Who Runs Against the Incumbent? Candidate Entry Decisions

Abstract This paper o¤ers an explanation for the common observation that political incumbents not only frequently win reelection, but often face weak competition or no competition at all when running for reelection. I explain this outcome by modeling the entry decision of potential election candidates as a process of self-selection. Candidates choose either to enter a political race against a known-quality incumbent or to wait for an open election. The model predicts that the entry decision is non-monotonic in candidate quality: Both low quality and very high quality candidates choose to enter the race. The tendency of midquality candidates to stay out increases the ex-ante probability that the incumbent will win, suggesting an explanation for incumbency advantage, the existence of uncontested races, and of "sacri…cial lambs.&quot

Theory-based scaling laws of near and far scrape-off layer widths in single-null L-mode discharges

Theory-based scaling laws of the near and far scrape-off layer (SOL) widths are analytically derived for L-mode diverted tokamak discharges by using a two-fluid model. The near SOL pressure and density decay lengths are obtained by leveraging a balance among the power source, perpendicular turbulent transport across the separatrix, and parallel losses at the vessel wall, while the far SOL pressure and density decay lengths are derived by using a model of intermittent transport mediated by filaments. The analytical estimates of the pressure decay length in the near SOL is then compared to the results of three-dimensional, flux-driven, global, two-fluid turbulence simulations of L-mode diverted tokamak plasmas, and validated against experimental measurements taken from an experimental multi-machine database of divertor heat flux profiles, showing in both cases a very good agreement. Analogously, the theoretical scaling law for the pressure decay length in the far SOL is compared to simulation results and to experimental measurements in TCV L-mode discharges, pointing out the need of a large multi-machine database for the far SOL decay lengths

Evaluation of different methods for the characterization of carrot resistance to the alternaria leaf blight pathogen (Alternaria dauci) revealed two qualitatively different resistances

Alternaria leaf blight (ALB), caused by Alternaria dauci, is one of the most damaging foliar diseases of carrot worldwide. The aim of this study was to compare different methods for evaluating levels of carrot resistance to ALB. Three techniques were investigated by comparison with a visual disease assessment control: in vivo conidial germination, a bioassay based on a drop-inoculation method, and in planta quantification of fungal biomass by quantitative PCR (Q-PCR). Three carrot cultivars showing different degrees of resistance to A. dauci were used, i.e. a susceptible cultivar (Presto) and two partially resistant genotypes (Texto and Bolero), challenged with an aggressive or a very aggressive isolate of A. dauci. Both partially resistant genotypes produced a higher mean number of germ tubes per conidium (up to 3·42±0·35) than the susceptible one (1·26±0·18). The drop-inoculation results allowed one of the partially resistant genotypes (Bolero, log10(S+1) = 1·34±0·13) to be distinguished from the susceptible one (1·90±0·13). By contrast, fungal growth measured by Q-PCR clearly differentiated the two partially resistant genotypes with log10(I) values of 2·77±0·13 compared to the susceptible cultivar (3·65±0·13) at 15 days post-inoculation. This result was strongly correlated (r2 = 0·91) with the disease severity index scored at the same date. Data obtained with the different assessment methods strongly suggest that the Texto and Bolero genotypes have different genetic resistance sources

Is quantitative resistance qualitative? An example with two Alternaria Leaf Blight resistant carrot genotypes and four resistance assessment techniques

International audienc

Is host range of carrot restricted to Alternaria dauci?

International audienc

Evaluating aggressiveness and host range of Alternaria dauci in a controlled environment

The aggressiveness of Alternaria dauci isolates was investigated in greenhouse conditions. Twenty-seven isolates were pre-selected from a large collection to represent high diversity according to geographic or host origins and intergenic spacer (IGS) polymorphism. IGS sequence analysis revealed that isolates were grouped within three different clusters. Eleven isolates were selected and inoculated on a susceptible carrot cultivar. Three criteria (mean lesion number, mean necrotic leaf area and mean disease index) were used to assess the aggressiveness of isolates. Continuous variation in aggressiveness was shown and no clear division into isolate classes was evident. For the host range study, two isolates were inoculated under greenhouse conditions onto nine cultivated Apiaceae species, two wild Daucus species and six cultivated non-Apiaceae species representing six botanical families. Lesions varying in severity were observed on all dicot species (Apiaceae and non-Apiaceae), but no symptoms developed on the two monocots studied (leek and sweetcorn). Plant species were also differentiated on the basis of expanding lesions (cultivated and wild carrot, dill and fennel) or non-expanding lesions (other dicot species). Typical A. dauci conidia were observed after in vitro incubation of leaves with symptoms. Fungal structures were isolated from lesions and A. dauci was confirmed on the basis of conidial morphology and specific conventional PCR results. Genotyping of individual isolates performed with microsatellite markers confirmed the presence of the inoculated isolate. The results clearly showed that, in controlled conditions, the host range of A. dauci is not restricted to carrot

Plasma pressure and flows during divertor detachment

MHD theory applied to tokamak plasma scrape-off layer (SOL) equilibria requires Pfirsch-Schlueter current, which, because the magnetic lines are open, normally closes through electrically conducting divertor or limiter components. During detached divertor operation the Pfirsch-Schlueter current path to the divertor target is sometimes blocked, in which case theory predicts that the plasma develops a poloidal pressure gradient around the upstream SOL and a corresponding parallel flow, in order to satisfy all the conditions of MHD equilibrium. This paper reports the only known examples of detached diverted plasma in the DIII-D tokamak with blocked Pfirsch-Schlueter current, and they show no clear SOL poloidal pressure differences. However, the predicted pressure differences are small, near the limit of detectability with the available diagnostics. In the more usual DIII-D partially detached divertor operation mode, the Pfirsch-Schlueter current appears to never be blocked, and no unusual poloidal pressure differences are observed, as expected. Finally, a local overpressure is observed just inside the magnetic separatrix near the X-point in both attached and detached Ohmically heated plasmas