A Major Quantitative Trait Loci Cluster Controlling Three Components of Yield and Plant Height Identified on Chromosome 4B of Common Wheat

Wheat yield is not only affected by three components of yield, but also affected by plant height (PH). Identification and utilization of the quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling these four traits is vitally important for breeding high-yielding wheat varieties. In this work, we conducted a QTL analysis using the recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between two winter wheat varieties of China, “Nongda981” (ND981) and “Nongda3097” (ND3097), exhibiting significant differences in spike number per unit area (SN), grain number per spike (GNS), thousand grain weight (TGW), and PH. A total of 11 environmentally stable QTL for these four traits were detected. Among them, four major and stable QTLs (QSn.cau-4B-1.1, QGns.cau-4B-1, QTgw.cau-4B-1.1, and QPh.cau-4B-1.2) explaining the highest phenotypic variance for SN, GNS, TGW, and PH, respectively, were mapped on the same genomic region of chromosome 4B and were considered a QTL cluster. The QTL cluster spanned a genetic distance of about 12.3 cM, corresponding to a physical distance of about 8.7 Mb. Then, the residual heterozygous line (RHL) was used for fine mapping of the QTL cluster. Finally, QSn.cau-4B-1.1, QGns.cau-4B-1, and QPh.cau-4B-1.2 were colocated to the physical interval of about 1.4 Mb containing 31 annotated high confidence genes. QTgw.cau-4B-1.1 was divided into two linked QTL with opposite effects. The elite NILs of the QTL cluster increased SN and PH by 55.71–74.82% and 14.73–23.54%, respectively, and increased GNS and TGW by 29.72–37.26% and 5.81–11.24% in two environments. Collectively, the QTL cluster for SN, GNS, TGW, and PH provides a theoretical basis for improving wheat yield, and the fine-mapping result will be beneficial for marker-assisted selection and candidate genes cloning.

A Users Guide to Performance Engineered Mixtures

Performance Engineered Mixtures is an initiative, spearheaded by the Federal Highway Administration and the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center, in cooperation with state Departments of Transportation and the concrete paving industry, to develop a comprehensive approach to modernizing the way concrete is specified, tested, and accepted. It focusses on three components: testing of six critical concrete properties, a robust approach to quality control, and the replacement of prescriptive specifications. Many new tests have been recently developed that provide the ability to test concrete properties more easily and quicker than in the past. This paper provides background of how this initiative began. It elaborates on each of the six properties of concrete that are the focus of PEM. The new tests that are integral to the PEM process are described. The effects PEM will have on the acceptance process and the quality control responsibilities are outlined. Finally, tables are included which list the properties and the tests that are associated with each property, as well as how each is applied to each step of the paving process.

Development of a Psychological Game Questionnaire

A research study is described, conducted in Taiwan with 615 subjects across different ages, educational levels and occupations, to develop a questionnaire that will measure three components of psychological games: hidden messages or ulterior transactions, role switches on the drama triangle, and repressed emotions. A literature review is included and the development of the questionnaire through a pre-test option with 226 subjects is described. The results of statistical analyses are described and the final questionnaire, in English and in Chinese, is included as appendices.

The Influence of Feedback in Different Way of Learning and the Relationship with Students’ Vocabulary Acquisition: Issues in Assessment

This paper has three components. They are feedback, the way of learning, and vocabulary acquisition. This research was based on the learning situation that teachers and students have to conduct online learning because of the pandemic Covid 19. This paper elaborates the three components mentioned before. In the process of assessment, feedback is the important part. When students learning at school, teachers will give feedback directly. The way of giving feedback in language learning will influence students’ vocabulary acquisition. But, in different way of learning, teachers cannot give feedback directly as in the classroom. This situation gives different influence in students’ vocabulary acquisition. Then teachers do the alternative assessment in the process of online learning. Keywords: Feedback, Vocabulary Acquisition, Assessment

Up-Skilling and Re-Skilling Teachers on Vocational High School with Industry Needs

The development era demands the skills of teachers to meet needs and adjust. This means that the teacher's ability to upgrade is needed. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the up-skilling that must be done by vocational school teachers with world-standard work era 4.0; and (2) knowing the concrete steps that must be taken by vocational schools teachers in re-skilling the world-standard work era 4.0. The method used in this research is qualitative with a case study approach. The technique of determining participants using purposive sampling. Participants in this study were vocational school teachers, vocational schools service branches, and widyaiswara. Data collection techniques using structured interviews by preparing interview guidelines. Data analysis using Creswell case study data analysis model, namely (1) data management; (2) memoing; (3) exposure; (4) classification; and (5) interpretation. Data analysis in the study was carried out with the assistance of Software Altas. ti version 8. The results of this study are (1) up-skilling of industrial standard vocational school teachers in the era of 4.0 needs to be done with three components, namely (a) develop new skills; (b) time-to-hire; (c) competency assessment. Meanwhile, (2) re-skilling of vocational schools teachers with industrial standard era 4.0 consists of three components, namely (a) intelligent digital tools; (b) create new tasks and occupations; and (c) coaching programs. This implication can be used for widyaiswara in providing training to vocational school teachers.

Coetzee's Writing Style in his Waiting for the Barbarians

The purpose of this article is to scrutinize Coetzee's Waiting for the Barbarians to discover whether, while writing the novel, the author uses the Rhetoric Triangle. That is, he uses ethos, pathos and logos. Ethos deals with credibility, the trust the audience has in a speaker or writer. Pathos has to do with any text or scene that arouses emotions on the side of its audience or readers, and logos has to do with reasoning when it comes to depicting or writing work. After the investigation, which has been carried out through the New Criticism approach, it has been found out that Coetzee uses the Rhetoric Triangle in the novel. However, all the three components of the rhetoric triangle are not ubiquitous in the novel. Unlike logos and pathos, which are used several times throughout the novel, ethos is scarcely used.

The Problematic Experience of Players' Mutations Between Clubs: Discovering the Social Adaptability Skills Required

Objective: During their career, most players working in professional team sports move from club to club. These transitions are not always completely successful and could highly impact the route of the players' development. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the psychological processes involved when players encounter problems in adapting from one club to another. Thus, it was the aim of this study to identify the most difficult aspects of these transitions, as experienced by team sports players and the psychological skills that contribute to successful outcomes.Design and Method: The present study included twenty professional basketball players (aged between 20 and 36 years old; Mean = 26.05, SD = 4.12), who had played under different coaches (coach range 4–15; Mean = 8.65, SD = 2.92), and also played for different clubs (range 3–10; Mean = 5.35, SD = 2.08). They took part in retrospective interviews regarding their embedded experiences during club to club transitions. A situated E-approach was used to identify their problematic experiences, the adaptability skills and how they are applied during club mutations.Results and Conclusions: The identification of problematic experiences revealed seven components in relation to coaching (e.g., obeying orders, reduced play time), three components with teammates (e.g., respect), two components with the club (e.g., lack of support), and three components with family/friends (e.g., geographical constraints). Additionally, results indicated that the adaptability skills used during mutation are related to three groups namely mental skills, learning methods, and interpersonal skills. The results provide coaches, players, sports psychologists, and national sport organizations a set of issues for understanding the challenges players encounter when they move from one club to another.