Field experiments were established at Columbus and near South Charleston, OH to determine the effects of giant ragweed population density on soybean yield and to characterize the development of giant ragweed grown in 76-cm soybean rows. An economic threshold was calculated for Ohio using a common treatment for giant ragweed control in soybean. A cost of $41/ha was estimated for a farmer to apply 0.56 kg/ha bentazon plus 0.28 kg/ha fomesafen plus COC (1.25% v/v). Assuming a soybean value of $0.22/kg, the cost of control was equivalent to 5.4 and 7.1% of the soybean yield in 1991 and 1992, respectively, which corresponded to the yield loss caused by 0.08 and 0.03 giant ragweed plants/m2. The competitiveness of giant ragweed can be at least partly attributed to its ability to initiate and maintain axillary leaves and branches within the shaded confines of the soybean canopy.

It is important to know the detailed DNA structure on carbonaceous surfaces for further application of DNA-functionalized carbonaceous materials in diverse research areas. In this study, the topographic and structural characteristics of the separated single DNA molecules and their assembly on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surfaces have been investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM results indicate that both circular and linear DNA molecules tend to form hexagonal patterns along with some unusual structures that include node, protrusion, cruciform, parallel single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), and compact zigzag. Furthermore, parallel ssDNA patterns and their crossed structures have been obtained under high-temperature conditions. Our AFM results reveal that a bare HOPG surface can induce DNA molecules to form various unusual structures. This finding is helpful for understanding the adsorption behavior of DNA on other carbonaceous surfaces such as carbon nanotubes and graphene. In addition, the hexagonal DNA patterns in this study are similar to those formed on the alkylamine-modified HOPG surface, which implies that a bare HOPG, without any chemical modification, has a strong ability to align biomolecules. This study could expand our knowledge of the diversities of DNA structures and the aligning ability of carbonaceous surfaces.

The theory of reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces is applied to a minimization problem with prescribed nodes. We re-prove and generalize some results previously obtained by Gunawan et al. [2,3], and also discuss the Hölder continuity of the solution to the problem.

We have studied the glial investment of ganglion cells of the cat's retina, orienting the sections taken for electron microscopy so that the investment could be traced from the soma along the axon. The soma of each ganglion cell is covered by a close-fitting, continuous sheath formed by Müller cells. The axon hillock and the first part of the initial segment are invested by an extension of the somal sheath, and are thus enclosed in the same glial compartment as the soma. The initial segment extends a few microns past the Müller cell sheath; this last length of the initial segment is contacted by numerous processes of astrocytes, which converge on it in a pattern found also on nodes of the same axons, in the optic nerve. Beyond the initial segment, the intraretinal lengths of the axons are invested by both Müller cells and astrocytes, but the investment is strikingly incomplete. Large areas of axonal membrane have no glial cover, and lie close to other axonal membranes. The sequential arrangement of these distinct forms of glial wrapping of the soma, initial segment, and axon is described here for the first time. It is suggested that this pattern of glial investment controls the flow of current between dendrite and initial segment of the ganglion cell, defines the site of initiation of action spikes, and controls the formation of synapses on the soma and initial segment.

Introduction.Ximenia americana is a species developed in Africa and South America. This fruit tree is threatened by a dangerous process of genetic erosion. In vitro techniques could be used for its rapid clonal propagation. Since there is still no report on vitroculture of the species, we tested its micropropagation using axillary buds from mature plants of X. americana. Materials and methods. Single node explants of X. americana shoots were cultured on a proliferation medium made up with a MS medium containing different concentrations (2.5-15 μM) of two cytokinins [benzyladenine (BA) or kinetin] used individually or in combination with 0.5 μM of an auxin [2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) or naphtaleneacetic acid (NAA)]. Data were recorded after 5 weeks of culture. From proliferated shoot clumps, shoot explants (approximately 3 cm in length) were excised and transferred to rooting media made up with MS medium with or without 0.5 M of indolebutyric acid (IBA) (pH = 5.8). Results. The most rapid and earliest proliferation was observed in media with the lowest concentrations of cytokinins. Absence of growth regulators in media and media with 2,4-D or NAA considerably delayed bud proliferation. The number of shoots per explant increased with the increase of cytokinins. The maximum number of shoots was achieved in 10 μM BA. When shoots were transferred to rooting media, media supplemented with 0.5 μM IBA improved the rooting frequency, root quality and number of roots per cutting. After rooting, the vitroplants were transplanted into small polybags with 1:1 non-sterile soil and sand, then in the field after 4 weeks. Eighty percent of the plants taken from regulator-supplemented media were acclimated versus 15% of those taken from auxin-free media. Conclusion. The rapid clonal propagation of X. americana is possible through in vitro culture of nodal explants. The best cytokinin for shoot multiplication was BA.