Spring Research Articles

Genome-wide mapping and genomic prediction conditioning sclerotinia stem rot resistance in different ecotypes of Brassica napus (L.) germplasm collections

Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR), caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, is a destructive disease in canola that significantly reduces seed yield and oil quality. This research aimed to identify the genomic regions and evaluate the potential of genomic prediction for S. sclerotiorum resistance by screening a diverse panel of 143 spring (SP), and 152 semi-winter and winter (SwW) populations through two rounds of plant inoculation during the full flowering stage. A comprehensive phenotypic evaluation involving four distinct traits identified several lines as potential sources of resistance, which showed superior resistance compared to known resistant check cultivars. A Genome-wide association (GWA) study using two different algorithms identified 29 and 19 SNPs in the SP and SwW populations, respectively, with two or more traits were regarded as significant. Ten and seven significant SNPs from SP and SwW populations, respectively, were co-localized with the previously reported SNPs/QTLs by linkage/GWA mapping studies. Within the regions flanking the significant SNPs, we identified a total of 33 and 22 putative candidate genes related to plant defense responses in the SP and SwW populations, respectively. The genomic prediction (GP) revealed higher predictive ability for the SP population (0.46–0.57) over the SwW population (0.10–0.19), depending on trait specifications. In summary, our study revealed that favorable alleles from significant SNPs from GWA mapping could be utilized as valuable resources for introducing and pyramiding resistance alleles to enhance SSR resistance in canola. Genomic selection could also be used as a potential genomics-assisted approach to improve SSR resistance in canola.

Interaction of nutrient enrichment and farming method on performance of the red seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii

To meet the increasing demand for kappa carrageenan, several strategies have been employed to improve eucheumatoid seaweed productivity, such as nutrient enrichment (NE) and the application of some efficient farming methods (FM). This study aims to investigate the interaction of NE (applied as ammonium phosphate at 3.5 g L−1) and farming method on the performance of the eucheumatoid seaweed Kappaphycus alvarezii. Three farming methods, that is, Sway (SW), Spring (SP), and modified fixed-off bottom (MFOB), were employed for nutrient-enriched (NE) and non-enriched control fronds for a period of 45 days. NE significantly improved the growth and carrageenan yield of the seaweed and afforded protection against the incidence of ice-ice disease; meanwhile, the effect of FM and NE-FM interaction was non-significant. NE increased the gel strength of the extracted carrageenan; meanwhile, SP farm led to the highest gel strength, followed by MFOB.

El Niño Onset Time Affects the Intensity of Landfalling Tropical Cyclones in China

In this work, we studied the influence of spring (SP) and summer (SU) El Niño events on the landfalling tropical cyclones (TCs) in China. The results showed that compared to SU El Niño years, the average latitude of the landfalling TCs in SP El Niño years shifted significantly southward and that the average TC intensity was significantly stronger, especially in the post-landfall period. Additionally, more severe tropical storm-level TCs generated over the South China Sea made landfall in China. Meanwhile, in SP El Niño years, landfalling TCs in southern China had a greater landfall intensity, but landfalling TCs in eastern China were the opposite. These changes in TC intensity during the SP El Niño years could be attributed to more favorable dynamical and thermodynamical conditions, which are beneficial for maintaining TC intensity and duration after landfall. These results could have important implications for an in-depth understanding of TC activities, as well as TC disaster prevention and mitigation.

Ammonia and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Dairy Cows on Straw-Based Litter Systems

Increasing concerns regarding environmental impacts of animal production require a better understanding of the factors that influence nitrogen (N) excretion by animals and the processes that influence N volatilization into ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) from manure. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of diet characteristics and climatic factors on manure composition, as well as the resulting NH3 and N2O emissions in the barn and during storage of a straw-based litter system. Two groups of three dairy cows were housed in mechanically ventilated rooms and fed with a grass-based diet (GD) or a total mixed diet (MD). The resulting solid manures were stored in ventilated tunnels. The experiment was conducted in autumn (AUT) and spring (SPR). NH3 and N2O emissions were recorded continuously (28 days in the barn, 85 days for storage). NH3–N emissions in the barn were higher for GD-AUT than for MD-AUT, which was consistent with the larger and unbalanced amount of crude and degradable protein in GD, and corroborated by higher milk urea N contents. More than 80% of the NH3–N volatilization occurred during the first week of manure storage, when the temperature of the manure heap peaked. N2O–N emissions were negligible in the barn. During storage, N2O–N emissions peaked immediately after the first week. Higher N2O–N emissions were related to higher rainfall, which may have increased the moisture content and decreased the temperature of the manure heap, thus generating the conditions necessary for nitrification and denitrification processes.

Is the Life History Flexibility of Cold Desert Annuals Broad Enough to Cope with Predicted Climate Change? The Case of Erodium oxyrhinchum in Central Asia.

Simple SummaryThe broad objective of our study was to evaluate the life history flexibility of the annual Erodium oxyrhinchum in relation to the predicted changes in precipitation in the cold desert due to climate change. We compared the effects of dry and wet springs and dry and wet autumns on growth and F2 seed dormancy of plants from spring- and autumn-germinated seeds of the cold desert annual E. oxyrhinchum from 2016–2020. Also, the future climate for the region was modeled. Our results found that given the flexibility in the life history of E. oxyrhinchum, it seems unlikely that future climate change will have much of an impact on the life history and dominant position of this species in the herbaceous plant community in the unpredictable-rainfall environment of the cold desert. Our study challenges the commonly-held perception that desert organisms may be negatively affected by climate change.Interannual seasonal variability in precipitation may strongly affect the life history and growth of desert annual plants. We compared the effects of dry and wet springs and dry and wet autumns on growth and F2 seed dormancy of plants from spring (SG)- and autumn (AG)-germinated seeds of the cold desert annual Erodium oxyrhinchum. Vegetative and reproductive growth and F2 seed dormancy and germination were monitored from September 2016 to November 2020 in the sandy Gurbantunggut Desert in NW China in Central Asia. Dry autumns decreased the density of AG plants, and dry springs decreased the density of SG plants and growth of SG and AG plants. In dry springs, SG plants were more sensitive to precipitation than AG plants, while in wet springs SG and AG plants had similar responses to precipitation. During growth in both dry and wet springs, most morphological characters of SG and AG plants initially increased rapidly in size/number and then plateaued or decreased, except for SG plants in dry springs. In dry springs, most morphological characters of AG plants were larger or more numerous than those of SG plants, and they were larger/more numerous for SG plants in wet than in dry springs. The percentage biomass allocated to reproduction in SG plants was slightly higher in a wet than in a dry spring. A much higher proportion of dormant seeds was produced by AG plants in a wet spring than in a dry spring. Projected changes in precipitation due to climate change in NW China are not likely to have much of an effect on the biology of this common desert annual plant.

Editorial

Editorial for the spring 2021 issue of in education

THE USES OF MYTH AND RITUALS AS COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION BY KRATON NGIYOM IN SEKARALAS AND SEKARPUTIH VILLAGES

Kraton Ngiyom is a non-profit organization that focuses on environmental preservation. To overcome the environmental problems in the villages of Sekaralas and Sekarputih, Ngawi, East Java, especially regarding the condition of damage to the forest area and both springs in the village area, Kraton Ngiyom uses communication strategies based on local wisdom by utilizing mythologically oriented instrument and ceremonies as a medium of communication to encourage the public to care and actively contribute in carrying out environmental preservation activities. This study aims to answer the research question of how the Kraton Ngiyom uses myth and rituals as communication strategies for environmental conservation in the villages of Sekaralas and Sekarputih. This study employs an ethnographic study approach. Data collection was carried out using direct observation and in-depth interviews with five informants. The results of this study found that the communication strategies based on local wisdom are well implemented by Kraton Ngiyom through 2 instruments, namely myths and rituals. The myth is used by Kraton Ngiyom to deliver environmental preservation messages to the people of Sekaralas and Sekarputih villages, while the rituals are used by Kraton Ngiyom as instruments to support the delivery of messages, which is to encourage changes in village community behavior. The process of delivering messages through myths, which was maximized in the implementation of a ceremony, succeeded in changing the behavior of Sekaralas and Sekarputih villagers to become more concerned about their environmental conditions and to take initiatives in undertaking environmental conservation efforts.

Spring Cleaning.

Spring Cleaning.

Jedan izvor o Stjepanu Radiću i njegovom "političkom preokretu" u proljeće 1918. godine

U radu se uz kratki politički portret političkog djelovanja Stjepana Radića tijekom Velikog rata (1914. — 1918.) autor fokusira na jedan povijesni izvor, odlomak iz memoara člana češke Maffie Hrvata i Dubrovčanina Rudolfa Giunia koji govori o “političkom preokretu” Stjepana Radića u proljeće 1918. godine iz habsburškog legitimista u pristašu južnoslavenskog ujedinjenja. Rad razmatra kako su taj izvor hrvatska i jugoslavenska historiografija tumačile i upotrebljavale. Prema izglednim pretpostavkama hrvatski povjesničar Bogdan Krizman pronašao je taj izvor krajem 1950-ih i često ga koristio u svojim radovima, uglavnom samo prepričavajući ili sažimajući njegov sadržaj, ali nikada ga ne navodeći u cjelini ili kao povijesnu građu u bilješkama. Stoga se ovdje taj odlomak iz Giunijevih memoara, koji govori o Radićevu djelovanju u to vrijeme, zbog njegove važnosti daje na kraju ovoga rada u prijepisu. Cjeloviti memoari R. Giunia čuvaju se u rukopisu u Nacionalnoj i sveučilišnoj knjižnici u Zagrebu.

Bio notes authors Spring 2021 issue

Bio notes authors Spring 2021 issue

Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) Mapping for Evaluation of Abnormal Growth of Spring Chinese Cabbage Using Drone-based Thermal Infrared Image

Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) Mapping for Evaluation of Abnormal Growth of Spring Chinese Cabbage Using Drone-based Thermal Infrared Image

Spring forceps as applicator stand

Spring forceps as applicator stand

Spring Update From New ACMQ President Dan M. Westphal.

Spring Update From New ACMQ President Dan M. Westphal.

Shakespeare and Asian Cultural Diversity: Encounters between East Asia and Southeast Asia on Shakespearean Stage

This study discusses the ways that Shakespeare’s stories have captured the imaginations of East Asians and Southeast Asians on stage. Encounters between East Asia and Southeast Asia on Shakespearean stage place an emphasis on relevance and inclusivity within the stories. Their encounters are designed to speak to the extraordinary moments that call for multicultural and multilingual Asian productions. This study presents as exemplary cases two productions: Desdemona (2000) and Lear Dreaming (2012). Their retellings of Othello and King Lear are suggestive of what human beings resort to in order to maintain power over others, but at the same time give prominence to psychological and humane themes. These two Asian versions spring from the interest in stories about powerful families in conflict who are driven by ambitions, loyalties, and vendettas, while making decisions that affect each other. Desdemona and Lear Dreaming reinvent Shakespearean stories being told with new Asian twists and turns. Their stage practice is bound up with the ultimate examination of how Asian performing artists and Shakespearean characters are intertwined. Encounters between East Asian and Southeast Asian art forms have a direct bearing on how Asian cultural diversity is depicted on stage. They value the traditional contents of Asian performance styles, but at the same time go beyond classical values by employing modern technology such as visual and graphic arts. The integration of traditional and modern staging modes is set to redefine what Shakespeare’s stories mean to our own time and how they are relevant to contemporary audiences.

Have You Ever Seen the Rain? It Looks Like It's Going to Rain!

This empirical study examines, whether the weather situations during the different seasons in which panel surveys are carried out have an impact on the timing and extent of survey participation. Based on considerations regarding the panellists’ habits and their assessment of a participation's benefits and costs compared to alternative action, it is assumed that ‘pleasant’ weather diverts them from immediately completing the questionnaire while ‘unpleasant’ weather results in a higher degree of participation right after survey launch. The results of event history analysis based on longitudinal data from a multi-wave panel confirm these assumptions. Additionally, there seems to be an interaction between the season and the weather situation: ‘Pleasant’ weather in spring results in a lower participation rate compared to surveys in summer while, given the same weather situation, the participation rate is higher in autumn. Finally, it is evident that regardless of the season, heavy rainfall at the beginning of the field period is most beneficial for conducting an online survey in terms of both rapid response and high participation rates.

Chemistry galore at the ACS Spring 2021 meeting

Chemistry galore at the ACS Spring 2021 meeting

Investigation of University Students' in-Class Smartphones Usage with Association Rules

This study aimed to investigate the university students' usage of smartphones in-class and reveal the relationships among the frequency of use, the purpose of use, reasons for the smartphone using in course, and demographic variables (gender and class). To achieve this aim, we used the correlational survey model. The study sample was selected from the students studying in an Education Faculty of a University in the east of Turkey in the spring semester of 2019-2020 academic year. The sample determined by the snowball sampling method consisted of a total of 577 students. The survey technique was used to collect data. The descriptive and relation analysis were used in the analysis of the data. Frequency and percentage calculations were made for descriptive analysis. For relational analysis, the association rule, one of the data mining methods, was used. It has been revealed that most of the students use their smartphones occasionally and mostly in messages, to do research and connect to social networks. It was observed that the main reasons that motivated students to use their smartphones in the courses were doing research about the course and using them in emergencies. Besides, students gave close answers about the effect of smartphone use on academic performance, and most of the students stated that they did not have difficulty focusing when using smartphones in the courses. Some students also stated that they did not use the phone as it distracted them, and it was forbidden to use it in the course. Results revealed that the boring course, negative attitudes towards the lecturer, and the course cause students to message and connect to social media. It was concluded that the occasional use of smartphones in the courses in cases of emergency and messaging does not affect students' academic performance and does not cause any problems in focusing on the course. Besides, most people who use their smartphones for researching, reading news, and messaging in the courses stated that they use their smartphones for educational purposes. Some suggestions were developed at the end of the study based on the results.

A feathered concierge in Colombia’s Andean forest

In the spring of 2020, during the most severe weeks of the COVID-19 lockdown in Colombia, a female bronzy inca (Coeligena coeligena) built a nest and successfully raised two chicks, outside the front door of a country house adjacent to a humid forest in the Western Andes near the city of Cali This hummingbird's nest was found in a hanging pot of asparagus fern (Asparagus densiflorus), a cultivated decorative houseplant native to Africa From mid-March to early May, the presence and behavior of the homeowners apparently did not disturb the hummingbird's nesting activities Evidence of species taking advantage of conditions during the so-called anthropause (or pandemic-inspired reduction in human activities) has already been documented, especially in urban habitats Might similar positive outcomes for biodiversity be occurring in rural areas, which are often characterized by a less intense human footprint?

Восстановление войскового самоуправления в Терском казачьем войске весной 1917 г.

В статье анализируются причины возвращения войсковой системы самоуправления Терского казачества и показан сам процесс создания выборности войсковой власти. Актуальность исследования казачьего самоуправления обусловлена необходимостью теоретического обоснования и практического осуществления самоорганизации казачества России. Исторический анализ процесса организации самоуправления Терского казачества на войсковом уровне может послужить фундаментом для лучшего понимания и оценки современных процессов и явлений в казачьей среде и поможет выстраиванию государственной политики в отношении казачества в современной России. В отечественной историографии отсутствуют работы, посвященные конкретно восстановлению выборности власти в Терском казачьем войске. Поэтому научная новизна исследования определяется тем, что впервые предпринята попытка хронологической реконструкции истории создания войсковой системы самоуправления Терского казачества. Методологической основой исследования является принцип историзма, что предусматривает изучение момента возникновения исторического события и этапы его развития. Анализ событий на Тереке в 1917 г. показывает, что терские казаки смогли самоорганизоваться, создать полноценное административно-территориальное образование, и лишь изменение социально-политической ситуации в России в целомпомешало укрепить и продолжить это начинание. Еще необходимо отметить, что терские казаки к моменту восстановления войскового самоуправления подошли уже с готовыми проектами соответствующих документов, что позволило Терскому войску первым среди других войск создать свою выборную власть. Это говорит о высоком интеллектуальном потенциале в среде терских казаков. The article analyzes the reasons for the restoration of the military system of self-government of the Terek Cossacks and shows the very process of creating the elective military power. The relevance of the study of Cossack self-government is due to the need for theoretical justification and practical implementation of the self-organization of the Cossacks of Russia. Historical analysis of the process of organizing self-government of the Terek Cossacks at the military level can serve as a foundation for better understanding and assessment of modern processes and phenomena in the Cossack environment and will help to build state policy towards the Cossacks in modern Russia. In the Russian historiography, there are no works devoted specifically to the restoration of the election of power in the Terek Cossack army. Therefore, the scientific novelty of the research is determined by the fact that for the first time an attempt was made to chronologically reconstruct the history of the creation of the military system of self-government of the Terek Cossacks. The methodological basis of the research is the principle of historicism, with its focus on the study of the moment of occurrence of a historical event and the stages of its development. An analysis of the events on the Terek in 1917 shows that the Terek Cossacks were able to organize themselves and create a full-fledged administrative-territorial entity and only a change in the socio-political situation in Russia as a whole was placed, strengthened and continued this initiative. It should also be noted that the Terek Cossacks, by the time of the restoration of military self-government, came up with ready-made drafts of relevant documents, which allowed the Terek army to be the first among other troops to create their own elected power. This indicates a high intellectual potential among the Terek cossacks.

Component based moment-rotation model of composite beam blind bolted to CFDST column joint

This paper aims to explore the mechanical behavior and moment-rotation model of blind bolted joints between concrete-filled double skin steel tubular columns and steel-concrete composite beams. For this type of joint, the inner tube and sandwiched concrete were additionally identified as basic components compared with CFST blind bolted joint. A modified moment-rotation model for this type of connection was developed, of which the compatibility condition and mechanical equilibrium were employed to determine the internal forces of basic components and neutral axis. Following this, load transfer mechanism among the inner tube, sandwiched concrete and outer tube was discussed to assert the action area of the components. Subsequently, assembly processes of basic coefficients in terms of their stiffness and resistances based on the component method by simplifying them as assemblages of springs in series or in parallel. Finally, an experimental investigation on four substructure joints with CFDST columns for validation purposes was carried out to capture the connection details. The predicted results derived from the mechanical models coincided well with the experimental results. It is demonstrated that the proposed mechanical model is capable of evaluating the complete moment-rotation relationships of blind bolted CFDST column composite connections.