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We briefly review scenarios with feebly interacting massive particles (FIMPs) as dark matter candidates. The discussion covers issues with dark matter production in the early universe as well as signatures of FIMPs at the high energy and high intensity frontier as well as in astroparticle and cosmology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct detection experiments obtain 90% upper limits on the elastic scattering cross sections of dark matter with nucleons assuming point-like interactions and standard astrophysical and cosmological parameters. In this paper we provide a recasting of the limits from XENON1T, PICO-60, CRESST-III and DarkSide-50 and include them in micrOMEGAs. The code can then be used to directly impose constraints from these experiments on generic dark matter models under different assumptions about the DM velocity distribution or on the nucleus form factors. Moreover, new limits on the elastic scattering cross sections can be obtained in the presence of a light t-channel mediator or of millicharged particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing forage to feed-restricted pregnant sows may improve their welfare by reducing their high feeding motivation. The aim of this study was to determine sows' preferences for four forage mixtures cultivated in Canada. Forage mixtures were compared when offered either fresh or dry. The four forage mixtures were composed of different proportions and species of legumes (alfalfa (Alf) or red clover (Clo)) and grasses (tall fescue (F) and/or timothy (T)): (1) Alf-F, (2) Alf-F-T, (3) Clo-T and (4) Clo-F-T. Voluntary intake was measured, and preference tests were carried out for two experiments: one in spring for fresh forages (n = 8) and the other in autumn for hays (n = 8) with different sows housed in individual pens and fed a concentrated diet meeting their nutritional requirements for maintenance and foetal growth. Voluntary intake was measured by offering each forage mixture separately (one forage mixture/day) during 90 min according to a 4 × 4 Latin square design replicated four times. During preference tests, all six combinations of two forage mixtures were offered once (one combination/day) for 45 min to each sow. Individual forage intake was measured, and feeding behaviour was observed. Forages were analysed for botanical and chemical composition. Difference in voluntary intake among the four forage mixtures was determined using a variance analysis followed by Tukey tests for post hoc comparisons. In preference tests, differences between the two forage mixtures offered were determined using a paired Student's t test, and the most ingested forage mixture was considered the preferred one. Results from both experiments revealed clear preferences for some forage mixtures when offered either fresh or dry. Forage mixtures with a greater proportion of legumes (AlfT and CloT) were preferred over forage mixtures with a higher proportion of grasses (AlfFT and CloFT). The AlfFT and CloFT forage mixtures contained at least 30% of fescue; therefore, the greater preference for the AlfT and CloT forage mixtures could also be due to the absence of fescue. Sows preferred forages with low DM and NDF concentrations and high CP and non-structural carbohydrates concentrations. Based on results from previous studies, the preferences seen in the present study are most likely due to the greater proportion of legumes, although an effect of tall fescue in preference cannot be excluded. Therefore, offering forages with a high proportion of legumes would be a good strategy to maximise both fresh and dry forage intake in pregnant sows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deepest XMM-Newton mosaic map of the central 1°.5 of the Galaxy is presented, including a total of about 1.5 Ms of EPIC-pn cleaned exposures in the central 15 arcsec and about 200 ks outside. This compendium presents broad-band X-ray continuum maps, soft X-ray intensity maps, a decomposition into spectral components and a comparison of the X-ray maps with emission at other wavelengths. Newly discovered extended features, such as supernova remnants (SNRs), superbubbles and X-ray filaments are reported. We provide an atlas of extended features within ±1° of Sgr A*. We discover the presence of a coherent X-rayemitting region peaking around G0.1-0.1 and surrounded by the ring of cold, mid-IR-emitting material known from previous work as the 'Radio Arc Bubble' and with the addition of the X-ray data now appears to be a candidate superbubble. Sgr A's bipolar lobes show sharp edges, suggesting that they could be the remnant, collimated by the circumnuclear disc, of an SN explosion that created the recently discovered magnetar, SGR J1745-2900. Soft X-ray features, most probably from SNRs, are observed to fill holes in the dust distribution, and to indicate a direct interaction between SN explosions and Galactic centre (GC) molecular clouds. We also discover warm plasma at high Galactic latitude, showing a sharp edge to its distribution that correlates with the location of known radio/mid-IR features such as the 'GC Lobe'. These features might be associated with an inhomogeneous hot 'atmosphere' over the GC, perhaps fed by continuous or episodic outflows of mass and energy from the GC region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deepest XMM–Newton mosaic map of the central 1.°5 of the Galaxy is presented, including a total of about 1.5 Ms of EPIC-pn cleaned exposures in the central 15 arcsec and about 200 ks outside. This compendium presents broad-band X-ray continuum maps, soft X-ray intensity maps, a decomposition into spectral components and a comparison of the X-ray maps with emission at other wavelengths. Newly discovered extended features, such as supernova remnants (SNRs), superbubbles and X-ray filaments are reported. We provide an atlas of extended features within ±1° of Sgr A*. We discover the presence of a coherent X-ray-emitting region peaking around G0.1−0.1 and surrounded by the ring of cold, mid-IR-emitting material known from previous work as the ‘Radio Arc Bubble’ and with the addition of the X-ray data now appears to be a candidate superbubble. Sgr A's bipolar lobes show sharp edges, suggesting that they could be the remnant, collimated by the circumnuclear disc, of an SN explosion that created the recently discovered magnetar, SGR J1745−2900. Soft X-ray features, most probably from SNRs, are observed to fill holes in the dust distribution, and to indicate a direct interaction between SN explosions and Galactic centre (GC) molecular clouds. We also discover warm plasma at high Galactic latitude, showing a sharp edge to its distribution that correlates with the location of known radio/mid-IR features such as the ‘GC Lobe’. These features might be associated with an inhomogeneous hot ‘atmosphere’ over the GC, perhaps fed by continuous or episodic outflows of mass and energy from the GC region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased biodiversity may improve ecosystem services, including herbage yield. A mixture experiment was carried out at five sites in Northern Europe and one in Canada to investigate whether mixtures of grasses and legumes would give higher herbage yield than monocultures. Resistance of the mixtures to weed invasion and nutritive value of the herbage were also investigated. The experimental layout followed a simplex design, where four species differing in specific functional traits, timothy ( Phleum pratense L.), smooth meadow grass ( Poa pratensis L.), red clover ( Trifolium pratense L.) and white clover ( Trifolium repens L.), were grown in monocultures and eleven different mixtures with systematically varying proportions of the four species. Positive diversity effects ( DE) were observed, leading to greater herbage dry-matter ( DM) yield in mixtures than expected from species sown in monocultures. For centroid mixtures, the DE generated on average an additional 32, 25 and 21% of the DM yield than would be expected from the monocultures in the first, second and third year respectively. On average, the mixtures were 9, 15 and 7% more productive than the most productive monoculture (transgressive overyielding) in the first, second and third year respectively. These benefits persisted over the three harvest years of the experiment and were consistent among most sites. This positive effect was not accompanied by a reduction in herbage digestibility and crude protein concentration that is usually observed with increased DM yield. Mixtures also reduced the invasion of weeds to <5% of herbage yield compared to monocultures (10-60% of herbage yield). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Plant Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Transient phenomena are interesting and potentially highly revealing of details about the processes under observation and study that could otherwise go unnoticed. It is therefore important to maximize the sensitivity of the method used to identify such events. In this article, we present a general procedure based on the use of the likelihood function for identifying transients which is particularly suited for real-time applications because it requires no grouping or pre-processing of the data. The method makes use of all the information that is available in the data throughout the statistical decision-making process, and is suitable for a wide range of applications. Here we consider those most common in astrophysics, which involve searching for transient sources, events or features in images, time series, energy spectra, and power spectra, and demonstrate the use of the method in the case of a weak X-ray flare in a time series and a short-lived quasi-periodic oscillation in a power spectrum. We derive a fit statistic that is ideal for fitting arbitrarily shaped models to a power density distribution, which is of general interest in all applications involving periodogram analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To demonstrate that produce rinsates used for RT-qPCR detection of foodborne viruses may cause significant PCR inhibition and propose a means to reduce its impact on sensitivity. Here, it is shown that rinsing and concentration from spinach and precut lettuce have the potential to generate RNA extracts that are inhibitory to RT-qPCRs assembled from commercial kits for the detection of norovirus GII (NoV GII), hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis E virus (HEV), rotavirus (RV) and feline calicivirus (FCV) as sample process control. It is further shown that the addition of bovine serum albumin (BSA) to those reactions restored a positive signal in all cases. The effect of BSA was dependent upon the primer/probe combination. Moreover, two of the detection systems (FCV and HAV) strongly benefited from the addition of BSA even in the absence of PCR inhibitors. BSA was shown to restore positive signals in five different RT-qPCR systems that were otherwise completely inhibited by produce rinsate extracts. It is therefore suggested to consider the addition of BSA to RT-qPCRs for the detection of foodborne viruses when inhibition is observed. This study clearly demonstrates the potency of PCR inhibitors generated during routine virus concentration from produce and that it can be alleviated by the addition of BSA to the RT-qPCRs. Although used elsewhere, the addition of BSA to PCRs is not a common practice in this growing field of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predictions for the direct detection rates in a variety of models with dark natter candidates are summarised. We emphasise the importance of making measurements with different spin dependent and spin independent detectors to discriminate various dark matter candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scenarios of global climate change forecast an increase in air temperature of 3°C over the next 100 years in eastern Canada. Growth and nutritive value of cool-season grasses are known to be affected by air temperature. It is also believed that grasses grown at high latitude have a greater nutritive value. The objectives of this study were to assess the effect of four combinations of day/night temperature and photoperiod (15 h–17/5°C; 15 h–22/10°C; 15 h–28/15°C; and 17 h-17/5°C) on dry-matter (DM) yield, in vitro true DM digestibility (IVTD), in vitro digestibility of neutral-detergent fibre (NDF), and concentrations of NDF, acid-detergent fibre (ADF), lignin, minerals and non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) in timothy grown under controlled conditions. Furthermore, herbage was harvested in the morning and in the afternoon to assess the impact of the time of harvest. The dietary cation–anion difference [DCAD = (K+ + Na+) − (Cl− + 0·6 S2−)] and the grass tetany index [GT index = K+/(Ca2+ + Mg2+)] were also calculated. Higher temperature regimes significantly decreased IVTD and digestibility of NDF but had a limited effect on concentrations of NDF, ADF and lignin. DM yield of herbage was less and the concentration of NSC was greater in timothy grown under a temperature regime of 28/15°C than the 17/5°C and 22/10°C regimes; this effect is mainly explained by a response to temperature stress. Values of DCAD and the GT index of herbage were also lower under the 28/15°C than the 17/5°C and 22/10°C regimes as a result of a decreased plant K concentration. Under the 17/5°C regime, an increase in 2 h of photoperiod resulted in increased DM yield, decreased concentrations of K, Ca, Mg, Cl and N, and an increased starch concentration; IVTD or digestibility of NDF were not affected, although lignin concentration was reduced. Harvesting timothy in the afternoon rather than in the morning resulted in higher NSC, mainly sucrose, concentrations, and decreased ADF and NDF concentrations. The forecasted increase in air temperature in eastern Canada over the next 100 years will result in lower yields and nutritive value of timothy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High dietary cation–anion difference (DCAD) of grass herbage increases the occurrence of hypocalcaemia of dairy cows. Application of chloride fertilizer reduces DCAD of herbage but it could increase cadmium concentration in herbage. This study includes an experiment conducted in Australia and in Canada. A glasshouse experiment in Australia evaluated the effect of four rates of chloride application (0–240 kg ha−1) on values of herbage DCAD and cadmium concentration of above-ground plant material of timothy ( Phleum pratense L.) and phalaris ( Phalaris aquatica L.), harvested 6 weeks after sowing and grown on two soils that had received cadmium either as a contaminant in superphosphate (soil + Super) or in sewage biosolids (soil + Bio) along with respective control soils (soil 0 Super and soil 0 Bio). Application of chloride fertilizer decreased values of herbage DCAD by 349 mmolc kg−1 dry matter (DM). Herbage DCAD values were highest on the 0 Bio soil (739 mmolc kg−1 DM) and were not different among the three other soils. Species did not differ in herbage DCAD values. Cadmium concentration in the above-ground plant material was highest on the +Bio soil treatment (1·67 mg kg−1 DM) and was lower for the three other soil treatments. Above-ground plant material of phalaris had a higher cadmium concentration than that of timothy. Application of chloride fertilizer did not affect cadmium concentration in above-ground plant material, despite the high cadmium content of the soil on the +Bio treatment. The field experiment in Canada evaluated the effect of four rates of chloride application (0–144 kg ha−1) on cadmium concentration of a timothy-based grass sward grown on four sites with soils of different potassium content. Application of chloride fertilizer increased cadmium concentration of herbage at two of the four sites but the maximum increase in cadmium concentration was only 0·025 mg kg−1 DM. Chloride fertilizer can be applied to decrease forage DCAD with minimal risk of increasing Cd in the food chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of forages to prevent post-calving hypocalcaemia, when used as a feed source for non-lactating dairy cows, can be predicted by the dietary cation–anion difference (DCAD). Three to four weeks before calving, the ration of non-lactating dairy cows should have a DCAD around −50 mmolc kg−1 DM. In an experiment, swards, based on Timothy ( Phleum pratense L.), were used to (i) evaluate the impact of two types (CaCl2 and NH4Cl) and four application rates of chloride fertilizer per season (0, 80, 160 and 240 kg Cl ha−1) in combination with two N application rates (70 and 140 kg N ha−1) on mineral concentrations and DCAD in the herbage, and (ii) determine the economically optimal rate of chloride fertilizer (Clop) for DCAD in herbage. Chloride and N fertilizers were applied in the spring and, after the first harvest in 2003 and 2004 at four locations that differed in K content of their soils. Two harvests were taken during each year. Averaged across N-fertilizer application rates, harvests and locations, the highest rate of chloride fertilizer increased chloride concentration in herbage by 8·5 g kg−1 dry matter (DM) and decreased DCAD in herbage by 190 mmolc kg−1 DM to values as low as −9 mmolc kg−1 DM. Both types of chloride fertilizer had the same effect on chloride concentration and DCAD in herbage and had no effect on DM yield. When no chloride fertilizer was applied on soils with a high content of available K, application of N fertilizer increased DCAD in herbage by 47 mmolc kg−1 DM at both harvests. Herbage DCAD was lower in summer than in spring by 47–121 mmolc kg−1 DM depending on the location. Application of chloride fertilizer can effectively lower the DCAD of Timothy-based herbages; the economically optimal rate of chloride fertilizer in the spring varied from 78 to 123 kg Cl ha−1, depending on soil K and chloride contents and expected DM yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-precision analyses of supersymmetry parameters aim at reconstructing the fundamental supersymmetric theory and its breaking mechanism. A well defined theoretical framework is needed when higher-order corrections are included. We propose such a scheme, Supersymmetry Parameter Analysis SPA, based on a consistent set of conventions and input parameters. A repository for computer programs is provided which connect parameters in different schemes and relate the Lagrangian parameters to physical observables at LHC and high energy e + e - linear collider experiments, i.e., masses, mixings, decay widths and production cross sections for supersymmetric particles. In addition, programs for calculating high-precision low energy observables, the density of cold dark matter (CDM) in the universe as well as the cross sections for CDM search experiments are included. The SPA scheme still requires extended efforts on both the theoretical and experimental side before data can be evaluated in the future at the level of the desired precision. We take here an initial step of testing the SPA scheme by applying the techniques involved to a specific supersymmetry reference point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop composition at harvest affects the ensiling process and the resulting silage quality. The objectives of this study were to determine: (i) the effect of annual N-fertilizer application (0, 60, 120 and 180 kg N ha−1) and developmental stage (stem elongation, early heading, late heading and early flowering) on the ensiling properties and silage quality of the spring regrowth of timothy ( Phleum pratense L.) at two sites for 1 or 2 years, and (ii) the relationship between ensiling properties of the forage and the quality of the resulting silage. Laboratory silos with wilted forage at approximately 350 g dry matter (DM) kg−1 of fresh matter were prepared at each harvest and opened 150 d later for silage analysis. Higher rates of N-fertilizer application decreased the concentration of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), increased the buffering capacity (BC) and nitrate concentration, and decreased the ratio of WSC:BC, primarily in the early stages of development. The ensiling properties of timothy were, therefore, less favourable when high rates of N fertilizer were applied. Silage pH generally increased with increasing rates of N-fertilizer application; this increase was particularly evident at the first three developmental stages at one site in 1 year. Non-protein N (NPN) and soluble N concentrations of the silages increased with increased rates of N-fertilizer application at the first three developmental stages but decreased at early flowering. Ammonia-N concentration in the silages increased by 0·85, 0·56 and 0·67 when rates of N-fertilizer application were 60, 120 and 180 kg ha−1, respectively, compared with that when no N fertilizer was applied. Significant correlations between the composition of the forage ensiled and silage quality variables were found at sites in individual years but, when all data were combined, WSC concentration and BC, and their ratio in the forages, were not correlated with pH, and soluble-N and ammonia-N concentrations of the silages, and were weakly correlated with NPN and free amino acid-N concentrations of the silages. Silage quality was reduced by increased N-fertilizer application, primarily at the early developmental stages, and this can be attributed to a reduction in WSC concentration and an increase in BC of the forage. Water-soluble carbohydrate concentration, BC, and their ratio, however, were poor predictors of silage quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Milky Way is known to be an abundant source of ?-ray photons, now determined to be mainly diffuse in nature and resulting from interstellar processes. In the soft ?-ray domain, point sources are expected to dominate, but the lack of sensitive high-resolution observations did not allow for a clear estimate of the contribution from such sources. Even the best imaging experiment revealed only a few point sources, accounting for about 50% of the total Galactic flux. Theoretical studies were unable to explain the remaining intense diffuse emission. Investigating the origin of the soft ?-rays is therefore necessary to determine the dominant particle acceleration processes and to gain insights into the physical and chemical equilibrium of the interstellar medium. Here we report observations in the soft ?-ray domain that reveal numerous compact sources. We show that these sources account for the entirety of the Milky Way's emission in soft ?-rays, leaving at most a minor role for diffuse processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selection for reduced fiber concentration in forage crops is considered to be an effective approach to improve digestibility but often results in reduced dry matter (DM) yield. The objective of this study was to characterize timothy (Phleum pratense L.) genotypes divergently selected for fiber component concentrations and their ratios, and to identify selection criteria that could have a meaningful effect on timothy digestibility without adversely affecting DM yield. Divergent phenotypic selection was applied for neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), hemicellulose (HEM), and cellulose (CEL) as determined by the detergent fiber system of forage analysis and for ratios of ADL/HEM, ADL/ CEL, ADL/(HEM+CEL), and HEM/CEL among 78 high yielding plants selected from among 2000 spaced plants from four populations. For each criterion, the two plants with the highest and the two plants with the lowest values within each population were selected. These plants were vegetatively propagated and composition of spring growth was evaluated in a 2-yr field experiment. The divergent NDF, ADF, ADL, CEL, ADL/HEM, ADL/CEL, and ADL/(HEM + CEL) groups of genotypes were significantly different for their respective trait. The ADL, ADL/HEM, ADL/CEL, and ADL/(HEM+CEL) groups were the most stable across years for in vitro true digestibility (IVTD), with the low groups having values of IVTD between 10 and 34 g kg[sup -1] DM above those of the corresponding high groups. Thc DM yield of the low-ADL/(HEM+CEL) and-ADL/CEL groups were also greater than that of their corresponding high groups by more than 13%. Therefore, ADL/(HEM+CEL) and ADL/CEL seem to be promising selection criteria to increase digestibility while maintaining or increaslng DM yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Botany is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of American Journal of Potato Research is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Improving P uptake in timothy (Phleum pratense L.) would reduce excess soil phosphate while produdng forage with greater P nutritional value. A strong relationship exists between N and P concentration in plants, and we hypothesized that genotypes characterized for contrasfing N concentration or uptake may also exhibit contrasting P concentration and uptake. Two timothy populations derived from divergent selection for high and low forage N concentration were studied in Experiment 1. These two populations were also studied in Experiment 2, along with seven half-sib families identified in a field study as having contrasting dry matter (DM) yield and N concentration. In both experiments, a reference population, 'Champ', was included and plants were grown in a growth room with varying N rates. Independent of applied N, the genotypes differed for P concentration, P uptake, and P to N ratio (P/N), in forage and total biomass, as well as for leaf P concentration, leaf weight ratio (LWR), root weight ratio (RWR) and effidency of P uptake for each unit of root biomass (PUPE[sub root]). Averaged across N rates in Experiment 2, forage P concentration among genotypes ranged from 4.1 to 5.1 g P kg[sup -1] DM, while forage P uptake ranged from 10.0 to 14.6 mg P per plant. Variations in P uptake and concentration were related to genotypic differences in DM yield, leaf P concentration, LWR, and RWR. Phosphorus concentration and uptake decreased under N stress. We conclude that variation exists among timothy genotypes for P concentration and uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen fertilization, irrigation, and cultivars affect tuber characteristics such as tuber size, specific gravity, and N concentration. Few studies, however, have investigated the interaction of irrigation and N fertilization on the tuber characteristics of potato cultivars, particularly in Atlantic Canada. The objective of this on-farm study, conducted at four sites in each of three years, 1995 to 1997, was to determine the effects of supplemental irrigation and six rates of N fertilization (0-250 kg N ha-1) on the number of tubers per plant, the average fresh tuber weight, tuber N concentration, nitrate (NO3-N) concentration, and specific gravity of the cultivars Shepody and Russet Burbank. Nitrogen fertilization increased the average fresh tuber weight, tuber N and N03-N concentrations, and decreased specific gravity. Effects of increasing N fertilization on tuber characteristics were often more pronounced for Shepody than for Russet Burbank, and for irrigated than for non-irrigated conditions. Shepody had greater average fresh tuber weight and tuber N concentration, lower specific gravity, and fewer tubers per plant than Russet Burbank. Supplemental irrigation increased the average fresh tuber weight and the number of tubers per plant, but it had a limited effect on specific gravity and tuber N and NO3-N concentrations. Tuber NO3-N con centration and specific gravity were strongly related to tuber N concentration, which in turn depended primarily on N fertilization. Incidents of lowest specific gravity and highest NO3-N concentration occurred with a relative yield close to or equal to 1.0. We conclude that the risks of low specific gravity and high tuber NO3-N concentration are greater when fertilization exceeds the N requirements to reach maximum tuber yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of American Journal of Potato Research is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Nitrogen and water deficiencies are known to affect potato yield, but much less is known of their effect on tuber growth and biomass partitioning. The objective of this on-farm study conducted at two sites in each of three years, 1995 to 1997, was to determine the effects of supplemental irrigation and N fertilization rates on tuber growth and biomass partitioning of the cultivars Shepody and Russet Burbank. The N fertilization rates were 0,100, and 250 kg N ha-1in 1995, and 0, 50,100, and 250 kg N ha−1 in 1996 and 1997. The highest bulking rate observed in our study (7.3 g fresh tubers m-2 °C-1) can be considered near the potential bulking rate in New Brunswick. The water deficit in the absence of supplemental irrigation reduced this potential bulking rate by as much as 40%, but this reduction was much less at five of six sites and negligible at two of six sites. Nitrogen deficiency reduced the bulking rate at two of six sites. This negative effect of N deficiency on bulking rate was greater with irrigation than without irrigation at two of six sites; the tuber bulking rate with irrigation was reduced by as much as 50% with no N applied at one site. Shepody had a greater bulking rate than Russet Burbank. The tuber bulking of Russet Burbank, however, started earlier and lasted longer than that of Shepody. Water and N deficiencies increased biomass partitioning to tubers and large roots. Shepody partitioned a greater proportion of its biomass to large roots and had a greater root biomass than Russet Burbank. Our results demonstrate the ability of potatoes to modify biomass partitioning when grown under water and/or N stresses. As a result of this compensation, the reduction in tuber yield due to limited N and water stresses is minimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We list the set of $\mathcal{C}$ and $\mathcal{P}$ conserving anomalous quartic vector bosons self-couplings which can be tested at LEP2 through triple vector boson production. We show how this set can be embedded in manifestly $SU(2) \times U(1)$ gauge invariant operators exhibiting an $SU(2)_c$ global symmetry. We derive bounds on these various couplings and show the most relevant distributions that can enhance their contribution. We also find that an $e^+ e^-$ collider running at 500 GeV can improve the LEP2 limits by as much as three-orders of magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies dynamics of biomass and nitrogen (N) accumulation of alfalfa under three N fertilization rates. Effect of N fertilization on the dynamics of biomass; Determination of N requirements per unit of shoot biomass; Maximum shoot growth reached with N fertilization.

We calculate $e^+e^-\to \tilde t_1 \tilde t_1 Z$ at a linear collider. For large splitting between the two stops, the cross section is sensitive to the value of $m_{m_{\tilde t_2}}$ when this particle is too heavy to be directly produced. The results are compared to $e^+e^-\to\tilde t_1\tilde t_1 h$ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of American Journal of Potato Research is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Forages can contribute to the nutrient supply for sows but the extent to which they can replace concentrate feeding is not well known. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of level of feed restriction and type of forage on the performance and activity of gestating sows under outdoor conditions. A total of 45 sows were distributed among three treatments, with five replicates of three sows/treatment, from week 5 of gestation until farrowing. Treatments differed in the daily level of concentrate feed provided and the type of forage offered during gestation: 90% of metabolisable energy (ME) requirements provided by concentrates and free access to a pasture (P90); 40% of ME requirements provided by concentrates and free access to a pasture (P40); and 40% of ME requirements provided by concentrates and free access to a bare paddock with hay ad libitum (H40). From farrowing to weaning (5 weeks), concentrate feed was offered to all sows ad libitum. Body weight and backfat thickness (BF) were measured seven times during gestation and lactation. Postures of sows and time spent in the pasture were assessed at the beginning, middle and end of gestation. Forage intake was estimated with a method based on sow performance using the InraPorc® model. At farrowing, P90 sows were heavier and had greater BF than P40 and H40 sows. At weaning, P90 sows maintained a higher BW and tended to have greater BF than H40 sows, but no longer differed from P40 sows. Treatments did not influence litter size, but piglets from P40 sows were lighter at birth than those from P90 sows (1.44 vs. 1.69 kg, P = 0.004). In late gestation, P90 sows spent less time standing over 24 h and less time in the pasture during daytime than P40 sows, suggesting less foraging behaviour. Sows fed concentrates to meet 40% of ME requirements during gestation did not consume enough forage to maintain the same body condition as sows fed at 90% of ME requirements. Despite their inability to fully compensate for concentrate restriction during gestation by consuming more forage, P40 sows reached a similar body condition to P90 sows at weaning. In conclusion, forage intake for outdoor gestating sows can compensate a concentrate feed reduction of 10% and possibly more, but not as much as 60%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We calculate stop-stop-Higgs production at a linear collider. Combining the measurements from the pair production of the lightest stop and that of the mass of the Higgs, we show how, in a scenario where only the lightest stop and the lightest Higgs are accessible, one could extract the mass of the heavier stop and infer some useful information on the supersymmetric parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Nitrogen fertilization affect growth and yield of timothy (Phleum Pratense L.), but there are conflicting report on its effect on nutritive value. Two experiments were conducted to describe changes in nutritive value of field-grown timothy fertilized with four rates of N fertilizer during spring and summer growth cycles, and to analyse relationships between parameters of nutritive value and the leaf to weight ratio (LWR). Early in the regrowth cycles when the harvestabe shoot biomass was approximately 200 g dry matter (DM) m-2 and under non-limiting N and water conditions, the in vitro true digestibility (IVTD) of DM was greater in spring than in summer because the concentration of neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) was lower and its in vitro cell wall digestibility (IVCWD) was greater. However, the rates of decline in IVTD and IVCWD and the rate of increase in NDF were greater in spring than in summer. Nitrogen deficiency decresed IVTD and IVCWD, and increased NDF concentration early in the regrowth cycles. Nitrogen deficiency, however, reduced the rate of change in the three parameters of nutritive value. By the end of growth cycles, IVTD was 59 and 42 g kg-1 DM greater when no N was applied than with non-limiting N conditions in spring and summer respectively. When no N was applied, the IVCWD was 76 and 52 g kg-1 NDF greater, whereas the NDF concentration was 35 and 42 g kg-1 DM less than under non-limiting N conditions in spring and summer respectively. The N deficiency increased the proportion of leaves in the biomass, which can explain for the most part the positve effect of the N deficiency on the nutritive value of timothy. This positive effect of the N deficiency on nutritive value though the proportion of leaves in the biomass, however, was reduced by the negative effect of N deficiency on the nutritive value of leaves or stems or both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]