Unraveling popping quality through insights on kernel physical, agro-morphological, and quality traits of diverse popcorn (Zea mays var. everta) inbreds from indigenous and exotic germplasm.

Popcorn is a specialty corn with worldwide popularity as a snack. Despite having great market demand, genetic improvement in popping quality is limited, which is caused by the limited germplasm utilization and narrow genetic base. An assortment of diverse germplasm, their effective characterization, and integration into popcorn breeding pipeline is the foundation for an efficient breeding program.

The GATA-type IVb zinc-finger transcription factor SsNsd1 regulates asexual-sexual development and appressoria formation in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

The sclerotium, a multicellular structure composed of the compact aggregation of vegetative hyphae, is critical for the long-term survival and sexual reproduction of the plant-pathogenic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The development and carpogenic germination of sclerotia are regulated by integrating signals from both environmental and endogenous processes. Here, we report the regulatory functions of the S.

Natural variation for responsiveness to flg22, flgII-28, and csp22 and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato in heirloom tomatoes.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is susceptible to many diseases including bacterial speck caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato.

Inhibition of rapamycin-induced AKT activation elicits differential antitumor response in head and neck cancers.

The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is an important signaling axis that is perturbed in majority of cancers. Biomarkers such as pS6RP, GLUT1, and tumor FDG uptake are being evaluated in patient stratification for mTOR pathway inhibitors. In the absence of a clear understanding of the underlying mechanisms in tumor signaling, the biomarker strategy for patient stratification is of limited use.

A CRY-DASH-type photolyase/cryptochrome from Sclerotinia sclerotiorum mediates minor UV-A-specific effects on development.

Apothecial development is the multicellular, sexual reproduction phase in the developmental life cycle of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. This development begins within the sclerotium, a compact aggregation of vegetative hyphae contained within a melanized rind layer. Upon germination from the sclerotium, the apothecial stipe requires exposure to UV-A wavelengths of light to develop a fertile disc.

Clinical technology assessment, cost-effective adoption, and quality management by hospitals in the 1990s.

Technology assessment in the 1990s must become an integral part of a hospital's strategic priority goals, with active participation of physicians and top management. Technology assessment should involve a wide range of criteria and health care consumer expectations, so that the appropriateness, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and quality improvement aspects of new technologies are all considered. Mount Carmel Health's Advanced Treatment and Bionics Institute (ATBI), established in 1986, monitors significant developments in new technologies and performs technology and outcomes assessments.

Health care technology assessment and adoption: a case study.

Today's progressive hospital and health care system managers look to new ways to retain or augment their market share and to position themselves in their service areas. Since diffusion of new technologies into health care is market driven, informed decisions on the adoption of certain emerging patient care technologies can place a health care organization in a favorable financial position. There is a compelling need for hospital management and the governing board to collaborate with their medical staff on the development of an acceptable process to quickly identify and implement appropriate new technologies into the patient care environment.

A proposed computer-assisted preventive maintenance system.

This paper describes a proposed Computerized Documentation System for effectively controlling all biomedical equipment preventive maintenance (PM) and repair functions to be effected by hospitals. There is a critical need for such a system to strengthen the management tools of hospital-based Biomedical/Clinical Engineering programs. The system's design objectives, implementation, and evaluation method are explained and the benefits attributable to such a computerized control system are summarized.