The dual origin of cultivation in coconut and its implications for breeding : [Abstract W494]

Coconut is cultivated throughout the tropical coasts and is integral part of the way of life of many human communities. There is no related wild species. Many coconut varieties were identified. Stature and mating system distinguish selfpollinating Dwarfs and cross-pollinating Talls. Within these types, varieties differ in terms of fruit color, size and morphology. Our work aimed to identify the genetic relationships between these varieties as well as the region where cultivation was initiated. It was also to elucidate its dissemination pathways. DNA was collected from 1322 individuals representing more than 100 populations from most of the producing countries. It was analyzed using a microsatellite kit. Results were interpreted in the light of historical information on human population movements. Software Structure identified two major groups. The largest and most diverse group (A) extended from South-east Asia to the whole Pacific. The other group (B) was present in India and on the Atlantic coasts. East Africa and the Western Indian Ocean showed evidence of introgression among groups. The frequency of group A alleles was higher in Madagascar and in the Comoros than in East Africa, reflecting austronesian migrations and arab trade in the region. Attempts to subdivide further diversity preserved group B but split group A into 4 populations. Three of them were centered on South-East Asia, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the South Pacific without definite limit between them. Virtually all self-pollinating Dwarf coconuts were in the South-East Asian group suggesting that this region was the place of origin of dwarfism. The last population was found on the Pacific coast of Central America and was brought from the Philippines, probably at pre- Columbian times. Our results suggest that coconut cultivation was initiated separately in South Asia and in a region extending from South-East Asian and PNG. The high level of molecular differentiation between groups A and B suggests that gene exchange between India and Pacific was interrupted for a long period. Identifying QT alleles that were fixed during this period would provide breeders with efficient improvement strategies. (Texte integral

Genetic diversity and phylogeography of wild-sown and cultivated coconuts (Cocos nucifera L.)

The coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) is a pantropical strand plant, colonizing sandy insular beaches in the humid tropics. Cocos is a monotypic genus in the Cocoseae tribe (18/ca. 200 spp.) within the Arecaceae family. Phylogenetic studies support its sister relationship to Syagrus, a Neotropical genus, sharing a common ancestor about 35 MYBP, though the crown group age of Cocos is about 11 MYBP. Fossil evidence indicates that members of the Cocos lineage were present in South America, India, New Zealand and Australia. Coconuts are adapted to drift-dispersal by ocean currents; however, human activities both historically and today have also aided its spread and impacted its phenotypic and genetic structure. Coconuts are traditionally classified as 'Talls' or 'Dwarfs' based on tree habit. Morphological examination reveal two predominant fruit types, attributed to Polynesian terminology: niu kafa are characterized by their elongated, triangular fruits with large proportion of fibrous husk and niu vai, whose fruits are rounded with large proportion of liquid endosperm. The niu kafa form is interpreted as the naturally evolved coconut, under natural selection for dissemination by sea currents whilst the niu vai form evolved from domestication under human selection for greater volume of delicious coconut water. Here we investigate the genetic diversity of coconuts, the impact of domestication, introgression and the taxonomic implications for this species. We used polymorphic microsatellite markers on 1322 coconut samples representing phenotypic and genetic variation worldwide to examine the geographical location of the center(s) of domestication and its progenitors. Bayesian analyses of population structure revealed two major subpopulations corresponding to the Pacific and Indo-Atlantic oceanic regions. Haplotype networks based on chloroplast and nuclear markers are used as a complementary dataset to examine the coconut's phylogeography. (Texte intégral

The presence of coconut in southern Panama in pre-Columbian times: Clearing up the confusion

Background The pre-Columbian presence of coconut on the Pacific coast of Panama is attested by a number of independent written accounts. However, recent papers question their accuracy and conclude that coconut was introduced to the region by the Spaniards after their conquests. Scope In order to examine the value of such claims, an extensive search was conducted of the relevant historical accounts of coconut in America and in the Orient. Key Results The Spanish chronicler Oviedo (1478-1557) is found to have effectively used fruit and seed size to distinguish coconut from other palms. In addition, it is shown that he has been inaccurately faulted with incorrectly representing a cluster of coconuts. The original drawing, a cluster of a native Bactris, was in the marginalia and was only assigned to coconut after Oviedo's death. Finally, the location is identified of a coastal Panamanian site described by Pedro Mártir de Anglería and where tidal dispersal of coconuts was observed. Conclusions This previously overlooked evidence confirms the pre-historical presence of coconut in Panama. Genetic data indicate that it must have been brought there directly or indirectly from the Philippines. But when, where and by whom remains a subject of research. Further molecular marker studies, computer simulation of natural drift and archaeological research could contribute to this research. (Résumé d'auteur

Genomic studies of the coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) : [Abstract P0225]

The evolutionary history of the monotypic coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) is intriguing and its geographical origin remains unknown. The coconut is the quintessential strand plant, colonizing sandy coastal beaches and islands in the humid tropics and is well adapted for flotation and natural dispersal by oceanic currents. This palm has also been disseminated by humans for millennia through voyages of exploration and establishment of trade routes across the Indian and Pacific Oceans. This long-term human interaction with the coconut has altered its phenotype and the lack of a universal domestication trait has obscured the putative wild phenotype. Developments in molecular techniques such as next generation sequencing may well prove useful in elucidation of the coconut's origin. Here we propose to apply NGS to multi-loci molecular markers for 20 populations (188 individuals), sampled worldwide to examine the phylogeography, phylogeny, lineage sorting and discovery of polymorphisms for understanding the evolutionary history of the coconut. We will perform parallel tagged sequencing (PTS) for barcoding multiple samples and use the Illumina platform for high throughput sequencing. (Texte integral

Current Neonatal Skin Care Practices in Four African Sites

Data for this study on skin care practices and emollient use in four African sites were collected using in-depth interviews, focus-group discussions and observations. Respondents were mothers, grandmothers, fathers, health workers, birth attendants and people selling skin-care products. Analysis included content and framework analyses.Emollient use was a normative practice in all sites, with frequent application from an early age in most sites. There were variations in the type of emollients used, but reasons for use were similar and included improving the skin, keeping the baby warm, softening/strengthening the joints/bones, shaping the baby, ensuring flexibility and encouraging growth and weight gain. Factors that influenced emollient choice varied and included social pressure, cost, availability and deep-rooted traditional norms. Massage associated with application was strong and potentially damaging to the skin in some sites.Given the widespread use of emollients, the repeated exposure of newborns in the first month of life and the potential impact of emollients on mortality, trials such as those that have been conducted in Asia are needed in a range of African settings

Pilot study to evaluate a tailored text message intervention for pregnant smokers (MiQuit): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Smoking in pregnancy is a public health problem. Self-help smoking cessation support can help pregnant women to stop smoking, but the effects of delivering this kind of support via SMS text message are not known. A previous randomised controlled trial (RCT) demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of providing such support to pregnant smokers using an automated, tailored text message intervention called MiQuit. This larger RCT will estimate key parameters for and will test the feasibility of delivering a major trial run within the United Kingdom National Health Service settings aimed at providing definitive evidence on the utility of MiQuit for helping pregnant smokers to stop. Methods/Design: This will be a multi-centre, parallel group RCT. Participants are being identified in 16 English antenatal care settings and must be >16 years old, pregnant, 1 daily cigarette, have smoked >5 daily cigarettes before pregnancy, and able to understand texts in English. After consenting and the collection of baseline data, participants are randomised to control or intervention groups in a 1:1 ratio; randomisation is stratified by trial site and gestation and employs computer-generated pseudo-random code using random permuted blocks of randomly varying size, and held on a secure server. All participants receive a National Health Service (NHS) leaflet aimed at helping them to stop smoking. Intervention group women also receive the 12-week MiQuit programme of tailored, supportive, interactive text message, self-help cessation support. Women are followed up by telephone 4 weeks after randomisation and at 36 weeks gestation. The study aims to recruit 400 women, and with this sample we will be able to estimate trial centres’ recruitment rates to within +/−1% (margin of error = half width of 95% confidence interval); individual trial groups’ ascertainment of rates for smoking outcomes between 4 weeks after randomisation until approximately 36 weeks gestation to within +/−4%, and across both groups, the combined cessation rate at 36 weeks +/−3%. Discussion: Pilot trial completion will provide data to facilitate planning for a definitive trial investigating whether MiQuit works for smoking cessation in pregnancy. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02043509 Registered 14 January 2014

Light--like Wilson loops and gauge invariance of Yang--Mills theory in 1+1 dimensions

A light-like Wilson loop is computed in perturbation theory up to ${\cal O} (g^4)$ for pure Yang--Mills theory in 1+1 dimensions, using Feynman and light--cone gauges to check its gauge invariance. After dimensional regularization in intermediate steps, a finite gauge invariant result is obtained, which however does not exhibit abelian exponentiation. Our result is at variance with the common belief that pure Yang--Mills theory is free in 1+1 dimensions, apart perhaps from topological effects.Comment: 10 pages, plain TeX, DFPD 94/TH/

Application of COMPOCHIP Microarray to Investigate the Bacterial Communities of Different Composts

A microarray spotted with 369 different 16S rRNA gene probes specific to microorganisms involved in the degradation process of organic waste during composting was developed. The microarray was tested with pure cultures, and of the 30,258 individual probe-target hybridization reactions performed, there were only 188 false positive (0.62%) and 22 false negative signals (0.07%). Labeled target DNA was prepared by polymerase chain reaction amplification of 16S rRNA genes using a Cy5-labeled universal bacterial forward primer and a universal reverse primer. The COMPOCHIP microarray was applied to three different compost types (green compost, manure mix compost, and anaerobic digestate compost) of different maturity (2, 8, and 16 weeks), and differences in the microorganisms in the three compost types and maturity stages were observed. Multivariate analysis showed that the bacterial composition of the three composts was different at the beginning of the composting process and became more similar upon maturation. Certain probes (targeting Sphingobacterium, Actinomyces, Xylella/Xanthomonas/ Stenotrophomonas, Microbacterium, Verrucomicrobia, Planctomycetes, Low G + C and Alphaproteobacteria) were more influential in discriminating between different composts. Results from denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis supported those of microarray analysis. This study showed that the COMPOCHIP array is a suitable tool to study bacterial communities in composts

Test of CPT Symmetry and Quantum Mechanics with Experimental data from CPLEAR

We use fits to recent published CPLEAR data on neutral kaon decays to $\pi^+\pi^-$ and $\pi e\nu$ to constrain the CPT--violation parameters appearing in a formulation of the neutral kaon system as an open quantum-mechanical system. The obtained upper limits of the CPT--violation parameters are approaching the range suggested by certain ideas concerning quantum gravity.Comment: 9 pages of uuencoded postscript (includes 3 figures

Effects of Ethnicity on the Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Pooled Analysis of the ISAACC Trial and Sleep and Stent Study.

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an increasing yet under-recognized risk factor for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We sought to determine the effects of ethnicity on the prevalence of OSA in patients presenting with ACS who participated in an overnight sleep study. Methods: A pooled analysis using patient-level data from the ISAACC Trial and Sleep and Stent Study was performed. Using the same portable diagnostic device and scoring criteria, OSA was defined as an apnea-hypopnea index of ≥15. Results: A total of 1961 patients were analyzed, including Spanish (53.6%, n=1050), Chinese (25.5%, n=500), Indian (12.0%, n=235), Malay (6.1%, n=119), Brazilian (1.7%, n=34) and Burmese (1.2%, n=23) populations. Significant differences in body mass index (BMI) were found among the various ethnic groups, averaging from 25.3 kg/m2 for Indians and 25.4 kg/m2 for Chinese to 28.6 kg/m2 for Spaniards. The prevalence of OSA was highest in the Spanish (63.1%), followed by the Chinese (50.2%), Malay (47.9%), Burmese (43.5%), Brazilian (41.2%), and Indian patients. The estimated odds ratio of BMI on OSA was highest in the Chinese population (1.17; 95% confidence interval: 1.10–1.24), but was not significant in the Spanish, Burmese or Brazilian populations. The area under the curve (AUC) for the Asian patients (ranging from 0.6365 to 0.6692) was higher than that for the Spanish patients (0.5161). Conclusion: There was significant ethnic variation in the prevalence of OSA in patients with ACS, and the magnitude of the effect of BMI on OSA was greater in the Chinese population than in the Spanish patients.The authors gratefully acknowledge the staff working at the participating centers of ISAACC and Sleep and Stent Study for their contribution to patient recruitmen