Superoxide dismutase in Cryptococcus neoformans varieties gattii, grubi, and neoformans

Some clear dissimilarities occur among the varieties of Cryptococcus neoformans but there are few studies about the differences among individual yeast antioxidant enzymes. The total superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities and the copper, zinc-depend SOD (Cu,ZnSOD) and manganese-dependent SOD (MnSOD) isoenzymes of five reference C. neoformans strains belonged to A, B, C, AD and D serotypes (Table I) and other nine C. neoformans isolates (Table II) were determined. There were significant differences (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05) in total SOD activity among the varietie gattii (serotype C) and the other varieties. Cu,ZnSOD showed difference (p < 0.05) between A and D serotypes. These results point out a variety and serotype-independent SOD activity in C. neoformans reference strains and the other isolates that were evaluated.

The varieties of regional change

Many metropolitan areas have experienced extreme boom-bust cycles over the past century. Some places, like Detroit, grew enormously as industrial powerhouses and then declined, while other older cities, like Boston, seem quite resilient. Education does a reasonable job of explaining urban resilience. In this paper, we present a simple model where education increases the level of entrepreneurship. In this model, human capital spillovers occur at the city level because skilled workers produce more product varieties and thereby increase labor demand. We decompose empirically the causes of the connection between skills and urban success and find that skills are associated with growth in productivity or entrepreneurship, not with growth in quality of life, at least outside of the West. We also find that skills seem to have depressed housing supply growth in the West, but not in other regions, which supports the view that educated residents in that region have fought for tougher land-use controls. We also present evidence that skills have had a disproportionately large impact on unemployment during the current recession.

Evaluation of Soybean Varieties Resistant to Soybean Cyst Nematode in Iowa, 2007

Use of resistant soybean varieties is a very effective strategy for managing soybean cyst nematode (SCN), and numerous SCN-resistant soybean varieties are available for Iowa soybean growers. Each year, public and private SCN-resistant soybean varieties are evaluated in SCN-infested fields throughout Iowa by Iowa State University personnel. The research described in this report was performed to assess the agronomic performance of maturity group (MG) I, II, and III SCN-resistant soybean varieties and to determine the effects of the varieties on SCN numbers or population densities.

The Brauer group and the second Abel-Jacobi map for 0-cycles on algebraic varieties

This paper focuses on the connection between the Brauer group and the 0-cycles of an algebraic variety. We give an alternative construction of the second l-adic Abel-Jacobi map for such cycles, linked to the algebraic geometry of Severi-Brauer varieties on X. This allows us then to relate this Abel-Jacobi map to the standard pairing between 0-cycles and Brauer groups (see [M], [L]), completing results from [M] in this direction. Second, for surfaces, it allows us to present this map according to the more geometrical approach devised by M. Green in the framework of (arithmetic) mixed Hodge structures (see [G]). Needless to say, this paper owes much to the work of U. Jannsen and, especially, to his recently published older letter [J4] to B. Gross.

Arithmetical problems in number fields, abelian varieties and modular forms

Number theory, a fascinating area in mathematics and one of the oldest, has experienced spectacular progress in recent years. The development of a deep theoretical background and the implementation of algorithms have led to new and interesting interrelations with mathematics in general which have paved the way for the emergence of major theorems in the area. This report summarizes the contribution to number theory made by the members of the Seminari de Teoria de Nombres (UB-UAB-UPC) in Barcelona. These results are presented in connection with the state of certain arithmetical problems, and so this monograph seeks to provide readers with a glimpse of some specific lines of current mathematical research.

Fonctions psychologiques du religieux: Cent ans après "Varieties" de William James

La première traduction en français de « The Varieties of Religious Experience » fut publiée en 1906 et elle connut aussitôt un très grand retentissement. Dans cet ouvrage, William James affirme: « D'un point de vue tout psychologique, la religion est une fonction éternelle de l'esprit humain ». Toutefois, caractériser la religion par une fonction si fondamentale, sous-jacente à tous les systèmes de croyances, ne conduit pas James à porter un regard dévalorisant sur la multiplicité des formes religieuses. Au contraire, il y voit l'expression de la variété des combinaisons possibles du religieux avec la vie psychique sous ses différents aspects. Ce livre a pour but non seulement de relire William James un siècle après la publication de Varieties, mais aussi de préciser, sur la base des connaissances actuelles, quelles sont les fonctions psychologiques du religieux.

The effect of storage ageing and spring sprouting of seed tubers on the yield of three potato varieties in the Finnish Lapland : Research Note

Selostus: Siemenmukuloiden varastointiaikaisen lämpökäsittelyn ja kevätidätyksen vaikutus kolmen perunalajikkeen satoon Lapissa

Hordein polypeptide patterns in relation to malting quality in Brazilian barley varieties

Since there is evidence that malting quality is related to the storage protein (hordein) fraction, in the present work the hordein polypeptide patterns from 13 barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) varieties of different malting quality were analysed in order to explore the feasibility of using hordein electrophoresis to assist in the selection of malting barleys. The formation of clusters separating the varieties with higher malting quality from the others with lower quality suggests that there is a relationship between the general hordein polypeptide pattern and malting quality in the varieties analysed. By the Sperman's correlation test three hordein bands correlated negatively with malting quality in the germplasm studied.

N-partitioning, nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase activities in two contrasting varieties of maize

In order to identify useful parameters for maize genetic breeding programs aiming at a more efficient use of N, two maize varieties of contrasting N efficiency, Sol da Manhã NF (efficient) and Catetão (inefficient) were compared. Experiments were carried out under field and greenhouse conditions, at low and high N levels. The parameters analysed included total and relative plant and grain N content, biomass and the activities of nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase in different parts of the plant. It was found that the translocation efficiency of N and photoassimilates to the developing seeds and the source-sink relations were significantly different for the two varieties. N content of the whole plant and grain, cob weight and the relative ear dry weight were useful parameters for characterizing the variety Sol da Manhã NF as to its efficient use of N. Enzymes activity of glutamine synthetase (transferase reaction) and nitrate reductase did not differ among the varieties.

Characterizing variation in mycorrhiza effect among diverse plant varieties.

Exploitation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi may be an important approach for development of reduced-input agriculture. We discuss the use of linear models to analyze variation in mycorrhiza response among diverse plant varieties in order to assess the value of mycorrhizas. Our approach allows elimination of variation linked to differences in plant performance in the absence of mycorrhizas and the selection of plant lines that might harbor genetic variation of use to improve the mycorrhizal symbiosis in agriculture. We illustrate our approach by applying it to previously published and to novel data. We suggest that in dealing with a relative trait such as mycorrhiza effect, the choice of measure used to quantify the trait greatly affects interpretation. In the plant populations under consideration, we find evidence for a greater potential to increase mycorrhiza benefit than previously suggested.

Drying rates of Rubi grapes submitted to chemical pretreatments for raisin production

The objective of this work was to determine the most appropriated chemical treatment to be used to dry grapes cv. Rubi for raisin production. Drying curves for convective drying with air at 50ºC, in a tray drier, were obtained for grapes submitted to chemical pretreatments with different concentrations of potassium carbonate and olive oil, and different dipping times, according to factorial designs. Convective drying curves were also obtained for grapes pretreated in aqueous suspensions of soybean lecithin, at varied lecithin concentrations and dipping times. Page model was adjusted to the experimental drying curves, and the calculated drying times showed that the best pretreatment consisted in dipping grapes for 2 minutes in a 5% olive oil and 6% K2CO3 emulsion, at 50ºC, which resulted in a drying time close to that of the pretreatment with 2.5% of olive oil, but with a lower consumption of this substance. In addition, the immersion of grapes in an aqueous suspension of 2% soy lecithin, at 50ºC, for 5 minutes, resulted in a total drying time slightly higher than the most effective pretreatment.

On the bicanonical map of irregular varieties

From the point of view of uniform bounds for the birationality of pluricanonical maps, irregular varieties of general type and maximal Albanese dimension behave similarly to curves. In fact Chen-Hacon showed that, at least when their holomorphic Euler characteristic is positive, the tricanonical map of such varieties is always birational. In this paper we study the bicanonical map. We consider the natural subclass of varieties of maximal Albanese dimension formed by primitive varieties of Albanese general type. We prove that the only such varieties with non-birational bicanonical map are the natural higher-dimensional generalization to this context of curves of genus $2$: varieties birationally equivalent to the theta-divisor of an indecomposable principally polarized abelian variety. The proof is based on the (generalized) Fourier-Mukai transform.

Characterization and multivariate classification of grapes and wines of two Cabernet Sauvignon clones

The objective of this work was to assess and characterize two clones, 169 and 685, of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and to evaluate the wine produced from these grapes. The experiment was carried out in São Joaquim, SC, Brazil, during the 2009 harvest season. During grape ripening, the evolution of physical-chemical properties, phenolic compounds, organic acids, and anthocyanins was evaluated. During grape harvest, yield components were determined for each clone. Individual and total phenolics, individual and total anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity were evaluated for wine. The clones were also assessed regarding the duration of their phenological cycle. During ripening, the evolution of phenolic compounds and of physical-chemical parameters was similar for both clones; however, during harvest, significant differences were observed regarding yield, number of bunches per plant and berries per bunch, leaf area, and organic acid, polyphenol, and anthocyanin content. The wines produced from these clones showed significant differences regarding chemical composition. The clones showed similar phenological cycle and responses to bioclimatic parameters. Principal component analysis shows that clone 685 is strongly correlated with color characteristics, mainly monomeric anthocyanins, while clone 169 is correlated with individual phenolic compounds.