Measurement of the 25Al(d,n)26Si\mathrm{^{25}Al(d,n)^{26}Si} reaction and impact on the 25Al(p,γ)26Si\mathrm{^{25}Al(p,\gamma)^{26}Si} reaction rate

The $\mathrm{^{25}Al(p,\gamma)^{26}Si}$ reaction is part of a reaction network with impact on the observed galactic $^{26}$Al abundance. A new determination of the proton strength of the lowest $\ell=0$ proton-resonance in $^{26}$Si is required to more precisely calculate the thermal reaction rate. To this end, the $\mathrm{^{25}Al(d,n)^{26}Si}$ proton-transfer reaction is measured in inverse kinematics using an in-flight radioactive beam at the RESOLUT facility. Excitation energies of the lowest $^{26}$Si proton resonances are measured and cross sections are determined for the lowest $\ell=0$ resonance associated with the $3^{+}_{3}$ state at 5.92(2) MeV. Coupled reaction channels (CRC) calculations using FRESCO are performed to extract the $\ell=0$ spectroscopic factor for the $3^{+}_{3}$ state. The proton width for the $3^{+}_{3}$ state in $^{26}$Si is determined to be $\Gamma_{p}$=2.19(45) eV and the $(p,\gamma)$ resonance strength for the $3^{+}_{3}$ state is extracted as 26(10) meV. This resonance dominates the $\mathrm{^{25}Al(p,\gamma)^{26}Si}$ reaction rate above 0.2 GK.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

Submillimeter and Far-InfraRed Experiment (SAFIRE): A PI class instrument for SOFIA

SAFIRE is a versatile imaging Fabry-Perot spectrograph covering 145 to 655 microns, with spectral resolving powers ranging over 5-10,000. Selected as a "PI" instrument for the airborne Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), SAFIRE will apply two-dimensional pop-up bolometer arrays to provide background-limited imaging spectrometry. Superconducting transition edge bolometers and SQUID multiplexers are being developed for these detectors. SAFIRE is expected to be a "First Light" instrument, useable during the initial SOFIA operations. Although a PI instrument rather than a "Facility Class" science instrument, it will be highly integrated with the standard SOFIA planning, observation, and data analysis tools.Comment: 11 page

Genome-wide association study identifies 30 loci associated with bipolar disorder.

Bipolar disorder is a highly heritable psychiatric disorder. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) including 20,352 cases and 31,358 controls of European descent, with follow-up analysis of 822 variants with P < 1 × 10-4 in an additional 9,412 cases and 137,760 controls. Eight of the 19 variants that were genome-wide significant (P < 5 × 10-8) in the discovery GWAS were not genome-wide significant in the combined analysis, consistent with small effect sizes and limited power but also with genetic heterogeneity. In the combined analysis, 30 loci were genome-wide significant, including 20 newly identified loci. The significant loci contain genes encoding ion channels, neurotransmitter transporters and synaptic components. Pathway analysis revealed nine significantly enriched gene sets, including regulation of insulin secretion and endocannabinoid signaling. Bipolar I disorder is strongly genetically correlated with schizophrenia, driven by psychosis, whereas bipolar II disorder is more strongly correlated with major depressive disorder. These findings address key clinical questions and provide potential biological mechanisms for bipolar disorder

Snowball Earth climate dynamics and Cryogenian geology-geobiology

Geological evidence indicates that grounded ice sheets reached sea level at all latitudes during two long-lived Cryogenian (58 and ≥5 My) glaciations. Combined uranium-lead and rhenium-osmium dating suggests that the older (Sturtian) glacial onset and both terminations were globally synchronous. Geochemical data imply that CO2 was 102 PAL (present atmospheric level) at the younger termination, consistent with a global ice cover. Sturtian glaciation followed breakup of a tropical supercontinent, and its onset coincided with the equatorial emplacement of a large igneous province. Modeling shows that the small thermal inertia of a globally frozen surface reverses the annual mean tropical atmospheric circulation, producing an equatorial desert and net snow and frost accumulation elsewhere. Oceanic ice thickens, forming a sea glacier that flows gravitationally toward the equator, sustained by the hydrologic cycle and by basal freezing and melting. Tropical ice sheets flow faster as CO2 rises but lose mass and become sensitive to orbital changes. Equatorial dust accumulation engenders supraglacial oligotrophic meltwater ecosystems, favorable for cyanobacteria and certain eukaryotes. Meltwater flushing through cracks enables organic burial and submarine deposition of airborne volcanic ash. The subglacial ocean is turbulent and well mixed, in response to geothermal heating and heat loss through the ice cover, increasing with latitude. Terminal carbonate deposits, unique to Cryogenian glaciations, are products of intense weathering and ocean stratification. Whole-ocean warming and collapsing peripheral bulges allow marine coastal flooding to continue long after ice-sheet disappearance. The evolutionary legacy of Snowball Earth is perceptible in fossils and living organisms

Roadmap on optical energy conversion

For decades, progress in the field of optical (including solar) energy conversion was dominated by advances in the conventional concentrating optics and materials design. In recent years, however, conceptual and technological breakthroughs in the fields of nanophotonics and plasmonics combined with a better understanding of the thermodynamics of the photon energy-conversion processes reshaped the landscape of energy-conversion schemes and devices. Nanostructured devices and materials that make use of size quantization effects to manipulate photon density of states offer a way to overcome the conventional light absorption limits. Novel optical spectrum splitting and photon-recycling schemes reduce the entropy production in the optical energy-conversion platforms and boost their efficiencies. Optical design concepts are rapidly expanding into the infrared energy band, offering new approaches to harvest waste heat, to reduce the thermal emission losses, and to achieve noncontact radiative cooling of solar cells as well as of optical and electronic circuitries. Light–matter interaction enabled by nanophotonics and plasmonics underlie the performance of the third- and fourth-generation energy-conversion devices, including up- and down-conversion of photon energy, near-field radiative energy transfer, and hot electron generation and harvesting. Finally, the increased market penetration of alternative solar energy-conversion technologies amplifies the role of cost-driven and environmental considerations. This roadmap on optical energy conversion provides a snapshot of the state of the art in optical energy conversion, remaining challenges, and most promising approaches to address these challenges. Leading experts authored 19 focused short sections of the roadmap where they share their vision on a specific aspect of this burgeoning research field. The roadmap opens up with a tutorial section, which introduces major concepts and terminology. It is our hope that the roadmap will serve as an important resource for the scientific community, new generations of researchers, funding agencies, industry experts, and investors.United States. Department of Energy (DE-AC36-086038308

Magnetic resonance imaging biomarkers for chronic kidney disease: a position paper from the European Cooperation in Science and Technology Action PARENCHIMA

Functional renal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has seen a number of recent advances, and techniques are now available that can generate quantitative imaging biomarkers with the potential to improve the management of kidney disease. Such biomarkers are sensitive to changes in renal blood flow, tissue perfusion, oxygenation and microstructure (including inflammation and fibrosis), processes that are important in a range of renal diseases including chronic kidney disease. However, several challenges remain to move these techniques towards clinical adoption, from technical validation through biological and clinical validation, to demonstration of cost-effectiveness and regulatory qualification. To address these challenges, the European Cooperation in Science and Technology Action PARENCHIMA was initiated in early 2017. PARENCHIMA is a multidisciplinary pan-European network with an overarching aim of eliminating the main barriers to the broader evaluation, commercial exploitation and clinical use of renal MRI biomarkers. This position paper lays out PARENCHIMA’s vision on key clinical questions that MRI must address to become more widely used in patients with kidney disease, first within research settings and ultimately in clinical practice. We then present a series of practical recommendations to accelerate the study and translation of these techniques

Crop Updates 2008 - Cereals

This session covers twenty four papers from different authors: WHEAT AGRONOMY 1. Wheat variety performance in the Northern Agricultural Region in 2007, Christine Zaicou, Department of Agriculture and Food 2. Wheat variety performance on the Central Agricultural Region in 2007, Shahajahan Miyan, Department of Agriculture and Food 3. Response of wheat varieties to sowing time in the Great Southern and Lakes Region in 2007, Brenda Shackley and Steve Penny, Department of Agriculture and Food 4. Wheat variety performance in the South Coastal Region in 2007, Sarah Ellis, Department of Agriculture and Food 5. Flowering dates of wheat varieties in Western Australia in 2007, Darshan Sharma, Brenda Shackley and Christine Zaicou, Department of Agriculture and Food BARLEY AGRONOMY 6. Barley variety options for Western Australia, Blakely Paynter, Andrea Hills and Jeff Russell, Department of Agriculture and Food 7. Vlaming A – the newest malting barley variety, Blakely Paynter, Jeff Russell and Andrea Hills, Department of Agriculture and Food 8. Barley yields higher in wide rows with stubble retained in a very dry season at Merredin, Glen Riethmuller, Bill Bowden and Paul Blackwell, Department of Agriculture and Food HERBICIDE TOLERANCE 9. Herbicide tolerance of current/new wheat varieties, Dr Harmohinder Dhammu, Department of Agriculture and Food 10. Herbicide tolerance of new oat varieties, Dr Harmohinder Dhammu, Vince Lambert, and Chris Roberts,Department of Agriculture and Food NUTRITION 11. Managing nitrogen inputs in malting barley, Andrea Hills and Blakely Paynter, Department of Agriculture and Food 12. Decision tools for optimal N on cereal crops, David and Sally Cox, Jeremy Lemon* and Andrea Hills*, *Department of Agriculture and Food 13. Wheat varieties respond differently to potassium application on potassium responsive soils, Paul Damon and Zed Rengel, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Western Australia DISEASES 14. Leaf disease management in continuous barley in the northern and central grainbelt of WA, Geoff Thomas, Ciara Beard, Anne Smith, Kith Jayasena and Sean Kelly, Department of Agriculture and Food 15. Temperature and moisture requirements of leaf, stem and stripe rusts of wheat, Geoff Thomas, Rob Loughman and Bill MacLeod, Department of Agriculture and Food 16. Fungicide options for controlling diseases in oats, Raj Malik and Blakely Paynter, Department of Agriculture and Food 17. Survey of wheat root diseases under intensive cereal production in Western Australia during 2005-2007, Ravjit Khangura, William MacLeod, Vivien Vanstone, Colin Hanbury, Mehreteab Aberra, Gordon MacNish and Robert Loughman, Department of Agriculture and Food 18. Epidemiology studies on Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus in 2007, Brenda Coutts, Geoff Strickland, Monica Kehoe, Dustin Severtson and Roger Jones, Department of Agriculture and Food 19. Bacterial diseases that affect WA export hay quality, Dominie Wright and Megan Jordan, Department of Agriculture and Food SOIL 20. Hardpan penetration ability of drought-stressed wheat under pot and field conditions, Xinhua He1, Eli Manyol1, Song-Ai Nio1, Imran Malik1, Tina Botwright-Acuña1,2and Len Wade1,3,1School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, 2Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research, University of Tasmania, TAS, 3E.H. Graham Centre, Charles Sturt University, NSW HARVEST MANAGEMENT 21. Calculating the risk – the SEPWA Harvest Calculator, Nigel Metz, South East Premium Wheat Growers Association 22. The relationship between grain moisture and atmospheric conditions in cereal crop harvesting on the South Coast of WA, Nigel Metz, South East Premium Wheat Growers Association (SEPWA) MARKETS 23. Varietal accreditation for Australian Barley, Linda Price, Barley Australia STATISTICAL METHODS 24. Applying data mining tools to improve grain quality for growers, Dean Diepeveen1, Leisa Armstrong2, Peter Clarke1, Doug Abrecht1, Rudi Appels2 and Matthew Bellgard3,1Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia 2Edith Cowan University, Western Australia, 3Centre of Comparative Genomics, Murdoch Universit

(Re) defining salesperson motivation: current status, main challenges, and research directions

The construct of motivation is one of the central themes in selling and sales management research. Yet, to-date no review article exists that surveys the construct (both from an extrinsic and intrinsic motivation context), critically evaluates its current status, examines various key challenges apparent from the extant research, and suggests new research opportunities based on a thorough review of past work. The authors explore how motivation is defined, major theories underpinning motivation, how motivation has historically been measured, and key methodologies used over time. In addition, attention is given to principal drivers and outcomes of salesperson motivation. A summarizing appendix of key articles in salesperson motivation is provided

The 3rd DBCLS BioHackathon: improving life science data integration with Semantic Web technologies.

BACKGROUND: BioHackathon 2010 was the third in a series of meetings hosted by the Database Center for Life Sciences (DBCLS) in Tokyo, Japan. The overall goal of the BioHackathon series is to improve the quality and accessibility of life science research data on the Web by bringing together representatives from public databases, analytical tool providers, and cyber-infrastructure researchers to jointly tackle important challenges in the area of in silico biological research. RESULTS: The theme of BioHackathon 2010 was the 'Semantic Web', and all attendees gathered with the shared goal of producing Semantic Web data from their respective resources, and/or consuming or interacting those data using their tools and interfaces. We discussed on topics including guidelines for designing semantic data and interoperability of resources. We consequently developed tools and clients for analysis and visualization. CONCLUSION: We provide a meeting report from BioHackathon 2010, in which we describe the discussions, decisions, and breakthroughs made as we moved towards compliance with Semantic Web technologies - from source provider, through middleware, to the end-consumer.RIGHTS : This article is licensed under the BioMed Central licence at http://www.biomedcentral.com/about/license which is similar to the 'Creative Commons Attribution Licence'. In brief you may : copy, distribute, and display the work; make derivative works; or make commercial use of the work - under the following conditions: the original author must be given credit; for any reuse or distribution, it must be made clear to others what the license terms of this work are