Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Spikenet'

À la frontière entre neurosciences et intelligence artificielle, les neurosciences computationnelles tentent de comprendre les formidables capacités de calcul du cerveau, notamment l'efficacité du traitement de l'image par le système visuel. Mon travail est un double travail expérimental et de modélisation. Dans la partie expérimentale, je tente de déterminer les raisons qui font la précision et la rapidité des processus visuels. On présente brièvement (20-30 ms) des photographies contenant ou non des animaux au sujet qui doit relâcher un bouton quand l'image contient un animal. Le singe macaque réalise cette tâche avec une précision légèrement inférieure à celle de l'homme mais avec une plus grande rapidité. Je tente ensuite de contraindre la catégorisation pour déterminer le rôle à la fois des propriétés intrinsèques des images - couleur, luminance, nombre d'animaux présents, parties visibles de leurs corps, espèce de l'animal... - mais aussi de leurs propriétés extrinsèques - condition de présentation, effet de séquence, familiarité du stimulus, consigne... Bien que certaines conditions accélèrent la catégorisation, les réponses les plus précoces (dont on montre qu'elles ne sont pas spécifiques de certaines images), et les enregistrements EEGs correspondant au traitement de l'image ne sont que très peu affectés. Cela implique donc un traitement rapide massivement parallèle - quasiment automatique - des informations visuelles, où chaque neurone du système visuel peut difficilement émettre plus d'une décharge. À partir de ces contraintes, et de celles imposées par la structure du système visuel, j'ai construit un simulateur biologiquement plausible (SpikeNET) qui permet de simuler le comportement des neurones réels (de la détection de barres orientées jusqu'à la reconnaissance de visages). Les performances de ces modèles sont étonnantes du point de vue du traitement d'image et rivalisent avec les approches classiques en intelligence artificielle.

Unter Spikelets versteht man kleine Depolarisationen mit einer Spike-ähnlichen Wellenform, die man in intrazellulären Ableitungen von verschiedenen Neuronentypen messen kann. In kortikalen Pyramidenzellen wurde ausgeprägte Spikelet-Aktivität nachgewiesen, die erheblich das Membranpotential beeinflussen kann (Crochet et al., 2004; Epsztein et al., 2010; Chorev and Brecht, 2012). Nichtsdestotrotz bleibt der Ursprung von Spikelets in diesen Neuronen unbekannt. In der vorgelegten Arbeit nutzte ich theoretische Modellierung um die Mechanismen von Spikelet-Erzeugung in Pyramidenzellen zu untersuchen. Zuerst sah ich die verschiedenen Hypothesen über den Ursprung von Spikelets durch. In der Literatur entdeckte ich zwei verschiedene Typen von Spikelets. Diese Arbeit konzentriert sich auf den häufiger vorkommenden Typ von Spikelets, welcher durch relativ große Amplituden gekennzeichnet ist. Die Eigenschaften dieser Spikelets passen am besten zu einem axonal Erzeugungsmechanismus. Im zweiten Kapitel widmete ich mich der Hypothese, dass somatische Spikelets axonalen Ursprungs mit somato-dendritischen Inputs hervorgerufen werden können. Ich identifizierte Bedingungen, die es erlauben ein Aktionspotential (AP) am Initialsegment vom Axon (AIS) zu initiieren, welches sich entlang des Axons ausbreitet, aber kein AP im Soma auslöst. Schließlich simulierte ich extrazelluläre Wellenformen von APs und Spikelets und verglich sie mit experimentellen Daten (Chorev and Brecht, 2012). Dieser Vergleich zeigte auf, dass die extrazellulären Wellenformen von Spikelets, die innerhalb einer Zellen am AIS erzeugt werden, gut zu den Daten passen. Zusammenfassend unterstützen meine Ergebnisse die Hypothese, dass Spikelets in Pyramidenzellen am AIS entstehen. Dieser Mechanismus könnte ein Mittel zum Energiesparen bei der Erzeugung von Output-APs sein. Außerdem könnte dadurch die dendritische Plastizität, die auf der Rückwärtspropagierung von APs beruht, reguliert werden.
Spikelets are transient spike-like depolarizations of small amplitudes that can be measured in somatic intracellular recordings of many neuron types. Pronounced spikelet activity has been demonstrated in cortical pyramidal neurons in vivo (Crochet et al., 2004; Epsztein et al., 2010; Chorev and Brecht, 2012), influencing membrane voltage dynamics including action potential initiation. Nevertheless, the origin of spikelets in these neurons remains elusive. In thi thesis, I used computational modeling to examine the mechanisms of spikelet generation in pyramidal neurons. First, I reviewed the hypotheses previously suggested to explain spikelet origin. I discovered two qualitatively different spikelet types described in the experimental literature. This thesis focuses on the more commonly reported spikelet type, characterized by relatively large amplitudes of up to 20 mV. I found that the properties of these spikelets fit best to an axonal generation mechanism. Second, I explored the hypothesis that somatic spikelets of axonal origin can be evoked with somato-dendritic inputs. I identified the conditions allowing these orthodromic inputs to trigger an action potential at the axon initial segment, which propagates along the axon to the postsynaptic targets, but fails to elicit an action potential in the soma and the dendrites. Third, I simulated extracellular waveforms of action potentials and spikelets and compared them to experimental data (Chorev and Brecht, 2012). This comparison demonstrated that the extracellular waveforms of single-cell spikelets of axonal origin are consistent with the data. Together, my results suggest that spikelets in pyramidal neurons might originate at the axon initial segment within a single cell. Such a mechanism might be a way of reducing the energetic costs associated with the generation of output action potentials. Moreover, it might allow to control the dendritic plasticity by backpropagating action potentials.

Digitaria californica is a warm-season grass native to western hemisphere deserts. This study was conducted to measure: (1) seed dormancy, and the effects of (2) wetting and drying on germination, and (3) glumes on water uptake and loss. Dormancy was measured with weekly germination trials for 12 weeks. Complete and naked caryopses were exposed to a 24-h dry period after 12, 24, 36, and 48-h imbibition, and rewetting for 2 weeks. Water uptake and loss patterns were also measured. Germination percentage increased from about 40% initially to 94% after 9 weeks. Germination speed decreased from 5 days to about 2 days over the same period. Drying reduced percent germination of the 36- and 48-h imbibition treatments for complete caryopses, and that of the 24-, 36-, and 48-h imbibition treatments for naked caryopses. Complete caryopses also seemed to imbibe faster. Moisture loss for complete and naked caryopses appeared similar. Short imbibition periods do not induce germination in this species.

Les inflorescences de riz sont sensibles au froid et à la chaleur ce qui se traduit par une stérilité des épillets à floraison. Ce n'est cependant pas directement la température de l'air qui est en cause mais la température des tissus à des stades de développement précis. Les stratégies pour faire face au stress thermique sont : 1) la tolérance physiologique d'une variété particulière; 2) l'échappement temporel au stress par l'ajustement de la phénologie et de l'heure de l'anthèse (TOA); 3) l'évitement du stress par le microclimat généré par la culture. Cette thèse a pour but de caractériser l'effet des composantes climatiques sur 2) et 3), et pour ce, le même essai a été mené au champ sur quatre variétés de riz irrigué cultivées dans quatre environnements climatiques contrastés (Philippines, 2 saisons aux Sénégal, France). Bien que peu de différences variétales aient été observées au sein de chaque site, il existe une grande variabilité de l'heure de l'anthèse et de la différence de température (TD) entre panicule (Tp) et air (Tair) en réponse à l'environnement. La durée de l'anthèse est stable et limitée à environ 2 heures par jour, alors que l'heure de l'anthèse varie de 3.4 à 6.75 heure solaire. Au moment de l'anthèse, TD observée varie entre +2 et -9.5°C. TOA et TD sont principalement caractérisés par Tair et VPD (Vapour Pressure Deficit) observés antérieurement (TOA) ou pendant (TD) l'anthèse. De plus, il existe une corrélation significative entre la stérilité (chaud ou froid) observée à maturité et Tp aux stades sensibles. Ces résultats montrent qu'en termes de risque de stérilité paniculaire pour le riz irrigué à floraison, un climat moyennement chaud et humide est plus dangereux qu'un climat très chaud mais sec car un fort VPD favorise la transpiration de la canopée et des panicules. TOA et TD ont ensuite été intégrés au modèle de culture RIDEV V.2 (qui prédit la stérilité) et les simulations de TD ont été comparées aux résultats d'un autre modèle de Tp (IM2PACT) développé indépendamment au Japon. Ces deux modèles s'avèrent robustes, et de futures collaborations mèneront à une validation complète de chaque modèle voire une intégration de ceux-ci à un nouvel outil en vues d'étudier l'impact des changements climatiques sur les cultures.Les résultats de cette étude permettront dans un futur proche 1) d'aider les sélectionneurs en apportant de nouveaux traits d'intérêts, et 2) de définir un zonage des territoires à haut risque de stress thermique pour le riz irrigué, pour des scénarios climatiques actuels et anticipés. Des études complémentaires seront nécessaires pour permettre l'application de cette approche aux systèmes non irrigués
At the reproductive stage, rice spikelets are sensitive to cold and to heat which can lead to spikelet sterility. However, it is not the air temperature but the temperature of the sensitive organ itself during some specific sensitive stages that is involved. There are three different strategies to cope with thermal stress: 1) physiological tolerance of a particular variety; 2) temporal escape of the stress thanks to phenology and time of day of anthesis (TOA) adjustments; 3) stress avoidance through microclimate generated by crop architecture and transpiration. This PhD aims to characterize the effect of environment on 2) and 3) and to attain this goal, the same experiment was conducted with four rice varieties irrigated and grown in four different climatic environments (Philippines, Senegal two seasons, France). Even though few varietal differences were observed within a site, a great variability of TOA and difference of temperature (TD) between panicle (Tp) and air (Tair) exists in response to the environment. Anthesis duration is stable and limited to 2 hours per day, whereas time of onset of anthesis varied between 3.4 to 6.75 hours after sunrise. During anthesis, observed TD varied between +2.5 and -9.5°C. TOA and TD are mostly explained with Tair and VPD (Vapour Pressure Deficit) observed before (TOA) or during (TD) anthesis. A significant correlation between spikelet sterility (due to cold or heat) and Tp at sensitive stages was established across sites and varieties. Those results showed that for irrigated rice, humid and moderately hot environments are more subject to heat stress sterility than very hot but dry environments, because panicle and canopy transpiration are favored by high VPD. Ultimately, RIDEV V.2 crop model (predicting spikelet sterility) was developed to integrate the previous results and Tp simulations were compared to another Tp model (IM2PACT) simulations, developed independently with a different approach in Japan. Those two models are robust and future collaborations will lead to complete model validations and maybe integration in a new modeling tool to answer the need in evaluating the impact of different climate change scenarios and the adaptation of crop response to those changes.In a short term, the results of this study will enable to 1) help breeders providing them new interest traits for thermal tolerance, and 2) define geographic zoning for high heat stress risk for irrigated rice, for present and future climate change scenarios. Complementary studies are needed to apply this approach to non irrigated system

This project aimed to examine the relationship between spikelet primordium size at the double ridge stage and the final grain weight in two row barley. Earlier work in this laboratory had suggested that the size of primordia at the double ridge stage influenced final grain size. This work was repeated to confirm the finding and, whilst the relationship held, the results were quantitatively different due to differing environmental conditions during the later stages of grain development. Subsequent work sought to manipulate primordial width at double ridge stage by altering both temperature and nitrogen supply in order to determine the generality of the apparent primordium width/grain weight relationship. Results from these experiments led to investigation of the effect of tillers and the application of a growth retardent on the size of spikelets and grain. Lowered nitrogen supply for the first 40 days after sowing reduced the size of spikelet primordia at the double ridge stage and this resulted in the production of smaller grain. Reduced nitrogen supply for only 20 days after sowing led to reduced grain weight in cv. Maris Mink but not in cv Proctor. Proctor had larger central florets and set larger grain than Maris Mink. Reduced nitrogen supply during the vegetative stage of mainstem apex development had no effect on spikelet size in Proctor but marginally increased spikelet size in Maris Mink. Final grain size was reduced in Proctor but increased in Maris Mink. Lowering the temperature in which plants were grown increased grain size and number but had no effect on spikelet size.

Undersökningen tar avstamp i SOU 2002:115. Här påvisas behovet av kompetensutveckling inom byggsektorn. Ett problem är om aktörerna definierar kompetensutveckling olika vid samarbete i frågan. En teoretisk bakgrund beskriver forskningsområdet. Frågeställningar utifrån syfte och problem är: Hur definierar de olika aktörerna i vår undersökning kompetensutveckling? Vad anser aktörerna vara viktiga aspekter på kompetensutveckling? Hur arbetar man inom byggsektorn med kompetensutveckling? Undersökningen bygger på intervjuer och har en kvalitativ ansatts där förståelse söks. Urvalet, sju respondenter från olika aktörer sker med ändamålsurval. Begränsningar görs geografiskt och storleksmässigt pga. tidsram och ekonomi. Analys görs med hjälp av en modell, Lund & Sundberg (2004), för en djupare förståelse av sammanhang och skillnader. Resultat och diskussion visar skillnader och likheter i de olika aktörernas uppfattning av kompetensutveckling. En bild av hur det arbetas med kompetensutveckling inom det begränsade området för vår undersökning ges. Diskussionen ger även förslag på vidare forskning.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide, peroxide, hydroxyl ion and singlet oxygen radical are by-products of specific metabolic reactions in plants. ROS damage cellular biomolecules and are thus actively scavenged. However, ROS also act as signal transducers during development and stress responses. Redox enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) contribute to achieving a balance between ROS being scavenged and being available as signal transducers. Spatio-temporally differential expression of SODs in various tissues plays a critical role in scavenging the superoxide radical. Using a nitroblue-tetrazolium-riboflavin-based in-gel SOD assay, up-regulation of two low mobility (~96 kDa and ~92 kDa) putative SODs was observed in rice spikelets. The two proteins were purified by gel electrophoresis and both were identified through mass spectrometry as homotetrameric versions of a single germin-like protein (GLP), encoded by the gene LaC _Os08g08960 (Rice Genome Annotation Project). Staining with a glycoprotein gel stain and enzymatic deglycosylation showed that the protein is post-translationally modified by N-glycosylation; differential modification probably accounts for_the difference between the two forms. Biochemical characterization- of this developmentally regulated spikelet-specific GLP (ssGLP) indicated that its SOD activity is Mn-SOD type and is highly stable in denaturing agents and at elevated temperatures. Tetrameric ssGLP lacks oxalate oxidase activity. The biological functions of GLPs have not been fully defined; among the different functions attributed to them their role in biotic stress tolerance is relatively well studied. Rice germins, especially some of those with genes on chromosome 8 in the same cluster as the LaC _Os08g08960 gene, although not this specific gene, have previously been found to contribute to the basal mechanism of resistance to pathogens causing rice blast and sheath blight disease. ssGLP was estimated to contribute nearly 11% of the total SOD activity in rice spikelets, indicating a crucial developmental role. Expression analysis with the in-gel SOD assay at the spatio-temporal level, as well as treatment with various hormones, chemicals and abiotic variables such as wounding and light indicated that the expression of ssGLP is affected by developmental rather than stress stimuli. Further, expression analysis at the spatio-temporallevel through RT-PCR confirmed the developmental patterns observed previously at the protein level. In situ mRNA hybridization studies provided evidence for ssGLP gene expression in pollen and endosperm and in localized regions of leaves, and for production of antisense RNA. Consistent with the up-regulation in spikelets, in silico comparison of the rice GLP promoters revealed more seed and pollen specific motifs in LOC_Os08g08960 than in other GLP genes. Additionally, presence of a GAF protein domain typical of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases is unique to ssGLP. Preliminary enzyme assays and in silico results suggested that ssGLP may act as a nucleotide-sugar pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (NSPPase) similarly to a previously-described barley GLP. As a first step to a fuller definition of the enzyme activity of ssGLP and in particular to testing the hypothesis that a different oligomeric configuration acts as NSPPase, a gene for recombinant ssGLP was constructed, cloned and expressed in Pichia pastoris.

L'étude des molécules issues du milieu naturel a conduit les chercheurs à s'intéresser à la synthèse d'un motif structural commun à un grand nombre de molécules bioactives, les spirocétals. La mise au point au sein de notre laboratoire, d'une méthodologie de synthèse d'éthers d'énols exo-cycliques, précurseur de spirocétals, nous a conduits à nous intéresser au fragment spirocétal puis à la synthèse totale du bistramide A. Cette molécule naturelle, issue d'un animal marin présente d'importantes propriétés cytotoxiques la plaçant comme un agent anti-tumoral ou inflammatoire potentiel. Notre méthodologie de synthèse d'éthers d'énols consistant au couplage d'une lactone et d'une sulfone selon une réaction de type Julia, nous a permis d'obtenir l'éther d'énol cible qui par spirocyclisation intramoléculaire a conduit au motif spirocétal [6,6] du bistramide A. La molécule naturelle ainsi que deux analogues sont ensuite obtenus par fonctionnalisation des chaînes latérales du spirocétal, et couplage avec les fragments de type aminoacide et tétrahydropyrane fournis respectivement par le groupe du Pr. Yli-Kauhaluoma et celui du Pr. Piva. L'étude biologique des produits montre d'intéressantes propriétés de différenciation cellulaire, de déclenchement de l'apoptose et de blocage de la cytodiérèse. L'application de notre méthodologie, à la synthèse du SPIKET, ainsi qu'à l'obtention du spirocétal [5,6] de l'atténol A, permet d'étendre le domaine d'application de cette synthèse d'éthers d'énols exo-cycliques
Spiroketals are widely occurring substructures in natural products. The ever-increasing range of pharmacological activities displayed by products containing spiroketals has triggered an intense interest in their study, both from a synthetic and biological aspect. The development in our laboratory of an original enol ether synthesis motivated us to prepare the spiroketal fragment of bistramide A and, subsequently, to undertake its total synthesis. Bistramide A is a biologically active molecule isolated from the marine ascidian Lissoclinum bistratum that has emerged as a potential anti-inflammatory and anti-tumoral agent based on its high cytotoxicity and potent antiproliferative effect. The [6,6] spiroketal ring system of the natural product was accessed using a modification of the Julia olefination, extended to the reaction between a lactone and a heteroarylsulfone to prepare an exocyclic enol ether. The lactone and sulfone precursors were synthesized from a common starting material, dicyclohexylidene-D-mannitol. Bistramide A and two of its analogs were prepared by functionalization of the spiroketal side chains, followed by coupling reactions with the amino acid and tetrahydropyran subunits prepared by the groups of Pr. Yli-Kauhaluoma and Pr. Piva, respectively. An alternative approach to the precursor of the tetrahydropyran system from the chiral pool was developed. Biological studies revealed interesting effects on cellular differentiation, apoptosis, and cytokinesis. Application of our methodology to the synthesis of SPIKET and studies towards the [5,6] spiroketal of attenol A, gave us the opportunity to extend the scope of our exocyclic enol ether methodology

A presente tese descreve a construção de uma nova transformada wavelet, aqui chamada de SPIKELET, que, combinada com um algoritmo proposto, é aplicada no reconhecimento computacional de padrões em spikes (picos) e spikes sobrepostos (overlaps) encontrados no sinal digitalizado correspondente às reações do neurônio H1 do cérebro de uma mosca de ordem Diptera, que é sensível aos estímulos visuais do meio externo. O algoritmo fornece, além do formato do sinal encontrado, o \'\'instante\'\' em que ele ocorreu, sendo que a implementação é feita, inclusive, em tempo-real, com o uso de um DSP.
This thesis describes the construction of a new wavelet transform, that is called SPIKELET, which is used together with a proposed algorithm, for spikes and overlaps pattern recognition, in a digitalized signal corresponding to the H1 visual neuron action potential from a Diptera\'s fly brain. The algorithm provides both the shape of the identified signal and the \'\'instant\'\' of time it happened. The implementation is also done in real time, using a DSP.

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Weed control is one of the main agricultural practices indispensable to ensure profitability and crop success. In paddy rice field, red rice is the most important weed due to its difficult control. A widespread control method is the use of rice cultivars resistant to herbicides which are inhibitors of ALS, since it is possible to have a selective chemical control. Studies showed that the late control with imazamox promotes efficient control of red rice escapes. Thus, the objective of this research was to check the effects of imazamox application in the reproductive phase of two rice cultivars that differ in the level of resistance to imidazolinones. Two studies were carried out at the Federal University of Santa Maria in the years of 2009/10 and 2010/11. Imazamox was applied in different stadium of development and doses. At the end of the application the final dose was 80 g a.i ha-1 for all treatments. Results showed that independent of the date of the imazamox application in the reproductive phase of rice, the grain yield reduced and spikelet sterility of IRGA 422 CL increased. In general, the parameters 1000-grain weight, flag leaf length, panicule length, fresh and dry weight of panicles, and panicles per m2 showed a reduction in practically all imazamox treatments in the IRGA 422 CL cultivar. Changes in the biochemical parameters (chlorophyll, carotenoids, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, superoxide dismutase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase) were observed in leaves and panicles from main culm in some treatments, demonstrating that the oxidative stress promoted by imazamox may have contributed to grain yield reduction and the high percentage of sterile spikelet from IRGA 422 CL cultivar. Morphologic and anatomical changes showed that imazamox application in the panicle differentiation promoted similar changes to homeotic changes observed in rice mutant. Moreover, in the other treatments different morphologic and anatomical changes were observed. Therefore, morphologic and anatomical changes were likely to be responsible for grain yield reduction and high percentage of spikelet sterile from IRGA 422 CL.
O controle de plantas daninhas é uma das práticas agrícolas indispensáveis para garantir rentabilidade e sucesso no cultivo. No cultivo de arroz irrigado, o arroz vermelho é a planta daninha de maior importância, devido sua dificuldade de controle. Um método de controle bastante difundido é o uso de cultivares resistentes aos herbicidas inibidores da ALS, pois permite um controle químico seletivo. Estudos demonstram que o controle tardio com o herbicida imazamox promove controle eficiente de escapes de arroz vermelho. Por isso, o objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar os efeitos da aplicação do imazamox na fase reprodutiva de duas cultivares de arroz irrigado (IRGA 422 CL e PUITÁ INTA CL) que diferem quanto ao nível de resistência as imidazolinonas. Em vista do exposto, foram conduzidos dois estudos na área experimental da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (2009/10 e 2010/11). O imazamox foi aplicado em diferentes estádios de desenvolvimento e doses, sendo que a dose final foi de 80 g i.a ha-1. Com os resultados obtidos conclui-se que independente da data de aplicação do imazamox na fase reprodutiva da cultura ocorreu redução da produtividade de grãos e aumentou a esterilidade de espiguetas da cultivar IRGA 422 CL. De maneira geral, os parâmetros: peso de mil grãos, comprimento da folha bandeira, comprimento de panícula, peso fresco e seco de panículas, e número de panículas por metro quadrado mostraram redução em praticamente todos os tratamentos na cultivar IRGA 422 CL. Alterações nos parâmetros bioquímicos (clorofila, carotenoides, substâncias reativas ao ácido tiobarbitúrico, superóxido dismutase, catalase e ascorbato peroxidase) foram observadas em folhas e panículas do colmo principal em alguns tratamentos, demonstrando que o estresse oxidativo provocado pela aplicação do imazamox pode ter contribuído para a redução da produtividade de grãos e o elevado percentual de espiguetas estéreis da cultivar IRGA 422 CL. A cultivar PUITÁ INTA CL não sofreu alterações em todos os parâmetros avaliados neste estudo. As alterações morfológicas e anatômicas demonstraram que a aplicação de 80 g i.a ha-1 imazamox na diferenciação da panícula promoveu alterações semelhantes às alterações homeóticas observadas em arroz mutante. Além disso, nas plantas que receberam a dose de 80 g i.a ha-1 após 14 dias da diferenciação do primórdio floral (DPF) e as plantas que receberam a dose de 80 g i.a ha-1 em aplicação fracionada (metade da dose 7 dias após DPF e metade da dose aos 14 dias após DPF) mostraram alterações morfológicas e anatômicas do grão de pólen. Dado o exposto, os resultados obtidos sugerem que as alterações morfológicas e anatômicas foram responsáveis pela redução da produtividade de grãos e alto percentual de espiguetas estéreis da cultivar IRGA 422 CL.

Every anthropogenic activity causes environmental impact in some extent. Rice paddy fields area are pointed out as an activity with high potential of pollution due to the large amount of water used to maintain the flooding and the intensive use of pesticides and nutrients that can be transported to the environment. Though, there are other irrigation management practices that can reduce the environmental impact caused by the rice farming. Based on that, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the continuous and intermittent flooding on the amount of water applied and the amount of water transported to the environment, on water use efficiency, on weed control, on agronomic parameters of the rice plants and on dissipation of imazethapyr, imazapic and fipronil. The intermittent flooding resulted in crop yield similar to continuous irrigation. In addition, it reduced in 32% the amount of water applied, resulting in a better water use efficiency (1.68 kg m-3) than the continuous flooding (1.14 kg m-3). Water saving is promoted by the higher amount of rainfall stored in the intermittent flooding. The intermittent flooding reduces 40% of the run-off and less environmental contamination, resulting, on the average of the three pesticides a reduction higher than 90% on the mass of pesticide transported to the environment in comparison to the total applied on the rice Field.
Toda a atividade antrópica causa impacto ambiental de algum nível. A lavoura de arroz irrigado é apontada como uma atividade com alto potencial poluidor por usar grande volume de água para manter a lâmina de irrigação e também por ser um cultivo que demanda o intenso uso de agrotóxicos e nutrientes que podem ser transportados para o ambiente. Entretanto existem alternativas de manejar a lâmina de irrigação que podem diminuir esse impacto ocasionado pela orizicultura. Nesse sentido, o presente trabalho tem por objetivo avaliar o efeito do manejo de irrigação contínua e intermitente no balanço de água (lâmina de água aplicada e lâmina de água extravasada), na eficiência do uso da água, no controle de plantas daninhas, nos parâmetros agronômicos e na dissipação de imazethapyr, imazapic e fipronil. A irrigação intermitente ocasiona produtividade de grãos semelhante à irrigação contínua. Além disso, proporciona economia de 32% do volume de água aplicado, resultando em uma maior eficiência do uso de água (1,68 kg m-3) do que a irrigação contínua (1,14 kg m-3). Essa economia está relacionada devido ao maior volume de água da chuva armazenada. Dessa forma, a irrigação intermitente também promove redução de 40% no volume de água escoada superficialmente e menor contaminação ambiental, proporcionando uma redução, na média dos três agrotóxicos avaliados, de 90% da massa de ingrediente ativo de agrotóxicos transportados para o ambiente em relação ao total aplicado na lavoura.

Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es eine Beziehung zwischen den biophysikalischen Eigenschaften der Nervenmembran, und den ausgeführten Berechnungen und Filtereigenschaften eines tonisch feuernden Neurons, unter Einbeziehen intrinsischer Fluktuationen, herzustellen. Zu diesem Zweck werden zu erst die mikroskopischen Fluktuationen, die durch das stochastische Öffnen und Schließen der Ionenkanäle verursacht werden, zu makroskopischer Varibilität in den Zeitpunkten des Auftretens der Aktionspotentiale übersetzt, denn es sind diese Spikezeiten die in vielen sensorischen Systemen informationstragenden sind. Die Methode erlaubt es das stochastischer Verhalten komplizierter Ionenkanalstrukturen mit einer großen Zahl an Untereinheiten, in Spikezeitenvariabilität zu übersetzen. Als weiteres werden die Filtereigenschaften der Nervenzellen in der überschwelligen Dynamik, also bei Existenz eines stabilen Grenzzyklus, aus ihren Phasenantwortkurven (PAK), einer Eigenschaft des linearisierten adjungierten Flusses auf dem Grenzzyklus, in einem stöhrungstheoretischen Ansatz berechnet. Es ergibt sich, dass Charakteristika des Filter, wie beispielsweise die DC Komponente und die Eigenschaften des Filters um die Fundamentalfrequenz und ihrer Harmonien, von den Fourierkomponenten der PAK abhängen. Unter Verwendung der hergeleiteten Filter und weiterer Annahmen ist es möglich das frequenzabhängige Signal-zu-Rauschen Verhältnis zu berechnen, und damit eine untere Schranke für die Informationstransferrate eines Leitfähigkeitsmodells zu berechnen. Unter Zuhilfenahme der numerischen Kontinuierungsmethode ist es möglich die Veränderungen in der Spikevariabilität und den Filtern für jeden biophysikalischen Parameter des System zu verfolgen. Weiterhin wurde die verwendete Phasenreduktion durch eine Korrektur ergänzt, die die Radialdynamik einbezieht. Es zeigt sich, dass die Krümmung der Isochronen einen Einfluss darauf hat ob das Rauschen einen positiven oder negativen Frequenzschift hervorruft.
The goal of the thesis is to establish quantitative, analytical relations between the biophysical properties of nerve membranes and the performed neuronal computations for neurons in a tonically spiking regime and in the presence of intrinsic noise. For this purpose, two major lines of investigation are followed. Firstly, microscopic noise caused by the stochastic opening and closing of ion channels is mapped to the macroscopic spike jitter that affects neural coding. The method is generic enough to allow one to treat Markov channel models with complicated, high-dimensional state spaces and calculate from them the noise in the coding variable, i.e., the spike time. Secondly, the suprathreshold filtering properties of neurons are derived, based on the phase response curves (PRCs) by perturbing the associated Fokker-Planck equations. It turns out that key characteristics of the filter, such as the DC component of the gain and the behaviour near the fundamental frequency and its harmonics are related to the particular Fourier components of the PRC and hence the bifurcation type of the neuron. With the help of the derived filter and further approximations one is able to calculate the frequency resolved signal-to-noise ration and finally the total information transmission rate of a conductance based model. Using the method of numerical continuation it is possible to calculate the change in spike time noise level as well as the filtering properties for arbitrary changes in biophysical parameter such as varying channel densities or mean input to the cell. We extend the phase reduction to include correction terms from the amplitude dynamics that are related to the curvature of the isochrons and provide a method to identify the required amplitude sensitivities numerically. It can be shown that the curvature of the isochron has a direct consequence for the noise induced frequency shift.

碩士
國立成功大學
生物學系
86
Microstegium vimineum (Trin.) A. Camus is a Poaceae species. In our observation, we concluded the varieties of this species based upon the presence or absence of an awn is not taxonomically meaningful. We also recognize that M. vimineum; M. dilatatum Koidz. and M. monoracemum W. C. Wu are identical. In previous studies suggest that M. vimineum produces both cleistogamous and chasmogamous flowers. Light and electron microscopy studies on the floral morphology and development were used to elucidate the different reproductive strategies between cleistogamous and chasmogamous flowers. The pattern of cleistogamy is belonging to type of "sheath fertilization".The cleistogamous flower matures precociously with small anther sac and low pollen count. The structures of microsporangium are variable even in the same anther. The pollens contact with stigma without pollen tube germination when anthers contact with stigma directly in cleistogamous flower. Therefore, apomixis may occur in cleistogamous flowers of M. vimineum.

碩士
國立中興大學
生物科技學研究所
104
A T-DNA mutant, named as Large Spikelet (LS1), was noticed previously due to its increased length, by 19%, and width, by 15%, in grains, compared to the wild type rice (TNG67). The selfed progenies LS1-3, LS1-4 and LS1-5 still produced heavier grains than TNG67, though the fertility rate of LS1 was severely decreased to 3~6%. In order to investigate the molecular mechanism of LS1, inverse PCR was performed and the result indicates an integration site of T-DNA located between the Hemolysin-III (HlyIII) and Sucrose Phosphate Synthase (SPS) genes. Genomic PCR on LS1 and its progenies further confirmed the result. Unfortunately, no segregation line without T-DNA insertion was identified among the tested progenies; the genetic linkage between the T-DNA insertion and the Large Spikelet phenotype was therefore un-confirmed. SPS encodes a key enzyme involved in starch and sucrose metabolism. As T-DNA is located downstream of the SPS gene, the expressions of SPS was unchanged in LS1 according to Real-time PCR quantitation. This result rules-out the possible role of SPS in LS1 phenotype. HlyIII encodes an integral membrane receptors, belonging to the Progestin and AdipoQ Receptors (PAQR) family, with seven transmembrane domains. Disruption of HlyIII in Arabidopsis renders plants with hypersensitivity to ABA/osmotic stress; therefore, HlyIII may play a negative role in ABA/osmotic signaling. Rice has six PAQR members. As HlyIII share at most 58% similarity in protein sequence to the other members, HlyIII may play a different function from its kin in rice. According to transcriptome information from the TIGR databank, HlyIII was highly expressed in the endosperm 25 days after pollination. Moreover, expression of HlyIII was higher in LS1 and its selfed progenies than in the TNG67, suggesting an effect of T-DNA insertion. We suspected that over expressions of HlyIII may be responsible the LS1 phenotype. However, further examinations using the HlyIII-overexpressed and HlyIII-silenced transgenic rice, together with the HlyIII T-DNA-tagged Arabidopsis, did not correlate the LS1 phenotype with the HlyIII gene expression or gene integrity. HlyIII was also known to play an important role in phosphate metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae; therefore, we compared the phosphate content between LS1 and TNG67 plants. Surprisingly, both LS1 and its selfed progenies exhibited higher phosphate content than TNG67, especially in the leaf sheath. Unfortunately, the correlation between the HlyIII gene and phosphate content was not found in the HlyIII transgenic plants. In conclusion, the Large Spikelet phenotype is not related to the HlyIII gene but may be caused by somatic mutations that happened accidently during the previous transformation process of TNG67.

碩士
國立臺灣大學
農藝學研究所
93
The size and shape of lemma and palea may limit the developing of rice grains, that could affect the rice yield indirectly. Therefore it is interesting to clone genes related to lemma and palea. In this thesis, six genes from the lemma/palea related gene pool which is established by Liu (2003) were further studied. Those genes are salT gene (salt-induced protein), GA-SPY gene (gibberellin action negative regulator SPY-related protein), U2AF gene (U2 snRNP auxiliary factor, small subunit-related protein), kinesin-like gene, DnaJ-like gene, and EF hand gene. At first, the gene expression in leaves and 1~4 cm inflorescences of normal lemma/palea (SLP/SLP), smaller lemma/palea (SLP/slp), and stunted lemma/palea (slp/slp) was compared by Real Time RT-PCR. The results showed that salT expression is higher in leaf sheath than in leaf lamina, and is especially high in the inflorescence of slp/slp mutant. The Southern blot showed that only one copy of salT gene in rice genome. SalT gene was transferred to TNG67 and SLP/SLP rice plant by Agro-transformation method. Three kinds of constructs were designed for over expression, induced expression, and knock out expression of salT gene. The transgenic rice plants with over expressed of salT gene in TNG67 were lower and no spikelets. However, the plant height and the size of lemma/palea of SLP/SLP transgenic rice plants showed no difference to the non-transgenic rice plants. Therefore, the relationship between salT and the structure of spikelets must be studied in more details. The transgenic rice plants with over expressed salT gene showed higher drought tolerance, but no special performance under salt or cold stress.

Rice have highly derived florets borne on a short branch called ‘spikelet’ comprised of a pair of rudimentary glumes and sterile lemma (empty glumes) that subtends a single fertile floret. The floral organs consist of a pair of lodicules, six stamens and a central carpel that are enclosed by a pair of bract-like organs, called lemma and palea. A progressive reprogramming of meristem identity during the floral development of flowers, on branches on the inflorescence, is correlated with changes in transcriptional status of regulatory genes that execute cascades of distinct developmental events. On the other hand phytohormones such as auxin and cytokinin that are critical in predetermining the sites of new organ primordia emergence and in maintaining the size or populations of meristems. Molecular genetic analyses of mutants have expanded the repository of genes regulating floral organ specification and identity, yet the finer mechanistic details on process downstream to these regulatory genes and co-ordination with phytohormone signalling pathways needs further investigation. One aim of the study presented in this thesis is to develop a tool that would display of spatial description of dynamic auxin or cytokinin accumulation in developing rice inflorescence and floral meristems and to evaluate auxin distribution defects of OsMADS1-RNAi florets using this tool. Additionally, we aim to understand the regulatory effects on OsMADS1 on candidate floral organ and meristem fate determining genes during two temporal phases of flower development to decipher other regulatory cascades controlled by OsMADS1. Spatial distribution profile of phytohormones in young and developing meristems of rice Cytokinin promotes meristem activity (Su et al., 2011) while auxin accumulation, directed by auxin efflux transport PIN proteins predicts sites of new organ initiation (Reinhardt et al., 2003; van Mourik et al., 2012). Previous studies in the lab deciphered that OsMADS1 exerts positive regulatory effects on genes in auxin pathways and repressive effects on cytokinin signaling and biosynthetic genes (Khanday et al., 2013). Thus, the need for a reliable system to understand auxin and cytokinin activity in live inflorescence and floral meristems of rice motivated us to raise promoter: reporter tools to map the spatial and temporal phytohormone distribution. Confocal live imaging conditions in primary roots of IR4DR-GFP and DR5-CyPet lines was performed and responsiveness of the DR5 elements to auxin was authenticated. Auxin maxima were distinctly seen in the epidermal and sub-epidermal cells of inflorescence branch primordia anlagen and apices of newly emerged branch primordia. As floral organs were being initiated, on the floret meristem, we discerned the sequential appearance of auxin accumulation at sites of organ primordia while apices of early floral meristems (FM) showed low auxin content. We clearly detect canalization of auxin streams marking regions of vascular inception. Using this live imaging system we probed auxin patterns and levels in malformed and indeterminate OsMADS1-RNAi florets and we observed a significant reduction in the levels of auxin. Two oppositely positioned peaks of auxin were noted in the persistent FM of OsMADS1-RNAi florets, a pattern similar to auxin dynamics at sites of rudimentary glume primordia on the wild-type (WT) spikelet meristem. These studies were followed up with immunohistochemistry (IHC) on fixed tissues for “PIN” transport proteins that suggest PIN convergence towards organ initiation sites, regions where auxin accumulation was clearly visualized by the IR4DR5-GFP and DR5-CyPet reporters. IHC experiments that detected GFP, in fixed tissues of TCSn-mGFP ER (WT) and TCSn-mGFP ER;OsMADS1-RNAi (OsMADS1-RNAi) inflorescence and florets showed an ectopic increase in the domain of cells with cytokinin response in OsMADS1-RNAi florets, compared to that of WT. Intriguingly, cytokinin responsive cells persisted in the central FM of OsMADS1-RNAi florets that might partially account for some of the FM indeterminacy defects seen in these florets. A correlative observation of these different imaging data hint at some exclusive patterns of the IR4DR5/DR5 and TCSn reporters that in turn lead us to speculate that a cross talk between auxin and cytokinin distribution may contribute to the precise phyllotaxy of lateral organs in rice inflorescence. Studies on novel targets of OsMADS1 in floral organ identity and meristem determinacy Loss of OsMADS1 function results in rice florets with miss specified floral organs and an indeterminate carpel produces new abnormal florets. Despite having several mutants in OsMADS1, mechanisms of how OsMADS1 regulates meristem maintenance and termination is not well understood. Global expression profile in OsMADS1-RNAi vs. WT tissues encompassing a wide range of developing florets (0.2 to 2cm panicles), gave an overview of OsMADS1 functions in many aspects of floret development. Here, a gene-targeted knockout of OsMADS1 named - osmads1ko (generated in a collaborative study) was characterized and found to display extreme defects in floral organs and an indeterminate FM. Strikingly, in addition to loss of determinacy, FM reverts to a prior developmental fate of inflorescence on whose new rachis are leaf-like malformed florets. We suggest these phenotypes reflect the null phenotype of OsMADS1 and its role in meristem fate maintenance. We tested gene expression levels for some proven targets of OsMADS1 (Khanday et al., 2013) and utilized panicles in two developmental phases- young early FMs (panicles of 0.2 to 0.5 cm) and older florets with organ differentiation (panicles of 0.5 to 1cm). We observed temporally different effects on the regulation of OsMADS34 that together with histology of young osmads1ko inflorescences suggest that the mutant is impeded for spikelet to floral meristem transition. In addition, OsMADS1 had a positive regulatory effect on genes implicated for lemma and palea organ identity such as OsIDS1, OsDH1, OsYABBY1, OsMADS15, OsMADS32, OsDP1 and OsSPL16 in both young and old panicles while OsIG1 was negatively regulated in both phases of development. MADS-box genes important for carpel and ovule development - OsMADS13 and OsMADS58 were had significantly reduced expression in florets undergoing organ differentiation. OsMADS1 positively regulated several other non MADS-box developmental genes - OsSPT, OsHEC2 and OsULT1, whose Arabidopsis homologs control carpel development and FM determinacy. These genes are de-regulated in later stages of osmads1ko floret development and are unaffected in younger panicles. Finally, OsMADS1 continually activated meristem maintenance genes - OsBAM2-like and OsMADS6 while the activation of OSH1 in early floral meristems was later altered to a repressive effect in developing florets. Perhaps such dynamic temporal effects on meristem genes are instrumental in the timely termination of the floral meristem after floral organ differentiation. More importantly, we show that regulation of many of these genes is directly affected by OsMADS1, through our studies on expression levels before and after chemical induction of OsMADS1-GR protein in amiRNAOsMADS1 florets. Further, some key downstream targets were re-affirmed by studying expression status in transgenic lines, with the OsMADS1-EAR repressive protein variant. These results provide new insights into the developmentally phased roles of OsMADS1 on floral meristem regulators and determinants of organ identity to form a determinate rice floret. Gene networks regulated by OsMADS1 during early flower development To identify global targets in early floret meristems, we determined the differential RNA transcriptome in osmads1ko tissues as compared to wild-type tissues. These data revealed regulators of inflorescence architecture, floral organ identity including MADS-box floral homeotic factors, factors for meristem maintenance, auxin response, transport and biosynthesis as some of the important functional classes amongst the 2725 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Integrating DEGs with OsMADS1 ChIP-seq data (prior studies from our lab) we deciphered direct vs. indirect and positive vs. negatively regulated targets of OsMADS1. These datasets reveal an enrichment for functional categories such as metabolic processes, signaling, RNA transcription and processing, hormone metabolism and protein modification. Using Bio-Tapestry plot as a tool we present a visualization of a floral stage-specific regulatory network for genes with likely functional roles in meristem specification and in organ development. Further, to examine if indirect targets regulated by OsMADS1 could be mediated through transcription factors (that are themselves direct targets), we constructed a small network with the transcription factors OSH1, OSH15 and OsYABBY1 as key nodal genes and we predicted their downstream effects. Taken together, these analyses provide examples of the complex networks that OsMADS1 controls during the process of rice floret development. In summary, we surmise that defect in phytohormone distribution in OsMADS1 knockdown florets results in irregular patterns of lateral organ primordia emergence. In addition, the derangements in the developmentally stage specific expression of floral meristems identity and organ identity genes culminates in miss-specified and irregularly patterned abnormal organs in Osmads1 florets. Thus, our study highlights the versatility of OsMADS1 in regulating components of hormone signaling and response, and its effects on various floral development regulators results in the formation of a single determinate floret on the spikelet. References: Khanday I, Yadav S.R, and Vijayraghavan U. (2013). Plant Physiol 161, 1970–1983. van Mourik S , Kaufmann K, van Dijk AD, Angenent G.C, Merks R.M.H, Molenaar J. (2012). PLOS One 1, e28762 Reinhardt D, Pesce E, Stieger P, Mandel T, Baltensperger K, Bennett M, Traas J, Friml J and Kuhlemeier C. (2003). Nature 426, 255-260 Su Y, Liu Y and Zhang X. (2011) Mol Plant 4, 616–625