220 research outputs found
The importance of pathogen-free grapevine propagation material in regards to clonal selection and rootstock breeding in Germany
High performing propagation material is essential for a reliable and economical production of quality grapes. Apart from geneticaspects pathogen-freedom is of prime importance in propagation material. In particular virus diseases cause major yield and quality losses andreduced longevity. This is also reflected in the current EU legislation, which focuses on the most common and dangerous viruses: GFLV,ArMV, GLRaV-I and GLRaV-III.Apart from these, locally occurring pathogens, e.g. phytoplasms or agrobacterium, are important as well andshould not be present in propagation material. There are several ways to develop pathogen-free clones. Starting with already pathogen-freematerial is certainly the easiest case, but might not be feasible in local varieties with small acreages and limited vine numbers. In these casesthe elimination of pathogens is required, either by heat therapy, tissue culture or somatic embryo genesis
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BNL superconducting storage ring magnet update
The various performance data, design and specifications for the storage ring and experimental series dipole and quadrupole magnets as well as the working line and correction coil systems are reported. The working line system includes the closed orbit dipoles, the quadrupole trim, sextupoles, octapoles, decapoles and duodecapoles. These are the magnets in the standard subunits of the Brookhaven National Laboratory Intersecting Storage Ring Accelerator ''ISABELLE.'
Next-generation muscle-directed gene therapy by in silico vector design
There is an urgent need to develop the next-generation vectors for gene therapy of muscle disorders, given the relatively modest advances in clinical trials. These vectors should express substantially higher levels of the therapeutic transgene, enabling the use of lower and safer vector doses. In the current study, we identify potent muscle-specific transcriptional cisregulatory modules (CRMs), containing clusters of transcription factor binding sites, using a genome-wide data-mining strategy. These novel muscle-specific CRMs result in a substantial increase in muscle-specific gene transcription (up to 400-fold) when delivered using adeno-associated viral vectors in mice. Significantly higher and sustained human micro-dystrophin and follistatin expression levels are attained than when conventional promoters are used. This results in robust phenotypic correction in dystrophic mice, without triggering apoptosis or evoking an immune response. This multidisciplinary approach has potentially broad implications for augmenting the efficacy and safety of muscle-directed gene therapy
Labrador retrievers under primary veterinary care in the UK: demography, mortality and disorders
Abstract Background Labrador retrievers are reportedly predisposed to many disorders but accurate prevalence information relating to the general population are lacking. This study aimed to describe demography, mortality and commonly recorded diseases in Labrador retrievers under UK veterinary care. Methods The VetCompass™ programme collects electronic patient record data on dogs attending UK primary-care veterinary practices. Demographic analysis covered all33,320 Labrador retrievers in the VetCompass™ database under veterinary care during 2013 while disorder and mortality data were extracted from a random sample of 2074 (6.2%) of these dogs. Results Of the Labrador retrievers with information available, 15,427 (46.4%) were female and 15,252 (53.6%) were male. Females were more likely to be neutered than males (59.7% versus 54.8%, P < 0.001). The overall mean adult bodyweight was 33.0 kg (SD 6.1). Adult males were heavier (35.2 kg, SD 5.9 kg) than adult females (30.4 kg, SD 5.2 kg) (P < 0.001). The median longevity of Labrador retrievers overall was 12.0 years (IQR 9.9–13.8, range 0.0–16.0). The most common recorded colours were black (44.6%), yellow (27.8%) and liver/chocolate (reported from hereon as chocolate) (23.8%). The median longevity of non-chocolate coloured dogs (n = 139, 12.1 years, IQR 10.2–13.9, range 0.0–16.0) was longer than for chocolate coloured animals (n = 34, 10.7 years, IQR 9.0–12.4, range 3.8–15.5) (P = 0.028). Of a random sample of 2074 (6.2%) Labrador retrievers under care in 2013 that had full disorder data extracted, 1277 (61.6%) had at least one disorder recorded. The total number of dogs who died at any date during the study was 176. The most prevalent disorders recorded were otitis externa (n = 215, prevalence 10.4%, 95% CI: 9.1–11.8), overweight/obesity (183, 8.8%, 95% CI: 7.6–10.1) and degenerative joint disease (115, 5.5%, 95% CI: 4.6–6.6). Overweight/obesity was not statistically significantly associated with neutering in females (8.3% of entire versus 12.5% of neutered, P = 0.065) but was associated with neutering in males (4.1% of entire versus 11.4% of neutered, P < 0.001). The prevalence of otitis externa in black dogs was 12.8%, in yellow dogs it was 17.0% but, in chocolate dogs, it rose to 23.4% (P < 0.001). Similarly, the prevalence of pyo-traumatic dermatitis in black dogs was 1.1%, in yellow dogs it was 1.6% but in chocolate dogs it rose to 4.0% (P = 0.011). Conclusions The current study assists prioritisation of health issues within Labrador retrievers. The most common disorders were overweight/obesity, otitis externa and degenerative joint disease. Males were significantly heavier females. These results can alert prospective owners to potential health issues and inform breed-specific wellness checks
Induced pseudoscalar coupling of the proton weak interaction
The induced pseudoscalar coupling is the least well known of the weak
coupling constants of the proton's charged--current interaction. Its size is
dictated by chiral symmetry arguments, and its measurement represents an
important test of quantum chromodynamics at low energies. During the past
decade a large body of new data relevant to the coupling has been
accumulated. This data includes measurements of radiative and non radiative
muon capture on targets ranging from hydrogen and few--nucleon systems to
complex nuclei. Herein the authors review the theoretical underpinnings of
, the experimental studies of , and the procedures and uncertainties
in extracting the coupling from data. Current puzzles are highlighted and
future opportunities are discussed.Comment: 58 pages, Latex, Revtex4, prepared for Reviews of Modern Physic
Personalization Paradox in Behavior Change Apps:Lessons from a Social Comparison-Based Personalized App for Physical Activity
Social comparison-based features are widely used in social computing apps.
However, most existing apps are not grounded in social comparison theories and
do not consider individual differences in social comparison preferences and
reactions. This paper is among the first to automatically personalize social
comparison targets. In the context of an m-health app for physical activity, we
use artificial intelligence (AI) techniques of multi-armed bandits. Results
from our user study (n=53) indicate that there is some evidence that motivation
can be increased using the AI-based personalization of social comparison. The
detected effects achieved small-to-moderate effect sizes, illustrating the
real-world implications of the intervention for enhancing motivation and
physical activity. In addition to design implications for social comparison
features in social apps, this paper identified the personalization paradox, the
conflict between user modeling and adaptation, as a key design challenge of
personalized applications for behavior change. Additionally, we propose
research directions to mitigate this Personalization Paradox
Feasibility studies of time-like proton electromagnetic form factors at PANDA at FAIR
Simulation results for future measurements of electromagnetic proton form
factors at \PANDA (FAIR) within the PandaRoot software framework are reported.
The statistical precision with which the proton form factors can be determined
is estimated. The signal channel is studied on the basis
of two different but consistent procedures. The suppression of the main
background channel, , is studied.
Furthermore, the background versus signal efficiency, statistical and
systematical uncertainties on the extracted proton form factors are evaluated
using two different procedures. The results are consistent with those of a
previous simulation study using an older, simplified framework. However, a
slightly better precision is achieved in the PandaRoot study in a large range
of momentum transfer, assuming the nominal beam conditions and detector
performance
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Decay Properties of p pi- Systems Produced in Neutron Dissociation at Fermilab Energies
The authors have examined the decay distributions of (p{pi}{sup -}) systems produced in the reaction n + p {yields} (p{pi}{sup -}) + p for neutron momenta between 120 GeV/c and 300 GeV/c. Preliminary analysis of decay moments indicates the presence of large helicity-flip amplitudes even for small (p{pi}{sup -}) mass values, and does not support the hypothesis that the helicity non-flip (p{pi}{sup -}) states are produced peripherally in impact parameter. These results are in approximate agreement with predictions of the Deck mechanism. The experiment was performed at the M-3 neutral beam of Fermilab
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