Application of genomic and quantitative genetic tools to identify candidate resistance genes for brown rot resistance in peach.

The availability of a complete peach genome assembly and three different peach genome sequences created by our group provide new opportunities for application of genomic data and can improve the power of the classical Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) approaches to identify candidate genes for peach disease resistance. Brown rot caused by Monilinia spp., is the most important fungal disease of stone fruits worldwide. Improved levels of peach fruit rot resistance have been identified in some cultivars and advanced selections developed in the UC Davis and USDA breeding programs. Whole genome sequencing of the Pop-DF parents lead to discovery of high-quality SNP markers for QTL genome scanning in this experimental population. Pop-DF created by crossing a brown rot moderately resistant cultivar 'Dr. Davis' and a brown rot resistant introgression line, 'F8,1-42', derived from an initial almond × peach interspecific hybrid, was evaluated for brown rot resistance in fruit of harvest maturity over three seasons. Using the SNP linkage map of Pop-DF and phenotypic data collected with inoculated fruit, a genome scan for QTL identified several SNP markers associated with brown rot resistance. Two of these QTLs were placed on linkage group 1, covering a large (physical) region on chromosome 1. The genome scan for QTL and SNP effects predicted several candidate genes associated with disease resistance responses in other host-pathogen systems. Two potential candidate genes, ppa011763m and ppa026453m, may be the genes primarily responsible for M. fructicola recognition in peach, activating both PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI) responses. Our results provide a foundation for further genetic dissection, marker assisted breeding for brown rot resistance, and development of peach cultivars resistant to brown rot

The LISA PathFinder DMU and Radiation Monitor

The LISA PathFinder DMU (Data Management Unit) flight model was formally accepted by ESA and ASD on 11 February 2010, after all hardware and software tests had been successfully completed. The diagnostics items are scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2010. In this paper we review the requirements and performance of this instrumentation, specially focusing on the Radiation Monitor and the DMU, as well as the status of their programmed use during mission operations, on which work is ongoing at the time of writing.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, prepared for the Proceedings of the 8th International LISA Symposium, Classical and Quantum Gravit

Acacia saligna (Labill.) H. Wendl in the Sesimbra county: invaded habitats and potential distribution modeling

The aim of this study is to establish the spatial pattern of colonization and spread of Acacia saligna by predictive modeling, susceptibility evaluation and to perform a cost-effective analysis in two sites of community importance (Fernão Ferro/Lagoa de Albufeira and Arrábida/Espichel) in the Sesimbra County. The main goal is to increase the knowledge on the invasive process and the potential distribution of the Acacia saligna in Sesimbra County, namely in the Natura 2000 sites. The Artificial Neural Networks model was developed in Open Modeller to predict the potential of occurrence of A. saligna, and is assumed to be conditioned by a set of limiting factors that may be known or modeled. The base information includes a dependent variable (present distribution of specie) and several variables considered as conditioning factors (topographic variables, land use, soils characteristics, river and road distance), organized in a Geographical Information System (GIS) database. This is used to perform spatial analysis, which is focused on the relationships between the presence or absence of the specie and the values of the conditioning factors. The results show a high correspondence between higher values of potential of occurrence and soils characteristics and distance to rivers; these factors seem to benefit the specie’ invasion process. According to the conservation value of each cartographic unit, related to natural habitats included in Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), the coastal habitats (2130, 2250 and 2230) were the most susceptible to invasion by A. saligna. The predicted A. saligna distribution allows for a more efficient concentration and application of resources (human and financial) in the most susceptible areas to invasion, such as the local and national Protected Areas and the Sites of Community Importance, and is useful to test hypotheses about the specie range characteristics, habitats preferences and habitat partitioning

BIOMECHANICAL APPROACH TO BALLET MOVEMENTS: A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF BALLET SHOE AND MUSICAL BEAT ON THE VERTICAL REACTION FORCES

Ballet movements can be the focus of biomechanical studies in order to better understand the characteristic mechanical loads of the locomotor apparatus related to classic dance. "Pointe shoes" have been associated to high incidence of morphological and physiological alterations of ballet dancer's feet, however its contribution to injury mechanisms must still be precisely known. On the other hand, movements like jumps and leaps are frequently repeated in a standard ballet training, where the musical beat also plays a role on the motor behavior and its mechanical aspects. Therefore the purpose of the present study was to describe ground reaction forces during the "saute -1st position" under the influence of footwear (slippers and pointe shoes) and musical beat in order to identify the relative contribution of these factors on the external loads measured. It was observed that the musical beat played a greater role on the ground reaction force magnitudes than the footwear

Markedly Divergent Tree Assemblage Responses to Tropical Forest Loss and Fragmentation across a Strong Seasonality Gradient

We examine the effects of forest fragmentation on the structure and composition of tree assemblages within three seasonal and aseasonal forest types of southern Brazil, including evergreen, Araucaria, and deciduous forests. We sampled three southernmost Atlantic Forest landscapes, including the largest continuous forest protected areas within each forest type. Tree assemblages in each forest type were sampled within 10 plots of 0.1 ha in both continuous forests and 10 adjacent forest fragments. All trees within each plot were assigned to trait categories describing their regeneration strategy, vertical stratification, seed-dispersal mode, seed size, and wood density. We detected differences among both forest types and landscape contexts in terms of overall tree species richness, and the density and species richness of different functional groups in terms of regeneration strategy, seed dispersal mode and woody density. Overall, evergreen forest fragments exhibited the largest deviations from continuous forest plots in assemblage structure. Evergreen, Araucaria and deciduous forests diverge in the functional composition of tree floras, particularly in relation to regeneration strategy and stress tolerance. By supporting a more diversified light-demanding and stress-tolerant flora with reduced richness and abundance of shade-tolerant, old-growth species, both deciduous and Araucaria forest tree assemblages are more intrinsically resilient to contemporary human-disturbances, including fragmentation-induced edge effects, in terms of species erosion and functional shifts. We suggest that these intrinsic differences in the direction and magnitude of responses to changes in landscape structure between forest types should guide a wide range of conservation strategies in restoring fragmented tropical forest landscapes worldwide

Faint galaxy population in clusters: X-ray emission, cD halos and projection effects

We analyze samples of nearby clusters taken from the Abell catalog and the X-ray Sample of Bright Clusters(De Grandi et al 1999) including a wide range of X-ray luminosities.Using the usually adopted background subtraction procedures, we find that galaxies in clusters selected by means of their X-ray emission show a flat luminosity function (faint end slope $\alpha \simeq -1.1$) consistent with that derived for galaxies in the field and groups. By contrast, the sample of Abell clusters that do not have an X-ray counterpart shows a galaxy luminosity function with a steep faint end ($\alpha \simeq -1.6$). We investigate the possibility that cD halos could be formed by the disruption of galaxies in rich relaxed clusters that show an apparently flat faint end galaxy luminosity function (Lopez-Cruz et al 1997). We find that clusters dominated by a central cD galaxy (Bautz-Morgan classes I and II) show the same systematic trend: X-ray selected clusters have flatter faint end slopes than those clusters with no detected X-ray emission. Thus, it is likely the X-ray selection and not the cluster domination by central galaxies what correlates with background decontamination estimates of the galaxy luminosity function. Moreover, no significant correlation between X-ray luminosity and the galaxy LF faint end slope is found. These results do not support a scenario where flat faint end slopes are a consequence of cD formation via the disruption of faint galaxies. We argue that the clusters without X-ray emission are strongly affected by projection effects which give rise to spurious faint end slopes estimated using background subtraction procedures (Valotto et al 2001).Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ (vol. 601

Tourism demand for destinations with severe access limitations: Brazilian cases

Uma das principais estratégias do Ministério do Turismo no Brasil para a ampliação do fluxo turístico nos destinos nacionais foi a delimitação de 65 destinos indutores do turismo no país. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar a demanda turística de lazer nos destinos indutores que possuem severas limitações de acesso. Para tanto, foi realizada uma pesquisa de campo em 3 destinos selecionados: Diamantina (MG), Parnaíba (PI) e Lençóis (BA). Os resultados obtidos apontam para o predomínio de turistas de meia idade, em sua maioria do sexo masculino e com distribuição homogênea das faixas de renda. O estado de São Paulo foi o principal emissor de turistas para os três destinos. As conclusões destacam o questionamento ao papel indutor do turismo destes destinos e a opinião positiva dos entrevistados em relação à dificuldade de acesso, apesar das grandes distâncias percorridas (média de 1.333Km) e do uso significativo do modal terrestre para a viagem.One of the main strategies of the Brazilian Tourism Ministry to increase tourist flows at national destinations was the nomination of 65 key destinations for tourism in the country. This research aimed to analyze the leisure tourism demand for key destinations with severe access limitations. A survey was conducted with tourists of 3 selected key destinations: Diamantina (MG), Parnaíba (PI) and Lençóis (BA). The main findings indicate the predominance of tourists of middle age, males and varied income levels. São Paulo is the single most important market for all 3 destinations. Among the main conclusions are the questioning of the key role of these destinations for tourism, and the positive opinion of tourists about access conditions, despite the large distances travelled (average of 1,333 Km) and the fact that a significant share of them used mainly inland modes of transport

Do clusters contain a large population of dwarf galaxies?

We analyze systematic effects in the determination of the galaxy luminosity function in clusters using a deep mock catalogue constructed from a numerical simulation of a hierarchical universe. The results indicate a strong tendency to derive a rising faint end (\alpha \lsim -1.5) in clusters selected in two dimensions, using a galaxy catalogue constructed with a universal flat luminosity function with $\alpha \simeq -1.0$. This is due to the projection effects inherent in catalogues of clusters constructed using 2 dimensional data. Many of the clusters found in 2d have no significant 3d counterparts, and most suffer from massive background contamination that cannot be corrected for by subtracting random offset fields. The luminosity function of high surface brightness galaxies in the field and within small groups follows a Schechter function with a fairly flat faint end slope, $n(L)\propto L^{\alpha}$ with $\alpha = -0.9$ to -1.2. On the contrary, observational studies of clusters constructed using Abell, EDCC and APM catalogues are systematically found to have steeper luminosity functions with $\alpha = -1.4$ to -2.0. This may be attributed to projection effects rather than a dominant population of high surface brightness dwarf galaxies (M\gsim M^*+2) in clusters. It should be straighforward to confirm our results by measuring redshifts of these faint cluster galaxies.Comment: 23 pages, 7 Postscript figures TeX, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal, e-mail:[email protected] http://iate.oac.uncor.edu/cv.htm

SLAM algorithm applied to robotics assistance for navigation in unknown environments

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The combination of robotic tools with assistance technology determines a slightly explored area of applications and advantages for disability or elder people in their daily tasks. Autonomous motorized wheelchair navigation inside an environment, behaviour based control of orthopaedic arms or user's preference learning from a friendly interface are some examples of this new field. In this paper, a Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm is implemented to allow the environmental learning by a mobile robot while its navigation is governed by electromyographic signals. The entire system is part autonomous and part user-decision dependent (semi-autonomous). The environmental learning executed by the SLAM algorithm and the low level behaviour-based reactions of the mobile robot are robotic autonomous tasks, whereas the mobile robot navigation inside an environment is commanded by a Muscle-Computer Interface (MCI).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this paper, a sequential Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) feature-based SLAM algorithm is implemented. The features correspond to lines and corners -concave and convex- of the environment. From the SLAM architecture, a global metric map of the environment is derived. The electromyographic signals that command the robot's movements can be adapted to the patient's disabilities. For mobile robot navigation purposes, five commands were obtained from the MCI: turn to the left, turn to the right, stop, start and exit. A kinematic controller to control the mobile robot was implemented. A low level behavior strategy was also implemented to avoid robot's collisions with the environment and moving agents.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The entire system was tested in a population of seven volunteers: three elder, two below-elbow amputees and two young normally limbed patients. The experiments were performed within a closed low dynamic environment. Subjects took an average time of 35 minutes to navigate the environment and to learn how to use the MCI. The SLAM results have shown a consistent reconstruction of the environment. The obtained map was stored inside the Muscle-Computer Interface.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The integration of a highly demanding processing algorithm (SLAM) with a MCI and the communication between both in real time have shown to be consistent and successful. The metric map generated by the mobile robot would allow possible future autonomous navigation without direct control of the user, whose function could be relegated to choose robot destinations. Also, the mobile robot shares the same kinematic model of a motorized wheelchair. This advantage can be exploited for wheelchair autonomous navigation.</p