Spatial imaging of Zn and other elements in Huanglongbing-affected grapefruit by synchrotron-based micro X-ray fluorescence investigation

Huanglongbing (HLB) is a highly destructive, fast-spreading disease of citrus, causing substantial economic losses to the citrus industry worldwide. Nutrient levels and their cellular distribution patterns in stems and leaves of grapefruit were analysed after graft-inoculation with lemon scions containing 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' (Las), the heat-tolerant Asian type of the HLB bacterium. After 12 months, affected plants showed typical HLB symptoms and significantly reduced Zn concentrations in leaves. Micro-XRF imaging of Zn and other nutrients showed that preferential localization of Zn to phloem tissues was observed in the stems and leaves collected from healthy grapefruit plants, but was absent from HLB-affected samples. Quantitative analysis by using standard references revealed that Zn concentration in the phloem of veins in healthy leaves was more than 10 times higher than that in HLB-affected leaves. No significant variation was observed in the distribution patterns of other elements such as Ca in stems and leaves of grapefruit plants with or without graft-inoculation of infected lemon scions. These results suggest that reduced phloem transport of Zn is an important factor contributing to HLB-induced Zn deficiency in grapefruit. Our report provides the first in situ, cellular level visualization of elemental variations within the tissues of HLB-affected citrus. © 2014 © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology

BIM collaboration: A conceptual model and its characteristics

Relationship management has become an important issue for both academics and practitioners in construction project management. Few study provide a clear picture of what specifically constitute collaboration in a construction project in the existing literature and the practical approach. Limit research focus on developing a collaboration theory in construction management. The advent of Building Information Modeling (BIM) has been proved to be helpful for improving project coordination and productivity. However, widely adoption of BIM does not change the fragmented nature of construction sector. An understanding of how to promote such collaborative relationships in BIM enabled projects is crucial to achieve the full potential of BIM. By analysing the characteristics of collaboration from a management perspective and investigating current BIM implementation strategy, this research develops a conceptual model of collaboration in BIM enabled projects and identifies main factors of collaboration. The model categorizes collaboration into three dimension, they are collaboration team characteristics, collaborative environment, and collaborative process. Model also presents high level of collaboration can result better project outcomes and participants satisfaction. This model can be generalized to construction sector and standardized to collaborative process for future BIM implementation.published_or_final_versio

An efficient algorithm for optimizing whole genome alignment with noise

Motivation: This paper is concerned with algorithms for aligning two whole genomes so as to identify regions that possibly contain conserved genes. Motivated by existing heuristic-based software tools, we initiate the study of an optimization problem that attempts to uncover conserved genes with a global concern. Another interesting feature in our formulation is the tolerance of noise, which also complicates the optimization problem. A brute-force approach takes time exponential in the noise level. Results: We show how an insight into the optimization structure can lead to a drastic improvement in the time and space requirement [precisely, to O(k2n2) and O(k2n), respectively, where n is the size of the input and k is the noise level]. The reduced space requirement allows us to implement the new algorithm, called MaxMinCluster, on a PC. It is exciting to see that when tested with different real data sets, MaxMinCluster consistently uncovers a high percentage of conserved genes that have been published by GenBank. Its performance is indeed favorably compared to MUMmer (perhaps the most popular software tool for uncovering conserved genes in a whole-genome scale). © Oxford University Press 2004; all rights reserved.published_or_final_versio

Demystifying construction project time-effort distribution curves: a BIM and non-BIM comparison

MacLeamy's time-effort distribution curves are among the most oft-cited sources for researchers interested in mainstreaming building information modeling (BIM) implementation in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Succinctly, the curves offer a clever answer to the question: How can BIM benefit AEC processes? However, despite their significant theoretical and practical value, little previous research has been conducted to elaborate the time-effort distribution curves of any real-life projects. This research aims to demystify the time-effort distribution curves through comparison of a representative BIM project and a non-BIM project. Applying a set of innovative approaches, the actual time-effort distribution curves of two public housing construction projects in Hong Kong are produced and analyzed in-depth. The curves vividly show that BIM implementation increases the effort spent at design stage - that is, throughout the architecture and engineering processes - but the extra effort pays off at the building stage. Further, the curves are found to be a useful graphical analytic tool for other purposes, such as adjusting the fee structure among AEC processes and informing improved BIM adoption.postprin

Outcomes Associated With Microalbuminuria: Effect Modificatin By Chronic Kidney Disease.

OBJECTIVES: To compare association of microalbuminuria with outcomes in patients with different comorbidities. BACKGROUND: The risk of adverse outcomes associated with proteinuria has been found to be linearly decreasing with even low-normal levels of microalbuminuria. It is unclear if comorbid conditions change these associations. METHODS: We examined the association of urine microalbumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) with mortality and the slopes of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in a nationally representative cohort of 298,875 US veterans. Associations of UACR with all-cause mortality overall and in subgroups of patients with and without diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, congestive heart failure and advanced CKD were examined in Cox models, and with the slopes of eGFR in linear and logistic regression models. RESULTS: Very low levels of UACR were linearly associated with decreased mortality and less progression of CKD overall: adjusted mortality hazard ratio and estimated glomerular filtration rate slope (95%CI) associated with UACR =200, compared to <5 mcg/mg were 1.53 (1.38-1.69, p<0.001) and -1.59 (-1.83, -1.35, p<0.001). Similar linearity was present in all examined subgroups, except in patients with CKD in whom a U-shaped association was present and in whom a UACR of 10-19 was associated with the best outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The association of UACR with mortality and with progressive CKD is modified in patients with CKD, who experience higher mortality and worse progression of CKD with the lowest levels of UACR. Proteinuria-lowering interventions in patients with advanced CKD should be implemented cautiously, considering the potential for adverse outcomes

Flowering of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) is reduced by long photoperiods

Mature kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa ‘Hayward’) vines grown under standard orchard management were exposed to 16-h photoperiods from the longest day in summer until after leaf fall in autumn. Photoperiod extension was achieved with tungsten halogen lamps that produced 2–8 µmols m–2 s–1 photosynthetically active radiation. Long day treatments did not affect fruit dry matter or fruit weight at harvest during the growing season that the treatments were applied or during the following growing season. However, flowering was reduced by 22% during the spring following treatment application. As this reduction in flowering was not accompanied by a decrease in budbreak, the long day effect is not consistent with a delay in the onset of winter chilling. It is suggested therefore, that the observed reduction in flowering may be because of a diminution of floral evocation

Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposures: Workplace exposures, related perceptions of SHS risk, and reactions to smoking in catering workers in smoking and nonsmoking premises

Introduction: Smoke-free workplace legislation often exempts certain venues. Do smoking (exempted) and nonsmoking (nonexempted) catering premises' workers in Hong Kong report different perceptions of risk from and reactions to nearby smoking as well as actual exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS)? Methods: In a cross-sectional survey of 204 nonsmoking catering workers, those from 67 premises where smoking is allowed were compared with workers from 36 nonsmoking premises in Hong Kong on measures of perceptions of risk and behavioral responses to self-reported SHS exposure, plus independent exposure assessment using urinary cotinine. Results: Self-reported workplace SHS exposure prevalence was 57% (95% CI = 49%-65%) in premises prohibiting and 100% (95% CI = 92%-100%) in premises permitting smoking (p < .001). Workers in smoking-permitted premises perceived workplace air quality as poorer (odds ratio [OR] = 9.3, 95% CI = 4.2-20.9) with higher associated risks (OR = 3.7, 95% CI = 1.6-8.6) than workers in smoking-prohibited premises. Workers in smoking-prohibited premises were more bothered by (OR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.1-0.5) and took more protective action to avoid SHS (OR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.1-0.4) than workers in smoking-permitted premises. Nonwork exposure was negatively associated with being always bothered by nearby smoking (OR = 0.3, 95% CI = 0.1-0.9), discouraging nearby smoking (OR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.2-1.1), and discouraging home smoking (OR = 0.4, 95% CI = 0.2-0.9). Urinary cotinine levels were inversely related to workers' avoidance behavior but positively related to their perceived exposure-related risks. Conclusions: Different workplace smoking restrictions predicted actual SHS exposure, exposure-related risk perception, and protective behaviors. Workers from smoking-permitted premises perceived greater SHS exposure-related risks but were more tolerant of these than workers in smoking-prohibited premises. This tolerance might indirectly increase both work and nonwork exposures. © The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved.postprin

Human epididymis protein 4 antigen-autoantibody complexes complement cancer antigen 125 for detecting early-stage ovarian cancer

Background: Early detection of ovarian cancer could significantly improve patient outcomes. Cancer antigen 125 (CA 125) is elevated in sera from approximately 60% of patients with early‐stage (I/II) disease. Sensitivity might be improved through the combination of CA 125 with other biomarkers. Among potential biomarkers, antigen‐autoantibody (Ag‐AAb) complexes have received relatively little attention. / Methods: Luminex‐based immunoassays were used to measure human epididymis protein 4 (HE4), anti‐HE4 autoantibody, and HE4 Ag‐AAb complexes in sera from patients with early‐ (n = 73) and late‐stage ovarian cancers (n = 49) at the time of diagnosis and from asymptomatic women with (n = 15) or without ovarian cancer (n = 212) enrolled in the Normal Risk Ovarian Cancer Screening Study. / Results: At 98% specificity for healthy, asymptomatic women, 7% of patients with early‐stage (I/II) ovarian cancer and 4% of patients with late‐stage (III/IV) disease had elevated levels of HE4 autoantibody, whereas elevated levels of HE4 Ag‐AAb complexes were detected in sera from 38% of early‐stage cases and 31% of late‐stage cases. Complementarity was observed in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves between HE4 Ag‐AAb complexes and CA 125 levels in early‐stage ovarian cancer (P < .001). CA 125 detected 63% of cases, and a combination of CA 125 and HE4 Ag‐AAb complexes detected 81%. Complementarity was also observed in ROC curves for an independent validation set with 69 early‐stage patients (P = .039). HE4 Ag‐AAb complexes were detected in serial preclinical serum samples from women destined to develop ovarian cancer: they correlated with CA 125 but did not provide a lead time. / Conclusions: HE4 Ag‐AAb complexes could complement CA 125 in detecting a higher fraction of early‐stage ovarian cancers

Clustering and Alignment of Polymorphic Sequences for HLA-DRB1 Genotyping

Located on Chromosome 6p21, classical human leukocyte antigen genes are highly polymorphic. HLA alleles associate with a variety of phenotypes, such as narcolepsy, autoimmunity, as well as immunologic response to infectious disease. Moreover, high resolution genotyping of these loci is critical to achieving long-term survival of allogeneic transplants. Development of methods to obtain high resolution analysis of HLA genotypes will lead to improved understanding of how select alleles contribute to human health and disease risk. Genomic DNAs were obtained from a cohort of n = 383 subjects recruited as part of an Ulcerative Colitis study and analyzed for HLA-DRB1. HLA genotypes were determined using sequence specific oligonucleotide probes and by next-generation sequencing using the Roche/454 GSFLX instrument. The Clustering and Alignment of Polymorphic Sequences (CAPSeq) software application was developed to analyze next-generation sequencing data. The application generates HLA sequence specific 6-digit genotype information from next-generation sequencing data using MUMmer to align sequences and the R package diffusionMap to classify sequences into their respective allelic groups. The incorporation of Bootstrap Aggregating, Bagging to aid in sorting of sequences into allele classes resulted in improved genotyping accuracy. Using Bagging iterations equal to 60, the genotyping results obtained using CAPSeq when compared with sequence specific oligonucleotide probe characterized 4-digit genotypes exhibited high rates of concordance, matching at 759 out of 766 (99.1%) alleles. © 2013 Ringquist et al