Association Studies and Legume Synteny Reveal Haplotypes Determining Seed Size in Vigna unguiculata.

Highly specific seed market classes for cowpea and other grain legumes exist because grain is most commonly cooked and consumed whole. Size, shape, color, and texture are critical features of these market classes and breeders target development of cultivars for market acceptance. Resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses that are absent from elite breeding material are often introgressed through crosses to landraces or wild relatives. When crosses are made between parents with different grain quality characteristics, recovery of progeny with acceptable or enhanced grain quality is problematic. Thus genetic markers for grain quality traits can help in pyramiding genes needed for specific market classes. Allelic variation dictating the inheritance of seed size can be tagged and used to assist the selection of large seeded lines. In this work we applied 1,536-plex SNP genotyping and knowledge of legume synteny to characterize regions of the cowpea genome associated with seed size. These marker-trait associations will enable breeders to use marker-based selection approaches to increase the frequency of progeny with large seed. For 804 individuals derived from eight bi-parental populations, QTL analysis was used to identify markers linked to 10 trait determinants. In addition, the population structure of 171 samples from the USDA core collection was identified and incorporated into a genome-wide association study which supported more than half of the trait-associated regions important in the bi-parental populations. Seven of the total 10 QTLs were supported based on synteny to seed size associated regions identified in the related legume soybean. In addition to delivering markers linked to major trait determinants in the context of modern breeding, we provide an analysis of the diversity of the USDA core collection of cowpea to identify genepools, migrants, admixture, and duplicates

Acute high-intensity interval running increases markers of damage and permeability but not gastrointestinal symptoms.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of high-intensity interval (HIIT) running on markers of gastrointestinal (GI) damage and permeability alongside subjective symptoms of GI discomfort. Methods: Eleven male runners completed an acute bout of HIIT (eighteen 400 m runs at 120%O2max ) where markers of GI permeability, intestinal damage and GI discomfort symptoms were assessed and compared with resting conditions. Results: Compared to rest, HIIT significantly increased serum lactulose:rhamnose ratio (0.051 ± 0.016 vs. 0.031 ± 0.021, p = 0.0047; 95% CI = 0.006 - 0.036) and sucrose concentrations (0.388 ± 0.217 vs 0.137 ± 0.148 mg.l-1; p < 0.001; 95% CI = 0.152 - 0.350). In contrast, urinary lactulose:rhamnose (0.032 ± 0.005 vs 0.030 ± 0.005; p = 0.3; 95% CI = -0.012 - 0.009) or sucrose concentrations (0.169 ± 0.168% vs 0.123 ± 0.120%; p = 0.54; 95% CI = -0.199 - 0.108) did not differ between HIIT and resting conditions. Plasma I-FABP was significantly increased (p < 0.001) during and in the recovery period from HIIT whereas no changes were observed during rest. Mild-symptoms of GI discomfort, were reported immediately- and 24 h post-HIIT, although these symptoms did not correlate to GI permeability or I-FABP. Conclusion Acute HIIT increased GI permeability and intestinal I-FABP release, although these do not correlate with symptoms of GI discomfort. Furthermore, by using serum sampling, we provide data showing that it is possible to detect changes in intestinal permeability that is not observed using urinary sampling over a shorter time-period

Glueball Interpretation of ξ\xi(2230)

On the basis of the results of $\xi(2230)\rightarrow\pi^{+}\pi^{-}, p\bar{p}$ and $K\bar{K}$, measured by the BES Collaboration in radiative J/$\psi$ decays, combined with the upper limit of Br($\xi\rightarrow p\bar{p}$)Br($\xi\rightarrow K\bar{K}$), measured by PS185 experiment, we argue that the distinctive properties of $\xi$(2230), the flavor-symmetric decays and the narrow partial decay widths to $\pi\pi$ and $K\bar{K}$ as well as its copious production in radiative J/$\psi$ decay, would strongly favor the glueball interpretation of $\xi$(2230).Comment: Latex file, no figure

Pentaquark Decay in QCD Sum Rules

In a diquark-diquark-antiquark picture of the pentaquark we study the decay $\Theta \to K^{+} n$ within the framework of QCD sum rules. After evaluation of the relevant three-point function, we extract the coupling $g_{\Theta nK}$ which is directly related to the pentaquark width. Restricting the decay diagrams to those with color exchange between the meson-like and baryon-like clusters reduces the coupling constant by a factor of four. Whereas a small decay width might be possible for a positive parity pentaquark, it seems difficult to explain the measured width for a pentaquark with negative parity.Comment: 14pages, 5 eps figures. Contribution to the proceedings of LC200

Support and Assessment for Fall Emergency Referrals (SAFER 1) trial protocol. Computerised on-scene decision support for emergency ambulance staff to assess and plan care for older people who have fallen: evaluation of costs and benefits using a pragmatic cluster randomised trial

Background: Many emergency ambulance calls are for older people who have fallen. As half of them are left at home, a community-based response may often be more appropriate than hospital attendance. The SAFER 1 trial will assess the costs and benefits of a new healthcare technology - hand-held computers with computerised clinical decision support (CCDS) software - to help paramedics decide who needs hospital attendance, and who can be safely left at home with referral to community falls services. Methods/Design: Pragmatic cluster randomised trial with a qualitative component. We shall allocate 72 paramedics ('clusters') at random between receiving the intervention and a control group delivering care as usual, of whom we expect 60 to complete the trial. Patients are eligible if they are aged 65 or older, live in the study area but not in residential care, and are attended by a study paramedic following an emergency call for a fall. Seven to 10 days after the index fall we shall offer patients the opportunity to opt out of further follow up. Continuing participants will receive questionnaires after one and 6 months, and we shall monitor their routine clinical data for 6 months. We shall interview 20 of these patients in depth. We shall conduct focus groups or semi-structured interviews with paramedics and other stakeholders. The primary outcome is the interval to the first subsequent reported fall (or death). We shall analyse this and other measures of outcome, process and cost by 'intention to treat'. We shall analyse qualitative data thematically. Discussion: Since the SAFER 1 trial received funding in August 2006, implementation has come to terms with ambulance service reorganisation and a new national electronic patient record in England. In response to these hurdles the research team has adapted the research design, including aspects of the intervention, to meet the needs of the ambulance services. In conclusion this complex emergency care trial will provide rigorous evidence on the clinical and cost effectiveness of CCDS for paramedics in the care of older people who have fallen

A risk profile for identifying community-dwelling elderly with a highrisk of recurrent falling: results of a 3-year prospective study

Introduction: The aim of the prospective study reported here was to develop a risk profile that can be used to identify community-dwelling elderly at a high risk of recurrent falling. Materials and methods: The study was designed as a 3-year prospective cohort study. A total of 1365 community-dwelling persons, aged 65 years and older, of the population-based Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam participated in the study. During an interview in 1995/1996, physical, cognitive, emotional and social aspects of functioning were assessed. A follow-up on the number of falls and fractures was conducted during a 3-year period using fall calendars that participants filled out weekly. Recurrent fallers were identified as those who fell at least twice within a 6-month period during the 3-year follow-up. Results: The incidence of recurrent falls at the 3-year follow-up point was 24.9% in women and 24.4% in men. Of the respondents, 5.5% reported a total of 87 fractures that resulted from a fall, including 20 hip fractures, 21 wrist fractures and seven humerus fractures. Recurrent fallers were more prone to have a fall-related fracture than those who were not defined as recurrent fallers (11.9% vs. 3.4%; OR: 3.8; 95% CI: 2.3-6.1). Backward logistic regression analysis identified the following predictors in the risk profile for recurrent falling: two or more previous falls, dizziness, functional limitations, weak grip strength, low body weight, fear of falling, the presence of dogs/cats in the household, a high educational level, drinking 18 or more alcoholic consumptions per week and two interaction terms (high educationx18 or more alcohol consumptions per week and two or more previous falls x fear of falling) (AUC=0.71). Discussion: At a cut-off point of 5 on the total risk score (range 0-30), the model predicted recurrent falling with a sensitivity of 59% and a specificity of 71%. At a cut-off point of 10, the sensitivity and specificity were 31% and 92%, respectively. A risk profile including nine predictors that can easily be assessed seems to be a useful tool for the identification of community-dwelling elderly with a high risk of recurrent falling. © International Osteoporosis Foundation and National Osteoporosis Foundation 2006

Self-bound dense objects in holographic QCD

We study a self-bound dense object in the hard wall model. We consider a spherically symmetric dense object which is characterized by its radial density distribution and non-uniform but spherically symmetric chiral condensate. For this we analytically solve the partial differential equations in the hard wall model and read off the radial coordinate dependence of the density and chiral condensate according to the AdS/CFT correspondence. We then attempt to describe nucleon density profiles of a few nuclei within our framework and observe that the confinement scale changes from a free nucleon to a nucleus. We briefly discuss how to include the effect of higher dimensional operator into our study. We finally comment on possible extensions of our work.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures, figures replaced, minor revision, to appear in JHE

The stellar and sub-stellar IMF of simple and composite populations

The current knowledge on the stellar IMF is documented. It appears to become top-heavy when the star-formation rate density surpasses about 0.1Msun/(yr pc^3) on a pc scale and it may become increasingly bottom-heavy with increasing metallicity and in increasingly massive early-type galaxies. It declines quite steeply below about 0.07Msun with brown dwarfs (BDs) and very low mass stars having their own IMF. The most massive star of mass mmax formed in an embedded cluster with stellar mass Mecl correlates strongly with Mecl being a result of gravitation-driven but resource-limited growth and fragmentation induced starvation. There is no convincing evidence whatsoever that massive stars do form in isolation. Various methods of discretising a stellar population are introduced: optimal sampling leads to a mass distribution that perfectly represents the exact form of the desired IMF and the mmax-to-Mecl relation, while random sampling results in statistical variations of the shape of the IMF. The observed mmax-to-Mecl correlation and the small spread of IMF power-law indices together suggest that optimally sampling the IMF may be the more realistic description of star formation than random sampling from a universal IMF with a constant upper mass limit. Composite populations on galaxy scales, which are formed from many pc scale star formation events, need to be described by the integrated galactic IMF. This IGIMF varies systematically from top-light to top-heavy in dependence of galaxy type and star formation rate, with dramatic implications for theories of galaxy formation and evolution.Comment: 167 pages, 37 figures, 3 tables, published in Stellar Systems and Galactic Structure, Vol.5, Springer. This revised version is consistent with the published version and includes additional references and minor additions to the text as well as a recomputed Table 1. ISBN 978-90-481-8817-

Measuring the Initial Mass Function of Low Mass Stars and Brown Dwarfs

I review efforts to determine the form and any lower limit to the initial mass function in the Galactic disk, using observations of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in the field, young clusters and star forming regions. I focus on the methodologies that have been used and the uncertainties that exist due to observational limitations and to systematic uncertainties in calibrations and theoretical models. I conclude that whilst it is possible that the low-mass IMFs deduced from the field and most young clusters are similar, there are too many problems to be sure; there are examples of low-mass cluster IMFs that appear to be very discrepant and the IMFs for brown dwarfs in the field and young clusters have yet to be reconciled convincingly.Comment: From a series of lectures presented at the Evry-Schatzman school on Low-mass stars and the transition from stars to brown dwarfs, edited by C. Charbonnel, C. Reyle, M. Schultheis. To appear in the EAS Conference Series. 47p

Study of intrinsic risk factors for falls in institutionalized elderly people

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo identificar a presença de fatores intrínsecos que predispõem a quedas em idosos moradores em instituições de longa permanência na cidade de Goiânia (GO). Trata-se de estudo descritivo transversal realizado em seis instituições de longa permanência para idosos existentes na cidade de Goiânia. A amostra da investigação constou de 95 idosos que atenderam aos critérios de inclusão e exclusão. Utilizou-se um questionário contendo dados clínicos relacionados às condições de saúde-doença; dados cognitivos; avaliação da capacidade para as atividades básicas de vida diária e avaliação do equilíbrio e marcha. Os idosos avaliados, no geral, apresentam vários fatores de risco, apontados pela literatura, para quedas, tais como: relato de dificuldade motora em membros inferiores (90%), déficit visual (81,1%), uso de três ou mais medicamentos (59,7%), suspeita de depressão (37,9%), falta de equilíbrio em apoio unipodal (37,9%) e altura do passo anormalmente diminuída (32,6%). As informações obtidas nos permitem apontar condições determinantes que aumentam a possibilidade dos eventos queda acontecerem na amostra estudada, sinalizando à necessidade de que estratégias de promoção de saúde, prevenção de agravos e reabilitação devam ser tomadas. _________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThe objective of this research was to identify intrinsic risk factors that predispose elderly people living in long-term institutions in the city of Goiânia (GO) to falls. The present descriptive transversal study was carried out in six long-term institutions for seniors in the city of Goiânia. The investigated sample consisted of 95 elderly that fitted the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A questionnaire was used for collecting clinical data related to health-disease conditions; cognitive data; capacity to develop basic daily life activities and equilibrium and gait. In general terms, as pointed out the literature, the examined elderly presented different fall risk factors such as: motor difficulty in lower limbs (90%), visual deficit (81,1%), use of 3 or more kinds of medicines (59,7%), suspected depression (37,9%), lack of equilibrium/unstable unipodal support (37,9%) abnormally decreased height in step (32,6%). The obtained data allow us to set indicators for the increase in falls among the studied sample, demonstrating the need for creating strategies for health promotion, prevention of injuries and rehabilitation