Allelic response of yield component traits to resource availability in spring wheat.

KEY MESSAGE: Investigation of resource availability on allele effects for four yield component quantitative trait loci provides guidance for the improvement of grain yield in high and low yielding environments. A greater understanding of grain yield (GY) and yield component traits in spring wheat may increase selection efficiency for improved GY in high and low yielding environments. The objective of this study was to determine allelic response of four yield component quantitative trait loci (QTL) to variable resource levels which were manipulated by varying intraspecific plant competition and seeding density. The four QTL investigated in this study had been previously identified as impacting specific yield components. They included QTn.mst-6B for productive tiller number (PTN), WAPO-A1 for spikelet number per spike (SNS), and QGw.mst-3B and TaGW2-A1 for kernel weight (KWT). Near-isogenic lines for each of the four QTL were grown in multiple locations with three competition (border, no-border and space-planted) and two seeding densities (normal 216 seeds m-2 and low 76 seeds m-2). Allele response at QTn.mst-6B was driven by changes in resource availability, whereas allele response at WAPO-A1 and TaGW2-A1 was relatively unaffected by resource availability. The QTn.mst-6B.1 allele at QTn.mst-6B conferred PTN plasticity resulting in significant GY increases in high resource environments. The gw2-A1 allele at TaGW2-A1 significantly increased KWT, SNS and GPC offering a source of GY improvement without negatively impacting end-use quality. QGw.mst-3B allelic variation did not significantly impact KWT but did significantly impact SPS. Treatment effects in both experiments often resulted in significant positive impacts on GY and yield component traits when resource availability was increased. Results provide guidance for leveraging yield component QTL to improve GY performance in high- and low-yield environments.

Escape Room Relay Race: "Go for the Gold" in Formative Assessment.

BACKGROUND: Immersive learning activities, such as escape room educational gaming in nursing simulation laboratories, have proven to be effective teaching strategies that promote communication and teamwork. These activities also provide educators with opportunities to assess clinical skills competencies, as well as providing them with a means for evaluating the transfer of didactic knowledge to clinical practice. METHOD: An obstetrical skills relay race with an escape room element was created as a formative evaluation method to determine if nursing students were able to demonstrate competency related to the identified learning needs. RESULTS: The competitive aspects of this learning activity were perceived as exciting and motivating by the educators and students. CONCLUSION: An escape room-themed relay race incorporated into an obstetric skills laboratory is considered an innovative and formative evaluation method, as well as an engaging and motivating learning activity for nursing students. [J Nurs. Educ. 2020;59(11):646-650.].

High Frequency of Multiple Paternity in Eastern Red Bats, Lasiurus borealis, Based on Microsatellite Analysis.

Most species of bats give birth to only 1 pup each year, although Eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis) can produce up to 5 pups per litter. Offspring in a single litter have been documented to be at different stages of development, suggesting that multiple paternity occurs. We tested the null hypothesis of genetic monogamy in red bats using 6 autosomal microsatellites and 1 X-linked microsatellite from 31 parent/offspring groups for a total of 128 bats. We sampled both pregnant females and mothers with pups that were obtained from bats submitted to departments of health in Oklahoma and Texas for rabies testing. Multiple paternity was assessed using a maximum-likelihood approach, hypothesis testing, and X-linked locus exclusion. The mean polymorphic information content of our markers was high (0.8819) and combined non-exclusion probability was low (0.00027). Results from the maximum-likelihood approach showed that 22 out of 31 (71%) parent/offspring groups consisted of half siblings, hypothesis testing rejected full sibship in 61% of parent/offspring groups, and X-linked locus exclusion suggested multiple paternity in at least 12 parent/offspring groups, rejecting our hypothesis of genetic monogamy. This frequency of multiple paternity is the highest reported thus far for any bat species. High levels of multiple paternity have the potential to impact interpretations of genetic estimates of effective population size in this species. Further, multiple paternity might be an adaptive strategy to allow for increased genetic variation and large litter size, which would be beneficial to a species threatened by population declines from wind turbines.

Guided Imagery and Stress in Pregnant Adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the effects of a guided imagery intervention on perceived stress in pregnant adolescents. METHOD: Thirty-five pregnant adolescents recruited from a local alternative education program participated in a guided imagery intervention. Participants listened to a pregnancy-specific guided imagery recording on four separate occasions during their pregnancies. Perceived stress was measured immediately before and after each session using the Perceived Stress Measure-9 (PSM-9). RESULTS: Participants' pre- and postsession PSM-9 scores for three of the four sessions demonstrated a significant reduction in stress. Participants' baseline stress levels also decreased significantly across the four listening sessions. The greatest reductions in stress within and between sessions occurred in the early sessions, with effects diminishing over time. CONCLUSION: Pregnant teens experienced initial short- and long-term stress reduction during a guided imagery intervention, supporting the use of guided imagery to reduce stress in pregnant adolescents.