Rapid communication: Linkage mapping of the porcine Agouti gene

Genus and Species. Sus scrofa. Locus. Porcine agouti gene. Source and Description of Primers. The forward primer was designed from pig sequence (GenBank accession no. AF018166) and the reverse primer was developed from comparing the homologous regions of mouse and bovine agouti sequences (GenBank accession no. L06451 and X99691, respectively). The primers were used to amplify approximately 1.4 kb of the porcine agouti gene fragment spanning exons 2 and 3. Sequences of the PCR fragment revealed 83% and 89% exonic identities to the corresponding human and bovine agouti nucleotide sequences, respectively. The porcine agouti sequence has been submitted to GenBank, accession no. AF133261

Search for Resonant Diphoton Production with the D0 Detector

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.231801.We present a search for a narrow resonance in the inclusive diphoton final state using ∼2.7  fb(−1) of data collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron pp-bar Collider. We observe good agreement between the data and the background prediction, and set the first 95% C.L. upper limits on the production cross section times the branching ratio for decay into a pair of photons for resonance masses between 100 and 150 GeV. This search is also interpreted in the context of several models of electroweak symmetry breaking with a Higgs boson decaying into two photons

Search for Charged Higgs Bosons Decaying into Top and Bottom Quarks in pp-bar Collisions

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.191802.We describe a search for production of a charged Higgs boson, qq-bar′→H(+), reconstructed in the tb-bar final state in the mass range 180≤M(H+)≤300  GeV. The search was undertaken at the Fermilab Tevatron collider with a center-of-mass energy s√=1.96  TeV and uses 0.9  fb(−1) of data collected with the D0 detector. We find no evidence for charged Higgs boson production and set upper limits on the production cross section in the types I, II, and III two-Higgs-doublet models (2HDMs). An excluded region in the (M(H+,) tanβ) plane for type I 2HDM is presented

Measurement of the tt-bar cross section using high-multiplicity jet events

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.82.032002.We present a measurement of the tt-bar cross section using high-multiplicity jet events produced in pp-bar collisions at s√=1.96  TeV. These data were recorded at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider with the D0 detector. Events with at least six jets, two of them identified as b jets, were selected from a 1  fb(−1) data set. The measured cross section, assuming a top quark mass of 175  GeV/c2, is 6.9±2.0  pb, in agreement with theoretical expectations

Search for charged Higgs bosons in top quark decays

We present a search for charged Higgs bosons in top quark decays. We analyze the e+jetse+jets, μ+jetsμ+jets, ee, eμ, μμ, τe and τμ final states from top quark pair production events, using data from about 1 fb^(−1) of integrated luminosity recorded by the DØ experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We consider different scenarios of possible charged Higgs boson decays, one where the charged Higgs boson decays purely hadronically into a charm and a strange quark, another where it decays into a τ lepton and a τ neutrino and a third one where both decays appear. We extract limits on the branching ratio B(t→H+b)B(t→H+b) for all these models. We use two methods, one where the View the MathML ttbar production cross section is fixed, and one where the cross section is fitted simultaneously with B(t→H+b)B(t→H+b). Based on the extracted limits, we exclude regions in the charged Higgs boson mass and tanβtanβ parameter space for different scenarios of the minimal supersymmetric standard model

Change in self-efficacy partially mediates the effects of the FRESH START intervention on cancer survivors' dietary outcomes

Objective: This study examined change in self-efficacy as a mediator of the effects of a mailed print intervention on the dietary and exercise practices of newly diagnosed breast and prostate cancer survivors. Method: A total of 543 breast and prostate cancer patients were recruited from 39 states and two provinces within North America. Participants were randomly assigned to receive a 10-month program of tailored mailed print materials that aimed to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, reduce fat intake, and/or increase exercise or a 10-month program of publically available materials on diet and exercise. Telephone surveys conducted at baseline and 1 year assessed dietary practices, physical activity, and self-efficacy for engaging in these health behaviors. Results: Results indicated that changes in self-efficacy for fat restriction and eating more fruits and vegetables were significant mediators of the intervention's effects on dietary outcomes at 1-year follow-up. The intervention did not significantly affect self-efficacy for exercise; however, a significant, positive relationship was found between self-efficacy for exercise and exercise duration at follow-up. Conclusions: Findings are largely consistent with Social Cognitive Theory and support the use of strategies to increase self-efficacy in health promotion interventions for cancer survivors. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Associations between lifestyle factors and quality of life among older long-term breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer survivors

BACKGROUND: Older cancer survivors are at increased risk for secondary cancers, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and functional decline and, thus, may benefit from health-related interventions. However, to the authors' knowledge, little is known regarding the health behaviors of older cancer survivors and the associations of those behaviors with quality-of-life outcomes, especially during the long-term post-treatment period. METHODS: In total, 753 older (aged ≥65 years) long-term survivors (≥5 years postdiagnosis) of breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer completed 2 baseline telephone interviews to assess their eligibility for a diet and exercise intervention trial. The interviews assessed exercise, diet, weight status, and quality of life. RESULTS: Older cancer survivors reported a median of 10 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per week, and only 7% had Healthy Eating Index scores >80 (indicative of healthful eating habits relative to national guidelines). Despite their suboptimal health behaviors, survivors reported mental and physical quality of life that exceeded age-related norms. Greater exercise and better diet quality were associated with better physical quality-of-life outcomes (eg, better vitality and physical functioning; P < .05), whereas greater body mass index was associated with reduced physical quality of life (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The current results indicated a high prevalence of suboptimal health behaviors among older, long-term survivors of breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer who were interested in lifestyle modification. In addition, the findings pointed to the potential negative impact of obesity and the positive impact of physical activity and a healthy diet on physical quality of life in this population. Cancer 2009

Genome to Phenome: Improving Animal Health, Production, and Well-Being – A New USDA Blueprint for Animal Genome Research 2018–2027

In 2008, a consortium led by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) published the “Blueprint for USDA Efforts in Agricultural Animal Genomics 2008–2017,” which served as a guiding document for research and funding in animal genomics. In the decade that followed, many of the goals set forth in the blueprint were accomplished. However, several other goals require further research. In addition, new topics not covered in the original blueprint, which are the result of emerging technologies, require exploration. To develop a new, updated blueprint, ARS and NIFA, along with scientists in the animal genomics field, convened a workshop titled “Genome to Phenome: A USDA Blueprint for Improving Animal Production” in November 2017, and these discussions were used to develop new goals for the next decade. Like the previous blueprint, these goals are grouped into the broad categories “Science to Practice,” “Discovery Science,” and “Infrastructure.” New goals for characterizing the microbiome, enhancing the use of gene editing and other biotechnologies, and preserving genetic diversity are included in the new blueprint, along with updated goals within many genome research topics described in the previous blueprint. The updated blueprint that follows describes the vision, current state of the art, the research needed to advance the field, expected deliverables, and partnerships needed for each animal genomics research topic. Accomplishment of the goals described in the blueprint will significantly increase the ability to meet the demands for animal products by an increasing world population within the next decade

Search for associated production of charginos and neutralinos in the trilepton final state using 2.3 fb^(−1) of data

We report the results of a search for associated production of charginos and neutralinos using a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.3 fb(−1) collected with the DØ experiment during Run II of the Tevatron proton–antiproton collider. Final states containing three charged leptons and missing transverse energy are probed for a signal from supersymmetry with four dedicated trilepton event selections. No evidence for a signal is observed, and we set limits on the product of production cross section and leptonic branching fraction. Within minimal supergravity, these limits translate into bounds on m0m0 and m1/2m1/2 that are well beyond existing limits