Le renforcement des capacités nationales pour la mise en œuvre du Traité international sur les ressources phytogénétiques pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture : Points saillants du projetectos del Tratado

Cette note présente les points saillants du projet « Le renforcement des capacités nationales pour la mise en œuvre du Traité international sur les ressources phytogénétiques pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture », qui a été coordonné par Bioversity dans le cadre du Programme commun de renforcement des capacités des pays en développement de l’Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture/Secrétariat du Traité/Bioversity International pour la mise en œuvre du Traité et son Système multilatéral (SML). Le projet, qui s'est déroulé de 2012 à 2016, visait à : promouvoir la participation des pays au système multilatéral d'accès et de partage des avantages du Traité ; identifier les moyens d'améliorer l'accès des pays aux ressources phytogénétiques pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture ; et explorer les possibilités permettant de tirer parti d'autres aspects du Traité

Asymmetric magnetic bubble expansion under in-plane field in Pt/Co/Pt: effect of interface engineering

We analyse the impact of growth conditions on asymmetric magnetic bubble expansion under in-plane field in ultrathin Pt / Co / Pt films. Specifically, using sputter deposition we vary the Ar pressure during the growth of the top Pt layer. This induces a large change in the interfacial structure as evidenced by a factor three change in the effective perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Strikingly, a discrepancy between the current theory for domain-wall propagation based on a simple domain-wall energy density and our experimental results is found. This calls for further theoretical development of domain-wall creep under in-plane fields and varying structural asymmetry.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figure

Melanopsin (Opn4) Requirement for Normal Light-Induced Circadian Phase Shifting

like the latter two groups, mammals lack functional extraocular photoreceptors (28); thus, redundancy in photoreception is confined to the retina. One challenge is to determine the relative contributions of melanopsin, rod/cone opsins, cryptochromes, and other currently uncharacterized photopigments in communicating photic information to the circadian system. Fluorescent lights (Philips F32T8/TL741 Hi-Vision, 4100 K) were used both for light pulses and for overhead lighting in the activity recording room. Light intensity on the cage floor ranged from 20 to 60 W⅐cm Ϫ2 or 70 to 280 lux for light pulses and from 10 to 30 W⅐cm Ϫ2 or 30 to 120 lux for LD and LL conditions, depending on the location of the sensor in the cage. Light was measured in both radiometric (International Light, model IL-1405 Radiometer System) and photometric (Iso-Tech, ILM 350) units of measure to facilitate comparison between traditional photoreception and circadian studies. Mice used for in situ hybridization were sacrificed at the end of the light or dark pulse and their brains were frozen on dry ice. In situ experiments were performed as described in (16). Small sample sizes precluded statistical evaluation of c-fos levels

Computational Strategies in Optimizing a Real-Time Grad-Shafranov PDE Solver Using High-Level Graphical Programming and COTS Technology

Abstract This paper describes an alternative approach based on LabVIEW that solves the critical plasma shape and position control problems in tokamaks. Input signals from magnetic probes and flux loops are the constraints for a non-linear Grad-Shafranov PDE solver to calculate the magnetic equilibrium. An architecture based on offthe-shelf multi-core hardware and graphical software is described with an emphasis on seamless deployment from development system to real-time target. A number of mathematical challenges were addressed and several generally applicable numerical and mathematical strategies were developed to achieve the timing goals. Several benchmarks illustrate what can be achieved with such an approach. commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) multi-core computers • In the first step, compute reduced iDST instead of full iDST. • In the second step, use optimized DST leveraging sparsity. Hardware and Software Grad-Shafranov PDE • Ψ is the poloidal flux function; • j is the current density; • R is the radial component; • Z is the axial component. • 33x65 grid Benchmarks Benchmarks for the real-time Grad-Shafranov solver and simultaneous function paramerisation and Grad-Shafranov solvers using 8 cores

Cambridge Monographs in Experimental Biology

and the magnitude of FCT. Because active torque is proportional to n 2 and passive torque to n, the ratio of active to passive torque increases as n increases (Eq. 5), even while both quantities increase individuallẏ The increase in the ratio indicates an enhanced capability for active maneuvers and active stabilization, whereas the increase in FCT adds to passive stability. Thus, increasing wingbeat frequency enhances both maneuverability and stability. Hummingbirds provide an interesting example; males typically have greater wingbeat frequencies (21) and smaller body sizes as compared to females of the same species, potentially conferring a benefit in maneuverability and therefore an advantage in display flights (22) as well as greater stability when experiencing an external perturbation. These benefits are not without cost, because increasing wingbeat frequency increases the inertial and profile power requirements of flapping flight. Finally, the success of our FCT model in predicting yaw deceleration dynamics implies that passive damping may be important to flight control in flying animals across a wide range of body sizes. For example, if a steadily flapping animal experiences a brief perturbation in midstroke, by the time it is prepared to execute a corrective wingbeat, FCT will have eroded much of the effect of the perturbation, regardless of the wingbeat frequency employed by the animal. Thus, FCT provides open loop stability for some aspects of animal flight, reducing its neuromuscular and neurosensory requirements. These are not eliminated, because FCT results in asymmetric forces from symmetric flapping, implying that the animal's muscles must generate asymmetric forces and suggesting neural regulation to enforce symmetry. Furthermore, FCT does not address all the stability problems faced by flying animals. This study is limited to yaw dynamics in hovering or slow-speed flight; FCT is likely to be influential in fast forward flight, but no data are available to test such predictions. More important, a full description of body dynamics involves many factors beyond FCT and includes modes such as pitching and longitudinal dynamics known to be inherently unstable in open loop conditions (23, 24) and subject to active control (25, 26). Finally, yaw damping due to FCT is a feature of flapping flight that is not found in human-made fixed-wing or rotary-wing flyers and may lead to improvements in the stability and maneuverability of biomimetic micro-air vehicles. 11. S. P. Sane, J. Exp. Biol. 206, 4191 (2003). 12. J. R. Usherwood, C. P. Ellington, J. Exp. Biol. 205, 1565 Synonymous mutations do not alter the encoded protein, but they can influence gene expression. To investigate how, we engineered a synthetic library of 154 genes that varied randomly at synonymous sites, but all encoded the same green fluorescent protein (GFP). When expressed in Escherichia coli, GFP protein levels varied 250-fold across the library. GFP messenger RNA (mRNA) levels, mRNA degradation patterns, and bacterial growth rates also varied, but codon bias did not correlate with gene expression. Rather, the stability of mRNA folding near the ribosomal binding site explained more than half the variation in protein levels. In our analysis, mRNA folding and associated rates of translation initiation play a predominant role in shaping expression levels of individual genes, whereas codon bias influences global translation efficiency and cellular fitness. T he theory of codon bias posits that preferred codons correlate with the abundances of iso-accepting tRNAs (1, 2) and thereby increase translational efficiency (3) and accuracy (4). Recent experiments have revealed other effects of silent mutations (5-7). We synthesized a library of green fluorescent protein (GFP) genes that varied randomly in their codon usage, but encoded the same amino acid sequence (8). By placing these constructs in identical regulatory contexts and measuring their expression, we isolated the effects of synonymous variation on gene expression. The GFP gene consists of 240 codons. For 226 of these codons, we introduced random silent mutations in the third base position, while keeping the first and second positions constant We expressed the GFP genes in E. coli using a T7-promoter vector, and we quantified expression by spectrofluorometry. Fluorescence levels varied 250-fold across the library, and they were highly reproducible for each GFP construct (Spearman r = 0.98 between biological replicates)

In-Plane Deformation Mechanics for Highly Stretchable Electronics

Scissoring in thick bars suppresses buckling behavior in serpentine traces that have thicknesses greater than their widths, as detailed in a systematic set of analytical and experimental studies. Scissoring in thick copper traces enables elastic stretchability as large as approximate to 350%, corresponding to a sixfold improvement over previously reported values for thin geometries (approximate to 60%).</p