19.7% grass and 39.3% others. The difference between two species in terms of the frequencies of neighbor plant families was significant (2=10.814, P=0.004. Dominant plant species growing in interaction with these Lotus species were Medicago lupulina, Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Cynodon dactylon, Lolium perenne and Plantago lanceolata. Dactylis glomerata was also neighbor with high frequency to L. corniculatus. L. tenuis had high phosphorus, metabolizable energy and relative feed value, and lower acid and neutral detergent fiber contents. As a result, in the artificial pasture establishments or the improvement of natural rangelands, the aforementioned species growing in harmony in natural environment and exhibiting positive interaction with Lotus species studied should be preferred.

Expression of a complete soybean leghemoglobin gene in root nodules of transgenic Lotus corniculatus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stougaard, J; Petersen, T E; Marcker, K A

1987-01-01

The complete soybean leghemoglobin lbc(3) gene was transferred into the legume Lotus corniculatus using an Agrobacterium rhizogenes vector system. Organ-specific expression of the soybean gene was observed in root nodules formed on regenerated transgenic plants after infection with Rhizobium loti...

Birds of sacred groves of northern Kerala, India

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K. M. Jyothi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Sacred groves are patches of vegetation preserved due to  religious or cultural tradition.  They are protected through spiritual beliefs.  Sacred groves provide an excellent abode to the biodiversity of the region where they are located.   Scientific exploration of fauna from sacred groves of India is few and far between.  The present study was conducted to explore the bird diversity and abundance in 15 selected sacred groves of northern Kerala, eight from Kannur District and seven from Kasargod District each.  A total of 111 bird species were observed belonging to 49 families and 16 orders.  The sacred groves of northern Kerala support many of the ‘forest-birds’ such as the Grey Junglefowl Gallus sonneratii, Asian Fairy-bluebird Irena puella, Tickell’s Blue-flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae, Malabar Trogon Harpactes fasciatus, Heart-spotted Woodpecker Hemicircus canente, Malabar Whistling-Thrush Myophonus horsfieldii, Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra, etc.  The sacred groves of northern Kerala also support two endemic bird species of the Western Ghats, such as the Malabar Grey Hornbill Ocyceros griseus and Rufous Babbler Turdoides subrufa. Five species of raptors and four owl species were reported from the sacred groves of north Kerala during the present study.  The breeding of the White-bellied Sea-Eagle has been reported at Edayilakadu Kavu, a sacred grove in Kasargod District.  The sacred groves of northern Kerala also supported 17 species of long distant migratory birds.  Thazhe Kavu, recorded the Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus, a Near-Threatened bird according to IUCN. 

Lotus birth, a holistic approach on physiological cord clamping.

Science.gov (United States)

Zinsser, Laura A

2018-04-01

The positive effects of delayed cord clamping (DCC) has been extensively researched. DCC means: waiting at least one minute after birth before clamping and cutting the cord or till the pulsation has stopped. With physiological clamping and cutting (PCC) the clamping and cutting can happen at the earliest after the pulsation has stopped. With a Lotus birth, no clamping and cutting of the cord is done. A woman called Clair Lotus Day imitated the holistic approach of PCC from an anthropoid ape in 1974. The chimpanzee did not separate the placenta from the newborn. The aim of this case report is to discuss and learn a different approach in the third stage of labour. Three cases of Lotus birth by human beings were observed. All three women gave birth in an out-of-hospital setting and had ambulant postnatal care. The placenta was washed, salted and herbs were put on 2-3h post partum. The placenta was wrapped in something that absorbs the moisture. The salting was repeated with a degreasing frequency depending on moistness of the placenta. On life day six all three Lotus babies experiences a natural separation of the cord. All three Lotus birth cases were unproblematic, no special incidence occurred. One should differentiate between early cord clamping (ECC), delayed cord clamping (DCC) and physiological cord clamping (PCC). Lotus birth might lead to an optimisation of the bonding and attachment. Research is needed in the areas of both PCC and Lotus birth. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sacred and totemic plants among thirty two ethnic groups in Burkina ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study aims to evaluate the diversity of sacred species and totemic species according to the different ethnic groups of Burkina Faso and to determine the influence of these taboos on the conservation of biodiversity. A sample of 2503 people from 32 ethnic groups were investigated in 330 villages based on the liveliness ...

Determination of catechin in lotus rhizomes by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Shou-Lei; Wang, Qing-Zhang; Peng, Guang-Hua

2009-08-01

A novel method was developed to analyze lotus rhizome polyphenolic catechin using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The retain time of catechin was 14.72 min under the optimized condition. Mass spectrometry was further employed to qualify and quantify the purity of the catechin peak. Good linearity (R=0.9997) was obtained within the range of 50-1,000 ng. The coefficient of variance was determined as 5.2%, with a recovery rate of 97%. The detection and quantification limitations of catechin were 23 ng and 50 ng, respectively. The catechin level was 0.0025% in the lotus rhizome, and 0.011% in the knot of the lotus rhizome (Nelumbo nucifera cv. 'damao jie'). The optimized conditions of HPLC for catechin detection in the lotus rhizome matrix were as follows: the SuperlcosIL™ LC-18 analytical column (150 mm×4.6 mm, 5 µm), methanol-water-acetic acid (10:90:1, volume ratio) as the mobile phase, an UV detector at 280 nm, a flow rate of 0.8 ml/min, column temperature at 30°C, and an injection volume of 10 µl.

Fannish tattooing and sacred identity

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Bethan Jones

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Pleasure is an important motivation for fans to adopt texts. Fannish tattoos function to demonstrate affective investments in a text; they are also a performance of fandom and an example of sacred fan identity. Like engaging in cosplay or wearing clothing that features logos, fannish tattoos mark people as fans of a text. Furthermore, the more obscure the logo or fannish reference, the more performative the tattoo. Fannish tattoos help to construct a sacred fan identity. The sacred experience (as theorized by Émile Durkheim and his concept of the totem is imbued with meaning through choices that set it aside from the mundane. Within the context of fannish tattoos, fan affect gains similar significance.

Sacred places in global big cities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Greve, Anni

the relation between the sacred and the profane, and about the role of the sacred in modern societies. The question is if the development of modern societies has implied the gradual abolishment of religious beliefs, rituals and rites, or has it on the contrary implied the installment of new forms of religious...... beliefs and sacred places, which are cultivated through regular rituals and rites, just as some traditional societies have cultivated for instance totemism. This paper will take its point of departure in Durkheim’s study of The Elementary Forms of Religious Life from 1912. Then it will turn......The question of sacred places in modern societies involves an analytical perspective, which is not very prevalent in sociology, namely the anthropological or even better: the ethnological perspective. With this theme we have entered a veritable dispute, or controversy, in sociology about...

Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf. modulates antioxidant activity and human T-cell proliferation

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Belarbi Meriem

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf. also known as Jujube, is a deciduous shrub which belongs to Rhamnaceae family. This plant is used in Algerian traditional medicine for its anti-diabetic, sedative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and hypoglycaemic activities. In the present study, we determined the concentrations of different vitamins (vitamin A, C and E and fatty acids in root, stem, leaves, fruit pulp and seed of Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf. and assessed the effects of their aqueous extracts on antioxidant status and human T-cell proliferation. Methods Aqueous filtrates from different parts, i.e, root, leaf, stem, fruit pulp and seed, of Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf. were prepared. Vitamin C levels were determined by precipitating with 10% trichloroacetic acid and vitamin A and E were assessed by HPLC. Lipid composition of these extracts was determined by gas-liquid chromatography. Anti-oxidant capacity was evaluated by using anti-radical resistance kit [Kit Radicaux Libres (KRL@; Kirial International SA, Couternon, France]. T-cell blastogenesis was assessed by the incorporation of 3H-thymidine. IL-2 gene expression was evaluated by RT-qPCR. Results Our results show that fruit pulp contained higher vitamin A and C contents than other parts of the plant. Furthermore, the fruit pulp was the richest source of linoleic acid (18:2n-6, a precursor of n-6 fatty acids. Fruit seeds possessed higher vitamin C levels than leaves, roots and stem. The leaves were the richest source of vitamin E and linolenic acid (18:3n-3, a precursor of n-3 fatty acids. The antioxidant capacity of the different extracts, measured by KRL@ test, was as follows: pulp Zizyphus lotus L. (Desf. exerted immunosuppressive effects. Conclusion Seed extracts exerted the most potent immunosuppressive effects on T cell proliferation and IL-2 mRNA expression. The results of the present study are discussed in the light of their use to modulate the immune-mediated diseases.

Sacred Sky and Cyberspace

Science.gov (United States)

Clynes, F.

2011-06-01

The concept of the sacred world beyond the stars found expression in the works of Plato, into Gnosticism and was incorporated into Christianity where medieval images of the cosmos pictured the heavenly domain as beyond the stars. Today cyberspace literature abounds with descriptions of a transmundane space, a great Beyond. This talk looks at current views of cyberspace and asks if they are a re-packaging of the age-old concept of a sacred sky in a secular and technological format?

Sacred or Neural?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Runehov, Anne Leona Cesarine

Are religious spiritual experiences merely the product of the human nervous system? Anne L.C. Runehov investigates the potential of contemporary neuroscience to explain religious experiences. Following the footsteps of Michael Persinger, Andrew Newberg and Eugene d'Aquili she defines...... the terminological bounderies of "religious experiences" and explores the relevant criteria for the proper evaluation of scientific research, with a particular focus on the validity of reductionist models. Runehov's theis is that the perspectives looked at do not necessarily exclude each other but can be merged....... The question "sacred or neural?" becomes a statement "sacred and neural". The synergies thus produced provide manifold opportunities for interdisciplinary dialogue and research....

Sacred space and the healing journey.

Science.gov (United States)

Alt, Paul L

2017-07-01

Sacred space and spirituality have long been used to heal the mind, body, and spirit. This article illuminates the origins of sacred space and its role as a healing environment from the first human construct, the burial mound, to the 5th Century BCE Greek healing city of Epidaurus. It then examines the role of spirituality as one of the necessary human institutions for a healthy society, according to the Italian philosopher Giambattista Vico. The conclusion then surveys three contemporary healing environments' architecture, the Department of Veteran Affairs Healing Environment Design Guideline (VAHEDG), and how these sacred spaces mend individual and community ailments.

SACRED LANDSCAPES AS REPOSITORIES OF BIODIVERSITY. A CASE STUDY FROM THE HARIYALI DEVI SACRED LANDSCAPE, UTTARAKHAND

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Yogesh GOKHALE

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The present study was carried out in the Hariyali Devi sacred landscape of Garhwal Himalaya in Uttarakhand State of India. The study area falls under the jurisdiction of the Forest Department, having the status of reserve forest. The land scape is dedicated to the deity “Hariyali Devi” and that plays a major role in conserving the biodiversity of this land scape. Taboos, rituals and socio-cultural practices are associated with conservation practices. The study recorded 98 plant species, representing 88 genera and 46 families with different economic values. The dominant family was Rosaceae, which recorded the highest (10 number of species. Out of 98 plant species the dominant life form contribution was of herbs (52, shrubs (26 and tree species (21. Almost 82 plants species in the landscape are of medicinal importance, 15 species are used for timber and construction purposes, 19 species with different edible plant parts, such as fruits, flowers, seeds and rhizomes. The information about the uses/economic value of different plant species was gathered directly by interviewing knowledgeable elderly local villagers (including women.

The preservation of lotus seeds by irradiation technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lan Junming; Tang Chuandao

1990-08-01

The preservation test results of lotus seeds by gamma-ray irradiation technique are introduced. The results showed that the sitophilus, penicillus and aspergillus oryzae caused the great damage of lotus seeds. It was found that the radiation doses of deactivation for the insects and the mould were 0.8 kGy and 5 kGy respectively. The irradiated seeds packaged in the cloth bags and stored in the storehouse were not damaged by the insects and moulds for three years. The measured resutls also showed that the nutrient compositions were not changed and the pathogenic bacteria were not found. The irradiated lotus seeds are healthy and safe to the people

Synthetic Lipid (DOPG) Vesicles Accumulate in the Cell Plate Region But Do Not Fuse1

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Esseling-Ozdoba, A.; Vos, J.W.; Lammeren, van A.A.M.; Emons, A.M.C.

2008-01-01

Synthetic Lipid (DOPG) Vesicles Accumulate in the Cell Plate Region But Do Not Fuse1,[W],[OA] Agnieszka Esseling-Ozdoba2, Jan W. Vos, André A.M. van Lammeren and Anne Mie C. Emons* Laboratory of Plant Cell Biology, Department of Plant Sciences, Wageningen University, 6703¿BD Wageningen, The

Sacred Space and Sublime Sacramental Piety

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Nils Holger

2012-01-01

Analyses and Discussions of Mozart's Sacramental Litanies K. 125 and K. 243 in relation to the notions of the Sacred and the Sublime.......Analyses and Discussions of Mozart's Sacramental Litanies K. 125 and K. 243 in relation to the notions of the Sacred and the Sublime....

CERBERUS and NSP1 of Lotus japonicus are common symbiosis genes that modulate arbuscular mycorrhiza development.

Science.gov (United States)

Takeda, Naoya; Tsuzuki, Syusaku; Suzaki, Takuya; Parniske, Martin; Kawaguchi, Masayoshi

2013-10-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis (AMS) and root nodule symbiosis (RNS) are mutualistic plant-microbe interactions that confer nutritional benefits to both partners. Leguminous plants possess a common genetic system for intracellular symbiosis with AM fungi and with rhizobia. Here we show that CERBERUS and NSP1, which respectively encode an E3 ubiquitin ligase and a GRAS transcriptional regulator and which have previously only been implicated in RNS, are involved in AM fungal infection in Lotus japonicus. Hyphal elongation along the longitudinal axis of the root was reduced in the cerberus mutant, giving rise to a lower colonization level. Knockout of NSP1 decreased the frequency of plants colonized by AM fungi or rhizobia. CERBERUS and NSP1 showed different patterns of expression in response to infection with symbiotic microbes. A low constitutive level of CERBERUS expression was observed in the root and an increased level of NSP1 expression was detected in arbuscule-containing cells. Induction of AM marker gene was triggered in both cerberus and nsp1 mutants by infection with symbiotic microbes; however, the mutants showed a weaker induction of marker gene expression than the wild type, mirroring their lower level of colonization. The common symbiosis genes are believed to act in an early signaling pathway for recognition of symbionts and for triggering early symbiotic responses. Our quantitative analysis of symbiotic phenotypes revealed developmental defects of the novel common symbiosis mutants in both symbioses, which demonstrates that common symbiosis mechanisms also contribute to a range of functions at later or different stages of symbiont infection.

Traditional medicine applied by the Saraguro yachakkuna: a preliminary approach to the use of sacred and psychoactive plant species in the southern region of Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Armijos, Chabaco; Cota, Iuliana; González, Silvia

2014-02-24

During the colonial period, the indigenous saraguros maintained their traditions, knowledge, and practices to restore and preserve the health of their members. Unfortunately, many of their practices and medicinal resources have not been documented. In this study, we sought to document the traditional healers' (yachakkuna saraguros) knowledge about medicinal and psychoactive plants used in the mesas and in magical-religious rituals. The study was conducted under a technical and scientific cooperation agreement between the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL), the Dirección Provincial de Salud de Loja (DPSL), and the Saraguro Healers Council (Consejo de Sanadores de Saraguro). For the present study, the DPSL and Saraguro Healers Council selected the 10 yachakkuna most recognized for their knowledge and their use of sacred and psychoactive species. Ten interviews with the selected yachakkuna were conducted between 2010 and 2011 to ascertain how the Saraguro traditional healing system is structured and to obtain a record of the sacred and medicinal plant species used to treat supernatural diseases and for psychoactive purposes. The present study describes the traditional health system in the Saraguro indigenous community located in southern Ecuador. It also describes the main empirical methods used to diagnose diseases: direct physical examination of the patient, observation of the patient's urine, documentation of the patient's pulse, limpia, palpation and visionary methods, including supernatural diseases (susto, vaho de agua, mal aire, mal hecho, shuka) and reports of the use of sacred and medicinal psychoactive plants, such as the San Pedro cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi), wandug (Brugmansia spp.), and tobacco (Nicotiana spp.). This study also describes the rituals (limpia, soplada) employed by the Saraguro yachakkuna to treat supernatural diseases. Finally, we report on the main plants used during limpia in the Saraguro community. The current traditional

Microbial quality evaluation and effective decontamination of nutraceutically valued lotus seeds by electron beams and gamma irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhat, Rajeev; Sridhar, K.R.; Karim, A.A.

2010-01-01

Lotus seeds are nutraceutically valued natural plant produce, which succumbs to microbial contamination, predominantly to toxigenic moulds. Results of the present study revealed seed coat portion to harbor higher proportion of microbial load, particularly fungi than cotyledon portion. Among the mycotoxins analyzed, aflatoxins (B 1 , B 2 , G 1 and G 2 ) were below detectable limits, while the seeds were devoid of Ochratoxin-A (OTA). Application of different doses of electron beam and gamma irradiation (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 15 and 30 kGy) for decontamination purpose revealed significant dose-dependent decrease in the fungal contaminants (P<0.05). However, the contaminant yeasts could survive up to 10 kGy dose, which could be completely eliminated at 15 kGy. From the results obtained, a dose range between 10 and 15 kGy is recommended for complete decontamination, as these doses have also been shown earlier to have minimal effects on nutritional and functional properties of lotus seeds.

Chemical changes associated with lotus and water lily natto production

Science.gov (United States)

Lestari, S. D.; Fatimah, N.; Nopianti, R.

2017-04-01

Natto is a traditional Japanese food made by fermenting whole soybean seeds with pure culture of Bacillus subtilis subsp. natto. The purpose of this study was to investigate the suitability of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) and water lily (Nymphaea stellata) seeds as the raw materials for natto production. Chemical (proximate, amino acids and minerals) changes were observed on raw, steamed and fermented seeds. Proximate compositions of all samples were calculated in both wet basis and dry basis. In wet basis calculation, steaming and fermentation tended to lower the carbohydrates, ashes, fats and protein content which were attributed to the increase of moisture. The total amino acid, iron and magnesium contents of raw lotus seeds were 24.29%, 5.08 mg 100g-1 and 174.23 mg 100g-1 dry matter, respectively. After a 24h-fermentation at 40°C, the total amino acids decreased while iron and magnesium contents increased significantly reaching, in respective order, 9.9 mg 100g-1 and 411.36 mg 100g-1 dry matter. Changes in chemical composition after fermentation were more pronounced in lotus seeds than water lily seeds indicating that their nutrient composition were more suitable to support Bacillus subtilis growth.

Religious and sacred imperatives in human conflict.

Science.gov (United States)

Atran, Scott; Ginges, Jeremy

2012-05-18

Religion, in promoting outlandish beliefs and costly rituals, increases ingroup trust but also may increase mistrust and conflict with outgroups. Moralizing gods emerged over the last few millennia, enabling large-scale cooperation, and sociopolitical conquest even without war. Whether for cooperation or conflict, sacred values, like devotion to God or a collective cause, signal group identity and operate as moral imperatives that inspire nonrational exertions independent of likely outcomes. In conflict situations, otherwise mundane sociopolitical preferences may become sacred values, acquiring immunity to material incentives. Sacred values sustain intractable conflicts that defy "business-like" negotiation, but also provide surprising opportunities for resolution.

A Preliminary Assessment of Ethiopian Sacred Grove Status at the Landscape and Ecosystem Scales.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alemaheyu Wassie Eshete

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The northern Ethiopian landscape is dotted with small patches of church forests that are religious centers for the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC. These sacred groves are what remain of the once vast tropical Afromontane dry forest. Herein we review the landscape pattern of sacred groves in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, and their local scale nutrient status at two sites, Zahara and Debresena. A total of 1,488 sacred groves were inventoried within the study area, yielding an overall density of one sacred grove for every twenty square kilometers. Sacred groves averaged a little over five hectares and were separated from one another by more than two kilometers. At the local scale we found that soil carbon and nitrogen stocks have decreased significantly between the forest interior and the clearing indicating decreased soil fertility. Together our data indicate that these sacred groves are vulnerable to loss because of their small average size, isolation from seed sources, and decreasing soil status.

Rebrota de Lotus spp. de diferentes hábitos de crescimento Regrowth of Lotus spp. with different growth habits

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Rita Poles Maroso

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de comparar cultivares de Lotus spp. de diferentes hábitos de crescimento (L. corniculatus: São Gabriel - semi-ereto; ARS2620 - prostrado; L. uliginosus: cv. Maku - decumbente cultivados em vasos e submetidos a diferentes alturas (4 - 8 cm e freqüências (quinzenal - mensal de corte do 95º ao 233º dia de idade. As maiores produções de massa seca (g/planta foram obtidas com cortes mensais a 8 cm (Maku = 13,3; S. Gabriel = 11,5; ARS2620 = 7,3. Em níveis intermediários (mensal - 4 cm; quinzenal - 8 cm, o cultivar Maku foi superior aos demais, enquanto, em cortes quinzenais (4 cm, não houve diferença entre os cultivares. O cultivar ARS2620 apresentou menor estatura e maior cobertura verde residual após os cortes. Na condição residual após o último corte, o cultivar Maku superou os demais quanto ao diâmetro da coroa e às produções de MS da raiz primária, subterrânea, aérea e de sóboles. Todos os cultivares foram favorecidos pelo manejo menos intenso, mas apresentaram mecanismos compensatórios ao serem manejados com cortes baixos em menor freqüência ou com cortes freqüentes, mas menos intensos. Os três cultivares apresentaram caules subterrâneos sobolíferos. A sobrevivência do cultivar São Gabriel e o sistema subterrâneo de Lotus spp. foram comprometidos em cortes intensos e freqüentes.This work aimed to compare Lotus spp. cultivars with different growth habits (L. corniculatus: cv. São Gabriel, semi-erect, cv. ARS2620, prostrate, and L. uliginosus: cv. Maku, decumbent, submitted to different height (4 - 8 cm and cutting frequencies (15 d and 30 d, between the 95th and 233rd days old, grown in pot. Greater DM production (g. plant-1 of DM was obtained under monthly cutting at 8 cm (Maku = 13.3; S. Gabriel = 11.5; ARS2620 = 7.3. Maku surpassed the others when intermediate levels (monthly cutting-4 cm; fortnighly cutting-8 cm were used; harvests every 15 d and at 4 cm resulted

Sacred Groves, Spirituality and Sustainable Development in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Since creation, mankind has strived to maintain a positive relationship with nature by preserving and making certain specific trees, water bodies, highlands and other places sacred. The practice of keeping sacred groves is one of the ways which promotes this human, ecological and spiritual connection. These groves ...

Sacred Groves: Myths, Beliefs, and Biodiversity Conservation—A Case Study from Western Himalaya, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sushma Singh

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Religious and traditional beliefs, cultural mores, and practices play a crucial role in the conservation of environment and biodiversity. The present paper describes a case study of two sacred groves in Western Himalaya. Sacred groves (SGs are patches of land that are communally protected with religious zeal. A preliminary survey was conducted in these SGs to study their role in biodiversity conservation. The data collected included the general information regarding the SGs and the associated deity, nearest human habitation, access to them, and their floral and faunal diversity. Ethnomedicinal property of plants was collected from the indigenous communities. Many taboos are associated with both the SGs, which help in managing resources well through ritual representation. Different festivals are organized, where the local communities reaffirm their commitment to the forest and the deity. Sacred groves, in general, are a valuable tool of biodiversity conservation. But people’s changing attitudes, erosion of traditional beliefs, and human impact have caused degradation of sacred groves over the years. Their conservation would not be possible without the active participation of the local people. By improving their living standards and by giving benefits of conservation to them, long-term conservation goals in these SGs can be achieved.

Why Sacred Lands Are Not Indivisible: The Cognitive Foundations of Sacralising Land

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Richard Sosis

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Numerous political analysts have argued that conflicts over sacred land are intractable. These scholars maintain that sacred lands are psychologically perceived as indivisible, or alternatively, in the sociological tradition, their indivisibility is a social fact. Moreover, religious beliefs are viewed as stagnant and resistant to change. Consequently, resolving such conflicts is fraught with difficulty, and even if a truce could be imposed, it would be unstable and violence would eventually erupt. A cognitive and evolutionary account offers a less pessimistic view. Individuals do not conceive of sacred lands in the same way that they conceive of sacred space, such as cemeteries or houses of worship, or sacred objects, such as holy water or prayer beads. Unlike sacred space and objects, whose boundaries are clearly defined, conceptions of sacred land are typically abstract and may bear little resemblance to the contested physical land. While abstract notions of sacred land are indivisible and must remain intact, the physical land is not indivisible, and therefore there is often greater room for negotiation of sacred lands than is generally appreciated.

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) Rhizome as an Antioxidant Dietary Fiber in Cooked Sausage: Effects on Physicochemical and Sensory Characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Ham, Youn-Kyung; Hwang, Ko-Eun; Song, Dong-Heon; Kim, Yong-Jae; Shin, Dong-Jin; Kim, Kyung-Il; Lee, Hye-Jin; Kim, Na-Rae; Kim, Cheon-Jei

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the physicochemical and sensory properties of cooked emulsion sausages containing different levels of lotus rhizome powder (0, 1, 2, and 3%, based on total weight). Lotus rhizome powder had no significant ( p >0.05) impact on pH, moisture, protein, or ash content of sausage. However, fat content was slightly but significantly ( p color of cooked sausage compared to control. Increase in lotus rhizome level slightly improved the emulsion stability and apparent viscosity. Significant ( p color and juiciness scores. However, cooked sausages exhibited similar overall acceptability regardless of the level of lotus rhizome powder added to sausages. Therefore, lotus rhizome powder, an antioxidant dietary fiber, could be used as an effective natural ingredient in meat products for the development of healthier and functional food.

The Lotus japonicus genome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fabaceae, groundbreaking genetic and genomic research has established a significant body of knowledge on Lotus japonicus, which was adopted as a model species more than 20 years ago. The diverse nature of legumes means that such research has a wide potential and agricultural impact, for example...

A NIN-LIKE PROTEIN mediates nitrate-induced control of root nodule symbiosis in Lotus japonicus.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishida, Hanna; Tanaka, Sachiko; Handa, Yoshihiro; Ito, Momoyo; Sakamoto, Yuki; Matsunaga, Sachihiro; Betsuyaku, Shigeyuki; Miura, Kenji; Soyano, Takashi; Kawaguchi, Masayoshi; Suzaki, Takuya

2018-02-05

Legumes and rhizobia establish symbiosis in root nodules. To balance the gains and costs associated with the symbiosis, plants have developed two strategies for adapting to nitrogen availability in the soil: plants can regulate nodule number and/or stop the development or function of nodules. Although the former is accounted for by autoregulation of nodulation, a form of systemic long-range signaling, the latter strategy remains largely enigmatic. Here, we show that the Lotus japonicus NITRATE UNRESPONSIVE SYMBIOSIS 1 (NRSYM1) gene encoding a NIN-LIKE PROTEIN transcription factor acts as a key regulator in the nitrate-induced pleiotropic control of root nodule symbiosis. NRSYM1 accumulates in the nucleus in response to nitrate and directly regulates the production of CLE-RS2, a root-derived mobile peptide that acts as a negative regulator of nodule number. Our data provide the genetic basis for how plants respond to the nitrogen environment and control symbiosis to achieve proper plant growth.

Diversification and specialization of β-glucosidases in the catabolism of hydroxynitrile glucosides in Lotus japonicus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lai, Daniela

that involves specific β-glucosidases. If plant tissue is disrupted, cyanogenic glucosides come into contact with these β-glucosidases and are hydrolyzed, which results in the release of hydrogen cyanide gas. The work reported in this thesis is focused on the β-glucosidases that activated hydroxynitrile...... glucosides in the model plant Lotus japonicus. The work highlights how closely related β-glucosidases have evolved distinct substrate specificities and differential expression patterns to serve distinct physiological and ecological roles....

Functional Characterization of PaLAX1, a Putative Auxin Permease, in Heterologous Plant Systems1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Hoyerová, Klára; Perry, Lucie; Hand, Paul; Laňková, Martina; Kocábek, Tomáš; May, Sean; Kottová, Jana; Pačes, Jan; Napier, Richard; Zažímalová, Eva

2008-01-01

We have isolated the cDNA of the gene PaLAX1 from a wild cherry tree (Prunus avium). The gene and its product are highly similar in sequences to both the cDNAs and the corresponding protein products of AUX/LAX-type genes, coding for putative auxin influx carriers. We have prepared and characterized transformed Nicotiana tabacum and Arabidopsis thaliana plants carrying the gene PaLAX1. We have proved that constitutive overexpression of PaLAX1 is accompanied by changes in the content and distribution of free indole-3-acetic acid, the major endogenous auxin. The increase in free indole-3-acetic acid content in transgenic plants resulted in various phenotype changes, typical for the auxin-overproducing plants. The uptake of synthetic auxin, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, was 3 times higher in transgenic lines compared to the wild-type lines and the treatment with the auxin uptake inhibitor 1-naphthoxyacetic acid reverted the changes caused by the expression of PaLAX1. Moreover, the agravitropic response could be restored by expression of PaLAX1 in the mutant aux1 plants, which are deficient in auxin influx carrier activity. Based on our data, we have concluded that the product of the gene PaLAX1 promotes the uptake of auxin into cells, and, as a putative auxin influx carrier, it affects the content and distribution of free endogenous auxin in transgenic plants. PMID:18184737

Religious and Sacred Poetry

OpenAIRE

2014-01-01

Czasopismo poświęcone poezji religijnej i sakralnej, edukacji, religii, kulturze i wychowaniu. The Periodical is dedicated to religious poetry and sacred poetry, education, religion, culture and upbringing.

EELS data acquisition, processing and display for the Zeiss CEM 902 based on LOTUS 1-2-3: application examples from a biological system and inorganic transition metal compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Drechsler, M; Cantow, H J

1991-04-01

A personal computer combined with LOTUS 1-2-3 software, including the RS232 module of LOTUS MEASURE and a 12-bit ADC, has been used for data acquisition of electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) spectra with the Zeiss CEM 902. The internal macro language of LOTUS 1-2-3 allows a menu-driven procedure. Macro-programs partly combined with external FORTRAN programs can be chosen from the menu for background subtraction, removal of multiple scattering effects by deconvolution, elemental quantification and several utilities. For special applications or conditions the macro programs can easily be modified. Spectra from crystals of two inorganic transition metal compounds, ruthenium trichloride and vanadium disulphide, and from a biological sample are presented as examples of the application of this software.

Sacred Space in Community settlement of Kudus Kulon, Central Java, Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Budi Sardjono, Agung; Rochma Harani, Arnis

2017-12-01

The sacred space becomes an important part of the spatial layout of Javanese society, as well as in most houses of the archipelago. This space is related to religious activities, highly respected and usually located in the main place. Kudus Kulon community is a part of Javanese culture in the northern coastal area of Java. Known as a devout Muslim society, sacred space in Kudus Kulon community house becomes an important thing to understand the culture of living in society. The research was conducted by looking at the religious activities of the community and how the space of activity is realized. The research was conducted by qualitative research method. In the Kudus Kulon community, sacred spaces are available in the house itself, in the community grup of houses, and around Kudus Kulon area. In every house, the sacred space can be found in Gedongan and extends to Dalem. In the community group of houses, the sacred space can be found in the neighbourhood praying area, while In Kudus Kulon area, it can be found in Mosque complex and Tower tomb. Physically sacred space is realized by raising the floor height of the space around it. In architectural view, the sacred space is seen on the elevation of the roof or roof angle. Spatially the sacred space occupies a central position and visually represented by a vertical orientation.

Forward and reverse genetics: The LORE1 retrotransposon insertion mutants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fukai, Eigo; Malolepszy, Anna; Sandal, Niels Nørgaard

2014-01-01

The endogenous Lotus retrotransposon 1 (LORE1) transposes in the germ line of Lotus japonicus plants that carry an active element. This feature of LORE1 has been exploited for generation of a large non-transgenic insertion mutant population, where insertions have been annotated using next-generat...

Lotus tenuis Seedling Establishment and Biomass Production in Flooding Pampa Grasslands (Buenos Aires , Argentina Establecimiento de Plántulas y Producción de Biomasa de Lotus tenuis en Pastizales de la Pampa Deprimida (Buenos Aires, Argentina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Osvaldo R Vignolio

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Biomass and plant density of Lotus tenuis Waldst. & Kit. ex Willd. have been reported in decreasing in grasslands and pastures. Our objective was to determine if L. tenuis biomass and plant density can be increased in grassland through seed addition. Two separated experiments under cattle grazing exclusion were conducted in three paddocks of a Flooding Pampa grassland. The first experiment was from autumn 2004 to autumn 2006 and the second from autumn 2005 to autumn 2007. Different L. tenuis seed additions (0, 57, 229, 917 and 1833 seeds m-² were broadcast into experimental plots. In the second experiment, besides seed additions there was a reseeding of approximately 900 seed m-² from seed rain produced by plants of grassland. Seed density explained the 81% and 19% of the variation in seedling density and L. tenuis biomass, respectively. Seedling emergence occurred mainly between autumn and early spring, while seedling mortality was mainly between late spring and early summer. Lotus tenuis adult plant density and biomass production increased with seed additions. Total biomass production in the plant community varied between 589.94 ± 26.89 and 1042.44 ± 54.39 g m-² yr-1 and the differences were principally attributed to precipitations. Lotus tenuis biomass contribution was of approximately 10%. The results suggest that L. tenuis seedling and plant establishment and biomass production can be increased through seed addition and/or seed rain through grazing exclusion during reproductive period.En pastizales y pasturas ha sido documentada la reducción de la densidad de plantas y de la biomasa de Lotus tenuis Waldst. & Kit. ex Willd. Nuestro objetivo fue determinar si su densidad de plantas y su producción de biomasa pueden ser incrementadas en un pastizal mediante la adición de semillas. Dos experimentos sin pastoreo fueron realizados en tres potreros de un pastizal de la Pampa Deprimida. El primer experimento fue realizado entre otoño 2004

Sacred Way (Greek World)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Williamson, Christina

2015-01-01

Sacred ways were roads that led to major sanctuaries, typically those located at a distance from the urban center, and were the vehicles for the processions involved in civic festivals at these shrines.

Expression of a complete soybean leghemoglobin gene in root nodules of transgenic Lotus corniculatus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stougaard, J; Petersen, T E; Marcker, K A

1987-01-01

The complete soybean leghemoglobin lbc(3) gene was transferred into the legume Lotus corniculatus using an Agrobacterium rhizogenes vector system. Organ-specific expression of the soybean gene was observed in root nodules formed on regenerated transgenic plants after infection with Rhizobium loti....... The primary transcript was processed in the same way as in soybean nodules and the resulting mRNA was translated into Lbc(3) protein. Quantitative determination of the Lbc(3) protein in nodules of transgenic plants indicated that the steady-state level of the soybean protein is comparable...

3D Printing of Lotus Root-Like Biomimetic Materials for Cell Delivery and Tissue Regeneration.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Chun; Zhang, Wenjie; Deng, Cuijun; Li, Guanglong; Chang, Jiang; Zhang, Zhiyuan; Jiang, Xinquan; Wu, Chengtie

2017-12-01

Biomimetic materials have drawn more and more attention in recent years. Regeneration of large bone defects is still a major clinical challenge. In addition, vascularization plays an important role in the process of large bone regeneration and microchannel structure can induce endothelial cells to form rudimentary vasculature. In recent years, 3D printing scaffolds are major materials for large bone defect repair. However, these traditional 3D scaffolds have low porosity and nonchannel structure, which impede angiogenesis and osteogenesis. In this study, inspired by the microstructure of natural plant lotus root, biomimetic materials with lotus root-like structures are successfully prepared via a modified 3D printing strategy. Compared with traditional 3D materials, these biomimetic materials can significantly improve in vitro cell attachment and proliferation as well as promote in vivo osteogenesis, indicating potential application for cell delivery and bone regeneration.

Hydrocarbon degradation potential and plant growth-promoting activity of culturable endophytic bacteria of Lotus corniculatus and Oenothera biennis from a long-term polluted site.

Science.gov (United States)

Pawlik, Małgorzata; Cania, Barbara; Thijs, Sofie; Vangronsveld, Jaco; Piotrowska-Seget, Zofia

2017-08-01

Many endophytic bacteria exert beneficial effects on their host, but still little is known about the bacteria associated with plants growing in areas heavily polluted by hydrocarbons. The aim of the study was characterization of culturable hydrocarbon-degrading endophytic bacteria associated with Lotus corniculatus L. and Oenothera biennis L. collected in long-term petroleum hydrocarbon-polluted site using culture-dependent and molecular approaches. A total of 26 hydrocarbon-degrading endophytes from these plants were isolated. Phylogenetic analyses classified the isolates into the phyla Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. The majority of strains belonged to the genera Rhizobium, Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, and Rhodococcus. More than 90% of the isolates could grow on medium with diesel oil, approximately 20% could use n-hexadecane as a sole carbon and energy source. PCR analysis revealed that 40% of the isolates possessed the P450 gene encoding for cytochrome P450-type alkane hydroxylase (CYP153). In in vitro tests, all endophytic strains demonstrated a wide range of plant growth-promoting traits such as production of indole-3-acetic acid, hydrogen cyanide, siderophores, and phosphate solubilization. More than 40% of the bacteria carried the gene encoding for the 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase (acdS). Our study shows that the diversity of endophytic bacterial communities in tested plants was different. The results revealed also that the investigated plants were colonized by endophytic bacteria possessing plant growth-promoting features and a clear potential to degrade hydrocarbons. The properties of isolated endophytes indicate that they have the high potential to improve phytoremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon-polluted soils.

Experimental program at the LOTUS facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azam, S.; Haldy, P.A.; Kumar, A.; Leo, W.R.; Sahraoui, C.; Schneeberger, J.P.; Tsang, F.; Green, L.

1986-01-01

The objectives of the LOTUS experimental program are to study, from a neutronics point of view, blanket modules having features representative of conceptual fusion reactor blanket designs. Such small-scale generic experiments should help to eliminate possible blind alleys, and thus save much time and money later when commercial-size devices will be constructed. At present, two different types of blanket designs are being studied at the LOTUS facility. The first one represents a hybrid fission-suppressed blanket developed at IGA. It is a parallelepiped-shaped assembly, with a fissile breeding zone made of aluminum-clad thorium oxide rods, and a tritium breeding zone simulated by lithium carbonate compressed powder in aluminum boxes. The second blanket that is currently being tested at IGA is the Lithium Blanket Module (LBM) developed by PPPL under the sponsorship of the Electric Power Research Institute. Essentially, the same kind of experiments will be carried out in all the blanket modules. Measurement of foil activities as well as tritium production in the blanket are the primary diagnostic means in the current LOTUS experimental program. Preanalyses of the experimental data have been carried out at IGA with the help of the two-dimensional discrete ordinates transport code DOT3.5 coupled to the GRTUNCL first collision routine. For the experiments described above, the agreement between experimental and computed results is generally fair

Distribution and abundance of sacred monkeys in Igboland, southern Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Lynne R; Tanimola, Adebowale A; Olubode, Oluseun S; Garshelis, David L

2009-07-01

Although primates are hunted on a global scale, some species are protected against harassment and killing by taboos or religious doctrines. Sites where the killing of sacred monkeys or the destruction of sacred groves is forbidden may be integral to the conservation of certain species. In 2004, as part of a distribution survey of Sclater's guenon (Cercopithecus sclateri) in southern Nigeria, we investigated reports of sacred monkeys in the Igbo-speaking region of Nigeria. We confirmed nine new sites where primates are protected as sacred: four with tantalus monkeys (Chlorocebus tantalus) and five with mona monkeys (Cercopithecus mona). During 2004-2006, we visited two communities (Akpugoeze and Lagwa) previously known to harbor sacred populations of Ce. sclateri to estimate population abundance and trends. We directly counted all groups and compared our estimates with previous counts when available. We also estimated the size of sacred groves and compared these with grove sizes reported in the literature. The mean size of the sacred groves in Akpugoeze (2.06 ha, n = 10) was similar to others in Africa south of the Sahel, but larger than the average grove in Lagwa (0.49 ha, n = 15). We estimated a total population of 124 Sclater's monkeys in 15 groups in Lagwa and 193 monkeys in 20 groups in Akpugoeze. The Akpugoeze population was relatively stable over two decades, although the proportion of infants declined, and the number of groups increased. As Sclater's monkey does not occur in any official protected areas, sacred populations are important to the species' long-term conservation. Despite the monkeys' destruction of human crops, most local people still adhere to the custom of not killing monkeys. These sites represent ideal locations in which to study the ecology of Sclater's monkey and human-wildlife interactions. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A Mycorrhizal-Specific Ammonium Transporter from Lotus japonicus Acquires Nitrogen Released by Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi1

Science.gov (United States)

Guether, Mike; Neuhäuser, Benjamin; Balestrini, Raffaella; Dynowski, Marek; Ludewig, Uwe; Bonfante, Paola

2009-01-01

In mycorrhizal associations, the fungal partner assists its plant host by providing nitrogen (N) in addition to phosphate. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have access to inorganic or organic forms of N and translocate them via arginine from the extra- to the intraradical mycelium, where the N is transferred to the plant without any carbon skeleton. However, the molecular form in which N is transferred, as well as the involved mechanisms, is still under debate. NH4+ seems to be the preferential transferred molecule, but no plant ammonium transporter (AMT) has been identified so far. Here, we offer evidence of a plant AMT that is involved in N uptake during mycorrhiza symbiosis. The gene LjAMT2;2, which has been shown to be the highest up-regulated gene in a transcriptomic analysis of Lotus japonicus roots upon colonization with Gigaspora margarita, has been characterized as a high-affinity AMT belonging to the AMT2 subfamily. It is exclusively expressed in the mycorrhizal roots, but not in the nodules, and transcripts have preferentially been located in the arbusculated cells. Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) mutant complementation has confirmed its functionality and revealed its dependency on acidic pH. The transport experiments using Xenopus laevis oocytes indicated that, unlike other plant AMTs, LjAMT2;2 transports NH3 instead of NH4+. Our results suggest that the transporter binds charged ammonium in the apoplastic interfacial compartment and releases the uncharged NH3 into the plant cytoplasm. The implications of such a finding are discussed in the context of AM functioning and plant phosphorus uptake. PMID:19329566

Selection and characterization of glyphosate tolerance in birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boerboom, C.M.

1989-01-01

If birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) was tolerant to glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine], Canada thistle [Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.] and other dicot weeds could be selectively controlled in certified seed production fields. Glyphosate tolerance in birdsfoot trefoil was identified in plants from the cultivar Leo, plants regenerated from tolerant callus, and selfed progeny of plants regenerated from callus. Plants from the three sources were evaluated in field studies for tolerance to glyphosate at rates up to 1.6 kg ae/ha. Plants of Leo selected for tolerance exhibited a twofold range in the rate required to reduce shoot weight 50% (I 50 s from 0.6 to 1.2 kg/ha glyphosate). Plants regenerated from tolerant callus had tolerance up to 66% greater than plants regenerated from unselected callus. Transgressive segregation for glyphosate tolerance was observed in the selfed progeny of two regenerated plants that both had I 50 s of 0.7 kg/ha glyphosate. The selfed progeny ranged from highly tolerant (I 50 of 1.5 kg/ha) to susceptible (I 50 of 0.5 kg/ha). Spray retention, 14 C-glyphosate absorption and translocation did not account for the differential tolerance of nine plants that were evaluated from the three sources. The specific activity of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase ranged from 1.3 to 3.5 nmol/min sm-bullet mg among the nine plants and was positively correlated with glyphosate tolerance. Leo birdsfoot trefoil was found to have significant variation in glyphosate tolerance which made it possible to initiate a recurrent selection program to select for glyphosate tolerance in birdsfoot trefoil. Two cycles of selection for glyphosate tolerance were practiced in three birdsfoot trefoil populations, Leo, Norcen, and MU-81

Hemoglobin LjGlb1-1 is involved in nodulation and regulates the level of nitric oxide in the Lotus japonicus-Mesorhizobium loti symbiosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Fukudome, Mitsutaka; Calvo-Begueria, Laura; Kado, Tomohiro; Osuki, Ken-Ichi; Rubio, Maria Carmen; Murakami, Ei-Ichi; Nagata, Maki; Kucho, Ken-Ichi; Sandal, Niels; Stougaard, Jens; Becana, Manuel; Uchiumi, Toshiki

2016-09-01

Leghemoglobins transport and deliver O2 to the symbiosomes inside legume nodules and are essential for nitrogen fixation. However, the roles of other hemoglobins (Hbs) in the rhizobia-legume symbiosis are unclear. Several Lotus japonicus mutants affecting LjGlb1-1, a non-symbiotic class 1 Hb, have been used to study the function of this protein in symbiosis. Two TILLING alleles with single amino acid substitutions (A102V and E127K) and a LORE1 null allele with a retrotransposon insertion in the 5'-untranslated region (96642) were selected for phenotyping nodulation. Plants of all three mutant lines showed a decrease in long infection threads and nodules, and an increase in incipient infection threads. About 4h after inoculation, the roots of mutant plants exhibited a greater transient accumulation of nitric oxide (NO) than did the wild-type roots; nevertheless, in vitro NO dioxygenase activities of the wild-type, A102V, and E127K proteins were similar, suggesting that the mutated proteins are not fully functional in vivo The expression of LjGlb1-1, but not of the other class 1 Hb of L. japonicus (LjGlb1-2), was affected during infection of wild-type roots, further supporting a specific role for LjGlb1-1. In conclusion, the LjGlb1-1 mutants reveal that this protein is required during rhizobial infection and regulates NO levels. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Present status of the EPFL (Swiss) fusion-fission experiment 'LOTUS'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haldy, P.A.; Frueh, R.; Ligou, J.; Schneeberger, J.P.; Kumar, A.

1984-01-01

The present status of the LOTUS project - a fusion-fission hybrid research facility under construction at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) Switzerland - is presented. Emphasis is places on the description of the facility and on the design studies of an initial blanket of the ''fission-suppressed'' type. The LOTUS facility consists of a parallelepiped-shaped blanket, occupying roughly a volume of 1 m 3 , driven by a sealed 14 MeV (D,T) neutron generator with a rated source strength of 5x10 12 n/s. The experiment is housed in a massive concrete shielding of 220 cm thick walls, which leaves an experimental test chamber of 360 cm by 240 cm lateral dimensions and a height of 300 cm. (orig.) [de

Separation of Oligosaccharides from Lotus Seeds via Medium-pressure Liquid Chromatography Coupled with ELSD and DAD

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Xu; Zheng, Zhichang; Miao, Song; Li, Huang; Guo, Zebin; Zhang, Yi; Zheng, Yafeng; Zheng, Baodong; Xiao, Jianbo

2017-03-01

Lotus seeds were identified by the Ministry of Public Health of China as both food and medicine. One general function of lotus seeds is to improve intestinal health. However, to date, studies evaluating the relationship between bioactive compounds in lotus seeds and the physiological activity of the intestine are limited. In the present study, by using medium pressure liquid chromatography coupled with evaporative light-scattering detector and diode-array detector, five oligosaccharides were isolated and their structures were further characterized by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In vitro testing determined that LOS3-1 and LOS4 elicited relatively good proliferative effects on Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. These results indicated a structure-function relationship between the physiological activity of oligosaccharides in lotus seeds and the number of probiotics applied, thus providing room for improvement of this particular feature. Intestinal probiotics may potentially become a new effective drug target for the regulation of immunity.

Psychoanalysis: the sacred and the profane.

Science.gov (United States)

Frosch, Allan

2014-06-01

Colleagues from a variety of perspectives have written about the propensity to enshrine psychoanalytic theory. The meaning of the word "enshrine" is to cherish as sacred an idea or philosophy and protect it from change. In other words, the way we view psychoanalysis, our theories of mind and technique, become holy writ and we have divided the world of theory into the sacred and the profane. This is the kiss of death for theory, which must constantly evolve and change, but comforting for the analyst who believes he is on the side of the right, the sacred. In this paper I will discuss how our propensity to enshrine theory has had a debilitating effect on the development of psychoanalysis and, in particular, as a treatment for the most vulnerable people who seek our help. I also address the idea that movement away from enshrined positions allows us to construct different versions of reality. In this context, the notion of "action at a distance" is presented along with the attendant idea of psychoanalytic entanglement.

3D Printing of Lotus Root‐Like Biomimetic Materials for Cell Delivery and Tissue Regeneration

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Chun; Zhang, Wenjie; Deng, Cuijun; Li, Guanglong; Chang, Jiang; Zhang, Zhiyuan

2017-01-01

Abstract Biomimetic materials have drawn more and more attention in recent years. Regeneration of large bone defects is still a major clinical challenge. In addition, vascularization plays an important role in the process of large bone regeneration and microchannel structure can induce endothelial cells to form rudimentary vasculature. In recent years, 3D printing scaffolds are major materials for large bone defect repair. However, these traditional 3D scaffolds have low porosity and nonchannel structure, which impede angiogenesis and osteogenesis. In this study, inspired by the microstructure of natural plant lotus root, biomimetic materials with lotus root‐like structures are successfully prepared via a modified 3D printing strategy. Compared with traditional 3D materials, these biomimetic materials can significantly improve in vitro cell attachment and proliferation as well as promote in vivo osteogenesis, indicating potential application for cell delivery and bone regeneration. PMID:29270348

Common Sense Approach to the Restoration of Sacred Art

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alphonso Lopez Pinto

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, Sacred Art is examined as an imitation of historia. Historia interprets historical human events as empirical, material and real while seeking to understand their moral and spiritual significance. It is from historia that sacred art can be understood, where Christ and the saints are portrayed in the integrity of their human natures united to symbols representing Divinity or grace in order to present a visual/contemplative narrative. Mortimer Adler rightly sees that the vision of the beautiful is inherently contemplative, thus sacred iconography provides a language that can form the common sense of men and women.

Mutagenic effects of carbon ion beam irradiations on dry Lotus japonicus seeds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, Shanwei [Biophysics Group, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 509 Nanchang Road, Lanzhou 730000 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Zhou, Libin, E-mail: libinzhou@impcas.ac.cn [Biophysics Group, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 509 Nanchang Road, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Li, Wenjian; Du, Yan [Biophysics Group, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 509 Nanchang Road, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Yu, Lixia; Feng, Hui; Mu, Jinhu [Biophysics Group, Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 509 Nanchang Road, Lanzhou 730000 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Chen, Yuze [College of Life Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, No. 1 Yingmen Village, Anning District, Lanzhou, Gansu Province 730070 (China)

2016-09-15

Carbon ion beam irradiation is a powerful method for creating mutants and has been used in crop breeding more and more. To investigate the effects of carbon ion beams on Lotus japonicus, dry seeds were irradiated by 80 MeV/u carbon ion beam at dosages of 0, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 Gy. The germination rate, survival rate and root length of M{sub 1} populations were explored and the dose of 400 Gy was selected as the median lethal dose (LD{sub 50}) for a large-scale mutant screening. Among 2472 M{sub 2} plants, 127 morphological mutants including leaf, stem, flower and fruit phenotypic variation were found, and the mutation frequency was approximately 5.14%. Inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) assays were utilized to investigate the DNA polymorphism between seven mutants and eight plants without phenotypic variation from M{sub 2} populations. No remarkable differences were detected between these two groups, and the total polymorphic rate was 0.567%.

The LBM program at the EPFL/LOTUS Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

File, J.; Jassby, D.L.; Tsang, F.Y.; Haldy, P.A.; Leo, W.R.; Woodruff, G.

1986-01-01

An experimental program of neutron transport studies of the Lithium Blanket Module (LBM) is being carried out with the LOTUS point-neutron source facility at Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland. Preliminary experiments use passive neutron dosimetry within the fuel rods in the LBM central zone, as well as, both thermal extraction and dissolution methods to assay tritium bred in Li/sub 2/O diagnostic wafers and LBM pellets. These measurements are being compared and reconciled with each other and with the predictions of two-dimensional discrete-ordinates and continuous-energy Monte-Carlo analyses of the Lotus/LBM system

Socio- cultural importance of sacred forests conservation in south ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Sacred forests have been an important part of many African traditional societies for decades. This is an example of in-situ biodiversity conservation, which has supported various ecosystem functions. This study highlighted various approaches used by communities to enhance the socio- cultural importance of sacred forest ...

LBM program at the LOTUS facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

File, J.; Haldy, P.A.; Jassby, D.L.; Leo, W.R.; Tsang, F.Y.

1986-01-01

The Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne's (EPFL's) LOTUS facility in Lausanne, Switzerland, consists of a point-neutron deuterium-tritium (D-T) source in a shielded room designed specifically for neutronics experiments with fusion blanket modules. In 1985 the Electric Power Research Institute and EPFL initiated an experimental neutron transport program using irradiation of the Lithium Blanket Module (LBM) by the LOTUS neutron source. The principal objectives of this program are: (a) to test the capability of present-day neutron transport codes to predict the neutronic performance, including tritium breeding, of a reactor-representative blanket module in a relatively simple fast-neutron field and (b) to develop and verify the measurement and data processing procedures that will be used eventually with the LBM experiments at the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) at Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL)

Genome sequence of the Lotus spp. microsymbiont Mesorhizobium loti strain R7A.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Simon; Sullivan, John; Ronson, Clive; Tian, Rui; Bräu, Lambert; Munk, Christine; Goodwin, Lynne; Han, Cliff; Woyke, Tanja; Reddy, Tatiparthi; Huntemann, Marcel; Pati, Amrita; Mavromatis, Konstantinos; Markowitz, Victor; Ivanova, Natalia; Kyrpides, Nikos; Reeve, Wayne

2014-01-01

Mesorhizobium loti strain R7A was isolated in 1993 in Lammermoor, Otago, New Zealand from a Lotus corniculatus root nodule and is a reisolate of the inoculant strain ICMP3153 (NZP2238) used at the site. R7A is an aerobic, Gram-negative, non-spore-forming rod. The symbiotic genes in the strain are carried on a 502-kb integrative and conjugative element known as the symbiosis island or ICEMlSym(R7A). M. loti is the microsymbiont of the model legume Lotus japonicus and strain R7A has been used extensively in studies of the plant-microbe interaction. This report reveals that the genome of M. loti strain R7A does not harbor any plasmids and contains a single scaffold of size 6,529,530 bp which encodes 6,323 protein-coding genes and 75 RNA-only encoding genes. This rhizobial genome is one of 100 sequenced as part of the DOE Joint Genome Institute 2010 Genomic Encyclopedia for Bacteria and Archaea-Root Nodule Bacteria (GEBA-RNB) project.

Industry Application ECCS / LOCA Integrated Cladding/Emergency Core Cooling System Performance: Demonstration of LOTUS-Baseline Coupled Analysis of the South Texas Plant Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Hongbin [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Szilard, Ronaldo [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Epiney, Aaron [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Parisi, Carlo [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Vaghetto, Rodolfo [Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States); Vanni, Alessandro [Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States); Neptune, Kaleb [Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)

2017-06-01

Under the auspices of the DOE LWRS Program RISMC Industry Application ECCS/LOCA, INL has engaged staff from both South Texas Project (STP) and the Texas A&M University (TAMU) to produce a generic pressurized water reactor (PWR) model including reactor core, clad/fuel design and systems thermal hydraulics based on the South Texas Project (STP) nuclear power plant, a 4-Loop Westinghouse PWR. A RISMC toolkit, named LOCA Toolkit for the U.S. (LOTUS), has been developed for use in this generic PWR plant model to assess safety margins for the proposed NRC 10 CFR 50.46c rule, Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) performance during LOCA. This demonstration includes coupled analysis of core design, fuel design, thermalhydraulics and systems analysis, using advanced risk analysis tools and methods to investigate a wide range of results. Within this context, a multi-physics best estimate plus uncertainty (MPBEPU) methodology framework is proposed.

Differential conserted activity induced regulation of Nogo receptors (1-3, LOTUS and Nogo mRNA in mouse brain.

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Tobias E Karlsson

Full Text Available Nogo Receptor 1 (NgR1 mRNA is downregulated in hippocampal and cortical regions by increased neuronal activity such as a kainic acid challenge or by exposing rats to running wheels. Plastic changes in cerebral cortex in response to loss of specific sensory inputs caused by spinal cord injury are also associated with downregulation of NgR1 mRNA. Here we investigate the possible regulation by neuronal activity of the homologous receptors NgR2 and NgR3 as well as the endogenous NgR1 antagonist LOTUS and the ligand Nogo. The investigated genes respond to kainic acid by gene-specific, concerted alterations of transcript levels, suggesting a role in the regulation of synaptic plasticity, Downregulation of NgR1, coupled to upregulation of the NgR1 antagonist LOTUS, paired with upregulation of NgR2 and 3 in the dentate gyrus suggest a temporary decrease of Nogo/OMgp sensitivity while CSPG and MAG sensitivity could remain. It is suggested that these activity-synchronized temporary alterations may serve to allow structural alterations at the level of local synaptic circuitry in gray matter, while maintaining white matter pathways and that subsequent upregulation of Nogo-A and NgR1 transcript levels signals the end of such a temporarily opened window of plasticity.

Technical Limitations in Merging Secular and Sacred Functions in Monumental Churches

Science.gov (United States)

Piatkowska, Ksenia

2017-10-01

The abandonment of churches and their adaptation for secular purposes is a current subject in Europe and worldwide. Most cases involve objects that were desacralized and then rebuilt as a whole object for alternative functions. Thus far, the merging of secular and sacred functions in one monumental Catholic church has not raised any issues. The paper describes the case of St. Catherine’s Church in Gdansk, Poland, where sacred function exists parallel to the new secular function being implemented. The study is based on the authentic, professional experience of the author. It describes the technical limitations arising from the need to ensure destinies for the optimal conditions of both sacred and secular function, while avoiding undesirable interference between them. The author further identifies architectural solutions most relevant to current requirements for protection of sacred zones in the church, for preservation of the monument, and for optimal function of a modern science museum. Significant design issues include: the inviolability of the sacred zone, preservation of the historical value of the monument, proper operation of new secular zones in compliance with contemporary standards of safety, performance of the assumed mission and profitability. The research indicates specific areas where the highest probability of collision exists between the sacred and profane and where technical problems are likely to occur.

Contribution of sacred forests to biodiversity conservation: case of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Phytosociological relevés were done in 25 circular plots of 18 m radius. Based on the species red list of Benin, threatened species found in Adjahouto and Lokozoun sacred forests were identified. Moreover, socio-economic survey of local residents allowed highlighting the factors that could impede the contribution of sacred ...

The Development of the Virtual Learning Media of the Sacred Object Artwork

Science.gov (United States)

Nuanmeesri, Sumitra; Jamornmongkolpilai, Saran

2018-01-01

This research aimed to develop the virtual learning media of the sacred object artwork by applying the concept of the virtual technology in order to publicize knowledge on the cultural wisdom of the sacred object artwork. It was done by designing and developing the virtual learning media of the sacred object artwork for the virtual presentation.…

Sacred values in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: resistance to social influence, temporal discounting, and exit strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheikh, Hammad; Ginges, Jeremy; Atran, Scott

2013-09-01

Conflicts over sacred values may be particularly difficult to resolve. Because sacred values are nonfungible with material values, standard attempts to negotiate, such as offering material incentives to compromise, often backfire, increasing moral outrage and support for violent action. We present studies with Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza demonstrating three other ways sacred values may make conflict more intractable, focusing on what we call devoted actors, people who regard issues central to the Israel-Palestine conflict as sacred values. We show that devoted actors (1) were less amenable to social influence, (2) perceived conflict-related events in the past as well as expected events in the future to be temporally closer, and (3) were blind to individual opportunities to escape the conflict. These results suggest that sacred values may affect decision making in a number of ways, which, when combined, contribute to common defense and continuation of conflict. © 2013 New York Academy of Sciences.

Sacred and profane view of Christmas in advertising

OpenAIRE

Mădălina MORARU (BUGA)

2013-01-01

This article investigates the way seasonal advertising campaigns convey the paradoxical relationship between sacred and profane views of Christmas. The following research reveals the differences between commercialized and religious Christmas celebrations by analyzing the advertisements running on the Romanian market between November 15th and December 25th, 2012. The present study focuses on the following topics: the values promoted by both local and international brands, the sacred mindset ve...

Swimming Characteristics of Bioinspired Helical Microswimmers Based on Soft Lotus-Root Fibers

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Jia Liu

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Various kinds of helical swimmers inspired by E. coli bacteria have been developed continually in many types of researches, but most of them are proposed by the rigid bodies. For the targeted drug delivery, the rigid body may hurt soft tissues of the working region with organs. Due to this problem, the biomedical applications of helical swimmers may be restricted. However, the helical microswimmers with the soft and deformable body are appropriate and highly adaptive in a confined environment. Thus, this paper presents a lotus-root-based helical microswimmer, which is fabricated by the fibers of lotus-root coated with magnetic nanoparticles to active under the magnetic fields. The helical microstructures are derived from the intrinsic biological structures of the fibers of the lotus-root. This paper aims to study the swimming characteristic of lotus-root-based microswimmers with deformable helical bodies. In the initial step under the uniform magnetic actuation, the helical microswimmers are bent lightly due to the heterogeneous distribution of the internal stress, and then they undergo a swimming motion which is a spindle-like rotation locomotion. Our experiments report that the microswimmers with soft bodies can locomote faster than those with rigid bodies. Moreover, we also find that the curvature of the shape decreases as a function of actuating field frequency which is related to the deformability of lotus-root fibers.

Texture and wettability of metallic lotus leaves

Science.gov (United States)

Frankiewicz, C.; Attinger, D.

2016-02-01

Superhydrophobic surfaces with the self-cleaning behavior of lotus leaves are sought for drag reduction and phase change heat transfer applications. These superrepellent surfaces have traditionally been fabricated by random or deterministic texturing of a hydrophobic material. Recently, superrepellent surfaces have also been made from hydrophilic materials, by deterministic texturing using photolithography, without low-surface energy coating. Here, we show that hydrophilic materials can also be made superrepellent to water by chemical texturing, a stochastic rather than deterministic process. These metallic surfaces are the first analog of lotus leaves, in terms of wettability, texture and repellency. A mechanistic model is also proposed to describe the influence of multiple tiers of roughness on wettability and repellency. This demonstrated ability to make hydrophilic materials superrepellent without deterministic structuring or additional coatings opens the way to large scale and robust manufacturing of superrepellent surfaces.Superhydrophobic surfaces with the self-cleaning behavior of lotus leaves are sought for drag reduction and phase change heat transfer applications. These superrepellent surfaces have traditionally been fabricated by random or deterministic texturing of a hydrophobic material. Recently, superrepellent surfaces have also been made from hydrophilic materials, by deterministic texturing using photolithography, without low-surface energy coating. Here, we show that hydrophilic materials can also be made superrepellent to water by chemical texturing, a stochastic rather than deterministic process. These metallic surfaces are the first analog of lotus leaves, in terms of wettability, texture and repellency. A mechanistic model is also proposed to describe the influence of multiple tiers of roughness on wettability and repellency. This demonstrated ability to make hydrophilic materials superrepellent without deterministic structuring or additional

Identification of symbiotically defective mutants of Lotus japonicus affected in infection thread growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lombardo, Fabien; Heckmann, Anne Birgitte Lau; Miwa, Hiroki

2006-01-01

During the symbiotic interaction between legumes and rhizobia, the host cell plasma membrane and associated plant cell wall invaginate to form a tunnel-like infection thread, a structure in which bacteria divide to reach the plant root cortex. We isolated four Lotus japonicus mutants that make...... infection pockets in root hairs but form very few infection threads after inoculation with Mesorhizobium loti. The few infection threads that did initiate in the mutants usually did not progress further than the root hair cell. These infection-thread deficient (itd) mutants were unaffected for early...... symbiotic responses such as calcium spiking, root hair deformation, and curling, as well as for the induction of cortical cell division and the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Complementation tests and genetic mapping indicate that itd2 is allelic to Ljsym7, whereas the itd1, itd3, and itd4 mutations...

The Proteome of Seed Development in the Model Legume Lotus japonicus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dam, Svend; Laursen, Brian S.; Ornfelt, Jane H.

2009-01-01

three developmental phases of legume seeds and the presence of embryo, endosperm, and seed coat in desiccated seeds. Furthermore, protein, oil, starch, phytic acid, and ash contents were determined, and this indicates that the composition of mature Lotus seed is more similar to soybean than to pea......We have characterized the development of seeds in the model legume Lotus japonicus. Like soybean (Glycine max) and pea (Pisum sativum), Lotus develops straight seed pods and each pod contains approximately 20 seeds that reach maturity within 40 days. Histological sections show the characteristic...... proteins corresponding to gene accession numbers were identified for the two phases, respectively. All of the proteome data, including the experimental data and mass spectrometry spectra peaks, were collected in a database that is available to the scientific community via a Web interface (http...

Secondary Fitometabolitos that affect the nutritional value of Lotus corniculatus as forage for ruminant animals

OpenAIRE

Luz Elena Santacoloma Varón

2014-01-01

In the highlands of Bogota at 2600 masl, temperature 14°C and 1013 mm of precipitation, three plots have been furbished by modifying the physico- chemical conditions of the soil and planted the species Lotus corniculatus to evaluate content of condensed tannins, hydrolysable tannins, phenols, tannins that precipitate protein, saponins and alkaloids. The purpose was to determine the effect of soil conditions on the concentration of secondary phytobiomolecules. Analytical and instrumental techn...

Biogenesis of C-Glycosyl Flavones and Profiling of Flavonoid Glycosides in Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shan-Shan; Wu, Jie; Chen, Li-Guang; Du, Hui; Xu, Yan-Jun; Wang, Li-Jing; Zhang, Hui-Jin; Zheng, Xu-Chen; Wang, Liang-Sheng

2014-01-01

Flavonoids in nine tissues of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertner were identified and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) and HPLC-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MSn). Thirty-eight flavonoids were identified; eleven C-glycosides and five O-glycosides were discovered for the first time in N. nucifera. Most importantly, the C-glycosyl apigenin or luteolin detected in lotus plumules proved valuable for deep elucidation of flavonoid composition in lotus tissues and for further utilization as functional tea and medicine materials. Lotus leaves possessed the significantly highest amount of flavonoids (2.06E3±0.08 mg 100 g−1 FW) and separating and purifying the bioactive compound, quercetin 3-O-glucuronide, from leaves showed great potential. In contrast, flavonoids in flower stalks, seed coats and kernels were extremely low. Simultaneously, the optimal picking time was confirmed by comparing the compound contents in five developmental phases. Finally, we proposed the putative flavonoid biosynthesis pathway in N. nucifera. PMID:25279809

Lotus Dust Mitigation Coating and Molecular Adsorber Coating

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connor, Kenneth M.; Abraham, Nithin S.

2015-01-01

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has developed two unique coating formulations that will keep surfaces clean and sanitary and contain contaminants.The Lotus Dust Mitigation Coating, modeled after the self-cleaning, water-repellant lotus leaf, disallows buildup of dust, dirt, water, and more on surfaces. This coating, has been successfully tested on painted, aluminum, glass, silica, and some composite surfaces, could aid in keeping medical assets clean.The Molecular Adsorber Coating is a zeolite-based, sprayable molecular adsorber coating, designed to prevent outgassing in materials in vacuums. The coating works well to adsorb volatiles and contaminates in manufacturing and processing, such as in pharmaceutical production. The addition of a biocide would also aid in controlling bacteria levels.

Factors influencing fecundity in experimental crosses of water lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. cultivars

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Teng Nian-Jun

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Breeding programs for the water lotus (Nelumbo nucifera are hampered by an inability to account for variation in seed set associated with crosses between different cultivars. We studied seed set in two reciprocal crosses between lotus cultivars (‘Guili’ × ‘Aijiangnan’ and ‘Molingqiuse’ × ‘Qinhuaiyanzhi' to obtain insights into factors that govern fecundity in these experimental hybrids. Pollen viability, stigma receptivity and embryo development were compared for each hybrid and reciprocal cross. Results Pollen viability of the individual cultivars ranged from 4.1% to 20.2%, with the highest level (>11.9% for all cultivars observed from the earliest collected grains (05:00–06:00 a.m.. Stigmatic pollen germination peaked at 4 h after pollination and varied from 4.8 to 60.6 grains per stigma among the crosses. Production of normal embryos ranged from 7.6% to 58.8% at 1 d after pollination and from 0 to 25% by 11 d after pollination. Seed set in crosses (0.2–23.3% was generally lower than in open-pollinated plants (8.4–26.5%. Similar to the germination results, seed set was substantially reduced in both reciprocal crosses. Conclusions These results suggested that poor pollen fertility, low stigma receptivity, and embryo abortion were responsible for the failure of the crosses ‘Molingqiuse’ × ‘Qinhuaiyanzhi’, ‘Qinhuaiyanzhi’ × ‘Molingqiuse’, and ‘Aijiangnan’ × ‘Guili’.

The links between protected areas, faiths, and sacred natural sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Dudley, Nigel; Higgins-Zogib, Liza; Mansourian, Stephanie

2009-06-01

Most people follow and are influenced by some kind of spiritual faith. We examined two ways in which religious faiths can in turn influence biodiversity conservation in protected areas. First, biodiversity conservation is influenced through the direct and often effective protection afforded to wild species in sacred natural sites and in seminatural habitats around religious buildings. Sacred natural sites are almost certainly the world's oldest form of habitat protection. Although some sacred natural sites exist inside official protected areas, many thousands more form a largely unrecognized "shadow" conservation network in many countries throughout the world, which can be more stringently protected than state-run reserves. Second, faiths have a profound impact on attitudes to protection of the natural world through their philosophy, teachings, investment choices, approaches to land they control, and religious-based management systems. We considered the interactions between faiths and protected areas with respect to all 11 mainstream faiths and to a number of local belief systems. The close links between faiths and habitat protection offer major conservation opportunities, but also pose challenges. Bringing a sacred natural site into a national protected-area system can increase protection for the site, but may compromise some of its spiritual values or even its conservation values. Most protected-area managers are not trained to manage natural sites for religious purposes, but many sacred natural sites are under threat from cultural changes and habitat degradation. Decisions about whether or not to make a sacred natural site an "official" protected area therefore need to be made on a case-by-case basis. Such sites can play an important role in conservation inside and outside official protected areas. More information about the conservation value of sacred lands is needed as is more informed experience in integrating these into wider conservation strategies. In

Evidence for Abscisic Acid Biosynthesis in Cuscuta reflexa, a Parasitic Plant Lacking Neoxanthin1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Xiaoqiong; Yang, Seung Hwan; Kepsel, Andrea C.; Schwartz, Steven H.; Zeevaart, Jan A.D.

2008-01-01

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a plant hormone found in all higher plants; it plays an important role in seed dormancy, embryo development, and adaptation to environmental stresses, most notably drought. The regulatory step in ABA synthesis is the cleavage reaction of a 9-cis-epoxy-carotenoid catalyzed by the 9-cis-epoxy-carotenoid dioxygenases (NCEDs). The parasitic angiosperm Cuscuta reflexa lacks neoxanthin, one of the common precursors of ABA in all higher plants. Thus, is C. reflexa capable of synthesizing ABA, or does it acquire ABA from its host plants? Stem tips of C. reflexa were cultured in vitro and found to accumulate ABA in the absence of host plants. This demonstrates that this parasitic plant is capable of synthesizing ABA. Dehydration of detached stem tips caused a big rise in ABA content. During dehydration, 18O was incorporated into ABA from 18O2, indicating that ABA was synthesized de novo in C. reflexa. Two NCED genes, CrNCED1 and CrNCED2, were cloned from C. reflexa. Expression of CrNCEDs was up-regulated significantly by dehydration. In vitro enzyme assays with recombinant CrNCED1 protein showed that the protein is able to cleave both 9-cis-violaxanthin and 9′-cis-neoxanthin to give xanthoxin. Thus, despite the absence of neoxanthin in C. reflexa, the biochemical activity of CrNCED1 is similar to that of NCEDs from other higher plants. These results provide evidence for conservation of the ABA biosynthesis pathway among members of the plant kingdom. PMID:18441226

Lotus alianus, a new species from Cabo Verde and nomeenclatural notes on Lotus section Pedrosia (Fabaceae)

Science.gov (United States)

Lotus alianus J.H. Kirkbr., sp. nov., is described and illustrated. It is a rare endemic species from the Republic of Cape Verde, and is found in dry habitats on just two islands, Ilhas de Santo Antao and Sao Vicente. In addition, two species names are synonymized with L. creticus L., and a lectotyp...

Density, Spatial Pattern and Relief Features of Sacred Sites in Northern Morocco

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Holger Jäckle

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Sacred sites are of conservation value because of their spiritual meaning, as cultural heritage and as remnants of near-natural biotopes in landscapes strongly transformed by man. The vegetation of sacred sites in Morocco was studied recently. Information about their number, spatial pattern or relief position is fragmentary. However, these parameters are important to evaluate their role as refuge for organisms and their representativeness of potential natural vegetation. Therefore, density and spatial pattern of sacred sites on the Tangier Peninsula in NW Morocco were studied based on records on topographic maps and by ground check. Their relief position was examined calculating a logistic regression model based on site-presences and random pseudo-absences. A ground check showed that around 67% of the existing sacred sites are documented in the topographic maps. They occur in the whole study area but are agglomerated around settlements. Although sacred sites occur with preference at elevated sites they can be found in almost all relief positions, thus offering the potential of supporting different types of climax vegetation (climatic climax and pedoclimax. Because of their abundance (around 29 sacred sites / 100 km² and their distribution pattern they could serve as elements of a biotope network in degraded landscapes.

Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation of Superroot-derived Lotus corniculatus plants: a valuable tool for functional genomics

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Liu Wei

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Transgenic approaches provide a powerful tool for gene function investigations in plants. However, some legumes are still recalcitrant to current transformation technologies, limiting the extent to which functional genomic studies can be performed on. Superroot of Lotus corniculatus is a continuous root cloning system allowing direct somatic embryogenesis and mass regeneration of plants. Recently, a technique to obtain transgenic L. corniculatus plants from Superroot-derived leaves through A. tumefaciens-mediated transformation was described. However, transformation efficiency was low and it took about six months from gene transfer to PCR identification. Results In the present study, we developed an A. rhizogenes-mediated transformation of Superroot-derived L. corniculatus for gene function investigation, combining the efficient A. rhizogenes-mediated transformation and the rapid regeneration system of Superroot. The transformation system using A. rhizogenes K599 harbouring pGFPGUSPlus was improved by validating some parameters which may influence the transformation frequency. Using stem sections with one node as explants, a 2-day pre-culture of explants, infection with K599 at OD600 = 0.6, and co-cultivation on medium (pH 5.4 at 22°C for 2 days enhanced the transformation frequency significantly. As proof of concept, Superroot-derived L. corniculatus was transformed with a gene from wheat encoding an Na+/H+ antiporter (TaNHX2 using the described system. Transgenic Superroot plants were obtained and had increased salt tolerance, as expected from the expression of TaNHX2. Conclusion A rapid and efficient tool for gene function investigation in L. corniculatus was developed, combining the simplicity and high efficiency of the Superroot regeneration system and the availability of A. rhizogenes-mediated transformation. This system was improved by validating some parameters influencing the transformation frequency, which could

Rituals, ceremonies and customs related to sacred trees with a special reference to the Middle East

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Dafni Amots

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Tree worship is very common worldwide. This field study surveys the ceremonies and customs related to sacred trees in present-day Israel; it includes the results of interviews with 98 informants in thirty-one Arab, Bedouin, and Druze villages in the Galilee. The main results are: 1. Sacred trees were treated as another kind of sacred entity with all their metaphysical as well as physical manifestations. 2. There is not even one ceremony or custom that is peculiar only to a sacred tree and is not performed in other sacred places (such as a saint's grave or a mosque. 3. Few customs, such as: quarrel settling (= Sulkha, leaving objects to absorb the divine blessing and leaving objects for charity seem to be characteristic of this region, only. 4. In modern times, sacred trees were never recorded, in Israel, as centres for official religious ceremonies including sacrifices, nor as places for the performing of rites of passage. 5. There is some variation among the different ethnic groups: Kissing trees and worshipping them is more common among the Druze although carrying out burials under the tree, leaving water and rain-making ceremonies under them have not been recorded in this group. Passing judgments under the tree is more typical of the Bedouin in which the sacred trees were commonly used as a public social centre. Most of the customs surveyed here are known from other parts of the world. The differences between Muslims and Druze are related to the latter's belief in the transmigration of souls.

Monasteries and tourism: interpreting sacred landscape through gastronomy

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Silvia Aulet

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This article analyses the role of monasteries as a sacred space and how their relationship with tourism depicts a landscape of 'good taste'. Monasteries are examples of both tangible and intangible heritage, and are highly symbolic built spaces that have often become the guardians of tradition. They are strongly embedded within a local cultural landscape, which has determined their historical evolution. Monasteries used to be self-sufficient communities that relied on the resources available in their local environment, e.g. they produced their own wine, which was essential for the celebration of the Eucharist; or they preserved food from their own produce. Gastronomy in monasteries can be a tool to improve tourists' visitor experience, in so far as it respects the values that these sacred spaces represent. This article explores the literature on monasteries as sacred spaces; the relationship between their tangible and intangible heritage attributes; and how monasteries and their heritage are linked to tourism. This is illustrated through examples from Spain.

Effects of micro- and nano-structures on the self-cleaning behaviour of lotus leaves

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Y. T.; Rodak, D. E.; Wong, C. A.; Hayden, C. A.

2006-03-01

When rain falls on lotus leaves water beads up with a high contact angle. The water drops promptly roll off the leaves, collecting dirt along the way. This self-cleaning ability or lotus effect has, in recent years, stimulated much research effort worldwide for a variety of applications ranging from self-cleaning window glasses, paints, and fabrics to low friction surfaces. What are the mechanisms giving rise to the lotus effect? Although chemical composition and surface structure are believed important, a systematic experimental investigation of their effects is still lacking. By altering the surface structure of the leaves while keeping their chemical composition approximately the same, we report in this study the influence of micro- and nano-scale structures on the wetting behaviour of lotus leaves. The findings of this work may help design self-cleaning surfaces and improve our understanding of wetting mechanisms.

Analysis of Flavonoids in Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Leaves and Their Antioxidant Activity Using Macroporous Resin Chromatography Coupled with LC-MS/MS and Antioxidant Biochemical Assays

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Ming-Zhi Zhu

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera leaves, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, are rich in flavonoids. In an effort to thoroughly analyze their flavonoid components, macroporous resin chromatography coupled with HPLC-MS/MS was employed to simultaneously enrich and identify flavonoids from lotus leaves. Flavonoids extracted from lotus leaves were selectively enriched in the macroporous resin column, eluted subsequently as fraction II, and successively subjected to analysis with the HPLC-MS/MS and bioactivity assays. Altogether, fourteen flavonoids were identified, four of which were identified from lotus leaves for the first time, including quercetin 3-O-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2-glucopyranoside, quercetin 3-O-arabinoside, diosmetin 7-O-hexose, and isorhamnetin 3-O-arabino- pyranosyl-(1→2-glucopyranoside. Further bioactivity assays revealed that these flavonoids from lotus leaves possess strong antioxidant activity, and demonstrate very good potential to be explored as food supplements or even pharmaceutical products to improve human health.

The supernatural characters and powers of sacred trees in the Holy Land.

Science.gov (United States)

Dafni, Amots

2007-02-25

This article surveys the beliefs concerning the supernatural characteristics and powers of sacred trees in Israel; it is based on a field study as well as a survey of the literature and includes 118 interviews with Muslims and Druze. Both the Muslims and Druze in this study attribute supernatural dimensions to sacred trees which are directly related to ancient, deep-rooted pagan traditions. The Muslims attribute similar divine powers to sacred trees as they do to the graves of their saints; the graves and the trees are both considered to be the abode of the soul of a saint which is the source of their miraculous powers. Any violation of a sacred tree would be strictly punished while leaving the opportunity for atonement and forgiveness. The Druze, who believe in the transmigration of souls, have similar traditions concerning sacred trees but with a different religious background. In polytheistic religions the sacred grove/forest is a centre of the community's official worship; any violation of the trees is regarded as a threat to the well being of the community. Punishments may thus be collective. In the monotheistic world (including Christianity, Islam and Druze) the pagan worship of trees was converted into the worship/adoration of saints/prophets; it is not a part of the official religion but rather a personal act and the punishments are exerted only on the violating individual.

The sacred geography of Kapila: the Kapilasrama of Sidhpur

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Knut A. Jacobsen

2003-01-01

Full Text Available To most scholars of Hinduism, the sage Kapila is a person associated only with ancient India and known mainly as the mythical founder of the Sāmkhya system of religious thought. This is the Kapila whose teaching is known through Yuktidīpikā, the Sāmkhyakārikā by Isvarakrsna and other Sāmkhya texts and the tradition of technical commentaries on them. In India this Kapila belongs to a scholarly tradition preserved mainly by pandits with a knowledge of Sanskrit and, for the last hundred years, also by professors in the Indian university system. In this article, the symbolic significance of one of the most important pilgrimage centres connected with Kapila, Sidhpur in Gujarat, is explored. The close connection between the sacred narratives and the rituals performed at the pilgrimage centre is a significant feature of the sacred places devoted to Kapila. At every place of pilgrimage to Kapila there are narratives about him which account for the sacredness of the place. These narratives belong to the geography of Hindu India as much as to the mythology of the Hindu tradition. The life history of Kapila is engraved in a sacred landscape. The place where Kapila was born, the place where he gave the sacred knowledge of ultimate reality to his mother, the different places where he performed tapas, the place where he killed the sons of King Sagara are all part of India's imagined landscape. The promise of the Kapila pilgrimage sites is that these places have power in themselves to remove moral impurity and grant moksa to the pilgrims. The sacred narratives of Kapila function to make this promise trustworthy.

In vivo trypanocidal activity of Nymphaea lotus Linn. methanol extract against Trypanosoma brucei brucei

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Muhammad Haruna Garba

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the antitrypanosomal potentials of methanol extract of Nymphaea lotus Linn. (N. lotus with the aim of obtaining a new lead for formulating safe, inexpensive, nontoxic and readily available trypanocidal drugs. Methods: Seventy percent (v/v (methanol/water crude extract of N. lotus was evaluated for antitrypanosomal activity in experimental trypanosomiasis using Trypanosoma brucei bruceiinfected mice. Infected mice in different groups were administered intraperitoneally 100, 200, 300 and 400 mg/kg body weight/day of the crude for two weeks, while a positive control group was treated with standard drug, berenil. Results: The crude extract at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight/day was more effective than the higher doses in completely clearing parasites from the blood of mice infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Pre-treatment of healthy mice with the crude extract for 5 days before infection did not prevent the establishment of the infection, indicating that the extract had no prophylactic activity. Subinoculation of the blood and cerebrospinal fluid drawn from the cured mice into healthy mice failed to produce any infection within 50 days post inoculation. Administration of 1 000 mg/kg body weight of the crude extract led to the death of 50% of the experimental animals indicating a high level of toxicity of the extract at higher doses. Conclusions: This study has demonstrated the potency of the crude extract of N. lotus in treating experimental trypanosomiasis at lower doses.

Genotoxicity and antigenotoxicity study of aqueous and hydro-methanol extracts of Spondias mombin L., Nymphaea lotus L. and Luffa cylindrical L. using animal bioassays

OpenAIRE

Oyeyemi, Ifeoluwa Temitayo; Yekeen, Olaide Maruf; Odusina, Paul Olayinka; Ologun, Taiwo Mary; Ogbaide, Orezimena Michelle; Olaleye, Olayinka Israel; Bakare, Adekunle A.

2015-01-01

Spondias mombin (Linn), Nymphaea lotus (Linn) and Luffa cylindrica (Linn) (syn Luffa aegyptiaca Mill) are plants traditionally used as food ingredients and in the management of diseases, including cancer, in Nigeria. Despite the therapeutic potentials attributed to these plants, reports on their genotoxicity are scanty. In this study, the genotoxicity of the aqueous and hydro-methanol extract of these plants was evaluated using mouse bone marrow micronucleus and sperm morphology assays. Antig...

Landscape Archaeology and Sacred Space in the Eastern Mediterranean: A Glimpse from Cyprus

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Giorgos Papantoniou

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This article aims to raise issues for discussion about the change in the use and concept of sacred landscapes, which were originally constructed in the era of the Cypriot kings (the basileis, but then continued to function in a new imperial environment, that of the rule of the Ptolemaic strategos and later of the Roman proconsul and the various Christian bishops. Our archaeological survey project in the Xeros river valley, titled ‘Settled and Sacred Landscapes of Cyprus’, reveals that these new politico-economic structures were also supported by the construction of symbolically charged sacred landscapes. Thus, while outlining the long history of the island as manifested from the diachronic study of Cypriot sacred landscapes, we identify three pivotal phases: first, the consolidation of the Cypriot polities and the establishment of a ‘full’ sacred landscape; second, the transition from segmented to unitary administration under the Ptolemaic and Roman imperial rule and the consolidation of a more ‘unified sacred landscape’; and finally, the establishment of a number of Christian bishoprics on the island and the movement back to a ‘full’ sacred landscape. Moving beyond the discipline of Cypriot archaeology, this contribution aims to serve as a paradigm for the implications that the employment of the ‘sacred landscapes’ concept may have when addressing issues of socio-political and socio-economic transformations. While it is very difficult to define or capture the concept of landscape in a pre-modern world, it offers a useful means by which to assess changing local conditions. We have also attempted to situate the term in archaeological thought, in order to allow the concept to become a more powerful investigative tool for approaching the past.

Gibberellins Interfere with Symbiosis Signaling and Gene Expression and Alter Colonization by Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Lotus japonicus1

Science.gov (United States)

Takeda, Naoya; Handa, Yoshihiro; Tsuzuki, Syusaku; Kojima, Mikiko; Sakakibara, Hitoshi; Kawaguchi, Masayoshi

2015-01-01

Arbuscular mycorrhiza is a mutualistic plant-fungus interaction that confers great advantages for plant growth. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi enter the host root and form symbiotic structures that facilitate nutrient supplies between the symbionts. The gibberellins (GAs) are phytohormones known to inhibit AM fungal infection. However, our transcriptome analysis and phytohormone quantification revealed GA accumulation in the roots of Lotus japonicus infected with AM fungi, suggesting that de novo GA synthesis plays a role in arbuscular mycorrhiza development. We found pleiotropic effects of GAs on the AM fungal infection. In particular, the morphology of AM fungal colonization was drastically altered by the status of GA signaling in the host root. Exogenous GA treatment inhibited AM hyphal entry into the host root and suppressed the expression of Reduced Arbuscular Mycorrhization1 (RAM1) and RAM2 homologs that function in hyphal entry and arbuscule formation. On the other hand, inhibition of GA biosynthesis or suppression of GA signaling also affected arbuscular mycorrhiza development in the host root. Low-GA conditions suppressed arbuscular mycorrhiza-induced subtilisin-like serine protease1 (SbtM1) expression that is required for AM fungal colonization and reduced hyphal branching in the host root. The reduced hyphal branching and SbtM1 expression caused by the inhibition of GA biosynthesis were recovered by GA treatment, supporting the theory that insufficient GA signaling causes the inhibitory effects on arbuscular mycorrhiza development. Most studies have focused on the negative role of GA signaling, whereas our study demonstrates that GA signaling also positively interacts with symbiotic responses and promotes AM colonization of the host root. PMID:25527715

Analysis of Accumulating Ability of Heavy Metals in Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) Improved by Ion Implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Jianhua; Wang Naiyan; Zhang Fengshou

2012-01-01

Heavy metals have seriously contaminated soil and water, and done harm to public health. Academician WANG Naiyan proposed that ion-implantation technique should be exploited for environmental bioremediation by mutating and breeding plants or microbes. By implanting N + into Taikonglian No.1, we have selected and bred two lotus cultivars, Jingguang No.1 and Jingguang No.2. The present study aims at analyzing the feasibility that irradiation can be used for remediation of soil and water from heavy metals. Compared with parent Taikonglian No.1, the uptaking and accumulating ability of heavy metals in two mutated cultivars was obviously improved. So ion implantation technique can indeed be used in bioremediation of heavy metals in soil and water, but it is hard to select and breed a cultivar which can remedy the soil and water from all the heavy metals.

Derepression of the plant Chromovirus LORE1 induces germline transposition in regenerated plants.

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Eigo Fukai

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Transposable elements represent a large proportion of the eukaryotic genomes. Long Terminal Repeat (LTR retrotransposons are very abundant and constitute the predominant family of transposable elements in plants. Recent studies have identified chromoviruses to be a widely distributed lineage of Gypsy elements. These elements contain chromodomains in their integrases, which suggests a preference for insertion into heterochromatin. In turn, this preference might have contributed to the patterning of heterochromatin observed in host genomes. Despite their potential importance for our understanding of plant genome dynamics and evolution, the regulatory mechanisms governing the behavior of chromoviruses and their activities remain largely uncharacterized. Here, we report a detailed analysis of the spatio-temporal activity of a plant chromovirus in the endogenous host. We examined LORE1a, a member of the endogenous chromovirus LORE1 family from the model legume Lotus japonicus. We found that this chromovirus is stochastically de-repressed in plant populations regenerated from de-differentiated cells and that LORE1a transposes in the male germline. Bisulfite sequencing of the 5' LTR and its surrounding region suggests that tissue culture induces a loss of epigenetic silencing of LORE1a. Since LTR promoter activity is pollen specific, as shown by the analysis of transgenic plants containing an LTR::GUS fusion, we conclude that male germline-specific LORE1a transposition in pollen grains is controlled transcriptionally by its own cis-elements. New insertion sites of LORE1a copies were frequently found in genic regions and show no strong insertional preferences. These distinctive novel features of LORE1 indicate that this chromovirus has considerable potential for generating genetic and epigenetic diversity in the host plant population. Our results also define conditions for the use of LORE1a as a genetic tool.

Microscopic observations of condensation of water on lotus leaves

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Yang-Tse; Rodak, Daniel E.; Angelopoulos, Anastasios; Gacek, Ted

2005-11-01

We report an in situ observation of water condensation and evaporation on lotus leaf surfaces inside an environmental scanning electron microscope. The real-time observation shows, at the micrometer length scale, how water drops grow to large contact angles during water condensation, and decrease in size and contact angle during the evaporation phase of the experiment. To rationalize the observations, we propose a geometric model for liquid drops on rough surfaces when the size of the drop and surface roughness scale are comparable. This model suggests that when drop size and surface roughness are of the same magnitude, such as micrometer size water drops on lotus leaves, well-known equations for wetting on rough surfaces may not be applicable.

Quarrels over Sacred Space. The Tlajomulco Doctrina in the Late-Colonial Period

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José Refugio de la Torre Curiel

2004-04-01

Full Text Available This article  explores how historical  actors who interact in a sacred space create, confront and rebuild it in several ways. The author chose to study the Tlajomulco doctrina in the  late colonial period in order to analyze some changes undergone during the secularization of a Franciscan doctrine. He also studies the institutional dimension of the doctrine in order to understand how the Guadalajara diocese  and  the Franciscan province of Jalisco related to this particular sacred  space. The  analysis of quarrels over property and authority over the doctrine enables the author to discuss what this sacred  space meant to ministers and  parishioners  and  to conclude that each form of interaction with a sacred  space represents a particular way of understanding society and, more specifically, religiosity.

Induction of two mutants in birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) by x-rays and chemical mutagens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Therrien, M.C.; Grant, W.F.

1982-01-01

The mutagenic effects of X-rays, ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), 8-ethoxycaffeine (EOC), N-hydroxyurea (HU) and 2-aminopurine (2AP) on seed treatment of birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L. 'Mirabel') were assessed over four generations. Mutants were recovered in the M 2 , M 3 and M 4 generations from selfed lines, from crosses derived form selfed lines and from open pollination lines. Mutant plants exhibiting vestigial floret character were recovered from X-rays, EMS, EOC and HU treatments. Mutant chlorotica plants were obtained from EMS treatment only. No mutants were recovered from 2AP treatment, EMS, the most effective mutagen, produced nine vestigial floret and 12 chlorotica mutants. Mutants were obtained from only one exposure of X-rays (12 krad). There was evidence for preferential elimination of gametes. The chlorotica and vestigial floret mutants were inherited as tetrasomic recessives. Mutation frequencies of 0.4 - 3.1% in a tetrasomic background are indicative of the effectiveness of EMS in birdsfoot trefoil

Induction of two mutants in birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) by x-rays and chemical mutagens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Therrien, M.C.; Grant, W.F. (McGill Univ., Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec (Canada). Macdonald Coll.)

1982-10-01

The mutagenic effects of X-rays, ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS), 8-ethoxycaffeine (EOC), N-hydroxyurea (HU) and 2-aminopurine (2AP) on seed treatment of birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L. 'Mirabel') were assessed over four generations. Mutants were recovered in the M/sub 2/, M/sub 3/ and M/sub 4/ generations from selfed lines, from crosses derived form selfed lines and from open pollination lines. Mutant plants exhibiting vestigial floret character were recovered from X-rays, EMS, EOC and HU treatments. Mutant chlorotica plants were obtained from EMS treatment only. No mutants were recovered from 2AP treatment, EMS, the most effective mutagen, produced nine vestigial floret and 12 chlorotica mutants. Mutants were obtained from only one exposure of X-rays (12 krad). There was evidence for preferential elimination of gametes. The chlorotica and vestigial floret mutants were inherited as tetrasomic recessives. Mutation frequencies of 0.4 - 3.1% in a tetrasomic background are indicative of the effectiveness of EMS in birdsfoot trefoil.

Novel SINEs families in Medicago truncatula and Lotus japonicus: bioinformatic analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gadzalski, Marek; Sakowicz, Tomasz

2011-07-01

Although short interspersed elements (SINEs) were discovered nearly 30 years ago, the studies of these genomic repeats were mostly limited to animal genomes. Very little is known about SINEs in legumes--one of the most important plant families. Here we report identification, genomic distribution and molecular features of six novel SINE elements in Lotus japonicus (named LJ_SINE-1, -2, -3) and Medicago truncatula (MT_SINE-1, -2, -3), model species of legume. They possess all the structural features commonly found in short interspersed elements including RNA polymerase III promoter, polyA tail and flanking repeats. SINEs described here are present in low to moderate copy numbers from 150 to 3000. Bioinformatic analyses were used to searched public databases, we have shown that three of new SINE elements from M. truncatula seem to be characteristic of Medicago and Trifolium genera. Two SINE families have been found in L. japonicus and one is present in both M. truncatula and L. japonicus. In addition, we are discussing potential activities of the described elements. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SRAP analysis of M3 lotus mutants induced by Fe+ ion implantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia Yanyan; Deng Chuanliang; Gao Jun; Ren Yingxue; Wang Ningna; Gao Wujun; Lu Longdou; Zhang Tao; Li Pengfei

2011-01-01

To examine and determine the lotus mutants induced by the same Fe + ion implantation at the molecular level, the SRAP technique was used, and the non denatured polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was undertaken to analyze the PCR products. At the optimized SRAP reaction condition, of the 121 primer pairs tested, 10 primer pairs could amplify stable and remarkable specific bands, with primer polymorphism of 8.26%. This 10 primer pairs amplified a total of 215 bands, 83 of which were polymorphic, and the percent of polymorphic bands was 38.6%. A total of 141 bands were amplified for the mutant 1, 22 of which were different from the control with the variation ratio of 15.6%. However, the variation ratios of mutant 2 to 6 were 16.4%, 17.1%, 16.9%, 18.2% and 20.5% respectively. The results indicated that Fe + ion implantation into the seeds of Baiyangdian red lotus could induce random genetic DNA variations. (authors)

Lotus-leaf-like structured chitosan–polyvinyl pyrrolidone films as an anti-adhesion barrier

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lim, Jin Ik; Kang, Min Ji; Lee, Woo-Kul, E-mail: leewo@dankook.ac.kr

2014-11-30

Highlights: • Improved mechanical properties by hydrogen bond between chitosan and PVP chains. • Improved anti-adhesion effect by lotus-leaf-like structured chitosan–PVP (L-chitosan–PVP) film. • L-Chitosan–PVP film as a blood/tissue anti-adhesion barrier for post-surgical treatment. - Abstract: For postsurgical anti-adhesion barrier applications, lotus-leaf-like structured chitosan–PVP films were prepared using a solution casting method with dodecyltrichloro-immobilized SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles. We evaluated whether the lotus-leaf-like structured chitosan–PVP films (L-chitosan–PVP) could be applied as postsurgical anti-adhesion barriers. A recovery test using a tensile strength testing machine and measurement of crystallinity using X-ray diffraction indicated that films with 75% PVP were the optimal composition of the chitosan–PVP films. Also, dodecyltrichloro-immobilized SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles were synthesized and sprayed on the film after pretreatment with the instant bio-glue. Analysis of cell adhesion, proliferation, and anti-thrombus efficiency were performed via a WST assay, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and hemacytometry. The contact angle with the lotus-leaf-like surface was of approximately 150°. Furthermore, the L-chitosan–PVP film yielded a lower cell and platelet adhesion rate (around less than 4%) than that yielded by the untreated film. These results indicate that the lotus-leaf-like structure has a unique property and that this novel L-chitosan–PVP film can be applied as a blood/tissue-compatible, biodegradable material for implantable medical devices that need an anti-adhesion barrier.

Lotus-leaf-like structured chitosan–polyvinyl pyrrolidone films as an anti-adhesion barrier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Jin Ik; Kang, Min Ji; Lee, Woo-Kul

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Improved mechanical properties by hydrogen bond between chitosan and PVP chains. • Improved anti-adhesion effect by lotus-leaf-like structured chitosan–PVP (L-chitosan–PVP) film. • L-Chitosan–PVP film as a blood/tissue anti-adhesion barrier for post-surgical treatment. - Abstract: For postsurgical anti-adhesion barrier applications, lotus-leaf-like structured chitosan–PVP films were prepared using a solution casting method with dodecyltrichloro-immobilized SiO 2 nanoparticles. We evaluated whether the lotus-leaf-like structured chitosan–PVP films (L-chitosan–PVP) could be applied as postsurgical anti-adhesion barriers. A recovery test using a tensile strength testing machine and measurement of crystallinity using X-ray diffraction indicated that films with 75% PVP were the optimal composition of the chitosan–PVP films. Also, dodecyltrichloro-immobilized SiO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized and sprayed on the film after pretreatment with the instant bio-glue. Analysis of cell adhesion, proliferation, and anti-thrombus efficiency were performed via a WST assay, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and hemacytometry. The contact angle with the lotus-leaf-like surface was of approximately 150°. Furthermore, the L-chitosan–PVP film yielded a lower cell and platelet adhesion rate (around less than 4%) than that yielded by the untreated film. These results indicate that the lotus-leaf-like structure has a unique property and that this novel L-chitosan–PVP film can be applied as a blood/tissue-compatible, biodegradable material for implantable medical devices that need an anti-adhesion barrier

Profaning the Sacred in Leadership Studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sliwa, Martyna; Spoelstra, Sverre; Meier Sørensen, Bent

2013-01-01

of the novel, we discuss how it contributes to profaning particular notions of sacrifice and the sacred in leadership thinking. In the novel, self-sacrifice does not function as a way of establishing a leadership position, but as a way to avoid the dangers associated with leadership, and possibly redeem humans......The leadership literature is full of stories of heroic self-sacrifice. Sacrificial leadership behaviour, some scholars conclude, is to be recommended. In this article we follow Keith Grint's conceptualization of leadership as necessarily pertaining to the sacred, but-drawing on Giorgio Agamben......'s notion of profanation-we highlight the need for organization scholars to profane the sacralizations embedded in leadership thinking. One example of this, which guides us throughout the article, is the novel A Wild Sheep Chase, by the Japanese author Haruki Murakami. By means of a thematic reading...

Sound Absorption and Friction Properties of Nano-Lotus Leaf Coated Concrete for Rigid Pavement

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Marcelo GONZALEZ

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the feasibility of superhydrophobic films to create the nano-lotus leaf effect on concrete surface and their influence on sound absorption and friction properties of concrete for application in rigid pavements. The study involved an evaluation of nanomaterials at the laboratory scale to analyze the effects of microtexture modification on the friction and sound absorption of concrete pavement. A number of laboratory specimens were produced by applying different amounts of nano-lotus leaf coating on the top of the textured concrete surface. The British pendulum test was used to measure the friction number, and an impedance tube was used to determine the sound absorption coefficient. Laboratory results indicate that nano-lotus leaf coated concrete can maintain the required friction property for rigid pavement, but may not increase the noise absorption. Further research must be carried out to determine possible benefit of the lotus leaf effect for reducing hydroplaning, particularly during heavy rainfall.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.22.3.7638

The influence of sacred beliefs in environmental risk perception and attitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Sonya Sachdeva

2016-01-01

Elements of the natural world, such as mountains, rivers, and forests, are often seen as sacred in many cultural traditions. Recent conservation movements have even begun to draw on spiritual and religious beliefs to promote issues of environmental sustainability. The straightforward assumption in these cases is that sacred beliefs (compared with secular ones) will...

The price of your soul: neural evidence for the non-utilitarian representation of sacred values.

Science.gov (United States)

Berns, Gregory S; Bell, Emily; Capra, C Monica; Prietula, Michael J; Moore, Sara; Anderson, Brittany; Ginges, Jeremy; Atran, Scott

2012-03-05

Sacred values, such as those associated with religious or ethnic identity, underlie many important individual and group decisions in life, and individuals typically resist attempts to trade off their sacred values in exchange for material benefits. Deontological theory suggests that sacred values are processed based on rights and wrongs irrespective of outcomes, while utilitarian theory suggests that they are processed based on costs and benefits of potential outcomes, but which mode of processing an individual naturally uses is unknown. The study of decisions over sacred values is difficult because outcomes cannot typically be realized in a laboratory, and hence little is known about the neural representation and processing of sacred values. We used an experimental paradigm that used integrity as a proxy for sacredness and which paid real money to induce individuals to sell their personal values. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we found that values that people refused to sell (sacred values) were associated with increased activity in the left temporoparietal junction and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, regions previously associated with semantic rule retrieval. This suggests that sacred values affect behaviour through the retrieval and processing of deontic rules and not through a utilitarian evaluation of costs and benefits.

A simple procedure for the isolation of L-fucose-binding lectins from Ulex europaeus and Lotus tetragonolobus.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, H J; Johnson, E A

1977-10-01

L-Fucose-binding lectins from Ulex europeaus and Lotus tetragonolobus were isolated by affinity chromatography on columns of L-fucose-Sepharose 6B. L-Fucose was coupled to Sepharose 6B after divinyl sulfone-activation of the gel to give an affinity adsorbent capable of binding more than 1.2 mg of Ulex lextin/ml of gel, which could then be eluted with 0.1M or 0.05M L-fucose. Analysis of the isolated lectins by hemagglutination assay, by gel filtration, and polyacrylamide disc-electrophoresis revealed the presence of isolectins, or aggregated species, or both. The apparent mol. wt. of the major lectin fraction from Lotus was 35000 when determined on Sephadex G-200 or Ultrogel AcA 34. In contrast, the apparent mol. wt. of the major lectin fraction from Ulex was 68 000 when chromatographed on Sephadex G-200 and 45 000 when chromatographed on Ultrogel AcA 34. The yields of lectins were 4.5 mg/100 g of Ulex seeds and 394 mg/100 g of Lotus seeds.

Alkalinity of Lanzarote soils is a factor shaping rhizobial populations with Sinorhizobium meliloti being the predominant microsymbiont of Lotus lancerottensis.

Science.gov (United States)

León-Barrios, Milagros; Pérez-Yépez, Juan; Dorta, Paola; Garrido, Ana; Jiménez, Concepción

2017-04-01

Lotus lancerottensis is an endemic species that grows widely throughout Lanzarote Island (Canary Is.). Characterization of 48 strains isolated from root nodules of plants growing in soils from eleven locations on the island showed that 38 isolates (79.1%) belonged to the species Sinorhizobium meliloti, whereas only six belonged to Mesorhizobium sp., the more common microsymbionts for the Lotus. Other genotypes containing only one isolate were classified as Pararhizobium sp., Sinorhizobium sp., Phyllobacterium sp. and Bradyrhizobium-like. Strains of S. meliloti were distributed along the island and, in most of the localities they were exclusive or major microsymbionts of L. lancerottensis. Phylogeny of the nodulation nodC gene placed the S. meliloti strains within symbiovar lancerottense and the mesorhizobial strains with the symbiovar loti. Although strains from both symbiovars produced effective N 2 -fixing nodules, S. meliloti symbiovar lancerottense was clearly the predominant microsymbiont of L. lancerottensis. This fact correlated with the better adaptation of strains of this species to the alkaline soils of Lanzarote, as in vitro characterization showed that while the mesorhizobial strains were inhibited by alkaline pH, S. meliloti strains grew well at pH 9. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

'Marriage is sacred': the religious right's arguments against 'gay marriage' in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Jane

2007-01-01

In 2004, the Australian government legislated to prohibit 'gay marriage'; the religious right had lobbied vigorously for passage of this legislation. Drawing on Durkheim's theory of sacred and profane, this paper examines the argument proffered by right-wing Christians that allowing legalised unions between lesbians and between gay men would seriously undermine the institution of marriage and the family. Claims about the spectre of gays and lesbians marrying reveal a deeper unease about the status of heterosexual marriage and the nuclear family. These concerns, in turn, house a deeper unease about the nature and place of masculinity in contemporary Australian society. This disquiet about masculinity and masculine authority is isomorphic with concerns about challenges to the notion of an objective epistemological order. Marriage and nature are both sacred in Durkheimian terms because they must be radically separated from matters profane. By locating heterosexual marriage within the domain of nature, it is protected from contact with things that threaten its sacred status. However, Durkheim's theory of the sacred is simultaneously an account of the exercise of ideological power. Attempts to cast heterosexual marriage as sacred and, therefore, as inviolate are inextricably linked with attempts to protect an epistemological order linked to masculine authority.

Neutronic analysis for the LBM/LOTUS experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolibal, J.; Ku, L.P.; Liew, S.L.

1986-01-01

The LBM/LOTUS experimental results will be compared with the calculated values using the MCC in early 1986 based on the MCNP and DOT models described. The comparison will allow a testing of the features of the MCC in a simplified situation, in preparation for the ultimate experiment of the LBM on TFTR

Lotus japonicus nodulation requires two GRAS-domain regulators, NSP1 and NSP2

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heckmann, Anne Birgitte Lau; Lombardo, Fabien; Miwa, Hiroki

A nodulation-defective mutant of Lotus japonicus does not initiate nodule cortical cell division in response to Mesorhizobium loti, but induces root hair deformation, Nod factor-induced calcium spiking, and mycorrhization. We have shown that this mutant has a premature stop in the NSP1 (Nodulation...... Signalling Pathway 1) gene (Ljnsp1-1) resulting in loss of the C-terminal 23 amino acids (aa) and we recently identified another mutant in NSP1 (Ljnsp1-2) with a truncated protein of 341 aa. Additionally, we have sequenced and isolated a mutant in LjNSP2 (Ljnsp2-3) that has a premature stop codon showing...

Sacred values and conflict over Iran's nuclear program

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Morteza Dehghani

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Conflict over Iran's nuclear program, which involves a US-led policy to impose sanctions on Iran, is perceived by each side as a preeminent challenge to its own national security and global peace. Yet, there is little scientific study or understanding of how material incentives and disincentives, such as economic sanctions, psychologically affect the targeted population and potentially influence behaviour. Here we explore the Iranian nuclear program within a paradigm concerned with sacred values. We integrate experiments within a survey of 1997 Iranians. We find that a relatively small but politically significant portion of the Iranian population believes that acquiring nuclear energy has become a sacred value, in the sense that proposed economic incentives and disincentives result in a ``backfire effect'' in which offers of material rewards or punishment lead to increased anger and greater disapproval. This pattern was specific to nuclear energy and did not hold for acquiring nuclear weapons. The present study is the first demonstration of the backfire effect for material disincentives as well as incentives, and on an issue whose apparent sacred nature is recent rather than longstanding.

Polyphenols from Ziziphus lotus grown in Tunesia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qa'dan, F.

2003-01-01

Four monomeric and four oligomeric flavanoids have been identified from the root bark of Zizphus lotus traditionally used for the treatment of diabetes in Tunisian traditional medicine. Flavan-3-oles are (-)-epicatechin(1), (+)-catechin (2), (-)-epigallocatechin (3) and (+)-gallocatechin (4); proanthcyanidins are epicatechin-(4??8)-catechin (procyanidin B-1,5), catechin-(4??8)-catechin (procyanidin B-3, 6), catechin-(4??8)-epicatechin ( procyanidin B-4, 7) and gallocatechin-(4??8)-gallocatechin (prodelphinidin B-3, 8) were isolated. The reported compounds were established as their peracetate derivatives, on the basis of their chemical and spectral evidences. The spectral data of the peracetate derivative of the prodelphinidin(8a) are reported. (author) 19 refs

77 FR 55860 - Tribal Listening Sessions on Sacred Sites on Federal Lands

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-11

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Indian Affairs Tribal Listening Sessions on Sacred Sites on... conduct a listening session with Indian tribes to obtain oral and written comments concerning sacred sites located on Federal lands. This session in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the sixth in a series of listening sessions...

The WRKY Transcription Factor Genes in Lotus japonicus.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Hui; Wang, Pengfei; Nan, Zhibiao; Wang, Xingjun

2014-01-01

WRKY transcription factor genes play critical roles in plant growth and development, as well as stress responses. WRKY genes have been examined in various higher plants, but they have not been characterized in Lotus japonicus. The recent release of the L. japonicus whole genome sequence provides an opportunity for a genome wide analysis of WRKY genes in this species. In this study, we identified 61 WRKY genes in the L. japonicus genome. Based on the WRKY protein structure, L. japonicus WRKY (LjWRKY) genes can be classified into three groups (I-III). Investigations of gene copy number and gene clusters indicate that only one gene duplication event occurred on chromosome 4 and no clustered genes were detected on chromosomes 3 or 6. Researchers previously believed that group II and III WRKY domains were derived from the C-terminal WRKY domain of group I. Our results suggest that some WRKY genes in group II originated from the N-terminal domain of group I WRKY genes. Additional evidence to support this hypothesis was obtained by Medicago truncatula WRKY (MtWRKY) protein motif analysis. We found that LjWRKY and MtWRKY group III genes are under purifying selection, suggesting that WRKY genes will become increasingly structured and functionally conserved.

The Ontological Concept of Sacred and Profane in Islam (analytic study

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Abdulnaser Sultan Mohsen

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The term ‘sacred’ in the study of religions appeared at the beginning of the last century; Western scholars studied primitive religions in the world and combined it with the term of ‘profane’ in an ambivalent or a deterministic relationship. This study is questing the concepts of sacred and profane through Islamic prospective of ontology, in which it confirms that the dualism of sacred and profane is involved in the spirit existence, not in the natural or material as the Western thought alleges. It is through Muslim scholars’ study of spirit and existence, and linguistic study of sacred and profane that has clarified that the existence has sacredness as much as granted by spirit. Much is also the achievement of perfect existence, or retrieval of pure spirit and not retrieval of the origin of creation according to Christian thought. Otherwise, the existence became profane when it has been disintegrated by obstruction of spirit functions, or losing of the spirit totally. Therefore, the concept of sacred in Islam is the perfect existence by spirit; conversely, the profane is isintegration of spirit.

Are Brands Postmodern Relics? Taking a Closer Look at New Sacred Objects

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Stéphane DUFOUR

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Ever since the Church lost its monopoly on the sacred, no longer able to solely determine its form or contents, the social sphere has gradually taken over this value, applying it to new human and social objects. As a result, the modes of expression of the sacred have multiplied, along with the subjective and intimate experiences of modern individualism. Among the vast number of potential manifestations of this value, to which almost everything now seems to aspire, this paper will concentrate on commercial brands as vectors of meaning, with the hypothesis that some of them seek to position themselves, in postmodern society, as new figures of the sacred. This area of study is close to that of the sociologist Adam Arvidsson, when he describes brands as religious objects. If brands are less interested in selling products than in creating an affective experience, Arvidsson assimilates them to modern relics. However, this paper goes beyond metaphors, to examine the rhetorical strategies (discourse, rituals, representations, imagery through which brands construct meaning around sacred objects. Situated between a branch of marketing which concentrates on sacralising commercial products, and a theory popular in the English-speaking world, which has illustrated how the media work to sacralise products and brands, this paper uses a communicational approach to analyse the construction of meaning, by brands looking to make themselves (appear sacred.

Morphometric characteristics of Lotus corniculatus L. genotypes ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this study was to examine the degree of variability in morphological and agronomic characteristics of 20 Lotus corniculatus L. local genotypes, and also to set aside germplasm that will be used as a source of genetic basis for improvement of the studied properties. In poor quality soils, L. corniculatus L. plays an ...

GC-EI-MS identification data of neutral sugars of polysaccharides extracted from Zizyphus lotus fruit

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Khaoula Mkadmini Hammi

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometer (GC–MS was used to identify and to quantify neutral sugars that constitute the water soluble polysaccharides from Zizyphus lotus fruit. The trimethylsilyl (TMS method was successfully used for derivatization of the monosaccharides units of extracted polysaccharides that were released by hydrolysis method. Sugars were identified based on their retention times compared with those of standards and the NIST MS Spectral Library. All sugars were quantified in TIC (Total Ion Current mode using calibration curves. Data is related to “Optimization extraction of polysaccharide from Tunisian Zizyphus lotus fruit by response surface methodology: Composition and antioxidant activity” (Mkadmini Hammi et al., 2016 [1]. Keywords: Trimethylsilyl, Derivatization, GC–MS, Neutral sugar

Characteristics of the Lotus japonicus gene repertoire deduced from large-scale expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Asamizu, Erika; Nakamura, Yasukazu; Sato, Shusei; Tabata, Satoshi

2004-02-01

To perform a comprehensive analysis of genes expressed in a model legume, Lotus japonicus, a total of 74472 3'-end expressed sequence tags (EST) were generated from cDNA libraries produced from six different organs. Clustering of sequences was performed with an identity criterion of 95% for 50 bases, and a total of 20457 non-redundant sequences, 8503 contigs and 11954 singletons were generated. EST sequence coverage was analyzed by using the annotated L. japonicus genomic sequence and 1093 of the 1889 predicted protein-encoding genes (57.9%) were hit by the EST sequence(s). Gene content was compared to several plant species. Among the 8503 contigs, 471 were identified as sequences conserved only in leguminous species and these included several disease resistance-related genes. This suggested that in legumes, these genes may have evolved specifically to resist pathogen attack. The rate of gene sequence divergence was assessed by comparing similarity level and functional category based on the Gene Ontology (GO) annotation of Arabidopsis genes. This revealed that genes encoding ribosomal proteins, as well as those related to translation, photosynthesis, and cellular structure were more abundantly represented in the highly conserved class, and that genes encoding transcription factors and receptor protein kinases were abundantly represented in the less conserved class. To make the sequence information and the cDNA clones available to the research community, a Web database with useful services was created at http://www.kazusa.or.jp/en/plant/lotus/EST/.

The dialogue between sacred, symbol and ritual to Mircea Eliade’s thinking

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Stelian Manolache

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Consequently implementing a vision that was mostly phenomenological and hermeneutical on the object and of the religious doctrine and content, Mircea Eliade had a remarkable contribution of originality and profoundness to the study of the problems related to sacred and profane and symbol and ritual. For the Romanian researcher, at the core of the dialectic game between sacred and profane, there is the behaviour of the religious man, opposed to the natural man, searching for divinity in an instinctive/ programmatic manner, trying to overcome his earthly condition by entering the inaccessible world of the sacred. Due to the more than obvious contemporaneity importance of the preoccupations and behaviour of homo religious, in post-modernity, starting from the dialogue between science and religion, we consider that there is the necessity and opportuness in a secularised and desacralized world to dedicate a study, 110 years later from the birth of the eminent professor, to the manner the Romanian eminent researcher Mircea Eliade saw and explained the sacred, the symbol and the ritual.

Effects of sacred music on the spiritual well-being of bereaved relatives: a randomized clinical trial

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Vladimir Araujo da Silva

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of instrumental sacred music and sacred music with vocals on the spiritual well-being of bereaved relatives. METHOD This is a randomized clinical trial carried out with family members bereaving the death of loved ones to cancer. Participants were allocated into three groups: Group 1 (control, Group 2 (experimental using sacred music with vocals or Group 3 (experimental using instrumental sacred music. Spiritual well-being was assessed through the Spiritual Well-Being Scale. RESULTS Sixty-nine (69 family members participated. Mean scores before and after the intervention indicated high levels of spiritual well-being (106.4 and 105.5 in Group 1; 103.2 and 105.2 in Group 2; 107.4 and 108.7 in Group 3 and religious well-being (57.9 and 56.9 in Group 1; 56.3 and 56.4 in Group 2; 57.4 and 58.1 in Group 3, and moderate levels of existential well-being (48.5 and 48.6 in Group 1; 46.9 and 48.9 in Group 2; 49.9 and 50.7 in Group 3, with the exception of Group 3 which presented a high level of existential well-being after the intervention. CONCLUSION The results show that there were no statistically significant differences in the spiritual well-being scores between the experimental groups and the control group. We evidence the need for further studies that use music therapy as a Nursing intervention for bereaved families. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials: RBR-2wtwjz.

Effects of sacred music on the spiritual well-being of bereaved relatives: a randomized clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Vladimir Araujo da; Silva, Rita de Cássia Frederico; Cabau, Nubia Carla Ferreira; Leão, Eliseth Ribeiro; Silva, Maria Júlia Paes da

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of instrumental sacred music and sacred music with vocals on the spiritual well-being of bereaved relatives. METHOD This is a randomized clinical trial carried out with family members bereaving the death of loved ones to cancer. Participants were allocated into three groups: Group 1 (control), Group 2 (experimental using sacred music with vocals) or Group 3 (experimental using instrumental sacred music). Spiritual well-being was assessed through the Spiritual Well-Being Scale. RESULTS Sixty-nine (69) family members participated. Mean scores before and after the intervention indicated high levels of spiritual well-being (106.4 and 105.5 in Group 1; 103.2 and 105.2 in Group 2; 107.4 and 108.7 in Group 3) and religious well-being (57.9 and 56.9 in Group 1; 56.3 and 56.4 in Group 2; 57.4 and 58.1 in Group 3), and moderate levels of existential well-being (48.5 and 48.6 in Group 1; 46.9 and 48.9 in Group 2; 49.9 and 50.7 in Group 3), with the exception of Group 3 which presented a high level of existential well-being after the intervention. CONCLUSION The results show that there were no statistically significant differences in the spiritual well-being scores between the experimental groups and the control group. We evidence the need for further studies that use music therapy as a Nursing intervention for bereaved families. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials: RBR-2wtwjz.

Darwin's Sacred Cause

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjærgaard, Peter C.

2009-01-01

As we are being flooded by Darwin lollipops, t-shirts, quills and stamps it is becoming increasingly difficult to be heard or seen in the commercialised celebration in 2009. Some are in the business for the science, but a lot are in it for profit. Accordingly, the Darwin industry has left the hands...... of scholarly specialists and been appropriated by money makers. One could not help thinking about this as, in the autumn of 2008, the publisher began hyping Darwin's Sacred Cause as ‘one of the major contributions to the worldwide Darwin anniversary celebrations in 2009' Udgivelsesdato: February...

African Journal of Biotechnology - Vol 11, No 57 (2012)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Recovery of antioxidant gene expression in sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) embryonic axes enhances tolerance to extreme high temperature · EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT. Yin Li, Yishun Zhang, Shaowei Wei, Li Liu, Yunfeng Chen, 12011- ...

Transcriptome response mediated by cold stress in Lotus japonicus

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Pablo Ignacio Calzadilla

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Members of the Lotus genus are important as agricultural forage sources under marginal environmental conditions given their high nutritional value and tolerance of various abiotic stresses. However, their dry matter production is drastically reduced in cooler seasons, while their response to such conditions is not well studied. This paper analyzes cold acclimation of the genus by studying Lotus japonicus over a stress period of 24 h. High-throughput RNA sequencing was used to identify and classify 1077 differentially expressed genes, of which 713 were up-regulated and 364 were down-regulated. Up-regulated genes were principally related to lipid, cell wall, phenylpropanoid, sugar, and proline regulation, while down-regulated genes affected the photosynthetic process and chloroplast development. Together, a total of 41 cold-inducible transcription factors were identified, including members of the AP2/ERF, NAC, MYB, and WRKY families; two of them were described as putative novel transcription factors. Finally, DREB1/CBFs were described with respect to their cold stress expression profiles. This is the first transcriptome profiling of the model legume L. japonicus under cold stress. Data obtained may be useful in identifying candidate genes for breeding modified species of forage legumes that more readily acclimate to low temperatures

STRATEGI PEMASARAN PAKET INBOUND TOUR: STUDI KASUS DI PT. LOTUS ASIA TOURS JIMBARAN BALI

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Camelia Agatha Mahayu Putri

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui faktor internal yaitu kekuatan dan kelemahan dan eksternal yaitu peluang dan ancaman dari PT. Lotus Asia Tours serta untuk mengetahui strategi yang dapat dilakukan pihak PT. Lotus Asia Tours untuk memasarkan paket inbound tour. Lokasi penelitian dilakukan di PT. Lotus Asia Tours yang terletak di Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai No. 18, Jimbaran Bali.. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif kualitatif. Teknik pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan cara observasi, wawancara, studi kepustakaan, studi dokumentasi dan didukung dengan daftar pertanyaan yang disebarkan kepada 60 informan. Daftar pertanyaan yang disebarkan berpedoman pada indikator marketing mix 7 P (product, price, place, promotion, physical evidence, people, process. Hasil data yang diperoleh lalu dianalisis dengan IFAS (Internal Factor Analysis Summary dan EFAS ( External Factor Analysis Summary, selanjutnya untuk mengetahui posisi perusahaan digunakan matriks internal eksternal dan untuk mengetahui alternatif strategi digunakan matriks SWOT, sehingga dapat menciptakan strategi pemasaran baru serta mengembangkan program-program yang telah ada agar dapat diterapkan oleh PT. Lotus Asia Tours Jimbaran Bali. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian diperoleh total nilai rata-rata lingkungan internal yaitu sebesar 3,01 dan lingkungan eksternal yaitu sebesar 2,96, dapat diketahui bahwa posisi perusahaan berada di sel IV yang berarti stability strategy dimana strategi yang tetapkan tidak merubah arah strategi yang telah ada.

Isolation and characterization of Lotus japonicus genes involved in iron and zinc homeostasis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cvitanich, Cristina; Jensen, Winnie; Sandal, Niels Nørgaard

. Legumes are frequently grown in soil with limited nutrient availability. Plants use finely tuned mechanisms to keep appropriated levels of iron and zinc in each of their organs. Several genes involved in iron and zinc homeostasis have been described in yeast, and a few orthologs have been studied...... in plants. We have used these sequences to search for L. japonicus ESTs and genomic loci that are likely to be involved in iron and zinc metabolism. We have identified sequences corresponding to ferritins, ferric reductases, metal transport proteins of the ZIP family, and cation transporters of the NRAMP......The goal of this project is to find ways to improve the nutritional value of legumes by identifying genes and proteins important for iron and zinc regulation in the model legume Lotus japonicus. Legumes are important staples in the developing world and are a major source of nutrients in many areas...

LOTUS: Adaptive text search for big linked data

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ilievski, F.; Beek, Wouter; van Erp, Marieke; Rietveld, Laurens; Schlobach, Stefan

2016-01-01

Finding relevant resources on the Semantic Web today is a dirty job: no centralized query service exists and the support for natural language access is limited. We present LOTUS: Linked Open Text Un- leaShed, a text-based entry point to a massive subset of today’s Linked Open Data Cloud. Recognizing

Contribution to Research of Mathematical Properties of Pre-Christian Slavic Sacred Landscape Structures

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Andjelko Djermek

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Considerable amount of interpreted data indicates that the ancient Slavs positioned their sacred sites in a way which refers to characteristic Sun angles. The article addresses the question whether distances among such sites are based on a common unit of length. In particular, this article tackles that question applying the mathematical formalism on the following two assumptions: (i the absolute value of a distance between sacred sites was significant to the pre-Christian Slavic priests, along with the angles between lines connecting pairs of sites; (ii the distances were prevalently measured utilising the projections of isosceles right triangle on the horizontal plane, with the exceptions of flat grounds for which the distances were measured by walk. That assumption follows from the frequent occurrence of ratio 1:√2 in the analysed sacred sites. Based on the two stated assumptions the attempts are done to find the best possible length modules by using the probability distribution method of arithmetic sequences. The main property of length modules which are the least probable to appear by mere chance is that they account for as many as possible of distances from the analysed set of distances. The stated method is applied on numerous sacred systems described in literature. The result is that several common modules are extracted. The modules are subsequently correlated with the modules extracted in my recent article using the novel method which extracts the optimal common sub-module. Value of the length module thereby obtained is 30,9 m. It has 60 sub-units 0,515 m long (a cubit and 100 sub-units 0,309 m long (a foot. Multiples of 100 or 365 sub-units, respectively, are regularly encountered in the analysed set of sacred sites in the form of sub-harmonics of the observed distances. One may argue that results of the analysis of the distances contributed to the fact that the ancient Slavs were giving a lot of attention to a solar calendar and

Species-specific effects of live roots and shoot litter on soil decomposer abundances do not forecast plant litter-nitrogen uptake

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Saj, Stéphane; Mikola, Juha; Ekelund, Flemming

2009-01-01

and bacterial- and fungal-feeding nematodes did not differ between the live plants, litter-N uptake differed, with Holcus being the most efficient compared to Plantago and Lotus. Hence, although microbes and their feeders unquestionably control N mineralization in the soil, and their growth differs among plant......Plant species produce litter of varying quality and differ in the quality and quantity of compounds they release from live roots, which both can induce different decomposer growth in the soil. To test whether differences in decomposer growth can forecast the amount of N species acquire from plant...... litter, as suggested by theory, we grew individuals of three grassland plants-Holcus lanatus, Plantago lanceolata and Lotus corniculatus-in soils into which (15)N-labelled litter of either Holcus, Plantago or Lotus was added. We measured the effects of live roots and litter of each species on soil...

Pollination success of Lotus corniculatus (L.) in an urban context

Science.gov (United States)

Pellissier, Vincent; Muratet, Audrey; Verfaillie, Fabien; Machon, Nathalie

2012-02-01

Most anthropogenic activities are known to have deleterious effects on pollinator communities. However, little is known about the influence of urbanization on pollination ecosystem services. Here, we assessed the pollination service on Lotus corniculatus (L.), a self-sterile, strictly entogamous Fabaceae commonly observed in urban and suburban areas. We assessed the pollination success of artificial Lotus corniculatus populations at three levels: at large scale, along an urbanization gradient; at intermediate scale, based on landscape fragmentation within a 250 m radius and at local scale based on floral resource abundance and local habitat type. The main findings were that the pollination success, when assessed with the number of fruit produced per inflorescence, was lower in urban areas than in suburban ones, and was negatively affected by the number of impervious spaces in the neighborhood. The relationship between the number of fruits and the distance to the nearest impervious space was either positive or negative, depending on the gray/green ratio (low vs. high). Finally, on a local scale, floral resource abundance had a negative effect on pollination success when L. corniculatus populations were located in paved courtyards, and a positive one when they were located in parks. Pollination success seems to be explained by two intertwined gradients: landscape fragmentation estimated by the number of impervious spaces in a 250 m radius around L. corniculatus populations, and the behavior of bumblebees toward birdsfoot trefoil and floral displays, which appears to differ depending on whether a neighborhood is densely or sparsely urbanized. An abundance of attracting floral resources seems to enhance pollination success for L. corniculatus if it is not too isolated from other green spaces. These results have important implications for the sustainability of pollination success in towns by identifying local and landscape factors that influence reproductive success of

R N Mandal

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education. R N Mandal. Articles written in Resonance – Journal of Science Education. Volume 18 Issue 8 August 2013 pp 732-737 General Article. The Sacred Lotus - An Incredible Wealth of Wetlands · R N Mandal R Bar · More Details Fulltext PDF ...

Preliminary study on irradiation breeding of ornamental lotus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Xiulan; Bao Jianzhong; Liu Chungui; Cao Hong; Zhai Jianqing

2004-01-01

The effects of γ-ray irradiation on seeds and stems of ornamental lotus were studied. The results show that the mutation rate of seeds is higher than that of stems, and 30-60 Gy is the appropriate irradiation dose. The varieties with red or multi-color flower are more mutable than those with white flower. Two varieties were selected

Rituals and Sacred Space of Pandharpur, India

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sand, Erik

2011-01-01

yearly pilgrimage in the bright half of Ashadha (June-July), at which processions from all over Maharashtra join in Pandharpur is one of the most spectacular religious events in the region. Until comparatively recent the knowledge of the history and concept of Pandharpur as a sacred town has been......The small town Pandharpur, situated about two hundred kilometres south east of Pune, is one of the most popular sacred places in the state of Maharashtra, India. It is dedicated to the god Vithoba who is considered to be an incarnation of Vishnu in the form of Krishna. Pandharpur and Vithoba plays...... a very important role in the religious life of the so-called Varakari Sampradaya which goes back to at least the time of Jnadeva or Jnaneshvara in the second half of the 13th century. In fact the religious life of the town is to a great extent dominated by the presence of this Sampradaya, and the great...

Caractéristiques végétales, typologie et fonctions des bois sacrés au ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Les bois sacrés assurent aux populations, plusieurs fonctions: écologique, cultuelle, socio-culturelle, magique et mixte. Parmi les bois sacrés, seuls ceux qui suscitent la crainte à l'endroit de la population sont intégralement protégés. Mots clés: Bois sacré, enquête ethnobotanique, caractéristiques végétales, fonctions, ...

Cytotoxic, Antitumor and Immunomodulatory Effects of the Water-Soluble Polysaccharides from Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. Seeds

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Yafeng Zheng

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Lotus is an edible and medicinal plant, and the extracts from its different parts exhibit various bioactivities. In the present study, the hot water–soluble polysaccharides from lotus seeds (LSPS were evaluated for their cancer cell cytotoxicity, immunomodulatory and antitumor activities. LSPS showed significant inhibitory effects on the mouse gastric cancer MFC cells, human liver cancer HuH-7 cells and mouse hepatocarcinoma H22 cells. The animal studies showed that LSPS inhibited tumor growth in H22 tumor-bearing mice with the highest inhibition rate of 45.36%, which is comparable to that induced by cyclophosphamide (30 mg/kg treatment (50.79%. The concentrations of white blood cells were significantly reduced in cyclophosphamide-treated groups (p < 0.01, while LSPS showed much fewer side effects according to the hematology analysis. LSPS improved the immune response in H22 tumor-bearing mice by enhancing the spleen and thymus indexes, and increasing the levels of serum cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-2. Moreover, LSPS also showed in vivo antioxidant activity by increasing superoxide dismutase activity, thus reducing the malondialdehyde level in the liver tissue. These results suggested that LSPS can be used as an antitumor and immunomodulatory agent.

The nature and workings of sacred intellect from the perspective of Avicenna

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Einollah Khademi

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Sacred intellect in Avicenna, a degree of rationality in which the highest form of communication is done with the intellectual world. Reasonable time to the times of human rationality is achieved without difficulty, pain and time, only be achieved by applying guess. The owners of Avicenna's top intellects in human beings are sacred and highest prophet for them. These people are the first intelligible human teachers perceive first and put it to other people. . Bu-Ali about how to communicate the power of the active intellect and innate or acquired its own works differently to comment the funds are somehow retractable. To prove his philosophical question of the nature and functions of the sacred intellect as much existence of intellect, perception as well as all forms of The Holy Quran verses seeks help.

'They Never Dance': The Choreography of Le Sacre du Printemps, 1913

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Hanna Järvinen

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In this text, I discuss Vaslav Nijinsky's choreography of Le Sacre du Printemps (henceforth Sacre as it appears in the light of primary source materials from 1913. By focusing on the unique challenges Nijinsky posed to his dancers in terms of movement style and composition, I contest many of the frequently-heard claims made about this work, particularly its danced component, and argue that Nijinsky's choreographic ideas challenged both dancers and critics by questioning the ontological qualities of (art dance in contemporary discourse.

Analysis of the lbm experiments at lotus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stepenek, J.; Higgs, C.E.; Pelloni, S.; Davidson, J.W.; Dudziak, D.J.

1986-01-01

The irradiation of the LBM at the LOTUS facility is analysed using a three-dimensional model with the Monte Carlo code MCNP and a two-dimensional r-z model with the deterministic transport code TRISM. A sensitivity and uncertainty analysis based on the 2-D model was performed using the sensitivity code SENSIT-2D. The JEF-1/EFF and ENDF/B-V libraries were used for transport calculations. The COVFILS-2 covariance and uncertainty library based on ENDF/B-V was used for sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. A good agreement between JEF-l/EFF and ENDF/B-V libraries was achieved. The uncertainty in the calculated tritium breeding ratio by the indirect term of the overall cross-section uncertainties varies in the dependence on the position in the LBM from 1.4% (front) to 35.8% (back)

Urease inhibition potential of Di-naphthodiospyrol from Diospyros lotus roots.

Science.gov (United States)

Rauf, Abdur; Uddin, Ghias; Raza, Muslam; Patel, Seema; Bawazeer, Saud; Ben Hadda, Taibi; Jehan, Noor; Mabkhot, Yahia Nasser; Khan, Ajmal; Mubarak, Mohammad S

2017-05-01

The dimeric napthoquione 5,8,4'-trihydroxy-1'-methoxy-6, 6'-dimethyl-7,3'-binaphtyl-1,4,5',8'-tetraone (1) was isolated from the chloroform fraction of Diospyros lotus extract. Compound 1 was screened for its inhibitory effects against four enzymes: urease, phosphodiesterase-I, carbonic anhydrase-II and α-chymotrypsin, and showed selective activity against urease enzyme with an IC 50 value of 254.1 ± 3.82 μM as compared to the standard thiourea (IC 50  = 21 ± 0.11 μM). Furthermore, in silico docking study was carried out to explain the molecular mechanism of compound 1 against the target receptor.

Integrated Emergy and Economic Evaluation of Lotus-Root Production Systems on Reclaimed Wetlands Surrounding the Pearl River Estuary, China

Science.gov (United States)

Lotus (Neumbo nucifera, Gaertn) is the most important aquatic vegetable in China, with a cultivation history of over 3000 years. The emergy, energy, material, and money flows of three lotus root cultivation modes in Wanqingsha, Nansha District, Guangzhou, China were examined usin...

The Sacred or the Profane: The Challenge of Modern Dance in Religious Educational Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Clement, Karen

2008-01-01

The article addresses the utilization of modern dance compositional approaches in the development of sacred dance works. A brief history of sacred dance in the Western Church is traced as a foundation for students' stereotypical approaches to dance and religion. Also examined is the 20th Century modern dance choreographers' practice of…

Conventional and Indigenous Biodiversity Conservation Approach: A Comparative Study of Jachie Sacred Grove and Nkrabea Forest Reserve

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Samuel Boadi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Conventional managed forests and sacred groves are seldom assessed to determine their effectiveness in biodiversity conservation strategies. This study investigated tree and insect diversity in Jachie sacred grove (JSG and Nkrabea forest reserve (NFR in Ashanti region, Ghana. The study area constituted eight plots of 50 × 50 m along two 300 m long transects. Insects were sampled in eight pitfall traps, diagonally between the transects. Out of 150 individuals, 13 species in NFR and 15 species from JSG were registered. Celtis mildbraedii was the most dominant species in NFR = 43.18% and JSG = 23.58%. Mean DBH showed a significant relationship with basal area in NFR and JSG. Tree diversity and richness were higher in JSG (H′ = 1.43–2.3 ± 0.10; D = 1.8–3.69 ± 0.30 compared to NFR (H′ = 0.86–1.56 ± 0.09; D = 1.1–2.3 ± 0.57. However, insect diversity was higher in NFR (H′ = 1.34 ± 0.10 than in JSG (H′ = 0.5 ± 0.005. Camponotus furvus and Pachycondyla tarsata were most abundant in JSG and NFR, respectively. These findings will help conservationists work closely with traditional authorities in protecting sacred groves as key biodiversity hotspots.

Molecular responses of Lotus japonicus to parasitism by the compatible species Orobanche aegyptiaca and the incompatible species Striga hermonthica.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiraoka, Yukihiro; Ueda, Hiroaki; Sugimoto, Yukihiro

2009-01-01

Lotus japonicus genes responsive to parasitism by the compatible species Orobanche aegyptiaca and the incompatible species Striga hermonthica were isolated by using the suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) strategy. O. aegyptiaca and S. hermonthica parasitism specifically induced the expression of genes involved in jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis and phytoalexin biosynthesis, respectively. Nodulation-related genes were almost exclusively found among the Orobanche-induced genes. Temporal gene expression analyses revealed that 19 out of the 48 Orobanche-induced genes and 5 out of the 48 Striga-induced genes were up-regulated at 1 dai. Four genes, including putative trypsin protease inhibitor genes, exhibited systemic up-regulation in the host plant parasitized by O. aegyptiaca. On the other hand, S. hermonthica attachment did not induce systemic gene expression.

Analysis of LBM experiments at LOTUS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stepanek, J.; Davidson, J.W.; Dudziak, D.J.; Haldy, P.A.; Pelloni, S.

1986-01-01

A Lithium Blanket Module (LBM) has been designed at General Atomic Company [under subcontract to Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) contractor] for testing on the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR). The LBM has both realistic fusion blanket materials and configuration and has been designed for detailed experimental analyses of tritium breeding and neutron flux spatial/spectral distributions. It is ∼ 80 cm 3 and the breeding material is Li 2 O. This configuration will be evaluated experimentally at the LOTUS facility and computationally by the LANL/EIR analysis program

Sacred Cows That Should Be Put to Pasture.

Science.gov (United States)

Artley, A. Sterl

This paper examines some of the problems associated with unquestioned teaching practices and theories ("sacred cows") in the field of reading. Topics discussed include phonics, pronunciation, oral reading, teacher accountability and behavioral objectives, individualized reading, and the open classroom. (KS)

The man, the machine and the sacred: when the virtual reality reenchants the world

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olivier NANNIPIERI

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The rationality associated with the technical progress were able to let believe that the world became disillusioned. Now, far from disillusioning the world, certain technical devices reveal the sacred dimension inherent to any human activity. Indeed, paradoxically, we shall show that the human-machine interaction producing virtual environments is an experience of the sacred.

Proteome reference maps of the Lotus japonicus nodule and root

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dam, Svend Secher; Dyrlund, Thomas F.; Ussatjuk, Anna

2014-01-01

formation mutant (snf1) was determined. From nodules and roots, 780 and 790 protein spots from 2D gels were identified and approximately 45% of the corresponding unique gene accessions were common. Including a previous proteomics set from Lotus pod and seed, the common gene accessions were decreased to 7...... stress level at this developmental stage. In contrast, protein spots corresponding to nodulins such as leghemoglobin, asparagine synthetase, sucrose synthase, and glutamine synthetase were prevalent in red nodules. The distinct biochemical state of nodules was further highlighted by the conspicuous...

Osmotic stress represses strigolactone biosynthesis in Lotus japonicus roots: exploring the interaction between strigolactones and ABA under abiotic stress

KAUST Repository

Liu, Junwei; He, Hanzi; Vitali, Marco; Visentin, Ivan; Charnikhova, Tatsiana V.; Haider, Imran; Schubert, Andrea; Ruyter-Spira, Carolien P.; Bouwmeester, Harro J J; Lovisolo, Claudio; Cardinale, Francesca

2015-01-01

Main conclusion: Strigolactone changes and cross talk with ABA unveil a picture of root-specific hormonal dynamics under stress.Abstract: Strigolactones (SLs) are carotenoid-derived hormones influencing diverse aspects of development and communication with (micro)organisms, and proposed as mediators of environmental stimuli in resource allocation processes; to contribute to adaptive adjustments, therefore, their pathway must be responsive to environmental cues. To investigate the relationship between SLs and abiotic stress in Lotus japonicus, we compared wild-type and SL-depleted plants, and studied SL metabolism in roots stressed osmotically and/or phosphate starved. SL-depleted plants showed increased stomatal conductance, both under normal and stress conditions, and impaired resistance to drought associated with slower stomatal closure in response to abscisic acid (ABA). This confirms that SLs contribute to drought resistance in species other than Arabidopsis. However, we also observed that osmotic stress rapidly and strongly decreased SL concentration in tissues and exudates of wild-type Lotus roots, by acting on the transcription of biosynthetic and transporter-encoding genes and independently of phosphate abundance. Pre-treatment with exogenous SLs inhibited the osmotic stress-induced ABA increase in wild-type roots and down-regulated the transcription of the ABA biosynthetic gene LjNCED2. We propose that a transcriptionally regulated, early SL decrease under osmotic stress is needed (but not sufficient) to allow the physiological increase of ABA in roots. This work shows that SL metabolism and effects on ABA are seemingly opposite in roots and shoots under stress.

Osmotic stress represses strigolactone biosynthesis in Lotus japonicus roots: exploring the interaction between strigolactones and ABA under abiotic stress

KAUST Repository

Liu, Junwei

2015-02-26

Main conclusion: Strigolactone changes and cross talk with ABA unveil a picture of root-specific hormonal dynamics under stress.Abstract: Strigolactones (SLs) are carotenoid-derived hormones influencing diverse aspects of development and communication with (micro)organisms, and proposed as mediators of environmental stimuli in resource allocation processes; to contribute to adaptive adjustments, therefore, their pathway must be responsive to environmental cues. To investigate the relationship between SLs and abiotic stress in Lotus japonicus, we compared wild-type and SL-depleted plants, and studied SL metabolism in roots stressed osmotically and/or phosphate starved. SL-depleted plants showed increased stomatal conductance, both under normal and stress conditions, and impaired resistance to drought associated with slower stomatal closure in response to abscisic acid (ABA). This confirms that SLs contribute to drought resistance in species other than Arabidopsis. However, we also observed that osmotic stress rapidly and strongly decreased SL concentration in tissues and exudates of wild-type Lotus roots, by acting on the transcription of biosynthetic and transporter-encoding genes and independently of phosphate abundance. Pre-treatment with exogenous SLs inhibited the osmotic stress-induced ABA increase in wild-type roots and down-regulated the transcription of the ABA biosynthetic gene LjNCED2. We propose that a transcriptionally regulated, early SL decrease under osmotic stress is needed (but not sufficient) to allow the physiological increase of ABA in roots. This work shows that SL metabolism and effects on ABA are seemingly opposite in roots and shoots under stress.

Geographical Assessment of Sacred Groves in Bolpur Sub-division ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr Osondu

area). Methodology. A total 41 different Sacred Groves in Bolpur sub- division area were randomly ... as breeding sites for some animals and recreational facilities. Groves of Bolpur ..... Cockroach(Periplaneta anericane),Black bee. Reptiles.

Detecting Adulteration in Lotus Honey Using a Machine Olfactory System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Hajinezhad

2017-10-01

classification of samples. It is based on the variance of the data-set. For PCA analysis, overall PC1 and PC2 explained 91% of the total variance among Lotus honey samples and the adulterations (PC1=80% and PC2=11%. The results indicate that it is clearly possible to recognize Lotus honey with adulterant using electronic nose systems. LDA Results The LDA method for the detection of adulterated honey samples using leave-one-out validation was estimated. The method is most widely used as a method of classification that maximizes variance between the clusters and minimizes variance of within classes. By applying LDA on the collected data, 100% accurate classification for detecting of honey and their adulterations was obtained. It can also be concluded that this method could recognize adulterated honey samples properly. ANN Results The back propagation multilayer perceptron algorithm was used to classify and to detect honey and adulterated types. Performance evaluations of each designed networks were compared by mean square error (MSE and correlation coefficient (r.The data were divided to three subsets: 60% was used for training, 20% for testing and the remaining 20% were kept for cross validation.After network training and validation using optimized ANN model, i.e. 6-8-4 structure, success rate for 4 outputs (0, 20, 35 and 50% adulterated levelswere found to be 100%.After detecting adulteration, e-nose system accompanied with ANN can accurately classify honey from honey mixtures with fraud materials. Conclusions An electronic nose based on six metal oxide semiconductor sensors was used to detect adulterated honey samples. Electronic nose system can successfully classify between original honey and the adulterated one by pattern recognition method. The PCA, LDA and ANN techniques and analyzes of the electronic nose were very useful for evaluating the quality of the lotus honey. The results of these methods were used to classify the fraud in Lotus honey. However, there is a need to

Development of lotus root fermented sugar syrup as a functional food supplement/condiment and evaluation of its physicochemical, nutritional and microbiological properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Shukla, Shruti; Park, Juyeon; Park, Jung Hyun; Lee, Jong Suk; Kim, Myunghee

2018-02-01

Lotus ( Nelumbo nucifera ) root has been used as an edible vegetable in East Asia for thousands of years. The present research was aimed to explore the physicochemical, nutritional and microbiological safety of lotus root fermented sugar syrup as a fermented food supplement or condiment for human health benefits. In this study, the physicochemical, nutritional and microbiological safety properties of lotus root syrup fermented with 57° Brix brown sugar at different time periods until 6 months (180 days) was investigated. There was a significant improvement as compared to 57° Brix brown sugar broth (as a control) in the total acceptability and physicochemical properties of lotus root sugar syrup samples such as pH and color improvement. The red color values of 180 days lotus root fermented sugar syrup samples were significantly enhanced (6.85 ± 0.58) when compared with the control (0.20 ± 0.15). In addition, the total protein content was increased from 8.27 ± 0.86 to 392.33 ± 7.19 μg/mL, along with the increase in fermentation time reaching to the level of consumption acceptability. All the lotus root fermented sugar syrup samples were subjected to microbiological analysis. It was found that the coliform, Bacillus cereus , Escherichia coli , Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus counts were not detected in majority of the samples, confirming the high degree of hygiene processing of lotus root fermented sugar syrup samples for its use as a food supplement or condiment.

Reflections Around the Conservation of Sacred Thangkas

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Sabine Cotte

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Tibetan thangkas (Buddhist scroll paintings are created as religious ritual objects. The fact that they are mainly considered as artworks in the Western world impacts on the decisions made for their display and conservation. This article explores the current approach to thangkas in Australian public collections and compares it with the views of contemporary Tibetan Buddhism practitioners. It underlines a few misconceptions at the source of conservation decision-making, and discusses practical outcomes of integrating the sacred dimension into professional practice against the backdrop of conservation’s Codes of Ethics. Conserving living religious heritage requires that professional ethical standards are adaptable to the needs of users. Existing frameworks for the conservation of sacred objects of pre-colonised, indigenous cultures provide useful models for the conservation of thangkas. This article argues that engaging with contemporary cultural groups to conserve religious significance is part of the mission of conservators. This is viewed as an expansion of conservation practice into the social realm, in a search for purposeful conservation that establishes the social relevance of our profession.

Effects of endomycorrhizal infection, artificial herbivory, and parental cross on growth of Lotus corniculatus L.

Science.gov (United States)

Borowicz, V A; Fitter, A H

1990-03-01

We examined how combinations of parentage, fungicide application, and artificial herbivory influence growth and shoot phosphorus content in pre-reproductive Lotus corniculatus, using young offspring arising from three parental crosses, two of which had one parent in common. Soil with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi was treated with either water or benomyl, an anti-VAM fungicide, and added to trays containing groups of four full siblings. There were two experiments; in the first no plants were clipped while in the second two of the four plants were clipped to simulate herbivory. In both experiments plants of the two related crosses accumulated more biomass and total shoot P than did plants of the third cross. Plants inoculated with watertreated soil had greater shoot mass and P concentration than did fungicide-treated replicates but the extent of increase in P concentration varied among crosses. In Experiment 2, clipping reduced root mass and resulted in higher shoot P concentration. In this experiment there was a significant interaction of fungicide application and clipping: both unclipped and clipped plants grew better in soil not treated with fungicide, but the increase in shoot mass, total mass, and total P was greater in unclipped plants. Significant interaction of fungicide treatment and clipping is most likely due to reduced availability of carbon to the roots of clipped plants, resulting in poorer symbiotic functioning.

Radiation Resistant Hybrid Lotus Effect Photoelectrocatalytic Self-Cleaning Anti-Contamination Coatings, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This project will develop radiation resistant hybrid Lotus Effect photoelectrocatalytic self-cleaning anti-contamination coatings for application to Lunar...

Stravinsky, Igor: Le Sacre du Printemps / Pierre-E. Barbier

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Barbier, Pierre-E.

1996-01-01

Uuest heliplaadist "Stravinsky, Igor: Le Sacre du Printemps. Requiem Canticles. Canticum sacrum. Variations sur un choral de Bach. Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Neeme Järvi" Chandos CHAN 9 408, distribution Media 7 (SD:160F)

Trampling the Sacred: Multicultural Education as Pedagogical Racism

Science.gov (United States)

Lovern, Lavonna Lea

2012-01-01

The following paper is a critical examination involving the misuse of sacred cultural tools and practices in the name of multicultural education. Native American practices are identified to illustrate how such inappropriate usages promote pedagogical racism. The misuse continues the hegemonic distribution of social capital. Through the…

Efficacy and safety of the Lotus Valve System for treatment of patients with severe aortic valve stenosis and intermediate surgical risk

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

De Backer, Ole; Götberg, Matthias; Ihlberg, Leo

2016-01-01

increasingly used to treat patients with an intermediate risk profile. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study was designed as an independent Nordic multicenter registry of intermediate risk patients treated with the Lotus Valve System (Boston Scientific, MA, USA; N=154). Valve Academic Research Consortium (VARC......)-defined device success was obtained in 97.4%. A Lotus Valve was successfully implanted in all patients. There was no valve migration, embolization, ectopic valve deployment, or TAV-in-TAV deployment. The VARC-defined combined safety rate at 30days was 92.2%, with a mortality rate of 1.9% and stroke rate of 3...

Sacred space, analytic space, the self, and god.

Science.gov (United States)

Rizzuto, Ana-María

2009-01-01

Parental figures influence the type of religious experiences a person may have. Clinical material from the analysis of a young woman documents the importance of having an actual sacred space in which one can be oneself in religious life and a psychoanalytic space during treatment to progressively experience oneself.

The ecological implications of ancestral religion and reciprocal exchange in a sacred forest in Karendi

Science.gov (United States)

Cynthia T. Fowler

2003-01-01

This article tells the story of the sacred place named Mata Loko ("River's Source") in Karendi on the western end of the islands of sumba. This ethnographic case of an eastern Indonesian society where the traditional religion of Marapu persists sheds light on questions of how local belief systems are part of environmental adaptions. the use of sacred...

THE BIOLOGICAL VALUES AND CONSERVATION STATUS OF SACRED GROVES IN THE BALASORE WILDLIFE DIVISION, ODISHA: A CASE STUDY

OpenAIRE

Raj Kishore MOHANTA; Bhupendra Singh ADHIKARI; Hemanta Kumar SAHU; Kedar Kumar SWAIN

2012-01-01

On a global scale, the existing Sacred Groves (SGs) are based on ancestral worship and focus on the conservation of forest patches. Sacred groves are distributed over a wide ecosystem and help in the conservation of rare and endemic species. Well preserved sites are store houses of biological, ecological, medicinal, ethno-cultural and religious values. We documented the state of 13 Sacred Groves in Balasore, Odisha during March 2011. For a detailed investigation, sample areas were set, for th...

Internal and External Factors Shaping Educational Beliefs of High School Teachers of "Sacred" Subjects to Girls

Science.gov (United States)

Iluz, Shira; Rich, Yisrael

2009-01-01

This research investigated pedagogical beliefs of teachers of "sacred" school subjects, curricular topics that the school community deems culturally valued, unassailable and inviolate. Two hundred and fifty-five teachers of girls only who taught sacred or secular subjects in Jewish modern religious high schools responded to questionnaires focusing…

Eboo Patel (2012). Sacred Ground: Pluralism, Prejudice and the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

more genuine and lasting interfaith cooperation. While Sacred Ground focuses on the. United States, Patel's analysis of interreligious conflict and his prescriptions for promoting interfaith cooperation have broad relevance for international application in today's increasingly globally connected and religiously diverse world.

Conduction Abnormalities and Permanent Pacemaker Implantation After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Using the Repositionable LOTUS Device: The United Kingdom Experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Rampat, Rajiv; Khawaja, M Zeeshan; Hilling-Smith, Roland; Byrne, Jonathan; MacCarthy, Philip; Blackman, Daniel J; Krishnamurthy, Arvindra; Gunarathne, Ashan; Kovac, Jan; Banning, Adrian; Kharbanda, Raj; Firoozi, Sami; Brecker, Stephen; Redwood, Simon; Bapat, Vinayak; Mullen, Michael; Aggarwal, Suneil; Manoharan, Ganesh; Spence, Mark S; Khogali, Saib; Dooley, Maureen; Cockburn, James; de Belder, Adam; Trivedi, Uday; Hildick-Smith, David

2017-06-26

The authors report the incidence of pacemaker implantation up to hospital discharge and the factors influencing pacing rate following implantation of the LOTUS bioprosthesis (Boston Scientific, Natick, Massachusetts) in the United Kingdom. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is associated with a significant need for permanent pacemaker implantation. Pacing rates vary according to the device used. The REPRISE II (Repositionable Percutaneous Replacement of Stenotic Aortic Valve Through Implantation of Lotus Valve System) trial reported a pacing rate of 29% at 30 days after implantation of the LOTUS device. Data were collected retrospectively on 228 patients who had the LOTUS device implanted between March 2013 and February 2015 across 10 centers in the United Kingdom. Twenty-seven patients (12%) had pacemakers implanted pre-procedure and were excluded from the analysis. Patients were aged 81.2 ± 7.7 years; 50.7% were male. The mean pre-procedural QRS duration was 101.7 ± 20.4 ms. More than one-half of the cohort (n = 111, 55%) developed new left bundle branch block (LBBB) following the procedure. Permanent pacemakers were implanted in 64 patients (32%) with a median time to insertion of 3.0 ± 3.4 days. Chief indications for pacing were atrioventricular (AV) block (n = 46, 72%), or LBBB with 1st degree AV block (n = 11, 17%). Amongst those who received a pacemaker following TAVR the pre-procedural electrocardiogram findings included: No conduction disturbance (n = 41, 64%); 1st degree AV block (n = 10, 16%); right bundle branch block (n = 6, 9%) and LBBB (n = 5, 8%). LBBB (but not permanent pacemaker) occurred more frequently in patients who had balloon aortic valvuloplasty before TAVR (odds ratio [OR]: 1.25; p = 0.03). Pre-procedural conduction abnormality (composite of 1st degree AV block, hemiblock, right bundle branch block, LBBB) was independently associated with the need for permanent pacemaker (OR: 2.54; p = 0.048). The absence of

Species-specific effects of live roots and shoot litter on soil decomposer abundances do not forecast plant litter-nitrogen uptake.

Science.gov (United States)

Saj, Stéphane; Mikola, Juha; Ekelund, Flemming

2009-08-01

Plant species produce litter of varying quality and differ in the quality and quantity of compounds they release from live roots, which both can induce different decomposer growth in the soil. To test whether differences in decomposer growth can forecast the amount of N species acquire from plant litter, as suggested by theory, we grew individuals of three grassland plants-Holcus lanatus, Plantago lanceolata and Lotus corniculatus-in soils into which (15)N-labelled litter of either Holcus, Plantago or Lotus was added. We measured the effects of live roots and litter of each species on soil microbes and their protozoan and nematode feeders, and to link decomposer growth and plant nutrient uptake, we measured the amount of N taken up by plants from the added litter. We hypothesised that those species that induce the highest growth of microbes, and especially that of microbial feeders, will also take up the highest amount of N from the litter. We found, however, that although numbers of bacterial-feeding Protozoa and nematodes were on average lower after addition of Holcus than Plantago or Lotus litter, N uptake was higher from Holcus litter. Further, although the effects on Protozoa and bacterial- and fungal-feeding nematodes did not differ between the live plants, litter-N uptake differed, with Holcus being the most efficient compared to Plantago and Lotus. Hence, although microbes and their feeders unquestionably control N mineralization in the soil, and their growth differs among plant species, these differences cannot predict differences in litter-N uptake among plant species. A likely reason is that for nutrient uptake, other species-specific plant traits, such as litter chemistry, root proliferation ability and competitiveness for soil N, override in significance the species-specific ability of plants to induce decomposer growth.

Nitrogen-Fixing Nodules Are an Important Source of Reduced Sulfur, Which Triggers Global Changes in Sulfur Metabolism in Lotus japonicus.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalloniati, Chrysanthi; Krompas, Panagiotis; Karalias, Georgios; Udvardi, Michael K; Rennenberg, Heinz; Herschbach, Cornelia; Flemetakis, Emmanouil

2015-09-01

We combined transcriptomic and biochemical approaches to study rhizobial and plant sulfur (S) metabolism in nitrogen (N) fixing nodules (Fix(+)) of Lotus japonicus, as well as the link of S-metabolism to symbiotic nitrogen fixation and the effect of nodules on whole-plant S-partitioning and metabolism. Our data reveal that N-fixing nodules are thiol-rich organs. Their high adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate reductase activity and strong (35)S-flux into cysteine and its metabolites, in combination with the transcriptional upregulation of several rhizobial and plant genes involved in S-assimilation, highlight the function of nodules as an important site of S-assimilation. The higher thiol content observed in nonsymbiotic organs of N-fixing plants in comparison to uninoculated plants could not be attributed to local biosynthesis, indicating that nodules are an important source of reduced S for the plant, which triggers whole-plant reprogramming of S-metabolism. Enhanced thiol biosynthesis in nodules and their impact on the whole-plant S-economy are dampened in plants nodulated by Fix(-) mutant rhizobia, which in most respects metabolically resemble uninoculated plants, indicating a strong interdependency between N-fixation and S-assimilation. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.

Tunable hydrodynamic characteristics in microchannels with biomimetic superhydrophobic (lotus leaf replica) walls.

Science.gov (United States)

Dey, Ranabir; Raj M, Kiran; Bhandaru, Nandini; Mukherjee, Rabibrata; Chakraborty, Suman

2014-05-21

The present work comprehensively addresses the hydrodynamic characteristics through microchannels with lotus leaf replica (exhibiting low adhesion and superhydrophobic properties) walls. The lotus leaf replica is fabricated following an efficient, two-step, soft-molding process and is then integrated with rectangular microchannels. The inherent biomimetic, superhydrophobic surface-liquid interfacial hydrodynamics, and the consequential bulk flow characteristics, are critically analyzed by the micro-particle image velocimetry technique. It is observed that the lotus leaf replica mediated microscale hydrodynamics comprise of two distinct flow regimes even within the low Reynolds number paradigm, unlike the commonly perceived solely apparent slip-stick dominated flows over superhydrophobic surfaces. While the first flow regime is characterized by an apparent slip-stick flow culminating in an enhanced bulk throughput rate, the second flow regime exhibits a complete breakdown of the aforementioned laminar and uni-axial flow model, leading to a predominantly no-slip flow. Interestingly, the critical flow condition dictating the transition between the two hydrodynamic regimes is intrinsically dependent on the micro-confinement effect. In this regard, an energetically consistent theoretical model is also proposed to predict the alterations in the critical flow condition with varying microchannel configurations, by addressing the underlying biomimetic surface-liquid interfacial conditions. Hence, the present research endeavour provides a new design-guiding paradigm for developing multi-functional microfluidic devices involving biomimetic, superhydrophobic surfaces, by judicious exploitation of the tunable hydrodynamic characteristics in the two regimes.

Insect Counter-Adaptations to Plant Cyanogenic Glucosides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pentzold, Stefan

. This thesis presents evidence that larvae of the sequestering lepidopteran specialist Zygaena filipendulae have evolved diverse behavioural, morphological, physiological and metabolic adaptations to keep cyanogenic glucosides from its food plant Lotus corniculatus (Fabaceae) intact and thus non-toxic during...

Tritium assay of Li/sub 2/O in the LBM/LOTUS experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quanci, J.; Azam, S.; Bertone, P.

1986-01-01

The Lithium Blanket Module (LBM) is an assembly of over 20,000 cylindrical lithium oxide pellets in an array representative of a limited-coverage breeding zone for a toroidal fusion device. A principal objective of the LBM program is to test the ability of advanced neutronics coding to model the tritium breeding characteristics of a fusion device blanket. The LBM has been irradiated at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) LOTUS facility with a 14 MeV point-neutron source. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) and EPFL assayed the tritium bred in lithium oxide diagnostic samples placed at various positions in the LBM. PPPL employed a thermal extraction technique while EPFL used a dissolution method. The results for the assay are reported and compared to MCNP Monte Carlo neutronics calculations for the LBM/LOTUS system

Violence and the Sacred in Georges Bataille's Philosophy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. ZYGMONT

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The article considers the concepts of violence and the sacred in the work of the French philosopher Georges Bataille. The author traces back the transformations of the concept of violence throughout the thinker’s carrier, namely in his early literary and philosophical experiences of the late 20s — early 30s, his reports for the College of Sociology (1937–1939 and his «systematic» postwar writings (1945–1962. The author also puts forward the hypothesis of the connection between the concept violence and the concept the sacred and demonstrates that it is most thoroughly represented in the last period of his work, although it may have been noted before. Diachronic consideration of the formation of these concepts allows the author to trace their correlation from the more or less random links mediated by artistic images and the other notions (sacrifi ce, for example to their explicit identification with each other and the systematic development in relation to such concepts as nature, life, being, intimacy, the animal state, expenditure, sacrifice, war and eroticism

Information about Editor-in-Chief and the Secretary of the International Scholarly Board of Religious and Sacred Poetry

OpenAIRE

Tytko, Marek Mariusz

2014-01-01

Tekst jest informacją biograficzną o redaktorze naczelnym i Sekretarzu Międzynarodowej Rady Naukowej "Religious and Sacred Poetry". The text is the biographical information about editor-in-chief and the secretary of the International Scholarly Board of Religious and Sacred Poetry

Dancing the Numinous: Sacred and Spiritual Techniques of Contemporary American Belly Dancers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeana Jorgensen

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, I explore how contemporary American practitioners of belly dance (as Middle Eastern dance and its many varieties are often called in the English-speaking world conceptualize not only the spiritual dimensions of their dance, but also how the very notion of performance affects sacred and spiritual dance practices. Drawing on interviews with this community, I describe the techniques of sacred and spiritual belly dancers, how these dancers theorize performance, and how the conflicts inherent to patriarchal mind-body dualism are resolved in these practices. My purpose here is twofold: to document an emergent dance tradition and to analyze its meanings in the relevant social context.

Dancing the Numinous: Sacred and Spiritual Techniques of Contemporary American Belly Dancers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeana Jorgensen

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, I explore how contemporary American practitioners of belly dance (as Middle Eastern dance and its many varieties are often called in the English-speaking world conceptualize not only the spiritual dimensions of their dance, but also how the very notion of performance affects sacred and spiritual dance practices. Drawing on interviews with this community, I describe the techniques of sacred and spiritual belly dancers, how these dancers theorize performance, and how the conflicts inherent to patriarchal mind-body dualism are resolved in these practices. My purpose here is twofold: to document an emergent dance tradition and to analyze its meanings in the relevant social context.

Cyanogenic glycosides in Lotus corniculatus : Their effect upon growth, energy budget, and nitrogen utilization of the southern armyworm, Spodoptera eridania.

Science.gov (United States)

Mark Scriber, J

1978-01-01

Two genotypes (one cyanogenic and the other acyanogenic) of birds-foot trefoil, Lotus corniculatus L., were used to study the effects of cyanogenic glycosides in leaf tissues upon a polyphagous herbivore, the southern armyworm, Spodoptera eridania Cram. (Lepidoptera). No differences were observed in consumption rate, assimilation efficiency, utilization of plant biomass, or metabolic costs in terms of expended calories between larvae fed acyanogenic or cyanogenic leaves. Similarly no differences were seen in the nitrogen or caloric utilization efficiencies, or in the nitrogen accumulation rate or growth rate of larvae on cyanogenic versus acyanogenic plants. Larval performance and growth on 20-week old plants was generally poorer than on 4 week old plants, however. This was reflected in slower growth, smaller pupal weights, lower nitrogen utilization efficiencies (N.U.E.) and biomass assimilation efficiencies (A.D.) on both the cyanogenic and acyanogenic plants.Although useful as a deterrent to some herbivores, cyanogenesis does not seem to provide an effective defense against this "adapted" herbivore. This study supports current hypotheses of insect/plant coevolution, and suggests that the metabolic costs of processing cyanogenic plant biomass are small in comparison to those imposed by the nutritional status of the plant leaves.

Re-enchanted bodies: experiences of the sacred and healing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ostenfeld-Rosenthal, Ann

2010-01-01

patients' experiences of 'the sacred in the body' I want to argue that when bodily sensed spiritual experiences take on a personal meaning it opens a possibility for 'religious sceptics' to believe in the existence of a spiritual world playing an important role in relation to the healing process....

Biodiversity Conservation and the Sacred Forests of Emohua, Rivers ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

These sacred sites are regarded as the temples of god by the local people due to their beliefs, but technically the forests are centres of biodiversity. In recent times, anthropogenic interference activities expose the forest to threat and challenges which make the development and adoption of conservation strategies inevitable.

Caracterização agronômica de genótipos de cornichão (Lotus corniculatus L. Agronomic characterization if birdsfoot trefoil genotypes (Lotus corniculatus L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Tereza Bolzon Soster

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho foi conduzido com o objetivo de caracterizar agronomicamente genótipos de cornichão (Lotus corniculatus L., incluindo oito populações do cv. São Gabriel, um cultivar rizomatoso (cv. ARS-2620 e um cultivar sem rizomas (cv. Trueno. Plantas individuais foram cultivadas e submetidas a sete cortes em condições de campo, durante um ano, em Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Os genótipos apresentaram variabilidade quanto ao comprimento de entrenós, estatura, diâmetro, comprimento de legumes, produção de forragem e valor nutritivo. Na média geral, as populações e o cv. Trueno foram cerca de 50% mais produtivos em relação ao cv. ARS-2620. Os genótipos apresentaram entre 80 e 100% de sobrevivência. O conteúdo de proteína bruta reduziu de 21,8% (estádio vegetativo para 11,2% (estádio de frutificação. A média geral de fibra detergente ácido foi de 24,2% e a de fibra detergente neutro variou entre 55,3 e 58,8%.This work was carried out to characterize agronomically birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L. genotypes, including eight populations derived from the cultivar São Gabriel, one rhizomatous cultivar (ARS-260 and one cultivar without rhizomes (Trueno. Individual plants were submitted to seven cuts under field conditions during one year, at Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The genotypes showed variability relative to internode lenght, height, diameter, legume lenght, forage production and nutritive value. On the average, the populations and the cv. Trueno were about 50% more productive than the cv. ARS-260. The genotypes presented a survival range from 80% to 100%. The crude protein content decreased from 21.8 (vegetative stage to 11.2% (fruiting stage. The overall mean for acid detergent fiber was 24.2% and the neutral detergent fiber ranged from 55.3% to 58.8%.

A Novel Phenolic Compound, Chloroxynil, Improves Agrobacterium-Mediated Transient Transformation in Lotus japonicus.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, Mitsuhiro; Cutler, Sean; Isobe, Sachiko

2015-01-01

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is a commonly used method for plant genetic engineering. However, the limitations of Agrobacterium host-plant interactions and the complexity of plant tissue culture often make the production of transgenic plants difficult. Transformation efficiency in many legume species, including soybean and the common bean, has been reported to be quite low. To improve the transformation procedure in legumes, we screened for chemicals that increase the transformation efficiency of Lotus japonicus, a model legume species. A Chemical library was screened and chemicals that increase in transient transformation efficiency of L. japonicus accession, Miyakojima MG-20 were identified. The transient transformation efficiency was quantified by reporter activity in which an intron-containing reporter gene produces the GUS protein only when the T-DNA is expressed in the plant nuclei. We identified a phenolic compound, chloroxynil, which increased the genetic transformation of L. japonicus by Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain EHA105. Characterization of the mode of chloroxynil action indicated that it enhanced Agrobacterium-mediated transformation through the activation of the Agrobacterium vir gene expression, similar to acetosyringone, a phenolic compound known to improve Agrobacterium-mediated transformation efficiency. Transient transformation efficiency of L. japonicus with 5 μM chloroxynil was 60- and 6- fold higher than that of the control and acetosyringone treatment, respectively. In addition, transgenic L. japonicus lines were successfully generated by 5 μM chloroxynil treatment.Furthermore, we show that chloroxynil improves L. japonicus transformation by Agrobacterium strain GV3101 and rice transformation. Our results demonstrate that chloroxynil significantly improves Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation efficiency of various agriculturally important crops.

The Truth of Sacred Scripture

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Tomasz Jelonek

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Article presents the history of contradiction between science and the Bible and how it was solved in Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum of the II Vatican Council. Since biblical truth was given to us “for the sake of our salvation,” and not in order to teach us natural science or history for their own sake, Sacred Scripture cannot be fairly judged to be in error when it sometimes presents historical or scientific truth in a less complete, less detailed, more popular, or more imprecise (i.e. merely approximate fashion than would be acceptable in modern texts dedicated formally to those disciplines.

THE BIOLOGICAL VALUES AND CONSERVATION STATUS OF SACRED GROVES IN THE BALASORE WILDLIFE DIVISION, ODISHA: A CASE STUDY

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Raj Kishore MOHANTA

2012-09-01

Full Text Available On a global scale, the existing Sacred Groves (SGs are based on ancestral worship and focus on the conservation of forest patches. Sacred groves are distributed over a wide ecosystem and help in the conservation of rare and endemic species. Well preserved sites are store houses of biological, ecological, medicinal, ethno-cultural and religious values. We documented the state of 13 Sacred Groves in Balasore, Odisha during March 2011. For a detailed investigation, sample areas were set, for the assessment of floral and faunal diversity, ethno-cultural values and management status. A total of 58 floral species and 13 faunal species were recorded. In Balasore, Sacred Groves are small in size and can act as starting points for any long term conservation plan of biodiversity. The communities have kept their faith and traditions linked to these mini nuclei of rich biodiversity in the landscape. Therefore, any conservation program can begin from local communities, by taking them into consideration as trustworthy awareness building factors.

Fusion of nacre, mussel, and lotus leaf: bio-inspired graphene composite paper with multifunctional integration

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Da; Yang, Qinglin; Guo, Lin; Dou, Shixue; Liu, Kesong; Jiang, Lei

2013-06-01

Multifunctional integration is an inherent characteristic for biological materials with multiscale structures. Learning from nature is an effective approach for scientists and engineers to construct multifunctional materials. In nature, mollusks (abalone), mussels, and the lotus have evolved different and optimized solutions to survive. Here, bio-inspired multifunctional graphene composite paper was fabricated in situ through the fusion of the different biological solutions from nacre (brick-and-mortar structure), mussel adhesive protein (adhesive property and reducing character), and the lotus leaf (self-cleaning effect). Owing to the special properties (self-polymerization, reduction, and adhesion), dopamine could be simultaneously used as a reducing agent for graphene oxide and as an adhesive, similar to the mortar in nacre, to crosslink the adjacent graphene. The resultant nacre-like graphene paper exhibited stable superhydrophobicity, self-cleaning, anti-corrosion, and remarkable mechanical properties underwater.Multifunctional integration is an inherent characteristic for biological materials with multiscale structures. Learning from nature is an effective approach for scientists and engineers to construct multifunctional materials. In nature, mollusks (abalone), mussels, and the lotus have evolved different and optimized solutions to survive. Here, bio-inspired multifunctional graphene composite paper was fabricated in situ through the fusion of the different biological solutions from nacre (brick-and-mortar structure), mussel adhesive protein (adhesive property and reducing character), and the lotus leaf (self-cleaning effect). Owing to the special properties (self-polymerization, reduction, and adhesion), dopamine could be simultaneously used as a reducing agent for graphene oxide and as an adhesive, similar to the mortar in nacre, to crosslink the adjacent graphene. The resultant nacre-like graphene paper exhibited stable superhydrophobicity, self

Efficient genetic transformation of Lotus corniculatus L. using a direct shoot regeneration protocol, stepwise hygromycin B selection, and a super-binary Agrobacterium tumefaciens vector

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Nikolić Radomirka

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Cotyledons from 6-day-old Lotus corniculatus cv. Bokor seedlings, transversally cut into two halves, were capa­ble of regenerating buds without intervening callus formation. The explants were co-cultivated with the Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404/pTOK233 superbinary vector carrying the uidA-intron gene and the genes hpt and nptII. They were cultured for 14 days on a regeneration medium, then subjected to a stepwise hygromycin B selection procedure consisting of gradually increasing antibiotic concentrations (5-15 mg L-1 over 21 weeks. Transformed shoots were obtained within 5 months after co-cultivation. Out of 124 initially co-cultivated explants, 52 (42% plants survived hygromycin B selection. The presence of transgenes in regenerated plants was verified by β-glucuronidase histochemical assays and PCR analysis for the presence of uidA gene sequences. Hygromycin B-resistant and PCR-positive T0 plants were cultured in the greenhouse to produce flowers and seeds. The obtained data demonstrate that the reported transformation protocol could be useful for introducing agriculturally important genes into the new L. corniculatus cultivar Bokor.

Allene oxide synthase, allene oxide cyclase and jasmonic acid levels in Lotus japonicus nodules.

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Anna Zdyb

Full Text Available Jasmonic acid (JA, its derivatives and its precursor cis-12-oxo phytodienoic acid (OPDA form a group of phytohormones, the jasmonates, representing signal molecules involved in plant stress responses, in the defense against pathogens as well as in development. Elevated levels of JA have been shown to play a role in arbuscular mycorrhiza and in the induction of nitrogen-fixing root nodules. In this study, the gene families of two committed enzymes of the JA biosynthetic pathway, allene oxide synthase (AOS and allene oxide cyclase (AOC, were characterized in the determinate nodule-forming model legume Lotus japonicus JA levels were to be analysed in the course of nodulation. Since in all L. japonicus organs examined, JA levels increased upon mechanical disturbance and wounding, an aeroponic culture system was established to allow for a quick harvest, followed by the analysis of JA levels in whole root and shoot systems. Nodulated plants were compared with non-nodulated plants grown on nitrate or ammonium as N source, respectively, over a five week-period. JA levels turned out to be more or less stable independently of the growth conditions. However, L. japonicus nodules formed on aeroponically grown plants often showed patches of cells with reduced bacteroid density, presumably a stress symptom. Immunolocalization using a heterologous antibody showed that the vascular systems of these nodules also seemed to contain less AOC protein than those of nodules of plants grown in perlite/vermiculite. Hence, aeroponically grown L. japonicus plants are likely to be habituated to stress which could have affected JA levels.

Identifying Future Sacred Heart Administrators by Examining the Characteristics, Commonalities, and Personal Motivations of Current School Leaders

Science.gov (United States)

Teixeira, Julie Brill

2012-01-01

Since their inception, all schools of the Sacred Heart have been headed by nuns of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus [RSCJ]. As the years have passed, many RSCJ nuns have aged and retired leaving vacancies that have proven difficult to fill. In this qualitative study, the characteristics, commonalities, and personal motivations of Sacred…

LE MIROIR, LE SECRET ET LE SACRÉ (The Mirror, the Secret, and the Sacred

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Jean-Jacques Wunenburger

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The perception opens the visible world. How it is then with intuition when the visible is hemmed by the invisible? What are the phenomenological and anthropological conditions of experience of invisible? We can proceed from mirror-reflections which provoked a number of beliefs in supernatural. They are inseparable from dimension of the sacred, from that what at the same time shows and hides itself. In final analysis, can we find in category of the sacred, in its diverse forms, the affective and cognitive key to the invisible?

The sacred realm: domain of new threats and challenges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gaay Fortman, B. de

2006-01-01

This chapter looks at the sacred realm –as distinct from both the public and the private realm- as a contested space, full of old and new threats and challenges. As to conventional inter-religious violence the challenge today is to preserve both a culture of tolerance and the rule of law as basic

Impact and ecosystem service of forest and sacred grove as saviour of water quantity and quality in Garhwal Himalaya, India.

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Jana, Purna; Dasgupta, Sabyasachi; Todaria, Nagendra P

2017-08-29

The present study was conducted in environs of the sacred grove of Garhwal Himalaya, India, with a view to assess the impacts of sacred groves and forests on the quality and quantity of water and also to assess the effect of seasonality on perennial stream quality. Water samples were collected from three randomly selected stream spots of both the sacred grove dominated by deodar (Cedrus deodara) and the non-sacred patch dominated by oak (Quercus leucotrichophora). Water samples from both patches were within the World Health Organization (WHO) standard limits. Based on an already established water quality index, water quality of both patches was safe for domestic and irrigation purposes but needs treatment for drinking purposes. Results of the present study also showed a very prominent impact of forest type as well as management condition on water quality and quantity. The water discharge from an oak forest shows more consistency than the discharge from a deodar forest. Due to the presence of the sacred grove, the area has become the source of good quality water supply during lean season for the surrounding villages. Water quality and quantity differed along with the change in season. The sacred grove and the existing forest leave a great impression on local dwellers, as due to its presence, local dwellers never run out of water supply during the dry season. As a result, the villagers sincerely want to protect the area for the sake of their own well-being.

Long-term outcome of microscopic esophagitis in chronic GERD patients treated with esomeprazole or laparoscopic antireflux surgery in the LOTUS trial

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fiocca, Roberto; Mastracci, Luca; Engström, Cecilia

2010-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)-associated changes in esophageal histology have been reported mainly after short-term medical antireflux therapy, and few individual lesions have been examined. We report detailed histological findings from the LOTUS study, at baseline and at 1...

Gibberellins interfere with symbiosis signaling and gene expression and alter colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Lotus japonicus.

Science.gov (United States)

Takeda, Naoya; Handa, Yoshihiro; Tsuzuki, Syusaku; Kojima, Mikiko; Sakakibara, Hitoshi; Kawaguchi, Masayoshi

2015-02-01

Arbuscular mycorrhiza is a mutualistic plant-fungus interaction that confers great advantages for plant growth. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi enter the host root and form symbiotic structures that facilitate nutrient supplies between the symbionts. The gibberellins (GAs) are phytohormones known to inhibit AM fungal infection. However, our transcriptome analysis and phytohormone quantification revealed GA accumulation in the roots of Lotus japonicus infected with AM fungi, suggesting that de novo GA synthesis plays a role in arbuscular mycorrhiza development. We found pleiotropic effects of GAs on the AM fungal infection. In particular, the morphology of AM fungal colonization was drastically altered by the status of GA signaling in the host root. Exogenous GA treatment inhibited AM hyphal entry into the host root and suppressed the expression of Reduced Arbuscular Mycorrhization1 (RAM1) and RAM2 homologs that function in hyphal entry and arbuscule formation. On the other hand, inhibition of GA biosynthesis or suppression of GA signaling also affected arbuscular mycorrhiza development in the host root. Low-GA conditions suppressed arbuscular mycorrhiza-induced subtilisin-like serine protease1 (SbtM1) expression that is required for AM fungal colonization and reduced hyphal branching in the host root. The reduced hyphal branching and SbtM1 expression caused by the inhibition of GA biosynthesis were recovered by GA treatment, supporting the theory that insufficient GA signaling causes the inhibitory effects on arbuscular mycorrhiza development. Most studies have focused on the negative role of GA signaling, whereas our study demonstrates that GA signaling also positively interacts with symbiotic responses and promotes AM colonization of the host root. © 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Once Upon a Toxic Sanctuary: Partnering to Restore and Reclaim a Dakota Sacred Site

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Roxanne Gould

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In this article, we examine the role of partnerships as they relate to the destruction and reconstruction of Wakaŋ Tipi and Indian Mounds Park as a Dakota sacred feminine, origin, birth site through a theoretical lens of critical Indigenous pedagogy of place (Trinidad, 2016 and partnership studies (Eisler, 2005. We discuss the deep historical, social, psychological, and cultural relationship the Dakota have to this sacred site and the challenge of partnering with non-Dakota entities to restore Wakaŋ Tipi/Indian Mounds Park from a toxic waste dump to a spiritual sanctuary.

Cyclin-like F-box protein plays a role in growth and development of the three model species Medicago truncatula, Lotus japonicus, and Arabidopsis thaliana

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Boycheva I

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Irina Boycheva,1 Valya Vassileva,2 Miglena Revalska,1 Grigor Zehirov,2 Anelia Iantcheva1 1Department of Functional Genetics Legumes, 2AgroBioInstitute, Department of Plant Stress Molecular Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics, Sofia, Bulgaria Abstract: In eukaryotes, F-box proteins are one of the main components of the SCF complex that belongs to the family of ubiquitin E3 ligases, which catalyze protein ubiquitination and maintain the balance between protein synthesis and degradation. In the present study, we clarified the role and function of the gene encoding cyclin-like F-box protein from Medicago truncatula using transgenic plants of the model species M. truncatula, Lotus japonicas, and Arabidopsis thaliana generated by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Morphological and transcriptional analyses combined with flow cytometry and histochemistry demonstrated the participation of this protein in many aspects of plant growth and development, including processes of indirect somatic embryogenesis and symbiotic nodulation. The cyclin-like F-box gene showed expression in all plant organs and tissues comprised of actively dividing cells. The observed variations in root and hypocotyl growth, leaf and silique development, ploidy levels, and leaf parameters in the obtained transgenic lines demonstrated the effects of this gene on organ development. Furthermore, knockdown of cyclin-like F-box led to accumulation of higher levels of the G2/M transition-specific gene cyclin B1:1 (CYCB1:1, suggesting its possible role in cell cycle control. Together, the collected data suggest a similar role of the cyclin-like F-box protein in the three model species, providing evidence for the functional conservation of the studied gene. Keywords: cyclin-like F-box, model legumes, Arabidopsis thaliana, plant growth, plant development, cell cycle

Interfacing COTS Speech Recognition and Synthesis Software to a Lotus Notes Military Command and Control Database

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, Oliver

2002-10-01

Speech recognition and synthesis technologies have become commercially viable over recent years. Two current market leading products in speech recognition technology are Dragon NaturallySpeaking and IBM ViaVoice. This report describes the development of speech user interfaces incorporating these products with Lotus Notes and Java applications. These interfaces enable data entry using speech recognition and allow warnings and instructions to be issued via speech synthesis. The development of a military vocabulary to improve user interaction is discussed. The report also describes an evaluation in terms of speed of the various speech user interfaces developed using Dragon NaturallySpeaking and IBM ViaVoice with a Lotus Notes Command and Control Support System Log database.

Molecular Structure-Affinity Relationship of Flavonoids in Lotus Leaf (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) on Binding to Human Serum Albumin and Bovine Serum Albumin by Spectroscopic Method.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Xiaosheng; Tang, Ping; Liu, Liangliang

2017-06-23

Lotus leaf has gained growing popularity as an ingredient in herbal formulations due to its various activities. As main functional components of lotus leaf, the difference in structure of flavonoids affected their binding properties and activities. In this paper, the existence of 11 flavonoids in lotus leaf extract was confirmed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis and 11 flavonoids showed various contents in lotus leaf. The interactions between lotus leaf extract and two kinds of serum albumins (human serum albumin (HSA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA)) were investigated by spectroscopic methods. Based on the fluorescence quenching, the interactions between these flavonoids and serum albumins were further checked in detail. The relationship between the molecular properties of flavonoids and their affinities for serum albumins were analyzed and compared. The hydroxylation on 3 and 3' position increased the affinities for serum albumins. Moreover, both of the methylation on 3' position of quercetin and the C₂=C₃ double bond of apigenin and quercetin decreased the affinities for HSA and BSA. The glycosylation lowered the affinities for HSA and BSA depending on the type of sugar moiety. It revealed that the hydrogen bond force played an important role in binding flavonoids to HSA and BSA.

Teaching about Religion in History Classes: Sacred and Secular History.

Science.gov (United States)

Abrahamson, Brant; Smith, Fred

In teaching about religion there is the fundamental distinction between secular history, which is restricted to natural cause and effect relationships, and sacred histories, which assume that a spirit world exists and that human/divine interaction has taken place. In the United States, the academically approved way of dealing with these…

“Sacred scarab” in jewelry of Ancient Egypt: the symbol interpretation problem

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Lada V. Prokopovich

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The image of the Sacred scarab, like any other fact of culture, should be considered only in the context of certain circumstances, which involve the approach choice: viewing as either a sign or a symbol. In those cases where the scarab image stands as a symbol, while interpreting this one it should be taken into account the cultural context, which, as relevant studies show, can never be reduced to a simple interpretation scheme “Scarab — Dorbeetle — Sun symbol”. In that connection suggested is a hypothesis, according to which the image of the Sacred scarab as a symbol is divided into two, at least, concepts: a “Sunny Beetle”, to mean the beetle species Cetonia aurata (or any other similar, and a “Beetle-Demiurge”, to mean the dorbeetle.

The changing landscape of sacred groves in Kerala (India): A critical view on the role of religion in nature conservation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Notermans, C.D.; Nugteren, A.; Sunny, S.

2016-01-01

Sacred groves are an age-old and world-wide phenomenon, traditionally consisting of forest zones, protected by people based on their spiritual relationship with the deities or ancestral spirits believed to reside there. India alone counts nearly 50,000 sacred groves, with 2000 in Kerala where they

Stealing the sacred: Why 'global heritage' discourse is perceived as ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Stealing the sacred: Why 'global heritage' discourse is perceived as a frontal attack on local heritage-making in Madagascar. ... Asked Questions about PDFs. Alternatively, you can download the PDF file directly to your computer, from where it can be opened using a PDF reader. To download the PDF, click the Download ...

The sacred, the secular, and the profane

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tsinovoi, Alexei

2017-01-01

types of power relations, which can provide a basis for critical re-formulation of the concepts of securitisation and desecuritisation. The article illustrates the analytical purchase of these ideal types through an analysis of the politics of Israel’s natural gas discoveries. Due to neoliberal reforms......In security studies, the dichotomy between ‘security’ and ‘regular’ politics has been effectively challenged in recent years, both theoretically and empirically. To address this challenge, the article develops Giorgio Agamben’s concepts of the sacred, the profane and the secular into three ideal...

Information about Editor-in-Chief and the Secretary of the International Scholarly Board of "Religious and Sacred Poetry"

OpenAIRE

Tytko, Marek Mariusz

2014-01-01

Tekst jest informacją biograficzną o dr. Marku Mariuszu Tytko, redaktorze naczelnym i sekretarzu Międzynarodowej Rady Naukowej "Religious and Sacred Poetry : An International Quarterly of Religion, Culture and Education". The text is the biographical information on Marek Mariusz Tytko, PhD, EDitor-in-Chief and secretary of the International Scholarly Council of "Religious and Sacred Poetry : An International Quarterly of Religion, Culture and Education".

Sacred Choices: Adolescent Relationships and Sexual Ethics--The Reform Movement's Response to the Need for Faith-Based Sexuality Education

Science.gov (United States)

Winer, Rabbi Laura Novak

2011-01-01

"Sacred Choices: Adolescent Relationships and Sexual Ethics" is a sexual ethics curriculum for middle school and high school students developed by the Union for Reform Judaism. Sacred Choices strives to teach Reform Jewish teens that their bodies are gifts from God and that Judaism provides relevant guidance on how to use and care for that gift…

Simultaneous Analysis of Anthocyanin and Non-Anthocyanin Flavonoid in Various Tissues of Different Lotus (Nelumbo) Cultivars by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Sha; Xiang, Yue; Deng, Jiao; Liu, Yanling; Li, Shaohua

2013-01-01

A validated HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn method for the analysis of non-anthocyanin flavonoids was applied to nine different tissues of twelve lotus genotypes of Nelumbo nucifera and N. lutea, together with an optimized anthocyanin extraction and separation protocol for lotus petals. A total of five anthocyanins and twenty non-anthocyanin flavonoids was identified and quantified. Flavonoid contents and compositions varied with cultivar and tissue and were used as a basis to divide tissues into three groups characterized by kaempferol and quercetin derivatives. Influences on flower petal coloration were investigated by principal components analyses. High contents of kaempferol glycosides were detected in the petals of N. nucifera while high quercetin glycoside concentrations occurred in N. lutea. Based on these results, biosynthetic pathways leading to specific compounds in lotus tissues are deduced through metabolomic analysis of different genotypes and tissues and correlations among flavonoid compounds. PMID:23646125

Genotoxicity and antigenotoxicity study of aqueous and hydro-methanol extracts of Spondias mombin L., Nymphaea lotus L. and Luffa cylindrical L. using animal bioassays.

Science.gov (United States)

Oyeyemi, Ifeoluwa Temitayo; Yekeen, Olaide Maruf; Odusina, Paul Olayinka; Ologun, Taiwo Mary; Ogbaide, Orezimena Michelle; Olaleye, Olayinka Israel; Bakare, Adekunle A

2015-12-01

Spondias mombin (Linn), Nymphaea lotus (Linn) and Luffa cylindrica (Linn) (syn Luffa aegyptiaca Mill) are plants traditionally used as food ingredients and in the management of diseases, including cancer, in Nigeria. Despite the therapeutic potentials attributed to these plants, reports on their genotoxicity are scanty. In this study, the genotoxicity of the aqueous and hydro-methanol extract of these plants was evaluated using mouse bone marrow micronucleus and sperm morphology assays. Antigenotoxicity was assessed by the bone marrow micronucleus test. The highest attainable dose of 5 000 mg/kg according to OECD guidelines was first used to assess acute toxicity of the aqueous and hydro-methanol extracts in Swiss albino mice. For each extract, there were five groups of mice (n=4/group) treated with different concentrations of the extract as against the negative and positive control group for the genotoxicity study. In the antigenotoxicity study, five groups of mice were exposed to five different concentrations of the extracts along with 60 mg/kg of methyl methane sulfonate (MMS), which was used to induce genotoxicity. The mice were administered 0.2 mL of extract per day for 10 days in the genotoxicity and antigenotoxicity groups. Administration of each of the extracts at the concentration of 5 000 mg/kg did not induce acute toxicity in mice. At the concentrations tested, all the extracts, except aqueous S. mombin, increased micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes. The aqueous and hydro-methanol extracts of N. lotus increased the frequency of aberrant sperm cells. All the extracts were also able to ameliorate MMS induced genotoxicity in bone marrow cells of the exposed mice. The results showed the potential of the extracts to induce somatic and germ cell mutation in male mice. The extracts also ameliorated the genotoxic effect of MMS.

Genotoxicity and antigenotoxicity study of aqueous and hydro-methanol extracts of Spondias mombin L., Nymphaea lotus L. and Luffa cylindrical L. using animal bioassays

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Oyeyemi Ifeoluwa Temitayo

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Spondias mombin (Linn, Nymphaea lotus (Linn and Luffa cylindrica (Linn (syn Luffa aegyptiaca Mill are plants traditionally used as food ingredients and in the management of diseases, including cancer, in Nigeria. Despite the therapeutic potentials attributed to these plants, reports on their genotoxicity are scanty. In this study, the genotoxicity of the aqueous and hydro-methanol extract of these plants was evaluated using mouse bone marrow micronucleus and sperm morphology assays. Antigenotoxicity was assessed by the bone marrow micronucleus test. The highest attainable dose of 5 000 mg/kg according to OECD guidelines was first used to assess acute toxicity of the aqueous and hydro-methanol extracts in Swiss albino mice. For each extract, there were five groups of mice (n=4/group treated with different concentrations of the extract as against the negative and positive control group for the genotoxicity study. In the antigenotoxicity study, five groups of mice were exposed to five different concentrations of the extracts along with 60 mg/kg of methyl methane sulfonate (MMS, which was used to induce genotoxicity. The mice were administered 0.2 mL of extract per day for 10 days in the genotoxicity and antigenotoxicity groups. Administration of each of the extracts at the concentration of 5 000 mg/kg did not induce acute toxicity in mice. At the concentrations tested, all the extracts, except aqueous S. mombin, increased micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes. The aqueous and hydro-methanol extracts of N. lotus increased the frequency of aberrant sperm cells. All the extracts were also able to ameliorate MMS induced genotoxicity in bone marrow cells of the exposed mice. The results showed the potential of the extracts to induce somatic and germ cell mutation in male mice. The extracts also ameliorated the genotoxic effect of MMS.

Sacred Torrents in Modernity: German Jewish Philosophers and the Legacy of Secularization

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Roemer Nils

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This article investigates the ongoing interaction between the Jewish sacred past and its modern interpreters. Jewish thinkers from the eighteenth century reclaimed these ideals instead of dismissing them. Sacred traditions and modern secular thought existed in their mutual constitutive interdependence and not in opposition. When the optimism in historical progress and faith in reason unraveled in the fin de siècle, it engendered a new critical response by Jewish historians and philosophers of the twentieth century. These critical voices emerged within the fault lines of nineteenth and early twentieth century Jewish anti-historicist responses. What separated twentieth-century Jewish thinkers such as Martin Buber, Franz Rosenzweig, and Gershom Scholem from their nineteenth-century forerunners was not their embrace of religion but their critical stance toward reason and their crumbling faith in historical progress.

Changes in pyridine metabolism profile during growth of trigonelline-forming Lotus japonicus cell cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Yuling; Matsui, Ayu; Sakuta, Masaaki; Ashihara, Hiroshi

2008-12-01

Changes in the profile of pyridine metabolism during growth of cells were investigated using trigonelline-forming suspension-cultured cells of Lotus japonicus. Activity of the de novo and salvage pathways of NAD biosynthesis was estimated from the in situ metabolism of [(3)H] quinolinic acid and [(14)C] nicotinamide. Maximum activity of the de novo pathway for NAD synthesis was found in the exponential growth phase, whereas activity of the salvage pathway was increased in the lag phase of cell growth. Expression profiles of some genes related to pyridine metabolism were examined using the expression sequence tags obtained from the L. japonicus database. Transcript levels of NaPRT and NIC, encoding salvage enzymes, were enhanced in the lag phase of cell growth, whereas the maximum expression of NADS was found in the exponential growth phase. Correspondingly, the activities of the salvage enzymes, nicotinate phosphoribosyltransferase (EC 2.4.2.11) and nicotinamidase (EC 3.5.1.19), increased one day after transfer of the stationary phase cells to the fresh medium. The greatest in situ trigonelline synthesis, both from [(3)H] quinolinic acid and [(14)C] nicotinamide, was found in the stationary phase of cell growth. The role of trigonelline in leguminous plants is discussed.

Changes in physicochemical properties related to the texture of lotus rhizomes subjected to heat blanching and calcium immersion.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Wenlin; Xie, Wei; Du, Shenglan; Yan, Shoulei; Li, Jie; Wang, Qingzhang

2016-11-15

Pretreatments such as low temperature blanching and/or calcium soaking affect the cooked texture of vegetal food. In the work, lotus rhizomes (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) were pretreated using the following 4 treatments, blanching at 40°C, blanching at 90°C, soaking in 0.5% CaCl2, and blanching at 40°C followed by immersion in 0.5% CaCl2. Subsequently, the cell wall material of pretreated samples was isolated and fractioned to identify changes in the degree of esterification (DE) and monosaccharide content of each section, and the texture of the lotus rhizomes in different pre-treatments was determined after thermal processing with different time. The results showed that the greatest hardness was obtained after blanching at 40°C in CaCl2, possibly attributing to the formation of a pectate calcium network, which maintains the integrity of cell walls. Furthermore, the content of galactose, rhamnose and arabinose decreased due to the breakage of sugar backbones and subsequent damage to cell walls. Our results may provide a reference for lotus rhizome processing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Experience Of The Time In The Sacred And Profane In The Light Of Interpretation Of MiceaA Eliade

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Rodrigo Danubio Queiroz

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The present work aims to analyze and describe the human experience of the time in the sacred and the profane from the thought of the philosopher and historian Mircea Eliade. The research has as its starting point the observation of duality sacred/profane statement that results in two modes of being in the world, namely the religious and non-religious. Thus, we aimed to assess the extent of heterogeneous temporality in the life of man and the religious and man without religion. However, the understanding of this experience can be established only when one realizes the importance of constructions of temples, religious festivals, rituals and myth presented as one of the sacred language that only makes sense because of the inhomogeneity of time.

Fusion of nacre, mussel, and lotus leaf: bio-inspired graphene composite paper with multifunctional integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Da; Yang, Qinglin; Guo, Lin; Dou, Shixue; Liu, Kesong; Jiang, Lei

2013-07-07

Multifunctional integration is an inherent characteristic for biological materials with multiscale structures. Learning from nature is an effective approach for scientists and engineers to construct multifunctional materials. In nature, mollusks (abalone), mussels, and the lotus have evolved different and optimized solutions to survive. Here, bio-inspired multifunctional graphene composite paper was fabricated in situ through the fusion of the different biological solutions from nacre (brick-and-mortar structure), mussel adhesive protein (adhesive property and reducing character), and the lotus leaf (self-cleaning effect). Owing to the special properties (self-polymerization, reduction, and adhesion), dopamine could be simultaneously used as a reducing agent for graphene oxide and as an adhesive, similar to the mortar in nacre, to crosslink the adjacent graphene. The resultant nacre-like graphene paper exhibited stable superhydrophobicity, self-cleaning, anti-corrosion, and remarkable mechanical properties underwater.

Friedrich Max Müller and the Sacred Books of the East

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Molendijk, Arie L.

2016-01-01

This volume offers a critical analysis of one the most ambitious editorial projects of late Victorian Britain: the edition of the fifty substantial volumes of the Sacred Books of the East (1879-1910). The series was edited and conceptualized by Friedrich Max Müller (1823-1900), a world-famous

In-beam conversion electron spectroscopy using the SACRED array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, P.M.; Cann, K.J.; Cocks, J.F.C.; Jones, G.D.; Julin, R.; Schulze, B.; Smith, J.F.; Wilson, A.N.

1997-01-01

Conversion electron studies of medium-heavy to heavy nuclear mass systems are important where the internal conversion process begins to dominate over gamma-ray emission. The use of a segmented detector array sensitive to conversion electrons has been used to study multiple conversion electron cascades from nuclear transitions. The application of the silicon array for conversion electron detection (SACRED) for in-beam measurements has successfully been implemented. (orig.). With 2 figs

Identification and antioxidant properties of polyphenols in lotus seed epicarp at different ripening stages.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ying; Ma, Shuang-shuang; Ibrahim, S A; Li, Er-hu; Yang, Hong; Huang, Wen

2015-10-15

In this study, polyphenols from lotus seed epicarp (PLSE) at three different ripening stages were purified by column chromatography and identified by RP-HPLC and HPLC-ESI-MS(2). The antioxidant activities of PLSE were also investigated. We found that the contents of PLSE at the green ripening stage, half ripening stage and full ripening stage are 13.08%, 10.95% and 6.73% respectively. The levels of catechin, epicatechin, hyperoside, and isoquercitrin in PLSE at the three different ripening stages were different. Moreover, the amounts of catechin and epicatechin decreased, while the contents of hyperoside and isoquercitrin increased as the seed ripened. We found that PLSE at three different ripening stages had good scavenging abilities on DPPH and ABTS(+) radicals. However, the scavenging ability decreased with maturation. Our results may be valuable with regard to the utilization of lotus seed epicarp as a functional food material. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of gamma-radiation on the nutritional and functional qualities of lotus seed flour.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhat, Rajeev; Sridhar, Kandikere Ramaiah; Karim, Alias A; Young, Chiu C; Arun, Ananthapadmanabha B

2009-10-28

In the present study, we investigated the physicochemical and functional properties of lotus seed flour exposed to low and high doses of gamma-radiation (0-30 kGy; the dose recommended for quarantine and hygienic purposes). The results indicated raw seed flour to be rich in nutrients with minimal quantities of antinutritional factors. Irradiation resulted in a dose-dependent increase in some of the proximal constituents. The raw and gamma-irradiated seeds meet the Food and Agricultural Organization-World Health Organization recommended pattern of essential amino acids. Some of the antinutritional factors (phytic acid, total phenolics, and tannins) were lowered with gamma-irradiation, while the seed flours were devoid of lectins, L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, and polonium-210. The functional properties of the seed flour were significantly improved with gamma-radiation. gamma-radiation selectively preserved or improved the desired nutritional and functional traits of lotus seeds, thus ensuring a safe production of appropriate nutraceutically valued products.

A Dicarboxylate Transporter, LjALMT4, Mainly Expressed in Nodules of Lotus japonicus.

Science.gov (United States)

Takanashi, Kojiro; Sasaki, Takayuki; Kan, Tomohiro; Saida, Yuka; Sugiyama, Akifumi; Yamamoto, Yoko; Yazaki, Kazufumi

2016-07-01

Legume plants can establish symbiosis with soil bacteria called rhizobia to obtain nitrogen as a nutrient directly from atmospheric N2 via symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Legumes and rhizobia form nodules, symbiotic organs in which fixed-nitrogen and photosynthetic products are exchanged between rhizobia and plant cells. The photosynthetic products supplied to rhizobia are thought to be dicarboxylates but little is known about the movement of dicarboxylates in the nodules. In terms of dicarboxylate transporters, an aluminum-activated malate transporter (ALMT) family is a strong candidate responsible for the membrane transport of carboxylates in nodules. Among the seven ALMT genes in the Lotus japonicus genome, only one, LjALMT4, shows a high expression in the nodules. LjALMT4 showed transport activity in a Xenopus oocyte system, with LjALMT4 mediating the efflux of dicarboxylates including malate, succinate, and fumarate, but not tricarboxylates such as citrate. LjALMT4 also mediated the influx of several inorganic anions. Organ-specific gene expression analysis showed LjALMT4 mRNA mainly in the parenchyma cells of nodule vascular bundles. These results suggest that LjALMT4 may not be involved in the direct supply of dicarboxylates to rhizobia in infected cells but is responsible for supplying malate as well as several anions necessary for symbiotic nitrogen fixation, via nodule vasculatures.

Morphological evolution of TiO2 nanotube arrays with lotus-root-shaped nanostructure

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Dongliang; Song, Ye; Zhu, Xufei; Yang, Ruiquan; Han, Aijun

2013-07-01

TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNAs) with lotus-root-shaped nanostructure have been fabricated by a modified two-step electrochemical anodization method. In the present work, different morphologies formed under different anodizing voltages are investigated in detail by field-emission scanning electron microscope. The results show that the concaves left by the first-step anodization can guide the uniform growth of TNAs in some degree as the second-step anodizing voltage is the same with that in the first step, however, when lower voltages are adopted in the second-step anodization, no guidance can be achieved, and different morphological TNAs with lotus-root-shaped nanostructure are fabricated. And we find that the nanotube diameters are directly proportional to the applied voltage in the second-step anodization. Furthermore, a possible mechanism for the growth of the TiO2 nanotubes with the special morphology is proposed for the first time, which depends on both the oxygen bubble mold and the viscous flow of the barrier oxide from the pore base to the pore wall.

Biomimetic approaches for green tribology: from the lotus effect to blood flow control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maani, Nazanin; Rayz, Vitaliy S; Nosonovsky, Michael

2015-01-01

The research in Green tribology combines several areas including biomimetic tribomaterials and surfaces for controlled adhesion. Biomimetic surfaces mimic living nature and thus they are eco-friendly. The most famous biomimetic surface effect is the Lotus effect (reduction of water adhesion to a solid surface due to micro/nanostructuring of the solid surface). Several extensions of the Lotus effect have been discussed in the literature including the oleophobicity (repelling organic liquids such as oils), underwater oleophobicity to reduce fouling, and the shark skin effect (flow drag reduction due to specially oriented micro-riblets). Here we suggest a potentially important application of micro/nanostructured surfaces in the biomedical area: the micro/nanostructure controlled adhesion in blood flow. Blood is a suspension, and its adhesion properties are different from those of water and oil. For many cardiovascular applications, it is desirable to reduce stagnation and clotting of blood. Therefore, both the underwater oleophobicuity and shark-skin effect can be used. We discuss how computational fluid dynamics models can be used to investigate the structure–property relationships of surface pattern-controlled blood flow adhesion. (paper)

Experiencing and Teaching Pilgrimage in a Sacred Spaces Course

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Thomas J. Sienkewicz

2018-03-01

Full Text Available As part of an integrated studies curriculum at the author’s college, all juniors must take a Reflections course in which students consider personal values and analyze familiar and unfamiliar systems of thought and belief, in order to explore their own and others’ ideas about the ultimate meaning and purposes of life. “Sacred Places Past and Present”, is a course designed to fulfil this requirement. This course focuses on a number of important religious sites in the ancient Mediterranean and in the modern world, including the Parthenon, Olympia, Delphi, Stonehenge, and Muir Woods. These places are compared and contrasted in terms of what makes them sacred. Two pilgrimage experiences are part of this course: the hajj to Mecca and the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. In the past, the unit on the Camino focused on Emilio Estevez’s 2010 film “The Way”; however, during the summer of 2016, the author walked the Camino de Santiago. As a result, the course was substantially revised to reflect the author’s own personal experiences as a pilgrim. In particular, Paulo Coelho’s The Pilgrimage was incorporated into the course and students were given an opportunity to participate in a one-day pilgrimage walk in western Illinois.

A high-resolution method for the localization of proanthocyanidins in plant tissues

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Panter Stephen

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Histochemical staining of plant tissues with 4-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde (DMACA or vanillin-HCl is widely used to characterize spatial patterns of proanthocyanidin accumulation in plant tissues. These methods are limited in their ability to allow high-resolution imaging of proanthocyanidin deposits. Results Tissue embedding techniques were used in combination with DMACA staining to analyze the accumulation of proanthocyanidins in Lotus corniculatus (L. and Trifolium repens (L. tissues. Embedding of plant tissues in LR White or paraffin matrices, with or without DMACA staining, preserved the physical integrity of the plant tissues, allowing high-resolution imaging that facilitated cell-specific localization of proanthocyanidins. A brown coloration was seen in proanthocyanidin-producing cells when plant tissues were embedded without DMACA staining and this was likely to have been due to non-enzymatic oxidation of proanthocyanidins and the formation of colored semiquinones and quinones. Conclusions This paper presents a simple, high-resolution method for analysis of proanthocyanidin accumulation in organs, tissues and cells of two plant species with different patterns of proanthocyanidin accumulation, namely Lotus corniculatus (birdsfoot trefoil and Trifolium repens (white clover. This technique was used to characterize cell type-specific patterns of proanthocyanidin accumulation in white clover flowers at different stages of development.

The Characteristics and Social Function of the Tujia People’s Tima Sacred Songs

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Chen Qian

2016-01-01

Sacrificial songs possess a mysteri-ous cultural identity and have been widely popular in Chinese folklore; at the same time it has been difficult to identify and record them all. Therefore, in the cultural history of the Han Chinese people, folkloristic sacrificial songs ( including ‘calling-soul-back lyrics’ or certain incantations closely re-lated to the sacrificial songs) rarely have been re-corded and/or successfully handed on to our day and age. In times past however, the sacrificial po-etry chanted by ethnic priests/shamans in various rituals and ceremonies was respected, protected, and widespread among the various people. Among all sacrificial music belonging to various ethnic groups in China, the music of the Tujia people is quite unique. The traditional worship culture of the Tujia has been very rich, elaborate, and mysterious. Due to intense cultural beliefs, the sacrificial mu-sic of the Tujia had become quite colorful. This u-nique musical style and rhyme reflects the Tujia people’ s unique historic and artistic charm, cus-toms, and connotations. The ancestors of the Tujia first lived in the isolated Wuling Mountains. Due to their limited productivity level, they weren’ t a-ble to interpret most natural and social phenome-na; instead they viewed these phenomena accord-ing to their personal animistic beliefs. In recent years, however, scholars have conducted a lot of research on the Tujia religious beliefs, including their sacrificial customs and music. In this con-text, the tima shenge ( tima sacred songs ) have enjoyed meticulous scholarly research from the per-spectives of both cultural philosophy and communi-cation. This article tries to explore the origin and mysterious musical features of the tima sacred songs, in order to better understand their socio-cultural function:this in turn could allow for a bet-ter protection and promotion of these songs. Tima sacred songs are the most ancient and o-riginal type of the Tujia songs. Tima is a

"Approaching the Sacred": Directionality in the Relation between Curriculum and Knowledge Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Gamble, Jeanne

2014-01-01

Increasing pressure on all levels of educational provision, whether academic or overtly vocational, to be to "relevant" and "useful" prompts consideration of the relation between curriculum and pedagogy in terms of the internal structure of knowledge forms. Following Durkheim's distinction between "sacred" and…

AHP 21: Sacred Dairies, Dairymen, and Buffaloes of the Nilgiri Mountains in South India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthony R. Walker

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Approximately 1,500 Toda people inhabit the Nilgiri Mountains in south India. Arguably the most remarkable characteristic of Toda culture is the sacred nature of the husbandry of herds of long-horned mountain water buffaloes. No other community in India has so single-mindedly focused its ritual attention on one particular animal species. Every important task associated with the buffalo herds – milking, milk-processing, giving salt, naming, seasonal migrations, burning pastures, introducing new equipment into the dairies, etc. – has been embellished with ritual. Todas make a clear-cut distinction between temple and domestic buffaloes. Ordinary men (but not women herd the latter, whose milk and milk-products (buttermilk, butter, and clarified butter, but not flesh (since the community espouses vegetarianism may be consumed, bartered, or sold without restriction. Males who are responsible for herding temple buffaloes conduct their daily lives in a manner preserving greater ritual purity than ordinary men. Moreover, they are not just dairymen, but also the community's priests. They must guard the ritual purity of the dairies they serve, and all that is in them, for these are the Todas' temples – sacred places, infused with divinity.

LC/MS Guided Isolation of Alkaloids from Lotus Leaves by pH-Zone-Refining Counter-Current Chromatography

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Rui-Lin Hu

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The traditional methods used in natural product separation primarily target the major components and the minor components may thus be lost during the separation procedure. Consequently, it’s necessary to develop efficient methods for the preparative separation and purification of relatively minor bioactive components. In this paper, a LC/MS method was applied to guide the separation of crude extract of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. leaves whereby a minor component was identified in the LC/MS analysis. Afterwards, an optimized pH-zone-refining CCC method was performed to isolate this product, identified as N-demethylarmepavine. The separation procedure was carried out with a biphasic solvent system composed of hexane-ethyl acetate-methyl alcohol-water (1:6:1:6, v/v with triethylamine (10 mM added to the upper organic phase as a retainer and hydrochloric acid (5 mM to the aqueous mobile phase eluent. Two structurally similar compounds – nuciferine and roemerine – were also obtained from the crude lotus leaves extract. In total 500 mg of crude extract furnished 7.4 mg of N-demethylarmepavine, 45.3 mg of nuciferine and 26.6 mg of roemerine with purities of 90%, 92% and 96%, respectively. Their structures were further identified by HPLC/ESI-MSn, FTICR/MS and the comparison with reference compounds.

Morphological evolution of TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays with lotus-root-shaped nanostructure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Dongliang; Song, Ye; Zhu, Xufei, E-mail: zhuxufei.njust@163.com; Yang, Ruiquan; Han, Aijun

2013-07-01

TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays (TNAs) with lotus-root-shaped nanostructure have been fabricated by a modified two-step electrochemical anodization method. In the present work, different morphologies formed under different anodizing voltages are investigated in detail by field-emission scanning electron microscope. The results show that the concaves left by the first-step anodization can guide the uniform growth of TNAs in some degree as the second-step anodizing voltage is the same with that in the first step, however, when lower voltages are adopted in the second-step anodization, no guidance can be achieved, and different morphological TNAs with lotus-root-shaped nanostructure are fabricated. And we find that the nanotube diameters are directly proportional to the applied voltage in the second-step anodization. Furthermore, a possible mechanism for the growth of the TiO{sub 2} nanotubes with the special morphology is proposed for the first time, which depends on both the oxygen bubble mold and the viscous flow of the barrier oxide from the pore base to the pore wall.

Damage and failure modeling of lotus-type porous material subjected to low-cycle fatigue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Kramberger

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The investigation of low-cycle fatigue behaviour of lotus-type porous material is presented in this paper. Porous materials exhibit some unique features which are useful for a number of various applications. This paper evaluates a numerical approach for determining of damage initiation and evolution of lotus-type porous material with computational simulations, where the considered computational models have different pore topology patterns. The low-cycle fatigue analysis was performed by using a damage evolution law. The damage state was calculated and updated based on the inelastic hysteresis energy for stabilized cycle. Degradation of the elastic stifness was modeled using scalar damage variable. In order to examine crack propagation path finite elements with severe damage were deleted and removed from the mesh during simulation. The direct cyclic analysis capability in Abaqus/Standard was used for low-cycle fatigue analysis to obtain the stabilized response of a model subjected to the periodic loading. The computational results show a qualitative understanding of pores topology influence on low-cycle fatigue under transversal loading conditions in relation to pore orientation.

The Tomato Terpene Synthase Gene Family1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Falara, Vasiliki; Akhtar, Tariq A.; Nguyen, Thuong T.H.; Spyropoulou, Eleni A.; Bleeker, Petra M.; Schauvinhold, Ines; Matsuba, Yuki; Bonini, Megan E.; Schilmiller, Anthony L.; Last, Robert L.; Schuurink, Robert C.; Pichersky, Eran

2011-01-01

Compounds of the terpenoid class play numerous roles in the interactions of plants with their environment, such as attracting pollinators and defending the plant against pests. We show here that the genome of cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) contains 44 terpene synthase (TPS) genes, including 29 that are functional or potentially functional. Of these 29 TPS genes, 26 were expressed in at least some organs or tissues of the plant. The enzymatic functions of eight of the TPS proteins were previously reported, and here we report the specific in vitro catalytic activity of 10 additional tomato terpene synthases. Many of the tomato TPS genes are found in clusters, notably on chromosomes 1, 2, 6, 8, and 10. All TPS family clades previously identified in angiosperms are also present in tomato. The largest clade of functional TPS genes found in tomato, with 12 members, is the TPS-a clade, and it appears to encode only sesquiterpene synthases, one of which is localized to the mitochondria, while the rest are likely cytosolic. A few additional sesquiterpene synthases are encoded by TPS-b clade genes. Some of the tomato sesquiterpene synthases use z,z-farnesyl diphosphate in vitro as well, or more efficiently than, the e,e-farnesyl diphosphate substrate. Genes encoding monoterpene synthases are also prevalent, and they fall into three clades: TPS-b, TPS-g, and TPS-e/f. With the exception of two enzymes involved in the synthesis of ent-kaurene, the precursor of gibberellins, no other tomato TPS genes could be demonstrated to encode diterpene synthases so far. PMID:21813655

Biomimetic fabrication and tunable wetting properties of three-dimensional hierarchical ZnO structures by combining soft lithography templated with lotus leaf and hydrothermal treatments

OpenAIRE

Dai, Shuxi; Zhang, Dianbo; Shi, Qing; Han, Xiao; Wang, Shujie; Du, Zuliang

2013-01-01

Three-dimensional hierarchical ZnO films with lotus-leaf-like micro/nano structures were successfully fabricated via a biomimetic route combining sol-gel technique, soft lithography and hydrothermal treatments. PDMS mold replicated from a fresh lotus leaf was used to imprint microscale pillar structures directly into a ZnO sol film. Hierarchical ZnO micro/nano structures were subsequently fabricated by a low-temperature hydrothermal growth of secondary ZnO nanorod arrays on the micro-structur...

Common symbiosis genes CERBERUS and NSP1 provide additional insight into the establishment of arbuscular mycorrhizal and root nodule symbioses in Lotus japonicus.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagae, Miwa; Takeda, Naoya; Kawaguchi, Masayoshi

2014-01-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis (AMS) and root nodule symbiosis (RNS) share several common symbiotic components, and many of the common symbiosis mutants block the entry of symbionts into the roots. We recently reported that CERBERUS (an E3 ubiquitin ligase) and NSP1 (a GRAS family transcription factor), required for RNS, also modulate AMS development in Lotus japonicus. The novel common symbiosis mutants, cerberus and nsp1, have low colonization of arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi, caused by a defect in internal hyphal elongation and by a decreased fungal entry into the roots, respectively. Here, we showed that CERBERUS was induced at the sites of symbiotic fungal or bacterial infection. NSP1 has been implicated in a strigolactone biosynthesis gene DWARF27 expression. Nevertheless, in nsp1, DWARF27 was induced by inoculation with AM fungi, implying the existence of a NSP1-independent regulatory mechanism of strigolactone biosynthesis during AMS establishment. These results support functional analysis of CERBERUS and NSP1, and also contribute to elucidation of common mechanisms in AMS and RNS.

Two putative-aquaporin genes are differentially expressed during arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in Lotus japonicus

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Giovannetti Marco

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM are widespread symbioses that provide great advantages to the plant, improving its nutritional status and allowing the fungus to complete its life cycle. Nevertheless, molecular mechanisms that lead to the development of AM symbiosis are not yet fully deciphered. Here, we have focused on two putative aquaporin genes, LjNIP1 and LjXIP1, which resulted to be upregulated in a transcriptomic analysis performed on mycorrhizal roots of Lotus japonicus. Results A phylogenetic analysis has shown that the two putative aquaporins belong to different functional families: NIPs and XIPs. Transcriptomic experiments have shown the independence of their expression from their nutritional status but also a close correlation with mycorrhizal and rhizobial interaction. Further transcript quantification has revealed a good correlation between the expression of one of them, LjNIP1, and LjPT4, the phosphate transporter which is considered a marker gene for mycorrhizal functionality. By using laser microdissection, we have demonstrated that one of the two genes, LjNIP1, is expressed exclusively in arbuscule-containing cells. LjNIP1, in agreement with its putative role as an aquaporin, is capable of transferring water when expressed in yeast protoplasts. Confocal analysis have demonstrated that eGFP-LjNIP1, under its endogenous promoter, accumulates in the inner membrane system of arbusculated cells. Conclusions Overall, the results have shown different functionality and expression specificity of two mycorrhiza-inducible aquaporins in L. japonicus. One of them, LjNIP1 can be considered a novel molecular marker of mycorrhizal status at different developmental stages of the arbuscule. At the same time, LjXIP1 results to be the first XIP family aquaporin to be transcriptionally regulated during symbiosis.

Polycyclopentene-Crystal-Decorated Carbon Nanotubes by Convenient Large-Scale In Situ Polymerization and their Lotus-Leaf-Like Superhydrophobic Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Lixin; Huang, Lingqi; Ye, Zhibin; Meng, Nan; Shu, Yang; Gu, Zhiyong

2017-02-01

In situ Pd-catalyzed cyclopentene polymerization in the presence of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) is demonstrated to effectively render, on a large scale, polycyclopentene-crystal-decorated MWCNTs. Controlling the catalyst loading and/or time in the polymerization offers a convenient tuning of the polymer content and the morphology of the decorated MWCNTs. Appealingly, films made of the decorated carbon nanotubes through simple vacuum filtration show the characteristic lotus-leaf-like superhydrophobicity with high water contact angle (>150°), low contact angle hysteresis (<10°), and low water adhesion, while being electrically conductive. This is the first demonstration of the direct fabrication of lotus-leaf-like superhydrophobic films with solution-grown polymer-crystal-decorated carbon nanotubes. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Cellular Force Microscopy for in Vivo Measurements of Plant Tissue Mechanics1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Routier-Kierzkowska, Anne-Lise; Weber, Alain; Kochova, Petra; Felekis, Dimitris; Nelson, Bradley J.; Kuhlemeier, Cris; Smith, Richard S.

2012-01-01

Although growth and morphogenesis are controlled by genetics, physical shape change in plant tissue results from a balance between cell wall loosening and intracellular pressure. Despite recent work demonstrating a role for mechanical signals in morphogenesis, precise measurement of mechanical properties at the individual cell level remains a technical challenge. To address this challenge, we have developed cellular force microscopy (CFM), which combines the versatility of classical microindentation techniques with the high automation and resolution approaching that of atomic force microscopy. CFM’s large range of forces provides the possibility to map the apparent stiffness of both plasmolyzed and turgid tissue as well as to perform micropuncture of cells using very high stresses. CFM experiments reveal that, within a tissue, local stiffness measurements can vary with the level of turgor pressure in an unexpected way. Altogether, our results highlight the importance of detailed physically based simulations for the interpretation of microindentation results. CFM’s ability to be used both to assess and manipulate tissue mechanics makes it a method of choice to unravel the feedbacks between mechanics, genetics, and morphogenesis. PMID:22353572

Image of Iraqis in The Cinema of Sacred Defense

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Abdollah Givian

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Regarding representational function of media, the current dissertation intends to examine the changes in the representation of the image of the Iraqis in the Sacred Defense Cinema. Iraqies have been pictured as the "Others" during last three decades. Due to the importance and role of sacred defense and its cinematic representations of "Self" and "Other" and thereby its contribution in the process of reconstruction of Iranian national identity this research is aimed at studying represented images of Iraqies and its changes during last three decades. To reach this objective I first examined the concept and theories of representation as stated by Richard Dyer and Stuart Hall. Then to complement Hall’s theories I referred to other thinkers in the field of identity theory, ‘self’ and ‘the other’ as stated. In the chapter on methodology I’ve benefited from a combination of the patterns presented by Kate Selbi, Ran Kallory and Rolan Bart to analyze the texts.The findings of this thesis demonstrates that in order to depict the Iraqis in the sixties verbal codes were primarily used whereas in the seventies and the eighties social and technical codes were most used respectively.In the first decade Iraqis were portrayed as those people who are imagined to be cruel, inhuman, in which the emphasis was laid on the impact of the Iraqi’s invasion. In the second decade we see Iraqi’s depicted as dumb and fat people having thick moustaches and rough voices and in the third we see this portrayal to be transformed where Iraqi’s are shown to be our Muslim brothers who have been forced to fight in the war. Having observed, examined and analyzed the films, we found out that when facing ‘the other’, i.e. the Iraqis, the metaphor of the boundary or border was used. This border is seen between ‘self’ and ‘the other’, i.e. the Iranians and the Iraqis in all the chosen movies on the Sacred Defense. In the first decade there was an objective

The lithium blanket program at the LOTUS facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

File, J.; Haldy, P.A.; Quanci, J.

1987-01-01

An experimental program of neutron transport studies of the lithium Blanket Module (LBM) carried out with the LOTUS point-neutron source at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPTL), Switzerland has been concluded. The major objectives of this program are to perform a series of neutron transport and tritium breeding experiments to qualify the LBM for future experiments on toroidal fusion devices such as TFTR to perform neutron multiplier experiments on the LBM employing various materials in a removable slab geometry; and, to compare the experimental results of radiation dosimetry and tritium breeding with the calculations of two and three dimensional neutron transport codes. An overview of the results from the radiation dosimetry and tritium assay are presented and compared to the two and three dimensional neutron transport codes

Natural pigments and sacred art

Science.gov (United States)

Kelekian, Lena, ,, Lady

2010-05-01

Since the dawn of mankind, cavemen has expressed himself through art. The earliest known cave paintings date to some 32,000 years ago and used 4 colours derived from the earth. These pigments were iron oxides and known as ochres, blacks and whites. All pigments known by the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans and Renaissance man were natural and it was not until the 18th century that synthetic pigments were made and widely used. Until that time all art, be it sacred or secular used only natural pigments, of which the preparation of many have been lost or rarely used because of their tedious preparation. As a geologist, a mineralogist and an artist specializing in iconography, I have been able to rediscover 89 natural pigments extracted from minerals. I use these pigments to paint my icons in the traditional Byzantine manner and also to restore old icons, bringing back their glamour and conserving them for years to come. The use of the natural pigments in its proper way also helps to preserve the traditional skills of the iconographer. In the ancient past, pigments were extremely precious. Many took an exceedingly long journey to reach the artists, and came from remote countries. Research into these pigments is the work of history, geography and anthropology. It is an interesting journey in itself to discover that the blue aquamarines came from Afghanistan, the reds from Spain, the greens Africa, and so on. In this contribution I will be describing the origins, preparation and use of some natural pigments, together with their history and provenance. Additionally, I will show how the natural pigments are used in the creation of an icon. Being a geologist iconographer, for me, is a sacrement that transforms that which is earthly, material and natural into a thing of beauty that is sacred. As bread and wine in the Eucharist, water during baptism and oil in Holy Union transmit sanctification to the beholder, natural pigments do the same when one considers an icon. The

Dicty_cDB: Contig-U01335-1 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 24 2.2 4 ( AW720069 ) LjNEST13d1r Lotus japonicus nodule library 5 and ... 36 2.2 2 ( AZ549980 ) ENTDD94TF Entamoeba histolytic...0053 Schistosoma manso... 36 3.3 2 ( BI417856 ) LjNEST37h10r Lotus japonicus nodule library 5 and... 36 3.4 ...2 ( BI417355 ) LjNEST38c2r Lotus japonicus nodule library 5 and ... 36 3.4 2 ( CG...ple Tissues, Normaliz... 34 3.5 2 ( CB828239 ) LjNEST84d3r Lotus japonicus nodule library 5 and ......077 3 ( CX198414 ) ydf29b11.y1 Sea urchin EST Lib1 Strongylocentrotu... 36 0.082 3 ( EE049942 ) zf_003_A10 Developmental library

Dicty_cDB: Contig-U04327-1 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 05, 5' en... 52 3e-04 2 ( BI420470 ) LjNEST57e11r Lotus japonicus nodule library ...5 and... 52 3e-04 2 ( BI417687 ) LjNEST34c3r Lotus japonicus nodule library 5 and ... 52 3e-04 2 ( BI418582 ) LjNEST43d6r Lotu...s japonicus nodule library 5 and ... 52 3e-04 2 ( BI419267 ) LjNEST44c8r Lotus japonicus nodule library... 5 and ... 52 3e-04 2 ( BI419149 ) LjNEST35h6r Lotus japonicus nodule library 5 and ... 52 3e-0... cDNA clone SOYBE... 48 0.50 1 ( BQ606814 ) BRY_2689 wheat EST endosperm library Triticu

Effect of varying dietary concentrations of lysine on growth performance of the Pearl Grey guinea fowl.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhogoju, S; Nahashon, S N; Donkor, J; Kimathi, B; Johnson, D; Khwatenge, C; Bowden-Taylor, T

2017-05-01

Lysine is the second limiting essential amino acid in poultry nutrition after methionine. Understanding the lysine requirement of poultry is necessary in guiding formulation of least cost diets that effectively meet the nutritional needs of individual birds. The lysine requirement of the Pearl Grey guinea fowl (PGGF) is not known. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the appropriate lysine levels required for optimal growth attributes of the PGGF. In a 12-week study, 512 one-day-old Pearl Grey guinea keets were weighed individually and randomly assigned to electrically heated battery brooders. Each battery contained 12 compartments housing 15 birds each. Eight diets fed to the experimental birds consisted of corn-soybean meal and contained 0.80 to 1.22 digestible lysine in 0.06% increments. Feed and water were provided at free choice and the diets were replicated twice. Experimental diets contained 3,100 Kcal metabolizable energy (ME)/kg diet and 23% crude protein (CP), 3,150 ME Kcal ME/kg diet and 21% CP, and 3,100 ME/kg and 17% CP, at zero to 4, 5 to 10, and 11 to 12 weeks of age (WOA), respectively. Birds were provided water ad libitum and a 23:1 and 8:16-hr (light:dark) regimen at zero to 8 and 9 to 12 WOA, respectively. Birds were weighed weekly, and body weight gain, feed consumption, and feed conversions were determined. Data were analyzed using the General Linear Model (GLM) procedures of SAS (2002) with dietary lysine as treatment effect. Females responded better to diets containing 1.04 and 0.8% lysine from hatch to 4 and 5 to 12 WOA, respectively. Males responded better to diets containing 1.10 and 0.8% lysine at hatch to 4 WOA and 5 to 12 WOA, respectively. Therefore, we recommend that PGGF females and males be fed diets containing 1.04 and 1.10%, respectively, at hatch to 4 WOA and 0.80% lysine at 5 to 12 WOA. The diets should be supplied in phases. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Lotus japonicus nodulation requires two GRAS domain regulators, one of which is functionally conserved in a non-legume

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heckmann, Anne Birgitte Lau; Lombardo, Fabien; Miwa, Hiroki

2006-01-01

A new nodulation-defective mutant of Lotus japonicus does not initiate nodule cortical cell division in response to Mesorhizobium loti, but induces root hair deformation, Nod factor-induced calcium spiking, and mycorrhization. This phenotype, together with mapping data, suggested that the mutation...... could be in the ortholog of the Medicago truncatula NSP1 gene (MtNSP1). The sequence of the orthologous gene (LjNSP1) in the L. japonicus mutant (Ljnsp1-1) revealed a mutation causing a premature stop resulting in loss of the C-terminal 23 amino acids. We also sequenced the NSP2 gene from L. japonicus...

An RNA-Seq Transcriptome Analysis of Orthophosphate-Deficient White Lupin Reveals Novel Insights into Phosphorus Acclimation in Plants1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

O’Rourke, Jamie A.; Yang, S. Samuel; Miller, Susan S.; Bucciarelli, Bruna; Liu, Junqi; Rydeen, Ariel; Bozsoki, Zoltan; Uhde-Stone, Claudia; Tu, Zheng Jin; Allan, Deborah; Gronwald, John W.; Vance, Carroll P.

2013-01-01

Phosphorus, in its orthophosphate form (Pi), is one of the most limiting macronutrients in soils for plant growth and development. However, the whole-genome molecular mechanisms contributing to plant acclimation to Pi deficiency remain largely unknown. White lupin (Lupinus albus) has evolved unique adaptations for growth in Pi-deficient soils, including the development of cluster roots to increase root surface area. In this study, we utilized RNA-Seq technology to assess global gene expression in white lupin cluster roots, normal roots, and leaves in response to Pi supply. We de novo assembled 277,224,180 Illumina reads from 12 complementary DNA libraries to build what is to our knowledge the first white lupin gene index (LAGI 1.0). This index contains 125,821 unique sequences with an average length of 1,155 bp. Of these sequences, 50,734 were transcriptionally active (reads per kilobase per million reads ≥ 3), representing approximately 7.8% of the white lupin genome, using the predicted genome size of Lupinus angustifolius as a reference. We identified a total of 2,128 sequences differentially expressed in response to Pi deficiency with a 2-fold or greater change and P ≤ 0.05. Twelve sequences were consistently differentially expressed due to Pi deficiency stress in three species, Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), potato (Solanum tuberosum), and white lupin, making them ideal candidates to monitor the Pi status of plants. Additionally, classic physiological experiments were coupled with RNA-Seq data to examine the role of cytokinin and gibberellic acid in Pi deficiency-induced cluster root development. This global gene expression analysis provides new insights into the biochemical and molecular mechanisms involved in the acclimation to Pi deficiency. PMID:23197803

Sacred Symbols in Dimitrie Gavrilean’s Paintings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emilian Adrian Gavrilean

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This year, on the 12th of July, there are four years since the passing away of the painter Dimitrie Gavrilean who, ,”through the unique impresion of his originality, early became an emblem of the school of painting of Iasi.” Born in Voroneţ, in 1942, Dimitrie Gavrilean attended ”Nicolae Grigorescu” Academy of Arts of Bucharest, being an eminent disciple of the master Corneliu Baba. The work in the creation workshop was combined with the vocation of teacher at the Faculty of Visual Arts and Design within ”G. Enescu” University of Arts of Iaşi, being a rector of this institution in the period 2000-2004. In the contemporary plastic landscape, the artistic work of the painter Dimitrie Gavrilean (1942-2012 from Iaşi occupies a special place. It mirrors the utmost of the autochthonous rural imaginary, the Romanian fundamental myths, the ancestral myths as well as the recently Christianized ones. His vision is specific to the Romanian Christianity and the Byzantine iconography. The language of Gavrilean’s paintings is one of symbols, by excellence. As Emil Staco rightfully observed, the entire work of art of master Gavrilean is ”a work of art of the symbols, of the metaphors rooted in the spirituality of the Romanian village of Bukovina, in the frescoes of Voroneţ and Humor Monasteries.” On the one hand, the painter did not content himself with illustrating only the ancestral mythical world by means of symbols with universal valences, but he got actively involved in the Christian valorization of mythical symbols. On the other hand, by integrating sacred symbols (the dove, the cock, winged characters, the wise old man, the architecture-church, the sun, Voroneţ blue of the Christian iconography of Byzantine tradition in paintings not necessarily religious, Dimitrie Gavrilean pushed his work of art to the border between sacred and profane, proving an extraordinary capacity of spiritualizing matter as well as of materializing the

The research on Nelumbonucifera for eutrophication control in Wuliangsuhailake Inner Mongolia,China

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xing; Xu, Xiaoqing; Gou, Mangmang

2018-02-01

In order to study the effect on Nelumbonucifera (common name:lotus) for eutrophication control in Wuliangsuhai lake inner Mongolia, an enclosure of 2000m2was established in the southeast of Wuliangsuhailake. In the paper, the changes on water quality and phytoplankton abundance were monitored before planting lotus, after. Purpose of the study is to investigate the influence of lotus on improving water quality, restoration of water environment, and so on. The results were shown below. Firstly, Plantinglotus was significant for removal of total nitrogen and total phosphorus in water. Total nitrogen removal rate was more than 25%.Total phosphorus removal rate was more than 30%.Secondly, dissolved oxygen concentrations in August increased by 39.31percent.The Simultaneously, compared with the control (in April), the pH value was 8.0 in August(the flowering period) and declined by 10.11 percent. In this salinity, lotus had a strong salt tolerance and growed normally. Lastly, the biomass of phytoplankton was inhibited after planting lotus, especially for the inhibition of green algae growth. Studies on water bodies restoration under planting lotus in Wuliangsuhai lake have not been reported.Therefore, planting lotus will provide a new idea and theoretical reference for improving the eutrophication of Wuliangsuhailake.

Social Theory, Sacred Text, and Sing-Sing Prison: A Sociology of Community-Based Reconciliation.

Science.gov (United States)

Erickson, Victoria Lee

2002-01-01

Examines the sociological component of the urban community-based professional education programs at New York Theological Seminary offered at Sing-Sing Prison. Explores the simultaneous use of social theory and sacred texts as teaching tools and intervention strategies in the educational and personal transformation processes of men incarcerated for…

76 FR 33406 - Lotus Cars Ltd. Receipt of Petition for Renewal of Temporary Exemption From the Advanced Air Bag...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-08

... substantial economic hardship and that it has tried in good faith to comply with the standard. In recognition... market share of its entry-level model to other brands. Lotus also alleges that it has made a good faith...

Nanocrystalline nickel films with lotus leaf texture for superhydrophobic and low friction surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Shafiei, Mehdi; Alpas, Ahmet T.

2009-11-01

Nanostructured Ni films with high hardness, high hydrophobicity and low coefficient of friction (COF) were fabricated. The surface texture of lotus leaf was replicated using a cellulose acetate film, on which a nanocrystalline (NC) Ni coating with a grain size of 30 ± 4 nm was electrodeposited to obtain a self-sustaining film with a hardness of 4.42 GPa. The surface texture of the NC Ni obtained in this way featured a high density (4 × 10 3 mm -2) of conical protuberances with an average height of 10.0 ± 2.0 μm and a tip radius of 2.5 ± 0.5 μm. This structure increased the water repellency and reduced the COF, compared to smooth NC Ni surfaces. The application of a short-duration (120 s) electrodeposition process that deposited "Ni crowns" with a larger radius of 6.0 ± 0.5 μm on the protuberances, followed by a perfluoropolyether (PFPE) solution treatment succeeded in producing a surface texture consisting of nanotextured protuberances that resulted in a very high water contact angle of 156°, comparable to that of the superhydrophobic lotus leaf. Additionally, the microscale protuberances eliminated the initial high COF peaks observed when smooth NC Ni films were tested, and the PFPE treatment resulted in a 60% reduction in the steady-state COFs.

The trehalose utilization gene thuA ortholog in Mesorhizobium loti does not influence competitiveness for nodulation on Lotus spp.

Science.gov (United States)

Ampomah, Osei Yaw; Jensen, John Beck

2014-03-01

Competitiveness for nodulation is a desirable trait in rhizobia strains used as inoculant. In Sinorhizobium meliloti 1021 mutation in either of the trehalose utilization genes thuA or thuB influences its competitiveness for root colonization and nodule occupancy depending on the interacting host. We have therefore investigated whether mutation in the thuA ortholog in Mesorhizobium loti MAFF303099 also leads to a similar competitive phenotype on its hosts. The results show that M. loti thuA mutant Ml7023 was symbiotically effective and was as competitive as the wild type in colonization and nodule occupancy on Lotus corniculatus and Lotus japonicus. The thuA gene in M. loti was not induced during root colonization or in the infection threads unlike in S. meliloti, despite its induction by trehalose and high osmolarity in in vitro assays.

Identification of QTLs for shoot and root growth under ionic-osmotic stress in Lotus, using a RIL population

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Quero, Gastón; Gutíerrez, Lucía; Lascano, Ramiro

2014-01-01

The genus Lotus includes a group of forage legume species including genotypes of agronomic interest and model species. In this work, an experimental hydroponic growth system allowed the discrimination of growth responses to ionic-osmotic stress in a population of recombinant inbred lines (RILs...

Predictors of Paravalvular Regurgitation After Implantation of the Fully Repositionable and Retrievable Lotus Transcatheter Aortic Valve (from the REPRISE II Trial Extended Cohort).

Science.gov (United States)

Blackman, Daniel J; Meredith, Ian T; Dumonteil, Nicolas; Tchétché, Didier; Hildick-Smith, David; Spence, Mark S; Walters, Darren L; Harnek, Jan; Worthley, Stephen G; Rioufol, Gilles; Lefèvre, Thierry; Houle, Vicki M; Allocco, Dominic J; Dawkins, Keith D

2017-07-15

Paravalvular leak (PVL) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement is associated with worse long-term outcomes. The Lotus Valve incorporates an innovative Adaptive Seal designed to minimize PVL. This analysis evaluated the incidence and predictors of PVL after implantation of the Lotus transcatheter aortic valve. The REPRISE II (REpositionable Percutaneous Replacement of Stenotic Aortic Valve through Implantation of Lotus Valve System - Evaluation of Safety and Performance) Study With Extended Cohort enrolled 250 high-surgical risk patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis. Aortic regurgitation was assessed by echocardiography pre-procedure, at discharge and 30 days, by an independent core laboratory. Baseline and procedural predictors of mild or greater PVL at 30 days (or at discharge if 30-day data were not available) were determined using a multivariate regression model (n = 229). Of the 229 patients, 197 (86%) had no/trace PVL, 30 had mild, and 2 had moderate PVL; no patient had severe PVL. Significant predictors of mild/moderate PVL included device:annulus area ratio (odds ratio [OR] 0.87; 95% CI 0.83 to 0.92; p 10% annular oversizing by area were 17.5% (11 of 63), 2.9% (2 of 70), and 3.2% (2 of 63), respectively. Significant independent predictors of PVL included device:annulus area ratio and left ventricular outflow tract calcium volume. When the prosthetic valve was oversized by ≥5%, the rate of mild or greater PVL was only 3%. In conclusion, the overall rates of PVL with the Lotus Valve are low and predominantly related to device/annulus areas and calcium; these findings have implications for optimal device sizing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Places of Faith: A Reflection on Landscape of Manila Cathedral Plaza de Roma and Istiqlal Mosque Sacred Grounds of Jakarta

Science.gov (United States)

Pujalte, MM; Navarra, N.

2017-10-01

Crossing boundaries of faith from Manila to Jakarta, this study is to classify the open spaces in their sacred grounds according to its characteristics, elements, use of space and hierarchy of importance in landscape design approach. The reflection of their religious landscape in preserving the traditional, and exploring the non-traditional aspect of their landscape design in global setting is carried out thru a spatial analysis for Plaza de Roma of Manila Cathedral and the sacred grounds of Istiqlal Mosque. The design framework would tackle: concepts, planning approach, functional symbolic values, and aesthetics used. The data and information are all examined based on observation, historical background, analyses, and literature content in determining spatial functions. Finally, when results are completed, this will give a better understanding on the importance of open areas in Manila and Jakarta’s sacred spaces; paving way for a better sense of comfort in spiritual contemplation. This will also help reveal the commonalities in spiritual practices between Islam and Christianity, and the role of landscape in their religion and faith.

The Untidy Playground: An Irish Congolese Case Study in Sonic Encounters with the Sacred Stranger

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helen Phelan

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This paper explores the proposal that music, and particularly singing, has unique properties that render it amenable to encounters with “the other” or the sacred stranger. Drawing on the deconstructionist works of Kristeva and Derrida, as well as the postmodern hermeneutics of Kearney and Caputo, it explores current debate concerning the nature of “the sacred” in contemporary life and the erosion of the theistic/atheistic divide, while proposing a deepening of the debate through the inclusion of the performative. As philosophical and theological discourses embrace this aporia, it does so against the backdrop of unprecedented human migration. The concomitant cultural and social disruption throws up new questions around the nature and experience of religion, spirituality and the sacred. This paper explores these questions in the context of a Congolese choir called Elikya, which was established by a group of asylum seekers in Limerick city, Ireland, in 2001. In tracking the musical life of this choir over the last decade and a half, including two musical recordings and numerous liturgical, religious and secular performances, it suggests that the sonic world of the choir both performs and transcends these descriptors. Using a three-fold model of context, content and intent, the paper concludes that musical experiences such as those created by Elikya erode any easy divisions between the religious and the secular or the liturgical and the non-liturgical and provide sonic opportunities to encounter the sacred stranger in the untidy playground of creative chaos.

Place Attachment in the Bible : The role of attachment to sacred places in religious life

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Counted, Agina Victor; Watts, Fraser

2017-01-01

This paper examines the role of place attachment in religious life by analyzing various significant place events in the Bible, using analysis of biblical discourse. The paper looks at various biblical places, and explores the implications of approaching these sacred settings in terms of place

Florescimento e produção de sementes de Lotus subbiflorus Lag. cv. El Rincón Flowering and seed production of Lotus subbiflorus Lag. cv. El Rincón

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Priscila Silva da Costa Ferreira Gomes

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar a dinâmica do florescimento e o potencial de produção de sementes de Lotus subbiflorus Lag. cv. El Rincón. Por meio de amostragens semanais realizadas entre 13/11/2008 e 4/2/2009, estudaram-se as variáveis número de botões florais, número de inflorescências, número de flores, número de legumes totais, peso de mil sementes e produção de sementes. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi de blocos casualizados com os tratamentos arranjados como níveis de um fator experimental, constituído pelas datas após a semeadura. Dessa forma, o experimento foi realizado com dois blocos e doze unidades experimentais por bloco. A produção de sementes de L. subbiflorus no Sul do Brasil tem problemas decorrentes do florescimento contínuo, o que dificulta a colheita. A produção máxima obtida foi de 63,2 kg/ha em janeiro de 2009 (4372 graus-dia. O peso de mil sementes e o número de legumes foram as características que mais se correlacionaram com a produção de sementes. A emissão constante de botões florais contribui negativamente sobre os demais componentes da produção de sementes.The aim of this work was to evaluate the dynamic of the flowering and the Lotus subbiflorus Lag. Cv. "El Rincón"seed production potential. The variables studied through weekly samples from 11/13/2008 to 02/04/2009 were: number of flower buds, number of inflorescences, number of flowers, number of total legumes, weight of 1000 seeds and seed production. The experimental design used randomized blocks with treatments arranged as levels of an experimental factor, defined by the dates after seeding. The experiment was conducted with two blocks and twelve experimental units per block. Lotus subbiflorus seed production, in the South Brazil, presents problems caused by continuous flowering, difficulting to harvesting. The maximum production obtained was 63.2 kg/ha in January 2009 (4372 degree days. The weight of 1000 seeds and

Revisiting plant conservation on wooded shrines by a transversal approach: "Core" vs. "satellite" species and anthropological knowledge in Bwaba land, Burkina Faso

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne Fournier

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Studies on plant conservation in sacred groves provide mixed results, with some showing their effectiveness while others do not. We argue that beyond the variety of field cases, studies usually suffer from overrating rare species and insufficient consideration of societal data. The sacred sites of Bondoukuy department in Bwaba cultural area (Burkina Faso were geo-referenced and measured; the most abundant ligneous species were listed and their abundance recorded. Their conservation status and dynamics were assessed based on the core vs. satellite species model of Hanski. Data interpretations relied on the phytogeographical affinities of abundant species and on anthropological knowledge of the Bwaba society. The vast majority of shrines were less than 1 ha, located in or near villages in specific landscape features, and covered with trees. The most abundant species of shrines belonged mostly to local phytochories, but were subject to rather high anthropisation. The results support the concept that wooded shrines preserve local biodiversity, but indicate threats from an invasive alien species. The location and condition of shrines appeared to be constitutive features: the Bwaba system of thought involves a series of sacred sites (with and without trees located in remarkable features of the landscape, and their way of life has resulted in the proximity of these sites to the villages. The beliefs that promote plant cover conservation do so only to a certain extent and regardless of the species content, which raises the concern that alien species may upset the established communities. These beliefs have led the Bwaba to choose the most humid environments in which to set up their wooded shrines, which is interesting from a conservation perspective. The study advocates for a better consideration of social data to identify the key elements of the dynamics of the vegetation of sacred groves.

Green synthesis of nitrogen-doped carbon dots from lotus root for Hg(II) ions detection and cell imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gu, Dan; Shang, Shaoming, E-mail: smshang@jiangnan.edu.cn; Yu, Qin; Shen, Jie

2016-12-30

Graphical abstract: Fluorescent nitrogen-doped carbon dots were synthesized by a facile, green, and fast microwave method, using lotus root as carbon source. These nitrogen-doped carbon dots can be used for Hg{sup 2+} detection and cell imaging. - Highlights: • A green, fast strategy for synthesizing carbon dots was established. • A simple, sensitive, selective and wide linear range sensing of Hg{sup 2+} was developed. • The sensor system was demonstrated to detect Hg{sup 2+} in environmental water sample. • The carbon dots could serve for multicolor fluorescence bioimaging. - Abstract: Herein, a facile, green, and fast method was developed in the synthesis of fluorescent nitrogen-doped carbon dots (CDs) with nitrogen content of 5.23%, using one-pot microwave treatment of lotus root (LR), without using any other surface passivation agents. The results show that these LR-CDs (with an average diameter of 9.41 nm) possess many outstanding features and have a high quantum yield of 19.0%. We further demonstrated applications of LR-CDs as probes for heavy metal ion detection. The LR-CDs exhibit captivating sensitivity and selectivity toward Hg{sup 2+} with a linear range from 0.1 to 60.0 μM and a detection limit of 18.7 nM. Eventually, the LR-CDs were applied for multicolor cell imaging, demonstrating their potential toward diverse applications.

Robust Superhydrophobic Carbon Nanotube Film with Lotus Leaf Mimetic Multiscale Hierarchical Structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Pengwei; Zhao, Tianyi; Bian, Ruixin; Wang, Guangyan; Liu, Huan

2017-12-26

Superhydrophobic carbon nanotube (CNT) films have demonstrated many fascinating performances in versatile applications, especially for those involving solid/liquid interfacial processes, because of their ability to affect the material/energy transfer at interfaces. Thus, developing superhydrophobic CNTs has attracted extensive research interests in the past decades, and it could be achieved either by surface coating of low-free energy materials or by constructing micro/nanohierarchical structures via various complicated processes. So far, developing a simple approach to fabricate stable superhydrophobic CNTs remains a challenge because the capillary force induced coalescence frequently happens when interacting with liquid. Herein, drawing inspirations from the lotus leaf, we proposed a simple one-step chemical vapor deposition approach with programmable controlled gas flow to directly fabricate a CNT film with rather stable superhydrophobicity, which can effectively prevent even small water droplets from permeating into the film. The robust superhydrophobicity was attributable to typical lotus-leaf-like micro/nanoscale hierarchical surface structures of the CNT film, where many microscale clusters composed of entangled nanotubes randomly protrude out of the under-layer aligned nanotubes. Consequently, dual-scale air pockets were trapped within each microscale CNT cluster and between, which could largely reduce the liquid/solid interface, leading to a Cassie state. Moreover, the superhydrophobicity of the CNT film showed excellent durability after long time exposure to air and even to corrosive liquids with a wide range of pH values. We envision that the approach developed is advantageous for versatile physicochemical interfacial processes, such as drag reduction, electrochemical catalysis, anti-icing, and biosensors.

Root growth of Lotus corniculatus interacts with P distribution in young sandy soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Felderer

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Large areas of land are restored with unweathered soil substrates following mining activities in eastern Germany and elsewhere. In the initial stages of colonization of such land by vegetation, plant roots may become key agents in generating soil formation patterns by introducing gradients in chemical and physical soil properties. On the other hand, such patterns may be influenced by root growth responses to pre-existing substrate heterogeneities. In particular, the roots of many plants were found to preferentially proliferate into nutrient-rich patches. Phosphorus (P is of primary interest in this respect because its availability is often low in unweathered soils, limiting especially the growth of leguminous plants. However, leguminous plants occur frequently among the pioneer plant species on such soils, as they only depend on atmospheric nitrogen (N fixation as N source. In this study we investigated the relationship between root growth allocation of the legume Lotus corniculatus and soil P distribution on recently restored land. As test sites, the experimental Chicken Creek Catchment (CCC in eastern Germany and a nearby experimental site (ES with the same soil substrate were used. We established two experiments with constructed heterogeneity, one in the field on the experimental site and the other in a climate chamber. In addition, we conducted high-density samplings on undisturbed soil plots colonized by L. corniculatus on the ES and on the CCC. In the field experiment, we installed cylindrical ingrowth soil cores (4.5 × 10 cm with and without P fertilization around single two-month-old L. corniculatus plants. Roots showed preferential growth into the P-fertilized ingrowth-cores. Preferential root allocation was also found in the climate chamber experiment, where single L. corniculatus plants were grown in containers filled with ES soil and where a lateral portion of the containers was additionally supplied with a range of different P

Relative effect of solder flux chemistry on the humidity related failures in electronics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Verdingovas, Vadimas; Jellesen, Morten Stendahl; Ambat, Rajan

2015-01-01

Purpose - This paper aims to investigate the effect of no-clean flux chemistry with various weak organic acids (WOAs) as activators on the corrosion reliability of electronics with emphasis on the hygroscopic nature of the residue. Design/methodology/approach - The hygroscopicity of flux residue...... in the impedance measurements were observed. Practical implications - The findings are attributed to the deliquescence RH of the WOA(s) in the flux and chemistry of water-layer formation. The results show the importance of WOA type in relation to its solubility and deliquescence RH on the corrosion reliability...

The multiple strategies of an insect herbivore to overcome plant cyanogenic glucoside defence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pentzold, Stefan; Zagrobelny, Mika; Roelsgaard, Pernille Sølvhøj

2014-01-01

Cyanogenic glucosides (CNglcs) are widespread plant defence compounds that release toxic hydrogen cyanide by plant bglucosidase activity after tissue damage. Specialised insect herbivores have evolved counter strategies and some sequester CNglcs, but the underlying mechanisms to keep CNglcs intact...... during feeding and digestion are unknown. We show that CNglc-sequestering Zygaena filipendulae larvae combine behavioural, morphological, physiological and biochemical strategies at different time points during feeding and digestion to avoid toxic hydrolysis of the CNglcs present in their Lotus food...

Forgotten Bibles: Friedrich Max Müller’s Edition of the Sacred Books of the East

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Molendijk, Arie

2016-01-01

Max Müller’s edition of the Sacred Books of the East (1879-1910) is doubtless one of the most ambitious and daring editorial projects of late Victorian scholarship. This essay examines the claim that these translations ratify a whole taxonomy of concepts and procedures that will characterize the

Nitric Oxide Mediates the Hormonal Control of Crassulacean Acid Metabolism Expression in Young Pineapple Plants1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Freschi, Luciano; Rodrigues, Maria Aurineide; Domingues, Douglas Silva; Purgatto, Eduardo; Van Sluys, Marie-Anne; Magalhaes, Jose Ronaldo; Kaiser, Werner M.; Mercier, Helenice

2010-01-01

Genotypic, developmental, and environmental factors converge to determine the degree of Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) expression. To characterize the signaling events controlling CAM expression in young pineapple (Ananas comosus) plants, this photosynthetic pathway was modulated through manipulations in water availability. Rapid, intense, and completely reversible up-regulation in CAM expression was triggered by water deficit, as indicated by the rise in nocturnal malate accumulation and in the expression and activity of important CAM enzymes. During both up- and down-regulation of CAM, the degree of CAM expression was positively and negatively correlated with the endogenous levels of abscisic acid (ABA) and cytokinins, respectively. When exogenously applied, ABA stimulated and cytokinins repressed the expression of CAM. However, inhibition of water deficit-induced ABA accumulation did not block the up-regulation of CAM, suggesting that a parallel, non-ABA-dependent signaling route was also operating. Moreover, strong evidence revealed that nitric oxide (NO) may fulfill an important role during CAM signaling. Up-regulation of CAM was clearly observed in NO-treated plants, and a conspicuous temporal and spatial correlation was also evident between NO production and CAM expression. Removal of NO from the tissues either by adding NO scavenger or by inhibiting NO production significantly impaired ABA-induced up-regulation of CAM, indicating that NO likely acts as a key downstream component in the ABA-dependent signaling pathway. Finally, tungstate or glutamine inhibition of the NO-generating enzyme nitrate reductase completely blocked NO production during ABA-induced up-regulation of CAM, characterizing this enzyme as responsible for NO synthesis during CAM signaling in pineapple plants. PMID:20147491

The belives on the asphalt. Sacred sites as means of appropriation of the public space in México City

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María Ana Portal

2009-07-01

Full Text Available This paper explores how residents of México City appropriate public spaces by transforming local places into sacred sites.  This sacred quality is achieved by installing crucifixes, altars and niches for virgins and saints.  These symbols of folk religion not only adorn public sites, but also offer protection, serve as mnemonic devices and manage spatial liminality -all this in a chaotic city where public spaces are considered to be almost extinct.  These elements -- faces, proper names, common religious symbols- mark “anonymous” urban spaces, generating meaning and memory for inhabitants.  In this fashion, public spaces become a scenario for projecting personal elements of  neighborhood groups.

Les lieux du sacré dans les Miracula sancti Germani d’Heiric d’Auxerre et les Gesta pontificum Autissiodorensium

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Dominique Iogna-Prat

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Comment cerner la notion de sacré dans les textes carolingiens que sont les Gestes des évêques d’Auxerre et les Miracles de saint Germain écrits par l’un des maîtres de l’école carolingienne d’Auxerre, Heiric ? Une étude lexicale précise des mots latins employés par les auteurs permet d’approcher au plus près les concepts renvoyant aux lieux du sacré. Ce sujet de maîtrise. suggéré par D. Iogna-Prat et réalisé sous la direction de M. Bourin (université de Paris I-Panthéon Sorbonne, avec l’aid...

What Marketing Strategy for Sacred Geometry Discoveries to Make Archaeotourism Work?

OpenAIRE

Mulaj, Isa

2015-01-01

Archaeotourism can take place in two main forms: i) on site or locations of discoveries; and ii) assembling the discoveries into museums or exhibitions. Given that the first option in Kosovo has not proven viable, a marketing strategy went on to be explored for the latter in broad terms by taking into account Bronze Age artifacts with engravings from the sacred geometry discovered by the Author of this paper during 2013-14, which were the work of ancient Illyrians. Yet, the results suggest a ...

Some notes on the rings with sacred inscriptions from Pannonia

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András Szabó

2015-02-01

Full Text Available More than a hundred rings bearing inscriptions are known from the territory of Roman Pannonia. Among these close to 30 artefacts can be regarded as rings displaying inscriptions of religious significance. Besides the Silvanus-rings, well-known to the archaeological research, some new groups of rings featuring sacred inscriptions can be distinguished according to the dedications. The aim of this paper is to analyse these objects and their religious backgrounds with the help of some archaeological, epigraphical and literary sources and to point out some of the questionable observations of the earlier research.

Finding the Sacred Direction: Medieval Books on the Qibla

Science.gov (United States)

Rius, M.

2009-08-01

Medieval Islamic scholars wrote a great number of books on the qibla, the Sacred Direction. These books had a huge readership and provided instructions for finding the direction of Mecca by either exact or approximate means. In principle, the qibla was a purely religious subject, but in practice its determination required the use of astronomy as an applied science. As so often, religion and politics had many points of contact and, in this case, it was generally political considerations that prevailed. Finally, the analysis of nautical charts can offer new perspectives. As yet, modern scholarship has not established the link between this area of study and the classical literature on this subject.

From the numinous to the sacred.

Science.gov (United States)

MacKenna, Christopher

2009-04-01

Jung took the idea of the 'numinous' from Rudolf Otto's book Das Heilige (E.T. The Idea of the Holy) and made it central to his understanding of religion. However, as Lucy Huskinson has recently pointed out, this involves a misreading of Otto's work in which we have to look beyond the numinous (which is the non-rational factor in religion) towards the 'holy' which, like a symbol, holds the rational and non-rational aspects of religious experience together in a personally transformative way. This understanding of the spiritual and psychological journey is supported by case material in which a numinous experience, arising in the context of intensive analytical psychotherapy, proved to be but the first step in a process which led, through a period of mourning, towards the development of the patient's capacity to symbolize. In the light of this, the author suggests that the sacred is to be found in the capacity for a certain quality of symbolic relatedness--to self and other--which may or may not be attended by numinous experience.

Insect Analogue to the Lotus Leaf: A Planthopper Wing Membrane Incorporating a Low-Adhesion, Nonwetting, Superhydrophobic, Bactericidal, and Biocompatible Surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Gregory S; Green, David W; Cribb, Bronwen W; Brown, Christopher L; Meritt, Christopher R; Tobin, Mark J; Vongsvivut, Jitraporn; Sun, Mingxia; Liang, Ai-Ping; Watson, Jolanta A

2017-07-19

Nature has produced many intriguing and spectacular surfaces at the micro- and nanoscales. These small surface decorations act for a singular or, in most cases, a range of functions. The minute landscape found on the lotus leaf is one such example, displaying antiwetting behavior and low adhesion with foreign particulate matter. Indeed the lotus leaf has often been considered the "benchmark" for such properties. One could expect that there are animal counterparts of this self-drying and self-cleaning surface system. In this study, we show that the planthopper insect wing (Desudaba danae) exhibits a remarkable architectural similarity to the lotus leaf surface. Not only does the wing demonstrate a topographical likeness, but some surface properties are also expressed, such as nonwetting behavior and low adhering forces with contaminants. In addition, the insect-wing cuticle exhibits an antibacterial property in which Gram-negative bacteria (Porphyromonas gingivalis) are killed over many consecutive waves of attacks over 7 days. In contrast, eukaryote cell associations, upon contact with the insect membrane, lead to a formation of integrated cell sheets (e.g., among human stem cells (SHED-MSC) and human dermal fibroblasts (HDF)). The multifunctional features of the insect membrane provide a potential natural template for man-made applications in which specific control of liquid, solid, and biological contacts is desired and required. Moreover, the planthopper wing cuticle provides a "new" natural surface with which numerous interfacial properties can be explored for a range of comparative studies with both natural and man-made materials.

Seed colour affects light and temperature requirements during germination in two Lotus species (Fabaceae) of the Arabian subtropical deserts.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhatt, Arvind; Gairola, Sanjay; El-Keblawy, Ali A

2016-06-01

Heterogeneity in seeds mostly occurs due to physiological, environmental and genetic factors, and these could affect seed dormancy and germination. Therefore, the aim of our study was to assess the effect of seed colour on germination behavior. For this, both light and temperature requirements were assessed in Lotus glinoides and Lotus halophilus (Fabaceae) from the hyper-arid deserts of the United Arab Emirates. Germination was assessed in terms of both final germination level (percentage) and germination rate, as expressed by Timson’s germination velocity index. Lotus glinoides produces black and yellow-colored seeds, and L. halophilus produces green and yellow seeds. Different seed lots were germinated in both light and darkness at different temperatures. Yellow seeds of the two species attained significantly lower germination, compared to black and green seeds. There was no specific light or temperature requirements for the germination of the two coloured seeds of L. glinoides; the effect of interactions between seed colour and both light and incubation temperature, were not significant on the final germination percentage. In L. halophilus, green seeds germinated significantly more in both light and darkness at lower temperatures (15/25 °C) and in light at higher temperatures (25/35 °C), compared to yellow seeds. Yellow seeds germinated faster, compared to black at 15/25 °C in L. glinoides and compared to green seeds at 15/25 °C and 25/35 °C in L. halophilus. Seed colour variation, at least in L. halophilus, could be a survival strategy that would determine the time of germination throughout the year in the unpredictable desert environment.

BETWEEN SACRED AND PROFANE: WOMAN‟S SEARCH FOR EXISTENCE IN ELIZABETH GILBERT‟S EAT, PRAY, LOVE

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Fatma Hetami

2017-04-01

The results indicate that the meaning of profane and sacred can be revealed through the description of liz‘s process in searching her existence. It can be seen in the novel‘s text through it‘s main signifier as represented by two words ‖big house‖ and ‖bath room‖. ‖Big house‖ symbolizes happiness, peace, and power; meanwhile ‖bath room‖ symbolizes sadness and loneliness. Liz, who is supposed to be comfortable living in happiness finally decides to negate it. Instead of enjoying her wonderful life represented by wealth, marriage, and family, Liz prefers to become nomadic, divorce her husband, and have no children. The process of searching her existence then leads her into spiritual experience that can be broken down into two binary oppositions: profane and sacred. She sacralizes the profane activities such as crying in the bath room, contemplating, scrubing the temple floors, and experiencing metaphysical crisis, to reach the God.

Sacred spaces in public places: religious and spiritual plurality in health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Reimer-Kirkham, Sheryl; Sharma, Sonya; Pesut, Barb; Sawatzky, Richard; Meyerhoff, Heather; Cochrane, Marie

2012-09-01

Several intriguing developments mark the role and expression of religion and spirituality in society in recent years. In what were deemed secular societies, flows of increased sacralization (variously referred to as 'new', 'alternative', 'emergent' and 'progressive' spiritualities) and resurgent globalizing religions (sometimes with fundamentalist expressions) are resulting in unprecedented plurality. These shifts are occurring in conjunction with increasing ethnic diversity associated with global migration, as well as other axes of difference within contemporary society. Democratic secular nations such as Canada are challenged to achieve social cohesion in the face of growing religious, spiritual and ethnic diversity. These challenges are evident in the high-paced, demanding arena of Health care. Here, religious and spiritual plurality enter in, sometimes resulting in conflict between medical services and patients' beliefs, other times provoking uncertainties on the part of healthcare professionals about what to do with their own religiously or spiritually grounded values and beliefs. In this paper, we present selected findings from a 3-year study that examined the negotiation of religious and spiritual pluralism in Health care. Our focus is on the themes of 'sacred' and 'place', exploring how the sacred - that which is attributed as special and set apart as it pertains to the divine, transcendence, God or higher power - takes form in social and material spaces in hospitals. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Replication of butterfly wing and natural lotus leaf structures by nanoimprint on silica sol-gel films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saison, Tamar; Peroz, Christophe; Chauveau, Vanessa; Sondergard, Elin; Arribart, Herve; Berthier, Serge

2008-01-01

An original and low cost method for the fabrication of patterned surfaces bioinspired from butterfly wings and lotus leaves is presented. Silica-based sol-gel films are thermally imprinted from elastomeric molds to produce stable structures with superhydrophobicity values as high as 160 deg. water contact angle. The biomimetic surfaces are demonstrated to be tuned from superhydrophobic to superhydrophilic by annealing between 200 deg. C and 500 deg. C

Replication of butterfly wing and natural lotus leaf structures by nanoimprint on silica sol-gel films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saison, Tamar; Peroz, Christophe; Chauveau, Vanessa; Sondergard, Elin; Arribart, Herve [Unite mixte CNRS/Saint Gobain Saint Gobain Recherche, BP135, 93303 Aubervilliers (France); Berthier, Serge [Institut des Nanosciences de Paris, UMR 7588, CNRS, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, 140 rue Lourmel, 75015 Paris (France)], E-mail: cperoz@lbl.gov

2008-12-01

An original and low cost method for the fabrication of patterned surfaces bioinspired from butterfly wings and lotus leaves is presented. Silica-based sol-gel films are thermally imprinted from elastomeric molds to produce stable structures with superhydrophobicity values as high as 160 deg. water contact angle. The biomimetic surfaces are demonstrated to be tuned from superhydrophobic to superhydrophilic by annealing between 200 deg. C and 500 deg. C.

Lithium Blanket Module dosimetry measurements at the LOTUS 14-MeV neutron source facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsang, F.Y.; Leo, W.R.; Sahraoui, C.; Wuthrich, S.; Harker, Y.D.

1986-01-01

This paper describes the measurements and results of the dosimeter material reaction rates inside the Lithium Blanket Module (LBM) after irradiation by the LOTUS 14-MeV neutron source at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne. The measurement program has been designed to utilize sets of passive dosimeter materials in the form of foils and wires. The dosimetry materials reaction thresholds and interaction response ranges chosen for this series of measurements encompass the entire neutron spectra along the full length of the LBM fuel rods

Compassionate love as a mechanism linking sacred qualities of marriage to older couples' marital satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabey, Allen K; Rauer, Amy J; Jensen, Jakob F

2014-10-01

Previous work has underscored the robust links between sanctification of marriage and marital outcomes, and recent developments in the literature suggest that compassionate love, which is important for intimate relationships, may act as a mediator of that relationship. Accordingly, the current study used actor-partner interdependence models to examine the relationship between a spiritual cognition (i.e., perceived sacred qualities of marriage) and marital satisfaction, and to determine whether that relationship is mediated by compassionate love, in a sample of older married couples (N = 64). Results revealed that wives' greater sacred qualities of marriage were significantly and positively linked to marital satisfaction on the part of both spouses, and that these links were partially mediated by couples' reports of compassionate love. These findings highlight the importance of moving beyond simply establishing the existence of the link between global markers of involvement of religion and marriage to understanding how specific spiritual cognitions may foster better relationship quality, especially among older couples. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

The evolutionary appearance of non-cyanogenic hydroxynitrile glucosides in the Lotus genus is accompanied by the substrate specialization of paralogous beta-glucosidases resulting from a crucial amino acid substitution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lai, Daniela; Abou Hachem, Maher; Robson, Fran

2014-01-01

has the dominant physiological role in rhodiocyanoside degradation. Structural modelling, site-directed mutagenesis and activity assays establish that a glycine residue (G211) in the aglycone binding site of BGD2 is essential for its ability to hydrolyse the endogenous cyanogenic glucosides...... with the Lotus corniculatus clade within the Lotus genus. This suggests the evolutionary scenario that substrate specialization for rhodiocyanosides evolved from a promiscuous activity of a progenitor cyanogenic beta-glucosidase, resembling BGD2, and required no more than a single amino acid substitution....

SimpleTreat: a spreadsheet-based box model to predict the fate of xenobiotics in a municipal waste water treatment plant

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Struijs J; van de Meent D; Stoltenkamp J

1991-01-01

A non-equilibrium steady state box model is reported, that predicts the fate of new chemicals in a conventional sewage treatment plant from a minimal input data set. The model, written in an electronic spreadsheet (Lotus TM 123), requires a minimum input: some basic properties of the chemical, its

Understanding the dynamics in distribution of invasive alien plant species under predicted climate change in Western Himalaya.

Science.gov (United States)

Thapa, Sunil; Chitale, Vishwas; Rijal, Srijana Joshi; Bisht, Neha; Shrestha, Bharat Babu

2018-01-01

Invasive alien plant species (IAPS) can pose severe threats to biodiversity and stability of native ecosystems, therefore, predicting the distribution of the IAPS plays a crucial role in effective planning and management of ecosystems. In the present study, we use Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) modelling approach to predict the potential of distribution of eleven IAPS under future climatic conditions under RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5 in part of Kailash sacred landscape region in Western Himalaya. Based on the model predictions, distribution of most of these invasive plants is expected to expand under future climatic scenarios, which might pose a serious threat to the native ecosystems through competition for resources in the study area. Native scrublands and subtropical needle-leaved forests will be the most affected ecosystems by the expansion of these IAPS. The present study is first of its kind in the Kailash Sacred Landscape in the field of invasive plants and the predictions of potential distribution under future climatic conditions from our study could help decision makers in planning and managing these forest ecosystems effectively.

Phenolic Profiles and Antioxidant Activity of Lotus Root Varieties

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Yang Yi

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Lotus root attracts increasing attention mainly because of its phenolic compounds known as natural antioxidants. Its thirteen varieties were systematically analyzed on the content, distribution, composition and antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds for a better understanding of this aquatic vegetable. The respective mean contents of total phenolics in their flesh, peel and nodes were 1.81, 4.30 and 7.35 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE/g fresh weight (FW, and those of total flavonoids were 3.35, 7.69 and 15.58 mg rutin equivalents/g FW. The phenolic composition determined by a high-performance liquid chromatography method varied significantly among varieties and parts. The phenolics of flesh were mainly composed of gallocatechin and catechin; those of peel and node were mainly composed of gallocatechin, gallic acid, catechin and epicatechin. The antioxidant activities of phenolic extracts in increasing order were flesh, peel and node; their mean concentrations for 50% inhibition of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical were 46.00, 26.43 and 21.72 µg GAE/mL, and their mean values representing ferric reducing antioxidant power were 75.91, 87.66 and 100.43 µg Trolox equivalents/100 µg GAE, respectively. “Zoumayang”, “Baheou”, “No. 5 elian” and “Guixi Fuou” were the hierarchically clustered varieties with relatively higher phenolic content and stronger antioxidant activity as compared with the others. Especially, their nodes and peels are promising sources of antioxidants for human nutrition.

Patrick Saurin, Teocuicatl. Chants sacrés des anciens Mexicains

OpenAIRE

Gruzinski, Serge

2007-01-01

Patrick Saurin s’est penché sur l’un des nombreux manuscrits laissés par le franciscain Bernardino de Sahagùn : les teocuicatl, ces hymnes sacrés composés en l’honneur des anciens dieux mexicains. Vraisemblablement d’origine mexica, ces chants ont été rassemblés à Tepepulco vers 1560. S’agit- il de textes archaïques comme la critique s’est accordée à le penser ? L’auteur propose d’y voir, au moins pour partie d’entre eux, des hymnes portant la « marque d’une réécriture, voire d’une écriture r...

Sri Dalada Maligawa - 3D-Scanning and Documentation of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic at Kandy, Sri Lanka

Science.gov (United States)

Rahrig, M.; Luib, A.

2017-08-01

Sri Dalada Maligawa - the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic - is one of the most important pilgrim sites in Buddhist culture. It is the main part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sacred City of Kandy. Since the end of the 17th century the temple has been keeping the sacred tooth of the Buddha. Until now an accurate documentation of the temple with all its rich decorations is missing. The Temple is built in an area vulnerable to environmental factors like earthquakes or monsoon rains and was the target of terrorist attacks. To help preserving this important cultural heritage a research project was carried out. Main part of the project was a 3D-documentation of the entire temple by using Terrestrial-Laser-Scanning (TLS) and the creating of CAD-Plans. In addition to the documentation of the architecture several details were taken in high resolution by Structured-Light-Scanning (SLS). All data will be part of the digital archive of the temple and were used as a base for a general site monitoring, especially to observe cracks. Next to the mere documentation a transfer of knowledge was another aim of the project. In future most of the analysis of the scan data can be done by local specialists.

Orchestrated regulation of Nogo receptors, LOTUS, AMPA receptors and BDNF in an ECT model suggests opening and closure of a window of synaptic plasticity.

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Max Nordgren

Full Text Available Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT is an efficient and relatively fast acting treatment for depression. However, one severe side effect of the treatment is retrograde amnesia, which in certain cases can be long-term. The mechanisms behind the antidepressant effect and the amnesia are not well understood. We hypothesized that ECT causes transient downregulation of key molecules needed to stabilize synaptic structure and to prevent Ca2+ influx, and a simultaneous increase in neurotrophic factors, thus providing a short time window of increased structural synaptic plasticity. Here we followed regulation of NgR1, NgR3, LOTUS, BDNF, and AMPA subunits GluR1 and GluR2 flip and flop mRNA levels in hippocampus at 2, 4, 12, 24, and 72 hours after a single episode of induced electroconvulsive seizures (ECS in rats. NgR1 and LOTUS mRNA levels were transiently downregulated in the dentate gyrus 2, 4, 12 and 4, 12, 24 h after ECS treatment, respectively. GluR2 flip, flop and GluR1 flop were downregulated at 4 h. GluR2 flip remained downregulated at 12 h. In contrast, BDNF, NgR3 and GluR1 flip mRNA levels were upregulated. Thus, ECS treatment induces a transient regulation of factors important for neuronal plasticity. Our data provide correlations between ECS treatment and molecular events compatible with the hypothesis that both effects and side effects of ECT may be caused by structural synaptic rearrangements.

Primitive Rituals, Contemporary Aftershocks: Evocations of the Orientalist ‘Other’ in four productions of 'Le Sacre du printemps'

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Lucy Weir

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This paper situates the original choreography of Sacre as a basis for an ongoing exploration of non-Western themes in modern dance, a persistent fascination with the Orientalist ‘Other,’ before exploring the versions choreographed by Wigman, Bausch and Graham in chronological order of their first performances. In analysing different interpretations of the same score, two themes become apparent: first, that this piece heralded the birth of Modernism in classical dance performance, and second, that the driving anti-classical, anti-traditional rhythms that characterise the piece communicate an enduring interest in primitive aesthetics. Accordingly, this discussion takes Nijinsky’s Sacre as a starting point in re-evaluating the influence of primitivism and Otherness on contemporary dance, and represents an early indication of the significance of the Saidian, non-Western ‘Other’ in shaping the evolution of avant-garde dance.

Literary evidence for taro in the ancient Mediterranean: A chronology of names and uses in a multilingual world

Science.gov (United States)

Muthukumaran, Sureshkumar; Tozzi, Giulia; Nastasi, Antonino; Boivin, Nicole

2018-01-01

Taro, Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott, is a vegetable and starchy root crop cultivated in Asia, Oceania, the Americas, Africa, and the Mediterranean. Very little is known about its early history in the Mediterranean, which previous authors have sought to trace through Classical (Greek and Latin) texts that record the name colocasia (including cognates) from the 3rd century BC onwards. In ancient literature, however, this name also refers to the sacred lotus, Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. and its edible rhizome. Like taro, lotus is an alien introduction to the Mediterranean, and there has been considerable confusion regarding the true identity of plants referred to as colocasia in ancient literature. Another early name used to indicate taro was arum, a name already attested from the 4th century BC. Today, this name refers to Arum, an aroid genus native to West Asia, Europe, and the Mediterranean. Our aim is to explore historical references to taro in order to clarify when and through which routes this plant reached the Mediterranean. To investigate Greek and Latin texts, we performed a search using the Thesaurus Linguae Graecae (TLG) and the Thesaurus Linguae Latinae (TLL), plus commentaries and English and French translations of original texts. Results show that while in the early Greek and Latin literature the name kolokasia (Greek κολοκάσια) and its Latin equivalent colocasia refer to Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn., after the 4th century AD a poorly understood linguistic shift occurs, and colocasia becomes the name for taro. We also found that aron (Greek ἄρον) and its Latin equivalent arum are names used to indicate taro from the 3rd century BC and possibly earlier. PMID:29870533

Pterostichus neilgaimani sp. nov., a new species of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from relict sacred grove in Eastern Georgia.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaladze, Giorgi; Kalatozishvili, Levan; Janiashvili, Zurab; Bakuradze, Giorgi

2017-10-03

A new species of ground beetles (Coleoptea: Carabidae) belonging to the subgenus Aphaonus Reitter, 1887 (genus Pterostichus Bonelli, 1810) is described, based on two specimens collected from the sacred grove of Khevsha (Eastern Georgia).

Genome-Wide Identification, Evolutionary Analysis and Expression Profiles of LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES DOMAIN Gene Family in Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula.

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Tianquan Yang

Full Text Available The LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES DOMAIN (LBD gene family has been well-studied in Arabidopsis and play crucial roles in the diverse growth and development processes including establishment and maintenance of boundary of developmental lateral organs. In this study we identified and characterized 38 LBD genes in Lotus japonicus (LjLBD and 57 LBD genes in Medicago truncatula (MtLBD, both of which are model legume plants that have some specific development features absent in Arabidopsis. The phylogenetic relationships, their locations in the genome, genes structure and conserved motifs were examined. The results revealed that all LjLBD and MtLBD genes could be distinctly divided into two classes: Class I and II. The evolutionary analysis showed that Type I functional divergence with some significantly site-specific shifts may be the main force for the divergence between Class I and Class II. In addition, the expression patterns of LjLBD genes uncovered the diverse functions in plant development. Interestingly, we found that two LjLBD proteins that were highly expressed during compound leaf and pulvinus development, can interact via yeast two-hybrid assays. Taken together, our findings provide an evolutionary and genetic foundation in further understanding the molecular basis of LBD gene family in general, specifically in L. japonicus and M. truncatula.

Die Versprachlichung des Sakralen: The Transformation of the Authority of the Sacred into Secular Political Deliberation in Habermas’ Theory of Communicative Action

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Øjvind Larsen

2011-03-01

Full Text Available bermas claims in connection with his development of the theory of communicative action that the sacred is transformed in a positive way and can take the form of free deliberation in society, the so called Versprachlichung des Sakralen. The thesis is that the authority which could be found in religion and which is of fundamental significance for the integration of pre-modern societies is taken over by modern societies in forms of deliberation. Habermas develops his thesis in a discussion of Durkheim’s religious-sociological considerations. Habermas presents his thesis about the linguistic transformation of the sacred as a harmonious theory of secularization. However, if we follow Weber in his religious-sociological considerations of modernity, we reach a tragic theory of secularization which poses the real problem that modernity’s connection to the sacred has been dissolved. Cornelius Castoriadis’ theory of the imaginary institution and Claude Lefort’s theory of the empty place of the political as a new insecure moral ground for modern society are presented together as an alternative theory of secularization which can serve as a new framework for Habermas’ theory of communicative ethics and deliberative politics in modern society.

The effect of pseudo-microgravity on the symbiosis of plants and microorganisms

Science.gov (United States)

Tomita-Yokotani, Kaori; Maki, Asano; Aoki, Toshio; Tamura, Kenji; Wada, Hidenori; Hashimoto, Hirofumi; Yamashita, Masamichi

The symbiosis of plants and microorganisms is important to conduct agriculture under space environment. However, we have less knowledge on whether this kind of symbiosis can be established under space condition. We examined the functional compounds responsible to symbiosis between rhizobiaum and Lotus japonicus as a model of symbiotic combination. The existence of the substances for their symbiosis, some flavonoids, have already been known from the study of gene expression, but the detail structures have not yet been elucidated. Pseudomicrogravity was generated by the 3D-clinorotation. Twenty flavonoids were found in the extracts of 16 days plants of Lotus japonicus grown under the normal gravity by HPLC. Content of two flavonoids among them was affected by the infection of Mesorhizobium loti to them. It has a possibility that the two flavonoids were key substances for their combination process. The productions of those flavonoids were confirmed also under the pseudo-microgravity. The amount of one flavonoid was increased by both infection of rhizobium and exposure to the normal and pseudo-micro gravity. Chemical species of these flavonoids were identified by LC- ESI/MS and spectroscopic analysis. To show the effects of pseudo-microgravity on the gene expression, enzymic activities related to the functional compounds are evaluated after the rhizobial infection.

The K⁺ dependent asparaginase, NSE₁, is crucial for plant growth and seed production in Lotus japonicus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Credali, Alfredo; Garcia-Calderón, Margarita; Dam, Svend Secher

2013-01-01

The physiological role of K+-dependent and K+-independent asparaginases in plants remains unclear, and the contribution from individual isoforms during development is poorly understood. We have used reverse genetics to assess the phenotypes produced by the deficiency of K+-dependent NSE1 asparagi...

Simultaneous qualitative assessment and quantitative analysis of flavonoids in various tissues of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) using high performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quad mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Sha; Fang, Linchuan; Xi, Huifen; Guan, Le; Fang, Jinbao; Liu, Yanling; Wu, Benhong; Li, Shaohua

2012-04-29

Flavonoid composition and concentration were investigated in 12 different tissues of 'Ti-1' lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) by high performance liquid chromatography equipped with photodiode array detection tandem electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS(n)). A total of 20 flavonoids belonging to six groups (myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol, isohamnetin, diosmetin derivatives) were separated and identified. Myricetin 3-O-galactoside, myricetin 3-O-glucuronide, isorhamnetin 3-O-glucuronide and free aglycone diometin (3',5,7-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone) were first reported in lotus. Flavonoid composition varied largely with tissue type, and diverse compounds (5-15) were found in leaf and flower stalks, flower pistils, seed coats and embryos. Flower tissues including flower petals, stamens, pistils, and, especially, reproductive tissue fruit coats had more flavonoid compounds (15-17) than leaves (12), while no flavonoids were detectable in seed kernels. The flavonoid content of seed embryos was high, 730.95 mg 100g(-1) DW (dry weight). As regards the other tissues, mature leaf pulp (771.79 mg 100 g(-1) FW (fresh weight)) and young leaves (650.67 mg 100 g(-1) FW) had higher total flavonoid amount than flower stamens (359.45 mg 100 g(-1) FW) and flower petals (342.97 mg 100g(-1) FW), while leaf stalks, flower stalks and seed coats had much less total flavonoid (less than 40 mg 100 g(-1) FW). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Conceptual Framework for the Electronic Performance Support Systems within IBM Lotus Notes 6 (LN6 Example

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Servet BAYRAM

2005-10-01

Full Text Available A Conceptual Framework for the Electronic PerformanceSupport Systems within IBM Lotus Notes 6 (LN6 Example Assoc. Prof. Dr. Servet BAYRAM Computer Education & Instructional Technologies Marmara University, TURKEYsbayram@marmara.edu.tr ABSTRACT The concept of Electronic Performance Support Systems (EPSS is containing multimedia or computer based instruction components that improves human performance by providing process simplification, performance information and decision support system. EPSS has become a hot topic for organizational development, human resources, performance technology, training, and educational development professionals. A conceptual framework of EPSS is constructed under five interrelated and interdependent domains for educational implications. The domains of the framework are online collaboration, cost-effectiveness, motivation, service management, and performance empowering. IBM Lotus Notes 6 (LN6 is used as an example application tool to illustrate the power of this framework. The framework describes a set of relevant events based upon deductive analyses for improving our understanding of the EPSS and its implications on education and training. The article is also pointed out that there are some similarities between the EPSS’ and the LN6’s specific features within this conceptual framework. It can provide some guidelines and benefits to researchers, educators, and designers as well.

Cytokinins and urea derivatives stimulate seed germination in Lotus corniculatus L.

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Nikolić Radomirka

2007-01-01

Full Text Available We studied the effects of various cytokinins and urea derivatives on germination of aged seeds of in Lotus corniculatus L. The following substances were applied: N6-isoprenoid cytokinins (isopentenyl adenine and zeatin, adenine sulfate, N6-aromatic cytokinins (kinetin, benzyladenine and their N9-ribosides, N-benzyl-9-(2- tetrahydropyranyladenine, and urea derivatives (diphenylurea, thidiazuron, and chloro-pyridyl phenylurea. With the exception of adenine sulfate, all cytokinins increased the percentage of seed germination up to twofold, depending on their kind and concentration. It is concluded that cytokinins may be among the missing factors in aged seeds of L. corniculatus contributing to the implementation of their full germination potential. They could be used to improve germination of both freshly harvested and aged seed samples, if necessary. .

This Whole World Is OM: Song, Soteriology, and the Emergence of the Sacred Syllable

OpenAIRE

Moore Gerety, Finnian McKean

2015-01-01

This study explores the emergence of OM, the Sanskrit mantra and critically ubiquitous "sacred syllable" of South Asian religions. Although OM has remained in active practice in recitation, ritual, and meditation for the last three thousand years, and its importance in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions is widely acknowledged, the syllable's early development has received little attention from scholars. Drawing on the oldest textual corpus in South Asia, the Vedas, I survey one thousand yea...

TheoArtistry, and a Contemporary Perspective on Composing Sacred Choral Music

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George Corbett

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This article presents the methodology and research underpinning the TheoArtistry Composers’ Scheme, a project based in ITIA (the Institute for Theology, Imagination and the Arts, School of Divinity, University of St Andrews (2016–2017. I analyse Sir James MacMillan’s theology of music, outline some practical and theoretical issues that arose in setting up theologian-composer partnerships, and reflect critically on the six new works of sacred choral music that emerged (these are printed as supplementary materials. The article assesses the implications of such collaboration for future work at the interface between theology and music, and between theology and the arts more generally.

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of β-carotene content in four varieties of lotus stamens

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Nithida Phonkot

2010-08-01

Full Text Available A high-performance liquid chromatography method was developed to determine -carotene content in lotus stamens.The stamens of four varieties of Nelumbo nucifera (Gaertn. and ten samples bought from traditional drug stores were determined.Validation of the method was carried out, the linearity of the -carotene concentrations range from 6.50-58.50 g.mL-1were 0.9997-0.9998. The repeatability and intermediate precision were 0.29 %CV (n=9 and 7.48 %CV (n=9, respectively; theaccuracy was 100.10 %w/w, the detection limit was 9.83 ng.mL-1 and the quantitation limit was 29.80 ng.mL-1. The -caroteneof the four varieties were 465.77-1150.80 mg% (n=3, and of the store samples were 4.70-41.73 mg% (n=3. The resultsdemonstrated that the contents varied according to the variety. The contents in the samples obtained from traditionaldrug stores were much lower that those dried in our laboratory, this might due to the source of the stamens, duration, andconditions of storages.

Tritium assay of Li2O pellets in the LBM/LOTUS experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quanci, J.; Azam, S.; Bertone, P.

1986-01-01

One of the objectives of the Lithium Blanket Module (LBM) program is to test the ability of advanced neutronics codes to model the tritium breeding characteristics of a fusion blanket exposed to a toroidal fusion neutron source. The LBM consists of over 20,000 cylindrical lithium oxide pellets and numerous diagnostic pellets and wafers. The LBM has been irradiated at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) LOTUS facility with a Haefely sealed neutron generator that gives a point deuterium-tritium neutron source up to 5 x 10 12 14-MeV n/s. Both Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL) and EPFL assayed the tritium bred at various positions in the LBM. EPFL employed a dissolution technique while PPPL recovered the tritium by a thermal extraction method

RNA-seq Transcriptional Profiling of an Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Provides Insights into Regulated and Coordinated Gene Expression in Lotus japonicus and Rhizophagus irregularis.

Science.gov (United States)

Handa, Yoshihiro; Nishide, Hiroyo; Takeda, Naoya; Suzuki, Yutaka; Kawaguchi, Masayoshi; Saito, Katsuharu

2015-08-01

Gene expression during arbuscular mycorrhizal development is highly orchestrated in both plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. To elucidate the gene expression profiles of the symbiotic association, we performed a digital gene expression analysis of Lotus japonicus and Rhizophagus irregularis using a HiSeq 2000 next-generation sequencer with a Cufflinks assembly and de novo transcriptome assembly. There were 3,641 genes differentially expressed during arbuscular mycorrhizal development in L. japonicus, approximately 80% of which were up-regulated. The up-regulated genes included secreted proteins, transporters, proteins involved in lipid and amino acid metabolism, ribosomes and histones. We also detected many genes that were differentially expressed in small-secreted peptides and transcription factors, which may be involved in signal transduction or transcription regulation during symbiosis. Co-regulated genes between arbuscular mycorrhizal and root nodule symbiosis were not particularly abundant, but transcripts encoding for membrane traffic-related proteins, transporters and iron transport-related proteins were found to be highly co-up-regulated. In transcripts of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, expansion of cytochrome P450 was observed, which may contribute to various metabolic pathways required to accommodate roots and soil. The comprehensive gene expression data of both plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi provide a powerful platform for investigating the functional and molecular mechanisms underlying arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

To have and to hold: possessing the sacred in the late renaissance

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Erin E. Benay

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Private devotional art of the early 17th century often found its place in the galleries of noblemen and women whose diverse collections were symbols not only of stylistic taste, but of their owners’ exhaustive curiosity. In these domestic settings, boundaries between sacred and secular were permeable, as the unprecedented physical intimacy portrayed in popular religious subjects such as St Matthew and the Angel, the Stigmatisation of St Francis, or Christ’s Agony in the Garden reveal. Representations of the latter reminded viewers of Christ’s human, corporal suffering and suggested a model of resolve strengthened by prayer. The Agony in the Garden appears on the interior of Jacopo Ligozzi’s virtuosic Portable Altar with Carrying Case (1608, likely a Medici gift presented to the Austrian court in anticipation of the marriage of archduchess Maria Maddalena to soon-to-be grand duke Cosimo II. Adorned with lavish botanical motifs on its exterior, the Altar’s potency as a sacred possession was redoubled by the owner’s tactile revelation of the portrayal of Christ supported by an Angel contained inside the case. Comprised of wood, oil on copper, and pietre dure inlay, it is an object intended to be held, opened, and experienced. This paper suggests that Ligozzi’s selective combination of sumptuous materials and choice of subject matter – botanical illustration and Christological iconography – allowed the object to appeal to the full sensorium, and therefore to function as efficaciously as a devotional aid as it did as a curiosity among other rare collectibles.

Genome-wide LORE1 retrotransposon mutagenesis and high-throughput insertion detection in Lotus japonicus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Urbanski, Dorian Fabian; Malolepszy, Anna; Stougaard, Jens

2012-01-01

Insertion mutants facilitate functional analysis of genes, but for most plant species it has been difficult to identify a suitable mutagen and to establish large populations for reverse genetics. The main challenge is developing efficient high-throughput procedures for both mutagenesis and insert......Insertion mutants facilitate functional analysis of genes, but for most plant species it has been difficult to identify a suitable mutagen and to establish large populations for reverse genetics. The main challenge is developing efficient high-throughput procedures for both mutagenesis...... plants. The identified insertions showed that the endogenous LORE1 retrotransposon is well suited for insertion mutagenesis due to its homogenous gene targeting and exonic insertion preference. Since LORE1 transposition occurs in the germline, harvesting seeds from a single founder line and cultivating...... progeny generates a complete mutant population. This ease of LORE1 mutagenesis combined with the efficient FSTpoolit protocol, which exploits 2D pooling, Illumina sequencing, and automated data analysis, allows highly cost-efficient development of a comprehensive reverse genetic resource....

Analysis of flavonoids from lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) leaves using high performance liquid chromatography/photodiode array detector tandem electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and an extraction method optimized by orthogonal design.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Sha; Wu, Ben-Hong; Fang, Jin-Bao; Liu, Yan-Ling; Zhang, Hao-Hao; Fang, Lin-Chuan; Guan, Le; Li, Shao-Hua

2012-03-02

The extraction protocol of flavonoids from lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) leaves was optimized through an orthogonal design. The solvent was the most important factor comparing solvent, solvent:tissue ratio, extraction time, and temperature. The highest yield of flavonoids was achieved with 70% methanol-water and a solvent:tissue ratio of 30:1 at 4 °C for 36 h. The optimized analytical method for HPLC was a multi-step gradient elution using 0.5% formic acid (A) and CH₃CN containing 0.1% formic acid (B), at a flow rate of 0.6 mL/min. Using this optimized method, thirteen flavonoids were simultaneously separated and identified by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC/DAD/ESI-MS(n)). Five of the bioactive compounds are reported in lotus leaves for the first time. The flavonoid content of the leaves of three representative cultivars was assessed under the optimized extraction and HPLC analytical conditions, and the seed-producing cultivar 'Baijianlian' had the highest flavonoid content compared with rhizome-producing 'Zhimahuoulian' and wild floral cultivar 'Honglian'. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterizing Corrosion Effects of Weak Organic Acids Using a Modified Bono Test

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yuqin; Turbini, Laura J.; Ramjattan, Deepchand; Christian, Bev; Pritzker, Mark

2013-12-01

To meet environmental requirements and achieve benefits of cost-effective manufacturing, no-clean fluxes (NCFs) or low-solids fluxes have become popular in present electronic manufacturing processes. Weak organic acids (WOAs) as the activation ingredients in NCFs play an important role, especially in the current lead-free and halogen-free soldering technology era. However, no standard or uniform method exists to characterize the corrosion effects of WOAs on actual metallic circuits of printed wiring boards (PWBs). Hence, the development of an effective quantitative test method for evaluating the corrosion effects of WOAs on the PWB's metallic circuits is imperative. In this paper, the modified Bono test, which was developed to quantitatively examine the corrosion properties of flux residues, is used to characterize the corrosion effects of five WOAs (i.e., abietic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, and malic acid) on PWB metallic circuits. Experiments were performed under three temperature/humidity conditions (85°C/85% RH, 60°C/93% RH, and 40°C/93% RH) using two WOA solution concentrations. The different corrosion effects among the various WOAs were best reflected in the testing results at 40°C and 60°C. Optical microscopy was used to observe the morphology of the corroded copper tracks, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) characterization was performed to determine the dendrite composition.

“UKRAINIAN SACRED MUSIC” ELECTRONIC STUDU GUIDE: CONTENT, STRUCTURE, USE RECOMMENDATIONS AT A PEDAGOGICAL HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Gavrilova

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The article presents the electronic textbook “Ukrainian Sacred Music”, created for the students of pedagogical universities – future teachers of music. We consider the content of the electronic manual, its structure, requirements for the computer, as well as the prospects for its use in the classroom on the history of Ukrainian music and self-study.

Neuroscience, evolution and the sapient paradox: the factuality of value and of the sacred.

Science.gov (United States)

Renfrew, Colin

2008-06-12

The human genome, and hence the human brain at birth, may not have changed greatly over the past 60000 years. Yet many of the major behavioural changes that we associate with most human societies are very much more recent, some appearing with the sedentary revolution of some 10000 years ago. Among these are activities implying the emergence of powerful concepts of value and of the sacred. What then are the neuronal mechanisms that may underlie these consistent, significant (and emergent) patterns of behaviour?

Constitutive Expression of a miR319 Gene Alters Plant Development and Enhances Salt and Drought Tolerance in Transgenic Creeping Bentgrass1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Man; Li, Dayong; Li, Zhigang; Hu, Qian; Yang, Chunhua; Zhu, Lihuang; Luo, Hong

2013-01-01

MicroRNA319 (miR319) is one of the first characterized and conserved microRNA families in plants and has been demonstrated to target TCP (for TEOSINTE BRANCHED/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTORS [PCF]) genes encoding plant-specific transcription factors. MiR319 expression is regulated by environmental stimuli, suggesting its involvement in plant stress response, although experimental evidence is lacking and the underlying mechanism remains elusive. This study investigates the role that miR319 plays in the plant response to abiotic stress using transgenic creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) overexpressing a rice (Oryza sativa) miR319 gene, Osa-miR319a. We found that transgenic plants overexpressing Osa-miR319a displayed morphological changes and exhibited enhanced drought and salt tolerance associated with increased leaf wax content and water retention but reduced sodium uptake. Gene expression analysis indicated that at least four putative miR319 target genes, AsPCF5, AsPCF6, AsPCF8, and AsTCP14, and a homolog of the rice NAC domain gene AsNAC60 were down-regulated in transgenic plants. Our results demonstrate that miR319 controls plant responses to drought and salinity stress. The enhanced abiotic stress tolerance in transgenic plants is related to significant down-regulation of miR319 target genes, implying their potential for use in the development of novel molecular strategies to genetically engineer crop species for enhanced resistance to environmental stress. PMID:23292790

Treasures in Heaven and on Earth : Poverty and Abundance in the Life and Sacred Cantatas of Johann Sebastian Bach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heber, N.

2017-01-01

This PhD dissertation explores poverty and abundance in Bach’s life and sacred cantatas and inquires how he himself might have handled the tension between the material and spiritual aspects. Although his career was increasingly lucrative, Bach did not amass significant wealth. In 1730, he complained

The progress of mutation breeding for ornamental plants in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin Shouming

1994-02-01

In China, research on mutation breeding of ornamental plants was begun in the late 70's. In the past decade, about 40 plant species were tested, and hundreds of useful mutants were obtained. At least 63 mutant varieties have been produced, approved and released for cultivation in rose, chrysanthemum, canna, dahlia, bougainvillea and lotus. A rapid progress in methodology and technology of induced mutation breeding has been achieved, particularly in the selection of starting material, determination of suitable exposure and irradiation dose, expression and isolation of somatic mutation etc. In the future it is necessary to develop more plant species and mutation varieties to improve the mutation breeding method and to raise the economic benefit. Along with the development of China's economy and improvement of people's living standard more and more new varieties of ornamental plants will be required. In view of the good beginning, rich germplasm resource and favorable conditions, the prospect of mutation breeding for ornamental plants in China is very encouraging

The influence of arbuscular mycorrhizae on root precision nutrient foraging of two pioneer plant species during early reclamation

Science.gov (United States)

Boldt-Burisch, Katja; Naeth, M. Anne

2017-04-01

On many post mining sites in the Lusatian Mining District (East Germany) soil heterogeneity consists of sandy soil with embedded clay-silt fragments. Those clays silt fragments might act as nutrient hotspots. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in an infertile ecosystem could enhance a plant's ability to selectively forage for those nutrients and thus to improve plants nutrient supply. In our study we investigated whether silt-clay fragments within a sandy soil matrix induced preferential root growth of Lotus corniculatus and Calamagrostis epigeios, whether arbuscular mycorrhizae influenced root foraging patterns, and to what extent selective rooting in clay silt fragments influenced plant growth were addressed in this research. Soil types were sterile and non-sterile sandy soil and clay-silt fragments. Treatments were with and without arbuscular mycorrhizae, with and without soil solution, and soil solution and mycorrhizal inoculum combined. Root biomass, root density and intraradical fungal alkaline phosphatase activity and frequency were determined in fragments relative to sandy soil. Furthermore, temporal relationship of number of roots in fragments and plant height was assessed. Lotus corniculatus showed strong selective rooting into fragments especially with those plants treated with commercial cultivated arbuscular mycorrhizae; Calamagrostis epigeios did not. Without arbuscular mycorrhizae, L. corniculatus growth was significantly reduced and selective rooting did not occur. Selective rooting induced significant growth spurts of L. corniculatus. Roots in fragments had higher fungal alkaline phosphatase activity suggesting that mycorrhizal efficiency and related plants phosphorus supply is enhanced in roots in fragments. The application of cultivated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi significantly and quickly influenced root foraging patterns, especially those of L. corniculatus, suggesting mycorrhizae may also enhance the ability of other plants to selectively forage

Effect of fluorescent vs. poultry-specific light-emitting diode lights on production performance and egg quality of W-36 laying hens.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Kai; Xin, Hongwei; Sekhon, Jasreen; Wang, Tong

2018-03-01

More energy-efficient, durable, affordable, and dimmable light-emitting diode (LED) lights are finding applications in poultry production. However, data are lacking on controlled comparative studies concerning the impact of such lights during the pullet rearing and subsequent laying phase. This study evaluated two types of poultry-specific LED light (PS-LED) vs. fluorescent light (FL) with regards to their effects on hen laying performance. A total of 432 Hy-Line W-36 laying hens were tested in two batches using four environmental chambers (nine cages per chamber and 6 birds per cage) from 17 to 41 weeks of age (WOA). Dim-to-red PS-LED and warm-white FL were used in the laying phase. The hens had been reared under a dim-to-blue PS-LED or a warm-white FL from 1 to 16 WOA. The measured performance variables included 1) timing of sexual maturity, 2) egg production performance, 3) egg quality, and 4) egg yolk cholesterol. Results showed that the two types of light used during the laying phase had comparable performance responses for all response parameters (P > 0.05) with a few exceptions. Specifically, eggs laid from hens in the PS-LED treatment had lower shell thickness (P = 0.01) and strength (P = 0.03) than those in the FL treatment at 41 WOA. The two types of light used during the rearing phase did not influence the 17 to 41 WOA laying performance, except that hens reared under the PS-LED laid eggs with lower shell thickness (P = 0.02) at 32 WOA as compared to hens reared under the FL. This study demonstrates that the emerging poultry-specific LED lights yield comparable production performance and egg quality of W-36 laying hens to the traditional fluorescent lights.

NODC Standard Product: World Ocean Atlas 1998 (7 disc set) (NODC Accession 0095184)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The World Ocean Atlas 1998 (WOA98 and WOA98F) consists of 7 CD-ROMs: 3 discs contain objectively analyzed fields of temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, derived...

Place Attachment in the Bible: The Role of Attachment to Sacred Places in Religious Life

OpenAIRE

Counted, Victor; Watts, Fraser

2017-01-01

This paper examines the role of place attachment in religious life by analyzing various significant place events in the Bible, using analysis of biblical discourse. The paper looks at various biblical places, and explores the implications of approaching these sacred settings in terms of place attachment theory. In the Old Testament we focus on Mount Sinai, Canaan, and Jerusalem, and in the New Testament on Galilee, Jerusalem, and on view that Christianity, to some extent, transcends place att...

Sacred Psychotherapy in the “Age of Authenticity”: Healing and Cultural Revivalism in Contemporary Finland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James M. Wilce

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Like other European countries, contemporary Finland has witnessed an explosion of healing modalities designatable as “New Age” (though not without profound controversy, [1]. This paper focuses on Finnish courses in lament (wept song, tuneful weeping with words that combine healing conceived along psychotherapeutic lines and lessons from the lament tradition of rural Karelia, a region some Finns regard as their cultural heartland. A primary goal of the paper is to explicate a concept of “authenticity” emerging in lament courses, in which disclosing the depths of one’s feelings is supported not only by invoking “psy-“ discourses of self-help, but also by construing the genuine emotional self-disclosure that characterizes neolamentation as a sacred activity and a vital contribution to the welfare of the Finnish people.

Visualizing metabolite distribution and enzymatic conversion in plant tissues by desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Bin; Baden, Camilla Knudsen; Hansen, Natascha Kristine Krahl

2013-01-01

In comparison to the technology platforms developed to localize transcripts and proteins, imaging tools for visualization of metabolite distributions in plant tissues are less well developed and lack versatility. This hampers our understanding of plant metabolism and dynamics. In this study we...... demonstrate that Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Imaging (DESI-MSI) of tissue imprints on porous Teflon can be used to accurately image the distribution of even labile plant metabolites such as hydroxynitrile glucosides, which normally undergo enzymatic hydrolysis by specific ß......-glucosidases upon cell disruption. This fast and simple sample preparation resulted in no substantial differences in the distribution and ratios of all hydroxynitrile glucosides between leaves from wildtype Lotus japonicus and a ß-glucosidase mutant plant lacking the ability to hydrolyze certain hydroxynitrile...

Silverleaf Whitefly Induces Salicylic Acid Defenses and Suppresses Effectual Jasmonic Acid Defenses1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Zarate, Sonia I.; Kempema, Louisa A.; Walling, Linda L.

2007-01-01

The basal defenses important in curtailing the development of the phloem-feeding silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia tabaci type B; SLWF) on Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) were investigated. Sentinel defense gene RNAs were monitored in SLWF-infested and control plants. Salicylic acid (SA)-responsive gene transcripts accumulated locally (PR1, BGL2, PR5, SID2, EDS5, PAD4) and systemically (PR1, BGL2, PR5) during SLWF nymph feeding. In contrast, jasmonic acid (JA)- and ethylene-dependent RNAs (PDF1.2, VSP1, HEL, THI2.1, FAD3, ERS1, ERF1) were repressed or not modulated in SLWF-infested leaves. To test for a role of SA and JA pathways in basal defense, SLWF development on mutant and transgenic lines that constitutively activate or impair defense pathways was determined. By monitoring the percentage of SLWF nymphs in each instar, we show that mutants that activate SA defenses (cim10) or impair JA defenses (coi1) accelerated SLWF nymphal development. Reciprocally, mutants that activate JA defenses (cev1) or impair SA defenses (npr1, NahG) slowed SLWF nymphal development. Furthermore, when npr1 plants, which do not activate downstream SA defenses, were treated with methyl jasmonate, a dramatic delay in nymph development was observed. Collectively, these results showed that SLWF-repressed, JA-regulated defenses were associated with basal defense to the SLWF. PMID:17189328

The Sacred Mountain of Varallo in Italy: seismic risk assessment by acoustic emission and structural numerical models.

Science.gov (United States)

Carpinteri, Alberto; Lacidogna, Giuseppe; Invernizzi, Stefano; Accornero, Federico

2013-01-01

We examine an application of Acoustic Emission (AE) technique for a probabilistic analysis in time and space of earthquakes, in order to preserve the valuable Italian Renaissance Architectural Complex named "The Sacred Mountain of Varallo." Among the forty-five chapels of the Renaissance Complex, the structure of the Chapel XVII is of particular concern due to its uncertain structural condition and due to the level of stress caused by the regional seismicity. Therefore, lifetime assessment, taking into account the evolution of damage phenomena, is necessary to preserve the reliability and safety of this masterpiece of cultural heritage. A continuous AE monitoring was performed to assess the structural behavior of the Chapel. During the monitoring period, a correlation between peaks of AE activity in the masonry of the "Sacred Mountain of Varallo" and regional seismicity was found. Although the two phenomena take place on very different scales, the AE in materials and the earthquakes in Earth's crust, belong to the same class of invariance. In addition, an accurate finite element model, performed with DIANA finite element code, is presented to describe the dynamic behavior of Chapel XVII structure, confirming visual and instrumental inspections of regional seismic effects.

Sounding Sacred: The Adoption of Biblical Archaisms in the Book of Mormon and Other 19th Century Texts

Science.gov (United States)

Bowen, Gregory A.

2016-01-01

The Book of Mormon is a text published in 1830 and considered a sacred work of scripture by adherents of the Latter-day Saint movement. Although written 200 years later, it exhibits many linguistic features of the King James translation of the Bible. Such stylistic imitation has been little studied, though a notable exception is Sigelman &…

A Rare Class of New Dimeric Naphtoquiones from Diospyros lotus have Multidrug Reversal and Antiproliferative Effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dr. Abdur eRauf

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Three new dimeric naphthoquinones, 5,4′-dihydroxy-1′-methoxy-6,6′-dimethyl-7,3′-binaphthyl-1,4,5′,8′-tetraone (1, 5′,8′-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6,6′-dimethyl-7,3′-binaphthyl-1,4,1′,4′-tetraone (2 and 8,5′,8′-trihydroxy-6,6′-dimethyl-7,3′-binaphthyl-1,4,1′,4′-tetraone (3, were isolated from the roots of Diospyros lotus. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques, including 1D and 2D NMR, such as HSQC, HMBS, NOESY and J resolved. Compounds 1-3 were evaluated for their effects on the reversion of multidrug resistance (MDR mediated by P-glycoprotein through use of the rhodamine-123 exclusion screening test on human ABCB1 gene transfected L5178Y mouse T-cell lymphoma. Compounds 1-3 were also assessed for their antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects on L5178 and L5178Y mouse T-cell lymphoma lines. Both 1 and 2 exhibited promising antiproliferative and MDR-reversing effects in a dose dependent manner. The effects of the tested compounds on the activity of doxorubicin were observed to vary from slight antagonism to antagonism.

Hydrocarbon degradation and plant colonization of selected bacterial strains isolated from the rhizsophere and plant interior of Italian ryegrass and Birdsfoot trefoil

Science.gov (United States)

Sohail, Y.; Andria, V.; Reichenauer, T. G.; Sessitsch, A.

2009-04-01

Hydrocarbon-degrading strains were isolated from the rhizosphere, root and shoot interior of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum var. Taurus), Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus var. Leo) grown in a soil contaminated with petroleum oil. Strains were tested regarding their phylogeny and their degradation efficiency. The most efficient strains were tested regarding their suitability to be applied for phytoremediation of diesel oils. Sterilized and non-sterilized agricultural soil, with and with out compost, were spiked with diesel and used for planting Italian ryegrass and birdsfoot trefoil. Four selected strains with high degradation activities, derived from the rhizosphere and plant interior, were selected for individual inoculation. Plants were harvested at flowering stage and plant biomass and hydrocarbon degradation was determined. Furthermore, it was investigated to which extent the inoculant strains were able to survive and colonize plants. Microbial community structures were analysed by 16S rRNA and alkB gene analysis. Results showed efficient colonization by the inoculant strains and improved degradation by the application of compost combined with inoculation as well as on microbial community structures will be presented.

Tales of Recombinant Femininity: "The Reincarnation of Golden Lotus," the "Chin P'ing Mei," and the Politics of Melodrama in Hong Kong.

Science.gov (United States)

Fore, Steve

1993-01-01

Examines the film "The Reincarnation of Golden Lotus" and the text upon which it is loosely based, the "Chin P'ing Mei," and the relationship between it and modern Chinese culture. States that the film's screenplay is much less an adaptation of the source novel than it is a female-centered reworking of a particular narrative…

Late Onset First Episode Psychosis Emerging as Delusional Misidentification of Familiar Sacred Places During a Holy Pilgrimage: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Awara, Mahmoud A; Moselhy, Hamdy F; Elnenaei, Manal O

2017-11-07

The delusional misidentification syndromes (DMS) include a myriad of discrete but related syndromes, which have wide spectrum anomalies of familiarity. Several misidentification syndromes have been described in the psychiatric literature, the most common of these delusions are: the Capgras syndrome; the Fregoli syndrome; the syndrome of inter-metamorphosis; reduplicative paramnesia; and environmental reduplication. The reported case highlights the emergence of late onset first episode psychosis in a Middle Eastern 65-year-old female who has no previous psychiatric history. The nature of psychosis was mainly delusions of misidentification and persecution. DMS are relatively rare and occur predominantly in association with schizophrenia and affective psychosis. Between 25 and 40% are associated with organic conditions such as dementia, head injuries, brain tumors, and epilepsy. Only three cases of misidentification of sacred places have been reported previously in the literature. This case report is the first to present a DMS, emerging as a late onset first episode psychosis during the sacred journey of Hajj. The reported case highlights the importance of early recognition and treatment of mental health conditions that may appear de novo during the Hajj sacred journey. Readily available psychiatric resources, psychotropic medications, and psycho-education may be pivotal in ensuring mental well-being of pilgrims, which is fundamental to maintain the mental capacity required for completing these journeys.

Proteome analysis of pod and seed development in the model legume Lotus japonicus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nautrup-Pedersen, G.; Dam, S.; Laursen, B. S.

2010-01-01

Legume pods serve important functions during seed development and are themselves sources of food and feed. Compared to seeds, the metabolism and development of pods are not well-defined. The present characterization of pods from the model legume Lotus japonicus, together with the detailed analyses...... of the pod and seed proteomes in five developmental stages, paves the way for comparative pathway analysis and provides new metabolic information. Proteins were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and tandem-mass spectrometry. These analyses lead to the identification of 604 pod proteins and 965...... and photosynthesis. Proteins detected only in pods included three enzymes participating in the urea cycle and four in nitrogen and amino group metabolism, highlighting the importance of nitrogen metabolism during pod development. Additionally, five legume seed proteins previously unassigned in the glutamate...

Iron-induced nitric oxide leads to an increase in the expression of ferritin during the senescence of Lotus japonicus nodules.

Science.gov (United States)

Chungopast, Sirinapa; Duangkhet, Mallika; Tajima, Shigeyuki; Ma, Jian Feng; Nomura, Mika

2017-01-01

Iron is an essential nutrient for legume-rhizobium symbiosis and accumulates abundantly in the nodules. However, the concentration of free iron in the cells is strictly controlled to avoid toxicity. It is known that ferritin accumulates in the cells as an iron storage protein. During nodule senescence, the expression of the ferritin gene, Ljfer1, was induced in Lotus japonicus. We investigated a signal transduction pathway leading to the increase of Ljfer1 in the nodule. The Ljfer1 promoter of L. japonicus contains a conserved Iron-Dependent Regulatory Sequence (IDRS). The expression of Ljfer1 was induced by the application of iron or sodium nitroprusside, which is a nitric oxide (NO) donor. The application of iron to the nodule increased the level of NO. These data strongly suggest that iron-induced NO leads to increased expression of Ljfer1 during the senescence of L. japonicus nodules. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Prevalent Role of Gene Features in Determining Evolutionary Fates of Whole-Genome Duplication Duplicated Genes in Flowering Plants1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Wen-kai; Liu, Yun-long; Xia, En-hua; Gao, Li-zhi

2013-01-01

The evolution of genes and genomes after polyploidization has been the subject of extensive studies in evolutionary biology and plant sciences. While a significant number of duplicated genes are rapidly removed during a process called fractionation, which operates after the whole-genome duplication (WGD), another considerable number of genes are retained preferentially, leading to the phenomenon of biased gene retention. However, the evolutionary mechanisms underlying gene retention after WGD remain largely unknown. Through genome-wide analyses of sequence and functional data, we comprehensively investigated the relationships between gene features and the retention probability of duplicated genes after WGDs in six plant genomes, Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), poplar (Populus trichocarpa), soybean (Glycine max), rice (Oryza sativa), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), and maize (Zea mays). The results showed that multiple gene features were correlated with the probability of gene retention. Using a logistic regression model based on principal component analysis, we resolved evolutionary rate, structural complexity, and GC3 content as the three major contributors to gene retention. Cluster analysis of these features further classified retained genes into three distinct groups in terms of gene features and evolutionary behaviors. Type I genes are more prone to be selected by dosage balance; type II genes are possibly subject to subfunctionalization; and type III genes may serve as potential targets for neofunctionalization. This study highlights that gene features are able to act jointly as primary forces when determining the retention and evolution of WGD-derived duplicated genes in flowering plants. These findings thus may help to provide a resolution to the debate on different evolutionary models of gene fates after WGDs. PMID:23396833

Mirroring the Object of the Lesson: The Creative Process of Scriptural Rewriting as an Effective Practice for Teaching Sacred Texts

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, Carmen

2018-01-01

This paper introduces Rewritten Scripture and scriptural rewriting as a creative process that, when mirrored in a teaching exercise, may serve as an effective practice in teaching sacred texts. Observing changes made between scripture and its rewriting may allow readers to identify different contexts among these texts. Furthermore, the act of…

A sacred dance transmitted in the ritual for paying homage to one's teacher in Thailand

OpenAIRE

岩澤, 孝子

2001-01-01

This article attemps to describe a dance which is considered as a sacred knowledge among classical dancers in Thailand. This is the reflection of their unique idea, wai khru, which means showing respect to the teacher and the ritual based on this idea. In Thailand wai khru is generally practised wherever they have a person to be recognized as a teacher in their own comunities. In these days, however, under the influence of the modernization, the idea that the teacher has a special power and k...

The Camouflage of the Sacred in the Short Fiction of Hemingway

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Zaid Ali

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This essay examines the short fiction of Ernest Hemingway in the light of Mircea Eliade’s notion of the camouflage of the sacred and the larval survival of original spiritual meaning. A subterranean love pulsates beneath the terse dialogue of Hemingway’s characters whose inner life we glimpse only obliquely. In the short play (“Today Is Friday” and four short stories (“The Killers,” “A Clean Well-Lighted Place,” “Old Man at the Bridge,” and “The Light of the World,” discussed here, light imagery, biblical allusions, and the figure of Christ, reveal a hidden imaginary universe. This sacral dimension has been largely overlooked by critics who dwell on the ostensible spiritual absence that characterizes Hemingway’s fiction.

The Sacred Mountain of Varallo in Italy: Seismic Risk Assessment by Acoustic Emission and Structural Numerical Models

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Alberto Carpinteri

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We examine an application of Acoustic Emission (AE technique for a probabilistic analysis in time and space of earthquakes, in order to preserve the valuable Italian Renaissance Architectural Complex named “The Sacred Mountain of Varallo.” Among the forty-five chapels of the Renaissance Complex, the structure of the Chapel XVII is of particular concern due to its uncertain structural condition and due to the level of stress caused by the regional seismicity. Therefore, lifetime assessment, taking into account the evolution of damage phenomena, is necessary to preserve the reliability and safety of this masterpiece of cultural heritage. A continuous AE monitoring was performed to assess the structural behavior of the Chapel. During the monitoring period, a correlation between peaks of AE activity in the masonry of the “Sacred Mountain of Varallo” and regional seismicity was found. Although the two phenomena take place on very different scales, the AE in materials and the earthquakes in Earth’s crust, belong to the same class of invariance. In addition, an accurate finite element model, performed with DIANA finite element code, is presented to describe the dynamic behavior of Chapel XVII structure, confirming visual and instrumental inspections of regional seismic effects.

Morality and Intimate Partner Violence: Do Men in Court-Mandated Psychological Treatment Hold a Sacred Moral Vision of the World and Themselves?

Science.gov (United States)

Vecina, María L; Chacón, José C

2016-01-01

This article examines the characterization of men in a court-mandated treatment for violence against their partners as holding a sacred vision of the 5 moral foundations and of their own morality. This characterization is compatible with the assumption that a sacred moral world is easily threatened by reality and that may be associated to violent defensive actions. The results from latent class analyses reveal (a) a 4-class distribution depending exclusively on the intensity with which all participants (violent and nonviolent) tend to sacralize the actions proposed in the Moral Foundations Sacredness Scale and (b) a greater prevalence of the violent participants among the classes that are more prone to sacralize. They also show that they hold an inflated moral vision of themselves: They think they are much more moral than intelligent than others who have never been charged with criminal behavior (Muhammad Ali effect).

Epiphytic and endophytic bacteria that promote growth of ethnomedicinal plants in the subtropical forests of Meghalaya, India

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Fenella Mary War Nongkhlaw

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The present study was aimed to investigate the endophytic and epiphytic bacteria associated with selected ethnomedicinal plants from the pristine subtropical forests of Meghalaya and analyse them for plant growth promotion and antagonistic ability. This study is an attempt to explore plant associated bacteria which are beneficial to host plants, and thus aid in the conservation of ethnomedicinal plants of the studied subtropical forests, which are dwindling due to exploitation. The plant growth promotion parameters like indole acetic acid (IAA production, mineral phosphate solubilisation, acid phosphatase activity, presence of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase (ACC gene, nitrogen fixation, cellulose digestion, chitin and pectin degradation were screened among the isolates. The study revealed significant differences in bacterial population not only between the epiphytic and endophytic microhabitats, but also amongst the host plants. Out of the 70 isolated plant associated bacteria, Bacillus sp., Serratia sp., Pseudomonas sp., Pantoea sp., and Lysinibacillus sp. showed potent plant growth promotion properties. Bacillus siamensis C53 and B. subtilis cenB showed significant antagonistic activity against the tested pathogens. This study indicated the isolates inhabiting the plants prevalent in the subtropical sacred forests could be explored for use as plant growth promoters while practising the cultivation and conservation of ethnomedicinal plants. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (4: 1295-1308. Epub 2014 December 01.

Tracce d’inizio e di fine. Citazioni sacre nelle “17 variazioni” di Emilio Villa

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Bianca Battilocchi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This article aims to identify the numerous quotations from sacred texts appearing in Emilio Villa’s 17 variazioni. Indeed, the 1955 collection of poems offers a wide range of references to Biblical sources and archaic cosmogonic myths, ancient symbologies and eschatological conjectures. The poet is both the translator and the interpreter of these texts, which the collection mixes and interlinks in the shape of an enigma. This air of mystery seems to deny any definitive revelation, highlighting instead a plurality of points of view that ultimately result in Apocalypse.

Molecular physiology of weak organic acid stress in Bacillus subtilis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Beilen, J.W.A.

2013-01-01

The mechanism by which weak organic acid (WOA) preservatives inhibit growth of microorganisms may differ between different WOAs and these differences are not well understood. The aim of this thesis has been to obtain a better understanding of the mode of action of these preservatives by which they

Nineteenth-century urbanization as sacred process: insights from German Strasbourg.

Science.gov (United States)

Steinhoff, Anthony J

2011-01-01

This article examines a crucial site for modernity’s encounter with religion during the long nineteenth century, albeit one largely ignored both by religious and urban historians: the modern big city. Drawing on evidence from Strasbourg, which joined the ranks of Germany’s big cities soon after the Franco-Prussian War, it points out first, that urbanization had a significant urban dimension. It altered the absolute and relative size of the city’s faith communities, affected the confessional composition of urban neighborhoods, and prompted faith communities to mark additional parts of the urban landscape as sacred. Second, while urban growth—both demographic and physical—frequently challenged traditional understandings of religious community, it also facilitated the construction of new understandings of piety and community, especially via voluntary organizations and the religious media. Thereby, urbanization emerged as a key force behind sacralization in city and countryside as the nineteenth century ended and the twentieth began.

Effects of exotic Eucalyptus spp. plantations on soil properties in and around sacred natural sites in the northern Ethiopian Highlands

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Alemayehu Wassie

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Species of the genus Eucalyptus (common name eucalyptus are widely planted all across Ethiopia—including on large areas of land previously allocated to food production. In recent decades eucalyptus has also increasingly been planted on lands around and within “church forests,” sacred groves of old-aged Afromontane trees surrounding Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido churches. These revered holy sites have long been recognized for their cultural values and also for their ecosystem services—including their potential to support species conservation and restoration, as church forests are some of the only remaining sanctuaries for many of Ethiopia’s indigenous and endemic plant and animal populations. Ethiopian Orthodox church communities have a long history of planting and nurturing indigenous tree seedlings to sustain church forest groves. However, due to the fast-growing nature of eucalyptuscombined with its widely recognized socio-economic benefits (as fuelwood, charcoal, construction wood, etc., this introduced species has been widely plantedaround church forests—in some cases even replacing native tree species within church forests themselves. In many developing country contexts the introduction of exotic eucalyptus has been shown to have ecological impacts ranging from soil nutrient depletion, to lowering water tables, to allelopathic effects. In this study, we collected soil samples from indigenous forest fragments (church forests, adjacent eucalyptus plantations, and surrounding agricultural land to examine how eucalyptus plantations in Ethiopian Orthodox church communitiesmight impact soil quality relative to alternative land uses. Soil properties, including organic matter, pH, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus were measured in samples across 20 church forest sites in South Gondar, East Gojjam, West Gojjam, Awi, and Bahir Dar Liyu zones in the Amhara Region of the northern Ethiopian Highlands. Findings indicate that although soil in

A new atlas of temperature and salinity for the North Indian Ocean

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The most used temperature and salinity climatology for the world ocean, including the Indian Ocean, is the World Ocean Atlas (WOA) (Antonov et al 2006, 2010; Locarnini et al 2006, 2010) because of the vast amount of data used in its preparation. The WOA climatology does not, however, include all the available ...

[A Chinese Philosophical Foundation for the Sacred Mission of Nurses: The Ways of Heaven and Life are Correlated].

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Mei-Hsiu

2016-08-01

Clinical nursing practice uses professional nursing techniques, empathy, and moral judgment to help relieve the pain of patients who are suffering physically or mentally from trauma or illness. Thus, nursing involves sacred tasks. According to Confucian reasoning, morality is expressed through everyday actions. Providing care to patients arouses concern and sympathy in the caregiver, which induces him or her to fully apply professional knowledge to this task. This conduct demonstrates the moral conscience of nurses. The Chinese adage "Tian-tao hsing-ming hsiang kuan tung" (the way of heaven and life are correlated), attributed to Northern Song dynasty scholar Zhang Tsai, aptly explains the sacred mission of the nursing profession. Zhang held that all humans are born with a conscience that is given by heaven. However, human senses and desires may suppress this conscience. As Zhang Tsai suggested, the conscience must be cultivated in order to be manifested. The increase in recent years of international academic discussion / research related to the value and meaning of nursing and of exploration into how to promote the moral competence of nurses, not only provide support to Zhang's argument that "tian-tao" and "hsing-ming" are correlated but also provide positive momentum toward enhancing the self-worth of nurses and enabling patients to receive better care.

Silencing NaTPI Expression Increases Nectar Germin, Nectarins, and Hydrogen Peroxide Levels and Inhibits Nectar Removal from Plants in Nature1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Bezzi, Siham; Kessler, Danny; Diezel, Celia; Muck, Alexander; Anssour, Samir; Baldwin, Ian T.

2010-01-01

Native flower visitors removed less nectar from trypsin proteinase inhibitor (TPI)-silenced Nicotiana attenuata plants (ir-pi) than from wild-type plants in four field seasons of releases, even when the nectar repellant, nicotine, was also silenced. Analysis of floral chemistry revealed no differences in the emission of the floral attractants benzylacetone and benzaldehyde or in the concentrations of nectar sugar and nicotine between wild-type and ir-pi flowers, suggesting that these two lines are equally able to attract insect visitors. TPI activity was found in all wild-type flower parts and was highest in anther heads, while TPI activity was not found in any parts of ir-pi flowers. The nectar of ir-pi flowers contained 3.6-fold more total proteins than the nectar of wild-type flowers. Proteomics analysis and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) measurements revealed that ir-pi nectar contained more nectarins and nectar germin-like proteins and about 1.5-fold more H2O2 compared with wild-type nectar. Field experiments with wild-type flowers supplemented with a solution containing sugar and glucose oxidase demonstrated a causal association between the accumulation of H2O2 and the reduction in nectar removal. These results showed that silencing TPI expression increases the accumulation of nectar proteins and H2O2 levels, which in turn reduces nectar removal by native insect floral visitors. The effect of silencing TPIs on nectar protein accumulation suggests an endogenous regulatory function for TPIs in N. attenuata flowers. The repellency of H2O2 to floral visitors raises new questions about the qualities of nectar that make it attractive for pollinators. PMID:20190094

Sacred byzantine music and its influence on old East Slavic Orthodox music

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Włodzimierz Wołosiuk

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Sacred Byzantine music originates from three sources: “the liturgy of heaven”, synagogue music as well as old Greek theory of music and lays at the bottom of the East Slavs liturgical chant. The tonal base of the Byzantine music formed tetrachords. From them the so called Diatonic mode took shape. It was the easiest and the most popular sound arrangement steming from Greek music. The Cristian Church considered it to be in accordance with its Spirit and needs. From the tetrachords mentioned above other tones were created, namely Doric tones, Lydian, Phrygian and Mixolydian and, together withall their derivatives they gave beginning to the Oktoechos tradition. Byzantine music was flourishing in monasteries and in town areas andmany different forms were elaborated on like troparions, kontakions, stichiry, canons, etc. If one speaks about composers then certainly some names cannot be omitted. These are: St. Anatolius (Patriarchof Constantinople, St. Andrew of Crete, St. Romanos the Melodist,St. Sophronius of Jerusalem and, above all, St. John of Damascus who collected and systematized the liturgical chants creating mentioned Oktoechos. The acceptance of the Greek form of Christianity by Rus’ caused a cultivation of the sacred Greek vocal art on its territory which manifested in a form of so called Znamenny chant. This type of chant was at first similar to the Greek model but later on it moved away from it. Musical notation of the Old East Slavic singing was based on neumes which names in Old East Slavic have changed a little and only few survived. Furthermore, liturgical note books together with their genre and music content have been taken over from Byzantium. Especially visible in the Old East Slavic monody, Byzantine patterns were pervading also the later polyphony which proves they were always current. Moreover, this allows to claim that Rus’ became the real successor of the Greek Orthodox traditions in new circumstances of sacral

History of Tree Growth Declines Recorded in Old Trees at Two Sacred Sites in Northern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan; Zhang, Qi-Bin

2017-01-01

Old forests are an important component in sacred sites, yet they are at risk of growth decline from ongoing global warming and increased human activities. Growth decline, characterized by chronic loss of tree vigor, is not a recent phenomenon. Knowledge of past occurrence of declines is useful for preparing conservation plans because it helps understand if present day forests are outside the natural range of variation in tree health. We report a dendroecological study of growth decline events in the past two centuries at two sacred sites, Hengshan and Wutaishan, in Shanxi province of northern China. Tree rings collected at both sites show distinct periods of declining growth evident as narrow rings. These occurred in the 1830s in both sites, in the 1920s in Wutaishan and in the 2000s in Hengshan. By comparing the pattern of grow declines at the two sites, we hypothesize that resistance of tree growth to external disturbances is forest size dependent, and increased human activity might be a factor additional to climatic droughts in causing the recent strong growth decline at Hengshan Park. Despite these past declines, the forests at both sites have high resilience to disturbances as evidenced by the ability of trees to recover their growth rates to levels comparable to the pre-decline period. Managers should consider reducing fragmentation and restoring natural habitat of old forests, especially in areas on dry sites.

History of Tree Growth Declines Recorded in Old Trees at Two Sacred Sites in Northern China

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Yan Li

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Old forests are an important component in sacred sites, yet they are at risk of growth decline from ongoing global warming and increased human activities. Growth decline, characterized by chronic loss of tree vigor, is not a recent phenomenon. Knowledge of past occurrence of declines is useful for preparing conservation plans because it helps understand if present day forests are outside the natural range of variation in tree health. We report a dendroecological study of growth decline events in the past two centuries at two sacred sites, Hengshan and Wutaishan, in Shanxi province of northern China. Tree rings collected at both sites show distinct periods of declining growth evident as narrow rings. These occurred in the 1830s in both sites, in the 1920s in Wutaishan and in the 2000s in Hengshan. By comparing the pattern of grow declines at the two sites, we hypothesize that resistance of tree growth to external disturbances is forest size dependent, and increased human activity might be a factor additional to climatic droughts in causing the recent strong growth decline at Hengshan Park. Despite these past declines, the forests at both sites have high resilience to disturbances as evidenced by the ability of trees to recover their growth rates to levels comparable to the pre-decline period. Managers should consider reducing fragmentation and restoring natural habitat of old forests, especially in areas on dry sites.

Applied bioinformatics: Genome annotation and transcriptome analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gupta, Vikas

agricultural and biological importance. Its capacity to form symbiotic relationships with rhizobia and microrrhizal fungi has fascinated researchers for years. Lotus has a small genome of approximately 470 Mb and a short life cycle of 2 to 3 months, which has made Lotus a model legume plant for many molecular...

Tchen's Sacred Isolation—Prelude to Malraux's Fraternal Humanism

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Roch C. Smith

1982-09-01

Full Text Available While Malraux's life-long quest was to seek new values in man's perennial and shared struggle against an overwhelming fate, his early protagonist, particularly the assassin, turns to destruction and terrorism in a frenzied search for absolutes. This attempt to identify with the very fatality that has the power to destroy him is especially developed in Tchen, who embodies a despairing fascination with totalistic nihilism that Malraux must overcome in his search for a new notion of man. Tchen's initiation to murder in La Condition humaine marks a transgression of a taboo that thrusts him into what Georges Bataille calls the realm of the "sacred." His attempt to reconcile life and death by identifying with his victim irredeemably isolates Tchen from other, uninitiated men. Transformed by murder, he leaves the reality of revolution for the inhuman world of cosmic existence and individual death. Seeking to escape the human condition, he becomes obsessed with killing Chang-Kai-shek in order to kill himself and thereby "possess" his fate. But the illusion of such an escape dies with Tchen. Even his admiring disciples repudiate his nihilistic temptation as Malraux begins to seek in human fraternity the foundations of a new humanism.

Desiring the death-of-the-death. Michelangelo (madrigal n.118), Shakespeare (son. 146), Donne (sacred son. X)

OpenAIRE

Ida Campeggiani

2013-01-01

Michelangelo wrote two versions of the madrigal n. 118; the second one transforms the meaning of the first from the profane to the sacred, with minor variants. Both are included in the archive of texts known as ‘canzoniere’. An analysis of the two shows Michelangelo’s intention to introduce private drives in his work, taking care, though, of creating a framework within which to absorb those subversive aspects the prevailing morality would have rejected. Buonarroti uses the topos of the lover’...

Phytochemical and biological study of the aerial parts of Lotus Lalambensis growing in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Youssef, Hanan M.; Murphy, Brian T.; Amer, Masouda E.; Abdel-Kader, Maged S.; Kingston, David J.I.

2008-01-01

Phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Lotus lalambensis Schwenif resulted in the isolation and identification of 20 known compounds. Liquid-Liquid fractionation of the crude extract followed by chromatographic purification resulted in the isolation of lupeol, b-sitosterol, oleanolic acid, b-sitosterol glucoside and stigmasterol glucoside from petroleum ether fraction. The chloroform fraction afforded heptadecanol, kaempferol (1), kaempferol-3-O-a-L-rhamnoside (2), lotaustralin (3) epilotaaustralin (4), linamarin (5), kaempferol-3, 7-di-O-a-L-rhamnopyranoside (kaempferitin) (6) and ethyl-O-b-glucopyranoside (7). From the ethyl acetate fraction three simple rhamnosyl derivatives; butyl-O-a-L-rhamnopyranoside (8) methyl-O-a-L-rhamnopyranoside (9) and methyl-O-b-rhamnopyranoside (10) were obtained. Kaempferol-3-O-b-D-glucopyranoside-7-O-a-L-rhamnopyranoside (11), kaempferol-3-O-a- [b-D-glucopyranosyl-(1''''-2'''')-L- rhamnopyranoside]-7-O-a-L- rhamnopyranoside (12), kaempferol-3-O-b-D- rhamnopyranoside-7-O-a-[b-D-glucopyranosyl -(1'''-2'')-L- rhamnopyranoside] (13) and the myo-inositol (+) D-pinitol (14) were isolated from the butanol extract. The total extract and the different fractions were evaluated for their possible estrogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-platelets aggregation activities. The chloroform extract showed the highest estrogenic activity, while the petroleum ether was the best in protection against inflammation induced by carrageenan. The strongest inhibition of platelet aggregations were observed with the aqueous fraction. (author)

Effect of Acacia Gum, NaCl, and Sucrose on Physical Properties of Lotus Stem Starch

Science.gov (United States)

Gill, Balmeet Singh

2014-01-01

Consumer preferences in east Asian part of the world pave the way for consumption of lotus stem starch (LSS) in preparations such as breakfast meals, fast foods, and traditional confectioneries. The present study envisaged the investigation and optimization of additives, that is, acacia gum, sodium chloride (NaCl), and sucrose, on water absorption (WA), water absorption index (WAI), and water solubility index (WSI) of LSS employing response surface methodology (RSM). Acacia gum resulted in increased water uptake and swelling of starch; however, NaCl reduced the swelling power of starch by making water unavailable to starch and also due to starch-ion electrostatic interaction. Sucrose restricted the water absorption by binding free water and decreased amylose leaching by building bridges with starch chains and thus forming rigid structure. PMID:26904639

On-line tritium production and heat deposition rate measurements at the Lotus facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joneja, O.P.; Scherrer, P.; Anand, R.P.

1994-01-01

Integral tritium production and heat deposition measurement in a prototype fusion blanket would enable verification of the computational codes and the data based employed for the calculations. A large number of tritium production rate measurements have been reported for different type of blankets, whereas the direct heat deposition due to the mixed radiation field in the fusion environment, is still in its infancy. In order to ascertain the kerma factors and the photon production libraries, suitable techniques must be developed to directly measure the nuclear heat deposition rates in the materials required for the fusion systems. In this context, at the Lotus facility, we have developed an extremely efficient double ionizing chamber, for the on-line tritium production measurements and employed a pure graphite calorimeter to measure the nuclear heat deposition due to the mixed radiation field of the 14 MeV, Haefely neutron generator. This paper presents both systems and some of the recent measurements. (authors). 8 refs., 13 figs

Isolation and Characteristics of Cellulose and Nanocellulose from Lotus Leaf Stalk Agro-wastes

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Yandan Chen

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Valorization of lotus leaf stalks (LLS produced as an abundantly available agro-waste was achieved through the extraction of value-added nanocellulose. Nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC was successfully prepared from LLS by using chemical pretreatment combined with high-intensity ultrasonication. The morphological characteristics of the chemically purified LLS cellulose microfibrils were characterized by optical microscopy and MorFi fiber analysis. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy indicated the extensive removal of non-cellulosic components after chemical pretreatment. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM results revealed agglomeration of the developed individual NFC, with a width of 20 ± 5 nm and length on a micron scale, into a network-like feature. X-ray diffraction results showed that the resulting NFC had a cellulose I crystal structure with a high crystallinity (70%. The NFC started to degrade at around 217 °C, and the peak rate of degradation occurred at 344 °C. Nanofibrils obtained from LLS have great potential as reinforcement agents in nanocomposites.

Reasons of Emergence and Formation Features of Quebec Swearing (Les Sacres

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Fedor S. Nepsha

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The paper examines the main reasons for the emergence and spread of Quebec swearing (les sacres. Socio-psychological aspects of their origin and distribution in the Quebec dialect of the French language are analyzed. It is established that after the Silent Revolution (Révolution tranquille of the 6070s of the 20th century, the influence of the Catholic Church in Quebec was minimized, so the “les sacres” lost their original meaning and no longer bear a religious connotation. Various variants of classification of mechanisms of word-formation “les sacres” are also given in the work. Separately, the classification proposed by André Bugaev has been singled out, within the framework of which the mechanisms of the word-formation “les sacres” are discussed in detail. With its use, it is suggested to perform a linguistic analysis of the retrospective of the word-formation system “les sacres” and to establish a relationship with socio-political factors.

Low permanent pacemaker rates following Lotus device implantation for transcatheter aortic valve replacement due to modified implantation protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Krackhardt, Florian; Kherad, Behrouz; Krisper, Maximilian; Pieske, Burkert; Laule, Michael; Tschöpe, Carsten

2017-01-01

Conduction disturbances requiring permanent pacemaker implantation following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are a common problem. Pacemaker implantation rates after TAVR appear to be higher compared to conventional aortic valve replacement. The aim of this study was to analyze whether a high annulus implantation conveys the benefit of a decreased rate of permanent pacemaker implantation while being safe and successful according to Valve Academic Research Consortium 2 (VARC2)-criteria. A total of 23 patients with symptomatic severe aortic valve stenosis, an aortic annulus of 19-27 mm and at high risk for surgery were treated with the Lotus valve. In all patients the valve was implanted in a high annulus position via femoral access. The primary device performance endpoint was VARC2-defined device success after 30 days and the primary safety endpoint was the need for permanent pacemaker implantation. The mean age was 73.23 ± 7.65 years, 46% were female, 38% were New York Heart Association class III/IV at baseline. Thirty-day follow-up data were available for all patients. The VARC2-defined device success rate after 30 days was 22/23 (96%). 2/21 (10%) patients required a newly implanted pacemaker due to 3rd degree atrioventricular block. 25% of the patients developed a new left bundle branch block after valvuloplasty or device implantation. 21 of the 23 patients (96%) had no other signs of conduction disturbances after 30 days. The approach of the modified implantation technique of Lotus TAVR device was safe and effective. The incidence of need for a permanent pacemaker following TAVR could be significantly reduced due to adopted implantation protocol.

Relationships between phenotypic variation in osmotic adjustment, water-use efficiency, and drought tolerance of seven cultivars of Lotus corniculatus L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis Inostroza

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Lotus corniculatus L. is a perennial forage legume species highly-adapted to growth under drought conditions. However, the genetic and physiological mechanisms involved in its adaptive capacity have not been elucidated. The role of osmotic adjustment (OA and water-use efficiency (WUE on the drought tolerance of L. corniculatus was studied in a greenhouse experiment. Seven cultivars of different origin were subjected to two contrasting treatments of available soil water: No water stress (NWS and with water stress (WWS. Xylem water potential (Ψx, osmotic potential (Ψπ, pressure potential (Ψp, relative water content (RWC, stomatal conductance (g s, shoot DM production, water transpiration (T, and WUE (shoot DM/T were measured. Water treatments significantly (P < 0.05 affected plant water status, which was reflected in reduced Ψx, RWC, g s, and transpiration rate in the WWS treatment compared with the NWS treatment. All cultivars showed a high capacity for OA under WWS treatment because Ψπ decreased by approximately 60% and Ψp increased by approximately 30%, compared with the NWS treatment. Cultivars with a higher solute accumulation (low Ψπ value had the lowest DM production under WWS treatment. In contrast, WUE varied greatly among cultivars and was positively associated (R² = 0.88; P < 0.01 with DM production under drought conditions.

Characterization of the Nigerian local turkey based on blood ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The BGC was significantly different (p<0.05) among the birds at 7, 11 and 23 weeks old, with highest values in black colour at 7 and 11WOA, and black and white colours at 23 WOA. Improvement for local turkey in Nigeria could be made using the markers RT, PCV, Hb, WBC and RBC for Marker-assisted selection. In view of ...

Les rapports de l’art abstrait (Kandinsky, Klee, Mondrian avec les tendances d’abstraction de l’art sacré / The Connections of Abstract Art (Kandinsky, Klee, Mondrian with the Abstractization Tendencies of Sacred Art

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Badea

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this paper is to study the connections that can be established between the modern abstractionism and the abstract tendencies from other historical eras. In the first part I will present three distinct interpretations: the first direction is based on authors as Mircea Eliade and Roger Lipsey, who see modern art through the links still alive between art and religion, from a syncretic perspective, or, after Eliade’s expression, based on a creative hermeneutics. The second direction is represented by the work of Adorno, Compagnon, Greenberg, Lyotard, for whom the modern art is a manifestation of radical discontinuity in relation to the art of the past, and the emergence of abstractionism is due primarily to a historical necessity (the increasing rupture between form and content, the increased autonomy of the sensible over the intelligible. The third direction is represented to Wilhelm Worringer, whose work (Abstraktion und Einfühlung, 1907 predates the emergence of the first abstract paintings, but relying on the German aesthetic tradition, manages to go beyond the threshold distinction between figurative and abstract, thus identifying a type of Einfühlung art and another of abstract type, namely the predominance of one or the other in different historical contexts and civilizational patterns. In the second part of the paper I will refer to instances of the spirit of abstraction in the case of Byzantine sacred art, especially in the footsteps of Plotinian aesthetics and as a result of the iconoclastic crisis. In the last part, I will present the key ideas for three major representatives of abstractionism (Kandinsky, Klee, Mondrian and the survival of the concepts of sacred art in their works and art theories.

The Dredging of the Sacred Cenote of Chichen Itzá 1904-1914

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Guillermo Palacios

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This article analyzes the “restoration” of a treasure of incalculable value, taken from Chichen Itzá’s Sacred Cenote with the help of a primitive dredge installed along its edge by Edward H. Thompson, then the U.S. consul in Progreso, and financed by Harvard University’s Peabody Museum and private collectors from the Boston area. This “restoration” began in 1904 and continued up until 1907, with periodic resumptions up until 1909, the year in which Thompson resigned from his consular position, which marked the weakening of the network of complicity that he had been weaving since 1875 to allow him to illegally export hundreds of Maya pieces to the University of Cambridge. The article concludes in 1914, when the violence of the Mexican Revolution unintentionally put an end to the looting of Chichén Itzá.

World Ocean Atlas 2013 (NCEI Accession 0114815)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — World Ocean Atlas 2013 (WOA13) is a set of objectively analyzed (1 degree grid and 1/4 degree grid) climatological fields of in situ temperature, salinity, dissolved...

False indications of 95Zr-95Nb internal contamination due to contaminated sacred thread

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garg, S.P.; Singh, I.S.; Sharma, R.C.

2000-01-01

Whole body monitoring of a worker showed an apparent internal contamination with a considerable amount of 95 Zr- 95 Nb. Inhalation exposure was suspected to have taken place about a week earlier when he had last worked in the radioactive area. Unexpected fast clearance indicated by the third periodical weekly follow up monitoring was considered to be an abnormal behaviour. Investigations revealed an external contamination on a sacred thread, which the worker was putting on across his thorax and not removing it at the time of bath due to religious considerations. These studies have underscored that short term follow up measurements data should be critically scrutinized and a caution should be exercised in the interpretation such data particularly in case of such relatively short lived radionuclides. (author)

Vascular plants of Mt. Dosolsan in the Demilitarized Zone Civilian Control Line

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Jong Bin An

2018-06-01

Full Text Available This study is aimed at identifying the distribution of vascular plants growing at Mt. Dosolsan in Yanggu-gun, Gangwon-do. Field surveys were conducted for each season from March 2014 to November 2016. The flora of study area is found to consist of 516 taxa, 91 families, 296 genus, 455 species, four subspecies, 50 varieties, and seven forma. Rare plants were found to be of 31 taxa. Among them, rare plant species consisted of critically endangered species (CR degree: 2 (Lilium dauricum Ker Gawl., Cypripedium macranthos Sw., endangered species (EN degree: 5 (Loranthus tanakae Franch. & Sav. etc., vulnerable species (VU degree: 7 (Dryopteris laeta (Kom. C.Chr. etc., and least concerned (LC degree: 17 (Botrychium virginianum (L. Sw. etc.. In all the surveyed areas, a total of 20 taxa (Pseudostellaria setulosa Ohwi etc. were found to be endemic to Korea. The floristic special plants found in the surveyed areas were two taxa of grade V, 24 taxa of grade IV, and 31 taxa of grade III. The naturalized plants were identified as 15 taxa and included Chenopodium album L., Lotus corniculatus L., Robinia pseudoacacia L. etc.

NODC Standard Product: World ocean atlas 2005 (4 disc set) (NODC Accession 0097967)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — World Ocean Atlas 2005 (1 disc) The WOA05 contains data files of objectively analyzed climatologies and related statistical fields of temperature, salinity,...

Seleção de populações de Lotus corniculatus L. com maior tolerância ao alumínio em solução nutritiva Selection of populations of Lotus corniculatus L. with increased tolerance to aluminum in nutrient solution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aline Janke

2010-11-01

Full Text Available O experimento foi realizado com o objetivo de selecionar genótipos de Lotus corniculatus L. (Draco, São Gabriel e UFRGS mais tolerantes ao alumínio, utilizando-se a técnica de seleção em solução nutritiva. A solução continha 200 µmol/L de cálcio (CaCl2, 100 µmol/L de alumínio (AlCl3 e pH controlado na faixa de 4,1 a 4,3. Realizaram-se dois ciclos de seleção, nos quais as plântulas foram selecionadas pelo comprimento final das radículas. Posteriormente, avaliou-se o ganho genético alcançado nos ciclos de seleção, tanto nas populações originais como nas melhoradas, em um experimento com solução nutritiva com quatro concentrações de alumínio (0, 50, 100 e 150 µmol/L (AlCl3, por meio do crescimento radicular líquido. O uso de solução nutritiva foi eficiente na seleção de plântulas de cornichão tolerantes ao alumínio. Os materiais analisados apresentam diferenças em relação a esta característica, destacando-se o genótipo UFRGS F2, proveniente de dois ciclos de seleção, como o material com maior tolerância ao alumínio.The experiment was carried out to select genotypes of Lotus corniculatus L. (Draco, São Gabriel and UFRGS more tolerant to aluminum, using the technique of selection in nutrient solution. The solution contained 200 µmol/L calcium (CaCl2 and 100 µmol/L aluminum (AlCl3 and a pH controlled in the range from 4.1 to 4.3. It was performed two cycles of selection, in which the seedlings were selected by the root final length. Subsequently, the genetic gain achieved in the cycles of selection was tested, in original and improved populations in an experiment in nutrient solution with four concentrations of aluminum (0, 50, 100 and 150 µmol/L (AlCl3, by liquid root growth. Use of nutritional solution was efficient in the selection of seedlings of birdsfoot trefoil tolerant to aluminum. The materials analyzed differ for this characteristic, with the genotype UFRGS F2, being the most tolerant.

Phytoremediation of lowland soil contaminated with a formulated mixture of Imazethapyr and Imazapic1

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Kelen Müller Souto

Full Text Available The use of plants to decontaminate water and soil contaminated with both organic and inorganic pollutants is a promising technology for sustainable agriculture. The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of plant species in the remediation of formulated mixtures of imazethapyr and imazapic, using the irrigated rice cultivar IRGA 417 as bioindicator. The treatments consisted of the combination of 13 plant species with seven rates of a formulated mixture of imazethapyr and Imazapic (75+25 g e.a. L-1 respectively: 0, 200, 300, 400, 500, 1000 and 4000 mL ha-1. To evaluate the potential for phytoremediation in these species, symptoms of injury and plant height were measured in rice plants at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after emergence and shoot dry weight at 28 days after emergence. Glycine max, Lolium multiflorum and Lotus corniculatus are potentially promising species in the phytoremediation of soils contaminated with the herbicide imazethapyr and imazapic (up to 4000 mL ha-1, due to being more adapted to hydromorphic environments, which is a feature found in soils cultivated with irrigated rice. Crotalaria juncea, Canavalia ensiformis, Stizolobium aterrimum, Vicia sativa, Raphanus sativus and Triticum aestivum are species capable of the phytoremediation of soils contaminated with imazethapyr + imazapic, however the occurrence of anoxia in hydromorphic soils reduce the establishment and development of these plants.

Mobilising Mother Cabrini's Educational Practice: The Transnational Context of the London School of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus 1898-1911

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Maria Patricia

2015-01-01

A schoolteacher from Lombardy, Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917), founded the Institute of Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (MSC) in 1880. It was one of the 185 female religious institutes established in Italy in the nineteenth century. In the newly unified Italy, Cabrini found opportunities to formulate progressive Catholic…

Lotus japonicus NOOT-BOP-COCH-LIKE1 is essential for nodule, nectary, leaf and flower development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Magne, Kévin; George, Jeoffrey; Berbel Tornero, Ana

2018-01-01

The NOOT-BOP-COCH-LIKE (NBCL) genes are orthologs of Arabidopsis thaliana BLADE-ON-PETIOLE1/2. NBCLs are developmental regulators essential for plant shaping mainly through the regulation of organ boundaries, the promotion of lateral organ differentiation and the acquisition of organ identity. In...

Tuskegee as Sacred Rhetoric: Focal Point for the Emergent Field of African American Religion and Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Laws, Terri

2018-02-01

Scholars in African American religion engage the Tuskegee Syphilis Study as the focal point of the African American experience in institutional medicine. Seeking a way forward from this history and its intentional evil, the author proposes to position Tuskegee as a form of Lynch's culturally contextual sacred rhetoric to make use of its metaphoric value in the emerging field of African American religion and health. In this broader meaning-making frame, Tuskegee serves as a reminder that African American religious sensibility has long been an agential resource that counters abuse of the Black body. It also acknowledges the complex decisions facing African American clinical trial participants.

Kazusa Marker DataBase: a database for genomics, genetics, and molecular breeding in plants

Science.gov (United States)

Shirasawa, Kenta; Isobe, Sachiko; Tabata, Satoshi; Hirakawa, Hideki

2014-01-01

In order to provide useful genomic information for agronomical plants, we have established a database, the Kazusa Marker DataBase (http://marker.kazusa.or.jp). This database includes information on DNA markers, e.g., SSR and SNP markers, genetic linkage maps, and physical maps, that were developed at the Kazusa DNA Research Institute. Keyword searches for the markers, sequence data used for marker development, and experimental conditions are also available through this database. Currently, 10 plant species have been targeted: tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), pepper (Capsicum annuum), strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa), radish (Raphanus sativus), Lotus japonicus, soybean (Glycine max), peanut (Arachis hypogaea), red clover (Trifolium pratense), white clover (Trifolium repens), and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis). In addition, the number of plant species registered in this database will be increased as our research progresses. The Kazusa Marker DataBase will be a useful tool for both basic and applied sciences, such as genomics, genetics, and molecular breeding in crops. PMID:25320561

The Virgin of Luján: sacred source of legitimation of the heroes of the Malvinas War

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Marina Panizo

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The loss of a loved one in war, as in the extraordinary losses in general, produces a break in the usual ways of facing death. In this article we will see how relatives of fallen in the Malvinas War were adapted to these changes in a creative way, reformulating conventional models to understand them, through a framework of interpretation of losses where the Virgin of Luján, sacred source of legitimation of the dead and the bereaved, becomes the instrument through which occurs the communion of all Argentineans, both living and dead, and strengthening the national identity.  

Properties of lotus seed starch-glycerin monostearin complexes formed by high pressure homogenization.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Bingyan; Zeng, Shaoxiao; Zeng, Hongliang; Guo, Zebin; Zhang, Yi; Zheng, Baodong

2017-07-01

Starch-lipid complexes were prepared using lotus seed starch (LS) and glycerin monostearate (GMS) via a high pressure homogenization (HPH) process, and the effect of HPH on the physicochemical properties of LS-GMS complexes was investigated. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and complex index analysis showed that LS-GMS complexes were formed at 40MPa by HPH and the complex index increased with the increase of homogenization pressure. Scanning electron microscopy displayed LS-GMS complexes present more nest-shape structure with increasing homogenization pressure. X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry results revealed that V-type crystalline polymorph was formed between LS and GMS, with higher homogenization pressure producing an increasingly stable complex. LS-GMS complex inhibited starch granules swelling, solubility and pasting development, which further reduced peak and breakdown viscosity. During storage, LS-GMS complexes prepared by 70-100MPa had higher Avrami exponent values and lower recrystallization rates compared with native starch, which suggested a lower retrogradation trendency. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Development of the Sacred Landscape of Saqqara in the Old Kingdom

Science.gov (United States)

Magli, Giulio

2015-05-01

Saqqara is one of the most important Necropolis in Egypt. In the course of the third millennium BC many Pharaohs choose Saqqara for their tombs. As a consequence the landscape constantly grew with the addition of new monuments, from the mastaba tombs of the first dynasty to the last pyramid of the Old Kingdom, that of Pepi II. The monuments were constructed respecting a series of topographical constraints which are not due to the morphology of the area but rather reflect symbolic - dynastic or astronomical - motivations. The analysis of these connections gives a better understanding of the choices made by the kings' architects in order to keep Maat - order - in the development of the site. Further, the way in which the sacred landscape came to be structured at the end of the Old Kingdom allows us to formulate a proposal for the possible location of the unique pyramid of the sixth dynasty which is still to be found: that of Userkare.

The Genetic Basis of Constitutive and Herbivore-Induced ESP-Independent Nitrile Formation in Arabidopsis1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Burow, Meike; Losansky, Anja; Müller, René; Plock, Antje; Kliebenstein, Daniel J.; Wittstock, Ute

2009-01-01

Glucosinolates are a group of thioglucosides that are components of an activated chemical defense found in the Brassicales. Plant tissue damage results in hydrolysis of glucosinolates by endogenous thioglucosidases known as myrosinases. Spontaneous rearrangement of the aglucone yields reactive isothiocyanates that are toxic to many organisms. In the presence of specifier proteins, alternative products, namely epithionitriles, simple nitriles, and thiocyanates with different biological activities, are formed at the expense of isothiocyanates. Recently, simple nitriles were recognized to serve distinct functions in plant-insect interactions. Here, we show that simple nitrile formation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) ecotype Columbia-0 rosette leaves increases in response to herbivory and that this increase is independent of the known epithiospecifier protein (ESP). We combined phylogenetic analysis, a screen of Arabidopsis mutants, recombinant protein characterization, and expression quantitative trait locus mapping to identify a gene encoding a nitrile-specifier protein (NSP) responsible for constitutive and herbivore-induced simple nitrile formation in Columbia-0 rosette leaves. AtNSP1 is one of five Arabidopsis ESP homologues that promote simple nitrile, but not epithionitrile or thiocyanate, formation. Four of these homologues possess one or two lectin-like jacalin domains, which share a common ancestry with the jacalin domains of the putative Arabidopsis myrosinase-binding proteins MBP1 and MBP2. A sixth ESP homologue lacked specifier activity and likely represents the ancestor of the gene family with a different biochemical function. By illuminating the genetic and biochemical bases of simple nitrile formation, our study provides new insights into the evolution of metabolic diversity in a complex plant defense system. PMID:18987211

System-Wide Hypersensitive Response-Associated Transcriptome and Metabolome Reprogramming in Tomato1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Etalo, Desalegn W.; Stulemeijer, Iris J.E.; Peter van Esse, H.; de Vos, Ric C.H.; Bouwmeester, Harro J.; Joosten, Matthieu H.A.J.

2013-01-01

The hypersensitive response (HR) is considered to be the hallmark of the resistance response of plants to pathogens. To study HR-associated transcriptome and metabolome reprogramming in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), we used plants that express both a resistance gene to Cladosporium fulvum and the matching avirulence gene of this pathogen. In these plants, massive reprogramming occurred, and we found that the HR and associated processes are highly energy demanding. Ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation, hydrolysis of sugars, and lipid catabolism are used as alternative sources of amino acids, energy, and carbon skeletons, respectively. We observed strong accumulation of secondary metabolites, such as hydroxycinnamic acid amides. Coregulated expression of WRKY transcription factors and genes known to be involved in the HR, in addition to a strong enrichment of the W-box WRKY-binding motif in the promoter sequences of the coregulated genes, point to WRKYs as the most prominent orchestrators of the HR. Our study has revealed several novel HR-related genes, and reverse genetics tools will allow us to understand the role of each individual component in the HR. PMID:23719893

37 CFR 1.165 - Plant drawings.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Plant drawings. 1.165 Section... Plant drawings. (a) Plant patent drawings should be artistically and competently executed and must... required by the examiner. The drawing must disclose all the distinctive characteristics of the plant...

Condensed tannins act against cattle nematodes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Novobilský, Adam; Mueller-Harvey, Irene; Thamsborg, Stig Milan

2011-01-01

The use of natural plant anthelmintics was suggested as a possible alternative control of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) in ruminants. Direct anthelmintic effects of tannin-containing plants have already been shown in sheep and goat GIN. These anthelmintic properties are mainly associated...... with condensed tannins. In the present study, we evaluated possible in vitro effects of three tannin-containing plants against bovine GIN. Effects of Onobrychis viciifolia, Lotus pedunculatus and Lotus corniculatus condensed tannin (CT) extracts on Cooperia oncophora and Ostertagia ostertagi were determined...... (third stage larvae) was also affected by CT extracts from all three plants. In both in vitro assays, extracts with added polyvinylpolypyrrolidone, an inhibitor of tannins, generated almost the same values as the negative control; this confirms the role of CT in the anthelmintic effect of these plant...

World Ocean Atlas 2005, Salinity

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — World Ocean Atlas 2005 (WOA05) is a set of objectively analyzed (1° grid) climatological fields of in situ temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, Apparent Oxygen...

World Ocean Atlas 2005, Temperature

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — World Ocean Atlas 2005 (WOA05) is a set of objectively analyzed (1° grid) climatological fields of in situ temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, Apparent Oxygen...

The Spirituality of the Leader and its influence on Visitor Experience Management at Sacred Sites in the Island of Ireland: Insights and implications

OpenAIRE

Enongene, Vreny; Griffin, Kevin A.

2017-01-01

Despite growing interest in understanding the sacred site visitor experience management, scholars have predominantly explored the phenomenon from the visitor’s perspective. There is very little exploration from the managerial perspectives, given that decisions regarding the nature of the experience, the product and service delivery strategies aimed at providing a diversity of visitors with rewarding, satisfying and memorable experiences, solely depends on these individuals, whose personal att...

Discriminating the Geographical Origins of Chinese White Lotus Seeds by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Chemometrics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lu Xu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The traceability of a Chinese white lotus seed (WLS with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO was investigated using near-infrared (NIR spectroscopy and chemometrics. Three chemometrics methods, discrimination analysis (DA, class modeling, and a newly proposed strategy, the fusion of DA and class modeling, were investigated to compare their capacity to trace the geographical origins of WLS. Least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM was developed to distinguish the PDO WLS from non-PDO WLS of four main producing areas. A class modeling technique, one-class partial least squares (OCPLS, was developed only using the data of PDO WLS. By the fusion of LS-SVM and OCPLS, the best prediction sensitivity and specificity were 0.900 and 0.973, respectively. The results indicate that fusion of DA and class modeling can enhance the specificity for detection of non-PDO products. The conclusion is that DA and class modeling should be combined for tracing food geographical origins.

Fusions between green fluorescent protein and beta-glucuronidase as sensitive and vital bifunctional reporters in plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Quaedvlieg, N E; Schlaman, H R; Admiraal, P C; Wijting, S E; Stougaard, J; Spaink, H P

1998-11-01

By fusing the genes encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP) and beta-glucuronidase (GUS) we have created a set of bifunctional reporter constructs which are optimized for use in transient and stable expression studies in plants. This approach makes it possible to combine the advantage of GUS, its high sensitivity in histochemical staining, with the advantages of GFP as a vital marker. The fusion proteins were functional in transient expression studies in tobacco using either DNA bombardment or potato virus X as a vector, and in stably transformed Arabidopsis thaliana and Lotus japonicus plants. The results show that high level of expression does not interfere with efficient stable transformation in A. thaliana and L. japonicus. Using confocal laser scanning microscopy we show that the fusion constructs are very suitable for promoter expression studies in all organs of living plants, including root nodules. The use of these reporter constructs in the model legume L. japonicus offers exciting new possibilities for the study of the root nodulation process.

Desmond and Moore’s Darwin’s Sacred Cause

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Allen Esterson

2013-04-01

Full Text Available In their book Darwin’s Sacred Cause (2009 Adrian Desmond and James Moore purport to demonstrate that they have provided an original explanation for the inspiration behind Darwin’s determined pursuit of an explanatory theory for the transformation of species of which he became convinced as a result of his experiences during the Beagle voyage of 1831 to 1836. This, they argue, was the “moral passion” that was evoked by his encountering the horrors of slavery during the periods he was able to disembark to explore areas of South America in the years 1832 to 1835. In short, they provide what they describe as “the untold story of how Darwin’s abhorrence of slavery led to our modern understanding of evolution.” This article explores the means by which the authors seek to persuade readers of the validity of their thesis, and concludes that far from providing compelling evidence, by providing a mass of historically interesting material relating to slavery that is actually tangential to their case, they obscure the fact that they fail to accomplish their aim. There is nothing in their account of events that provides a reason for preferring their explanation for Darwin’s devotion to understanding the processes involved in the transformation of species to the known historical facts of Darwin’s early zeal for natural science, exhibited in his childhood exploits with beetles and his more organized scientific activities when he was a student at Cambridge, enabled to come to fruition by his scientific activities during the voyage of the Beagle.

Justices as “Sacred Symbols”: Antonin Scalia and the Cultural Life of the Law

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Jones Brian

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Perhaps no single judge in recent years has embodied the intricacies and difficulties of the cultural life of the law as much as American Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. While common law judges have traditionally acquired status—and cultural relevance—from the significance, eloquence and forcefulness of their judicial opinions, Justice Scalia took an altogether different route. Both on and off the bench, he pushed the limits of legal and political legitimacy. He did this through a strict adherence to what we call a “judicial mandate,” flamboyant but engaging writing, biting humor and widespread marketing of his originalist and textualist interpretative theories. This article chronicles these features of Scalia’s jurisprudence and public life more generally, ultimately characterising the late justice as a “sacred symbol” in American legal and political circles, and beyond.

Nuclear power plant V-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

The nuclear power plant Bohunice V -1 is briefly described. This NPP consists from two reactor units. Their main time characteristics are (Reactor Unit 1, Reactor Unit 2): beginning of construction - 24 April 1972; first controlled reactor power - 27 November 1978, 15 March 1980; connection to the grid - 17 December 1978, 26 March 1980; commercial operation - 1 April 1980, 7 January 1981. This leaflet contains: NPP V-1 construction; Major technological equipment (Primary circuit: Nuclear reactor [WWER 440 V230 type reactor];Steam generator; Reactor Coolant Pumps; Primary Circuit Auxiliary Systems. Secondary circuit: Turbine generators, Nuclear power plant electrical equipment; power plant control) and technical data

Phytochemical Profile and Biological Activity of Nelumbo nucifera.

Science.gov (United States)

Paudel, Keshav Raj; Panth, Nisha

2015-01-01

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (Nymphaeaceae) is a potential aquatic crop grown and consumed throughout Asia. All parts of N. nucifera have been used for various medicinal purposes in various systems of medicine including folk medicines, Ayurveda, Chinese traditional medicine, and oriental medicine. Many chemical constituents have been isolated till the date. However, the bioactive constituents of lotus are mainly alkaloids and flavonoids. Traditionally, the whole plant of lotus was used as astringent, emollient, and diuretic. It was used in the treatment of diarrhea, tissue inflammation, and homeostasis. The rhizome extract was used as antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory properties due to the presence of asteroidal triterpenoid. Leaves were used as an effective drug for hematemesis, epistaxis, hemoptysis, hematuria, and metrorrhagia. Flowers were used to treat diarrhea, cholera, fever, and hyperdipsia. In traditional medicine practice, seeds are used in the treatment of tissue inflammation, cancer and skin diseases, leprosy, and poison antidote. Embryo of lotus seeds is used in traditional Chinese medicine as Lian Zi Xin, which primarily helps to overcome nervous disorders, insomnia, and cardiovascular diseases (hypertension and arrhythmia). Nutritional value of lotus is as important as pharmaceutical value. These days' different parts of lotus have been consumed as functional foods. Thus, lotus can be regarded as a potential nutraceutical source.

Phytochemical Profile and Biological Activity of Nelumbo nucifera

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keshav Raj Paudel

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (Nymphaeaceae is a potential aquatic crop grown and consumed throughout Asia. All parts of N. nucifera have been used for various medicinal purposes in various systems of medicine including folk medicines, Ayurveda, Chinese traditional medicine, and oriental medicine. Many chemical constituents have been isolated till the date. However, the bioactive constituents of lotus are mainly alkaloids and flavonoids. Traditionally, the whole plant of lotus was used as astringent, emollient, and diuretic. It was used in the treatment of diarrhea, tissue inflammation, and homeostasis. The rhizome extract was used as antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory properties due to the presence of asteroidal triterpenoid. Leaves were used as an effective drug for hematemesis, epistaxis, hemoptysis, hematuria, and metrorrhagia. Flowers were used to treat diarrhea, cholera, fever, and hyperdipsia. In traditional medicine practice, seeds are used in the treatment of tissue inflammation, cancer and skin diseases, leprosy, and poison antidote. Embryo of lotus seeds is used in traditional Chinese medicine as Lian Zi Xin, which primarily helps to overcome nervous disorders, insomnia, and cardiovascular diseases (hypertension and arrhythmia. Nutritional value of lotus is as important as pharmaceutical value. These days’ different parts of lotus have been consumed as functional foods. Thus, lotus can be regarded as a potential nutraceutical source.

The Effects of Sacred Value Networks Within an Evolutionary, Adversarial Game

Science.gov (United States)

McCalla, Scott G.; Short, Martin B.; Brantingham, P. Jeffrey

2013-05-01

The effects of personal relationships and shared ideologies on levels of crime and the formation of criminal coalitions are studied within the context of an adversarial, evolutionary game first introduced in Short et al. (Phys. Rev. E 82:066114, 2010). Here, we interpret these relationships as connections on a graph of N players. These connections are then used in a variety of ways to define each player's "sacred value network"—groups of individuals that are subject to special consideration or treatment by that player. We explore the effects on the dynamics of the system that these networks introduce, through various forms of protection from both victimization and punishment. Under local protection, these networks introduce a new fixed point within the game dynamics, which we find through a continuum approximation of the discrete game. Under more complicated, extended protection, we numerically observe the emergence of criminal coalitions, or "gangs". We also find that a high-crime steady state is much more frequent in the context of extended protection networks, in both the case of Erdős-Rényi and small world random graphs.

Rapid analysis of adulterations in Chinese lotus root powder (LRP) by near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy coupled with chemometric class modeling techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Lu; Shi, Peng-Tao; Ye, Zi-Hong; Yan, Si-Min; Yu, Xiao-Ping

2013-12-01

This paper develops a rapid analysis method for adulteration identification of a popular traditional Chinese food, lotus root powder (LRP), by near-infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics. 85 pure LRP samples were collected from 7 main lotus producing areas of China to include most if not all of the significant variations likely to be encountered in unknown authentic materials. To evaluate the model specificity, 80 adulterated LRP samples prepared by blending pure LRP with different levels of four cheaper and commonly used starches were measured and predicted. For multivariate quality models, two class modeling methods, the traditional soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA) and a recently proposed partial least squares class model (PLSCM) were used. Different data preprocessing techniques, including smoothing, taking derivative and standard normal variate (SNV) transformation were used to improve the classification performance. The results indicate that smoothing, taking second-order derivatives and SNV can improve the class models by enhancing signal-to-noise ratio, reducing baseline and background shifts. The most accurate and stable models were obtained with SNV spectra for both SIMCA (sensitivity 0.909 and specificity 0.938) and PLSCM (sensitivity 0.909 and specificity 0.925). Moreover, both SIMCA and PLSCM could detect LRP samples mixed with 5% (w/w) or more other cheaper starches, including cassava, sweet potato, potato and maize starches. Although it is difficult to perform an exhaustive collection of all pure LRP samples and possible adulterations, NIR spectrometry combined with class modeling techniques provides a reliable and effective method to detect most of the current LRP adulterations in Chinese market. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Statutory Interpretation through the Prism of the Bill of Rights: S v Litako 2014 SACR 431 (SCA

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Salona Lutchman

2015-07-01

Full Text Available On 16 April 2014, the Supreme Court of Appeal handed down judgment in the matter of S v Litako 2014 2 SACR 431 (SCA ("Litako". The judgment reconsiders the landmark decision of the same court, S v Ndhlovu 2002 2 SACR 325 (SCA ("Ndhlovu" in which the court held that an informal admission made by one accused could be admitted against a co-accused even if the accused in court denies making the statement and the statement itself is therefore considered to be hearsay. The court in Ndhlovu applied section 3 of the Law of Evidence Amendment Act 45 of 1988 and found that the hearsay extra curial admission could be admitted in the interests of justice. In Litako the court found that section 3 did not overrule an existing common law rule, which is that the extra curial statement of an accused (whether an informal admission or a confession cannot be tendered against a co-accused. This is because section 3 does not expressly overrule this common law rule. Rather, the provision itself requests that its application be subject to the common law. The judgment is important for various reasons. Firstly, it is generally in keeping with the existing rule on the cautionary treatment of accomplice evidence. Secondly, the judgment highlights the current confusion in the relationship between statute and common law with regards to informal admissions and confessions. Thirdly, the court employs methods of statutory interpretation to re-examine the principle from Ndhlovu and finds that the court in that case did not apply its mind correctly in disregarding the common law rule. The court undertook a teleological approach to interpretation by infusing the meaning of the words with the spirit, purport and objects of the Bill of Rights and found that the statute had not overruled the common law rule.

Dans les flots de l'Ao-Shio. Entre Japon et Corée : de l'îlot sacré à l'îlot disputé

OpenAIRE

Pelletier, P.

1998-01-01

Two small islands located in the Ao-shio (or Tsushima) sea current are facing two opposite fates reflecting the highs-lows of the relationship between Korea and Japan, either peaceful or warlike. Okinoshima, which is incorporated within the Japanese world, is a sacred island. Takeshima or Tok-to is being fought over by Japanese and Korean states. (Résumé d'auteur)

Desert Mazâr: Sacred Sites in Western China (Essay to Accompany Photo Essay

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Rahilä Dawut

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Despite its reputation as one of the most inhospitable areas in the world, the Tarim Basin has been home to thriving agricultural and mercantile communities since the early centuries of the Common Era, when oasis cities were linked in a lucrative network of Eurasian trade. Today, the Tarim is home to China’s Uyghurs, a Turkic-speaking Muslim community whose ancestral ties to the region date back to at least the ninth century CE. For them, the Taklamakan is sacred land, enveloping the political and religious heroes of a storied past who are buried in countless mausoleums (in Uyghur: mazâr that dot the desert landscape. It is the power believed to emanate from these shrines that New York–based photographer Lisa Ross has captured so vividly in her images over the course of several journeys to China’s west.

O-pi e-de-i: on round building as an archetypical form of sacred space in the Aegean

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Evyenia Yiannouli

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The archaeological record supports the general proposition that the simplest form of architecture, the round building type, variously persisted throughout the Aegean prehistory. This paper makes a case for the identification of round building as a distinct genre of sacred space in the Aegean Bronze Age, Mycenaean Crete in particular, combining evidence from architecture, iconography and the scripts. Certain archetypical features are thus delineated. It is argued that the historical understanding of the emerging LBA state requires a study of the architecture prior to the 2nd millennium BC as much as other relevant evidence issuing from the latest Aegean strata.

THE FORMATION OF READERS IN THE ERA OF ITS “SACREDNESS”: IT WOULD BE THE SACRED THE CAUSE OF FASCINATION WITH CONTEMPORARY BESTSELLERS?

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Jaime dos Reis Sant'Anna

2016-07-01

Full Text Available What explain the great appreciation by mass literature, as the bestseller Harry Potter or The Twilight Saga? We can use the mass literature to form readers in the school, or we must use only canonical literature? Finally, the more important discussion in this article: the sacred would be an enhancer element to explain the appreciation by these works and how would must the teachers debate this theme with their students?

Learning to (Re)member the Things We've Learned to Forget: Endarkened Feminisms, Spirituality, and the Sacred Nature of Research and Teaching. Black Studies and Critical Thinking. Volume 18

Science.gov (United States)

Dillard, Cynthia B.

2012-01-01

Feminist research has both held and contested experience as a category of epistemological importance, often as a secular notion. However, spirituality and sacred knowing are also fundamental to a Black/endarkened feminist epistemology in teaching and research, given the historical and cultural experiences of African ascendant women worldwide. How…

Regulation of a Chemical Defense against Herbivory Produced by Symbiotic Fungi in Grass Plants12[W][OA

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Zhang, Dong-Xiu; Nagabhyru, Padmaja; Schardl, Christopher L.

2009-01-01

Neotyphodium uncinatum and Neotyphodium siegelii are fungal symbionts (endophytes) of meadow fescue (MF; Lolium pratense), which they protect from insects by producing loline alkaloids. High levels of lolines are produced following insect damage or mock herbivory (clipping). Although loline alkaloid levels were greatly elevated in regrowth after clipping, loline-alkaloid biosynthesis (LOL) gene expression in regrowth and basal tissues was similar to unclipped controls. The dramatic increase of lolines in regrowth reflected the much higher concentrations in young (center) versus older (outer) leaf blades, so LOL gene expression was compared in these tissues. In MF-N. siegelii, LOL gene expression was similar in younger and older leaf blades, whereas expression of N. uncinatum LOL genes and some associated biosynthesis genes was higher in younger than older leaf blades. Because lolines are derived from amino acids that are mobilized to new growth, we tested the amino acid levels in center and outer leaf blades. Younger leaf blades of aposymbiotic plants (no endophyte present) had significantly higher levels of asparagine and sometimes glutamine compared to older leaf blades. The amino acid levels were much lower in MF-N. siegelii and MF-N. uncinatum compared to aposymbiotic plants and MF with Epichloë festucae (a closely related symbiont), which lacked lolines. We conclude that loline alkaloid production in young tissue depleted these amino acid pools and was apparently regulated by availability of the amino acid substrates. As a result, lolines maximally protect young host tissues in a fashion similar to endogenous plant metabolites that conform to optimal defense theory. PMID:19403726

Slowly digestible properties of lotus seed starch-glycerine monostearin complexes formed by high pressure homogenization.

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Chen, Bingyan; Jia, Xiangze; Miao, Song; Zeng, Shaoxiao; Guo, Zebin; Zhang, Yi; Zheng, Baodong

2018-06-30

Starch-lipid complexes were prepared using lotus seed starch (LS) and glycerin monostearate (GMS) via a high-pressure homogenization process, and the effect of high pressure homogenization (HPH) on the slow digestion properties of LS-GMS was investigated. The digestion profiles showed HPH treatment reduced the digestive rate of LS-GMS, and the extent of this change was dependent on homogenized pressure. Scanning electron microscopy displayed HPH treatment change the morphology of LS-GMS, with high pressure producing more compact block-shape structure to resist enzyme digestion. The results of Gel-permeation chromatography and Small-angle X-ray scattering revealed high homogenization pressure impacted molecular weight distribution and semi-crystalline region of complexes, resulting in the formation of new semi-crystalline with repeat unit distance of 16-18 nm and molecular weight distribution of 2.50-2.80 × 10 5  Da, which displayed strong enzymatic resistance. Differential scanning calorimeter results revealed new semi-crystalline lamellar may originate from type-II complexes that exhibited a high transition temperature. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

False indications of {sup 95}Zr-{sup 95}Nb internal contamination due to contaminated sacred thread

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garg, S P; Singh, I S; Sharma, R C [Internal Dosimetry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, BARC Hospital, Mumbai (India)

2000-05-01

Whole body monitoring of a worker showed an apparent internal contamination with a considerable amount of {sup 95}Zr-{sup 95}Nb. Inhalation exposure was suspected to have taken place about a week earlier when he had last worked in the radioactive area. Unexpected fast clearance indicated by the third periodical weekly follow up monitoring was considered to be an abnormal behaviour. Investigations revealed an external contamination on a sacred thread, which the worker was putting on across his thorax and not removing it at the time of bath due to religious considerations. These studies have underscored that short term follow up measurements data should be critically scrutinized and a caution should be exercised in the interpretation such data particularly in case of such relatively short lived radionuclides. (author)

Earthworms drive succession of both plant and Collembola communities in post-mining sites

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Mudrák, Ondřej; Uteseny, Karoline; Frouz, Jan

2016-04-01

Previous field observations indicated that earthworms promote late-successional plant species and reduce collembolan numbers at post-mining sites in the Sokolov coal mining district (Czech Republic). Here, we established a laboratory pot experiment to test the effect of earthworms (Aporrectodea caliginosa Savigny and Lumbricus rubellus Hoffm.) and litter of low, medium, and high quality (the grass Calamagrostis epigejos, the willow Salix caprea, and the alder Alnus glutinosa, respectively) on late successional plants (grasses Arrhenatherum elatius and Agrostis capillaris, legumes Lotus corniculatus and Trifolium medium, and non-leguminous dicots Centaurea jacea and Plantago lanceolata) in spoil substrate originating from Sokolov post-mining sites and naturally inhabited by abundant numbers of Collembola. The earthworms increased plant biomass, especially that of the large-seeded A. elatius, but reduced the number of plant individuals, mainly that of the small-seeded A. capillaris and both legumes. Litter quality affected plant biomass, which was highest with S. caprea litter, but did not change the number of plant individuals. Litter quality did not modify the effect of earthworms on plants; the effect of litter quality and earthworms was only additive. Species composition of Collembola community was altered by litter quality, but earthworms reduced the number of individuals, increased the number of species, and increased species evenness consistently across the litter qualities. Because the results of this experiment were consistent with the field observations, we conclude that earthworms help drive succession of both plant and Collembola communities on post-mining sites.

Responsibility, God and society: The cry of the Other in the sacred texts as a challenge towards responsible global citizenship

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Johann-Albrecht Meylahn

2009-04-01

Full Text Available The article seeks to respond to the question: What role can the sacred texts play in the construction of a Christian identity that is responsible to the Other in a pluralistic global world? The sacred texts of the Judaic-Christian tradition offer not only an understanding of the wholly otherness of God, but also form the basis of our understanding and perception of humanity (anthropology, the world and ourselves (personhood/identity. This understanding is constructed in the context of responding to the call of the wholly Other and the others. Identities are traditionally constructed through the identification and exclusion of differences (otherness, thus leading to an ethic of exclusion and responsibility only to oneself/ourselves. Yet these identity-forming texts harbour a persistent otherness, which challenges these traditional identities by interrupting them with a call to responsibility toward the other. The otherness harboured in these texts takes various forms, namely: The otherness of the ancient world to our world, the otherness of the transcendental Other, and the otherness of the text itself, as there is always a différance that has not yet been heard. These various forms of otherness, of our identity-forming texts, deconstruct our identity constructions, thus calling us to a continuous responsibility towards the other. This call could form the basis of a Christian identity and ethic of global cosmopolitan citizenship that is always responding to the eschatological interruption by the other, who is not yet present or who has not been offered presence.

The sacred weapon: bow and arrow combat in Iran

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Manouchehr Moshtagh Khorasani

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The following article presents the development of the bow and arrow, and its important role in the history of Iran. The bow always played an important role not only on the battlefield, but also in hunting. It was also considered as a sacred weapon and additionally a royal symbol. Bow and arrow were considered as a superior weapon in comparison with other types of weapons because one could fight with them at a safer distance as one offered by swords, maces and axes. The first part of the article presents a short history of the bow in Iran. Based on historical Persian manuscripts, the next part explains the structure of the composite bow and the materials used for making it. The third part describes some types of bows based on the material, place of production, the usage, and bow type based on the length of the bow and the arrows. The following part talks about different types of arrows based on morphology of arrowheads, the type of plume/feather, the material of the shaft, the material of the arrowhead, the length of arrows, the target of arrows, the place of production of arrowheads and terms for describing its different features of an arrowhead. Then, the article talks about different types of thumb rings, bowstrings, quivers and bow cases and arrow guides for shooting short arrows. The next part discusses different principles of archery as explained in Persian manuscripts. Finally the article describes different archery targets.

Phosphatidylinositol (4,5)Bisphosphate Inhibits K+-Efflux Channel Activity in NT1 Tobacco Cultured Cells1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Xiaohong; Shor, Oded; Diminshtein, Sofia; Yu, Ling; Im, Yang Ju; Perera, Imara; Lomax, Aaron; Boss, Wendy F.; Moran, Nava

2009-01-01

In the animal world, the regulation of ion channels by phosphoinositides (PIs) has been investigated extensively, demonstrating a wide range of channels controlled by phosphatidylinositol (4,5)bisphosphate (PtdInsP2). To understand PI regulation of plant ion channels, we examined the in planta effect of PtdInsP2 on the K+-efflux channel of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), NtORK (outward-rectifying K channel). We applied a patch clamp in the whole-cell configuration (with fixed “cytosolic” Ca2+ concentration and pH) to protoplasts isolated from cultured tobacco cells with genetically manipulated plasma membrane levels of PtdInsP2 and cellular inositol (1,4,5)trisphosphate: “Low PIs” had depressed levels of these PIs, and “High PIs” had elevated levels relative to controls. In all of these cells, K channel activity, reflected in the net, steady-state outward K+ currents (IK), was inversely related to the plasma membrane PtdInsP2 level. Consistent with this, short-term manipulations decreasing PtdInsP2 levels in the High PIs, such as pretreatment with the phytohormone abscisic acid (25 μm) or neutralizing the bath solution from pH 5.6 to pH 7, increased IK (i.e. NtORK activity). Moreover, increasing PtdInsP2 levels in controls or in abscisic acid-treated high-PI cells, using the specific PI-phospholipase C inhibitor U73122 (2.5–4 μm), decreased NtORK activity. In all cases, IK decreases stemmed largely from decreased maximum attainable NtORK channel conductance and partly from shifted voltage dependence of channel gating to more positive potentials, making it more difficult to activate the channels. These results are consistent with NtORK inhibition by the negatively charged PtdInsP2 in the internal plasma membrane leaflet. Such effects are likely to underlie PI signaling in intact plant cells. PMID:19052153

Transgenic plants expressing GLK1 and CCA1 having increased nitrogen assimilation capacity

Science.gov (United States)

Coruzzi, Gloria [New York, NY; Gutierrez, Rodrigo A [Santiago, CL; Nero, Damion C [Woodside, NY

2012-04-10

Provided herein are compositions and methods for producing transgenic plants. In specific embodiments, transgenic plants comprise a construct comprising a polynucleotide encoding CCA1, GLK1 or bZIP1, operably linked to a plant-specific promote, wherein the CCA1, GLK1 or bZIP1 is ectopically overexpressed in the transgenic plants, and wherein the promoter is optionally a constitutive or inducible promoter. In other embodiments, transgenic plants in which express a lower level of CCA1, GLK1 or bZIP1 are provided. Also provided herein are commercial products (e.g., pulp, paper, paper products, or lumber) derived from the transgenic plants (e.g., transgenic trees) produced using the methods provided herein.

Decomposition studies of no-clean solder flux systems in connection with corrosion reliability of electronics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Conseil, Helene; Jellesen, Morten Stendahl; Verdingovas, Vadimas

2013-01-01

with specific soldering process and parameters, while most important factors are the flux chemistry and its decomposition characteristics. Active parts of the flux residue can cause increased water absorption due to their hygroscopic nature and in solution they will increase leakage current and corrosion...... the contaminated PCBA parts to varying humidity and measuring the resulting leakage current. Results revealed a significant influence of flux chemistry including the amount of WOAs, while aggressiveness of the residue seems to vary with content and type of WOAs, and their nature of decomposition....

The Role of Heterologous Chloroplast Sequence Elements in Transgene Integration and Expression1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Ruhlman, Tracey; Verma, Dheeraj; Samson, Nalapalli; Daniell, Henry

2010-01-01

Heterologous regulatory elements and flanking sequences have been used in chloroplast transformation of several crop species, but their roles and mechanisms have not yet been investigated. Nucleotide sequence identity in the photosystem II protein D1 (psbA) upstream region is 59% across all taxa; similar variation was consistent across all genes and taxa examined. Secondary structure and predicted Gibbs free energy values of the psbA 5′ untranslated region (UTR) among different families reflected this variation. Therefore, chloroplast transformation vectors were made for tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa), with endogenous (Nt-Nt, Ls-Ls) or heterologous (Nt-Ls, Ls-Nt) psbA promoter, 5′ UTR and 3′ UTR, regulating expression of the anthrax protective antigen (PA) or human proinsulin (Pins) fused with the cholera toxin B-subunit (CTB). Unique lettuce flanking sequences were completely eliminated during homologous recombination in the transplastomic tobacco genomes but not unique tobacco sequences. Nt-Ls or Ls-Nt transplastomic lines showed reduction of 80% PA and 97% CTB-Pins expression when compared with endogenous psbA regulatory elements, which accumulated up to 29.6% total soluble protein PA and 72.0% total leaf protein CTB-Pins, 2-fold higher than Rubisco. Transgene transcripts were reduced by 84% in Ls-Nt-CTB-Pins and by 72% in Nt-Ls-PA lines. Transcripts containing endogenous 5′ UTR were stabilized in nonpolysomal fractions. Stromal RNA-binding proteins were preferentially associated with endogenous psbA 5′ UTR. A rapid and reproducible regeneration system was developed for lettuce commercial cultivars by optimizing plant growth regulators. These findings underscore the need for sequencing complete crop chloroplast genomes, utilization of endogenous regulatory elements and flanking sequences, as well as optimization of plant growth regulators for efficient chloroplast transformation. PMID:20130101

Sacred History for a Central Asian TownSaints, Shrines, and Legends of Origin inHistories of Sayrām, 18th-19th Centuries

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Devin DeWeese

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Cet article étudie les mythes historiques concernant Sayrām, une petite ville du sud de l'actuel Kazakhstan, cas exemplaire de concepts indigènes d'identité communautaire en Asie centrale pré-soviétique. Ces traditions sont conservées dans un ensemble de travaux en turc, sous le titre générique de « Histoire de Sayrām », qui combine une « histoire sacrée » de la ville avec une « géographie sacrée » sous la forme d'un catalogue de mausolées locaux ; ces deux composantes situent ainsi Sayrām à la fois dans le temps et dans l'espace, à l'intérieur d'un univers sacré défini en tant qu'islamique. Elles offrent une vision de la participation de cette ville à un cadre historique déterminé par l'hommage sanctificateur du Prophète Muhammad à Sayrām, et une affirmation de la présence continue et de la protection, à travers leurs mausolées, d'une multitude de saints musulmans (comprenant aussi bien des personnages purement locaux que d'autres bien connus dans le folklore islamique. Ces ouvrages, compilés vraisemblablement au XVIIIe siècle et répandus très largement dans la seconde moitié du XIXe siècle, reflètent souvent d'anciennes traditions narratives évocatrices du rôle de Sayrām au début de l'islamisation de l'Asie centrale. Mais elles montrent également l'importance capitale de la définition par la religion des identités locales et régionales, au sein de la population sédentaire d'Asie centrale, avant les changements induits par la conquête russe, l'établissement du pouvoir soviétique et la formulation des nouvelles identités « nationales » qui perdurent aujourd'hui.

The implications of ritual practices and ritual plant uses on nature conservation: a case study among the Naxi in Yunnan Province, Southwest China.

Science.gov (United States)

Geng, Yanfei; Hu, Guoxiong; Ranjitkar, Sailesh; Shi, Yinxian; Zhang, Yu; Wang, Yuhua

2017-10-25

Conservation of biodiversity is primary important of today's critically vulnerable environment. Efficient conservation can be possible only with the long-term participation and understanding of the communities. Ritual beliefs of the indigenous people are one of the important tools to understand the local communities and aid the nature conservation. In this paper, we documented contemporary ritual practices and ritual plant uses among the Naxi people and discussed the importance of traditional knowledge on ritual practice in the conservation of plants in the mountains presenting a case study of the Dongba culture. This study was carried out from July in 2013 to July in 2014. To document and analyze the present state of the ritual plant used by the Naxi people we conducted an ethnobotanical survey. We interviewed local people including Dongba priests using the semi-structured questionnaire. During the field study, we participated in the local religious activities to witness the use of different plants in ritual activities of the Naxi people. We interviewed twenty-two key informants and eleven of them were male. All the specimens of documented species were collected and deposited at the herbarium of Kunming Institute of Botany. The survey results revealed the Naxi people possessed sound knowledge of the traditional ritual plants and great diversity of plants used in many of Naxi rituals and festivals. From the survey, we documented 32 ritual plant species belonging to 24 genera of 17 families used in various ritual activities. The ritual plants were grouped into two categories, namely those burned as incense, and those used for decoration. The incense plants like Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata and Pistacia weinmanniifolia were probably promising natural aromatic resource. Plants of genus Quercus were the most frequently used species. The places for ritual activities were diverse, such as the incense burners inside and outside the house and sacred trees at the

Mourning Mandela: sacred drama and digital visuality in Cape Town

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Paula Uimonen

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The world united in unprecedented ways in mourning the global icon Nelson Mandela, an emotionally charged historical event in which digital visuality played an influential role. The memorial service for Nelson Mandela on Tuesday, 10 December 2013, gathered dignitaries and celebrities from around the world at the First National Bank Stadium in Johannesburg, to mourn the passing of Madiba and to celebrate his life work. At the Grand Parade in Cape Town, the event was broadcast on large public screens, followed by live music performances and narrowcast interaction with the audience. Building on recent research on public screens during global media events, this article addresses the mediated mourning rituals at the Grand Parade in terms of a sacred drama. Focusing on social relationality, the article discusses how digital visuality mediated a sense of global communitas, thus momentarily overcoming historical frictions between the global north and the global south, while expanding the fame of Madiba. Paying attention to the public display of visual memory objects and the emotional agency of images, it argues that digital visuality mediated social frictions between the living and the dead, while recasting a historical subject as a historical object. The article further discusses how digital visuality mediated cultural frictions of apartheid and xenophobia, through the positioning of Mandela in the pantheon of Pan-African icons, thus underlining the African origin of this global icon. The analysis is based on ethnographic observations and experiences in Cape Town.

Mesorhizobium bacterial strains isolated from the legume Lotus corniculatus are an alternative source for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) to obtain bioplastics.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcos-García, Marta; García-Fraile, Paula; Filipová, Alena; Menéndez, Esther; Mateos, Pedro F; Velázquez, Encarna; Cajthaml, Tomáš; Rivas, Raúl

2017-07-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoic acids (PHAs) are natural polyesters that can be used to produce bioplastics which are biodegradable. Numerous microorganisms accumulate PHAs as energy reserves. Combinations of different PHAs monomers lead to the production of bioplastics with very different properties. In the present work, we show the capability of strains belonging to various phylogenetic lineages within the genus Mesorhizobium, isolated from Lotus corniculatus nodules, to produce different PHA monomers. Among our strains, we found the production of 3-hydroxybutyrate, 3-hydroxyvalerate, 3-hydroxydodecanoate, and 3-hydroxyhexadecanoate. Most of the PHA-positive strains were phylogenetically related to the species M. jarvisii. However, our findings suggest that the ability to produce different monomers forming PHAs is strain-dependent.

Two bee-pollinated plant species show higher seed production when grown in gardens compared to arable farmland.

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John Cussans

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Insect pollinator abundance, in particular that of bees, has been shown to be high where there is a super-abundance of floral resources; for example in association with mass-flowering crops and also in gardens where flowering plants are often densely planted. Since land management affects pollinator numbers, it is also likely to affect the resultant pollination of plants growing in these habitats. We hypothesised that the seed or fruit set of two plant species, typically pollinated by bumblebees and/or honeybees might respond in one of two ways: 1 pollination success could be reduced when growing in a floriferous environment, via competition for pollinators, or 2 pollination success could be enhanced because of increased pollinator abundance in the vicinity.We compared the pollination success of experimental plants of Glechoma hederacea L. and Lotus corniculatus L. growing in gardens and arable farmland. On the farms, the plants were placed either next to a mass-flowering crop (oilseed rape, Brassica napus L. or field beans, Vicia faba L. or next to a cereal crop (wheat, Triticum spp.. Seed set of G. hederacea and fruit set of L. corniculatus were significantly higher in gardens compared to arable farmland. There was no significant difference in pollination success of G. hederacea when grown next to different crops, but for L. corniculatus, fruit set was higher in the plants growing next to oilseed rape when the crop was in flower.The results show that pollination services can limit fruit set of wild plants in arable farmland, but there is some evidence that the presence of a flowering crop can facilitate their pollination (depending on species and season. We have also demonstrated that gardens are not only beneficial to pollinators, but also to the process of pollination.

Economic Potentialities of Some Aquatic Plants Growing in North East Nile Delta, Egypt

Science.gov (United States)

Abu Ziada, M. E.; Mashaly, I. A.; Abd El-Monem, M.; Torky, M.

The present study provides quantitative assessment of the vegetative yield, growth characteristics, metabolic products, elemental composition and antimicrobial bioactivity of five common macrohydrophytes: Bolboschoenus glaucus (Cyperaceae), Veronica anagallis-aquatica (Scrophulariaceae), Nymphaea lotus (Nymphaceae), Pistia stratiotes (Araceae) and Myriophyllum spicatum (Haloragidaceae). These plants tend to flourish vegetatively during the summer season (June-August). Their relative growth rate, relative assimilating surface growth rate and net assimilation rate were higher during early vegetative stage (February-May). The highest percentages of protein and lipids content were recorded in Nymphaea, while the crude fiber content was higher in Bolboschoenus than in other species. The macronutrient elements were detected with relatively high concentration and sodium cation appeared to be an essential accumulatent as compared with K, Ca and Mg. Myriophyllum appeared to be the major accumulator species of heavy metals, while Pistia appeared to be the minor one. Sterols, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins and resins were detected in these plants. Nymphyaea was found to have the most effective antimicrobial activities than the other studied species.

Phyllobacterium salinisoli sp. nov., isolated from a Lotus lancerottensis root nodule in saline soil from Lanzarote.

Science.gov (United States)

León-Barrios, Milagros; Ramírez-Bahena, Martha Helena; Igual, José M; Peix, Álvaro; Velázquez, Encarna

2018-04-01

A Gram-negative rod, designated strain LLAN61 T , was isolated from a root nodule of Lotus lancerottensis growing in a saline soil sample from Lanzarote (Canary Islands). The strain grew optimally at 0.5 % (w/v) NaCl and tolerated up to 3.5 %. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain LLAN61 T belonged to genus Phyllobacterium and that Phyllobacteriumleguminum ORS 1419 T and Phyllobacteriummyrsinacearum IAM 13584 T are the closest related species with 97.93 and 97.86% similarity values, respectively. In the atpD phylogeny, P. leguminum ORS 1419 T and P. myrsinacearum ATCC 43591 T , sharing similarities of 87.6 and 85.8% respectively, were also the closest species to strain LLAN61 T . DNA-DNA hybridization showed an average value of 21 % between strain LLAN61 T and P. leguminum LMG 22833 T , and 6 % with P. myrsinacearum ATCC 43590 T . The predominant fatty acids were C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c and C18 : 1ω6c/C18 : 1ω7c (summed feature 8). The DNA G+C content was 58.0 mol%. Strain LLAN61 T differed from its closest relatives in some culture conditions and in assimilation of several carbon sources. Based upon the results of phylogeny, DNA-DNA hybridization, phenotypic tests and fatty acid analysis, this strain should be classified as a novel species of Phyllobacterium for which the name Phyllobacterium salinisoli sp. nov. is proposed (type strain LLAN61 T =LMG 30173 T = CECT 9417 T ).

Music As a Sacred Cue? Effects of Religious Music on Moral Behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, Martin; Mitkidis, Panagiotis; Kundt, Radek; Nichols, Aaron; Krajčíková, Lenka; Xygalatas, Dimitris

2016-01-01

Religion can have an important influence in moral decision-making, and religious reminders may deter people from unethical behavior. Previous research indicated that religious contexts may increase prosocial behavior and reduce cheating. However, the perceptual-behavioral link between religious contexts and decision-making lacks thorough scientific understanding. This study adds to the current literature by testing the effects of purely audial religious symbols (instrumental music) on moral behavior across three different sites: Mauritius, the Czech Republic, and the USA. Participants were exposed to one of three kinds of auditory stimuli (religious, secular, or white noise), and subsequently were given a chance to dishonestly report on solved mathematical equations in order to increase their monetary reward. The results showed cross-cultural differences in the effects of religious music on moral behavior, as well as a significant interaction between condition and religiosity across all sites, suggesting that religious participants were more influenced by the auditory religious stimuli than non-religious participants. We propose that religious music can function as a subtle cue associated with moral standards via cultural socialization and ritual participation. Such associative learning can charge music with specific meanings and create sacred cues that influence normative behavior. Our findings provide preliminary support for this view, which we hope further research will investigate more closely.

Studies of a Novel Cysteine Sulfoxide Lyase from Petiveria alliacea: The First Heteromeric Alliinase1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Musah, Rabi A.; He, Quan; Kubec, Roman; Jadhav, Abhijit

2009-01-01

A novel alliinase (EC 4.4.1.4) was detected and purified from the roots of the Amazonian medicinal plant Petiveria alliacea. The isolated enzyme is a heteropentameric glycoprotein composed of two α-subunits (68.1 kD each), one β-subunit (56.0 kD), one γ-subunit (24.8 kD), and one δ-subunit (13.9 kD). The two α-subunits are connected by a disulfide bridge, and both α- and β-subunits are glycosylated. The enzyme has an isoelectric point of 4.78 and pH and temperature optima of 8.0 and approximately 52°C, respectively. Its activation energy with its natural substrate S-benzyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide is 64.6 kJ mol−1. Kinetic studies showed that both Km and Vmax vary as a function of substrate structure, with the most preferred substrates being the naturally occurring P. alliacea compounds S-benzyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide and S-2-hydroxyethyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide. The alliinase reacts with these substrates to produce S-benzyl phenylmethanethiosulfinate and S-(2-hydroxyethyl) 2-hydroxyethanethiosulfinate, respectively. PMID:19789290

The Media and/or the Sacred Trinity – Gossip, War, and Conspiracy Theories or “All Quiet on the Western Front”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suzana Marjanić

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Speaking in a global context, the media’s sacred trinity, in the sense of gaining publicity and financing their programs, certainly makes up gossip, focuses on war (of course, the American matrix of war against so-called terrorism and finally conspiracy theories. As it is well-known, it is all about content that sells well. The abovementioned triad is presented on the cases of performance art by local artists/ performance artists (on the example of their criticism of the said material – Milan Božić, Boris Demur, Željko Kipke, Tomislav Gotovac aka Antonio G. Lauer i Siniša Labrović.

The Purple Cauliflower Arises from Activation of a MYB Transcription Factor1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Li-Wei; Zhou, Xiangjun; Burke, Sarah; Wu, Xianli; Prior, Ronald L.; Li, Li

2010-01-01

Anthocyanins are responsible for the color of many flowers, fruits, and vegetables. An interesting and unique Purple (Pr) gene mutation in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var botrytis) confers an abnormal pattern of anthocyanin accumulation, giving the striking mutant phenotype of intense purple color in curds and a few other tissues. To unravel the nature of the Pr mutation in cauliflower, we isolated the Pr gene via a combination of candidate gene analysis and fine mapping. Pr encoded a R2R3 MYB transcription factor that exhibited tissue-specific expression, consistent with an abnormal anthocyanin accumulation pattern in the mutant. Transgenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and cauliflower plants expressing the Pr-D allele recapitulated the mutant phenotype, confirming the isolation of the Pr gene. Up-regulation of Pr specifically activated a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor and a subset of anthocyanin structural genes encoding flavonoid 3’-hydroxylase, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase, and leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase to confer ectopic accumulation of pigments in the purple cauliflower. Our results indicate that the genetic variation including a Harbinger DNA transposon insertion in the upstream regulatory region of the Pr-D allele is responsible for the up-regulation of the Pr gene in inducing phenotypic change in the plant. The successful isolation of Pr provides important information on the regulatory control of anthocyanin biosynthesis in Brassica vegetables, and offers a genetic resource for development of new varieties with enhanced health-promoting properties and visual appeal. PMID:20855520

Identification of genetic components involved in Lotus-endophyte interactions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zgadzaj, Rafal Lukasz

of growth hormones or nitrogen fixation. However, the genes involved in plant-endophyte interactions and bacterial accomodation within plant tissues are not known. In order to shed some light on such processes, an approach “one host-one endophyte” was chosen. The focus on a single plant species and a single......Endophytes are microorganisms capable of colonising plant tissues without inducing host defense responses. They have a large impact on plants, since they can modulate plant responses to pathogens, herbivores and environmental stress. They can also induce plant growth promotion through synthesis...... bacterial strain aimed at obtaining a reliable and easy to handle system for plant-microsymbiont interaction research. Two different methods were tested for their usefulness in identification of genetic components involved in plant-endophyte interactions. The first method was based on measuring growth...

The Arabidopsis Halophytic Relative Thellungiella halophila Tolerates Nitrogen-Limiting Conditions by Maintaining Growth, Nitrogen Uptake, and Assimilation1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Kant, Surya; Bi, Yong-Mei; Weretilnyk, Elizabeth; Barak, Simon; Rothstein, Steven J.

2008-01-01

A comprehensive knowledge of mechanisms regulating nitrogen (N) use efficiency is required to reduce excessive input of N fertilizers while maintaining acceptable crop yields under limited N supply. Studying plant species that are naturally adapted to low N conditions could facilitate the identification of novel regulatory genes conferring better N use efficiency. Here, we show that Thellungiella halophila, a halophytic relative of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), grows better than Arabidopsis under moderate (1 mm nitrate) and severe (0.4 mm nitrate) N-limiting conditions. Thellungiella exhibited a lower carbon to N ratio than Arabidopsis under N limitation, which was due to Thellungiella plants possessing higher N content, total amino acids, total soluble protein, and lower starch content compared with Arabidopsis. Furthermore, Thellungiella had higher amounts of several metabolites, such as soluble sugars and organic acids, under N-sufficient conditions (4 mm nitrate). Nitrate reductase activity and NR2 gene expression in Thellungiella displayed less of a reduction in response to N limitation than in Arabidopsis. Thellungiella shoot GS1 expression was more induced by low N than in Arabidopsis, while in roots, Thellungiella GS2 expression was maintained under N limitation but was decreased in Arabidopsis. Up-regulation of NRT2.1 and NRT3.1 expression was higher and repression of NRT1.1 was lower in Thellungiella roots under N-limiting conditions compared with Arabidopsis. Differential transporter gene expression was correlated with higher nitrate influx in Thellungiella at low 15NO3− supply. Taken together, our results suggest that Thellungiella is tolerant to N-limited conditions and could act as a model system to unravel the mechanisms for low N tolerance. PMID:18467466

“Native Skywatchers - Earth Sky Mirroring, Kapemni Pairs - Ojibwe and D(L)akota Sacred Star Sites “

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Annette S.; Gawboy, Carl; Rock, Jim; Wilson, William; Tibbetts, Jeff; O'Rourke, Charleen

2015-08-01

Late in February, deep in the heart of the northern hemisphere winter, Ojibwe people know to look to the east a few hours after sunset and offer tobacco to Mizhi Bizhiw -Curly Tail, the Great Spirit Cat in the night sky. There are many beautiful and layered teachings about Mizhi Bizhiw - Curly Tail relating to the coming of spring, respect for the water, sugar bush camp, but most important; knowing the stars meant survival.Painted high on the granite rock cliffs above the glacial waters in red ochre is the Mizhi Bizhiw - Curly Tail constellation. Along with the Ojibwe lion are two neighboring seasonal constellations: Mooz (Pegasus) and Biboonkionini -Wintermaker (Orion+). On Lake Hegman in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area located near Ely, Minnesota, a sacred reflection, an earth-sky mirroring is illustrated. It is here that tangible and intangible star knowledge meet.In D(L)akota star knowledge one of the most important teachings is kapemni. Wrapped up in this one word are layers of meaning that can be thought of as ‘As it is above; it is below.’ Imagine two tipis stacked vertically. The top triangle is inverted so that the pair meets at the apex. It is understood that the top realm represents the sky above, the stars or the spirit world. The bottom tipi represents the Earth, the material or the physical world.On Summer Solstice each year the Sun can be found in the Mato Tipila - Bear’s Lodge D(L)akota constellation (Gemini). The day when this astronomical alignment happens is known as the ‘Wacipi - Sundance Ceremony in the Stars’. At this time traditionally D(L)akota people would meet at Mato Tipila Paha - Grey Horn Butte (Devil’s Tower) in northeast Wyoming and participate in the earthly Wacipi - Sun Dance ceremony. This is a beautiful example of a kapemni pair or an earth-sky mirroring.Presented here are just two examples of sacred star sites found in our region: Minnesota, North & South Dakota, US. These are examples of cultural heritage that is

Analysis of myelomonocytic leukemic differentiation by a cell surface marker panel including a fucose-binding lectin from Lotus tetragonolobus.

Science.gov (United States)

Elias, L; Van Epps, D E

1984-06-01

The fucose-binding lectin from Lotus tetragonolobus ( FBL -L) has been previously shown to bind specifically to normal cells of the myeloid and monocytic lineages. The purpose of this study was to explore the utility of fluoresceinated FBL -L as a leukemia differentiation marker in conjunction with a panel of other frequently used surface markers (Fc receptor, HLA-DR, OKM1, and antimonocyte antibody). FBL -L reacted with leukemic cells in 8/9 cases of clinically recognized acute myeloid leukemia, including myeloid blast crisis of chronic granulocytic leukemia, 3/3 cases of chronic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia, and in 2/7 cases of clinically undifferentiated acute leukemia. Correlations were noted between reactivity with FBL -L, and DR and Fc receptor expression. Among continuous cell lines, FBL -L bound with high intensity to a majority of HL-60 and U937 cells. The less well differentiated myeloblast cell lines, KG-1, KG1a , and HL-60 blast II, exhibited less FBL -L binding than HL-60 and U937. A moderate proportion of K562 cells exhibited low level binding of FBL -L. Several lymphoblastic cell lines exhibited a pattern of low intensity binding that was distinguishable from the high intensity binding pattern of the myeloblastic lines. FBL -L reactivity of U937 was enhanced by induction of differentiation with leukocyte conditioned medium, but not dimethylsulfoxide. Such treatments induced contrasting patterns of change of HL-60 and U937 when labeled with OKM1, alpha-Mono, and HLA-DR. These studies demonstrate the application of FBL -L to analysis and quantitation of myelomonocytic leukemic differentiation.

COMPOSICIÓN QUIMICA DE LA LECHE, DIGESTIBILIDAD in vitro DE LA MATERIA SECA Y PRODUCCIÓN EN VACAS ALIMENTADAS CON GRAMÍNEAS SOLAS O ASOCIADAS CON Lotus uliginosus

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A. Morales

2013-01-01

Full Text Available La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo evaluar el uso de la leguminosa Lotus uliginosus como alternativa de inclusión dentro de las praderas en dos ecorregiones estratégicas de la sabana de Bogotá. en cada finca se evaluaron cuatro tratamientos: 1 kikuyo solo (P. clandestinum, 2 kikuyo asociado con trébol pata de pájaro ( P.clandes-tinum + L. uliginosus, 3 festuca alta sola (F. arundinacea y 4 Festuca alta asociada con trébol pata de pájaro (F. arundinacea + L. uliginosus. el número de bovinos varió de acuerdo a la capacidad de carga de cada finca. se utilizaron animales que se encontraban en el segundo tercio de lactancia durante un período experimental de siete días. en cada tratamiento se determinó la producción (L/día y calidad de leche (% de grasa, proteína y sólidos totales; en la pastura se evaluó la composición química (Ms, Fdn, Fda y la digestibilidad in vitro de la materia seca (divMs. se midió el consumo voluntario. en la finca Megaleche la producción de biomasa presentó diferencias significativas (P<0,05 entre los tratamientos destacándose el tratamiento del kikuyo solo; la calidad nutricional de las pasturas también presentó diferencias (P<0,04 destacándose el tratamiento de kikuyo + trébol pata de pájaro, asociación que también se destacó en consumo voluntario (P< 0.05 y producción de leche (P<0,05. en la finca Colega el contenido de proteína del forraje presentó diferencias cuando las gramíneas se asociaron con el trébol pata de pájaro (P<0,001. se concluyó que la introducción del Lotus en las praderas mejoró la producción de leche y consumo de materia seca en los animales.

An Ameliorative Whale Optimization Algorithm for Multi-Objective Optimal Allocation of Water Resources in Handan, China

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Zhihong Yan

2018-01-01

Full Text Available With the deepening discrepancy between water supply and demand caused by water shortages, alleviating water shortages by optimizing water resource allocation has received extensive attention. How to allocate water resources optimally, rapidly, and effectively has become a challenging problem. Thus, this study employs a meta-heuristic swarm-based algorithm, the whale optimization algorithm (WOA. To overcome drawbacks like relatively low convergence precision and convergence rates, when applying the WOA algorithm to complex optimization problems, logistic mapping is used to initialize swarm location, and inertia weighting is employed to improve the algorithm. The resulting ameliorative whale optimization algorithm (AWOA shows substantially enhanced convergence rates and precision than the WOA and particle swarm optimization algorithms, demonstrating relatively high reliability and applicability. A water resource allocation optimization model with optimal economic efficiency and least total water shortage volume is established for Handan, China, and solved by the AWOA. The allocation results better reflect actual water usage in Handan. In 2030, the p = 50% total water shortage is forecast as 404.34 × 106 m3 or 14.8%. The shortage is mainly in the primary agricultural sector. The allocation results provide a reference for regional water resources management.

MdCOP1 Ubiquitin E3 Ligases Interact with MdMYB1 to Regulate Light-Induced Anthocyanin Biosynthesis and Red Fruit Coloration in Apple1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yuan-Yuan; Mao, Ke; Zhao, Cheng; Zhao, Xian-Yan; Zhang, Hua-Lei; Shu, Huai-Rui; Hao, Yu-Jin

2012-01-01

MdMYB1 is a crucial regulator of light-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis and fruit coloration in apple (Malus domestica). In this study, it was found that MdMYB1 protein accumulated in the light but degraded via a ubiquitin-dependent pathway in the dark. Subsequently, the MdCOP1-1 and MdCOP1-2 genes were isolated from apple fruit peel and were functionally characterized in the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) cop1-4 mutant. Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) two-hybrid, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and coimmunoprecipitation assays showed that MdMYB1 interacts with the MdCOP1 proteins. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that MdCOP1s are necessary for the ubiquitination and degradation of MdMYB1 protein in the dark and are therefore involved in the light-controlled stability of the MdMYB1 protein. Finally, a viral vector-based transformation approach demonstrated that MdCOP1s negatively regulate the peel coloration of apple fruits by modulating the degradation of the MdMYB1 protein. Our findings provide new insight into the mechanism by which light controls anthocyanin accumulation and red fruit coloration in apple and even other plant species. PMID:22855936

Balance of plant modeling in TRAC-BD1/MOD1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weaver, W.L.; Giles, M.M.; Mohr, C.M.

1983-01-01

The mission of the TRAC-BD1/MOD1 code is to provide a best-estimate analysis capability for Boiling Water Reactor systems and related experimental facilities for the full range of accidents from large and small break Loss-of-Coolant accidents to operational transients including anticipated transients without scram (ATWS), for which point reactor kinetics is adequate (as a first approximation). Recent model developments allow a complete reactor system including the containment and the balance of plant to be modeled. This paper describes the balance of plant models and presents the results of a simulation of a loss-of-feedwater heater transients which was used to assess the performance of the balance of plant models

POETICS OF TRANSCENDENCE: STYLISTIC REDUCTION AS A TOOL FOR REPRESENTATION OF SACRED MEANINGS

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Elena Brazgovskaya

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The main direction of the work is connected to the representation of abstract (transcendent objects in music and literature. The article analyses "Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten" by Arvo Pärt and some poems of Czesław Miłosz. The metaphysical dimension of reality involves forms and things, existing beyond the boundaries of empirical perception and, at first sight, beyond the descriptive practices. Abstract objects are available in intellectual experience, but culture must transform them into a symbolic form. As a rule, it is connected to the practice of art minimalism. The essence of minimalism is the reduction of number of stylistic tools and “purification” the perception from the visual / auditory images (not a mimetic use of language. For the representation of the sacred Pärt uses only mensural canon form, scale and chord. These “characters” are deprived of descriptive function, but have symbolic potential (canon as a sign of stopped time, the eternal return. The distinctive feature of the Miłoszʼs style is the pursuit to “clean” the signs (indexical and symbolic. There is the reverse side of language distillation: the rejection of the subjective position, emotional experience, the distance between the person and the object of representation.

Flavonoid glycosides isolated from unique legume plant extracts as novel inhibitors of xanthine oxidase.

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Chrysoula Spanou

Full Text Available Legumes and the polyphenolic compounds present in them have gained a lot of interest due to their beneficial health implications. Dietary polyphenolic compounds, especially flavonoids, exert antioxidant properties and are potent inhibitors of xanthine oxidase (XO activity. XO is the main contributor of free radicals during exercise but it is also involved in pathogenesis of several diseases such as vascular disorders, cancer and gout. In order to discover new natural, dietary XO inhibitors, some polyphenolic fractions and pure compounds isolated from two legume plant extracts were tested for their effects on XO activity. The fractions isolated from both Vicia faba and Lotus edulis plant extracts were potent inhibitors of XO with IC(50 values range from 40-135 µg/mL and 55-260 µg/mL, respectively. All the pure polyphenolic compounds inhibited XO and their K(i values ranged from 13-767 µM. Ten of the compounds followed the non competitive inhibitory model whereas one of them was a competitive inhibitor. These findings indicate that flavonoid isolates from legume plant extracts are novel, natural XO inhibitors. Their mode of action is under investigation in order to examine their potential in drug design for diseases related to overwhelming XO action.

Comparative metabolomics of drought acclimation in model and forage legumes.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez, Diego H; Schwabe, Franziska; Erban, Alexander; Udvardi, Michael K; Kopka, Joachim

2012-01-01

Water limitation has become a major concern for agriculture. Such constraints reinforce the urgent need to understand mechanisms by which plants cope with water deprivation. We used a non-targeted metabolomic approach to explore plastic systems responses to non-lethal drought in model and forage legume species of the Lotus genus. In the model legume Lotus. japonicus, increased water stress caused gradual increases of most of the soluble small molecules profiled, reflecting a global and progressive reprogramming of metabolic pathways. The comparative metabolomic approach between Lotus species revealed conserved and unique metabolic responses to drought stress. Importantly, only few drought-responsive metabolites were conserved among all species. Thus we highlight a potential impediment to translational approaches that aim to engineer traits linked to the accumulation of compatible solutes. Finally, a broad comparison of the metabolic changes elicited by drought and salt acclimation revealed partial conservation of these metabolic stress responses within each of the Lotus species, but only few salt- and drought-responsive metabolites were shared between all. The implications of these results are discussed with regard to the current insights into legume water stress physiology. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Palliative Nursing and Sacred Medicine: A Holistic Stance on Entheogens, Healing, and Spiritual Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosa, William E; Hope, Stephanie; Matzo, Marianne

2018-04-01

The fields of palliative and holistic nursing both maintain a commitment to the care of the whole person, including a focus on spiritual care. Advanced serious illness may pose a plethora of challenges to patients seeking to create meaning and purpose in their lives. The purpose of this article is to introduce scholarly dialogue on the integration of entheogens, medicines that engender an experience of the sacred, into the spiritual and holistic care of patients experiencing advanced serious illness. A brief history of the global use of entheogens as well as a case study are provided. Clinical trials show impressive preliminary findings regarding the healing potential of these medicinal agents. While other professions, such as psychology, pharmacy, and medicine, are disseminating data related to patient outcomes secondary to entheogen administration, the nursing literature has not been involved in raising awareness of such advancements. Research is illustrating their effectiveness in achieving integrative experiences for patients confronting advanced serious illness and their ability to promote presence, introspection, decreased fear, and increased joy and acceptance. Evidence-based knowledge surrounding this potentially sensitive topic is necessary to invite understanding, promote scientific knowledge development, and create healing environments for patients, nurses, and researchers alike.

Root Formation in Ethylene-Insensitive Plants1

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, David G.; Gubrium, Erika K.; Barrett, James E.; Nell, Terril A.; Klee, Harry J.

1999-01-01

Experiments with ethylene-insensitive tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) and petunia (Petunia × hybrida) plants were conducted to determine if normal or adventitious root formation is affected by ethylene insensitivity. Ethylene-insensitive Never ripe (NR) tomato plants produced more belowground root mass but fewer aboveground adventitious roots than wild-type Pearson plants. Applied auxin (indole-3-butyric acid) increased adventitious root formation on vegetative stem cuttings of wild-type plants but had little or no effect on rooting of NR plants. Reduced adventitious root formation was also observed in ethylene-insensitive transgenic petunia plants. Applied 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid increased adventitious root formation on vegetative stem cuttings from NR and wild-type plants, but NR cuttings produced fewer adventitious roots than wild-type cuttings. These data suggest that the promotive effect of auxin on adventitious rooting is influenced by ethylene responsiveness. Seedling root growth of tomato in response to mechanical impedance was also influenced by ethylene sensitivity. Ninety-six percent of wild-type seedlings germinated and grown on sand for 7 d grew normal roots into the medium, whereas 47% of NR seedlings displayed elongated taproots, shortened hypocotyls, and did not penetrate the medium. These data indicate that ethylene has a critical role in various responses of roots to environmental stimuli. PMID:10482660

Is There a Specific Ambivalence of the Sacred? Illustrations from the Apparition of Medjugorie and the Movement of Sant’Egidio

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

de Franco, Chiara; Barbato, Mariano; LeNormand, Brigitte

2012-01-01

toward violence. At best, the debate is summarised by Appleby's argument about the ambivalence of the sacred. We argue that this ambivalence is not specific to religious claims but inherent to all public claims about best solutions and fundamental questions in politics. The problem is not the claim......In the debate about the return of religion in politics, religious actors and discourses are viewed with a certain concern. Whereas some defend the peaceful effects of religion, most contributions understand religious truth claims as a challenge to democratic pluralism that presents a tendency...... make strong religious truth claims contributing to peace-building and reconciliation during conflicts where religion was an important dimension: the apparitions of Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the movement of Sant'Egidio in Algeria....

Disponibilidade e valor nutritivo de forragem de leguminosas nativas (Adesmia DC. e exóticas (Lotus L. Availability and nutritive value of the wild leguminous (Adesmia DC. and exotics (Lotus L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simone Meredith Scheffer-Basso

2001-06-01

Full Text Available O gênero Adesmia DC. possui 17 espécies nativas no Brasil, distribuídas nos Estados do Sul, cuja importância está vinculada a sua adaptação ao solo e clima regionais, além de ser de crescimento hibernal (temperadas. Este trabalho teve o objetivo comparar o padrão de acúmulo de matéria seca (MS e valor nutritivo de forragem de A. latifolia, A. punctata e A. tristis, tendo como padrão Lotus corniculatus (cornichão e L. uliginosus. O ensaio foi realizado em casa de vegetação durante 210 dias (4000 graus-dia. A disponibilidade de forragem (DF foi similar entre A. latifolia (276 g MS/m² e cornichão (275 g MS/m² e entre A. tristis (201g MS/m² e L. uliginosus (192 g MS/m², sendo que A. punctata apresentou a menor DF (155 g MS/m². A. latifolia caracterizou-se pela maior precocidade na DF, devido ao crescimento mais rápido em relação às demais espécies, sugerindo seu potencial para utilização durante a estação fria. Em relação às análises de qualidade, o teor de proteína bruta (PB nas folhas de A. latifolia foi de até 21,6% e a DIVMO atingiu 72,3%. Os maiores conteúdos de PB e DIVMO foram encontrados nas folhas de cornichão, 30,3 e 75,8%, respectivamente. A. tristis apresentou DIVMO muito baixa nos caules (34,9 a 44,7%, o que poderia limitar seu consumo por bovinos. Concluiu-se que, entre as espécies de Adesmia estudadas, A. latifolia detém o maior potencial forrageiro, sugerindo a continuidade de estudos com a espécie.The genus Adesmia DC. has 17 species native to Brazil, distributed in the Southern states, whose importance is linked to its adaptation to the soils and climatic conditions of the region, besides being an active winter-growing species (temperate. This work aimed to compare the patterns of dry matter (DM accumulation and nutritive value of A. latifolia, A. punctata and A. tristis, using Lotus corniculatus (birdsfoot trefoil and L. uliginosus (big trefoil, as checks. The experiment was carried out in

Relation ofSpodoptera eridania choice to tannins and protein oflotus corniculatus.

Science.gov (United States)

Briggs, M A

1990-05-01

Plant secondary compounds such as tannins may influence herbivore choice. To determine if herbivory was influenced by tannin concentration,Spodoptera eridania larvae were given a choice ofLotus corniculatus plants whose chemical profiles were altered by fertilization. Herbivores chose plants that had been grown with symbiotic nitrogen fixation as their only nitrogen source more often than fertilized plants. Choice was related to protein concentration, but not to tannin concentration.

Dicty_cDB: Contig-U09447-1 [Dicty_cDB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available 1( AB300202 |pid:none) Ephedra sinica Espal4 mRNA for phe... 100 1e-19 AB283036_1( AB283036 |pid:none) Lotus..... 99 1e-19 ( P45734 ) RecName: Full=Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase; EC=... 99 1e-19 AB300201_1( AB300201 |pid:none) Ephedra sinica Espa...9 complet... 99 2e-19 AB300199_1( AB300199 |pid:none) Ephedra sinica Espal1 mRNA for phe... 99 2e-19 AY32108

GDSL LIPASE1 Modulates Plant Immunity through Feedback Regulation of Ethylene Signaling1[W

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hye Gi; Kwon, Sun Jae; Jang, Young Jin; Nam, Myung Hee; Chung, Joo Hee; Na, Yun-Cheol; Guo, Hongwei; Park, Ohkmae K.

2013-01-01

Ethylene is a key signal in the regulation of plant defense responses. It is required for the expression and function of GDSL LIPASE1 (GLIP1) in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), which plays an important role in plant immunity. Here, we explore molecular mechanisms underlying the relationship between GLIP1 and ethylene signaling by an epistatic analysis of ethylene response mutants and GLIP1-overexpressing (35S:GLIP1) plants. We show that GLIP1 expression is regulated by ethylene signaling components and, further, that GLIP1 expression or application of petiole exudates from 35S:GLIP1 plants affects ethylene signaling both positively and negatively, leading to ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR1 activation and ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE3 (EIN3) down-regulation, respectively. Additionally, 35S:GLIP1 plants or their exudates increase the expression of the salicylic acid biosynthesis gene SALICYLIC ACID INDUCTION-DEFICIENT2, known to be inhibited by EIN3 and EIN3-LIKE1. These results suggest that GLIP1 regulates plant immunity through positive and negative feedback regulation of ethylene signaling, and this is mediated by its activity to accumulate a systemic signal(s) in the phloem. We propose a model explaining how GLIP1 regulates the fine-tuning of ethylene signaling and ethylene-salicylic acid cross talk. PMID:24170202

Nuclear power. Volume 1. Nuclear power plant design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pedersen, E.S.

1978-01-01

NUCLEAR POWER PLANT DESIGN is intended to be used as a working reference book for management, engineers and designers, and as a graduate-level text for engineering students. The book is designed to combine theory with practical nuclear power engineering and design experience, and to give the reader an up-to-date view of the status of nuclear power and a basic understanding of how nuclear power plants function. Volume 1 contains the following chapters; (1) nuclear reactor theory; (2) nuclear reactor design; (3) types of nuclear power plants; (4) licensing requirements; (5) shielding and personnel exposure; (6) containment and structural design; (7) main steam and turbine cycles; (8) plant electrical system; (9) plant instrumentation and control systems; (10) radioactive waste disposal (waste management) and (11) conclusion

Plant Growth Enhancement, Disease Resistance, and Elemental Modulatory Effects of Plant Probiotic Endophytic Bacillus sp. Fcl1.

Science.gov (United States)

Jayakumar, Aswathy; Krishna, Arathy; Mohan, Mahesh; Nair, Indu C; Radhakrishnan, E K

2018-04-13

Endophytic bacteria have already been studied for their beneficial support to plants to manage both biotic and abiotic stress through an array of well-established mechanisms. They have either direct or indirect impact on mobilizing diverse nutrients and elements from soil to plants. However, detailed insight into the fine-tuning of plant elemental composition by associated microorganism is very limited. In this study, endophytic Bacillus Fcl1 characterized from the rhizome of Curcuma longa was found to have broad range of plant growth-promoting and biocontrol mechanisms. The organism was found to have indole acetic acid and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase production properties along with nitrogen fixation. The Bacillus Fcl1 could also inhibit diverse phytopathogens as confirmed by dual culture and well diffusion. By LC-MS/MS analysis, chemical basis of its antifungal activity has been proved to be due to the production of iturin A and a blend of surfactin compounds. Moreover, the organism was found to induce both plant growth and disease resistance in vivo in model plant system. Because of these experimentally demonstrated multiple plant probiotic features, Bacillus Fcl1 was selected as a candidate organism to study its role in modulation of plant elemental composition. ICP-MS analysis of Bacillus Fcl1-treated plants provided insight into relation of bacterial interaction with elemental composition of plants.

Genetic linkage maps, synteny and map based cloning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandal, Niels Nørgaard; Sato, Shusei

2014-01-01

Nitrogen fixation is a very important trait in agriculture and nature. It is made possible through symbiosis between plants, mainly legumes, and microorganisms such as rhizobia. Like most plants, legumes have symbiosis with mycorrhizal fungi. In order to isolate the plant genes that are important...... for symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing organisms and mycorrhizal symbiosis, Lotus japonicus was suggested as a model legume by Handberg and Stougaard (1992)...

O sagrado no romance hispano-americano do século XX (The sacred in the Hispanic-American novel of the 20th century - DOI: 10.5752/P.2175-5841.2013v11n29p279

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Lucia Trevisan

2013-03-01

Full Text Available O trabalho estuda as formas de representação do sagrado no romance hispano-americano do século XX e propõe uma reflexão sobre algumas formas de utilização das mitologias e tradições religiosas pela literatura. A presença das narrativas sagradas no texto literário do século XX surge marcada por uma renovada experiência estética, pois não se trata apenas de utilizar ou reutilizar uma temática exótica, mas, sim, perceber um potencial tradutor de verdades universais, imanentes aos textos religiosos ou mitologias ancestrais. O artigo propõe uma reflexão sobre as particularidades da produção literária europeia e hispano-americana, que utilizam os temas sagrados, a fim de perceber as consonâncias e dissonâncias estéticas e históricas. O fenômeno estético denominado “mitologismo”, estudado por E.M. Mielietinski, pode ser entendido como um modus operandi da estruturação do romance que conjuga literatura e relatos sagrados e, neste estudo, fundamenta a discussão sobre a heterogeneidade cultural dos povos hispânicos expressa em suas representações literárias. Palavras-chave: Romance . Mitologias. Religião. Hispano-América. Abstract This article studies the forms of representation of the sacred in the Hispanic-American novel of the 20th century and proposes a reflection on some ways of using the mythological and religious traditions by literature. The presence of sacred narratives in the literary texts of the 20th century is marked by a renewed aesthetic experience, once it does not only refer to using or re-using an exotic theme, but perceiving a potential translator of universal truths, immanent to religious texts or mythological ancestors. The present proposal offers a reflection on the peculiarities of European and Hispanic-American productions which make use of sacred themes, meaning to understand the aesthetic and historical consonances and dissonances. The aesthetic phenomenon named “mythologism”, studied

New insights on the evolution of Leafy cotyledon1 (LEC1) type genes in vascular plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Cagliari, Alexandro; Turchetto-Zolet, Andreia Carina; Korbes, Ana Paula; Maraschin, Felipe Dos Santos; Margis, Rogerio; Margis-Pinheiro, Marcia

2014-01-01

NF-Y is a conserved oligomeric transcription factor found in all eukaryotes. In plants, this regulator evolved with a broad diversification of the genes coding for its three subunits (NF-YA, NF-YB and NF-YC). The NF-YB members can be divided into Leafy Cotyledon1 (LEC1) and non-LEC1 types. Here we presented a comparative genomic study using phylogenetic analyses to validate an evolutionary model for the origin of LEC-type genes in plants and their emergence from non-LEC1-type genes. We identified LEC1-type members in all vascular plant genomes, but not in amoebozoa, algae, fungi, metazoa and non-vascular plant representatives, which present exclusively non-LEC1-type genes as constituents of their NF-YB subunits. The non-synonymous to synonymous nucleotide substitution rates (Ka/Ks) between LEC1 and non-LEC1-type genes indicate the presence of positive selection acting on LEC1-type members to the fixation of LEC1-specific amino acid residues. The phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that plant LEC1-type genes are evolutionary divergent from the non-LEC1-type genes of plants, fungi, amoebozoa, algae and animals. Our results point to a scenario in which LEC1-type genes have originated in vascular plants after gene expansion in plants. We suggest that processes of neofunctionalization and/or subfunctionalization were responsible for the emergence of a versatile role for LEC1-type genes in vascular plants, especially in seed plants. LEC1-type genes besides being phylogenetic divergent also present different expression profile when compared with non-LEC1-type genes. Altogether, our data provide new insights about the LEC1 and non-LEC1 evolutionary relationship during the vascular plant evolution. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rationalization of indigenous male circumcision as a sacred religious custom: health beliefs of Xhosa men in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Mavundla, Thandisizwe Redford; Netswera, Fulufelo Godfrey; Bottoman, Brian; Toth, Ferenc

2009-10-01

This article presents research findings based on the meaning of indigenous circumcision to Xhosa men in South Africa. In South Africa, male circumcision is a rite of passage from adolescence to adulthood. The country has experienced serious problems associated with the practice of this rite ranging from dehydration to death in the traditional "bush" circumcision schools. A qualitative, endogenous research "How do you experience having a son who is undergoing the circumcision rite?" The study revealed cultural circumcision as a "sacred religious practice" with five themes, namely (a) readiness of Xhosa families to engage in the circumcision ritual, (b) the act of circumcision and preparation for manhood, (c) the importance of symbolic purity during the circumcision ritual, (d) celebrating acquired manhood, and (5) aspects of manhood and the rejection of clinical care. Secondary to this are health promotion recommendations made for individuals involved in this ritual.

Standard technical specifications: Combustion engineering plants. Volume 1, Revision 1: Specifications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-04-01

This report documents the results of the combined effort of the NRC and the industry to produce improved Standard Technical Specifications (STS), Revision 1 for Combustion Engineering Plants. The changes reflected in Revision 1 resulted from the experience gained from license amendment applications to convert to these improved STS or to adopt partial improvements to existing technical specifications. This NUREG is the result of extensive public technical meetings and discussions between the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff and various nuclear power plant licensees, Nuclear Steam Supply System (NSSS) Owners Groups, NSSS vendors, and the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI). The improved STS were developed based on the criteria in the Final Commission Policy Statement on Technical Specifications Improvements for Nuclear Power Reactors, dated July 22, 1993. The improved STS will be used as the basis for individual nuclear power plant licensees to develop improved plant-specific technical specifications. This report contains three volumes. Volume 1 contains the Specifications for all chapters and sections of the improved STS. Volume 2 contains the Bases for Chapters 2.0 and 3.0, and Sections 3.1--3.3 of the improved STS. Volume 3 contains the Bases for Sections 3.4--3.9 of the improved STS

Assessment of Nelumbo nucifera and Hydrilla verticillata in the treatment of pharmaceutical industry effluent from 24 Parganas, West Bengal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shamba Chatterjee

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Modern day technologies employed in industrialization and unhygienic lifestyle of mankind has led to a severe environmental menace resulting in pollution of freshwater bodies. Pharmaceutical industry effluents cause eutrophication and provide adequate nutrients for growth of pathogenic bacteria. This study has been conducted with aquatic plants water lotus (Nelumbo nucifera and hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata with an novel aim to treat pharmaceutical industry effluents showing the outcome of the experiments carried out with the effluents collected from rural areas of 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India. Determination of pH, solid suspend, BOD5, NH3-N, MPN and coliform test were used for this notioned purpose. Pharmaceutical waste effluent water treated with water lotus showed less pH, solid suspend, DO, BOD, NH3-N, MPN and coliform bacteria than hydrilla treatment when compared to the control. In conclusion, water lotus is found to be more efficient in treatment of pharmaceutical industry effluent waste water than hydrilla.

Consequences of plant phenolic compounds for productivity and health of ruminants.

Science.gov (United States)

Waghorn, Garry C; McNabb, Warren C

2003-05-01

Plant phenolic compounds are diverse in structure but are characterised by hydroxylated aromatic rings (e.g. flavan-3-ols). They are categorised as secondary metabolites, and their function in plants is often poorly understood. Many plant phenolic compounds are polymerised into larger molecules such as the proanthocyanidins (PA; condensed tannins) and lignins. Only the lignins, PA, oestrogenic compounds and hydrolysable tannins will be considered here. Lignins slow the physical and microbial degradation of ingested feed, because of resilient covalent bonding with hemicellulose and cellulose, rather than any direct effects on the rumen per se. The PA are prevalent in browse and are expressed in the foliage of some legumes (e.g. Lotus spp.), but rarely in grasses. They reduce the nutritive value of poor-quality diets, but can also have substantial benefits for ruminant productivity and health when improved temperate forages are fed. Beneficial effects are dependent on the chemical and physical structure, and concentration of the PA in the diet, but they have been shown to improve live-weight gain, milk yield and protein concentration, and ovulation rate. They prevent bloat in cattle, reduce gastrointestinal nematode numbers, flystrike and CH4 production. Some phenolic compounds (e.g. coumestans) cause temporary infertility, whilst those produced by Fusarium fungi found in pasture, silage or stored grains can cause permanent infertility. The HT may be toxic because products of their metabolism can cause liver damage and other metabolic disorders.

Regulation of Voltage and Frequency in Solid Oxide Fuel Cell-Based Autonomous Microgrids Using the Whales Optimisation Algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sajid Hussain Qazi

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This study explores the Whales Optimization Algorithm (WOA-based PI controller for regulating the voltage and frequency of an inverter-based autonomous microgrid (MG. The MG comprises two 50 kW DGs (solid oxide fuel cells, SOFCs interfaced using a power electronics-based voltage source inverter (VSI with a 120-kV conventional grid. Four PI controller schemes for the MG are implemented: (i stationary PI controller with fixed gain values (Kp and Ki, (ii PSO tuned PI controller, (iii GWO tuned PI controller, and (iv WOA tuned PI controller. The performance of these controllers is evaluated by monitoring the system voltage and frequency during the transition of MG operation mode and changes in the load. The MATLAB/SIMULINK tool is utilised to design the proposed model of grid-tied MG alongside the MATLAB m-file to apply an optimisation technique. The simulation results show that the WOA-based PI controller which optimises the control parameters, achieve 62.7% and 59% better results for voltage and frequency regulation, respectively. The eigenvalue analysis is also provided to check the stability of the proposed controller. Furthermore, the proposed system also satisfies the limits specified in IEEE-1547-2003 for voltage and frequency.

Plant specific PTS analysis of Kori Unit 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sung-Yull, Hong; Changheui, Jang; Ill-Seok, Jeong [Korea Eletric Power Research Inst., Daejon (Korea, Republic of); Tae-Eun, Jin [Korea Power Engineering Company, Yonging (Korea, Republic of)

1997-09-01

Currently, a nuclear PLIM (Plant Lifetime Management) program is underway in Korea to extend the operation life of Kori-1 which was originally licensed for 30 years. For the life extension of nuclear power plants, the residual lives of major components should be evaluated for the extended operation period. According to the residual life evaluation of reactor pressure vessel, which was classified as one of the major components crucial to life extension, it was found by screening analysis that reference PTS temperature would exceed screening criteria before the target extended operation years. In order to deal with this problem, a plant-specific PTS analysis for Kori-1 RPV has been initiated. In this paper, the relationship between PTS analysis and Kori-1 PLIM program is briefly described. The plant-specific PTS analysis covers system transient analysis, downcomer mixing analysis, and probabilistic fracture mechanics analysis to check the integrity or RPV during various PTS transients. The step-by-step procedure of the analysis will be described in detail. Finally, various issues regarding RPV materials and its integrity will be briefly mentioned, and their implications on Kori-1 PTS analysis will be discussed. Despite of the screening analysis result concern, it is now expected that Kori-1 PTS issues can be handled through the plant-specific PTS analysis. (author). 14 refs, 4 figs, 2 tabs.

Considerations related to plant life management for Cernavoda-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cojan, Mihail

2002-01-01

Cernavoda-1 NPP, the first CANDU 6 Unit in Eastern Europe, is one of the original five CANDU 6 plants and the first CANDU 6 producing over 700 MWe. CANDU Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) continues to play a significant role in electricity supply both in Canada and some offshore countries (Korea, Argentina, Romania). The commercial versions of CANDU reactors were put into service more than 30 years ago. While the first series of CANDU 6 plants (which entered service in the early 1980's) have now reached the middle portion of their 30 years design life, the Cernavoda-1 was put into service on 2 December 1996. However, the Cernavoda-1 Plant Life Management should be an increasingly important program to Utility ('CNE-Prod') in order to protect the investment and the continued success of plant operation. Over the past three years, INR (Institute for Nuclear Research - Romania) has been working with AECL-Canada on R and D Programs to support a comprehensive and integrated Cernavoda-1 Plant Life Management (PLiM) program that will see the Cernavoda-1 NPP successfully and reliably through to design life and beyond. The PLiM program has a focus on critical systems, structures, and components (CSSCs) and will be applied in three phases: Phase 1 - Planning (assessment and recommendations); Phase 2 - Life attainment implementation, and; Phase 3 - Plant Life Extension (PLEx), also known as plant extended operation. The key activities during each phase are shown. The schedule of each Phase are shown using the in service date of 1983 as the basis. This schedule applies to three original CANDU 6 plants with an in-service date of 1983: Point Lepreau, Gentilly-2, Wolsong-1 and shortly thereafter (1984) the 4th original CANDU 6 Embalse NPP was declared in service. Cernavoda-1 is the 5th original CANDU 6 plant and was put into service on 2 December 1996 (on site activities were started in 1980). The paper will describe the elements of an integrated program, the multiphase

76 FR 1469 - Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, LLC; Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-10

... Nuclear Power Plant, LLC; Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2 Environmental Assessment... Plant, LLC, the licensee, for operation of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, Unit Nos. 1 and 2... Impact Statement for License Renewal of Nuclear Plants, Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant (NUREG-1437...

5' Analysis of the soybean leghaemoglobin lbc(3) gene

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stougaard, J; Sandal, N N; Grøn, A

1987-01-01

The soybean leghaemoglobin lbc(3) gene promoter was analysed in transgenic Lotus corniculatus plants. Hybrid-promoter constructions and 5' deletions were studied using chimeric genes composed of the various promoters, the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) coding sequence and the lbc(3) 3...

SASSYS-1 balance-of-plant component models for an integrated plant response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ku, J.-Y.

1989-01-01

Models of power plant heat transfer components and rotating machinery have been added to the balance-of-plant model in the SASSYS-1 liquid metal reactor systems analysis code. This work is part of a continuing effort in plant network simulation based on the general mathematical models developed. The models described in this paper extend the scope of the balance-of-plant model to handle non-adiabatic conditions along flow paths. While the mass and momentum equations remain the same, the energy equation now contains a heat source term due to energy transfer across the flow boundary or to work done through a shaft. The heat source term is treated fully explicitly. In addition, the equation of state is rewritten in terms of the quality and separate parameters for each phase. The models are simple enough to run quickly, yet include sufficient detail of dominant plant component characteristics to provide accurate results. 5 refs., 16 figs., 2 tabs

TropJrnal Vol 29 No 1 for PDF

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mr Olusoji

UAE and Saudi Arabia respectively . In Africa,. 5.6% and 25% have been reported in Sudan and. Zimbabwe respectively. In Nigeria, rates of 2.2%,. 4.6% ... recruitment of 836 consented antenatal attendees at the Sacred Heart Hospital Obudu in Cross-Rivers st th. State, Nigeria, from 1 January to 30 June 2010. The hospital ...

Rediscovering medicinal plants' potential with OMICS: microsatellite survey in expressed sequence tags of eleven traditional plants with potent antidiabetic properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahu, Jagajjit; Sen, Priyabrata; Choudhury, Manabendra Dutta; Dehury, Budheswar; Barooah, Madhumita; Modi, Mahendra Kumar; Talukdar, Anupam Das

2014-05-01

Herbal medicines and traditionally used medicinal plants present an untapped potential for novel molecular target discovery using systems science and OMICS biotechnology driven strategies. Since up to 40% of the world's poor people have no access to government health services, traditional and folk medicines are often the only therapeutics available to them. In this vein, North East (NE) India is recognized for its rich bioresources. As part of the Indo-Burma hotspot, it is regarded as an epicenter of biodiversity for several plants having myriad traditional uses, including medicinal use. However, the improvement of these valuable bioresources through molecular breeding strategies, for example, using genic microsatellites or Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs) or Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs)-derived SSRs has not been fully utilized in large scale to date. In this study, we identified a total of 47,700 microsatellites from 109,609 ESTs of 11 medicinal plants (pineapple, papaya, noyontara, bitter orange, bermuda brass, ratalu, barbados nut, mango, mulberry, lotus, and guduchi) having proven antidiabetic properties. A total of 58,159 primer pairs were designed for the non-redundant 8060 SSR-positive ESTs and putative functions were assigned to 4483 unique contigs. Among the identified microsatellites, excluding mononucleotide repeats, di-/trinucleotides are predominant, among which repeat motifs of AG/CT and AAG/CTT were most abundant. Similarity search of SSR containing ESTs and antidiabetic gene sequences revealed 11 microsatellites linked to antidiabetic genes in five plants. GO term enrichment analysis revealed a total of 80 enriched GO terms widely distributed in 53 biological processes, 17 molecular functions, and 10 cellular components associated with the 11 markers. The present study therefore provides concrete insights into the frequency and distribution of SSRs in important medicinal resources. The microsatellite markers reported here markedly add to the genetic

A Comprehensive Dataset of Genes with a Loss-of-Function Mutant Phenotype in Arabidopsis1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Lloyd, Johnny; Meinke, David

2012-01-01

Despite the widespread use of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) as a model plant, a curated dataset of Arabidopsis genes with mutant phenotypes remains to be established. A preliminary list published nine years ago in Plant Physiology is outdated, and genome-wide phenotype information remains difficult to obtain. We describe here a comprehensive dataset of 2,400 genes with a loss-of-function mutant phenotype in Arabidopsis. Phenotype descriptions were gathered primarily from manual curation of the scientific literature. Genes were placed into prioritized groups (essential, morphological, cellular-biochemical, and conditional) based on the documented phenotypes of putative knockout alleles. Phenotype classes (e.g. vegetative, reproductive, and timing, for the morphological group) and subsets (e.g. flowering time, senescence, circadian rhythms, and miscellaneous, for the timing class) were also established. Gene identities were classified as confirmed (through molecular complementation or multiple alleles) or not confirmed. Relationships between mutant phenotype and protein function, genetic redundancy, protein connectivity, and subcellular protein localization were explored. A complementary dataset of 401 genes that exhibit a mutant phenotype only when disrupted in combination with a putative paralog was also compiled. The importance of these genes in confirming functional redundancy and enhancing the value of single gene datasets is discussed. With further input and curation from the Arabidopsis community, these datasets should help to address a variety of important biological questions, provide a foundation for exploring the relationship between genotype and phenotype in angiosperms, enhance the utility of Arabidopsis as a reference plant, and facilitate comparative studies with model genetic organisms. PMID:22247268

Dynamics of microbial communities during decomposition of litter from pioneering plants in initial soil ecosystems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Esperschütz

2013-07-01

Full Text Available In initial ecosystems, concentrations of all macro- and micronutrients can be considered as extremely low. Plant litter therefore strongly influences the development of a degrader's food web and is an important source for C and N input into soil in such ecosystems. In the present study, a 13C litter decomposition field experiment was performed for 30 weeks in initial soils from a post-mining area near the city of Cottbus (Germany. Two of this region's dominant but contrasting pioneering plant species (Lotus corniculatus L. and Calamagrostis epigejos L. were chosen to investigate the effects of litter quality on the litter decomposing microbial food web in initially nutrient-poor substrates. The results clearly indicate the importance of litter quality, as indicated by its N content, its bioavailability for the degradation process and the development of microbial communities in the detritusphere and soil. The degradation of the L. corniculatus litter, which had a low C / N ratio, was fast and showed pronounced changes in the microbial community structure 1–4 weeks after litter addition. The degradation of the C. epigejos litter material was slow and microbial community changes mainly occurred between 4 and 30 weeks after litter addition to the soil. However, for both litter materials a clear indication of the importance of fungi for the degradation process was observed both in terms of fungal abundance and activity (13C incorporation activity

Snail darters and sacred places: creative application of the endangered species act.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilmer, Robert Andrew

2013-11-01

Rather than exploring how indigenous people have been alienated from resources by environmental policies, this paper explores how indigenous peoples have worked with environmental organizations to use the broad protections provided by environmental laws to protect cultural resources. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, along with other concerned groups, partnered with environmentalists in opposing the destruction of the endangered snail darter's critical habitat by the Tennessee Valley Authority's Tellico Dam. The dam had been opposed by a shifting alliance of Cherokees, local farmers, trout fisherman, and environmentalists since it was announced in 1963. A previous lawsuit by this coalition delayed the project from 1972 to 1974 under the National Environmental Policy Act. The Endangered Species Act provided this coalition with a powerful tool for opposing the destruction of burial grounds and sacred village sites throughout the lower Little Tennessee River valley. The coalition of environmental organizations, Cherokees, and others was ultimately unsuccessful in stopping the dam from being built, but was successful in establishing a strict precedent for the enforcement of the Endangered Species Act. The lawsuit also created a space for the Eastern Band to negotiate for the return of Cherokee remains and halt the removal of any additional burials. In this situation, the strategic support of environmental regulation enabled the Eastern Band to exert some degree of control over the fate of cultural resources in the valley, and also demonstrates the significant role American Indian peoples played in one of the seminal events of the environmental movement during the 1970s.

Upgrading Atucha 1 nuclear power plant. Regulatory perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caruso, G.

1998-01-01